CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: THE BUNKER

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Five opened a side door "Exsqueeze me" Lila said as she walked past him and the kids "You're excused" Andy said.

Lila leaned her head closer to a small device on the door and it glow blue before it started beeping as it scan her face causing it to made a beeping sound.

Andy and Mitch could feel that they began sweating more and their body also started itching more and more.

But the alarm said a buzzing sound "We're screwed" Lila said "Unauthorized access" they heard an artificial female voice in the speakers said.

"Oh Shit" Five mumbled under his breath.

"Damn it" Mitch and Andy said at the same time as they began sweating like crazy as they continued to scratch their neck.

"Jesus. What the hell is wrong with you two. You are both sweating like a dodgy shrimp on ice" Lila said as she looked at the twins and Five turned to look at his sons, noticing how much they were sweating.

"Are you two alright?" Five asked "No, we are sweating like crazy" Mitch said "And our bodies keep itching, it's so annoying" Andy said as the two continued to itch their body before letting out a small fart "Jesus, what is wrong with us" Andy said.

 "Guys can one of you scan your face over by the scanner?" Five asked "I can to it" Andy said before he walked over and leaned his head closer to the scanner and it started scanning his face making the device whirs.

When it was done, the device said a chimes sound "Access granted" a voice said over the speaker and the door unlocked.

"I guess your sons is essential personnel" Lila said as the door opened while the three had a confused look at their face.

When the door slid opened they looked at the room.

The bunker was a tilted white room with black floor and it didn't seem destroyed like the rest of The Commission, it seems new.

The whole room was empty.

On the white rug stood a glass coffee table and two red rounds chairs next to it. A teapot and others sort of glass was standing on the table.

"Wow" Lila said before she entered the bunker first "Wicked" Mitch and Andy said at the same time as they looked inside before they both enter while they scratched their neck.

But as soon as they enter, the sweating and itching stopped "It's gone" Mitch said and Five looked at him "The itching and sweating is gone" Andy said and Five had a confused look on his face as he was looking at the door that slide closed.

Lila let out chuckled as she looked around the room before she walked over to some kind of metal machine that was standing in the middle of the room right next to another metal machine. The machines look like containers that could fit a human inside as a ventilator was hissing.

The two machines was right next to each other and they were both turn on.

Lila walked closer to them to see two elderly men in their underwear with their head protruding from the case was visible to them when they looked at the case to see what was inside.

"That's them, huh?" Five said as he lay the book on a table "The founders" he said before he walked closer to the machines.

The container served as the man's artificial life support system that was keeping them alive.

"Looks like tinned beef. I was expecting more man and less...can" Lila said as she patted the container where the elderly man was in.

Five came closer to the machines, but then he froze when he saw who the older men was. "It's can't be" he said as he realized who it was "What's wrong?" Lila asked.

"The founders are..." Five said as his eyes widened.

"Mitch and Andy. My sons" he said in shock.

"WHAT" Mitch and Andy said in shock as they walked closer to each other the machine where their older self was.

"How do you know that it's your kids?" Lila asked "A parent can always recognize their own kids" Five said. 

There was a few seconds of silence before Lila started laughing hysterically as Andy and Mitch looked at their future self "So that is us?" Mitch asked "Well, your future you" Five said.

"But how can we be the creator of The Commission? In what time? We don't even know about the place" Mitch said "Yeah, how can we create something that you were part us before we were even born" Andy said "I don't know. It made no sense, it haven't happen yet. But if the world was going to end, then you two wouldn't be able to create The Commission" Five said.

"No way. This whole time you've been complaining about The Commission and your sons were the ones who founded it. Classis" she said "It's doesn't make sense" Five said and Lila laughed again.

"It's not funny Lila" Mitch said to her but she kept laughing.

"So here I was thinking you were a maverick, but you're kids are company people, down to the bone. I mean they..." she said and let out another laugh.

"They literally cannot breathe without this place" she said.

"Maybe it does make sense. One of our main powers had to do with space and time, so it isn't a long shot" Andy said.

"Something's not right. Mitch and Andy don't have paradox psychosis" Five said as he looked at the twins who was not sweating or itching at all.

"They had it outside but in here" Five said as he looked at the door before looking around confused while wondering about it "It's...nothing" he said.

"Never were too bright, were you?" a raspy voice said and Five and Lila looked down to see the older Andy with his eyes opened.

"You were sometimes the slow one" older Mitch said as he also opened his eyes.

"Hey dad" they both said "Mitch, Andy" Five said and older Mitch and older Andy looked at their younger self "Hello young me" they said "Okay, this is the weirdest we have seeing" Mitch said "Absolutely" Andy said.

"The operations bunker is paradox-proof" old Mitch said before he strain to inhale "We constructed it as a panic room in case of a collapse in the time continuum, in this room, all permutations of yourself can exist" old Andy said.

"You must be here because of a...Kugelblitz" old Mitch said "Is that like a cheese blintz?" Lila asked "It's German for 'Ball of lighting' It's an extra kinky kind of black hole" Five said.

"The kind that can suck up entire timelines" Lila said "Bingo" old Mitch and old Andy said with a nod.

"So, how do we fix it?" Five asked and older Mitch and Andy let out a raspy chuckled before coughing.

It was hard for Five to see his kids' future self in a position like that.

"You don't" old Andy answered "If you two created all of this, then you must have created a solution" Five said and old Mitch and Andy let out a wheezing noise before they coughed and whimpered causing the young twins to look at each other. They were so confused but they tried to do their best in understanding what was going on.

"All that will be left is" old Mitch said "...oblivion" old Andy and old Mitch said before they coughed and inhaled "Oblivion? What do you two mean?" Lila asked as she put her hands on the machine.

But then the machine opened, making both old Mitch's and old Andy's body to roll out, and as he rolled out, their saw his whole body. They were so skinny that you could see his ribs which cause the young twins' eyes to widened.

"This is what we have coming" old Mitch said "Not what you guys expected, we know. Life is never as we expected" old Andy said.

"Listen to me, kids" Five said and walked closer 

"I just spent the last 20 days running around saving the world from apocalypse, only to keep trying to save the world. Now I am stuck in this pubescent body, my hormones are raging, and all I wanna do is to buy a 1970s Corvette Stingray and live a normal family life with my girlfriend and kids. I can changed this so you both don't end up like this. So this Kugelblitz, it is not some tiny leak that we can simply fix by patching a couple of pinholes. It is a giant trash compactor which is grinding up univers and consuming it whole. So please tell me how you stop it" Five said.

"Whatever you do Dad..." old Mitch said and the heart monitor started beeping causing older Mitch and old Andy to get choking "Don't save the world" the older twins said as they looked at their dad "Sorry to disappoint you, we were just trying to be like you" old Mitch said before the heart monitor started beeping rapidly and the older twins closed their eyes before the machine that was keeping them alive powered down.

"What do you mean, don't save--Mitch, Andy" Five yelled out their name while the electricity powered down.

"How do I fix this?" Five asked and Lila put two of her fingers by old Mitch's neck and two other on old Andy's neck "They're dead, Five" she said and Five started panting as he looked hopeless and helplessly at his sons' future self's dead bodies.

"Holy shit" Andy and Mitch said.

Five inhaled sharply before closing his eyes as he took a deep breath, trying his best to hold in his tears.

"Can I have the room?" he said in a low voice. He was scared, shock and confused and this time, he didn't know what to do.

"Er...I don't think we should leave you alone" Lila said "Please, I need the room" Five said "Are you sure dad?" Mitch asked "I'm sure, just give me one minute" Five said "Okay" Andy said before the three left the room.

Five wanted to cry but he was able to hold back.

Another trauma was added to his long list of his life.

Five blinked away the tears in his eyes as he chewed his lower lip in an effort to prevent himself from crying. He wanted to cry, for the past 20 days of trying to save the world, he was tired. He just wanted to fix this, he want to retire and live a normal happy family life with his girlfriend and kids. Make up for all the years he missed with his sons but it seems that he wouldn't be get any of that.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you guys" Five said as he looked at his sons' future self's dead bodies "If I have ever failed you two, I'm sorry" he said.

But then he noticed a piece of skin in a picture fame that was hanging on the wall.

"What's this?" Five asked as he walked closer to the picture.

'DAD'S TATTOO' was writing on a sign under the picture.

Five grabbed the picture before he pulled up his switchblade and cut the skin out of the frame.

He knew that it must be important or mean something since it was hanging there and since his older self would have it tattooed.

---

Viktor was walking down the hall when he saw Harlan in hallway "Harlan, you need to stay in your room" he said as he walked up to him and Harlan turned around with an angry look on his face "What's wrong?" Viktor asked and Harlan lifted up some newspaper with the siblings' mothers on "Why do you have these?" he asked before he walked closer to Viktor "Huh? Why?" he asked "Do you know them?" Viktor asked.

Harlan then grabbed Viktor's shoulder causing Viktor to let out a gasp and Harlan a grunt as they both started glowing and Viktor saw that when Sissy died at the hospital, Harlan cried out in pain making him lose control and as he did that, all the siblings' mothers died of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage.

Viktor gasped as he pulled away before both him and Harlan powered down.

Viktor's breath was shivering as he looked at Harlan "It was you? You killed our mothers? You caused all this?" Viktor said with tears in his eyes.

Harlan turned around before he walked down the hallway towards his room.

"How do you know our mothers? What did you do to them?" Viktor asked as he was walking after Harlan.

"Taps. I need my tapes" Harlan said as he opened the door to his room "Hey. I'm talking to you" Viktor said as they enter Harlan's room "No!" Harlan said before he began straining.

Viktor then ran over and closed the briefcase with the taps in. "No. Not until you tell me the truth" he said at he was looking at Harlan "I could tear you to atoms" Harlan said "Try it" Viktor said and Harlan started powering up before Viktor did the same.

Glass started shatters as both Viktor and Harlan powered more up making the whole place shake.

When the powers hit each other, both Harlan and Viktor was knock backwards before they both hit a wall making them let out a groan.

Both of them was panting as they both sat up "Why?" Viktor asked him "It was an accident" Harlan said "27 dead women is not an accident" Viktor said "You're supposed to understand. Mom--" "Don't bring Sissy into this" Viktor said, cutting Harlan off "She swore you'd come back to us. Make things right again. So I waited for years. You never did. And on the day she died...I felt you again. Here" Harlan said as his voice was breaking and he pointed on his head "And I reached out. It wasn't you" he said "It was our mothers. You connected to them" Viktor said "They were terrified about something growing in them. I...I could feel their pain. Their screams so loud, like a storm in my head tearing me apart. I tried to break the connection. I...I...I couldn't. It was too late. I pushed back" Harlan said before he sighed and a tear felled from Viktor's eyes.

"After that, I just hid myself away. Just to be safe. Until now" Harlan said and let out another sighed.

Harlan then grabbed his briefcase before he pulled it closer to him and wrapped his arms around it, pressing it against his chest.

"I'm not a fool, Viktor. I always knew my life was gonna be hard, but...never like this. Never gonna hurt anyone. Ever. That part's not me. That's--" "That's me" Viktor said, cutting Harlan off "That's kinda my thing. I've hurt a lot of people with my power. And I am just so sorry you were one of them" Viktor said and sighed.

"I need to tell your family what I did to them" Harlan said and was about to get up but Viktor stopped him "No. No. Harlan, what you did had bigger consequences, and people I love got hurt. So we have to be very careful how we tell them" he said "Consequences? Like what?" Harlan asked.

---

Lara walked down to the lobby to see Luther "Hey Luther" she said "Hey" Luther said "How did it go with the Sparrows?" Lara asked.

But before Luther could answer Viktor walked out of the elevator "Hey. You two seen Allison?" Viktor asked and he looked at Lara and Luther.

What the hell happened?" Luther asked as he saw the cut on Viktor's cheek "It's, uh...It's not as bad as it looks" Viktor said "It look as if you're lucky to be upright. Did Harlan do that?" Luther asked "We just got in a disagreement" Viktor said "About what?" Luther asked "It doesn't matter" Viktor said.

"So I just checked the perimeter. We're good" Diego said as he walked up to them while he was flipping his knife in his hand "Now, we're gonna have to take turns" he said to the three.

But then Luther let out a gasp and grabbed Diego's shoulder, turning him around to see a wound on the back of his neck "Oh my God! What happened to you? Was it Harlan?" Luther asked "What?" Diego asked "The Sparrows are right. He shouldn't be here. He's dangerous" Luther said "He's only dangerous because I made him that way. This is my problem, and I appreciate your concern, but I'm gonna figure it out. I'm gonna fix it" Viktor said.

"What's going on?" Allison asked as she walked over to them "Oh my God. He got you too?" Luther asked as he saw a cut on Allison's lip.

Allison looked at Viktor and saw his cut "You okay?" she asked "Great. You?" Viktor asked "Never better" she answered.

Then suddenly a blue portal appeared next to them and they all gasp and jumped back when, Five, Mitch, Andy and Lila came through it and they hit a large pieces of wooden furniture, breaking it, before landing painfully on the floor with a grunt as the portal closed.

Lila was panting while Five let out a groan. "Shit" Five said as the four grunted "Shoo" Lila said as she pushed Five away from her.

"Not a nice landing" Mitch said with grunt "Never again" Andy grunt "I couldn't agree more, dear brother" Mitch said.

"Kids, are you okay?" Five asked "We're fine" Mitch and Andy said as they got up.

"Boys" Lara said with a smile as she saw her boyfriend and sons had returned "Mom"  Mitch and Andy said before they ran over to their mom and hugged her.

"Where have you been?" Viktor asked as Five stood up like he was drunk.

"Facing my mortality, Viktor. I don't recommend it" Five answered as he got to his feet.

"We've been looking for this!" Allison said as she pointed on the briefcase before she grabbed the briefcase "Well, look no further. That's the last one on Earth" Five said as the briefcase began smoking "Or was the last one" he said and Allison scoffed as she threw it onto the floor before walking angry over to sit on the staircase while Five crouched down to look at the briefcase "Yeah, that's toast" he said while Lila walked over to Diego before she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hey" Diego said as she pulled away "You're happy to see me. What's wrong?" he asked "Turns out there's less time to hold grudges than I had planned. You're off the hook" she said before she looked around "Hey, where's Stan?" she asked.

"Oh shit. All right" Five said before standing up and he walked over to Lara "You okay?" he asked but she just smiled before wrapped her arms around him and he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.

Five rested his hands on her waist as she pulled away from him.

His eyes scanned over her face, to make sure that she was not hurt or in pain. 

He pushed her hair behind her ear and moved his hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb over her cheek.

"You alright?" he asked "I'm fine. I'm just glad you are back" she said "Is the baby okay?" he asked as he put his hand on her stomach "The baby is fine" she said and he smiled before he leaned his forehead against hers and brushed the tip of his nose against hers "I have missed you" he said "I have missed you too" she said as they pressed their foreheads more against each other.

After spending 24 hours away from him and facing an almost death experience again, she had missed him and both Lara and Five had not felt whole without each other.

But as soon as they touch each other like that, it was like two magnets finally being put together, two puzzle pieces.

"I'm glad that my boys are back home" she said as she pulled away before she ruffled both Andy's and Mitch's hair.

"I'm glad that you are okay" Five said. 

"Yeah, if you call being dead as okay" Luther said which cause Five, Mitch and Andy to look at him "What?" they asked "I didn't die, I was just out cold" Lara said "No, you were dead and Diego have to used CPR and to mouth-to-mouth otherwise you would be dead" Luther said "Damn it Luther, you never know when you shut up sometimes" Diego said "Wait, wasn't Five supposed to know that?" Luther asked "NO" Lara, Viktor and Diego said out loud "Sorry my bad" Luther said.

"Mom are you okay?" Mitch and Andy asked as Five looked at her "You okay?" he asked "I'm better now when my boys are here" Lara said and three smiled.

"I have made some coffee then I remember about my condition so do you want it?" she asked as she looked at Five "Well, if you don't want to drink it. I will" he said and she smiled before she grabbed the mug that was standing on a small table nearby before handing it to Five who grab it before taking a sip.

"So what have you boys being doing?" Lara asked "It's a long story" Five said "And also confusing" Mitch said "So confusing" Andy said.

"Excuse me. One second" Luther said as he grabbed Diego and pulled hin away from Lila "Yeah?" Diego asked "Did you and Allison get into some kinda fight last night?" Luther asked "Hell yes. We kicked some serious ass last night" Diego said "What the hell's gotten into this family" Luther said "I don't know, but it's awesome. Swear to God, I've never seen her do things like she did yesterday. She was brutal. It's fine. You know, just needed to blow some steam off. I helped. She's good" Diego said "Oh, yeah. Real good" Luther said.

"Hey, Chatty Cathys, quite the chitchat, all right?" Five said to Diego and Luther "I'm calling a family meeting here" he said.

Lila was about to walk away but then Diego grabbed her arm "Ah, ah, ah. That means you too" he told her.

Lara were about to walk away but then Five grabbed her arm "That's mean you too, Darling" he said "Are you sure?" she asked "How many times do I have to tell you, you're a part of the family now, Mitch and Andy are part of the family and you three always will be" he said as she also glance at his sons and the three all smiled at him which cause Allison to glanced angry at the three and Five, feeling envious of the four. It was not fair that Five had a partner and sons and she had nothing. 

"Where's Klaus?" Five asked as he looked around and Diego turned his head so he Stan walking towards the elevator with cleaning supplies in his hands.

"I'll be right back" Diego said before he followed after Stan "Don't leave me with your--" Lila said but she was cut off when Diego just left "Dieg--Lost another. Great" Five said as Diego walked away.

"Spit it out, Five" Allison said angry as she glared intensely at Five.

Five put his hand in his pockets as he smiled at her "Oh, well, since you asked so nicely, sister mine, our little paradox brought forth a freaking Kugelblitz" he said "What the hell is a Kugelblitz?" Viktor asked.

"Kugelblitz, its German for 'Ball of lighting' It's like a black hole collapsing on itself, ones that could tear an entire existences from their realities, taking people, animals, any living being until there was nothing left. It was like a restart. The Kugelblitz is a result of an anomaly as the universe tried to correct itself, but there was still one out there that pissed it off" Five explain.

"So it's something not good" Lara said and Five nodded "It's something terrible" he said.

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