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CHAPTER FOURTEEN a fractured alliance
⋆*✧･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ:
A FEW HOURS AFTER Nadine's conversation with Luther, a family meeting was called in the Games Room. When Nadine heard about this, she immediately jumped to her feet. She'd spent the last half-hour playing a game of Solitaire with the single, ratty deck of cards Chet had managed to procure for her, and she was certainly ready for something else to occupy her mind.
At first, she might have hesitated to attend a meeting when family was attached to it, but at this point, it was more than clear that she met the qualifications. She was a part of the family now. The Umbrella Academy had fully embraced her, and she'd fully embraced them. She had a place among them. She was welcome. And she really, really appreciated that.
It had actually been Luther who'd called the meeting. Apparently, after he'd spoken with Nadine, he and Sloane had gotten talking, trying to discern a way to bring both of their families together. And, hours later, it seemed that they'd come up with some tentative solution.
Not that Nadine knew what it was. Luther refused to tell her until everyone was gathered, leaving Nadine to wait in suspense. Oh, sure, she wasn't exactly certain that whatever plan he and Sloane had come up with would work—especially with the increase in hostility the Sparrow Academy definitely held toward them now—but she couldn't help her curiosity. What would be the grand gesture that would tell those assholes that they weren't really their enemies? Would the Sparrows even be able to forgive them after what had happened to their siblings?
And, most importantly: did Nadine even want them on her side?
She may have had Sloane as a tentative ally now (sort of. Kind of. Maybe) but that didn't mean she would just forget the bad blood between her, Kadence, Fei, Ben, and Christopher (nor, she doubted, would they do the same). They'd now tried to kill each other multiple times. How could she trust such people, when they might double-cross her any minute?
Still, she might as well listen to what Luther had to say. And, if his idea didn't work, it wasn't like she really had to follow his precedent. He may have still been the so-called 'leader' of the Umbrella Academy, but that was starting to mean less and less. What were numbers to them now, when they technically weren't even Reginald Hargreeves' children?
She met Viktor, Luther, and Sloane in the Games Room. They were the first ones there, but apparently only Allison and Diego would be joining them. Five was still MIA—of course. At least he hadn't been kidnapped—and Klaus was still going down the Chores List with Stanley. Judging by how easily he was distracted, it would probably take him a while to help Stan complete it.
Viktor smiled at Nadine when she approached. "Hey," he said. "How are you feeling?"
Nadine shrugged. "I'm okay. Today's just been—you know. A lot."
