You Better Bring an Umbrella, Vol. 2

Chapter 29: A Room Full of Exes

            Throbbing, bouncing, beating pain surged through me as I started to wake up, expecting to find myself laying down. I'd completely forgotten what happened before I blacked out, believing for a moment that I'd gone to bed, until I opened my eyes and found myself in a completely unfamiliar room—not to mention I was sat in some chair. Large, towering, full bookshelves lined all of the walls, complete with one of those rolling ladders I remembered riding when I was a little kid. In front of me was a grandiose fireplace, decorated with gold and white, only further cementing I was somewhere I likely shouldn't have been. It took me a second to focus, but when I did, hatred started to overtake my confusion. Sat right in front of me was a woman, sat completely tall and proper; not a single strand of her white hair was out of place, and there wasn't a wrinkle or dust particle on her ornate, purple uniform. Lila was sat right beside me, staring at the woman behind the desk intently.

"Mina Hargreeves... meet my mother." My eyes went wide as I shifted to stare at the girl on my left. Five had said she was part of the Commission, but he never mentioned she was the daughter of the very bane of his existence. At least, I assumed this was her. The description certainly fit. "Mother, this is Mina... my girlfriend."

"I'm sorry, what?" I questioned, not willing to fall right back into that title.

Though I wanted to focus my anger on Lila, I couldn't draw myself away from the woman in front of me. Here she was, sat right within arm's reach... The Handler. The woman who had caused my family, specifically my own blood, so much trouble. She, on the other hand, appeared to want nothing to do with me, despite the fact I remember Five mentioning she'd offered for me to work for them with him at some point. Instead, she leaned forward against her desk and glared at the woman that apparently was her daughter.

"Are you kidding me?" she grunted, annoyed.

"You said I could hire my own team," Lila attempted to reason. Her own team for what, exactly?

"Yes, but I didn't mean her, for God's sake." I held my angry gaze as the Handler momentarily looked to me. "If you don't see the problem with hiring you-know-who's sister—and his twin sister, at that—then you're not ready for that badge."

Only now did I notice the gold badge pinned to Lila's sweater that read 'Head of Security'. That was new.

In the vain of looking around, I glanced down to my watch, and noticed I was past the time we had to leave. For a moment, I panicked, but I quickly remembered this place was filled with briefcases that I could use to take me back to before time had run out, and all this would be solved. I just had to figure out how to get to them...

"I'm sorry, but I really need to get going," I sighed.

"Shut up!" The power behind their voices caused me to flinch.

"I can't do this job if you don't trust my instincts," Lila argued.

"Sweetheart, your vagina needs glasses. She is not worth it." Lila's eyes widened in horror as her mother casually sat back in her chair. I didn't really know what to do with that information, instead just allowing my brain to go blank for a moment.

"Mum! Oh, my God. This may shock you, but not everyone here likes you." The Handler's expression shifted to blind defiance.

"Sounds ridiculous, but go on," she urged. I couldn't tell whether she was being sarcastic or not, but my instincts were pointing me closer to 'no'.

"You need fresh blood loyal to us and not the old regime. I've seen Mina in the field. She is so much better trained than some of the assholes here. Why waste that when we can use it?" I rolled my eyes, completely unwilling to go with this plan. "She'll be my personal responsibility."