Chapter 5 - The TVA
Mobius sat at his desk with his jet ski magazine, monitoring Loki's timeline. He was surprised how long the trickster had been out in the field without a nexus spike or branch off for that matter, but then again he also hoped that he was still there and hadn't run off. Mobius hadn't given him a TemPad for that same reason even though he did consider him a friend. He felt guilty about that. Hunter B-15 interrupted his thoughts.
"Mobius, Judge Renslayer wants to see you," she said. He sighed deeply, putting away his TemPad to arrive at Ravonna's office which now looked pathetic to him after witnessing the wizard's.
"Is it just me, or does this office keep getting better and better?" he lied once he was inside.
"Where'd you get that one, the snow globe? I love those. I don't remember bringing back that case," he deflected while taking a seat. A bottle popped open and Ravonna poured them both a glass of scotch. Looking back at her trophies he saw one that he definitely didn't retrieve, a golden necklace with an hourglass in it contained by two gold rings.
"You're not the only analyst working for me," she said snidely taking a seat across from him, handing him a glass. The comment stung a bit.
"But, would you say, maybe, I'm your favorite one? And why do you get to keep all the trophies from my cases in here? You don't think I'd love having that roller skate there sprucing up my cubicle?" he said.
"Because I approve the missions," she said with authority. He paused.
"Good point," he said backing down, taking a sip of his drink.
"Speaking of which, let's talk about the one you just botched," she said.
"Botched? How was it Botched?" he asked curiously.
"Really, Mobius? Your variant destroyed a classroom full of kids on his very first day," she said with a bit of condescension. He groaned.
"But it didn't cause a Nexus event," he retorted.
"But it could have! And it could have killed someone let alone a kid!" she argued. He took another sip of his scotch.
"Listen, Ravonna, I'm sorry. I realize that my, you know, methods with this Loki are controversial, but... " he began.
"Towing a dangerous Variant into the field is controversial," she snapped. He stopped talking, letting the room fill with an awkward silence. Renslayer sighed.
"Look, I know you have a soft spot for broken things," she said trying to break the ice between them.
"I don't think so."
"Yes, you do. But Loki is an evil, lying scourge. That is the part he plays on the Sacred Timeline." The agent shook his head and put his glass down on the table.
"Maybe he wants to mix it up. Sometimes you get tired of playing the same part. Is that possible? He can change?" he pleaded.
"Not unless the Time-Keepers decree it. And then, it shall be so." she said as a matter of fact. He sighed peering over at one of the Time Keeper's statues lingering in her office. They really did look like space lizards. He wished he could replace it with the wizard's magnificent bird.
"And how are the old Time-Keepers?" Mobius asked. Ravonna sighed anxiously.
"How do you think?" she said sarcastically. Mobius chuckled
"I don't know. 'Cause I've never met 'em. Thankfully. Although, I shouldn't say that. That one looks... "
"Mobius," she said cutting him off, "You really believe in this Variant?" The analyst thought for a moment, taking one last sip of scotch.
"Mmm... Luckily, he believes in himself enough for the both of us."