Chapter Twenty Four:

Diego sped all the way to Leonard Peabody's house, or the house that Allison claimed belonged to him. They all filed out and rushed to the front door, Five slowly following behind.

"Be careful, ok?" Allison said leading them up the porch, "We don't know what Peabody's capable of."

Diego clicked his tongue, "Yeah. He didn't seem dangerous when I saw him. A little scrawny, actually."

"Yeah, well, so are most mass murderers and serial killers." Allison pointed out.

Lotus snorted, "She's right. I mean, look at him." She pointed at Five who finally made it up the porch steps.

The house looked nice, the outside was well kept and there seemed to be no signs of something odd.

"Good point." Diego nodded, "So what does this guy want with Vanya?"

"Don't know."

"How about we ask him after we kill him." Diego took a step back and charged at the door, he stopped as Lotus grabbed his arm. A crease forming in Lotus' brows, "Woah, woah—"

"Hey, look, I'm gonna burst through—" He never got to explain himself as Five disappeared in thin air, Diego shared an annoyed look with Lotus before mumbling, "You know what? It would be nice if people stuck to the plan."

The glass shattered as he flew through the pane, landing on the floor with a thud. Lotus sucked in a breath, her eyes wide as she peeked in to make sure he wasn't dead. Diego groaned pulling himself up, he shook out his shirt and shards of glass came tumbling to the floor. Allison walked up behind her brother and shook her head while Five joined her, he reached out and grabbed the doorknob, twisting it open.

"Subtle." Five chuckled, "You know, the door was unlocked."

"Yeah, well my way worked just fine."

Five opened the door fully and Lotus came walking in, careful not to step in large piles of glass. "Spread out." Diego huffed walking down the hall, "Yell if your in trouble."

"Inspiring leadership." Lotus watched as he disappeared around the corner, "Allison laughed, "One of the greats."

She turned and rushed up the stairs, her heels clicking on the hardwood. Lotus wandered her way into the living room, Five limping behind her. She lifted up couch cushions and dug threw piles of random papers on the coffee table. Five was in the kitchen, she could his footsteps hard against the tile. They searched for a few more minutes before Diego poked his head in, "Nothing in the basement."

"Guys!" Allison's voice floated down from upstairs, "You need to see this!"

They all rushed up the stairs, seeing Allison's face peek out of the square that lead to the attic. Five disappeared behind her and Diego was already up, Lotus trudged after them. Allison was towards the back of the small space, a finger tracing something.

"All our faces are burnt off."

Lotus shook her head staring at the posters on the wall. It was of the Umbrella Academy, each individual child. There was full sized posters and magazine clippings, even some photos that the strange man must of took himself. Each had something in common, and that was the fact that their eyes were all scratched or burnt off.

"Because that's not creepy." Diego tapped on a poster of himself, "This dudes got some serious issues."

"This was never about Vanya. This is about us." Five declared, clicking the pieces only he could see together.

"Let's go. We should find her." Lotus said already making her way down the ladder, but Allison and Diego both called, "Wait a minute."

Her shoes hit the floor and she stumbled against the wall, Five followed her down, breathing heavily.

"We need to go back to looking at who stops the apocalypse." Five mumbled taking a few steps before he collapsed onto his back, groaning softly. Lotus gasped and fell next to him, "Five?"

"Blood." He mumbled, hand still on his side. She flicked his arm away and untucked his shirt, lifting it up a little to reveal a bullet wound. His stomach was stained with blood, and she frowned. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You have to keep going." He mumbled, eyes fluttering shut. "So close."

"Five?" She shook his shoulders, but he gave no response. "Five!"

Lotus shook her head, "Allison. Diego!" She yelled, "Help! I need your help!"

Diego landed next to her, eyes landing on Five.

"What the hell happened?" Allison asked as she peered over her brothers shoulders.

Lotus stood up and took a step so she was by Five's head, she placed her hands under his arms and lifted him up, "Looks like he was shot when we escaped the Commission people." She chewed on her lip, "Will somebody help? He's unconscious, we need to get him back to the Academy. Now!"

Diego shooed her way and took her place while Allison grabbed his legs and they all made their way back to the car. Lotus got in the backseat and they awkwardly managed to get Five squeezed into the back as well. His head was resting in her lap, his legs squeezed against the door. Diego was back in the drivers seat and was fighting to get the key in the engine.

"Could you be going any slower?" She snapped, "His pulse is slowing."

Lotus was slowly panicking as she checked his pulse. Soon the engine fired and they were off, speeding down the street, hoping that the didn't get pulled over. Lotus looked down at the boy's face, looking awfully peaceful. "If you die before the world ends." She muttered, wondering if he could hear her. "I will get your brother to raise you from the dead and I will kill you."

"Klaus can't raise the dead." Diego chirped, "Can only summon, if he can even do that."

Allison slapped her brother on the shoulder and glared, Lotus ignored them both, checking Five's pulse again.

She hated how she was shaking, praying that this man child was going to be ok. She hardly knew him and she was sure that if he could see her right now, he'd shoot her his famous glare and tell her she was being stupid. The car ride was taking to long, it felt like they weren't even moving. Lotus kept peering out the window, wondering if the Academy was insight. She chewed on her lip nervously, wincing when she felt the skin split and tasted blood.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital." Lotus looked to check the bleeding, but the bottom white of his dress shirt was soaked with fresh blood. She huffed placing a hand over the hole, applying as much pressure as she could in a moving vehicle. "Your supposed to apply pressure to wounds right? Is that supposed to help?"

Diego cursed and turned down a side street, weaving between parked cars. He sped over a speed bump and they all lurched forward, Lotus yelped as Five's body rolled off the seat. She huffed trying to get him back into a normal laying position. The car parked and Diego was out in no time, grabbing ahold of his brothers feet. Lotus slipped out and watched as Allison grabbed ahold of his arms and they shuffled up the stairs and past the gates.

"We should've taken him to the hospital." Allison grunted, but her brother shook his head. "Yeah, well, a kid with a shrapnel wound might raise some questions."

"So does a murder shrine in Harold Jenkins' attic." Lotus snapped, holding the doors open as they carried an unconscious Five into the building and plopped him onto a couch in the living room. Allison was next to him, trying to help with the bleeding. Lotus looked at her own hands, mixing with dried and wet blood. Diego was next to Allison, scanning the room, most likely searching for Pogo but he eyes stopped at the doorway and then he was up and rushing out of the room.

"Diego!" Allison shouted, shaking her head. Lotus took his place, moving fallen hair from Five's face. "I should go find Pogo." She said. But within minutes, Diego was back.

"No it's fine." Diego came rushing back in, Grace marching behind him.

The women carefully guided Allison away and knelt down, giving her son a look over.

"What in the world happened?" Pogo came limping into the room, cane gripped in hand. "Everyone, you need to go until Mr Five is well."

"Can't we stay—" Lotus was cut off by a curt shake of the head by Pogo, "We'll take care of him, Miss Lotus. You should go wash your hands. And clean up your lip."

Allison dragged her away into the foyer while they watched Five be taken up the stairs. Lotus shook her head, "I shouldn't care this much." She mumbled.

The women let out a sigh and wrapped an arm around Lotus, pulling her against her side. "Don't say that." She told her, "You should care. He'd be doing the same if it was either of us. Or you."

Lotus pulled away from the women, a frown on her face and gave a shake of her head. "I'm sure he would."