Out of time

Laura, Aidan, and Emil appeared at headquarters, covered in blood. Except Cecilia, since she wasn't fighting, just distracted. Five still lay unconscious in Emil's Paradox prison bubble. The three of them groaned in agony. Cecilia quickly disappeared into one of the corridors.

Nora was already waiting for her in her office. Laura knocked on the door. "Come in!" Nora's voice sounded on the other side of the door. Aidan opened the door and the group stepped inside. Nora looked up from her documents. "Oh my goodness. What do you look like? All covered in blood! What happened?" Nora asked, somewhat shocked.

It wasn't that Nora had often seen her children covered in blood. It was more the fact that she worried about the children every time. Even though they were already grown up. Nora had grown very fond of them when they were children.

"There were, shall we say, a few complications," Aidan said between clenched teeth. "There was a fight. Plan A went wrong because someone stepped on a branch and the noise required plan B." Laura said, a little exhausted. "But the mission was still successful. We caught him. But Five is unconscious, because Aidan has given his alter ego the rest." Emil puffed.

Nora had listened to it all carefully and let it sink in for a moment. "Okay, good. Laura and Aidan. Go, clean up and freshen up, then you can rest. Emil, please take Five to the hospital room. Then you can take a shower and rest." Nora ordered. Emil walked out of the office towards the sickroom with five of them. "Okay, fine," said Laura and left the office too. Towards her own room.

The only one who stayed behind was Aidan. After a moment's hesitation, he turned around and was about to leave the office and head in the direction where he would find Alex and Finn. He still had a score to settle with them. But before Aidan could close the door behind him, he paused once more.

"If you still have a fight with your brothers Finn and Alex about your personnel file drawer, I can reassure you. It wasn't them. Because it was me. I only gave them this one file, that's all." Nora mentioned in passing. Then she turned her attention back to her documents. After the fact, Aidan silently changed course towards the room. The door to Nora's office slammed shut.

Third timeline

Sparrow Ben stepped out of a subway. He really didn't fancy the Umbrella's. They were all idiots and weirdos. But what annoyed him most was that he had also lost his strength. It was already late in the evening. He was walking alone through the alleyways of the town. Suddenly, something hammer-sharp flew past him, and Sparrow Ben was startled out of his thoughts. It had been a knife. Surprised, Sparrow Ben turned around and realized that he was no longer alone.

There were four people in front of him. He didn't know Alex and Finn, but he knew the other two people. Or at least he thought he did. Once this Diego from the Umbrella's. But he couldn't believe it when he saw the fourth person. (But that couldn't be true, could it?) Sparrow Ben saw himself. In different clothes, but he recognized his own face. The other one, Ben, didn't seem at all surprised or impressed. He even seemed prepared to encounter a double version of himself.

"What do you want from me?", Sparrow asked Ben. "This is the end of the line for you," said Finn. "The journey is over for you," said Alex. "What does that mean?", Sparrow asked Ben, cluelessly. "You were replaced in your previous timeline, and now you're one too many," Diego said emotionlessly. "I still don't understand what you're trying to tell me." Sparrow Ben had a bad feeling. Sparrow Ben automatically took a few steps backwards, ready to run away at any moment. But he had no way of knowing that his chances were very slim.

"Okay, to put it more precisely. There are two possibilities. Either we take you back to your original timeline, and you get your power back, or you're eliminated." Ben's double version said. Okay, saying it like that was very direct and harsh. But he probably had the same traits. "Em. How would the first option work?" Sparrow asked Ben curiously, but also suspiciously. He wanted to stall for time and then make a run for it. He didn't believe a single word they said. It was just too creepy and too incredulous. Especially with a double version on top. That went beyond the scope.

"Don't even try to run away, it will bring you nothing but death," his double version said to Sparrow Ben. With a mocking grin. Before Sparrow Ben could react, he was grabbed by tentacles. (How could his double version have powers?) The double version, Ben, nodded to his teammates. "Okay, we can begin. Alex, it's your turn." said Sparrow Ben's double version. (What do you think came next?) Sparrow Ben was getting scared now. The four of them joined hands and vanished into thin air.

Out of time

Five, woke up from his faint. He felt that he was lying on something soft. He carefully opened his eyes. But Five would rather not have done that, because the bright light blinded him. He quickly closed his eyes again. (Where was he?) The questions shot through his head. Then a headache set in, it hurt! (What had happened anyway?) It took Five, a few more minutes before he opened his eyes a second time. Slowly this time. He looked up at a white ceiling.

Five then turned his gaze forward and noticed that he was lying in a bed. In a hospital bed, mind you. Five observes the room carefully. White walls everywhere. There was no doubt about it, he was unmistakably lying in a hospital room. (But why?) He had come to blows with a girl, and then he had met himself. That was the last thing Five could remember before he was knocked unconscious. (Where was he now?) Suddenly the door opened. Five was startled for a moment.

"Ah, you're awake. Took you quite a while." said a young man with natural brown, shiny short hair and grass green strands. As the young man stepped closer to the bed, Five was able to get a closer look at him. He had tanned skin and bright forest green eyes, and he looked about twenty.

"Who are you anyway?" , Five asked in a raspy voice. His throat was parched and desperately needed water. The young man gave Five a fresh glass of water that he had brought with him earlier. "Oh, how rude of me. I'm Leon Soraya, and I'm a healer, by the way." Leon introduced himself.

"What took you so long?" asked Five, confused. "Well, you were unconscious for quite a long time," Leon said to Five. "How long?", Five asked directly. "Before, you looked thirteen. Now you look sixteen." Leon replied. "What! Three years!" exclaimed Five, stunned, and choked on the water. Five coughed his heart out.

"Well, don't make such a fuss. You've only aged three years, now you look sixteen." Leon said calmly. "I'm not supposed to make a fuss! I was in a coma for two years! Not unconscious!" Five got upset about it. Leon shook his head with a mocking grin. "What's so funny?" asked Five angrily.

"You're thinking of the wrong white." laughed Leon. "In what way, false whites?" asked Five, breathing heavily. "Do the laws of time mean anything to you?" Leon asked with a counter-question. Five made an uncomprehending face. Of course, the laws of time told him something. (But couldn't this Leon just enlighten him?)

"Where am I? Can't you just answer me!" Five asked louder. Five wanted to answer, right away. "Sorry, I can't give you the answers yet." Leon explained. "Why not? WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ANSWER ME?" Five slowly snapped. "All in good time," Leon said calmly, and was just about to leave the room. Five looked after Leon angrily. Leon paused and turned back to Five.

"One more thing. If you try to run away or break out. You won't succeed. It's best not to try at all. There's a saying. If you don't want to hear, you have to feel." Leon warned. "Where are you going?" asked Five suspiciously. "I'm going to tell Nora that you're awake," Leon replied curtly. With these words, the door slammed shut, leaving a stunned Five behind.

Umbrella timeline

It was already late in the evening and dark outside. The light was still on in the training room at the Umbrella Academy, which was now back to normal. Ben was still training. He tried to hit wooden targets with his tentacles. Pogo watched the whole thing. Suddenly, a strange noise was heard. The sound resembled Five's teleportations. It seemed to come from the living room.

Next, something that sounded like glass shattered. (What was that all about?) Ben asked himself. Then suddenly voices were heard. "Watch out!" someone hissed. But Ben couldn't identify whether the voice was male or female. Nor could Ben know whether the person was alone or talking to himself. A second voice had not been heard.

The next thing you heard were footsteps. If you listened carefully, they were coming in his direction. Ben's body tensed. Ready to fight at any moment. Suddenly, the light went out and everything went pitch black. Then the door opened, and a figure came in. (Or maybe two?) Ben couldn't say for sure.

Unfortunately, the light had to go out. Ben didn't move at first, but the next moment he pounced on the shadowy figure. Blows here and blows there. Ben's tentacles moved wildly around the room. It was more like a brawl than a fight. ...

Sparrow timeline

The group turned up at the Sparrow Academy. Straight into Sparrow Ben's room. Another version was lying there peacefully in bed, sleeping. But that wouldn't be the case for much longer. A paradox psychosis broke out between the two Sparrow Ben's. They were sweating and scratching themselves like crazy. Correction, more precisely, the Ben in the bed woke up and scratched himself. The other Sparrow Ben, who was still being held by tentacles from his Soraya version, was also sweating, but couldn't scratch himself.

"Okay, we hadn't thought about the paradox psychosis." Ben's Soraya vision caught his eye. "Okay Diego, Finn. It's your turn. But be careful. Just one mistake, and they're both dead," Alex reminded them. Finn and Diego nodded to Alex. Diego approached the Sparrow Ben version held by the Soraya version.

(Oh, oh, what are they up to now?) wondered the defenceless Ben. Diego fetched a knife and held it ready. The other Sparrow Ben version, who had just been lying in bed, screamed and jumped out of bed. He had noticed the intruders in his room. Alex reacted quickly and restrained Ben, who wanted to leave the room in a hurry. But he used his tentacles and chaos broke out.

Suddenly, two more people appeared in the room. They were Sara and Emil. Emil acted quickly and locked the fugitive Sparrow Ben two in a Paradox prison. "Are you all right?", Sara asked the four of them. "Yes, thank you, Emil and you for coming so quickly," said Finn. "Who sent the message?", asked Diego. "That was Finn," replied Emil. "Okay, new plan!", Finn called out to the group. Everyone looked attentively at Finn.

"Okay, the plan is this. Sara turns into a poisonous snake, ready to bite at any time. You tie the Ben up in Emil's Paradox prison and immobilize him that way. Then follow the old plan, as we had originally planned." said Finn. "Yup, that's fine," said Sara, and turned into the biggest and most venomous snake there was. When Sara had finished, Emil made the paradox prison disappear.

Sara moved quickly and tied him up, the poison fangs hovering over his jugular. "You! If you so much as move, you're dead!" shouted Emil. Sparrow Ben two didn't move another millimeter. Sparrow Ben one was scared to death and also stopped moving. "Diego, Finn. It's your turn. Be careful. One mistake and they're both dead." Alex repeated himself. "We know, buddy," Diego replied.

Finn stood between the two Sparrow versions of Ben. He had to concentrate, because if something went wrong. Both Sparrow versions would be dead. Diego wouldn't have much time either. He had to hurry, otherwise they would both be dead. Since that would be a mistake if Diego was too slow.

Finn concentrated. He grabbed Sparrow Ben one's consciousness with his power and projected it into Sparrow Ben number two. When the process was complete, he opened his eyes and took cover.

"Diego, your part!", Finn said at the same time. Then many things happened at once in a few seconds. Soraya Ben let go of Sparrow Ben's body. He fell limp and lifeless to the ground. Diego followed with an axe and chopped off the head. Sparrow Ben two fainted and was released by Sara. Sara transformed back into her human form. ...