Clock's Ticking

Loki

I'm not happy that B-15 took Loki off into the store alone. If something were to happen she won't be able to handle one Loki alone, let alone too. Mobius and I, along with the other Hunters, find the warehouse where the survivors are holding up. I look around the room and see; men, women, children, and even babies huddled together, trying to ride out the storm. When we get in D-90 gives an order, "check the bags for the reset charges."

As we look around a man stands up, "you guys FEMA? National Guard?"

"Could be any one of them."

"Well, hey, if you got a 'copter or other transport, nows the time to use it. We got women and kids and that weather ain't playin'."

"No, I'm sorry," I shake my head, looking around and trying to think of the best lie I can for the time being, "we've spent a while trying to get here. The storm lightened enough for us to land, but we can't take off with the wind like it is." As I talk to the man, D-90 shoves him aside to look through a bag.

Mobius walks over to him and stops him, "what're you doing? Hey! These people are scared."

D-90 turns to Mobius, "they're about to die. They should be scared."

I march over to the two men, "not of us."

"Sir!" Another Hunter runs up to us.

Mobius turns to me, "take it easy, alright. I know it's a lot right now."

"What is it?" D-90 turns to the other Hunter.

"It's C-20," the Hunter shakes his head, "she's here."

I look over to him, "where?"

The Hunter leads us to a room that looks like it service as a security office at one point. C-20 is in the corner breathing heavily, "it's real. It's real. It's real. It's real. It's real." She keeps repeating the same thing over and over again.

I kneel in front of us, as does Mobius, "what's real?"

"It was real."

"What's real?"

D-90 sighs and shakes his head, "she's off the dial."

"Look at me."

C-20 locks her eyes with mine, "I wanna go home."

"And we're gonna get you there," I place a hand on her foot. I don't know what she's been through at the hands of the Variant Loki and I don't want to stress her out more then needed.

Mobius looks back to the second Hunter, "call the TVA, let the infirmary know..."

"No, no, no," C-20 protests, "I gave it away. I gave it away."

"What did you give away..." D-90 leans forward a bit.

"The Time-Keepers, where they are. I gave it away how to find them," C-20 begins to pant and I try to calm her down.

"B-15, what's your status?" D-90 calls out on the walkie. "B-15, come in. What's your status? B-15 do you copy?"

My heart sinks as B-15 continues not to respond. We all hold our breath as we wait for her to answer but she never does. I stand up, "I'm gonna go find her." I turn back to C-20, "get her back to the TVA."

"Yes, ma'am," the second Hunter nods.

As I stride out of the room, Mobius and D-90 follow me. Mobius catches up first, "what are you gonna do if you find him?"

"If he's responsible for hurting B-15 in anyway," I take a deep breath, "I'll do what I promised Ranslayer."

"And if he isn't."

"Find him and decide later."

As we walk around the soon we hear B-15 call out to us, "Mobius."

We turn and see B-15 on her feet, but she doesn't look good, "what happened?" Mobius shakes his head, "where is he?"

"I lost him."

"What happened?"

"I..." B-15 seems to be at a loose of words.

D-90 turns and continues to walk, "looks like your favorite Loki betrayed you."

"Of course, he did," I scoff, "he's a Loki. That's what they do. But right now we need to find him." I take off running down one of the hundreds of aisles in the store, followed by the other three. As we run this every light in the store goes out, but soon the space is lit by something else. I look around as I hear the high pitched whirling of reset charges being deployed. But soon they disappear.

We all stop and watch as doors open beneath then and they disappear, "where are they're going?" Mobius looks over to me.

I shake my head, as a red light some on, allowing us to see once more. When I look back in the direction we were heading, in the distance I see what looks like Loki, speaking to someone. I don't hesitate to take off running, moving as fast as my feet and legs will carry me. I see the other Loki open a door and walk through, then I see our Loki approach it. I feel a sense of dread wash over me as I watch, "Loki! I shout, running at full speed. "Loki, wait! Wait, Loki, wait!" I can't tell if I'm demanding or begging him to stay, but he takes a step toward us and all I can think about is hugging him when I get down to him. But then he turns back and walks through the door, "no! Wait, Loki!" As I continue to run, I trip, probably over one of the many things in the aisle I had been jumping or dodging. So I spend the last ten feet of my run, on my face and stomach, sliding across the floor. The door closes just before I'm able to get there and I sigh, already sore from the fall and I can't tell if I'm saddened or angry by Loki's choice to leave.

I hear Mobius and the others approach as their feet slow, "damn it!" I then feel someone's hands on my back, followed by Mobius' voice, "hey, are you okay?"

I nod and roll over, "yeah, I think so."