Chapter 5
Sylvie came to enormous room filled with shelves, she was about to look further but saw hunters enter the archives and ducked out of sight.
She made her way back to the corridor and stopped short at a large room with a screen suspended from the ceiling displaying endless branches diverging in every direction. She swallowed the doubt which reared its ugly head at the sight and scanned the room.
It was lined with empty cubicles and desks which presented all new and troubling questions.
“Can I help you?” She heard a bored and hopeless voice from the corner and turned to see Mobius at his desk looking completely dejected.
“Mobius. Good. Where’s Loki?”
“Who’s Loki? And while we’re at it who’re you?”
“You don’t know me…?” She asked, “shite, this must be the wrong branch,” Sylvie cursed and tugged at her hair in frustration.
“What is going on? Honestly, have I been reset or something? How do you people know who I am and I haven’t the foggiest?” Mobius slumped further into his chair and rooted around his desk drawers.
“What people…?” She asked
“You and the other guy, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome…” he said teasingly as he unscrewed the cap on a flask from his desk.
Sylvie nodded tightly, “sounds like him,” she said quietly.
“I suppose that makes you the lady friend he was so anxious to get back to,” Mobius smirked pointedly as he took a sip and winced at the sharp taste.
“Did he say that?” Sylvie demanded hopefully.
Mobius held his hands up in defense, “just said he had to find his friend, I told him the risk with the timeline in flux, but he seemed pretty determined about it…” the last part trailed off as he took another drink and eyed her knowingly.
Sylvie’s heart clenched and the corner of her mouth twitched the barest smile, but the fondness in her eyes was unmistakable.
“Oh boy, I know that look,” Mobius grinned bemusedly as he chuckled.
Sylvie looked suddenly defensive and collected herself, “enough. I don’t have time for this. Did he say where he was going?”
“Uhhhh, Roxxcart,” he nodded, “something about you meeting there, he’s a bit sentimental isn’t he?”
Sylvie scoffed a little too deliberately, “he certainly is…”
Mobius grinned, “you two are quite a pair, well I hope you find him. Sounds like quite the reunion,” he took a large swig from the flask before recapping it and tucking it into his coat.
Sylvie scowled but pulled out the TemPad to create a new portal. Mobius had folded his hands over his stomach and leaned back, appearing to be taking a nap so she rolled her eyes and left without a word.
“I guess that’s goodbye then,” Mobius shouted moodily behind her without opening his eyes as she disappeared into the orange light.