For All Time. Always!

20 - The One Loki Smiles Too Much

  "We are doing some goooood work today," Mobius says, turning the corner into the preparation room.

  "I thought so too," Loki replies, behind us.

  "I'm tellin' you, you actually help us catch this variant, and who knows, my friend." Mobius and I open our lockers, who are conveniently right beside each other, and begin taking off our work jackets into some weather-appropriate ones.

  "What, good enough for a face-to-face with the time-keepers?"

  "He didn't say that," I tell him from behind Mobius.

  "One step at a time," Mobius finishes

  "Alright, one step at a time," Loki sighs. Mobius grabs daggers from his locker. Wait, what? I'm highly confused at two things.

  1) Why does Mobius have fucking daggers in his locker?

  2) Why the hell is he giving them to Loki?

  "Just in case," he says, handing them over.

  As if hearing my thoughts, B-15 walks by us, taking the daggers from the god's hands. "Absolutely not," she says, opening her own locker to prepare. "Gather around for a briefing."

  We all meet in the center, Mobius and I in our raincoats and the Minutemen in their traditional uniforms.

  "Roxxcart is a vast superstore common to the era. It consists of a series of sprawling sections, including a large warehouse. This warehouse is being used by civilians as a shelter, tryna ride out the storm. Remember, this is a class ten apocalypse. While the variant shouldn't know we're coming, he could be hiding anywhere and should be considered hostile. So stay alert."

  "Every time there is an attack, the variant steals a reset charge. He's planning something. We just don't know what. So keep an eye out for the missing charges, and if you see a Loki, prune it," B-15 explains, looking to Loki at the last part.

  "The bad Loki, preferably," Loki says.

  We all start to take positions, ready to go to the apocalypse. I shuffle through people, trying to find someone in particular. Finally, I see him, just standing while Minutemen file all around him. I get up to him, digging my hand in my pocket to get the device.

  "Loki," I say, getting his attention. "Take this," I tell him, handing him the small contraption. He takes it delicately, closing examining it. "If we somehow get separated, whether it's in the store or you decide to escape and need my help with anything, just press that button right..." I point to the red button in the center. "There."

  He smiles at me, nodding and shoving it into his own pocket. "What makes you believe I'll escape?"

  "What makes you believe I should trust that you won't?," I smirk, walking to Mobius to take my spot next to him. Mobius turns to see me, a smirk forming on his face when he sees Loki smiling to himself behind me.

  "What'd ya give him?," he asks quietly after I stop next to him.

  "I don't think that's any of your business, Agent Mobius," I reply, making him chuckle at my formality.

  "Well, whatever it was, he sure does like it a whole lot." I slyly turn around, seeing Loki examine the control more, still with a stupid smile on his face. It wasn't even a smirk like he usually has, but a genuine smile. He rarely gave those smiles in his life, but here at the TVA he would have like 5 a day.

  "Opening a portal in 3..." Loki walks up, taking his spot next to me.

  "2..." 

  My nerves start getting the best of me. Was this it? Is the case really over after this? Mobius rubs my back in a comforting way, probably sensing my uneasiness. It helps a little, but not all the way.

  "1..."

  Loki takes my hand.

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