“You can’t even manage to contain your temper for a single talk? It’s no wonder you people have never managed to get anywhere in your fights against the Gryalth,” Brice said, following Glenn’s statement and Stan’s outburst. Stan grabbed a hold of his rage strongly in his mind, not because he wanted to continue this sham of a peace talk but because he wanted to make his point as calm and collected as he could. There was no possibility of peace. They had taken his friends and his family, and he had no idea how badly they had been hurt.


    “Oh, I control myself, but this is my house you’re in, and considering what you’ve done, I have every right to be angry. What I also have is every right to hurt you,” Stan said as he quickly snapped his arm forward, wrapping his large hand around Brice’s wrist and easily snapping the man’s hand joint in a loud, sickening crack. Brice screamed out at the sudden and seemingly unexpected assault on his person.


    “You worthless piece of shit! Who the hell do you think you are?” he screamed back at Stan, who proceeded to backhand the man hard enough to knock him to the ground.


    “I noticed none of the men with you appear to be doing anything to stop me. Why is that Brice?” Stan asked, looking down and staring the man in the eyes, ready to hurt him again if he said something wrong.


    “Stan has an interesting point there, Brice. Perhaps is someone else watching who disagrees with Brice’s sentiment?” Glenn asked into the room. Causing one the men to set down a briefcase they had been carrying onto the counter and open it up, revealing a large phone system. Stan had to make his brain remember they were still early in the loop, and this was likely just a cell phone built into the suitcase, similar to car phones of the time. That was the downside to the start of their loops, the technological regression, but he had gotten used to it.


    “I see Brice has managed to make an ass of himself as I expected. Hello Glenn, as much as I’m unhappy to lose you, it’s probably for the best Harold has another person so competent to help him. Gentlemen, let me preface this by saying I agree to all your terms. Right now, all of your people are on the way to the house, safe and sound. I have another problem, though. I’m not part of your loops, so there is no way for me to handle Brice longterm. The good news is he does not and will not know who I am. I don’t believe there is any realistic way for him to compromise that security layer in the time he generally has, but it also does nothing to keep you safe as your next one starts. If you have any ideas or solutions to this problem, I’d love to hear them,” the voice said. Stan wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the new addition to the conversation. Obviously, he didn’t fully trust the man, but he certainly had a better idea of how to placate them than Brice did.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    “We’re taking Brice with us, we have a way to remove him from the loops, but that won’t solve all of the potential problems you have. I assume you are capable of sending a message that Harold will find?” Glenn asked the mysterious voice, glancing down at the figure of Brice moaning in pain on the ground.


    “I am,” the voice answered.


    “Good, do that and make sure it includes a way we can talk further. We can discuss ways around the other loop-aware people. Now, can you have all your people leave the property and release all your hostages into our care?” Glenn asked again. Stan wondered what he was planning for Brice. While they may have seen a single person within the loops die, it wasn’t like they knew a real way to replicate it, especially considering it needed to be done willingly.


    The noise of several vehicles entering the driveway made Stan’s heart leap. Was he really about to get his wife back? He had reached a point where he expected to spend loop after loop killing Agency members until they finally stopped, not that this proved that wouldn’t end up the case. It was entirely possible all they had done was delay that outcome.


    The men inside produced a roll of duct tape from one of their jackets and secured Brice, before packing up their own equipment and heading out of the house. The moment they were out, one by one, the missing members of their group walked back through the door, all of them looking much worse for the experience. Stan ran to Jen and hugged her, letting the tears show at his relief for her safety.


    “Mom!” Frank yelled, running over to the older woman and picking her up as he smiled happily.


    “Put me down, Frank. Whatever they drugged us with is still making it very hard to think,” Ethel said.


    “Stan, I have to agree with Ethel, everything feels weird, and I think I might vomit, so loosen up on the hug, please,” Jen said, prompting Stan to pull away. He hadn’t considered how the drugs would affect their systems.


    “Sorry, sorry, got carried away, I’ve been so worried,” he said.


    “I understand, kind of, think I was unconscious for a lot, still really hazy,” she answered, sounding out of it.


    “Is everyone here?” Glenn asked as his head scanned the room.


    “It looks like it,” Stan answered, starting to count the capybaras.


    “Alright, good. I know none of you have any idea who I am, but I promise I’m here to help, so let’s get everyone back to the void house, and we can figure out the right course of treatments once we are there,” Glenn said.


    “Oh no, something’s wrong. I think this was a trap!” Bug shouted a split second before the house was engulfed in a blazing inferno of fire.