Number Eight // Five Hargreeves

IX

Tessa's POV

The sound of the engine roaring back to life forces me back to reality as I open my eyes.  Assuming I was moved in my sleep, my head now rests in Five's lap and my feet are sprawled over Klaus's lap.  I yawn, drawing attention to myself as the rest of the car notices I'm awake.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty.  Did you have lovely dreams about rainbows and unicorns?"  Klaus asks.  I sit up, not fully awake and just groan my response while slamming my head down on his shoulder.  I really do not like being woken up.

"Aww, someone's a little grouchy,"  He teases.  I hear the rest of the car chuckle as I open my eyes more, seeing how the once lit horizon is now pitch black with the street lamps being the only source of light.  

"How long have we been driving?" I ask, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"About four hours.  We stopped a few miles back to get coffee, but you were out cold,"  Allison says from the front seat.  Damn it, I could really go for some coffee right now.  As though Five could read my mind, he hands me a small paper cup.

"Here, I thought you might want some,"  He says with a small smile.  

"Thanks,"  I reply while taking a sip.  No cream no sugar.  Just how I like it.  I flash him a smile causing him to blush just a little bit.  The keys in the ignition turn, causing the low growl of the engine to die out.  

"Oh goody, we're here,"  Klaus says as he pushes the car door open as if he were making a grand entrance through a set of double doors in a palace.  I scoot over from the middle seat and take Five's out streched hand as I get out of the car.  

A large buisness building stood before me.  So fitting of him to invite us here.  Just a plain, gray building.  I'm surprised there's no bars on the windows or a barbed wire fence surrounding the place.  Now that would make it feel more like home.  I stop and stare, looking up at the building, trying to imagine what awaits inside those doors that I will be entering in only seconds.  I close my eyes and breath in the crisp night air around me.  For a brief second, the thought of this possibly being the last breath of free air I get, crosses my mind.  I mean, he did keep me isolated for my entire life because of my abilites.  Why would he do any different now?

I keep my eyes closed.  My mind is telling me to turn around and run.  To put as much space between Reginald Hargreeves and myself as I can.  To never let him see what I've become, and what he's done.  He doesn't deserve that validation.  He doesn't get to feel victorious about his work.  If anything, I should go in there and show him just how effective my abilites are, starting with fire...

"Tessa?  You ready?  You kinda zoned out there for a second.  You don't have to go in if you don't want to,"  I open my eyes only to be met by vibrant blue eyes full of concern.  

"No I'm good, I'm ready,"  I say as I lead the way, Five right behind me.  

I push open the glass doors and find myself in some kind of lobby that is completely deserted.  No one seems to be here.

"Are you sure we're at the right place Diego?"  Allison asks, getting the same spine shivering energy that the rest of us are feeling.  All of us know Mr. Hargreeves, and this kind of lobby would not meet his expectations.

"Yeah this is the place.  The invitation says the dining room on the tenth floor." I spot the elevators tucked away in the corner and make my way over.  As soon as I press the button, the doors slide open with a ding, proving our theories about this place being completely empty, putting us even more on edge.  We file in the elevator, squeezing together to make room for Luther.  I press the round button with the number ten on it as the doors close and begin going up.

We stand in silence.  Not a comfortable one, but not an unbearable one.  All of us are thinking about what's going to happen just minutes from now.  Going through our own possible scenarios that could happen when we see the man responsible for everything that has ever happened to us.  I twist my body slightly so that I can look at Five who's squeezed behind me against the wall.  His beautiful blue eyes are squinting as his brain produces thoughts at a million miles an hour.  The small vein in his forhead pulses as it always does when he is deep in thought.  I reach for his hand, instantly seeing his features relax just the slightest bit as our skin makes contact.  Even if I can give him just a tiny feeing of peace, I'd do it over and over again. 

The elevator dings as a round number ten lights up above the door, causing all of us to flinch lightly, our nerves getting to us.  I see Klaus take a look around at us, his eyes flashing frantically as he meets mine.  I breathe in and out, telling him to mirror my movements, taking his own deep breath of air in, filling his lungs.

The doors slide open as we walk out of the small metal box, taking in the sight before us.  A large table, filled with fruit and food platters sits in the middle of the room, ten chairs surrounding it.  A large glass chandelier hovers over the top, shining and twinkling like diamonds.  The rest of the room has a mauve colored tint to it as it glows with yellow lights, illuminating the small bar in the corner stacked with different kinds of alcohol.  That grabs Klaus' attention as he migrates over there to make himself a margarita with a tiny umbrella in it.

I sit down at the table with Five on my right and Diego on my left.  I look around for Ben and find him sitting in a colorful chair pushed up against the wall.  I send him a smile, trying to tell him that I see him, but I'm quickly distracted by the sound of the doors being slammed open.  

He walks in wearing a brown monochrome suit, folders in hand.  His monocle resting on his left eye just like it has been for all these years.  His pace confident and arrogant, as though this were just another buisness meeting.  Well for him it might be, but for us, it's the most important dinner of our lives.  

He sits down at the head of the table and puts his papers down in front of him.

"Great, we're all here.  Let's get started."