CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE: GOING BACK IN TIME

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Luther and the others let out a gasp before spitting the stuff out of their mouth "Oh my God" Luther said as they were all struggling, still in shock over what really happen.

"You murdered our brother!" you got up as you stared angry at him "And Jennifer" Viktor said "Son of a bitch" Diego said.

"Children! Whatever anger you may feel towards me is misdirected. May I remind you that it was the other Sir Reginald Hargreeves who committed this horrible act?" Reginald said.

"What are you going on about?" Lila asked confused "When we were kids, the 'other' Hargreeves killed Ben and Jennifer" Luther said "You murdered Ben" you said.

"And he had a perfectly valid reason for doing so" Reginald said "They were two innocent kids!" Viktor said "Who would have set off a cataclysmic chain of events, leading to the extinction of all humanity. He only did it because Ben touch Jennifer" Reginald said.

"You are not different than the other Hargreeves" Luther said "You're both fucking psychopath!" Diego snapped "Murder!" you shouted as you could feel your anger boiling up.

It was like Five could feel your emotions, so he grab your hand which caused you to powered down

"It's not his fault" Abigail step forward "Reg is not responsible for what happed to your brother and that poor girl. I am" you looked at her.

"Years ago, I synthesized a new element. The very essence of the universe" she said "The particle we know as marigold" Reginald said "And at the same moment, unbeknownst to me, a second particle was created. Durango. When marigold and Durango interact, they cause....a reaction, a physical reaction. Unstoppable, irrevocable. The extinction of everything we know" Abigail said "The Cleanse" Five said and Abigail nodded.

"By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late for our world" she said "You couldn't have know, darling" Reginald told his wife.

"I...don't mean to be a dick and all, but what the fuck does any of this have to do with us?" Lila asked "The other particle, it is inside of Jennifer. That's why it's impetrative that none of you can come into contact with her" Reginald said "What happens if we do?" Lila asked "We end the world" Five said "Saw that coming" Lila said.

"What is this Durango?" you asked "Think of it as Anti-Marigold. The Durango is a particle that was synthesized concurrently with its opposing counterpart, the Marigold. It's an exceptionally potent energy source that has embedded itself within Jennifer, with a portion of it subsequently transferring to all of you. The inherent issue lies in the fundamental incompatibility between Marigold and Durango. These two forces cannot coexist within the same entity without dire consequences. The longer the Durango remained within Ben's and Jennife's bodies, the more unstable it became" Reginald explain "Unstable? What does that mean?" you asked.

"If let uninitiated, the convergence of Marigold and Durango would have precipitated an event known as the Cleanse. This is no mere disturbance, it is a cataclysmic phenomenon that would have healed the end of the world" Reginald said. 

"Uh...Guys?" everyone looked at Luther "We...may have a problem" he said "What do you mean?" you asked.

"I think I did something stupid" Luther said "That is nothing new" Five said and Luther glanced annoying at him "What did you do?" Diego asked and Luther started to explain.

---

"I don't understand" you said as you were all in the living room again.

"What? You just let him go?" you looked at Luther "Well, how was I supposed to know Ben was infected with this...whatever this thins is?" Luther asked as he was stress eating again.

"Great work, Luther. Really great" Five said sarcastically.

"The rash on his arm. What did it look like?" Abigail asked "I dunno. It was just kind of...You know, it kind of looked like that thing that Klaus caught when he came home from Ibiza" Luther said and you and siblings all groan.

"Are you a doctor? Or do you just play one at bachelorette parties?" Diego asked "Hey!" Luther snapped at him "I am a professional dancer" he pointed at himself.

"Luther, was there anything unusual about this rash?" Abigail asked "No. It was just, you know, red. And glowing" Luther took a bit of a muffin.

"And pulsating" he said with his mouth full "You didn't think maybe that was worth bringing up?" Five asked "I just thought it had to do with our powers coming back. I mean, we've all been having issues. I know I have" Luther said.

"He is not wrong. I mean, I do have laser eyes" Lila said.

"I've heard enough" Reginald turned around before he grab something just around the corner and the sound of distant clattering was heard.

You and the others widened your eyes when you saw Reginald with a rifle.

"Woah! What are you doing?" Lila asked which made Luther get up "It's time to go hunt" Reginald said "He's gonna kill Ben all over again" Viktor said "One of the hosts must be eliminated before the reaction is complete" Reginald said.

"Reaction?" Allison asked and Reginald looked at her "You do realized that you're talking about human being and not lab rats, correct?" she asked "Reggie, please listen to your children. You can't just murder him" Abigail said "You can't just murder someone without thinking of a way to stop it" you said.

"They're right. There has to be another way" Luther said "I understand. You've grown attached to your brother. But you don't seem to appreciate what's at stake here" Reginald said while you grab a small bowl from the fireplace.

"We must act before it's too late" Reginald said before he turned around.

But then you let out a grunt as he threw the bowl and it hit Reginald in the back of his head causing him to let out a grunt as he fell to the floor.

"How about you shut your mouth?" you said "How dare you!" Reginald turned to look at you "I think it's high time you realize you're not running the show here anymore, old man" you said.

Reginald turned to grab his rifle "Don't even think about it!" you and Viktor said as you used your powers to push the rifle away from Reginald while orange light was shining around Viktor as he was staring at Reginald.

Reginald let out a gasp while he struggled to get up but Viktor was holding him down with his powers.

"Do you think these childish theatrics will stop me?" Reginald asked "Okay, well. I can step it up a notch if you like" Viktor said as more orange light started appeared around him as he used more of his powers on Reginald which caused him to exclaims as Viktor was pushing him more against the floor causing it to crack a bit.

"Viktor, please don't hurt him!" Abigail said "Why not?" Viktor glanced at her "Why should I?" Viktor asked as he looked back at Reginald "All he does it hurt everybody else. Ben, Jennifer, me. All of us" Viktor said "Spare me the waterworks. One life isn't more important than the entire planet "Oh, but your wife's is" Viktor said.

"You stuck your nose in where it didn't belong, and you allowed Jennifer to escape. This is your fault!" Reginald pointed at them "Oh no, no, no! This is your fault!" Viktor pointed at Reginald while Viktor use his powers and push Reginald more against the floor.

"My whole life, all I wanted was for you to see me, to make me part of the team. Instead, you treated me like I was broken. And I believed you" Viktor pointed at Reginald "I thought you knew me better than I knew myself but I know you don't know shit!" Viktor snapped at Reginald as he was pressing him more against the floor.

"You're the failure! You're the reason this happened!" Viktor pointed at Reginald "And we're not gonna let you kill Ben! Not now, not ever!" he snapped.

Abigail walked over before putting a hand on Viktor's shoulder.

"Viktor" she said and he powered down making the light around him to disappear "That's enough" Viktor looked at her "That's enough" she said.

Viktor started breathing raggedly as he calm down.

"You and your father. Both so headstrong" Abigail said as Reginald got up.

Reginald exhales sharply as he got to his feet.

Then a guard walked over to Reginald "You took your sweet time. What it is?" Reginald asked him and the guard whispered something in Reginald's ear.

"Oh" Reginald said "What?" Viktor asked "It seems we may have found your brother" Reginald said.

"Where?" Diego asked "On a farm" Reginald said "Let's go" Diego said and you all rush out.

---

Sirens was wailing in the distance as you and the others had arrive at a farm to see bodies and body parts laying all around the area.

"Okay. Ben is an asshole. I'll give you that. But a mass murderer?" you asked as you looked around all the bodies. Some of them slide in half and was losing a limp. It was a massacre.

"So Ben did all of this" Viktor looked around. 

"Turned everyone into haggis" you walked over to a mutilated body before you lifted up the cut off hand and turned it around so they could see the upside down umbrella tattooed on the wrist.

"And they have terrible taste in tattoos" you said "Some next-level psycho shit" Diego said and you drop the arm "This could have been a rescue mission" Viktor said "More likely a massacre by two individuals who are growing increasingly violent by the minute" Reginald said "You don't know that" Viktor said as Five approached them after taken to some of his colleague from CIA.

"All right, so my guys tell me that this whole farm actually belongs to those two lunatics who ambushed us at New Grumpson. Gene and Jean Thibedeau" Five said.

"Well, maybe Ben killed them too" Luther said as Allison poked to a body with a stick "Well forensics found fresh tracks leading out of the barn. So my guess is they escaped" you said before looking around.

"They couldn't have gotten far. Based on the signs of rigor, I'd say times of death was six, maybe seven hours ago" you said "She's right" Allison said "How do you know that?" Diego put his hands on cross as he looked at Allison.

"Wichita, PD. Thursday nights at 9/8 Central" Allison responded.

"Ready the car" Reginald said as he walked away "I gotta make a call" Allison said before her and Viktor walked away as you and Five walked away too.

Lila glanced at Diego before following after you and Five "You two think what I'm thinking?" she went in between the two of you before hooking her arms with yours.

"Rarely" you and Five replied "There might be a way to stop all this" Lila said "The answer is no, Lila" he said "I agree, no from me too" you said, you both know what she was talking about.

"Hey, you two didn't even let me ask the question" she said as you all three stopped "'Cause we know we're gonna hate it" Five said "So why wast the oxygen?" you asked "Why don't we use that little time choo-choo of yours, go back in time and stop the coming Armageddon?" she asked "That is a bad idea Lila, beside we might get stuck in time or land in the wrong timeline" you said "No we wouldn't" she said.

"How would that work?" you asked "Well, we travel back to the original Jennifer incident. Stop your Ben from ever touching that Jen" she smiled "Maybe that would work" you said and Five took a deep breath.

"Lila, if you recall, we almost got our heads blown off" he said "Yeah, and Five and I would like to live a little longer" you said 

 "Mmm" she nodded "All right?" he asked "Plus, it would never work without a briefcase" you said "Stop being such babies. It's worth a short. Clearly the rules are different this time. Maybe we don't even need a briefcase" she said and he looked to the side.

"Listen, you Five must have those powers for a reason, right? Let's use it" she smiled "All right, fine" you said before looking at Five "Come on, it's worth the short" you said "Okay, I'm doing this because you are my sister-in-law, and you owe me one, big time, but first sign of trouble, I'm coming back. And neither of you are going" he pointed at you and Lila "What?" you both asked "Excuse you. I was the one who gave you the idea" she said.

"No one is coming with me. I'm going alone" he said "Absolutely not" you said "Yes I am" he nodded "It's too dangerous not. I will go find Ben and I will figure out the subway alone. I want to help you save Ben but I don't want to put you in danger" he said "What happen to 'We're in this together, where you go, I go'?" you asked.

"I'm going alone and that's final" he said "So what? Am I supposed to let you put yourself in danger. I know that Viktor will find Ben and I'll go with you, and there is nothing you can do to stop me" you said and he let out a sigh.

"Fine. But first sign of trouble and we're coming back" he said and she nodded "And if we get stuck in the timeline, I'm blaming you" you looked at Lila and she nodded. 

"You do have one problem though" Lila glanced to the left and Five glanced the same way to see Diego walking towards them.

"I don't supposed we can explain any of this to him" he said "He's like a sponge that can take no more water" she said "It's a shame. But that's your problem to deal with" he said "Be nice to him Lila, he really love you" you said.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Diego looked at Lila before he looked at you and Five "Do you two mind?" he asked "Yeah" you both nodded before walking away.

"That thing you said earlier about needing a break. You don't love me anymore?" he asked "Of course I still love you, but you make this so hard, Diego" she said "What? How? What---" he said "Every day, me and the kids have to watch you moping around the house, complaining about your life, your job, your in-laws, your fat belly" she said "You're just as bored as I am. Remember, you're the one that snuck out to those Keeper meetings" he said.

"Look, I took my big bag of shit out of the house so no one else has to deal with it. This is our life, my love. If you're not in it, then what's the point?" she looked at him before walking away.

"Sir?" you and Five asked as you approached his boss "Mr. Five. Mrs. Y/n. I though you two said you had this situation under control" Lance said "Well the situation is proving more kinetic than anticipated" Five said "No shit. We have the Texas Tentacle Massacre out here" Lance said as he glanced around before stopping "Okay, I need to know who's responsible for this bloodbath" he said "Well, sir, Five and I do have a few leads but we need a favor before we can follow up" you said "I'm listening" Lance said and Five turned around "Okay, you see these two idiots over there?" Five pointed at Luther and Diego "Those are my brothers. Now, they're kind of stepping all over the crime scene, asking dumb questions, getting in my way" Five looked back at his boss.

"Do you mind taken 'em back to HQ?" he asked and Lance lifted an eyebrow as he looked back at Five "You know, show 'em around. Maybe let them hold some guns" he said and Lance let out a disgruntled sigh "You're asking me to babysit?" he asked "You want this case solved, don't you?" you asked "You owe me, you two" Lance said and Five turned around "DIEGO! LUTHER!" you called out "Come over here. I want introduce you to our boss" Five said before he looked back at his boss "Deputy Director Lance Ribbons" Five said before you and him walked away.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir" Diego shook Lance's hand "Hello, Lance" Luther also shook Lance's hand.

"I understand you gentleman have a keen interest in the CIA. I'd love to give you an insider's look, if you're interested" Lance said "Not, not really--" but Diego put a hand on his brother's chest "Are you kidding?" he asked "We're in" he said "Good" Lance said before pulling out a small business card from his inner pocket "Meet met at the office" he gave it to Diego before walking away.

Luther then gave Diego a small punch at the shoulder "What?" Diego asked "Why do I have to go?" Luther asked "'Cause he wants both of us" Diego said and Luther sighed "Come on, Luther. I really need this right now, man. Life sucks" Diego said "All right, fine" Luther said "Yes!" Diego smiled "We're gonna need suits" he said "Suits?" Luther looked at him "Yeah, man" Diego put on some sunglasses "Gotta look the part, playboy" he said "Did you steal those from a dead guy?" Luther asked.

---

"Okay, now that is handle" Five said as you and him walked over to Lila "Ready?" she asked and you both nodded before Lila grab Five's arm while you grab Five's left hand and he blink away.

You all three appeared in the underground subway. "Okay" he said before you started walking forward "Do exactly what we did last time. Just ride one stop eastbound. Go up to the apocalypse timeline. Avoid getting killed, and wrap back to 2006" you said "If the station is part of my new power, it must include some way to change the system so we can travel between time and ot timelines. We search for that way. Stop Ben from ever going on the Moldovan mission. Got that?" Five looked at Lila.

"Relax. It's a rookie time travel mission. We've done this a thousand times" she said and he sighed as you walked down the stairs.

"But time travel-wise, I don't get the whole subway thing, right?" she asked as the train arrived "I'm much more of a DeLorean kind of person, yeah?" she asked as the warped voice speaking backwards over PA was heard and Lila noticed a map laying on a bench so she grab it. Thinking it might be useful.

She turned to see you and Five looking at her "Just in case..." she said and the subway alert chimes as the train stopped and the door opened.

"After you" Lila said and you walked into the train with Five followed behind and Lila right behind him.

The door closed and the warped voice speaking backwards over PA was heard before the train started moving

---

The sound of subway alert chimes as the warped voice started speaking backward over PA as the train door opened and the three of you step out.

"Okay. Broken vending machine. Australia" you said as you and Five looked around the station "Three burnt-out light bulbs" he said "See? Your poetry book came in handy" Lila said and you pointed towards the stairs.

"All right" he sighed as the three of you walked towards the stairs "Knowing us, we probably set a trap, so be careful" you said.

You all three walked up the stairs to the apocalypse.

Five pulled up the binoculars before looking around, trying to see if he could spot his other self by looking over at the camp "Anything?" you asked "No" Five shook his head "All right" he lowered the binoculars before giving them to you and you looked around too.

"Anything?" he asked and you shook your head "There's no sign of us" you gave him the binoculars and he put the binoculars into his inner pocket again.

"Okay. Well, let's get going before you two start farting" Lila turned to you both "Yeah" you said "Ready? 2006, here we come" she said as you and Five's grab hands while Lila put a hand on Five's shoulder before the three of you blink away.

The three of you appeared inside the academy "Did it work?" she asked and Five walked over to a small table where some papers was laying "Are we here?" you asked as you looked around while Five looked at the papers "I don't know" Lila said "Well it looks like the Academy" you said.

"October 14, 2006" Five pulled up a newspaper as you and Lila walked over to him "Great. Okay" you said and Five put the newspaper down "So we go in, we snuff Ben out, we get back on the tube, we're back before bath time" she said as the three of you walked down the hallway.

"We're not here to kill him, Lila" you put a hand on her back as you all three looked to the right down a hallway, making sure that you didn't get spotted.

"We're just diverting him. Making sure he doesn't go on the Moldova mission" Five said "Mmm" she nodded "Now a guy I haven't seen in like, five years so he might be a little jumpy. Just play it cool" he said "Like polar bear nipples" she said.

Then the klaxon started blaring "Oh shit!" Five grab you before the three of you quickly hide behind a corner.

"Step lively, children. We have a mission to do. Number One, round up the children!" Reginald called out and Luther step out of his bedroom. His uniform was yellow instead of blue.

"Let's go" he clapped his hands "Get your asses in gear" he looked at Diego "My man, Diego" he patted his shoulder "My ass is always in gear" Diego said "Come on, guys" Luther said and Klaus started giggling "Are you kidding me? You just got out of rehab" a boy voice said "I'm California sober, Alphonso" Klaus said.

"Alphonso?" you looked at Five while Klaus giggled as him and Alphonso stepped out of the bathroom.

"Umbrellas" you whispered.

Then a young Fei walked out of her bedroom "Sparrows" Lila whispered.

"Who is that?" Lila asked as the three of you spotted a young boy that neither you or Five recognize.  

"Shit. We're in the wrong timeline" you said "We need to go" Five whispered.

"Hey!" the strange boy whose name was Phil said as they spotted the three of you "Who the hell are you?" he asked as Five got out of cover to stand in front of them "Rude" you and Lila got up and stood next to Five.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing" you said and Fei scoff "We're the Phoenix Academy" she said.

A fire ball appeared on Phil s hand "And we're about to fuck you up" he said before he threw the fireball at the three of you.

Five grab you while you grab Lila and Five blink away before you were hit by the fire ball.

---

Lila let out a laugh as you, her and Five walked back down to the underground train station.

"Okay, slight hiccup" she said "You think?" you asked "Okay. Well, look. We're in the wrong timeline, but clearly, we're in the neighborhood" she said "Neighborhood of what?" he asked as he stopped "Christ, we never should have listened to you" you said "If we haven't we wouldn't even be here now" Five said.

"Chill out, you two!" she stopped before she turned to look at you both "We'll figure out, okay? You know why?" she asked and Five put his hands in his pocket "Because someone brought a map" she pulled up a map as you both approached her.

"Hmm" you both just responded and she laughed "All right" she sat down on the bench.

Meanwhile you and Five was feeling the anxious energy buzzing inside you both as you both sat down next to her while she folded out the map to look at it.

Lila's eyes were scanning the map with determination.

"Look, we're here" she put the map on her lap "Take this train three stops to this squiggly line. Transfer at the division symbol" she said.

Five's impatience got the better of him and he stood up again, pacing slighty as he waited for the train to arrive.

"That is not it Lila" you rolled your eyes before getting up when you could hear the train coming.

"Oh fuck!" Lila said as she looked at the map "Oh no, wait!" she tried to read it.

Lila squinted at the map, her brow furrowed in concentration but she was struggling to decipher its cryptic sympols and lines.

You and Five sighed, relief flooding you when the train finally came into view.

"We're here. Two stops on the ampersand" she said as the train stopped "No more winging it" he said "Is that an umlaut or an ablaut?" she asked "Let's get back to where we came from" you pointed at the train as the door opened.

"Lila!" Five called out as he turned to her.

The warped voice started speaking backwards over PA as you and Five entered the train.

Yours and Five irritation flared when you noticed that she was still sitting on the bench, her eyes darting over the map without making any progress.

"Now!" you shouted, making her snap out of her thoughts and she looked at you two "Hey!" she got up "What?" he asked as she rushed over to the train "Do you wanna miss the train?" he asked "Well, who made you in charge?" she asked as she entered the train and the door closed.

"Jesus! You two were gonna leave without me" she said "We will if we grow more tired of you, so zip it" he said.

The train started driving through the tunnel.

It came to a station but didn't stop as it kept driving and that caused a confuse face to appear on you and Five since that was the station they were going to get off.

"Weren't that our stop" you said "That was our stop" Five looked through the door's windows "Why didn't it stop?" you asked

Then the PA system started chimes and a warped voice started again speaking backwards over PA which cause you, Lila and Five to turned to look up at the PA to hear better what it said.

"...the express"

"Bollocks" Lila said "Shit" you and Five said as you both knew what it means. You were going to travel to another timeline.

The sound og harsh, grating audio distortion was heard as the train travel to another portal before the sound of shimmering, warped tones distort was heard as the tunnel glow green.

"We're going get stuck in time" you sighed before looking at Lila "Told you so" you said and she rolled her eyes "Relax, we will just take the train back" she said "I have a feeling is not going to be that easy" you sighed.

"We should never have listen to you" Five said "Nope" you shook your head.

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