Vide Noir | The Umbrella Academy

Three

Chapter Three: Nighty Night

"Your brothers in a sanitarium?" Della questioned as they approached the faded white building, a tall black fence encircled it, matching black barbed wire hugged the top. Considering this was the first of his family to find, her hopes dimmed.

Five marched up the concrete pathway and into the building, holding the door open as she slipped in with him. Everything was a wash of white— the lights, the walls, the floors and the clothes the people inside had on. Della blinked back the brightness as they continued on, stopping at a small little room labeled Main Office.

"I'm here to speak with Diego Hargreeves." Five spoke up, staring down at the middle aged man lounged in a sketchy office chair. "I'm his brother."

The man took one look at him and sighed, "You're his brother?"

Five nodded, "I need to speak with him."

The man stood up and ushered them out, whispering something into the closest nurses ear, she nodded before motioning them to follow. They trailed behind as the woman led them down many white hallways, opening a door into what looked like an interrogation room. Already a large man in white stood in one corner, staring straight ahead at the blank white wall behind them. A table was set up in the centre, three metal chairs pushed in. Della wandered over to the other side and pulled one out, cringing at the load scrapping noise it made as she sat down. The woman gave them both a stern look before departing, leaving them in the tense silence, two guards standing silently on either side of the room. Della shifted uncomfortably, but maintained her unamused gaze until Diego Hargreeves was ushered in.

He no longer looked like his mugshot, close cropped hair was grown out and shaggy as it framed his face. His dark eyes glared into his brothers, there was no sign of relief to know he was alive and well.

"'Bout time you showed up." Diego huffed taking the seat across from him, he eyed her next, a brow raised. "You look familiar."

"We briefly met whenever the hell it was we fell through that vortex." She shrugged, watching him evenly. He looked familiar too, like they hadn't just met once for a minute. It was odd. "Della," She gave a nod.

"Della." He muttered under his breath, lips formed a straight line before his attention flickered back to his brother who leaned back in his chair, relaxed as ever.

She watched, both men had calculated looks set across their face, wondering what to say and how to say it. Five cleared his throat, "You look good in white."

Diego glared at him, "Nice of you to show up."

"How'd you know I'd be back?"

"Because that's the kind of shit you pull."

Five sighed, leaning forward. "Where are the others?"

"They're not with you?"

Della tapped the table, "Does it look like they are?"

"We'll find them." Five muttered, "How long have you been here?"

"Seventy-Five days. Landed in the alley behind—"

"Commerence and Knox." Five joined in, meeting his brothers troubled gaze.

"You?" Diego asked.

"I got here this morning."

"How'd you find me?"

Five grunted, taking the folded newspaper clipping from his pocket and unfolded it in front of Diego's face. "Page 16."

Diego rolled his dark eyes, falling against his seat. The two guards shifted, moving their attention to their patient. Five read over the little description, glaring over as he did so. "That's Lee Harvey Oswald's house. Care to explain?"

Della couldn't help but snicker, this man really planned on saving Kennedy? He didn't have to tell them, that one piece of evidence was a large hint, and with that glint in his dark eyes, he had been planning something. And still was.

"Let's just say." Diego began, a sly tone to his voice, "Dallas law enforcement has not been supportive of my attempt to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy."

Five eyes narrowed, "Because it hasn't happened yet."

"And it's not going to happen, not on my watch."

Della raised a finger, "Um, slight problem with that big guy, you can't do anything to change the past."

"And why not?"

"The butterfly effect? No, okay. You screw something up here, everything will change."

"Look," Diego leaned forward again, now staring between the both of them. "I've been shaving down the bars in my room. Another day or two, and I'll be out of this place, then I'm gonna stop Oswald and save the president. You want in, say the word."

"Listen to me very closely, you gibbering moron." Five huffed through gritted teeth, "You will not do a goddamn thing."

"Why not?"

"Because we have to stop the apocalypse."

"No shit." Diego chuckled, "But that doesn't happen for another sixty years."

"This is a new one, apparently." Della chimed in.

"Nuclear war, I've seen it." Five said, "In ten days."

Diego snorted, falling back in his chair. Amusement danced in his eyes, "And I'm the one they locked up, huh? Fine, I'll play along. What causes it?"

"I don't know." Five added sarcastically, "Maybe some looney-tuned asshole with a hero complex who tried to save the president and screwed everything up!"

Diego perked up at that, "So you're saying it worked? I saved the president— I knew I could do it! Okay. Okay, I'll help you."

"Thank god."

"After I save Kennedy." The man added, "Then you swing me back a few decades so I can slit Hitler's throat with a butter knife."

Five blinked, staring at his brother. "This is why you have no friends."

He glanced to her, giving a nod. "You or me?" He questioned. He was gonna throw Diego under the bus, he should've never mentioned his escape plan.

"You." She told him, no way in hell was she ratting his own brother out, not when he was clearly going to try to kill him after. "I have enough death wishes."

"Guard!" Five called, pushing back in his chair and standing up. "My brother is plotting an escape. The bars of his room have been shaved down."

Diego leaped from his chair, trying to lunge at Five but before he could reach him both guards grabbed ahold of him and threw him against the table. The guards called out a code, "Look, this is for your own good, Diego."

"No, Five!"

Della pursed her lips as a nurse walked in, a giant needle gripped in one hand.

"Listen, my brother is a very sick man. I only pray that he gets the help he deserves."

"No, please!" Diego pleaded, squirming under the guards' weight. "No— not the needle! No, no!"

As soon as it was injected, he lost his grip. He went still, eyes falling shut. Five leaned closer to his ear, "We'll be back for you later, alright? Well, nighty night."