One Year Later: 2044
Arthur looked up when Joe came into his apartment, and he knew right away what had happened. It was all over Joe's face.
"You closed your loop," he said. Joe nodded.
"I did," he said hoarsely. He stood there looking lost until Arthur ushered him inside.
"So...now what?" Arthur asked.
"Live my life, I guess," Joe answered. He cleared his throat and ran a hand over his head tightly. Arthur wondered what this would mean for him because he had no loop to close. He always knew this day would come, but he wasn't ready. He still had to find Sara. He wasn't ever going to give up on her.
"You want a drink?" he asked eventually.
"Sure," Joe nodded. Arthur went to get him a beer, and he got one for himself too. They drank in silence.
"Where are you gonna go?" Arthur asked after a while.
"I think I might go to China," Joe replied.
"China," Arthur repeated. "I thought you were learning French, that you wanted to go to France?"
"Better stuff going on in China," Joe shrugged. Arthur didn't say any more about it. They sat drinking for a bit until Joe started to talk again.
"I don't have a purpose," he said, looking at Arthur. "Ever since the day Abe put a gun in my hand, I've had a purpose. What the hell do I do with my life now?"
"Well, you can always be a mechanic," Arthur commented, sipping his drink.
"Like you," Joe noted.
"Yea. Like me."
"Would you teach me?"
"No," Arthur shook his head.
"Why not?"
"Because nothing good came from it the last time I trained someone," Arthur answered. "You want to be a hitman, you're on your own." He knew Joe had the skills to do it. Arthur had taught him some basic as well as spent hours doing hand to hand combat with him. Joe would be unstoppable if he wanted to be.
"Would you come with me?" Joe asked. "To China?"
Arthur hesitated. Leaving the country meant leaving Sara behind forever. Joe caught his expression and chuckled to himself.
"Right," he said. "You can't leave. I forgot."
"If all the loops are closing, I might not be around much longer anyway."
"Abe wouldn't do anything to you," Joe reasoned. "You're his buddy."
"I think Abe will do what he has to," Arthur countered.
"Well, if this is our last drink together, then let me just say it's been a pleasure," Joe said, raising his glass. "My brother."
"Brother?" Arthur repeated.
"Yea. You're like the only family I have, and you're not like a father to me. You're like a brother to me," Joe explained. Arthur smiled. He was a bit touched, and he realized Joe was right.
"Well," he said, holding up his glass too. "Cheers, brother." Joe clinked his glass against Arthur's and laughed again. They sat talking until late, and when Joe finally left, Arthur wondered how long it would be until Abe came to find him.
...
It took two days. Arthur looked up when Abe came strolling towards him at the diner. He was alone since Joe was off figuring out his next steps with his life.
"The lone wolf," Abe commented, sitting down across from Arthur. "Alone again."
"Everyone's closing their loops," Arthur said, getting right to the point. "And I don't have one, so what are you gonna do to me?"
Abe gave a small smile and a chuckle.
"I always liked how smart you are," he said, pointing at Arthur.
"How about you just leave me alone," Arthur suggested.
"I know you think you're gonna find that woman, but you won't. She's gone, man. Accept that. I have no use for you anymore. It's time to tie this up." Arthur regretted telling Abe about Sara. He had been drunk, and Abe had been persistent in asking what was wrong. It was a mistake Arthur cursed himself for making every day since.
"I don't think so," Arthur said, moving to stand up. He missed the guy behind him, who now grabbed him and threw an arm around his neck. Arthur tried to fight him off, but the man was quick. In seconds, he was gone, leaving Abe sitting there with folded hands and a somber expression on his face.
...
Arthur landed hard on the ground. He coughed and gasped for air. Then he twisted to try and get a hold of the man who had grabbed him. He was too late. The man gave a smile before he disappeared into thin air. Arthur sat up and blinked. Where was he?
Then he saw the truck.
"No," he said, realizing. "No, no, no!"
He got to his feet and hurried to his truck where all of his things were. He turned around and around, trying to make sense of it.
"Are you okay?" a woman asked as she passed.
"What year is it?" he asked her. She gave him an alarmed look.
"2011," she answered. Then she quickly hurried past him. Arthur gripped his head tight. Abe had sent him back. He looked to see the bag he had dropped on the ground when he had been kidnapped.
"No," he said again. "NO!"
He would never find Sara now. Then he realized he could find her when she was born in 2016, but what good would that do? He'd have to wait until 2038 for her to be in her twenties, and by then he'd be in his sixties. He broke down, understanding that it was over, really over. He climbed into his truck and drove away, heading for his destination because he knew he couldn't hang around here.
2028
Arthur had bided his time, waiting. Leslie's words never left him, and he knew that if he couldn't be with Sara, then he could at least do one thing for her that would maybe change her future. He walked up to the farm house, gravel crunching under his shoes. He found the garage easily enough, and he let himself in. He had found out who was trying to kill Sara's parents, and he had taken care of them. Now, he had to stop them from dying. He couldn't repair their brakes fast enough, but he could certainly make sure the car didn't work at all. He opened the hood and started yanking and unhooking. Then he took his knife and slashed all the tires. He stepped back and looked at his handy work and knew everything would be okay.
"Who are you?" a voice asked, making him jump. He turned to see 12 year old Sara standing there looking back at him. His heart leaped into his throat at the sight of her.
"The person who just saved your parents' lives," he answered. She stared until an expression of understanding reached her face. She looked at the car now.
"I was right," she breathed.
"You were," he nodded. "I made it so that it won't go anywhere, just in case they wouldn't believe you."
"How do I know you didn't sabotage it the first time and then had a change of heart?" she asked suspiciously.
"I wouldn't do that," he shook his head. "Not to people I care about."
She tilted her head at him, curious, but he decided he had to get out of there. The whole thing was just so bizarre. He grabbed his bag and headed out.
"Wait!" Sara called, chasing after him. He stopped in the driveway and looked at her.
"What?" he asked.
"I just...thank you," she said, hugging herself. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Sara," he said back. Her eyes widened, and he realized his mistake, saying her name. He turned and hightailed it out of there before she could say anything else. He truly hoped this would set the stage for a better life for her.
2057
Arthur felt old. It was in his bones, really. He walked down the streets of Shanghai, looking for someone that he knew he'd eventually find. He honestly never thought he'd live this long, and some days it felt like a curse. He had lived his life alone. After saving Sara's parents, he disappeared and never looked for her again. He didn't want to know if things were good or bad for her. He wanted to keep it in his imagination that things were good. He also didn't want to run into Abe or Joe or anyone, even though he knew they would leave him alone.
Now, he was looking for Joe. He knew the boy was grown up. He knew the things he had done and was still doing. It was time to have one last conversation with him before the end came.
And find him he did. In a bar. Alone. Joe definitely looked like he'd had a rough life. He watched as Arthur sank down into the chair across from him.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked.
"Is that any way to speak to your brother?" Arthur countered. Joe stared for a moment until it hit him.
"Arthur?" he asked, astounded. "Arthur Bishop?"
"The one and only," Arthur nodded. He had wondered if his existence would have even happened since Abe had taken him back in time, but the whole mechanics of time travel was lost on him. He was just grateful Joe remembered him.
"What happened to you?" Joe asked. "You just disappeared. I came to say goodbye, and you were gone."
"Abe sent me back to 2011," Arthur answered. "It was the only way he could close my loop."
"Holy shit," Joe breathed. "So it was true."
"It was."
"You're old," he blurted.
"Ha, thanks," Arthur snorted. "I know that."
"How did you find me?"
"You said you were going to China," Arthur shrugged. "I came to tell you that you gotta have a meaningful life. Find that one person that makes you complete and hang onto them forever."
"I don't know if I can after what happened to you with that girl," Joe said. "Or because of who I am."
"It'll be different for you," Arthur assured him. "I just know it."
"I don't think so."
Arthur wasn't feeling the best, and he knew it was time. He got to his feet slowly.
"Well, remember these words when you do see her. Hang onto her and never let go," he said. He thumped his knuckles on the table before starting to walk away.
"Hey, where are you going?" Joe called after him.
"To die," Arthur answered over his shoulder. Joe didn't follow him, which Arthur didn't want anyway. He was at peace with everything. He could rest now.
Ten years later, Joe met his future wife, and he remembered Arthur's words very clearly. He did exactly what he was told. He held onto her, and he wasn't going to let her go.
Until the day they came for him.
2044
Young Joe stood there looking at his watch. His target was late, which made him feel alert and on edge. What was wrong? He shifted his feet anxiously. He imagined this person must be putting up a hell of a fight.
Then, someone appeared before him on the blanket, but their head was not hooded, and they were sitting cross legged. Young Joe stared as this person's eyes opened and stared back at him.
And he knew.
He was a second too late. His older self threw a gold bar at him, hitting him hard. He went to fight, but he was instantly knocked out.
His last thoughts were of how Abe was going to kill him.
...
Sara looked at Cid, who was coloring at the table. She felt there had been some progress made in their relationship in the last year.. The first thing she had done one they got settled back on the farm was tell Cid she was his mother, not Leslie, and that hadn't gone over very well. Sara had to create a place to hide when Cid became angry after that. She was afraid of dying just like her sister. She knew Cid hadn't meant it, that he couldn't control his emotions and what happened when they got out of control.
Cid grew to like her a little. At least, Sara thought so. He would smile at her jokes sometimes. He didn't always scream at her. He stopped asking for Arthur after a month of living with her. He didn't talk about him either. He did talk about Leslie often, though.
Sara wondered where Arthur was now or if he was even alive. She missed him more than she thought she would. She ran the farm alone, and she spent nights sitting on the porch in her chair pretending to smoke while thinking about him. She had given up smoking along with the eye drops. She had to admit that she felt better being off of everything, but sometimes she missed having a good smoke.
Like tonight, when she thought about how it was over a year since her sister had died.
She cried instead.
...
Arthur was thinking about Leslie and Cid (and Sara, of course) when the banging started. He got up from his chair by the window and walked over to his door. It was pretty abnormal for him to have company at such an early hour. He had become an insomniac in the past year since he lost Cid.
"Arthur!" Joe shouted, banging still. "Arthur!"
"What?" Arthur asked, yanking the door open. "Why are you here at this Godforsaken time of night? What do you want?!"
"I missed," Joe said raggedly.
"Missed what?"
"My future self," he answered.
Arthur stared at him, comprehending what he was hearing.
"You didn't close your loop?" he asked.
"No! He...he threw the gold at my face and kicked my ass!" Joe shouted. "Now they're gonna kill me!"
"Get in here," Arthur urged, hauling him inside. He locked the door behind him. "We don't have much time. They'll know you came here."
"What do I do?" Joe asked, on the verge of tears, which was very unlike him. "What am I going to do?! I don't wanna end up like Seth..." He realized now the terror that Seth had felt, and his guilt for giving Seth up grew even bigger in that moment.
"Do you know where he went?" Arthur questioned.
"No!"
"Then we'll find him. You're not going to end up like Seth. I promise."
"How do we find him?"
"How does the doctor get someone's attention?" Arthur asked. Joe thought for a moment.
"Oh," he said. "Right."
"Think of something your future self will remember. He'll show up."
"If he doesn't?"
"Then I don't know what to tell you," Arthur said.
"Please come with me," Joe begged. "I need your help! I gotta kill him!"
It was a little unsettling to hear Joe talk about murdering his own self, but this was the craziness of this timeline, the mechanics of being a looper.
"I'll come with you," Arthur promised. "I got your back, remember?" He had nothing to lose anyway, and he might be able to talk Abe down when they came for Joe. He hurried to grab his guns, and they disappeared into the night.
...
"Ohhhhh God!" Joe was grunting and shouting as he cut the knife into his skin. Arthur didn't watch. He was on the lookout. They had dodged Abe's men for the past three hours, including Kid Blue, who Joe had managed to royally piss off by pretty much breaking his fingers under his trap door back at his place. It was now dawn, and they were sending a message to Old Joe.
Arthur wondered what would happen to Joe if he didn't close his loop. He knew what had happened to Seth. It hadn't been pretty. He had spent a lot of nights with Joe talking about his guilt for selling out Seth. Arthur knew Abe had cornered Joe, though. Anyone would have caved at that pressure. He also knew Abe had a soft spot for Joe, though, so he wondered if Joe would even get the same treatment. Arthur wasn't really sure about Abe anymore, not that he really ever was sure about him to begin with.
"Okay," Joe gasped, blood going everywhere now. "It's done."
Arthur went to look at the name on Joe's arm and raised a brow.
"You could have used the other waitress's name," he commented. "You know, Jen?"
Joe stared at him for a moment and blinked.
"Shit," he said after processing Arthur's words.
"Oh well. It's done now. Let's go," Arthur gestured. Joe finished wrapping up his arm and gingerly got up. They headed for the car Arthur had hotwired. They knew Abe could track his truck, so they went incognito as best as they could. They drove to the diner to wait. Arthur lowered his ball cap and sat near the back corner, watching.
And sure enough, Old Joe arrived. Arthur felt odd seeing this older version of Joe, who looked more hardened than Young Joe did. He was pretty sure he'd been spotted, but Old Joe didn't seem to care that Arthur was there.
He did laugh to himself quietly when Old Joe made the same comment about Jen, which was shorter to carve into one's arm.
Both Joes got into a heated discussion, and Arthur made out something Old Joe was saying about a Rainmaker, but he didn't know what that meant.
Then Arthur looked outside to see Gat Men coming, and he got to his feet. Both Joes were on their feet as well, and that was when bullets started flying. Beatrice screamed and hit the floor as glass shattered. Arthur rushed to Joe, leaving Old Joe to fend for himself, and the two of them fled out the back door and raced to their car.
"What the hell was that all about?" Arthur demanded as they drove.
"I don't know," Joe said, out of breath. He pulled out a piece of paper. "But I got this from him."
Arthur gave it a sideways glance as he drove.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Coordinates," Joe answered. "He's looking for the Rainmaker. He said this person is why all the loops are being closed. He said this guy is really bad in the future, that he's responsible for murdering his...my...wife." Joe paused here, wrinkling his brow and looking confused. Arthur could only imagine how it would feel to have a conversation with his future self.
"Then I guess we go there," Arthur said. "See why it's related to this Rainmaker."
He had to admit, he was a little intrigued. When Joe read him the coordinates, he felt all the hair on his arms stand up.
It was Leslie's house.
...
Abe was at his desk and feeling annoyed at Joe. How could the kid miss? Of all the Loopers, he hadn't expected this from Joe. When the Gat Men returned, they brought even more disturbing news.
"Arthur is helping Joe," one told him. Abe furrowed his brow.
"Is that so?" he asked, confirming.
"Yes. They ran out of the diner together."
"Well, when you find him, bring him to me. Both of them," Abe said. He waved his hand to dismiss the men, and they left him alone. He sat there pondering about this. He had to admit he was surprised at the relationship Arthur and Joe had. He hadn't thought Arthur would get close to anyone, but he was wrong. It was causing him a lot of grief now because he knew how good Arthur was.
But he was better.
...
Sara folded the laundry as she thought. Cid was entertaining himself by taking stuff apart and putting it back together. It seemed to be the best activity to calm him. She wondered for the millionth time about Arthur. She thought about looking for him, but she figured he hated her now, so why reopen those old wounds? He hadn't shown up at the house like she thought he would, which made her worry that something had happened to him. The thought of him dead cut like a knife.
She glanced out the window and had the strangest feeling that something was coming, but she had no idea what.
But she could be prepared.