Chapter Text
Newt fucked up.
On the one hand, he proved that he was right, which is awesome! On the other hand, Pentecost wants him to Drift again, which is significantlyless awesome.
Because while Newt stands by how groundbreaking an idea it was, the issue of compatibility never even occurred to him. Whoops?
He’s lucky he didn’t fry his brain, and probably has Hermann to thank for that. If he hadn’t gotten to the lab when he did… well, let’s not go there. Honestly, Newt shouldn’t be compatible with anyone, so it was always going to be a risk. Lack of compatibility doesn’t technically mean you won’t be able to Drift together, you’re just more likely to have a bad time. Hard to say if this one counts as “successful” considering he’s dealing with an alien species, but since he didn’t die, he’ll take that as a win.
“Go the corner of Fong and Tull,” Pentecost says, taking a card from his jacket pocket and handing it over to Newt. “Show them that card, look for that symbol.”
At first, he thinks Pentecost means both of them, but no, he needs Hermann up in LOCCENT, so Newt’s on his own.
Hermann looks like he wants to object, but instead turns to follow the Marshal out of the lab. Orders are orders, huh? It’s fine, Hermann probably would’ve hated being dragged around the city anyway, especially in the rain. Still, Newt can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. For a minute back there, after Hermann pulled him out of the Drift (and Newt managed to make out what the fuck was happening), he’d thought that maybe… maybe there was still something there, after all this time; Hermann had been pretty freaked out. Or maybe he would’ve reacted that way to finding anyone in that situation. If it had been the other way around, and Newt found Hermann like that? Shit. He’d have a fucking a meltdown.
But things went down the way they did, and he doesn’t really have time to unpack all that right now. He’s got a mission.
Newt pockets the card, along with a small black light to reveal the hidden symbol. Admittedly, that parts’s pretty cool.
Grabbing his jacket, he stops to take a quick glance in the mirror above the lab sink. Ugh. He has definitely seen better days. Leaning forward, he examines the red ring around his iris, trying to decide if it looks off-putting or badass. Who knows, between that and the dried blood on his collar, maybe Chau will find him intimidating.
Hopefully he won’t give Newt too much trouble. And hopefully he’ll have what they need.
“Do we really hope that?” Newt asks his reflection. Yes, yes we do. It’s only the fate of the world at stake, ha ha no pressure. He takes a deep breath. Fortune favors the brave, right?
He’s a rock star, he can do this.
He’s already done this. Doing it a second time, though?
Newt’s either coming back a hero, or not at all.