Special Agents of the Multiverse: The Queen's Threat (Multifandom Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: Highly Classified

Klemens

Klemens stepped out of the vehicle, looking at the UMD headquarters in front of him. He hasn't done a job for the United Multiverse Division in quite a while now. The first few years after The Collision had been chaotic, but by now the different universes had accepted what happened. The small breakouts that happened every once in a while were for the lower forces to calm down. Klemens worked in the highest and most secret department of them all, the Specialist Elite Force. Frankly, Klemens couldn't recall how long ago he'd finished his last assignment and started to enjoy what he loved doing – singing.

He'd been surprised when Clarke – Ms. Griffin, he reminded himself – had called him this previous night, demanding him to come over. "I'm sorry to call you on such short notice, Mr. Hannigan." Klemens had actually rolled his eyes here. No matter how many times he'd tell her that in Iceland you don't call people by their last name, she simply refused to call him Klemens. She thought it was disrespectful. Coming from Iceland, those cultural differences were nice to see though.

"We will send someone to transport you to the headquarters. We'll disclose your mission when you arrive."

Klemens knew better than to ask questions, so he'd accepted. Ronja had been surprised they'd called him as well. But she'd simply given him a kiss, helped him pack his bag and threatened him to come back alive and well. Right now, the collar he wore around his neck reminded him of her. He smiled. No matter where he was or who he worked for, Ronja would always own his heart. He'd given it to her the moment she'd asked him to be his boyfriend, and he'd never regret that decision ever in his life.

He swung the backpack over his shoulders and made his way to Ms. Griffin's office. Her door was unlocked and he saw her stare at the screen of her laptop ferociously. He grinned. She looked older, but her facial expressions hadn't changed one bit. When she was focusing on something, she could actually stay focused on that one particular thing until it had been finished. Klemens had always been quite impressed by her ability to do so. But that's why he was a field agent. Multitasking and thinking out of the box were his qualities.

"One moment, Mr. Hannigan."

"Klemens," he replied.

Ms. Griffin sighed at him, not responding to his remark. So he just sat down on the chair in front of her desk, putting his bag underneath his feet. He'd take care of his stuff later. He knew that Clarke never needed much time when she asked him for a moment. She'd make sure to finish whatever important thing it was she was doing, and then she'd get to the point. She was efficient like that. That's one of the reasons why he liked her. He didn't like people telling him how to do his job, but he had deep-rooted respect for Clarke. She knew what she was doing. She was honest, clear and practical. She cared for her agents, but she never overdid it. He knew she'd been through way too much to get like this. Caring but unattached. But that's what made her such a good leader. She'd developed all the necessary qualities to manage a force like theirs. She was experienced. She would do what's needed to achieve the goals. She hated making sacrifices, but she'd learned the hard way that sacrifices were inevitable. She'd never make one if it wasn't absolutely necessary, but if it was, she had the guts to do so. Klemens second-guessed many people, and he stayed critical – even with Clarke. But he trusted her decisions and her judgement. Which is the one reason he answered her request to come to the headquarters. If it'd been anyone else he'd have told them he was too busy with his band and newborn daughter. But it was Clarke, so he'd known he was actually needed for this job despite his personal life.

"Alright," Clarke started and Klemens smiled because he'd been right about her not needing a long time to finish her task. "-I'm sorry to have brought you here so sudden. The mission I'm about to send you on is highly, highly classified. It's a threat from the Wonderland Universe. Iracebeth, also known as the Queen of Hearts or the Red Queen... She's escaped from her banishment. News has come to us that her plan is to destroy every universe but her own. She's headed for Narnia first."

Klemens eyes widened at that. He suddenly understood why Clarke had called him in on such short notice. It had started a little over ten years ago. No one knows how or why it happened, but every world of fiction that was ever created by the human species, had become a real and separate universe. But not just that. There were portals everywhere for living beings to travel from one universe to another. It was as if the universes had closed in on one another. They'd called it The Collision. So far, they'd only discovered fictional universes that had been created by the universe Klemens was born in, but Narnia was the one universe that contained most of the important portals. If you wanted to travel somewhere, 90% of the time you'd pass through Narnia. If this Queen was going to take down Narnia... It'd be a disaster.

"If we don't stop her from doing that..." Clarke started, her voice trailing off as if she didn't want to say it out loud.

"...she'll win. If she takes down Narnia, we can not stop her from taking down the other universes." Klemens finished for her. Clarke nodded grimly, and Klemens tried to process what he'd just heard. He couldn't imagine how this would affect life as they knew it. Fuck, there wouldn't be life as they knew it anymore. They'd be wiped out of existence. It would be genocide on a scale that has never been seen before. Multiple genocides, actually.

"How do I stop her?"

"You won't be in this by yourself. I've paired you up with Arturo Román, he's from the La Casa De Papel universe."

Klemens narrows his eyes at the mention of that name. He's heard of that man before. It's a heroic man, in a sense. He sets of sparks that motivate people to undertake the necessary action. But he's also a coward, as he barely ever puts himself in the front.

"Why him? Since when is he a SEF agent?" Klemens asks suspiciously. Arturo was probably a decent man, but if this was such a classified mission, why would Clarke pair them up together?

"Because he has worked on many UMD missions in Narnia. We are aware of the thing you're concerned about, but he's the only agent we have with such broad knowledge of this universe that isn't his own. You will be in charge, he will navigate and help."

Klemens found himself within that reasoning. For a mission as important as this one, you couldn't risk losing track of your location. He still didn't feel too confident about it, but he had to trust Clarke on this one as well. If there wasn't a better agent, Arturo it would be.

"So... Do you have a plan for us?"

Clarke nodded. "We don't know where exactly the Queen will start, but we do know exactly where her most trusted servant is. We have kept watch on him ever since the news came to us. You and Arturo need to find him and figure out the Queen's plan. I know it's a far shot, but it's the only lead we have for now." Klemens nodded, and spend the next hour reading into the history of the Queen, her usual methods, her servant and where to find him.

-----

"One hour before transport, Mr. Hannigan." Klemens looked up at Clarke - and wished he hadn't. Because there was a sad smile on her face. A smile that showed him that she knew how small the chance was that they would ever be able to fix this. A smile that said 'you're our last hope'. He nodded at her, and as she left he sat back in his chair and sent a text message to Ronja.

Mín ástin, the situation I've been called in for is a very serious one. You know I can't give you any details, but I just wanted to say that I love you. You have been the light of my life, you have stood by me when I needed it the most, you have been an amazing person, girlfriend, wife and mother for as long as I've known you. Please tell our little ones how much I love them as well. This mission isn't dangerous just for me, but for the multiverse entirely. I can't wait to hold you in my arms again, but if last night was the last time, know I've cherished you with all my heart and am grateful for having been yours.

Klemens pressed send, turned his screen off and wiped away his tears before they would spill onto the files. He took a little moment, thinking back to all the amazing times he's had with his family and smiled to himself. It hurt, knowing it was all at stake. But he's been a lucky and happy man, blessed with the good life he's had until now. It was a scary thing knowing he might lose it all, but at the same time, it fuelled him to work the extra mile. He would give his absolute best to make this work. He simply had to.

He took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts out of his head and put the files into a briefcase. Time to meet Arturo Román in person. Time to save the Multiverse.