Loki Amantes: Magical Mystery Cure

Jack watched the man mix things in a little bowl. He watched with immense displeasure. The woman stood over the man, hands on his shoulders, guiding him. He stated multiple times he knew what he was doing, but the girl still guided him. It was like she was his tutor. Perhaps he hadn't made this mixture as much as she had. Jack himself was restrained by the Necromancer sisters.

Loki sighed. "This won't necessarily work. More than likely it will simply sedate him. He'll wake up in roughly twelve hours, either just as crazy or at least momentarily calmed."
"Why doesn't that comfort me in the slightest?" Belinda asked.
Loki walked over to the struggling thing that was Jack, a syringe full of whatever he had been mixing held between his thumb and forefinger. "Keep him steady." They did so and he pressed the needle in, pushing the mixture into Jack's bloodstream. He just sort of collapsed then and the sisters released him. Loki smiled. "That went better than expected. He didn't even lash out." There was a pause.
"Can I offer you a coffee?" Bel asked randomly.
"You can, but I'd probably have to decline." He smiled and the girls led the house guests downstairs. Afton cleared her throat.
"I'd just like to stress the importance of locating your missing friend. Not just for his own safety and sanity, but as a guarantee for Jack's as well." She went to the door, gesturing for Loki to follow. Daemon frowned.
"You leaving already?"
"We have a long journey home, kid."

-----

Cantankerous opened the door into the sawdust basement. He locked the door behind him and the two who had joined him. Skisma and Vrees exchanged worried glances as they were led down the steps into the room. The four captured elders and two children were sitting against one wall. Reeta stood before them, miming. It appeared they were playing Charades. They stopped as the trio approached. Grand Mage Thorn shot her friends a look to ask why they had come. Skisma ignored it and Vrees gave an apologetic smile. The American Man positioned them by the wall. "Grand Mage Skisma, Grand Mage Vrees...I'm afraid I have not been entirely truthful with you. Rest assured, I will keep up part of my bargain at least. You did show, and so a release shall be granted. Not that of Amber or the Australian Mages though."
Skisma remained passive. "Who, then?"
Cantankerous smiled beneath the kerchief and took out a little walkie-talkie. "Dynamite, darling, be a dear and make sure Pensive and the child make it to their travel arrangements. Don't get any ideas or your death and that of everyone on your team will be slow and excruciating." A response crackled through and the American nodded. Loren kept his face devoid of emotion. There was the click of a gun. "I'd like the two of you to sit beside the others. No fuss, if you please. I won't point the gun at you, but please remember there are children in this room who might wind up with a bullet between the eyes."
The two Grand Mages obeyed grudgingly and sat themselves between Slyther and Orage.
"Building quite a collection." The French Elder commented.
"Did they take your phones off you?" Skisma asked. The others nodded. "He forgot to for me." With a grin, he took out the phone and dialled a number. The conversation that followed was in Norwegian. He paused briefly to get the names of all the Elders there he didn't know. Finally, he put the phone away. "Signal was poor, but Ingvar's going to alert people. I've told him to be wary. It could be a trap."
Amber nodded. "Good. At least he's aware. He won't be in any danger, will he? I sort of see him as a little brother."
"I don't know...I see him as a brother too...though the whole having a rat as a best friend thing creeps me out a little..."
Jasmin stared at the two of them, just a little confused.

-----

Edsel parted the curtains. "Looks like the end to me."
Memphis nodded sadly. "The end, huh? I always hoped I would go out a different way."
"You'll go out fighting, at least."
"I want to go out after having sex."
Edsel snorted. "Go on, then. The moment they break down the door, drag your wife to the bedroom."
The detective smiled. "Why are you here?"
"Fear, mostly. You?"
"I live here."
"Oh yeah." He tapped on the window sill and sighed. "We're going to die."
"Everyone's going to die. Not necessarily today, Ed."
"I'm not very optimistic."
"Me neither, but I've come very close to death many times before. I'll never be able to predict the day I die, so I've given up trying."
Edsel nodded slowly. "I think I might be willing to fight now."
"Be careful how you tread."

-----

The car journey back held one argument, an hour of silence and a bit of light chatter.
"You do realise," Afton began, gazing out the window, "that that serum is going to kill him if they don't have the proper cure within like two and a half weeks?"
"It's more humane that way. I thought we agreed that."
She hummed in thought. "What about the other man?"
"We'll have to get back on the trail of the object, then we can find him and it. Someone somewhere will know where he is. We just need informants...information brokers..."
"Like Jim Craddock, you mean?"
"Yeah. We can contact him when we get home."
"You can do that."
"No, you can. I have other work to be getting on with."

((Man was this forced. I'll just write it here so I don't forget. Ingvar's surname is Verdslig. Next chapter is tragedy, guys. Be prepared...*sings the corresponding Disney song*))