Out of touch (1)

t h r e e

Anitas throat was dry. She was sat in a small glass cell in her black uniform. Her mind was lost. She was scared. She only had half of herself. And she had just been taken out of her time. She watched as people walked around her confinement as if they are grading her every move. She sits on the floor and hears as keys are pressed on computers and feet are shuffled about on the floor. She sees soldiers in black gear walking about alongside men and women in neutral toned suits. She is left alone in there for what feels like hours before a man with grey hair and a brown suit comes to sit on a seat in front of her. She looks up to him and he gives her a small smile. She can't smile back. She doesn't know what any of this is.
"Hello Anita, I'm Agent Mobius" he starts and she looks at him weirdly.
How does this man know who she is. Why has she been taken. Where is she.
"I'm sure you're wondering where you are"
She nods. It's all she can do. Her voice is caught in throat and she fears speaking.
"I'm part of the TVA, the Time Variance Authority and you are here because you broke out of your timeline" he tells her but she doesn't understand.
"You weren't meant to escape"
"So what, are you going to take me back there?" She asks, raising her voice for the first time since she got there.
"No, but you also can't leave here"
"But I didn't do anything wrong"
"That's not the point"
"If it's not the point why am I here?"
"We need to put you back into a timeline, but you've been wiped from yours, it's like you never existed"
"I didn't exist anyways, my brain has been abused, I have killed and I have escaped, if you aren't taking me back then I don't understand why you can't set me free" she argues as her voice gets louder and sharper.
"I'm sorry Anita, you have to stay here, you don't belong out there"
"And I don't belong in here, let me out, let me out right now" she yells banging on the glass before she reaches for her gun, shooting it at the glass to let her out.
It shatters in front of everyone making them all stop in their tracks as she pushes past that analyst and starts to run, shooting at anyone who comes close to her. Mobius watches in defeat as she makes her way out of the room and through to the halls. He knows she's scared and confused. He knows what they have to do with her and it hurts him. She may be a trained killer but he knows she is a scared little girl on the run. She doesn't deserve what they have to do to her.
Anitas heart races and her mind whirls as she comes into the main room where there are large statues of god like figures with libraries littering the floors. She jumps down on top on the shelves and starts to run along them, trying to avoid the people who are chasing her. She doesn't want to go back. She can't tell what is a worse fate, the red room where her free will is taken away along with her inner self or to be confined to a glass cage with no means of punishment. She loses her balance and falls onto the shelf, the hard wood slamming into her stomach as she falls onto her back, hitting it harshly off of the ground. She stares up at the lights and starts to cry as she realises there is no escape from what has become of her. She lets out all of her emotions including an ear piercing scream that lets the analyst know exactly where she is. He finds her in pain, both physically and mentally as she sobs violently, soaking the carpet around her. She is a mess. He feels sorry.
He pulls her up and she stands her ground.
"Please, don't take me, I have a family, I have a mother" she cries remembering her dream.
"I'm sorry, we can't let you go, you're too dangerous now"
"I won't hurt anyone, please, I promise"
"It's not anyone else I'm worried about, it's you" he says as he nods to soldiers who have now come up behind her.
They place their pruning sticks to her head and change the settings to stun so that they won't hurt her. They sent a jolt to her and the girl falls unconscious into Mobius' arms. He looks at her peaceful face and sighs.
She deserved better.

•••

Anita slowly came to and saw dark walls surrounding herself. Her source of light was the glass wall in front of her which she looked at through droopy eyelids, trying to concentrate. She was lying on a cold bench that was trying to serve as a bed. She pushed herself up to the glass and pressed her hands to it, seeing as a bunch of white writing came up on the other side. She was able to read out her name and the word 'paranoid' making her wonder if they had deemed her a danger. She banged on the glass but got no response. This didn't stop the girl. She continued to slam her hands onto the cold surface and yelled loudly for anyone. She was met with silence the whole time. After twenty minutes or so, she caved in and slid down against the wall. Screaming wouldn't help her. She refused to lose her voice over pointless things. She now noticed that there was a glass of water on the edge of the bench along with a leaflet about where she was. She reached for the drink and gulped it down quickly, releasing herself from the discomfort. She stared at the piece of paper and reached for it, ripping it up so it was out of sight. She wanted out of this place but if she was going to do that, she would have to revert to her ways of the red room. She would have to stay silent and comply.

•••

Mobius sat in Ravonna's office later that afternoon with a glass of liquor in his hand.
"I just don't get it, why haven't you pruned her yet if she is causing this much trouble?" The woman asks him and he looks at her sadly.
"Because she's not trouble, she's just a danger"
"So are most of the variants here, you need to get rid of her"
"I can't"
"And why not?" She snaps.
Ravonna is truly sick of this good guy act that Mobius has going on. She doesn't understand why he can't be as tough as the rest of them. Why he feels like he must be kind and gentle to all these people are breaking out of their timelines. They are people out of time and therefore should stay that way.
"She's one of them" he whispers.
"You can say the name Mobius, it won't happen to you if you say it"
"Fine, she's one of the paranoid"
"And what have you done with her?"
"She's locked in a cell just now, soundproof glass so the rest of us don't have to hear her screams, we took her gun, she's helpless"
"And she'll stay that way, you are not to go near her you hear me?"
Mobius hates the power she has over him. He wants to go see the scared girl and tell her everything will be alright but he knows he shouldn't. He knows the consequences for breaking this woman's orders are far too extreme.
"Yeah, I understand" he nods.
I won't go near her".