Hell is Living Without You ~ Loki

Chapter Twelve

Freyja's POV

Loki and I waited outside Judge Renslayer's office once again, as Mobius tried to convince her to let us hunt the Variant. A few minutes later,  Mobius stepped out. Loki and I looked hopeful when he closed the door. "We're on." He said, walking away quickly with me and Loki in tow. "We are doing some good work today." Mobius praised. "I thought so too." Loki smiled. "I'm tellin' you. You actually help us catch this Variant, and who knows, my friend. You too Freyja, you've been here long enough to redeem yourself. But this might be the icing on the cake." Mobius commented. "What, good enough for a face-to-face with the Time-Keepers?" Loki asked hopefully. "I didn't say that. One step at a time." Mobius said, rummaging through his locker. "One step at a time. All right." Loki said. "Just in case." Mobius warned, handing Loki a pair of daggers, he smiled brightly and took them excitedly. Until Hunter B-15 walked past of course. "Absolutely not." She said snatching it off him. "Gather around for a briefing." She called. I rolled my eyes, everyone gathered round in a circle. Loki and I stood next to each other and I was excited to see what this variant looked like. "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 tryin' to 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 sneered, staring at Loki. "The bad Loki, preferably." Loki informed.

*****

Thunder rumbled as we approached Roxxcart. It was raining and thundering and I couldn't help but notice Loki kept looking up at the sky. He probaly missed Thor bless him. We hung back as the rest of the team were ahead of us. Upon entering the shop, Loki and I used our magic to replace our drenched clothes with dry ones. "The hell was that?" B-15 asked, accusingly. I scoffed. "That was us using magic to dry our clothes, so we don't announce ourselves with every squeaky footstep like the rest of you." I spat. She glared at me, before turning to adress the team. "Take both teams and sweep the storm shelter." She instructed. "Yes, ma'am." L-50 acknowledged. "Loki, Freyja and I are gonna check out the Green House. We'll meet..." Mobius started. "No." B-15 said bluntly. "No?" Mobius repeated in question. "You go with D-90. They stay with me." She ordered. "They're under my supervision." Mobius protested. "This is my field op, Mobius. If they're not a threat, then..."
"Of course they're threats. Remember Loki in the Time Theater? And Freyja, when she attacked you on her first day? I want them with me." Mobius argued. Gee, thanks for bringing that back up. I thought. "You are welcome to go back to the TVA and litigate with Renslayer, but right now..."
"We're here. We're not going back. The Variant is here." Mobius objected. I placed a hand on his shoulder and he turned to us. "Mobius, it's fine. It's fine. You can trust us. We understand we have to earn that, so, we will." I insisted with a soft smile. "Why is it the people you can't trust are always saying, trust me?" Mobius muttered, walking away. Try to hang on to your Time Collar this time." Mobius told B-15. "We'll see you in the showroom." L-50 told her. Loki and I followed B-15 reluctantly.

It was an awkward silent walk with Loki, B-15 and I. "In all the time I've been here, I think this is our longest interaction don't ya think?" I told her, in attempt to make conversation. "Quiet." She hushed. "I'm saying we got off on the wrong..." I started. "Shh." She silenced again. I heard a faint shuffling and slowly advanced toward the sound. "Hey! Whoa, whoa. It's okay. It's okay." B-15 comforted. "What are you doing?" I asked, rather harshly. "Shopping for plants." He said, with his hands up. "In this storm?" I asked with a raised brow. "It's a hurricane sale. Azaleas are half off." He explained. "Could that be you?" B-15 asked Loki. "I mean, I probably would have worn a suit, but, yes, maybe." Loki whispered. B-15 approached the young man cautiously. I'm sure I saw a slight green glow appear when the man reached out to her. Suddenly, he fell to the ground. "Is he dead?" Loki asked. "No. They usually survive." B-15 said and all of a sudden her demeanor was off. She turned to Loki and I and scoffed. "So, you're the fool and his lapdog the TVA brought in to hunt me down." B-15 Loki said. "Me, I presume." Loki said. "Please. If anyone's anyone, you're me." It said. Loki grinned like a madman. "How nice to meet you." He said, whilst I shot it an unimpressed. "Enchantment is a clever trick. Cowardly, a bit amateur-ish, but clever." I commented. "Almost as cowardly as working for the TVA. You're perceptive. Maybe under different circumstances we could get along." She shot back. "I'm working for me and so is Loki." I spat. "You really believe that, don't you?" She scoffed. "Yeah." Loki said. The variant chuckled. "And here I was worried that they'd found a better version of me." What a dick am I right? I thought to myself. A man walked over to us. "Hi, are you guys looking for the disaster shelter?" He asked, but B-15 Loki grabbed his hand. "No." She said, before touching his arm and letting B-15 fall.

The guy walked away and turned around and faced us. Loki and I looked at B-15 on the floor. "Oh, bless. Are you going to call your little friends for help?" He taunted. I sneered, and went forward to hit him, but Loki held me back. The guy chuckled, and walked down another aisle. "What's the matter? You too scared to meet me face-to-face? Show yourself." Loki instructed, "You know, gaining their confidence was no mean feat." Loki told him, causing him to stop and turn around. "Oh, my God. You went undercover." He said. WIf you could possibly sheathe your smarm for a moment, I have an offer for you. That's why I found you." Loki smiled. The man looked interested. "Go on." He said. "I'm going to overthrow the Time-Keepers. And, uh, cards on the table, I could use a qualified lieutenant." Loki bargained.

What the hell do you think you're playing at? You were gonna overthrow the Time Keepers!? Where was my invite?

Hush Freyja, just go with the plan. Follow my lead if need be. Remember, we're getting out of this place together.

"And I assume you mean... Me?" He questioned. "What say you... Loki?" Loki asked with a wink. "Ugh. Don't call me that. You can call me... Randy." He introduced. "God. Now I understand why Thor found this so annoying. Enough with your games. I've been trying to help you. I kept them vulnerable at the Renaissance Fair for some time." Loki protested. "Oh, gosh, and that was just so nice of you. But after eight to ten seconds of consideration, the answer is no. I'm not interested in ruling the Time Variance Authority." Randy said, briskly walking off. "If you don't wanna rule the TVA, then what do you want?" I asked as me and Loki followed Randy. "It doesn't matter. You're too late." Randy told us. "I think you'll find I'm well ahead of schedule. I found your hiding place like that. I'd say that makes me the superior Loki, wouldn't you?" Loki asked. I noticed a reset charge wired up on a shelf. I sighed. "I see. That's your plan. Lure us all here so you can blow the place up." I said to him.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large man ran up and kicked me in the chest sending me flying back. I groaned in pain. "I miss Randy." I muttered. He then grabbed Loki and flung him into some shelves aswell. "Thank you for helping me stall for time. You really do love to hear yourself talk." The ex Randy chuckled. "You're the first person to tell him that." I said, running from behind to attack the man. But he caught me and threw me back down to the ground. "I would never treat me like this." I heard Loki mumble, before getting up. "Oh, come on. Stop hiding. Loki, if you had any honor you'd fight me as yourself." Loki taunted, swinging a hoover around to try and hit him. The ex Randy caught the hoover and wrapped a cord around Loki's neck. "I have shit to do." He seethed. I got up and used my magic to fling Loki out of the mans grasp. "Sorry!" I called, before getting launched myself. We finally got up and saw the Loki fiddling with one of his reset charges. "What do you want from me? What is this about?" Loki asked furiously as we approached him. "Brace yourself, Loki." The variant said. He chuckled and dropped to the floor. After a few seconds, I felt a presence behind me, Loki turned around aswell and we were faced with a figure in a dark cloak. They stepped forward and pulled down their hood to reveal a female Loki. "This isn't about you." She seethed, whilst Loki and I stood in shock. "Right." Loki said. The charges began fizzing and sparking. They all lit up and disappeared through a portal, one after the other.
Lady Loki took the tempad from the detonator and projected a portal. She gave us a small wave, and stepped through. Loki hesitated. "Come with me?" Loki asked me. I smirked. "I promised didn't I?" I shot back, Mobius could be heard running to us. "Now or never." I said. "Freyja, Loki! Wait!" Mobius called. I sent him an apolojetic look and Loki and I ran through the portal.