So many terms he didn't quite get. Seams and Repatriates, DOOMS and BTs and, whatever Higgs had called the first Shard back in the dunes... EE? Yeah. He didn't question any of them at the moment, figuring he could work them out later. Or someone else could. "Unification of the Shards, or of something else?"
He listened to Higgs' explanation, and then something clicked for him. "You've died, over and over again," he said, horrified as he looked closer and saw the multiple deaths clinging to the other man. No wonder he was the way he was. And how the hell had Dan not seen them before? He saw the bruises round Loki's neck often enough. Blood was pooling at Higgs' feet, coming from multiple gunshot wounds and places where he'd been stabbed. Dan couldn't see through the mask, but he knew Higgs' face would currently be covered in countless bruises and cuts, and weirdly, the man would be both young and old at the same time. He blinked and the deaths weren't visible any more, but they were still there, just out of sight.
His slight fear of the Shards or Watchers or whatever the fuck they were, that had made him feel queasy just a short while ago, was quickly turning to anger at them for perverting the natural order of things so much. Trapping ghosts, twisting Higgs so damn much that he'd clearly snapped, messing with Death itself. And now they were at the station and Loki was freaked out, John was injured, people were scared and all in the name of those damn Shard things. He rubbed at his lips as he forced himself not to react - of all the places he could be when he was close to losing his temper, this had to be one of the worst by far - and focused on Higgs once more.
"It's not just you that's paying their price, though."