Stuck With You | Five Hargreeves

Chapter 27: The Commission (Part I)

In only a matter of seconds, Number Five found himself at the Commission's headquarters next to the woman who ruined the little of what was left of his and Cassie's life. The boy took a  look at his surroundings as he remembered the first time he stepped foot in this place with Cassie after getting recruited by The Handler.

Headquarters was a place that seemed to be stuck in the '50s but time really didn't matter, after all, the people inside were responsible for controlling time and every major event that happened in the world.

Five still remembered the first time he and Cassie were first taken to headquarters on their very first day. They both still didn't understand how a place like this even existed, but soon after the learned everything they needed to know. On their very first day after getting recruited, they were given many false expectations about their new job and most of them ended up being bullshit, so Five knew that this was going to be the same.

He still knew that whatever The Handler tried to offer him he had to stay focused on his main goal, and not let her know his real intentions.

"I must admit, Number Five," The Handler suddenly broke the silence between the two. "In all the time that I've been here, I've never met anyone quite like you." The woman confessed, gaining an odd glance from the way who was walking next to her. "Hazel and Cha-Cha, for example, are talented, certainly, but... they can't see the big picture. Also, another good example would be your ex-partner, we both know she always held you back." She said talking about Cassie which for some reason made Five angry but he couldn't let The Handler know that. "Your spunk, your enterprising spirit, well, it reminds me a great deal of myself." The woman said wrapping her arm around the boy's shoulder. "If... I may be so vainglorious. If things work out for you here, you could potentially make a fine successor, Five." She said as they both entered the main building.

Five looked around him watching the people who worked inside walk around like ants with the presence of no other than The Handler herself. He could tell the people inside weren't very fond of her but had no other option than respond to her orders as good employees.

"I'd like to discuss the logistics of my family and Cassie's safety at your earliest convenience. As well as this body replacement." Five said to the woman reminding her of the things she had previously offered him. He had to make himself look like he was really interested in her offer but in reality, he knew he was going to save his family himself.

"Such chutzpah." The Handler chuckled and began to walk upstairs. "It's refreshing, I'll admit. Slow down, Five. All in good time. In fact, now that you've finally agreed to work with us, we've got all the time in the world." She said emphasizing the very last sentence. "The Commission works in support of a delicate balance between the timeline of events and mankind's free will." The woman explained as she walked around the second floor of the building walking past the briefcase room. "The briefcase is no longer part of your kit, Five. Free your mind. You're management now. One of us." She said as she led him away from the room.

While The Handler was giving her a brief explanation about the Commission, Number Five, had already paid close attention to the briefcase room. He knew that was the only place he could probably steal a briefcase from. All he had to do now was make a plan accordingly.

"All the people on this floor are case managers, each one responsible for one major event at a time." The handler said leading Five into a hallway and stop by a large room filled with people working on typewriters. It looked as if the room went forever.

"So many of them." The boy said amazed by the number of people inside.

"Impressive, isn't it? Being part of something... so grand." The woman said proudly as she watched the people who were working inside the room. "Come along." She said as she began to walk away Five following after her. "Whenever someone chooses the wrong path and the timeline is changed, the Commission gets a report from field agents on the ground. These field reports are sorted and assigned to a case manager. They determine if anyone needs to be removed from the equation to assure that their event happens as it should." The Handler said as she walked to another room. "Based on that determination, the case manager sends instructions via pneumatic tube to temporal assassins like you formerly were, Number Five." She turned to look at the boy standing next to her. "Any queries so far?" She asked with a smile on her face.