CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE SECRECT MEETING

---

Lila walked out of the building and towards Diego's van who was name Wanda, but she stopped, like she was taken a breath or hesitate over something.

She then opened the truck of the van but then when she looked to the left she spotted Allison in her chair smoking. So she walked over to car before opening the front door which caused Allison to let out a gasp before she cough and waved with her right hand, trying to get the smoke out.

"Oh, oh, sorry. I was---" she said as Lila closed the door "As you were. I just need a minute" she said and she let out a sigh "Tell me it gets better when they're older" the two looked at each other "Tell me it gets easier" Lila said "Once they hit puberty---" "Give me that" Lila grab the thing Allison was smoking before taken a puff of it.

"That's better" she said before looking at Allison and chuckled which made her chuckled as well and they both started laughing "You coming in, or you just gonna linger out here like a total psycho?" Lila asked "I can't. I can't" Allison said "Mmm. Mm-hmm" Lila nodded as she took another puff.

"You can" she said "No. Nobody wants me in there" Allison said "Nobody cares anymore" Lila wheezily and Allison looked at her "I don't" Lila said as she took Allison's carkeys.

"It would be so awkward" Allison said "They're over it. Let's go" Lila opened the door "No, Lila--" Lila step out of the car "Give me my...Hey! Give me my keys!" Allison said "Chop-chop" Lila said to her as she gave her a smirked.

---

Sam was riding on her dad's back as he was running around, playing airplane while Sam was giggling.

"Alright, that was the ride" he put her down "Again daddy, again" Sam said with a smile "Alright, where do you want to go through now. The forest, the dinosaur's age, ice age, fantasy land or the jungle?" he asked.

"The jungle" she answered "Alright, but we careful, 'cause there are tigers in the jungle" he said "Nothing I can't handle, 'cause my parents are superheroes" she said as she put on a small domino mask "That's my little superhero" he said before he turned around and bend down so she could jump on his back.

"Ready?" he asked as he could feel he had a good grip on her "Ready" she said and he smiled as he started running around again while she giggled as she stretched her arms out to the side, like she was flying.

"I didn't think that Five would be so lovely" Luther said as he was standing next to Maddie "Well, when you are with the right people, they just change you for the better" Maddie smiled "I wish Sloane was here, and she and I had that life that you and Five is having" Luther said and Maddie looked at her brother "I'm so sorry about Sloane Luther, she was a wonderful person, you two was perfect for each other, but she will always be with you" she said "I know" he nodded "I just hope that her and I would have more time together" he said "I hope that too" she patted his shoulder.

---

"Lila! Gimme my keys!" Allison had followed after Lila into the party, trying to get her to give her back her keys, but Lila refuse.

"Please don't make me go in there" Allison said as Lila was carrying three huge bottle of soda.

"Allison, listen to me" Lila said "No...Nobody likes me here" Allison said "You're being dramatic, my kids is more behave than you right now" Lila said "I'm telling you, nobody wants me here. Please. You don't understand" Allison said "Trust me, you're fine" Lila said.

Maddie and the others turned around to see Allison with Lila. Five put Sam down as he looked at Allison.

"Lila, I'm too stoned for this" Allison said as the siblings glance at her. "This was a mistake" she said "You're right. This is incredibly awkward" Lila said.

"What is she doing here?" Maddie mumbled "Relax Love. It's been six years" Five calm down his wife.

"Uh...Hey, uh. Allison!" Luther said with an awkward smile.

"Great we're all here" he smiled "Not all of us" Maddie said "Viktor will come and then we will all be here" Luther said "Not everyone" Maddie glanced at each them and everyone's face except Ben's and Allison's fell a bit.

"I miss him too" Lila said "Yeah, none of us would be here if it wasn't for him" Five said before he looked at his wife "Don't worry Love, wherever he is, he is alright" he wrapped an arm around her shoulder "I miss him too" Five said.

Luther then started walking over to Allison "Uh...Uh..." he said awkwardly.

"Hey! So glad you made it" he smiled "Just...though I'd pop in and say hello" she said before smiling as Lila walked away.

"Hello" Allison waved "Yeah. Great" Luther smiled "It's, uh, been a minute, huh? Since we've..." "Yeah" she said as he nodded "Yeah. Um..." she said before looking around "Is Viktor here?" she asked "No. No. He's not here yet, but, uh, he said he was coming, so..." Luther said "Yeah" she said before walking past him "Okay, see you later" he said.

Allison walked past Maddie who glance a little angry at her as she was standing next to Five.

"Hey aunt Allison" Sam waved "Hey" Allison waved back before walking away.

"Don't she like me?" Sam asked "Of course she do, Sweetpea" Five said "Allison just have a lot on her mind and she is probably a little stress, give her time" Maddie said and Sam nodded.

---

While Maddie and Five was playing with their kids Diego and Luther was standing next to each other, leaned up against a ball bit with a bottle of beer in their hands.

"I mean, you do the job, even though it's killing you and the kids, they suck whatever energy you have left" Diego said "Mmm" Luther nodded "And the in-laws, I mean...I'm glad they're alive in this timeline, but that don't mean I want them living in my house" Diego said and Luther nodded.

"And then there's Lila. You know, she told me she couldn't get pregnant while breastfeeding" Diego said and Luther looked at him "You can, by the way. I actually can't understand why Five is not so tired of this like I am, and how him and Maddie can figure things out and make things work, is like they are the perfect dream fantasy family, I don't get it, what is their secrets" Diego said.

"Diego, come on, man. Some people would kill to have what you have. You know? Maybe that is why Five is not tired of this family life he has, is because he have finally gotten something he always wanted but never thought he could have. He appreciate the things he have gotten and that is what Five does" Luther said and Diego took a sip of his bottle "I mean..." Luther looked over at Lila and Grace that was playing with bubbles before he glanced over at Five and Maddie that was playing with Noa and Sam.

"I know Sloane and I would have killed to have this" Luther said "Shit" Diego said before he looked at his brother as he did a slightly nod "You're right. I'm sorry" he said.

"Diego, where's the cake?" Lila asked "You said piñata before cake" Diego said "That was like two hours ago!" Lila said annoying as she took off her birthday hat. "Can we get this show on the road?" she looked at her wrist watch "I have book club tonight" she said before leaving to get the cake.

Since it was Grace's birthday, she was the first time in line to hit the piñata and after her it was Noa.

"One, two, three..." Diego spind his daughter around "Yeah, Grace!" Allison cheered.

"Four, five six" Diego said before stopping "Now go!" he smiled and Grace started hitting the piñata with a bat while Diego was growling playfully.

"Harder!" Diego cheered "Yeah, Grace" Noa cheered "A little more" Ben said "All right" Five said "You can do it Grace" Maddie cheered as Grace kept hitting the piñata "All right. That's enough. Good job" Diego clapped "Good effort" Five said "Good job" Maddie said.

"Come here, birthday girl" Allison said and Grace approached her before the two high-five "Yes" she smiled.

Then it was Noa's turn "Come on Buddy" Five cheered "Come on Sweetheart" Maddie cheered as the couple cheered for their son.

Noa hit hitting the piñata but it didn't not break "Wow. They really can't break that thing, huh?" Luther asked "East side piñatas are notorious for their difficulty" Diego glanced at Lila.

"Screw this. I'm starving" Luther said before he walked over to the piñata "Out of the way, Noa. Let's uncle Luther handle it" he said and Noa moved over to his parents.

"I'll hit you, son of a bitch" Luther told the piñata while Maddie and Five covered their kids' ears when Luther curse.

Luther let out a grunt as he punch the piñata "Oh" Allison said "Come on" Luther started grunting as he kept punching the piñata more aggressively.

"What the...what..." Ben said while Maddie and Five glanced at each other.

"All right, you asked for it!" Luther said before bitting the piñata which cause the children to scream.

Then Lila and Diego enter with the cake just as Luther got the piñata free, but by accident he swung it towards the cake causing it to fell up in the air and landing on the floor with a splat making the kids gasp.

Grace then started crying "It's okay, Sweetie" Allison comfort her "My cake!" Grace cried "Grace's cake" Noa sob "It's okay, buddy" Five and Maddie comfort their son.

"Way to go Luther" Maddie hissed at her brother while Diego took the piñata out of Luther's hands "What is wrong with you?" he asked "I got it open" Luther responded.

---

While Five was carrying a sleeping Noa, Maddie was carrying a sleeping Sam as the couple enter their huge mansion.

"Welcome back Mrs. Maddie and Mr. Five" Alfred said as Maddie and Five entered the house.

The couple walk up the stairs before they enter a bedroom each and Five tug Noa in his bed before laying a kiss on his forehead while Maddie did the same with Sam.

The couple walked out of the bedrooms "Except what Luther did, it was a good day" Maddie said "Yeah" Five nodded "I still wonder why Viktor didn't show" Maddie said "He is probably busy, my love" he said and Maddie nodded before she looked at the time.

"Well, it's still early" she looked back at her husband "Do you want to drink some wine and cuddling in the couch?" she asked "As much as I want to, I can't. I have something with work" he said, not wanted to tell his wife about that secret meeting he was going to do.

"I thought you were done with work for today?" she asked "Yeah, but I have to send out a report today which I forgot" he said "You forgetting, that's new" she said "Well, one time have to be the first" he said "Shall I go with you?" she "No. And don't wait up, I don't know how long it will take, and you have also had a long day" he said "Okay, just be careful" she said "I will" he kissed her cheek before going down stairs.

"Shall I go with you Mrs. Five?" Alfred asked "No" Five said as he grab his jacket "Mrs. Five" Five stopped before looking at him "Mrs. Maddie loves you so much, you have a wife that adores you, kids that loves you, you have a family, don't throw it away" he said "I wouldn't" with that Five left.

He changed to his undercover outfit before metting with the group leader and the two walked into a building.

"All right, just be cool, Jerome. Anybody asks, you're with me" the guy said as him and Five walked up the stairs before entering a room where a bunch of people were.

Five could hear indistinct chatter as he enter with the guy "There are the real Keepers" the guy said as Five glanced around "Best of the best" he said.

As Five glanced around he spotted someone and he narrowed his eyes before smiling as he recognize that it was Lila.

She was wearing a red dress, her hair was lose and she was holding some champagne. And she had a name tage that said Nancy.

Five let out a smirked as he scoffs before he turned to the guy "Excuse me, Larry" he patted his shoulder before walking towards Lila who was talking with a man and a woman.

"You know Hilary. She used to know every single thing" she said to the two people "So this is book club?" Five said with a sotto voice as he walked past her.

Lila titters as she glanced at Five before looking back at the man and woman "Will you excuse me just a second?" she smiled before walked over to Five.

"You blow my cover, I'll rip your balls off" Lila whispered "You're gonna blow my cover" Five said as he pick up a empty name tage "Nice mustache, by the way" she said sarcastically as Five wrote down his fake name on the name tag.

"What are you supposed to be? A Greek serial killer?" she asked and he let out a small chuckled "I'll have you know. This is top-of-the-line horse hair. Beside my kids love this mustache" he said "Can't you grow your own?" she asked and he chuckled.

"Where is your walking time of a ticking bomb?" she asked "Stop calling my wife that" he said "Okay, where is your beloved wife then?" she asked "Back at home, taken care of Noa and Sam" he replied "Does she know you are here?" she asked "The real question is, what are you doing here?" he looked at her name tage "'Nancy'?" he asked.

"Let's just say the transition from full-time assassin to full-time caregiver to 3 small children and one chunky husband is no picnic. I needed to get outside the house, okay" she looked at him with a smile.

"I saw a sign and took a chance. It's cheaper than therapy" she smiled before grabbing his name tag and put it on his chest.

 "Well, you are not cut out for domestic bliss" Five said "What would you do if you ever had the chance to experience domestic bliss?" she asked "I will take it. Whatever life, I will take it as long as Maddie is with me, I will take whatever life she want" he said.

"You didn't answer my question does Maddie know you are here?" she asked "No, and she is not going to find out" he said "Why?" she asked "Let's just say, she wouldn't like it if she knew what I really was doing and if she knew I was here she would have insists in coming here" he said "And what is wrong with that?" she asked "Is not safe for her, we don't know what type those people are, if they find out about her--" "What is wrong with that?" she cut him off "It can turn out bad, especially since she still have---" he stop himself when he remember that the others don't know that Maddie still have her powers.

Five and Maddie have not told their siblings that Maddie still have her powers. They were scared of their reaction, but they also wanted to do research about Maddie's powers, but until now, nothing have come up.

"She still have what?" Lila tilted her head "Nothing" he said before he looked at her "Listen I made a promise to Maddie a long time ago, that I was done with stuff like this and I gotta admit it was nice having some retire time, and I love my wife and our kids so much, more than life itself. I will do anything for them. And it have being wonderful having and living a normal life with her, experience stuff together, creating a family of our own, and I don't regret, but..." "You miss your old life" she cut him off "A bit yeah" he nodded "Well, I was right, the normal life is just not you" she said "And that made two of us since you are here. Beside I love my life. And I love Maddie and our kids. But I needed to figure this one out" he said.

"Then it's good you are here, 'cause these losers might be onto something" she said.

"If everyone can take their seats, the presentation's about to begin" a huge guy said.

"Come on" Lila said as everyone took a seat.

A couple enter the room which cause Lila to gasp "Who are they?" Five asked "You never heard of Gene and Jean? Sure you're part of the right CIA?" Lila asked "Just spit it out" Five said "Okay" Lila said as her and Five took a seat next to the projector, farthest behind.

"Gene and Jean started the first chapter in Clovis, New Mexico. Since then, the movement has been everywhere" Lila explain as the light got turn off.

"Wow. Wowie! I mean, holy shit!" Jean smiled "Pardon my French, but look at all these beautiful shining faces. It is too much. Thank you for being here. We have a big night planned, because tonight, we will be discussing..." she said and the projector started.

'THE UMBRELLA EFFECT'

'A practical study of Contemporary Post-Modern Mutaise and Timeline Purification'

"'The Umbrella Effect" Jean said and Five glanced at Lila who glanced back at him before raising a brow.

"And how I believe we can return to a resorted...and correct timeline" Jean smiled.

The projector change image and the screen showed an Umbrella Academy comic "Now, what do we mean when we talk about the Umbrella Effect?" Jean asked as she looked at the group. "Well, some people refer to it as 'Timeline sickness'" she pointed at herself while Five and Lila glanced at each other again before looking back at the screen.

"These artifacts from other timelines..." Jean said and the projector change image to the Umbrella Academy and Reginald action figure "Like the shared memories so many of us have experienced, huh?" Jean moved her hands as she was talking "Yup" someone from the group said.

"Memories the power that we would have you believe are just figments of our imaginations" Jean explain and the projector change image to a picture of Reginald holding an umbrella standing on the grassy knoll. Five recognize the picture, it was the same picture they took in Dallas.

"A dapper dandy holding an umbrella, standing on the grassy knoll" Jean explain and the projector change image to Klaus' cult.

"An obscure sex cult called 'Destiny's Children" Gene said and the projector change image "A little of child superheroes in short pants, from which we derive the name of this phenomenon, the Umbrella Effect" Gene explain as the image showed Maddie, Five and their siblings in their Umbrella Uniform.

"Question is...who benefits from covering this up?" Jean asked and the projector change to a picture of Reginald and his wife Abigail "The elites, of course. The ruling class has always been threatened by the truth. But they cannot stop the truth now, can they?" Gene asked and the group muttering.

"No, I didn't think so" Gene said and the projector change image to two black scroller, one had the Umbrella logo on and the other had the Sparrow logo on.

The projector change image to a black briefcase, those briefcase the Commission used before changing to Viktor's book that he wrote back in the old timeline.

"These artifacts are proof that we're living in the wrong timelines" Jean said as the projector change image to a set of the same movie but with a different main character on. One with Allison Hargreeves and the other with a different woman on.

"And they're the key to bringing about the Cleanse" Jean said.

"What the hell is the "Cleanse?" Five asked Lila "No idea, but shut your mouth" Lila whispered.

"We believe that something called the Guardian" the projector change image to a picture of Freddy which caused Lila and Five to widened their eyes.

"Kodi"

"Freddy"

The two glanced at each other before looking back at the screen.

"And something called the Red Dragon, is the key, we believe that they can restore the timeline, put it into place, make it right" Jean said which caused Five's eyes to widened.

"Maddie" he said "Shh" Lila shushed him "Shut up" she whispered to him "Your whisper is very high-pitched, and I'm not going to shut, that is my wife they are talking about" Five whispered "And Kodi is my cousin. Which they don't know, but they will find out if you don't shut up, don't blow our covers" Lila whispered "You're gonna---" Five whispered.

"Is there a problem back there?" Gene asked as him and Jean looked at Five and Lila.

"Shit" Lila said as everyone turned to look at them "I'm sorry. Could you little Chatty Cathys stand up, please?" Jean asked "Don't..." Lila whispered to Five "I don't...Can't really see your pretty little faces" Jean said and the two stood up.

"Oh, Papa, it's Nancy" Jean smiled and Gene chuckled "Hi, everyone" Lila sent out a small smile as she glanced at the others.

"And who's your little friend? I don't believe we've met" Jean asked and Lila put a hand on Five's right shoulder.

"This is my handsome fella---" "Jerome" Five cut in "Jerome" Lila removed her hand from his shoulder "From the Orlando branch" Five said "Mmm" Jean nodded "Jerome from the Orlando branch" Jean smiled at her husband Gene "Looks like your suntan could use a little work there, Jerome" Gene said.

"Maybe there's something we could hel clarify, Jerome from the Orlando branch" Jean smiled "No, so, um, sorry---" but Five cut Lila off "We were hoping maybe you could elaborate on the concept of the Cleanse" he said.

"Some believe it's the end" Gene started but then Jean put an arm in front of her husband chest, stopping him before she moved her hand up to his face.

"Others believe it's but a great restoration" Gene said "What do you believe?" Five asked "Well, you're in luck, because we are rearing a very special lecture on just this topic" Jean smiled as she had her hand on her husband's shoulder "Aren't we, darling?" Jean asked "That's right, darling. If you're interested, give us your information. Address, phone number. We'll make sure to send you an invitation. Both of you" Gene said.

Five knew that he couldn't ask in about The Guardian and the Red Dragon, maybe that would be too suspicions. They didn't knew who the Red Dragon is and that mean that Maddie was safe from them for now.

And Freddy, Five and Maddie knew that he was safe and in a place not everyone could get to. So he was also safe. Beside good luck trying to kidnap him. Not only was he in a place where not everyone could get to, but he was also surrounded with people that knew how to fight.

"Thank you both" Five said with a smile before get sat down "So sorry about that" Lila smiled before she also sat back down.

---

After the meeting, both Lila and Five decided to go to a café close by to talk about the meeting.

"Look, if these artifacts are from different timelines, and now they're showing up..." "It's possible the old man's reset didn't take. He didn't finished resetting the timeline because Freddy killed him and Allison push the button" Five said "What does that even mean?" she asked "I have no idea. What do you they mean about they think that The Guardian and the Red Dragon is the key?" he asked "I don't know, but they know that Kodi is the Guardian, how?" she asked "I have no idea, but nothing to worry about. I think wherever Freddy is safe, if they knew where he was or had him, they would have said it" he said "And as long as they don't know that Maddie is the Red Dragon, she is safe too" she said and Five nodded.

"Look, whatever this is, don't say anything to the family just yet" he picked up his mug of coffee "All right? Not even Diego" he said "Absolutely not. Or Maddie" she said and he nodded "She think I'm working" he said "Yeah Diego thinks I'm at book club" she said and Five looked at her "A former, assassin in a book club, really?" he asked.

"If I tell him I'm doing this. He is going to flip and start complaining about his job again" she said "Diego is going to find out sooner or later, you better tell him or he might think something else" he said.

"I just don't know how" she sighed. 

"It's just easier that way" she said "All right. Well, it's a good thing Maddie and I is not like that, that we don't have too much deception involved in our marriage" he smiled "Says you, didn't you just told your wife you were at work?" she asked "I did, and technically I am. I'm working undercover" he said and she rolled her eyes.

"You are married, have kids, why don't you have that problem?" she asked "I don't know, I'm just lucky, I guess. We don't have too much deception involved in our marriage" he smiled before he took a bite of his bread.

"Wow" she chuckled and he looked at her "Didn't your dad teach any of you Hargreeves men how to eat?" she asked as she reach her hand towards him before wiping some frosting off his fake mustache. "You are a parent now, you should be able to eat nice" she chuckled.

Five removed his head a little bit back, trying to get her to stop "Wait, no, come here" she kept wiping it off with her finger which caused Five to scoff.

"Stop it" he push her arm away "Jesus, just trying to help" she said "Well, I don't need it" he pick up a rag before wiping his mouth with it.

"You are really don't have any manners" she said "Says the woman who think chaos lifestyle choice and decided to deceive her husband" Five said "Says you, master of chaos. Have you ever tried smiling? It might help with those permanent frown lines" she said "I smile, but I only smile for real for my wife and kids" he said.

"You know I don't get what Maddie sees in you" she said "I don't get what my brother sees you in, but sometimes people do things others don't understand" he said.

"Little shit" she said "Asshat" he said "Psycho" she said "Kid-steal and mind fucker bitch" he said.

But what both Lila and Five didn't know was that Diego was sitting in his work van looking into the café, to see his wife Lila talking to someone who he didn't knew was Five since he could only see his back and that made him think that Lila was cheating on him.

"Book club, my ass" Diego said.

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