To Nightfall

Chapter 6: Two Halves

A/N: One of my favorites ❤️

Warnings: violence, character death, mentions of suicide and death

Word Count: 6070

Chet's morning had been going as normal with only Klaus distracting him from his television and momentarily annoying him, but he was gone as soon as he arrived. From behind him, the service bell rang. He turned around to be met with an old man wearing a pair of headphones around his neck.

"Can I get a room?"

"Yes, sir, right with you." Chet stood, his attention drawn back to the television when a news reporter began speaking.

    "We interrupt today's regularly scheduled program to bring you this late-breaking story. Authorities are baffled as hundreds of people across the city have vanished, seemingly without a trace..."

Chet scoffed and returned to the man, bringing out the check-in book. "Another silly conspiracy theory." He took the pen and set it atop the page.

"...have increased by a staggering five hundred percent in recent days. However, with no bodies found, no suspects, and no explanation, police have been scrambling to..."

The old man picked up the pen and let his eyes scan the page, a small smile crossing his features at a certain name before writing down his own.

    Lester Pocket.

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At the home of the Sparrows, Ben and Fei stepped outside to the courtyard, where Viktor and Allison were waiting for them. The pairs stood before each other, awaiting the first words of their conversation. Fei's shielded gaze settled on the fact that there were only two people.

"You're one short," She pointed out. "Where's the rest of your pathetic family?"

Allison scowled. "Awe. Is that the best you can do?"

"Last warning."

"Yeah, you don't get to warn me about shit, Flock of She-Gulls."

Ben let out a short laugh of amusement, but stopped when Fei cut him a look. "Whatever." His smile dropped as he cleared his throat. "Where the fuck is Marcus?"

Viktor swallowed. "Marcus is, uh... Marcus, uh... Marcus is-"

"Safe." Allison cut in. "For now. But that'll change real quick if you don't do exactly as we say."

Fei looked to her brother as he smiled seemingly in controlled rage and irritation. "See? I told you they have him."

"I warned Marcus, but no," Ben growled. "He said we had to hear what you had to say."

"Look, he wasn't wrong, okay?" Viktor defended. "We want to make things right with you-"

"By kidnapping our brother?!"

"No, that's-"

"Yes." Allison cut him off, giving her brother a look when he looked at her. Viktor sighed in defeat and turned back around.

"Look, there is a lot more going on here. The world is in trouble, and we need to work together. My brother could explain it all a lot better than me, but... it's a time-traveling problem. We caused a paradox, and that paradox is swallowing things. Lots of cows, and... a dog, a few lobsters, but also people. Look, I know it sounds like-"

Allison decided to take over. "Just give us the briefcase and we'll give you Marcus."

Fei shrugged. "What briefcase?"