CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: ATTACK OF THE SPARROWS

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A raven was cawing as Viktor and Allison met with Ben and Fei in the Academy's courtyard.

"You're one short" Ben said "Where's the rest of your pathetic family?" Fei asked "Aww. Is that the best you can do?" Allisok asked "Last warning" Fei warned "Yeah, you don't get to warn me about shit, Flock of She-Gulls" Allison said and Ben let out a laugh causing Fei to look at him and he stopped laughing before he cleared his throat.

"Whatever. Where the fuck is Marcus?" Ben asked "Marcus is, uh...Marcus, uh...Marcus is--" "Safe" Allison said, cutting Viktor off and Viktor looked at her as Allison looked at him.

"For now. But that'll change real quick if you don't do exactly as we say" Allison said "See? I told you they have him" Fei said as she looked at Ben.

"I warned Marcus, but no. He said we had to hear what you had to say" Ben said "Look, he wasn't wrong, okay?" Viktor said "Yeah, we want to make things right with you--" "By kidnapping our brother?" Ben said, cutting Viktor off "No, that's--" Viktor said but Allison cut him off "Yes" she said and Viktor looked at her as she sent him a signal, like he should play along and the two looked back at Fei and Ben.

"Look, there is a lot more going on here. The world is in trouble, and we need to work together. My brother could explain it all a lot better than me, but...it's a time-traveling problem. We cause a paradox, and that paradox is swallowing things. Lots of cows, and a dog, a few lobester, but also people. Look, I know it sounds like--" but Allison cut him off again.

"Just give us the briefcase, and we'll give you Marcus" she said "What briefcase?" Fei asked "The one we left in your house" Allison said and Fei was about to say something but Ben beat her to it "Deal. The briefcase for our brother" he said "Great. Hotel Obsidian, four o'clock sharp" Allison said before she put on her sunglasses "Or we'll send him back in pieces" she said.

---

"Whoa, what the hell was that?" Viktor asked Allison as the two was walking down the street "What? You were losing them. I'm an actor, I improvise" Allison answered "Superb performance. Helen Marrien. But we don't have Marcus" Viktor said "Well, they don't know that" Allison said "What are we gonna do when they show up and find out?" Viktor asked "I don't know. We'll figure that out next. But why don't you relax? We're powerful superheroes. It's time we started acting like it" Allison said "Oh, like how you almost turned a conversation with Ben into a street fight?" Viktor said and the two stopped before they looked at each other.

"Come on, it's not like you" Viktor said "What does that mean?" Allison asked "Since when do you have a hair trigger? You're usually the calm and cool one" Viktor said "Yeah, and look how well that worked out for me. Viktor, we could go home tonight, okay? And for the first time in days, I feel hope, so please don't step on that" Allison said and Viktor sighed "Okay, but come on, we have to be smarter about this. We don't know enough about the Sparrows" he said "I don't give a shit about them. I've got you. No one's gonna win a fight against me and my tiny badass brother" Allison said and Viktor smiled before he sighed "Okay. Well, I need the briefcase too. It's my only way back to Sissy. But no more improvising, okay?" he said and Allison sighed "We do things together from now on, got it?" Viktor said "Got it" Allison said.

---

Five, Mitch, Andy and Lila was in a small janitor's closet with wires as they were trying to hot-wire one of the briefcases.

Andy opened a circuit box and attached plush to the cables. He then turned around as the sound of electricity crackles was heard "It's seat" he said as the twins looked at their dad. 

Five wasn't even if this would work, but it was better than nothing.

"Nice suit" Lila said as she looked at Five's new tailored black suit.

"Thanks. Tailor in the lobby is a master craftsman" Five said "Still, I will miss those pasty knees" Lila said "Yeah, well, we could all stand to be showing a little skin these days" Five said and she let out a small smile.

"Okay, what is wrong with you?" she asked as she notice the smile Five was having on his face.

"What do you mean?" Five asked "You haven't stop smiling since we came here. You look like a little kid on Christmas morning, and it makes me want to punch you, so why are you smiling like that?" she asked "Let focus on this" Five said.

"Fine" she said before she lifted up another jump leads "For you" she said "Yeah" Five said before he grabbed them and Lila lifted up a jump-starter.

"Ready to hot-wire this briefcase?" she asked and he nodded as he got ready to use his powers "Let's do this" he said with a exhale.

"Dad, are you sure about this?" Mitch asked "Maybe we should do it" Andy said "No, I'm doing it" Five said before he looked at the twins "Please step back" he said and the two took a step back "We don't like this" Mitch said.

"Don't worry, this wouldn't kill him. Nothing can kill the little cockroach. I've tried already" Lila said.

Lila turned on the jump-starter causing electronics sparks to set off "Ah shit" he said as his hands glow blue and he wailed in pain while Lila laughed.

"Shit! Lila!" he shouted as he stumbled backwards, almost falling to his knees while the twins let out a gaps.

Five let out a groan before he got to his feet as he could feel the electronics going through his body while Lila continue laughing.

"LILA STOP, YOU ARE HURTING HIM!" the twins shouted before they looked back at Five "DAD" they said and was about to walk over and help "NO. You will get hurt" Five said and they stopped.

Andy then walked over to Lila before taking the jump-starter out of her hands, thorwing it on the floor.

"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?" he shouted at her.

"Dad the briefcase" Mitch said and Five looked at the briefcase to see that it was on fire, so he powered down before he let go of the jump leads when he saw that the briefcase was on fire.

"Shit" he said before him and the twins grabbed some rags and began hitting them on the briefcase to try and turn off the fire "Are you completely insane" Andy asked Lila while she was still laughing as she opened the door before walking out of the room. 

"Yeah, I was 99% sure that wouldn't work" Lila said with a smile as she jumped up to sit on a ice machine "Well, I'm glad my pain amuses you" Five said before he looked back the briefcase.

"You have no idea. It's like my therapy" she said.

"Yeah, that briefcase is dead" Andy said "Fuck" Five said as him and the twins walked out of the room before he closed the door.

"You are fucking crazy, you know that right?" Andy asked as he looked at Lila.

"Well, now we are down to one half-dead briefcase and my jumps are only accurate up to a couple minutes" Five said.

"Maybe you, Mitch and I can do it together?" Andy asked while Mitch nodded "No, you two will get hurt. So, essentially, we're screwed" Five said.

"Maybe. Maybe not" Lila said before she let out a smile "Oh, I hate that smile" Five said as he was looking at Lila "Listen, on your own, your little jumps are rather pathetic" Lila said and Five let out a scoff "But if we powered up together, you blinking, me mimicking that blink, your sons blinking to while combining their powers with ours. I think we could create some kind of feedback loop and get enough juice to jump-start the case" she said "That could work. The briefcase work as a barrier between times and if you jump start it with both your powers, it would probably hurt like hell. But if you have a barrier, then you could jump more effectively and without any issues of landing in the correct time and we can make it work" Andy said "What kind of barrier are you talking about?" Five asked "Mitch and I could made a kind of force shield" Andy said and Mitch nodded "Yeah, we had done it before we can do it again" he said "Can you boys do that plus combining your powers?" Five asked and the twins nodded.   

"Us two together" Five said as he looked at Lila "She is right dad, it could work" Andy said "We'd have to trust each other" Lila said and Five let out another scoff.

"Lila, you just spent the better part of the last ten days trying to end my life and the life of my girlfriend, and you tried to kidnap my sons" Five said "You killed my birth parents" Lila snapped at him "Fair enough" he said before she jumped down from the ice machine and took a few steps passed him before turning to him "And your entire family stood by while that greasy Swede put a cap in the woman who raised me" she said.

"The Handler was going to kill you, Lila. In fact, she did kill you. Then the twins and I rolled back in time and let the meatball do his work" Five said as he put his hands together.

"Oh, and by the way if you're leading Diego on as payback for what happened in Texas, you're pissing up the wrong ladder there cause that idiot may actually love you. The Handler never did" he said before he turned around and began to walk away.

"What do you know? You spent years shagging a mannequin and now you are shagging someone you barely know, conceiving two brats while following her around like a puppy. So what do you know about love" she said causing him to stop in his track as he turned to her "Hey" the twins said.

"Do not talk about Lara and my kids like that, Lila" he said aggressive as he walked up to her while he kept his eyes to her.

"Beside I know a lot more about love than you do" Five said "I doubt that" she said.    

"Guys, stop fighting" Andy said and they looked at her "I know you hate each other, but can't we all be friends here" Mitch said and they looked at him.

"We don't have time for this. We don't know when this thing is going to take people" Andy said "Yeah, and who knows which kind of people this thing will take. Maybe mom will be the first one to be taken" Mitch said which cause Five's eyes to widened a bit, making him more worried, if now this thing started to take people and Lara was one of them. He would lose her all over again, and he wouldn't just lose her, he would lose their unborn child too. He would lose the mother to his children.     

"This is insane. There is no way we're gonna get past this to make it to The Commission" Lila said "Okay, perhaps we can't get to trust, but there is a certain honesty in white-hot hated" Five said and Lila rolled her eyes before she walked passed him and over to the door.

"Then come over here, you god-awful little shit" she said and opened the door before she opened her palm for him to take her hand "And hold my hand" she said and he let out a smile before he grabbed her hand "Come on boys" he said and the twins walked in before closing the door behind them as the four walked back into the room.

---

Lara walked down to the bar to see Luther sitting by the counter with headphones on as he was making some kind of mix tape while he was hearing the song 'Lady in Red' as he was singing along.

She just rolled her eyes as she walked over to the bar and grabbed a bottle with some none-alcohol and a glass.

Then Diego over to the bar and collected the bottles on the tables that had been left.

Diego walked over to the counter as he leaned over it to grab more bottles causing Luther to look at him as he stopped singing while his smile faded and Lara let out a small chuckled.

The two looked each other as Diego furrowed his brows in confusing and Luther looked over his shoulder, looking at the large collection of bottles which Diego had sacked up in crates.

"What's with the bottles?" Luther asked as he looked back at Diego "Molotov cocktails. What's with the music?" Diego asked "None of your biz" Luther said and Diego picked up a tape "'Phil Collins. Neil Diamond'" he read before he looked at Luther "Are you making a mixtape?" he asked with his voice raising a bit in disbelief.

"Shouldn't you be watching your kid?" Luther asked "Dude, I got that parenting thing down" Diego said and Luther took of his headphones "The trick is, you give 'em a little trust, and everything falls into place. Now, I've been working on our defense" Diego said "Yeah, that is not how you raise a kid" Lara said while Diego sat down next to Luther "Where are your kids then?" Diego asked "Mitch and Andy is with their dad, spending some time with him" Lara replied and Diego nodded before he looked back at Luther.

"Now, let's talk offense, all right? What's our Sparrow plan attack? I got the rest of the afternoon" he said "Relax. Vanya and Allison handled it" Luther said as he was writing down the song 'Lady in Red'

"It's Viktor" Diego said "What?" Luther asked as he looked at him "Vanya's Viktor now" Diego said and Luther looked at Lara who nodded.

"What else did I miss while I was kidnapped?" Luther asked "Jesus, Luther. Not everything is about you, all right? So?" Diego said and Luther let out a sigh "The Sparrows are coming here, all right" he said before he went back to write down the songs on his mixtape.

"For what? Tea?" Diego asked and Luther looked at him "No. No, no, no, no, no, no. no. No!" Diego said as he shook his head "No!" he said as he pointed his finger at Luther "It's time for you and me to show 'em who's boss. Like the old days, huh? You know, bustin' heads?" Diego said as he punched the air.

"Oh, Jesus, Luther" Diego said as his smile disappeared when he spotted one of the tapes Luther had "Lionel Rich--Are you kidding me?" he asked as he hold up the tape.

"What? Lionel Richie's still cool" Luther said "No" Diego said "Look, I met someone, okay" Luther said "Really, you don't say" Lara said and Luther looked at him "You knew?" he asked "Yeah. I know what that looks like" Lara said and Luther nodded before he continued. 

"And I thought, you know, maybe she'd like some curated songs that just happen to express what's in my heart" he said before he put his headphones back on.

But then Diego pulled the headphones back down "When did you have time to meet someone? I mean, we've been here for two days and the only time you--" but Diego stopped himself while Lara's face twisted from confusion as the two realised that the only time Luther would have being able to meet someone was when he had been kidnapped.

"This is a mixtape for the enemy?" Diego asked "Hey. Sloane is not the enemy" Luther said as he pointed his finger at him "They are not the enemy. This is all one big misunderstanding. You know if our family could just behave ourselves for once then we could all work together. And then Sloane and I can fall in love, get married, buy a dog, grow old on a porch" Luther said as he was thinking about that life he wanted with Sloane.

"That's actually cute. I'm glad you found someone that like you for who you are" Lara said.

"Ugh. Jesus, Luther. You're pathetic" Diego said and Luther looked at him before he grabbed his pen again "Is...Is Sloane the gravity one?" Diego asked and Luther tried to hide his smile "Oh shit. You guys had gravity sex" Diego said and Luther let out a laugh "Gross" Lara said under her breath before she took a sip of her glass.

"How does that even work" Lara said in a voice like she really don't want to know.

 "Come on. You know I can't talk about that" Luther said with a chuckled and Diego leaned closer to him "Luther, I'm your brother. We got no secrets, and don't worry about Lara here. Her and Five have being screwing each other more times than I want to count" Diego said as he push a little bit to Luther with his shoulder "True" Lara said.

Luther looked around before he moved closer to Diego "Okay, well, uh, you might say, we were, uh 'Dancing On the Ceiling'" he said and Diego let out a small smile.

"Oh! That one's going in!" Luther said before he put a tape in the mixtape machine.

"Please kill me" Lara said before she did a fake gagged and Luther looked at her "Why are you gagging Lara, you and Five had probably wild and hard sex and probably blinking sex" Luther said "Well, not the blinking part, but the other part yes and two wonderful things came out of it" Lara said.

Diego then grabbed an empty bottle before he got up from his seat.

He looked at Luther and walked over at put the bottle in the crate before he picked up the crate "Oh my God, that's genius" Luther said to himself as Diego walked away.

"You know. I'm happy for you Luther" Lara said "Thank you Lara. You are the only logical person in this family" Luther said "You really consider me as family?" she asked "Of course I do. And I'm sorry for my behavior when we first met. I'm not good with new people. But you are family now and so is Mitch and Andy" Luther said "I can see she changed you for the better and that is good. Don't let her go" Lara said and Luther smiled.

---

"Tell me why we are doing this again?" Lara asked Diego as they were on the second floor, putting putting Molotov cocktail on the floor.

"If now the Sparrows attack. Then we have a back-up plan" Diego said and Lara nodded.

Luther then came walking up to them "Hey" he said "Yeah?" Diego asked as he place a Molotov cocktail on the floor.

"This whole, uh, Viktor thing" Luther said as he walked up to him "Yeah?" Diego asked before he placed the last Molotov cocktail on the floor "Well, it's pretty big deal, right?" Luther asked "I guess, for him. It's whatever" Diego said "Well, should we say something? You know? I mean, make a formal gesture? Welcome him as brothers" Luther asked as they walked down the stairs "Go, no. Just roll with it, man. Don't say anything, and don't be weird" Diego said "Okay. But not saying something feels weird, right?" Luther asked as they walked down the last step "I mean...Shouldn't we, I don't know...mark the occasion somehow?" Luther asked before the three stopped.

"You just wanna throw a party" Diego said "Why do you hate tiny sandwiches?" Luther asked "Admit Luther, you only want to throw a party so you can invite your girlfriend" Lara said "Maybe" Luther said.

But then Viktor walked over to them "Hey, what's up?" he asked "Luther wants to throw you a big, stupid party so you feel loved" Diego said as he looked at Luther before he looked back at Viktor.

Luther looked at Diego before he looked back at Viktor with a chuckled "Oh" Viktor said "Do you feel loved?" Diego asked and Viktor nodded with smile "Yeah, I...I do" he said "Good. You are" Diego said before he looked at Luther "Can we all get back to saving the world now?" he asked before him and Lara walked away

"I, uh..." Luther said, not really know what to say.

"I really like the hair" he said and Viktor let out a smile "Is that a number ten?" Luther asked and Viktor nodded "Yeah, that's a good choice. Really...frames your face" Luther said "Thanks" Viktor said with a smile "I'll see you later" Luther said before he walked away.

---

Five and Lila was ready to work together this time to try and use the briefcase

"Okay, let's do this" Mitch said "Ready" Andy said.

"Okay, relax" Lila said as the sound of a device whirs was heard "I can't. Your breath is terrible" Five said "Have you thinking about bushing your teeth?" Mitch asked "Garlic is winners. Enough foreplay!" Lila said before they both grabbed the briefcase "Kids, grab the briefcase and be ready" Five said and the twins nodded as they grabbed the briefcase with one hand while they grabbed each other's hand with the other.

"This is so stupid" Five said "Power up, shithead" Lila said before they both started straning as they both grits their teeth while they got ready to use their powers.

Five, Mitch and Andy took a deep breath. They had to do this, for the take of humanity, for the sake of the lives being built, for the sake of their family.

The sound of energy pulsing was heard as Five's, the twins' and Lila's hands started to glow blue and electronics sparks was set off "Okay, now combined your powers and make that barrier" Five said and the twins did what he said which cause the blue light to get bigger and bigger while a bright white force shield appeared around the four. "That's it" Mitch and Andy said.

"Let me in!" Lila cried out "We can't! It's too much" Five and the twins cried out "Don't bitch out on me now!" Lila shouted and he let out a yelps.

"I hate you so much!" Five said to Lila "Then get this right, or it's us four in the Stone Age forever! And you three will never see Lara again" Lila said before the four started straining as the blue light got bigger and bigger.

"Now! Do it now!" Lila shouted and the four started screaming before the sound of a zapping was heard and then the four disappeared in the blue light.

---

Wind was howling as Five, Mitch, Andy and Lila appeared in another place, falling on to a pile of snow.

There was a heavy a blizzard around them which had covered the whole area in snow.

Five quickly got up before he rushed over to Andy and Mitch "Kids you okay?" he asked as he help them up "We're fine" Andy said "A little bit exhausted, and a little cold now, but fine" Mitch said. 

"Oh, brilliant idea, Lila!" Five said sarcastically as they all looked around "Welcome to the Ice Age!" he said as they saw how the area was covered in thick snow cause of the heavy blizzard.

Lila then turned around before she smiled "Shut up and just look" she said and the three turned around to see The Commission's headquarters.

"Is that it?" the twins asked and Five nodded "Yeah. That's the headquarters of The Commission" he said and Lila laughed before she running towards the building "Shit" Five said "Let's go, before we freeze our asses out here" Andy said and Five nodded before the three walked towards the building, following after Lila.

---

Luther and Diego was sitting by a table in the lobby playing a game while Lara was sitting next to them "By the way, Lara, I think it's best that you stay out of the way if now the Sparrow decided to attack us" Diego said "Yeah, not happening. I can fight. And I knock the girl with the long black hair and the one you guys call Ben to the ground. So I can fight" Lara said.

"I don't get it. Did I miss it? How did you win again?" Luther asked and Diego saw Viktor and Allison walking down the stairs while they were talking to each other.

"Oh, look at those two jabronis getting along, being all sibly" Diego said "So?" Luther asked "So that never goes well for us" Diego said as he leaned back against his chair while he had his arms on crossed.

"Maybe it's because you guys always fight" Lara said as Viktor and Allison walked over to them before they sat down.

"Hey" Viktor said "So, what's the plan? What do we do when the Sparrows get here?" Luther asked them "Follow our lead" Allison said "Uh-uh. Nice try. We don't take orders from you" Diego said "Uh-uh" Luther said as he nodded, agreeing with Diego.

Then the Sparrows entered the lobby "Oh shit. They're early" Luther said and Lara and the siblings got up as they saw the Sparrows walking into the hotel wearing their suits.

Diego pulled out his knife as he flipped with it while the Umbrellas and Sparrows approach each other. 

"Well, thanks for coming" Viktor said "Oh, yeah, super glad to be here" Jayme said sarcastic.

"Where are the rest of you?" Ben asked "Are you taking attendance? They'll be here" Diego said.

"Are you sure you want to stay in this fight, kiddo. You can go run to your mommy while you still can" Jayme said as she looked at Lara "Well, I can handle myself and also you are welcome to run to your mom while you can still walk" Lara said as she sent Jayme a death look.

"You were the one that knock me to the ground, you and I have some unfinished business" Jayme said and Lara just gave her a sarcastically smile.

"Where's the briefcase?" Allison asked "Where's our brother?" Ben asked and Allison smiled "Maybe we should try this again before I lose my temper" she said and Viktor snapped his head towards her "Allison--" he said "I got this" Allison told him.

"Run" Sloane whispered to Luther "'Bun'?" Luther asked and she shook her head.

"Hand over the briefcase or no deal" Allison said "Yeah, tiny problem" Ben said and Allison furrowed her brows "Deal's off" Ben said "Run" Sloane whispered again "Oh'Run'" Luther said with big smile.

Diego turned to Stan before he pointed his knife at him "Stanley. Not now" he shouted and Stan dropped the Molotov cocktail but as he did that, the fire hit a banner that was hanging on a pillar and it cut on fire.

"Oh shit" Stan said, catching everyone attention and the hotel's guest started clamoring and chattering before they started running away while the smoke alarm started blaring.

"Power up" Ben ordered before he held his left hand up while Lara took a step back.

Fei summoned her crows out from her back while Jayme moved her lips and jaw, preparing the venom.

"Go" Diego said as he grabbed Stan before he dragged him over to the lobby's desk.

"Now, Chris" Ben said and the sound of piercing feedback whining came out of Chris.

Chris shot out with his red rays of electricity, hitting Lara and the siblings making them all hear a high-pitched noises in their minds causing them all to wailing in pain as they fell to their knees while holding their hands to their heads in pain.

"What the hell?" Luther said and Allison looked up "I heard...I heard a rumor..." Allison said, her voice echoing as she was trying to use her powers on Ben but she couldn't "That you're about to die" Ben said.

Luther let out a groaned and Sloane looked at him before looking at her siblings with a terrified look.

"Kill 'em" Ben ordered and Jayme and Alphonso walked closer to Victor who let out a groan.

But then suddenly there was an echoing yell which followed a yellow blast of energy that was shout out of an older man.

The energy force wave hit Fei's crows, killing them.

Luther ran over to Sloane before he brought her down with him to protect her from the energy blast.

The extreme energy blast hit Jayme and Alphonso who was closest to Viktor while Fei and Ben felled to their knees and Chris was blown back against the wall before falling to the floor.

However, since Jayme and Alphonso was closest to Viktor, they were hit by the energy blast wave causing them to scream in pain as half their face burned up before melting.

When all the Sparrows felled to the ground the man powered down.

"Jayme. Alphonso!" Fei cried out as they saw the two laying dead on the floor.

"Pull back!" Ben shouted before him, Chris and Fei got up and ran out of the hotel.

"Sloane. Sloane, are you okay?" Luther asked as he looked at a unconscious Sloane who was laying underneath him.

Viktor looked at the older man as he slowly got up "Oh my God" Viktor said as he looked at the old man in shock "Harlan? Is that you?" he asked.

Diego looked over at Lara who was laying lifeless on the floor.

"Lara, it's over" he said but she didn't respond. 

"Lara" he shouted as he rushed over to her.

"Lara" he said as he couched down next to her "Lara" he said as her heart was beating slower.

"Lara" he said as he shook her but her eyes were still closed.

Diego then pressed his fingers against Lara's throat, searching for a pulse while her heart was beating slower.

"Lara" he said before he put two fingers on Lara's throat to search for a pulse "I can't find a pulse" he said before he leaned his ear closer to Lara's face

"SHE IS NOT BREATHING. GUYS, SHE IS NOT BREATHING" he shouted..

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