The Great Unknown

Backwards - Tame Impala

June 16, 2013

"Are you sure that we are gonna be safe here?" Ben asked for the millionth time that morning as he and Charlotte sat across from one another eating breakfast.

"I swear to you we are safe and if not we can kick some serious butt." She said with a small smile trying to lighten the mood. Ben nodded but it was clear that he wasn't truly convinced. As the day continued he and Charlotte did a few puzzles and watched a couple of movies, the day was going by peacefully for the pair and Ben's worry slowly started to wash away.

---

Five's body was thrown into the hard brick wall of the alley he and his siblings stood in. Allison gasped and ran over to him helping him up. They had been prepared to fight the Murder Magician but they were not prepared to fight his tricks, the six now stood looking up to a giant stone Abraham Lincoln who was trying to crush them as the Magician sat back and watched.

"A plan would be great right about now!" Diego yelled to Luther over the growing sounds of rumbles as he threw knives at the extremely tall man, most of which were bouncing off.

"Yeah, well why don't you pull one out of your ass!" Luther yelled back as he grabbed onto the stone man's leg trying to pull the man to the ground. Klaus was levitating as Vanya held onto him. Vanya and Klaus had planned to search Honest Abe for any weak spots but so far it was nothing but solid stone.

"I'm going after the Magician." Five mumbled to Allison as he pushed himself up and blinked over to the whimsically dressed man. Allison huffed and tried to run over to help him but she had to dodge falling stones and ricocheting knives.

"Clearly that isn't working!" She yelled over to Diego who rolled his eyes and stopped. As she continued to run over to Five she noticed that he was gaining the upper hand and as Klaus and Vanya landed Vanya ran over to join him and the pair had soon knocked out the Magician. But the team was still dealing with the giant man searching for Ben.

"How the hell are we going to stop him?" Five yelled rubbing his purpling cheekbone.

"Build him a nice big stone lady?" Klaus yelled back sarcastically but the idea sparked an idea.

"That's it!" Allison yelled causing all of her siblings to look at her with confusion. "Klaus send me up!" She yelled and Klaus levitated her body up to Abe's head.

"What the hell is she doing?" Luther yelled as he watching her rise.

"Your guess is as good as mine!" Klaus yelled back with a shrug. Once Allison was close enough to the stone man's ear she waved her arms to signal Klaus to stop, she then leaned in and whispered to the giant man.

"I heard a rumor that you were assassinated." As the word left her lips a large form started to form out of rock behind Lincoln, Klaus lowered Allison to the group and the six ran to take cover as they watched a giant version of John Wilkes Booth raise a gun behind Abraham's head and fire. As the former stone president crumbled so did Booth and the family was left standing in a pile of rubble.

Both Luther and Diego ran to grab the Murder Magician before he could wake up but the gunshot and sounds of crumbling were enough to startle him awake.

"I'll find him! I'll find Number Six and I'll kill him! I'll make him pay for killing my brother!" The man yelled as the two brothers sent him to Hotel Oblivion where they believed he would be kept for good.

"Alright call Charlotte and tell her it's safe to bring Ben home," Luther said to Diego. Klaus froze hearing her name, the idea of seeing her again twisted something deep within her heart but as Diego pulled out his phone he walked away.

"Klaus where-" Allison called out but he excused himself before she could finish. The family members looked at one another with a deep sadness in their eyes.

"Hey Charlie, it's safe to come home," Diego said before hanging up and looking off towards the direction where Klau had left wondering if the family would ever be whole again.

Current Day

"After all these years, he's been planning this since the day we sent him to the Hotel," Luther said running his hands through his hair.

"It was a plan B if he got caught he'd have all of our enemies on his side." Five continued as the team put the pieces together.

"This is horrible," Ben mumbled as he held his head in his hands.

"We aren't going to let them get you," Vanya said placing a reassuring hand on her brother's back. She rubbed small circles against the fabric of his shirt hoping to comfort him but his head filled with thoughts of the Murder Magician.

"I killed this man's brother," He whispered out barely loud enough for the group to hear. "Maybe he should just come a get me." He continued causing everyone to stand in shock.

"Ben don't talk like that," Charlotte said dropping to her knees in front of him, she placed her hands gently of his. "We all know that it was an accident and that it just got a bit out of control, it could have happened to any of us." She continued as he raised his head.

"But it didn't, I was the one who lost control." He said before storming out of the living deep into the house, the group stayed silent as the watched the doorway trying to think of what to do next.

"We have to keep him safe." Luther said finally, "Even if he doesn't want us to." He turned to look back at the group with a mix of emotions in his eyes. "Diego, you have a plan?" He asked his brother who slowly formed a smile.

"Oh, do I ever." He said and the group gathered around to hear Diego's plan.

As the seven adults sat in the living room devising a plan Ben sat in his room looking over all the object that the criminals had destroyed till a note by the window caught his eye, he walked over grabbing the thin piece of parchment in his hand reading of the words again and again. He looked down the hall before closing his bedroom door, reading the note over once again he let out a deep breath before climbing out of his bedroom window and down the fire escape. As his feet hit the cold wet cement ground he looked up and down the alley making sure no one had seen him leave, he quietly ran through the puddle-filled alley and onto the street. He hailed a cab and quickly got in telling the driver where to go before once again reading over the note.

---

Klaus and Charlotte sat next to one another on a couch while Vanya and Five sat across from them. Allison and Luther sat in two chairs on either side of the fireplace while Diego had brought over a chair to sit opposite of them.

"Now is everyone clear on the plan?" Diego asked once again hoping there would be no more questions, he was met with slight nods and hums of agreement.

"I'll go get Ben," Vanya said as she pushed herself up and left the room, in a few minutes she returned her face paler than normal.

"What's wrong Vanya?" Charlotte asked sitting up in her seat.

"Ben, he's gone." She said with wide eyes.

"Well, that wasn't part of the plan." Five mumble earning glares from all of his siblings.