Interlude 1.T (Thomas)

The rhythmic dripping of blood was the only sound in the room. Tattletale sat on the chair, barely conscious, having long gone numb to the pain. She didn't even struggle against the restraints anymore. She was kept awake only by the cocktail of drugs in her system."I'll ask this for the last time," Thomas threw his bloodied gloves to the side, "what did you tell her?""Her… She…" Tattletale struggled to form coherent words. Mh. He'd gone too far, there wasn't anything useful to gain for her anymore. It didn't help that his men had failed to find and kill Skitter, and now the bug-cape was unaccounted for. Thomas had wanted to use the brief distraction posed by the Chosen to cut out the cancer from his organization, but he'd overestimated the Nazis. Blackwall had dealt with them within ten minutes of them appearing in Parian's territory and engaging in a battle with Flechette. His Travelers were still making their escape from the PRT.This timeline was a bust.He collapsed it, two worlds turning into a single one. Now Thomas sat at his desk, watching Tattletale leave his bunker from one of many security cameras. Until he split the timeline again. In one he stayed at his desk, while in the other he stood up to leave.At a press of a button the door to the side opened. The doctor walked in, dragging Thomas' pet with him."The usual evening questions, pet""It hurts. Candy?""After you answer the questions pet, you know this." Thomas insisted, glancing at the girl."Fifty two point five two two percent chance there is a problem in the next hour. Eighty four point three six eight that there is a problem before you wake up."Concerning. Thomas had very little leeway now. He'd asked his pet some questions before beginning to torture answers out of Tattletale, and the outcome had been very different. What had changed?Just that morning his pet had placed the success of Thoma' plan at eighty nine percent.Approaching the intercom to the wall, Thomas got in contact with his captains."State of emergency. Lock down everything and contact the Travelers. Don't disturb Noelle."In the other timeline, he switched uniforms with one of his soldiers and began escaping through a hidden tunnel.Suddenly, in both timelines, at the exact same time, every system in his base went down. Emergency red lights turned on, but communication didn't resume.In the timeline where he still wore his Coil costume, he grabbed onto the pet's arm and began walking towards the closest rendezvous point, following protocol. If his message to the Travelers went through then they would soon meet him there."Pet, chances that this is a Protectorate operation? Dragon?""It hurts. Can I have the candy?""No. Answer me.""Twenty seven percent that a Protectorate hero is involved. Zero point three that Dragon is involved."Concerning.In one timeline he kept going towards the rendezvous point, while in the other he had long since ditched Dinah and had begun to sprint towards one of the many emergency exits.Opening the exit hatch, Thomas came out far away from the city in a hidden location, where a team was supposed to be waiting for him.There was no one there. Except Skitter.Thomas did not get to say anything before that timeline went dark. Either dead or unconscious. He split again.It seems that the Undersiders had betrayed him earlier than expected. It was a safe bet that through Tattletale most of his escape routes were already blocked off. Thomas regretted having allowed the snarky Thinker to leave his bunker unharmed.In both timelines he began to hear the sounds of fighting. Tinker tech guns going off. Genesis fighting using her powers, having dismissed the creation that was helping the other Travelers. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.There was yelling.Again he ditched Dinah in one timeline, managing to reach the opposite side of the hallway, opening the door and quickly throwing off his costume in place of body armor, the same his soldiers wore.The same noise filled the hallway in both timelines. A sword was carving through the furthest door. With the same exact motion and speed. Whoever was attacking Thomas was incredibly precise with their timings.The metal door fell from its hinges, slashed apart. In came an unfamiliar silhouette: a white jacket on top of a full body black skin tight suit that connected to a respirator. She had pale skin and long dirty white hair. Her eyes were a deep shade of crimson with black irises.Blackwall, Thomas realized. Wielding a long sword - a katana - that glowed red and seemed to emanate heat.She had appeared at the same time in both timelines. In the one Thomas had ditched Dinah, he was far enough that he could dash towards another hallway, out of sight. In the other, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Dinah, ready to use her as a hostage.He could do nothing as a flying javelin shot forward and shocked him into unconsciousness. Another timeline gone.Checking his phone again, Thomas found it to be fully disabled. As was every intercom on the walls. He split timelines for the third time, running in opposite directions. The fighting had stopped, likely because Blackwall had already handled all of his men.In one timeline he jumped into the emergency staircase and went down. In the other he tried to go up, but that Thomas didn't last long as Blackwall slashed into the wall, breaking through the hallway just behind Thomas. He didn't even realize what got him, maybe Blackwall's sword slicing through him before he could realize?His options were narrowing. Thomas split the timeline again, knowing time wasn't on his side. As he ran down he didn't pass by any of his men. In fact, most guards weren't in their assigned positions. What had happened? Blackwall was strong, yes, but she was only one woman. She couldn't have dealt with all of his men in such a short time…Thankfully there still was a contingency of mercenaries near his objective. In the furthest reach of his lair, near the multiple gates of steel that held the Traveler's abomination.A 'thud' resounded from behind Thomas, someone landing. Blackwall had opted to jump down the stairs rather than walk."Noelle! They've killed Krouse!" He shouted in one timeline. The only response was a shriek of pain of agony as everything around Thomas and the other mercenaries in the room began shaking. The steel gates began to bend. The last thing Thomas saw in that timeline was the hideous form of Noelle trampling him.In the other timeline he smirked. He was right, Trickster's death would set Noelle off. Which meant he had some leverage… Or at least he could make Blackwall and everyone else regret messing with him. Thomas split the timelines for the last time, knowing there would be no other chances.Blackwall cut through the entrance in both timelines with frightening synchronicity. The mercenaries raised their weapons, but they didn't fire. Instead, recognition appeared in their eyes. They lowered their weapons and stood aside. They betrayed him without hesitation.Or, more likely, they had been bought out. Tattletale. She was sneakier than he had thought.The javelin behind Blackwall began to take aim.In one timeline:"If you don't back off-"In the other:"NOE-"Both worlds ended in sudden darkness.