ALL NOVEL Loop 255 - Part 2: Andrew
“Any idea if she got the message? Are you able to tell something like that?” Andrew asked the dogs. They had all gathered together around Excalibur today, as it was time for the attempt to contact Trashcat. Andrew hoped this worked, not only to figure out what was happening on the outside but also because the cooking skills of those still in the void house were not something he was enjoying. It had been a year of runny eggs and lousy coffee. Plus, things were just too quiet without the constant presence of the capybaras, and loath as he was ever to admit it, he had come to enjoy some of the human conversations. It turned out eternity had a strange way of making you appreciate those stuck in it with you.
“I think so. Alfred, are you able to feel that extra force as well?” Gretel asked her fellow dog.
“Yes, it is hard to put into words, but it feels like our authority increased somehow. Bug might be able to explain it better once we find her. Bart, I believe it is now your turn. Good luck,” Alfred said moments before Bart blinked out.
“Assuming this works, are we all still in agreement on where she needs to start?” Andrew asked the group.
“Yeah, it has to be Harold first. He is barely connected to us, isn’t in the loops, and is some kind of retired spy. Plus, he gave me some phrases to use in case of an emergency to get him to trust us. As much as I like the cat, she can’t really go play detective with her trusty specter sidekick without someone catching on fast,” Gus said.
“And thanks to my life of solitude I have no real contacts out there,” Andrew frowned at this statement.
“Drew buddy, you’d still be a kid at this point anyway. So no moping about that. Harold’s network and connections should give them a good leg up on figuring out what is happening, and we end up really needing it, trying to find the Izzy that came back with Ralth. I still wish we had any concrete idea who is behind the current issue,” Gus said.
“I stand by my Agency theory. The Gryalth doesn’t make a lot of sense here. Yes, they learned about the loop potentially in the last loop, but that doesn’t give them time to know where to hunt down so many of us at the start of the loop. My younger self, for example, wasn’t even on Pluto. The Agency, on the other hand, has several members now who have been loop-aware for a while now. They could have been using this time to watch everyone they think are connected and make a plan for the immediate start of a new loop,” Andrew said.
“Fair, there’s also the third option we keep avoiding. Twonger could have gone rogue,” Gus dropped his voice to a whisper as he pushed that suggestion.
“I don’t believe it. As angry as he was, I just don’t think he did. I’d say it’s more likely he decided to stew on his ship than it is he decided to betray us,” Andrew responded. He found it hard to believe, after the time they had spent together in the Under Library, that the Cyclopean would wish any actual harm on Andy or Bill. If it turns out to be primarily just Cal and his family, then maybe, but even then he still doubted it.
This was the same conversation that had played out on repeat over the last year. Each of them tossing out their best ideas on who to talk to and who could have caused this. In the end they had all agreed that the best was going with Harold, especially with Gus’s apparent stroke of brilliance in setting up a possible line of communication without the man being loop-aware. The other Izzy presented an a strong opportunity as well, and that’s why she hadn’t been entirely written off, even with all the problems she liked came with.
The answer to what had happened that worried Andrew the most was the Agency, and just how much information they had managed to gather. He had been racking his brain for months looking for any possible solution on dealing with them, and while he had a few, most of them were longshots. The only ones he thought had the best chances involved Twonger, and that was one of, if not the biggest reason he had decided to peg some hope into the idea the man hadn’t betrayed them.
Bart popped into existence again in front of them, cutting of Andrew’s train of ruminating thoughts. “Good news, it worked. Our little feline friend threatened your connected dog soul though, which frankly I find hilarious,” Bart said.
“It’s called the Unification of Dogs,” Gretel said.
“Before we start this argument again, and remember I agree with Bart here, it’s not the best name for such a powerful force. Let’s instead focus on Trashcat. Is she willing to make contact with Harold?” Alfred asked.
“She is, but she isn’t sure how we will get there. Apparently in your world we need to money for travel, someone want to explain the concept?” Bart asked.
Andrew burst into laughter. It made sense that an engineer from an otherworldly library would have no concept of their world’s capital, but still of all the things currently happening he found that uncontrollably funny. Fighting through the laughs he slowly explained the basics, enough to get them by he thought.
“Alright, makes sense I suppose, better question then. How do we get money,” Bart followed up.
“Ah, well in that case, for now I recommend stealing some. Lottery winnings aren’t going to work for you, and you’d need to get to the ship wrecks we know of, plus sell the scavenged goods, sending us back to the same issue. So yes, as distasteful as it sounds, for now theft is your best bet,” Andrew said.
“Now you’re speaking my language,” Bart replied before disappearing again.
“Wait, he doesn’t understand money, but he understands theft? Just what kind of guy did you dogs find?” Gus asked. The only answer he got was a slow shaking of Gretel’s head.