[✓] 𝑃𝑅𝐸𝐿𝑈𝐷𝐸 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞. 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑟

𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑 later, Five and Valerie were driving along the countryside, heading for the spot that Five had told Hazel and Cha-Cha to meet them at. 

The entire car trip had been filled with nothing but silence, and, as they approached their destination, it seemed like that wasn't going to stop anytime soon. 

They came to a stop at the side of the road, and the hum of the engine was turned off, then immersing them in complete quietness. 

Five was quiet for the next few moments, with his gaze limited to the dull pavement in front of them and his lips pressed together so tightly that they were growing a little white.

Valerie allowed her eyes to roam over the dancing grass that was a little less than a meter away from where she sat, feeling as though she was being held captive by the silence between them; it put her on edge, and she worried about the next sentence that would escape his lips.

After about a minute, Five turned towards her and quietly admitted, "You know, I never enjoyed it."

"What?" Valerie asked, a little surprised by the sudden break in silence as she turned towards him with furrowed eyebrows. 

"The killing," he clarified, causing her to give a short nod. "I mean, I was . . . I was good at my work, and I . . . I took pride in it. But it never gave me pleasure." He lowered his gaze as he gave a small sigh. "I think it was all those years alone. Solitude can do funny things to the mind."

"Yeah, well, you were gone for such a long time. I was stuck in time for . . . well, what felt like forever, and it was terrible," she said as she folded her arms, giving him a small smile. "It's the being alone that breaks you."

Her lips then settled into a frown as her eyes shifted to the thick briefcase that sat between them. It was the bait they were going to use to convince Hazel and Cha-Cha to help them; they were going to pretend as though this briefcase was one that belonged to the Commission.

Valerie ran a finger over the smooth, cold surface as she ran the plan through her head once more. "You think they'll buy it?"

"Well, what I do know is that they're desperate." Five gave a small nod as he looked down at the briefcase before looking back at her. "It's like a cop losing his gun. If the Commission finds out, they'll be in deep shit. Oh, not to mention the fact that they'll be stuck here until they get it back."

"Well" —she lifted the briefcase up and gently placed it on her lap— "I'll hold it."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Hm?"

"Just in case."

"Okay, Val, but be careful," he murmured as he gazed at her intently. He was about to say something else when he was interrupted by the rumble of an engine, and he instead turned forward and watched as a blue car drove their way. "Hm . . . here we go."

Valerie tightened her clutch on the briefcase before using her free hand to open her car door, and, slowly, she stepped out. 

She leaned back against the car while Five rounded around the hood to stand next to her. Both of them watched as the blue car passed them and came to a stop a few metres ahead of them. 

"Five," she said quietly as he straightened up, "please be careful."

He gave her a reassuring smile and nodded before heading towards the two people in suits that were walking towards them. 

One of them had a pink dog mask that only had one floppy, black ear, and the other had a blue bear mask. Neither of them looked all too friendly. 

"The masks really necessary?" Five questioned, his gaze going back and forth between the two colourful disguises.