The Boy and The Psycho

Number Five

I continue laying on my stomach on the floor reading my book as Five's writes furiously on the walls of his room.

All of a sudden, the chalk stops.

"Oh. Okay, I think I've got something, Fiona. It's tenuous but promising."

Luther walks into the room and I give him a smile which he gladly returns.

"What is all this?"

"It's a probability map." Five answers with his back still to me and Luther.

"Probability of what?"

"Of whose death could save the world."

"I've narrowed it down to four."

"Are you saying one of these four people causes the apocalypse?"

"No, he's saying that their death might prevent it." I explain to Luther.

"Thanks, my love." Five says giving me a smile and a wink.

I smile back at him and look back down at my book.

"Oh. I'm not following."

"Time is fickle, Luther. The slightest alteration in events can lead to massively different outcomes in the time continuum."

"The butterfly effect." I add-in not looking up from my book.

"Yes, so all I have to do is find the people with the greatest probability of impacting the timeline wherever they may be, and kill them. Oh, yeah."

Five gets down off of his bed and opens his bedside table fiddling with something.

Luther walks over to the side of the bed to read the names. "Milton Greene. So, who's he, a terrorist or something?"

"I believe he is a gardener." Five says writing something down in his journal.

"You can't be serious. Wait, this is madness, Five. You--"

Five pulls a black bag out from under his bed and opens it up revealing a sniper rifle inside.

I stand up and look at the gun unaware that Five had it in his possession.

"Wh-- Where'd you get that?" Luther and I stumble out at the same time.

"In Dad's room. I think he used it to shoot a rhinoceros. It's similar to the model I used at work. Nice shoulder fit and highly reliable."

"But you can't-- This guy Milton is just an innocent man." Luther explains pointing at the name on the wall.

"It's basic math. His death could potentially save the lives of billions. If I did nothing, he'd be dead in four days anyways. The apocalypse won't spare anyone."

"We don't do this kind of thing." Luther explains.

"We are not doing anything. I am."

"I can't let you go and kill innocent people. No matter how many lives you'll save." Luther pushes to try and get Five to rethink his plans.

I look into Five's eyes hopeful that he decides to find another way to save the world. He looks at me and thinks.

"Well, good luck stopping me." He finally says and walks out of the room.

Luther sighs and looks at me. I nod my head over to Delores and Luther smiles as he looks back at Five.

"You're not going anywhere." Luther walks over to Delores picking her up and holding her out the window.

Five turns and see's Delores hanging out the window. He aims the gun straight at Luther.

"Put... her... down."

"Put the gun down. You're not killing anyone." I say and step in front of the gun staring straight at the barrel. "I know she's important to you, so don't make us do it, Five."

"Fiona, move out of the way." Five orders me.

"It's either her or the gun." I tell him not moving. "You decide."

Five begins shaking angrily making the gun shake in his hands.

Luther drops Delores out the window and Five teleports and drops the gun on the floor.

Luther and I high five each other and I walk over and pick up the gun.

Five teleports back in the room holding Delores.

"I can keep doin' this all day." Luther says and leans his elbow on my shoulder.

Five brings Delores close to him and sits on the edge of the bed.

"I know you're still a good person, Five. Otherwise, you wouldn't have risked everything coming back here to save us all. But you're not on your own anymore." Luther says and walks forward grabbing my hand and pulling me with him towards Five.

Five sighs. "There is one way. But it's just about impossible."

"More impossible than what brought you back here?" I ask.

Five sighs again.

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Five, Luther, and I turn onto a long street leading us to the middle of nowhere.

Luther stops the car and turns off the engine and Five unbuckles with the large briefcase in his lap.

We sit in silence waiting for Hazel and Cha-Cha to arrive.

Five sighs. "You know, I never enjoyed it."

"What?" I ask quietly.

"The killing. I mean, I was... I was good at my work, and I... I took pride in it. But it never gave me pleasure. I think it was all those years alone. Solitude can do funny things to the mind."

"Yeah, well, you were gone for such a long time. I only spent four years on the moon. but that was more than enough. It's the being alone that breaks you." Luther says.

"You think they'll buy it?" I ask changing the subject.

"Well, what I do know is that they're desperate, my love. It's like a cop losing his gun. If the Commission finds out, they'll be in deep shit. Oh, not to mention the fact that they'll be stuck here until they get it back."

"Well, I should hold onto it." Luther says looking between Five and I.

"Hm?" Five asks.

"In case they make a move on you."

"Okay, Luther, but be careful. I mean, I've... I've lived a long life, but... you're still a young man. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Don't waste it." Five explains.

We all grow quiet again and wait for the car to approach.

Like clockwork, a car comes flying over the road ahead of us.

"Here we go." I say as we all open our doors getting out.

The masked assassins drive right past us and stop a little way down the street behind our car.

Five walks up to me. "If this all goes sideways, do me a favor and tell Delores I'm sorry."

I nod my head and look into his eyes.

"And Fiona... I love you." Five says and leans in placing his lips on mine softly.

Five pulls away and turns to Hazel and Cha-Cha, leaving me blushing madly as I go and stand close to Luther.

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EDITED