(VERY IMPORTANT TW: SUICIDE.)
Peeking through the blinds of the stage Tom watched anxiously as soldiers started filing into the seats all around him. Nearly all of them wore the iconic blue and red uniform, but he spotted a few white lab coats here and there as well. A variety of new scents up here invaded his heightened senses, slightly overwhelming him.
Today is his rank-up ceremony.
For the very first time in over a year he was finally allowed to leave the safety and quiet confinement of the laboratory level. Adorning his new black and blue uniform he was escorted by Patrick through the Red Army base hallways all the way to the Great Hall. A massive coliseum styled room with blue and red banners displaying the army's sigil decorating the walls, and plenty of benches and balconies for spectators to look out toward the stage.
Tom is both nervous and excited at the prospect of interacting with new people other than Tord, Paul, and Pat. He was starved for new human interaction. But in a way this feels exactly like going to a new school, and Tom was terrified of making a fool of himself. Already on his way to the stage he received a bunch of odd looks, no doubt for his unusual appearance and different outfit. It was almost enough to send him running back to his quarters and try again a different day.
"How are you holding up, buddy?" Paul's voice startled Tom out of his thoughts and he pulled away from the blinds.
"What are you doing? I thought you couldn't be seen around me!" Tom pointed out quietly through clenched teeth.
Because of Tord and Paul's statuses as the highest ranking members in the Red Army, they decided it was for the best to keep interactions with Tom to a minimum; at least out in public with other soldiers around. They didn't want to alienate Tom further from the rest of his soon-to-be comrades, and they don't want to stir up suspicion.
Which is precisely why Patrick volunteered himself to escort him to the ceremony, so as to follow up with the alibi they created for Tom. Given the General's position of overseeing the more formal aspects of the army and handling patrols and duty schedules, it was more acceptable for Patrick to be seen around Tom rather than someone of Tord's calibre for example.
"I'm just checking in to see if you're okay." Paul responded, not the least bit troubled. "How's your first day out in the base going so far, champ?"
Tom paced around him. "Fine, I guess. But I'm really nervous. There are so many people out there! Must be at least thousands of soldiers! What if none of them like me?" Already the self-loathing thoughts have started to stir in his head. The voice didn't even need to manifest, knowing he was going to do its job for it. "You should've seen the way people gawked at me on the way here."
"I know. Patrick told me you nearly bolted away from him. And they didn't gawk at you – they're merely a curious bunch, that's all. You're new; it is to be expected for them to be intrigued." Paul mentioned, both amused and sympathetic towards Tom's plight. "Seriously, relax. You got nothing to worry about! There are thousands of soldiers out there; at least a few hundred are going to like you. The three most important members in the army already do!"
Tom didn't look convinced.
"Oh, I know! Why don't I help you out a little bit?" Paul offered, looking around the backstage for someone he could introduce Tom to when he spotted the Russian paramedic typing away in his communicator. "Yo! Lieutenant Yanov, have you met the base's newest addition yet?"
Tom's eyes widened, his heart hammering against his chest like a trapped rabbit. "Paul, what the h#ll are you doing?" He whispered yelled, tugging at the Commander's sleeve.
"Relax. He's chill."
To his dismay, the man with slicked back dark hair and olive skin drew closer to them, his gray eyes fixed on Tom and glittering with curiosity.
"Private Thomas, this is Lieutenant Yanov. He is in charge of the medical facility here, and is the biggest furry you'll ever meet around these parts." Paul introduced smugly.
"Goddamn it, Paul. Seriously? Do you have to point that out whenever you introduce me to someone new?" The Russian hissed, throwing the Commander an ill-tempered glare as he reached them.
Paul snorted. "Lieutenant Yanov, this is Private Thomas. Though he won't be a Private for much longer now. He is one of the graduates in today's ceremony." He continued. "He got a last minute clearance to transfer from our other base in Switzerland and moved into the main base today. Just in time for his rank-up ceremony!"
Red Leader and his two most trusted soldiers have spent an awfully long time devising the perfect alibi to cover up Tom's whereabouts, so as to not raise any suspicions or give away his true purpose in the army before the right time. Tom spent the entire morning rehearsing it with Paul should he be questioned too. His story goes: Tom was a trainee for the Red Army in a different base who got a last minute clearance to move to the main base, which explains why none of the other army members in this base would recognise him from any training drills or meal times.
"It's nice to meet you." Yanov held his hand out for Tom to shake, looking at him with sudden interest. "So what made you want to switch over to the main base? Things over in Switzerland were running smoothly, last I heard."
"Oh, just wanted a change of pace, really." Tom replied nonchalantly, though inside he was vibrating with nervousness. He hoped he wasn't giving that away as he shook the paramedic's hand. "Switzerland was nice and all, but…" He trailed off awkwardly, unsure of what else to say.
"Not quite as eventful as the main base, I presume?" Yanov filled it in for him, arching one eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Switzerland was too peaceful for your tastes?"
"Right! Right. Exactly. Yeah. I don't deal well with too much peace." Tom internally cringed as he spoke, knowing he must sound like a lunatic. "I much rather have constant action. I perform better under pressure." What the f#ck am I talking about? No I don't!
"Well if you wanted more action then you certainly moved to the right place." Yanov said after a moment. "Although I do hope that doesn't make you a troublemaker. I don't know how the head of the medical facility dealt with troublemakers where you came from, but let me warn you now that I have no patience for treating rough housing or petty fight wounds. Am I clear?"
Tom nodded fervently, opening his mouth to reassure the Lieutenant that he would be no trouble at all when Paul beat him to the punch.
"What do you mean you don't have patients? Isn't that your whole position? Treating the wounded?" Paul pointed out matter-of-factly, barely curbing the huge grin on his face. "What else are you doing in the infirmary that I don't know about, Yanov?"
Releasing a heavy frustrated sigh, Yanov stiffly turned to the Commander with a frown. "If it were not for the laws of this base I would have surely incapacitated you a long time ago, sir." He muttered scathingly, lifting a finger at Paul.
Even though his tone of voice was very serious, Tom couldn't help but note that Yanov has this odd way of talking that kinda makes everything he says sound like a joke. It was hard for Tom to tell if he was legitimately threatening Paul here, or this was just friendly banter between the two. But considering what Paul told him about the Lieutenant being a chill guy, Tom could safely assume that this was normal for them.
"Anyways," Yanov spoke up again after a while, turning his attention back to Tom. "I must be going now. I have to do a few last check-ups in the infirmary before the ceremony begins."
Paul snickered. "Hypochondriacs bothering you again?"
Yanov groaned. "Boy do they ever! I keep telling them time and time again that their chest pain means nothing, but will they ever listen to me? A health professional they themselves sought out? No!" He rumble-chuckled and turned away with one last glance at Tom. "I'll be sure to make it back in time to witness the ceremony."
Tom smiled shyly and waved goodbye. "Yeah, that'll be great."
He stood uncomfortable still watching the paramedic walk away and leave the backstage for what felt like forever. The moment Yanov was gone Tom relaxed, his shoulders sagging with relief. He turned to Paul indignantly. "What the h#ll was that about, Paul? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"You want me to call him back to check on you?" Paul offered jokingly.
"Paul!"
"What? I just gave you a little push, that's all. You would be all stiff and awkward the whole day if I hadn't pushed you to talk to someone new already. Don't you feel slightly better now?"
Taking a couple seconds to recompose himself, Tom had to admit that a little weight had been removed from his shoulders. Although not by much. "I guess?"
"See? You did great back there, and you're gonna do great with the others too. Just relax and be yourself! You got nothing to be worried about." Paul advised, clapping a hand over the brit's shoulder. However, after a couple seconds he registered that Tom was still tense in his grip and he was pressing his hands together anxiously. Paul frowned. "Guess I'm gonna have to call in the big guns, huh?" He grinned
Tom didn't understand what he meant until Paul wandered away from him and disappeared around the corner, only for another man to show up in his place a few heartbeats later.
"Tord!"
The Red Leader surveyed his surroundings briefly, making sure no one else is around to see them together before approaching Tom. They talked a few nights ago about boundaries and how they were going to deal with their relationship moving forward now that both of them are involved with the Red Army. They decided it was for the best that no one other than Paul and Patrick should know about it. At least for now. Years down the line when the world is practically theirs then it might be safe enough for them to expose themselves. But right now it was just too risky.
It saddened Tom that he would have to keep guarding more secrets. He even brought up the fact that Paul and Pat are happily in a relationship with the whole army knowing about it and nothing happened to them yet. To which Tord argued that they never came forward to explicitly announce they are in a relationship in the first place; it's just that the entire army witnessed them pine after each other for years long before they finally got together.
In the end, Tom agreed to keep their relationship under wraps.
"Paul told me you're getting cold feet." Tord drew closer, his gaze soft as he gently took Tom's hands in his. "This is a big day for you, I get it. Your new life starts today and you should use this opportunity to cultivate it. You know, make some new friends. Get settled. And learn your way around. I would be more than happy to show everything off to you personally, but… you know…"
"I get it. It would be suspicious." Tom sighed and rolled his empty sockets. "I'm just… nervous, is all. What if I mess up out there and trip onto the stage or something? What if I forget the words as I am swearing the oath?"
"You're going to be repeating after me, you literally can't get the oath wrong. I would be wildly amazed if you somehow managed that." Tord said, resting both his hands on Tom's shoulders.
Tom looked out onto the stage through the gap in the blinds, his mind journeying into the past. "Do you remember our graduation?" He asked.
"From school? Of course!" Tord blinked.
"I was so nervous back then too. I was so afraid something was going to go wrong." Tom confessed. "At the time… I wasn't even sure I was going to graduate with the rest of you guys. I was on the verge of failing and retaking finals… everyone else was already on vacation while I was still taking all-nighters to study, just so I could be there alongside you guys. I went to all the ceremony rehearsals and I was so sure I was going to fail and miss out. I don't know what I would've done with myself had I failed then."
"But you didn't fail then, and you won't fail here. Everything is going to be fine, Tom!" Tord reassured him, turning his head so that he would look at him. "You'll see. You're going to be mingling with the rest of my soldiers and socializing with them in no time. I can't wait to hear all about your first day later tonight."
Tom scoffed. "You know, in a way this is almost like being back at school." He pointed out. "The only difference here is that I am also dating the principle of said school."
For a few heartbeats, all Tord did was stare at him in surprise before breaking into a wide playful grin. "A devilishly handsome principle." He said. "Honestly half the time it feels like I am running a school too. If you only knew half the scandalous things that go on around here!"
Tom laughed. Then the lights out on the stage started to flicker and they both paused.
"The ceremony will start soon." Tord noted, giving Tom's hand one last reassuring squeeze and a quick peck on his cheek. "You should go be with the other Privates now until it begins. We'll talk again when all of this is over."
"Right." Tom nodded and he pulled away, heading deeper into the backstage where he saw a group of soldiers chattering excitedly to one another earlier.
"Tom."
He turned around at the sound of his name. Tord stared at him meaningfully. "Everything is going to turn out fine."
Tom gave a tiny nod and stalked away.
"He cares more about his reputation and status than your relationship. ~" The voice murmured as he entered the darkness. "He is ashamed to be seen around you. To be associated with you. He thinks you are an embarrassment for someone of his status and he wants nothing to do with you other than the power you provide and-"
Quiet.
His nerves were skyrocketing enough as it is, Tom didn't need the voice here now to give him any more ideas. Tord loved him. He knew that. Their situation is merely complicated is all. Tom won't listen to the voice that only wants to make him miserable in order to gain back control, over the guy who spent all his time helping him overcome his issues.
A jumble of new voices caught his attention. Tom looked up. A large group of soldiers were clustered around one area of the backstage, conversing amongst themselves in excited whispers as they observed him approach. Tom stared at them. They don't look hostile. If anything their eyes were round with interest as they studied his appearance.
Tom swallowed, straightening himself as he reached them. Here goes nothing. "Hello!" He greeted them, feeling his voice nearly crack with tension. He hoped he was being friendly enough. "What's uh… what's up?"
All the way over the other side of the stadium, Reagan and Ella were one of the last few to arrive as the doors closed shut behind them. They took their usual seats at the very back where no one else can bother them.
"It's so stupid that it is mandatory for every member in the army to attend these dumb ceremonies." Reagan complained as he slouched on his seat. "I'mma go ahead and take a nap right here. Wake me up if someone trips on stage or something mildly interesting happens, aiight?"
Ella nodded obediently, her remaining eye fixed on him intently.
Ever since their little trip to the city and their one night stand about a week ago, Ella has been weirdly overly attached to Reagan. That night she saw his history first hand, up close and personal. His body was covered in scars, bruises, and burns. Ella didn't have the nerve to ask him about them, but she could only imagine what kind of past he might have had. For that alone, she grew more tolerant of his actions and treated him with kindness that so many seem to fail to provide her with.
On Reagan's end, he was starting to get a little bored and tired of her. Now that she spilled the beans he has no need for her anymore. But she is just so faithful to him; following him around like his own shadow that he didn't have the patience to break their little bond. Yet.
So Red has created a monster, did he now? Leaning his head back against his seat, Reagan closed his eyes and contemplated all the juicy information she had relayed him that night.
At first, when she talked about a monster living in the laboratory beneath the base Reagan was ready to brush it off as mad ravings of a desolate girl filled with grief. But much to his surprise she was being serious. The night her patrol was attacked, a large creature of incredible power had made quick work of terrorizing and slaughtering them. The perfect war weapon. A monster with no eye and that can apparently take on human form.
Now that information made things both easier and harder.
This whole time, Reagan thought of the secret weapon as something he could take hold of and unleash it on his enemies as he sees fit. Some sort of machine, maybe. But now that he knows that the weapon is another living being with a will of its own he realized he cannot do so. Reagan needs to find a way to acquire it in any way possible.
A nice long nap during a rank-up ceremony should help him plan his next course of action.
Back behind the stage, Tord was giving his appearance one last proper fix in the mirror before the ceremony starts. He was already used to addressing the crowd of thousands of soldiers and performing this particular event, so he was not the least bit anxious about this.
"How's Tom holding up?" Patrick appeared behind him through the mirror.
"He's doing better now." Tord replied, adjusting his uniform into pristine condition. "A little nervous, but he will get over it."
"Who can blame him? He has every right to be." Pat commented, arms folded behind his back. "Nearly two years of isolation, only interacting with the three of us, and on top of that; healing from his very traumatic and disturbing condition, only to be thrust in front of thousands of people at once. Frankly, I am surprised he is dealing with this as well as he is."
Tord glanced at him through the reflection in the mirror. "This is going to be a good experience for him. Just watch! He is going to be making new friends in no time."
"And that pleases you, sir?" Patrick asked.
Truthfully, the Red Leader would much rather have all of Tom's time and attention for himself and no one else. Let him be his and his alone forever. But Tord figured that wouldn't be very fun for Tom, so he endured the tempting urge. "Of course!"
Pat hummed, and Tord turned around to face him. The Polish man looked thoughtful.
"What is it?" Tord demanded. "I can tell you wanna say something. Out with it!"
"Sir, have you… have you told Tom yet?"
Tord blinked. "Told him what?"
"About his friends… and what happened to them in his absence…"
Tord furrowed his eyebrows and he frowned. "No, I have not. Why are you bringing this up to my attention only now?"
"I figured given Tom's circumstances back then that it wouldn't be appropriate to tell him, so I said nothing then." Patrick confessed. "But some time has passed, and he is doing much better now. Don't you think he has the right to know what became of them?"
"What for? That was months ago!" Tord said, his temper flaring at the mention of that incident. "It's not my fault that one of my soldiers conveniently tried to manipulate and break them apart just so Edd could join us. In any case, I already dealt with it. Reagan was punished, and Edd and Matt are safe and sound. End of story. Tom doesn't need to concern himself with something that's long happened."
"You know how much they mean to Tom. He made a deal with you to secure their safety, and although you did not mean for things to turn out this way, one of your soldiers did in fact temper with their lives." Pat argued. "He deserves to know what happened, and I think Tom would appreciate the honesty."
Tord considered his words at a great length before sighing. "Fine. I guess I can tell him." He conceded. "Just… not today. I will tell him eventually, but today is special for him and I wouldn't want to ruin it." The lights out on the stadium began to dim down. "Please, let me handle this."
With a nod, Patrick hurried away to join the other Generals by the balcony on the far left side of the stage. Paul was standing straight beside them as he waited for the ceremony to commence.
All the spectating soldiers snapped to attention. Silence fell as everyone waited.
It's show time. Tord composed himself, his whole demeanour changing as he stepped out between the blinds.
The Red Leader walked out onto the stage, the spotlight following his movements as he approached the podium, catching the shine of the light in the reflection of his robotic arm. The massive monitors above the stage flickered to life so that everyone could see him better.
"Red Army!" He spoke into the mic, voice full of authority and demanding of respect. "Welcome one and all! We are gathered here today to stand witness of the most important event in our organization. The making of new soldiers and a step closer toward achieving our goals."
Soldiers in the front seats began to applaud, and soon the whole stadium thundered with the beating of clapping hands.
With a flick of his wrist, Red Leader signalled to his Commander.
As the applause died down, Paul led the graduating trainees onto the stage.
A hand clamped down hard on Reagan's arm, startling him awake. He had to gradually remind himself of where he was and what was going on to come to the realization that he wasn't in any danger. He lifted his head with a groan, blinking his eyes blearily. "Is the ceremony over yet?" He yawned.
As he blinked the sleep away from his eyes Reagan looked beside him only to find Ella sitting ominously rigid, her one eye glistening and trained dead ahead on the stage, face drained of all colour, and trembling as she gripped his arm tighter. She looked just about ready to bolt out of the room. What's gotten Doll face so spooked? He wondered.
"That's it. That's the monster right there."
Following her gaze Reagan peered out onto the stage.
Tom was fizzing with nervousness as he followed the rest of the trainees out on stage. Immediately he felt the scorching stare of thousands of eyes trained on him. With his enhanced hearing he could pick up a few quiet murmurs rippling through the crowd, but could not make out any precise details of what they were saying due to his heartbeat drowning out the noise in his ears.
Drawing to a halt, he and the other soldiers on stage stood in a neat row facing the crowd. Tom drew himself taller, fixing his gaze on the spotlight. He hoped the ceremony wouldn't take long to end.
Reagan narrowed his eyes into slits, recognition sparked in his gaze. Didn't I kill you once before?
"I, Red Leader, founder of the Red Army and the highest ranking member, invite you all to look down upon these trainees." Red Leader addressed the watching crowd once more. "They have trained hard and proven themselves worthy of their place in the army, and today they pledge their allegiance to us."
Several months ago, Reagan distinctly remembered being sent out on a mission with his former partner to take out a target of the Red Army. A man with spiky brown hair and unusual eyes. Reagan did his job. That man was dead, and he made damn sure of that. But he was no stranger to the ways the Red Army functions.
A clone then. He deduced, figuring this was another case of someone choosing to fake their death and leave their old life behind. The Red Army usually deploys clones to quickly dispose of in order to make that happen. However, the soldiers sent on these search and destroy missions tend to be briefed on the situation. But he didn't. How come?
Red Leader turned to face the graduates, placing the palm of his robotic hand over where his heart should be. "Repeat after me." He ordered.
Dizzy with tension, Tom copied his stance just as the rest of the soldiers beside him have done.
Mind racing Reagan made quick work of assessing the situation presented before him, leaning forward in his seat, keen with interest. Eddie knew freak eyes over there. That's what allowed Reagan to get close to him in the first place. His grief over the loss of his best friend… and what did Red Leader say when asked about the reasoning behind the target's execution way back then?
That he owed him one? Weren't those Red's exact words?
Mentally, Reagan slowly connected the metaphorical yarn strings together in his brain to narrow down an answer.
Eddie was best friends with freak eyes… Red surely knows Eddie to some extent, or else he wouldn't have gotten so enraged… and Red seems to be acquainted with freak eyes… and so he is the link between Red and Eddie. They might know each other through freak eyes!
"I pledge my loyalty. I pledge my service. And I pledge my life to the Red Army. I promise I will always obey my leader without question. And I will do whatever it takes for the good of the army. I will fight for the rightful future we deserve and make it come true, and protect my comrades with my life; for red is what binds us all. And red we shall spill from our enemies."
Tord's words rang in Tom's ears. Echoing down the long painful road that has led him to this very moment in time. It seemed such a lifetime ago when he was stuck in an endless abyss of despair with no hope for his future.
Now here he stands. Sealing his fate.
I hope I am doing the right thing...
He repeated the haunting words alongside the others in complete unison, their voices echoing throughout the stadium.
Reagan couldn't take his eyes off of the army's newest addition for even an instant. If what doll face says it's true, then that man really is Red's super-secret weapon… the monster… He realized. Red had freak eyes captured and brought here all those months ago, faked his death to get rid suspicions, and experimented on him to become a monster… if freak eyes owed him one, then he certainly didn't come here of his own free will. But now it seems to me he is accepting of his fate. How come?
"Then by the power invested within me as leader, I officially grant you the rank of Corporal." Red Leader announced. "We honour your bravery, and we fully welcome you into our ranks. Congratulations!"
Another round of applause surged throughout the stadium so loud it made Tom's ears hurt and gave him a mild headache.
Paul reappeared on the opposite end of the stage with a chest full of scrolls. As each graduate walked away in a single file fashion to get off stage, they stopped by Red Leader briefly to shake his hand and personally thank him before being handed a scroll by Paul and taking their seats on the empty front row.
Following everyone's direction Tom copied them. When his turn came to greet Tord and shake his hand, a heavy feeling sank into the pit of his stomach as their eyes met. However, he cast the feeling aside just as quickly as it came. He could see how proud Tord is of him, and for now that was enough to quell his concerns.
So long as I am with him everything is going to be alright.
Unbeknownst to Tom, his figure was being displayed on the large monitors above the stage for the entire audience to witness as he greeted his leader. Reagan noted something particularly interesting in their features then.
Through the screens, he could see them interact up close and he could immediately tell that something was off about them. This wasn't Red Leader congratulating any mere soldier into his ranks. The look in Red's visible eye was unusual. At first Reagan thought it was a look of triumph gleaming in his eye as he stared at his scientific success finally bending to his whim and securing his claim over the world.
But it wasn't like that either...
The look Red was giving freak eyes Reagan could only describe as soft. A hint of a smile in his features. Their stare was intense as they gazed at one another with profound longing and… something else Reagan could not identify for the life of him.
But what he could find there was good enough to bring out a huge grin on his face. Just how much this man means to you, Red? He wondered.
Beside him, Ella was still trembling in her seat. Frozen and in a state of shock as she relived the events of the border patrol massacre over and over again; her memories spiralling out of control and flooding her senses. What is that monster doing up here with the rest of us? What is Red Leader thinking letting that creature out of containment? She thought incredulously. No no no. I have to get out of here. That thing is going to turn on all of us and slaughter everyone here! That thing is coming to kill me. I have to get out of here now.
Reagan eyed her thoughtfully. He may have found one last good use for her after all...
When all the soldiers had left the stage and he was standing alone, Red Leader waved his hand for silence and the applause died down. "This brings me to today's next order of business. I have a major announcement to make!" He continued, speaking into the mic. "With our numbers increased by the thousands, the great majority skilfully trained and ready for combat, and all of our weapons prepared for use; our time is close at hand now. Soon we will rise from the underground – all the bases at once! And we'll take over the first few nations from the inside out! When that fateful day comes, we will send out a message to the rest of the world. Give in to our demands and submit to our will… or face our forces."
All around the stadium, eager whispers were exchanged throughout the crowd. All the soldiers stared down at the stage, their eyes wide as they waited for their leader to go on. Every nerve in Tom's body pulsed with dread as he listened to Tord's speech.
"Indeed, comrades. I am glad to report that our top secret element of surprise is ready to be deployed. We have the upper hand that no one will ever expect!" Red Leader went on. "With our strength combined we will make the changes we desire upon the world once and for all. They will soon learn what we're trying to accomplish, and the rest will follow suit." He paused, his one-eyed gaze sweeping over the audience.
"The Red Army will rise… when winter comes to an end."
As the Red Leader finished his speech and the ceremony officially drew to a close, Reagan wasted no time in dragging Ella out of the Great Hall. They hurried through the hallways as he led them toward the armoury. The room is usually guarded and restricted to anyone below Sergeant rank, but with mandatory attendance to the ceremony there was a small window of time for them to be here without being caught. All weapons were only used for either missions, or training purposes and with fake ammo, and as soon as training is over the soldiers must hand over their weapons back.
No one is allowed to carry a weapon outside of training or patrols.
"Bringing a monster up to the surface to mingle with his soldiers? Red Leader is more insane than I thought!" Reagan snorted as he loaded a handgun with ammo.
He glanced over to Ella. She was still pretty shaken up about what she witnessed out there. Her only eye was glistening and glazed over, staring blankly at her hands as the memories of her past kept her away from maintaining any form of reason in the present. Perfect.
With Red Leader, his lackeys, and the supposedly secret weapon all up here and out of the lab, it was the ideal opportunity for Reagan to go down there and get his hands on as much information regarding the secret weapon as possible.
All he needs is a little diversion…
Reagan sidled up to her. "There's now a monster roaming freely among us. Who knows when it will snap next? And no one has any idea! But you do…" He said matter of factly, his green eyes bearing down on her. "This is your chance to avenge your friends. Expose Red Leader's treachery for what he really is, and save the world from that monster before it can inflict further harm on anyone else."
He gently took her hands in his and placed the gun in her shaky grasp, folding her fingers around the gun grip. Reagan leaned closer to whisper in her good ear.
"Sic 'em."
(Meanwhile… )
To say the soldiers of the Red Army were a curious bunch would be an understatement.
From the moment the ceremony ended Tom had been swarmed with soldiers on all sides, and practically carried away as they exited the Great Hall and flooded the hallways. Tom tried to search for Tord in the crowd for some form of assistance, but when he met the Norwegian's gaze across the hall the man simply smirked with amusement and waved him off, mouthing a "good luck" to him as he left. Strangers Tom never seen before bounced up to him with genuine intrigue and bombarded him with probing questions as they led him away to who knows where.
Before he knew it, Tom had arrived in the huge spacious room labelled Mess Hall. He sat down on one of the tables only to be immediately surrounded by soldiers on all sides, studying him with fascination.
God he hated being the centre of attention. If only he could have access to Smirnoff to loosen up a little bit…
"Alright dude, since you're new to the base we have a very important question for you. It is protocol that we ask this to every new arrival here, and it is of the highest importance." A man with azure, neck-length hair and tanned skin sat directly in front of him. His name tag read 'Chris'.
Excited whispers rippled through the watching crowd around them. Tom picked up a few people muttering 'test' here and there, and he tensed. What test is this? Tord didn't mention anything about a test!
"Now everybody be quiet!" The man in front of him spoke up again, raising his hand for silence. He regarded Tom with slitted black eyes that were the colour of obsidian. "Tell me, Tom… what colour is maroon?"
A heavy silence surrounded them, thick with anticipation. Tom furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Just what kind of test is this?
"I… I honestly didn't know that maroon was even a colour?" Tom said sheepishly, afraid that he just screwed himself over and failed on his first day.
Chris slammed his hand down on the table, startling him. "Good enough for me! None of us do either!" A wave of relief swept over the crowd and everyone cheered. "He passed the test everyone! He's all clear!"
Tom looked around, still wildly confused about what was going on. In the commotion he noticed a dark skinned man with freckles fuming angrily as two soldiers clapped him heartily on the back in a joyous manner, before he shoved them away and stormed off. Tom sensed the test and the man's fury were connected in some way.
"Don't mind, Jerome." A girl with wavy brown hair seated to his left said. Her name tag read 'Emily'. "He… he takes our teasing way too seriously and he just won't admit that maroon isn't a shade of red."
"Which reminds me of our next order of business." Another man intervened. "What wing are you stationed at?"
Tom frowned. "Wing?"
"Your dormitory, silly. Where are your quarters?" The girl beside him tipped her head. "Didn't you check the scroll?"
Oh, so that's what this is! Tom realized.
It seems that newly made soldiers are appointed to a squadron and a new dormitory from the moment they complete their training.
Tom unrolled the scroll he'd been anxiously squeezing this entire time. "Scarlet wing."
The people surrounding him turned huge eyed in amazement. Beside him, Emily gasped, unable to hide her surprise.
"What? Sh#t! Really?"
"Why? What does it mean?" Tom asked.
"What an honour! Usually only the highest ranking members live in that corridor; including the Red Leader himself!" Chris replied. "It's not common for newly ranked soldiers to live there. You must be very important to the organization indeed."
Oooo right… I live in Tord's quarters now. Tom grimaced. It's been a few weeks since he moved away from his quarters in the laboratory levels to be with Tord and share the bedroom with him. He didn't know that the actual area they were in had a specific name to it!
"Damn, it seems as though the Scarlet Wing might pose an actual threat to the Shades Cup this year, eh?" Chris muttered, scratching his neck.
"Shades Cup?" Tom echoed.
"You don't have a Shades Cup over where you were originally stationed at, Tom?" A different girl asked, seemingly shocked that he didn't understand what they were talking about.
"I'm… fuzzy on the details." Tom responded lamely. "You know, with training and duties and all that stuff, I didn't really pay too much attention to what else was going on."
"Wow," she said. "Are you serious? Have you been living under a rock or something?"
Actually, yes! Tom thought with a grimace. "Well… aren't we all living under a mountain right now?"
"He's got a point there!"
"It's essentially a friendly competition between the dormitories. Every week in autumn we participate in a bunch of different quests and tasks to earn points. Things ranging from sports tournaments, dress up and costumes, to collecting random items throughout the base. The dormitory that has the most points by the end of the season wins the Chalice of Shades, and gets to keep the trophy for the whole year until the next competition. It's a lot of fun!" Emily explained.
"The only general agreement we have between us is that we can't let the Maroon Wing win no matter what." Chris pointed out slyly. "You guys remembered when we had that one task – not sure if it was last year, or the year before that – where we had to do our best impression of Red Leader the whole day without Red Leader finding out? That one was hilarious! I wish it would make a comeback…"
Tom was surprised by this piece of information. From the moment he was kidnapped and brought in, every time Tord mentioned his army Tom always viewed them as disgusting and heartless. Lesser than human. Anyone who would be crazy enough to follow Tord's leadership couldn't be trusted. World domination? Just plain insane!
But now that he is one of them and got the chance to freely interact with them for the first time, Tom was baffled by the friendly nature and cheerful disposition. Perhaps Tord's earlier comment about running a school wasn't so far-fetched after all. These people aren't the emotionless sadists he'd imagined. They're just… regular people. Filled with untapped potential, bursting with opportunity, and who truly believe they are doing the right thing by joining the Red Army.
They are human. Who knows what happened in their lives to drive them to join this place?
And who is he to judge them when he has done so much worse in the past than all of these people combined?
"So this Shades Cup is currently on-going, right?" Tom asked, wanting nothing more than to ignore his thoughts. "What's this week's task?"
"The corridor with the most red items by the end of the week wins." Emily replied.
"And how's that going for you guys?" Tom prompted.
"Fine, for the most part… turns out there are not a lot of red in the Red Army. Can't repeat the same item twice, so uniforms are out. It's… a lot harder than it first seems." Chris trailed off awkwardly.
"Say, Tom!" Emily tugged at his arm again. "Since you just arrived here you don't really know your way around the base yet, do you?"
Tom shook his head.
"Maybe we can show you around then? Would you like that? Then we can loop back here just in time for dinner." She offered, her brown eyes glittering with excitement.
Truthfully, Tom wanted nothing more than to find a quiet place for a while to gather his thoughts. Just so he could process everything that's happened today. But he wanted to keep on making a good impression on his comrades, seeing as how he is going to fight alongside them in the not so distant future. "Sure! I got nothing going on as of the moment."
"Great!"
Tom jumped to his feet as he followed the rowdy group of soldiers, chattering along as they left the Mess Hall. Completely oblivious to the figure stalking them at a great distance.
They showed him all of the other dormitories in the base from top to bottom. There were a total 10 of them: Scarlet, crimson, candy apple, cardinal, carnelian, vermilion, burgundy, maroon, carmine, and rust wings. Though according to Chris the Rust Wing belongs only to Privates and newbies, and they tend to switch members every year after the current members rank up to soldiers. This makes the Rust Wing unpredictable whenever Shades Cup rolls around.
Next they led him to the Entertainment Hall. Tom was mesmerized by all the different activities soldiers were free to use in their spare time. Video games, card games, board games, and even a sports gym. The soldiers accompanying him told Tom about the different sports tournaments that take place here with the corridors facing each other, and how whenever they are off duty they usually come here to have a great time.
Then there were the training gyms. Highly equipped rooms to test and better the performance of all army members. Soldiers ranking above Privates may have completed their training, but everyone was expected to keep their fighting skills sharp until the war comes so training hours were constant and revised every month between squadrons.
Then lastly they came upon the Archives, which was a few levels up from the Entertainment Hall, just above the Mess Hall and below several levels of the training gyms, the infirmary, and dormitories. Countless shelves of books reaching floor to ceiling, all around the room. Tom stretched his neck in awe and turned in a slow, wondering circle, thinking of the soldiers who were lucky to have such a vast collection of reading material at their disposal.
"This is where all the files on each and every member in the Red Army are stored, guarded, as well as updated by our lovely Lieutenant Scarlett who keeps everything within the system." Chris waved over to a young woman sitting behind a circular wooden desk. She pushed up her glasses and waved vaguely in their direction, too busy typing to properly greet them. "And, as you may have noticed, is also the library. Not a very popular area, I must say. But it's nice if you like the quiet."
A kind of peace settled over Tom as he stepped deeper into the Archives. He always felt calmer surrounded by books. Even if he didn't fit in anywhere else, Tom could always find comfort in that there were answers and information and thousands of stories waiting for him to fold himself into them. He could always count on books and stories to make him feel safe.
"Up next, the engineering research lab!"
"Uh, actually," Tom interrupted, his gaze still sweeping around the grand beautiful library. "May I catch up with the rest of you guys later? I'd like to stay here for a little while, if you don't mind." He wanted to take a short break from all the excitement of his first day. In any case, he has had enough of laboratories to last him a lifetime.
The soldiers exchanged looks.
"Sure! We can meet up in the Mess Hall at dinner and pick up the tour from where we left off." Emily answered.
Tom smiled. "Sounds great to me."
He watched them leave briefly before turning his attention back to the numerous rows of bookshelves. Tom didn't even know where to begin. Taking a random path he walked along between the shelves, inspecting the books and genres available with interest. Tom almost entertained the idea that the library only has Communist propaganda books and hentai, but thankfully he could see that was clearly not the case.
The hilarious thought gave way to sadness as Tom recalled Tord's final speech from earlier. The war he dreads so much is going to come true in just a few months. It all comes down to him. If he hadn't passed his assessments as both soldier and monster maybe he would have bought a little more time. But now it all rests on him, and like it or not he will have to participate. Tord is counting on him.
I only wish I could enjoy this way of life a little longer before diving straight into war… He was so distracted, he didn't see the dark shape waiting behind him.
Tom thought he was alone in this section of the library until his sensitive hearing picked up the distinctive 'clicking' of a reloading gun.
A deafening gunshot rang out throughout the library.
(Meanwhile…)
Tord was conversing with his Generals about their future battle strategies for when the Red Army finally rises. After the ceremony had ended they were eager to hear all about his plans and get everything ready and set for when the fateful day comes. It was business talk as usual for him; although Tord couldn't help let his mind wonder on occasion, always drifting back to a single thought.
How is Tom doing right now?
He wished with all his heart that he could have kept an eye out for his lover. See just how well Tom was settling in to the army. But he didn't have the chance as his soldiers got to the eyeless man first and started dragging him around the place in their excitement. Tord knew Tom was in good hands, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit jealous.
They get to spend time with Tom whenever they want, while Tord is restricted to behind the scenes stolen moments only. Frankly, it's just not fair.
But Tord took solace by checking in on Tom's vitals every now and again when no one was looking to make sure the Brit was alright. His vitals show a little more rapid activity than usual, but that could be just excitement and nervousness.
"Will you relax, sir?" Paul spoke up beside him, nudging his shoulder as they exited the meeting room with the other Generals. "Tom is fine. Bet he's having a wonderful time out here with the other soldiers. What's the worst that can happen?"
Right at that moment Tord heard his arm beep in rapid succession. Folding his robotic limb towards himself he realized two things.
First: Tom's vitals were erratic and his adrenaline readings were elevated.
Second: Lieutenant Scarlett just paged him a very urgent message. "SHOOTING IN THE ARCHIVES. BRING REINFORCEMENTS."
"What the-?" Paul peered into the screen of his arm over his shoulder.
This was pretty bad. But could it be worse? Tord automatically assumed so because his first instinct was to quickly trace Tom's location via chip, internally praying to himself and every religion in existence that he was safe and away from danger.
His location traced back to the Archives, only confirming his fears. Tom's adrenaline rush suddenly adds up.
"Gather the soldiers and head for the Archives at once! I want everybody armed!" Tord barked out orders, wasting no time as he raced down toward the commotion.
"Sir, yes, sir!" Paul dipped his head and hared away in the opposite direction to rally the troops.
As he ran down the hallways and directed the soldiers toward the armoury and to head straight for the Archives right after, Paul didn't notice a figure sneak by past him in the commotion and expertly snake their hand into his pocket and grab a hold of his key card. Paul moved on, oblivious to what's been stolen from him.
Reagan grinned as he acquired the key to the laboratory level. Stealing from that incompetent Commander was as easy as stealing from a child. With everyone else preoccupied with stopping doll face, no one can stand in his way as he makes a swift little visit down below and see the fruit of Red Leader's ambition for himself.
(Meanwhile… )
From the moment he heard the gun reload, Tom was quick to twist away at the very last second as the bullet shot past and struck the bookshelf instead.
Everything went downhill from there.
Tom could only make out a quick glimpse of a young woman with bright ginger hair, tied up in a messy ponytail, rushing toward him before he was tackled and knocked backward. They stumbled into the bookshelves in their struggle, books scattering everywhere, her arms striking out against him in blind rage as he wrestled for her gun.
She was fast, but Tom was stronger. He grabbed her by the wrists and rolled them over so he could pin her down. However, she was still holding the gun in one of her hands and she clumsily veered the weapon towards him.
Huge eyed, Tom quickly shoved her arm away just as she pulled the trigger and the bullet scraped his shoulder. He hissed, but bared the pain for now.
It was at that moment that Tom could get a better look at her and was horrified by what he saw. The right side of her face was fleshy and disfigured. She wore an eyepatch and he could even glimpse some of her teeth through her exposed jaw. His gaze flickered over to her name tag.
Ella.
She stared back at him with a wrathful green eye. "Go ahead. Just try and kill me!" She hissed at him contemptuously.
"I don't want to kill you." Tom replied. "You… tried to kill me?" He awkwardly reminded her as though she'd just forgotten that fact.
"You seemed pretty eager to kill me and my friends that night to me."
Before Tom could process her words she suddenly ripped one leg up from his hold, faster than a striking snake, and kicked him in the stomach. Successfully throwing him off of her.
Ella rolled over and jumped to her feet, rushing at him yet again. With the wind knocked out of him, Tom barely got time to recover before she grabbed him from behind. Tom felt energy pulse throughout his body but contained himself. Turning monster here and now might help, but it's definitely a bad idea in the long run.
Tom jabbed Ella hard in the chest with his elbow and she let go of him with a grunt, but as he staggered away she grabbed him again and thrust the gun closer to his face. Staring into the barrel of the fire weapon, Tom could see his life flash before his eyes. His dreams, his hopes, and his future with Tord… all gone. Ten years debating whether he should kill himself or not, for him to choose to stay alive, only for it to be taken away by someone else just as he thought he had a reason to keep going.
She really wants to kill him.
There was one last thing he could do to avoid that fate though. A trick he used once before on his first few days in the base that had disastrous consequences, but might just lead to the opposite outcome here.
It was worth the risk.
Not giving her the chance to pull the trigger, Tom lunged at her and ripped off her eyepatch.
Ella shrieked and staggered back, definitely not expecting such a bold move and she stilled. Ducking her head she tried to keep her injury out of sight, but Tom had already seen the extent of the damage. She has no eye. Where another white and green orb should be there was just an empty socket. Tom couldn't help but think that it made her look like an awful ghastly imitation of himself.
Just what the h#ll happened to her?
"Recognize your own work yet?" Ella spat, recovering from her initial shock. Tom stared at her in disbelief. "You did this to me… that night you escaped containment, you slaughtered all of my friends and left me with these scars. And as long as you're alive I cannot risk the same thing happening again!"
A bone-deep chill ran through Tom's body. I did this to her… He realized. No wonder she was trying so hard to kill him. In the past, none of Tom's victims ever survived one of his rampages. In the news he would always listen to the victims' family and friends mourning their loss, wanting answers about the culprit all the while Tom drank his sober mind away to try and drown the immense guilt that he felt.
But this girl not only survived one of his attacks, but has to live with it for the rest of her life. Just how much pain had Tom inflicted on to her?
"Corporal Ella Stewart!" A voice boomed in the Archives.
Both Ella and Tom looked up from their current positions only to find themselves surrounded by numerous soldiers all armed and aiming their guns at her. Tom breathed out a small sigh of relief when he spotted Tord at the front of the crowd, Paul and Pat on either side of him as they assessed the situation. He even saw the friendly soldiers who showed him around earlier.
His relief was short lived, however. Ella grabbed him again, and wrenched Tom around so his body was between her and the others. One hand held up the gun to his temple and her other arm pinned his to his sides.
"Don't do anything stupid." She hissed in his ear.
"You're outnumbered, Miss Stewart." There was a hint of a growl in Red Leader's voice. "Put down your weapon. Release the man. And raise your arms above your head. Now."
"Never!" Ella yelled, pressing the gun harder against Tom's head. "This thing is not a man, and it doesn't deserve to live!" She swung her head around, addressing the watching crowd now. "Red Leader has created a monster and is now letting it live among us! This creature I am holding on to is responsible for the Border Patrol Massacre and murdered my entire squadron!"
Silence crashed down on the stand-off. Tom tensed. So much for a chance of a new life, eh? His first day on the job and it's already ruined. No one will want anything to do with him now that his secret is out in the open.
However, to his astonishment the soldiers surrounding them seem more confused and uncomfortable than anything else. Exchanging glances with one another as though they don't know what to make of Ella's claims.
Tord's face was expressionless, giving nothing away as he snapped his fingers.
Wading his way through the soldiers to stand in front of the crowd, Lieutenant Yanov stopped beside his leader. He briefly shot a meaningful glance at Tom, as if to say; what did I tell you about getting into trouble, newbie?
"What's your verdict here, Lieutenant?" Red Leader demanded, his eye narrowed.
Yanov straightened himself. "A classic case of PTSD, sir." He informed, speaking loud enough to address the whole crowd. "Something must've triggered her memories of the Border Patrol Massacre and now she is stuck relieving those moments in an episode; making her unstable and lash out at random. Frankly I don't think she's entirely altogether here per say."
The soldiers murmured and nodded in approval, accepting the paramedic's explanation.
"I am perfectly rational – don't you dare accuse me of being crazy!" Ella's voice was savage, her gaze filled with hatred. "My mind has never been clearer. Red Leader's secret weapon is a monster, and you're all staring right at it! You must believe me!"
Despite her protests however, no one seemed to believe her over the health professional or their leader. Ella looked around with dismay, starting to appear small and uncomfortable as she slowly gathered her bearings, as if the force of her accusation was ebbing away like floodwater in a rapid stream after the worst of the storm had already passed.
Where was Reagan? Surely her only friend in this wretched base would be here to back up her claims after everything she spilled out to him?
Peering through the crowd she couldn't find the Irishman anywhere among the present soldiers. She couldn't see one friendly face in the crowd that might help her now. No one would meet her gaze. If anything, the soldiers appeared sympathetic and uncomfortable in her presence, as though they pitied the poor injured girl who seemingly lost her damn mind. This only served to fill her with even more rage.
"I ask you once again to release the man and drop your weapon." Red Leader snarled. "You are not in a good state of mind, Miss Stewart. This man you're holding on to is not to blame for your misfortune. What happened all those months ago was tragic and we all still mourn the loss of your squadron, but this man is innocent. Let him go now and we can get you help."
His voice attracted Ella's attention and she turned to fix her gaze on him, making the Norwegian man the new source of all her ire.
She chuckled darkly. "Help me? You claim you want to help me – help all of us. But that couldn't be further from the truth." Her voice was clear and steady. "I may have one eye now but I can see clear as day that we mean absolutely nothing to you!"
There were gasps all around them as Ella openly defied their leader.
This entire time Tom had been actively struggling against her hold, or at the very least planning a way to get away from her. But her brave defiant words struck a chord within him that made him cease all movement and just listen to what she has to say.
"You are clever indeed, Red Leader. You prey on those who are weak and suffering, so that when they are at their lowest moment you can swoop in and offer them a better choice. You promised us salvation, when really, you only condemned us to our deaths." She went on bitterly. "We would have no other choice then but to be grateful and loyal to you in return. Keeping us trapped in this messed up system that plans to unleash horrible acts upon the rest of the world. By all means you're power-mad, sir. You don't care who you hurt to get what you want. And now... you're not the man I once respected and looked up to. You're… you're an apology for a man!"
Tom stiffened at her boldness.
The soldiers surrounding them turned huge eyed with horror, gasping and silently sucking in a breath through their teeth. Shooting anxious glances at their leader, afraid for what his reaction will be to such a blatant accusation and clear-cut disrespect.
The Red Leader regarded Ella with a tilt of his head, his gray eye narrowed and coldly calculating. "Like I said; you are not well in the head, Miss Stewart." He drawled with a hint of barely suppressed fury in his voice. "You must have realized by now that you're not going to accomplish anything with this. For the last time, I order you to release the man and drop your weapon. Don't make this any harder than this needs to be."
Tom could hardly believe his ears. This girl may be unhinged, sure, but she went through something dramatic and demands justice. She needs help. But Tord was treating her like a nuisance instead. What happened to the sweet and caring man who showed him compassion when he was at his lowest? Why isn't he trying to understand her?
Do her words actually hold some truth to them? Did they hit too close to home perhaps?
"You're right. I can't win this one." Ella's voice throbbed with sorrow and resignation. Her hold on Tom loosened just enough for him to confidently move his head. He glanced at her, a feeling of foreboding creeping up his spine. "But I don't plan on playing my part in your schemes any longer."
She shoved Tom away and turned the gun on herself.
His eyes widened.
"No!"
A deafening gunshot split the air and a body toppled to the floor lifelessly.
The soldiers' cries of alarm and anguish were mute to Tom's ears as he stared down at the girl's dead body lying at his feet, blood pooling all over the floor. Dread consumed his entire being the longer he stared. The world around him darkened.
"Look what you've done now… ~" The voice growled inside his head. "This poor girl is dead because of you. You ruined her life, and drove her to do this. This is entirely your fault! ~"
Tom backed away, hardly aware of the commotion around him. All he could focus on was the girl's body. But I… I never meant to…
"You hurt her. You took everything from her. You made her take her own life! ~" The voice continued despite his weak protests. "She would still be alive if it weren't for you. Had you only fulfilled your promise like you were supposed to this wouldn't have happened, you little murderer. ~"
I'm… I'm so sorry…
"Get out of here, worm. Haven't you caused enough trouble today? No one wants anything to do with you after this. ~"
Tom's mind was whirling. Filled with despair and horrified by what took place, he turned away and fled the scene as fast as his legs could carry him; tears brimming in his eyes. He didn't even notice Tord try to reach him as he ran. Only one thought repeated itself over and over again in his head as he fled.
I should have died!