The Before [Prequel- Part 1]

Flint

~~~Loki's pov~~~

After I'd calmed down a bit, Coulson explained the situation and what happened on Level 35.

Apparently, Deke had sold Daisy to Kasius, which is why we've had trouble finding her. He was injured as a result of their run-in with the Kree, and Catherine decided to stay back so that Coulson and May could interrogate him further about Daisy. Coulson then locked him in his room so that he couldn't cause any more damage.

Soon after I was told about all this, we found Agents Mack and Rodriguez and filled them in.

So now, we are not only missing Simmons and Daisy, we've lost Catherine as well.

I took some comfort in knowing that if something happened to her, I would know. The connection I had with her hadn't wavered or disappeared, so she's alive.

She's alive.

"Kasius is creating Inhumans to sell." Coulson started, interrupting my hopeful thoughts. We were roaming the hallways of the Lighthouse, trying to find Tess and tell her the current situation. "Guy's got his own Cronenberg science division and everything."

"That would explain all the ships arriving." Agent Rodriguez commented, keeping pace with Coulson, May, Mack, and I. "You think they're here for Daisy?"

"Afraid so." May nodded, confirming her suspicions.

"And still no sign of Catherine?" Mack questioned.

I shook my head sadly. "Unfortunately, no. Normally. she could hold her own against the Kree, but..." I trailed off, trying not to think about it.

"But with her not being able to use her magic the way she usually does and the added strain of being almost six and a half months pregnant, it's highly unlikely." May finished for me, only to receive a glare from Coulson.

"I'm sure she's fine."

That's when we saw Tess at the end of the crowded hallway, making her way over to us.

"There you guys are!" She ran up to us, her face filled with anxiety.

"Tess, what is it?"

She ran her hands through her hair before answering. "It's the Blues. They've come to harvest the children."

I'm sorry, they have come to do what?

"Come on. We need to get to the Exchange." She ushered all of us to follow her, not bothering to elaborate.

"What do you mean, harvest?" Agent Rodriguez asked, confused by her choice of words.

"Every year, Kasius puts all the eighteen-year-olds through Terrigenesis." She explained vaguely.

"And that day is today?"

"No, that was months ago." She answered as we came up on the Exchange, the center platform filled with adults comforting their children before they went through the Mist, a large Kree guard watching over them with a spear in hand.

This reality gets more disturbing every second we're here...

"That's the one in charge." Tess gestured to the larger Kree. "He's been working his way up from the lower floors."

"I'm guessing this has something to do with Kaisus' big party," I spoke up for the first time in a few minutes. "More products, more profit." The thought of innocent children being sold for their abilities made my fists clench in anger.  

"That's Flint." She continued to point out someone else in the crowd. He was a kid, maybe fifteen or sixteen. He didn't have anyone talking to him like the others his age did. He was alone.