Chapter 2

Tom's heart thumped wildly in his chest, threatening to burst out of his chest if he didn't calm it down. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but it didn't budge. He had also gripped his hands together to keep them from shaking uncontrollably. Tom didn't dare show weakness in this place.

He was sitting in an empty white room, sitting in a metal chair with a table to go with it. The chair was uncomfortably cold and hard and Tom kept having to shift his position. A white light buzzed above his head, that being the only sound that was given; if Paul and Patryck couldn't hear his heart ramming against his chest.

The two red soldiers accompanied Tom in the room, eyeing him carefully. Tom avoided their piercing gaze, too afraid that they would see the fear in his black eyes.

Paul looked at his watch, the same way he had done so many times before. "Red Leader should be here in ten minutes."

His voice had startled Tom and had made him jump a bit, embarrassing himself. But the two soldiers didn't seem to take notice.

Patryck talked second.

"So, Thomas," he said calmly, "why'd you sacrifice yourself to Tord. I've heard quite a deal about the relationship between you and him."

Tom kept his eyes on the table. "The reason why anyone would do what I did: I couldn't leave my friend in danger."

Patryck nodded slowly, then asked, "Didn't Edd probably feel the same way?"

A sharp pang of guilt hit Tom's heart. He didn't answer.

"Stop making him feel horrible, Pat," Paul said. "He's been through enough already."

Pat shrugged, Tom blinked. He didn't necessarily like these soldiers, mostly because they belonged to the Red Army, but he was grateful for Paul's words. Maybe Patryck was just curious.

"Uh, what about two?" Tom asked cautiously. "What's your relationship with Tord?"

Patryck didn't answer, looking at Tom cooly; Paul however was thinking thoughtfully about the question. "I guess you could say his adoptive parents."

Patryck sighed, pinching the nose of his bridge; Tom raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Not like that!" Paul said quickly. "We were just responsible for taking care of him, you know, him being the future Red Leader and all. So we weren't together, just friends. But we kinda grew on Tord, so he likes to keep us close."

Tom frowned slightly. "Huh."

After that, it was silent. A long uncomfortable silence. The ten minutes Paul had mentioned earlier seemed to be taking it's time, seeming to stretch into an hour. Paul was picking at his nails, Patryck still keeping his icy gaze on Tom, as if waiting for him to do something that could lead him to trouble.

The door suddenly opened, making the three of them turn to see who it was. Tom's heart turned to ice as he saw Tord walk in.

The Norski barely acknowledged Tom as he walked in. He walked proudly, his posture straight, holding a file in his hands. He placed it in front of him as he sat down across from Tom.

It was strange to see Tord up close; his new 'features' making him more interesting to peer at. He had a black eyepatch strapped to his right eye along with dark scars running up from his jaw. His eyes, or eye, was still the burning amber that was so fierce, it could make you cower with one glance. Even a bit of kohl was smudged under his eye to make it stand out more. Even his hair seemed a shade darker.

But he wasn't the same Tord that Tom had seen as he grew up. Tord always had mirth gleaming in his eyes, reckless, fun even, always finding some way to cheer up his friends. But now he looked tired, malicious, lost of all happiness. Heck, he looked like the death of all happiness. Tom swallowed.

Tom opened his mouth to say something, but Tord beat him to it.

"Thomas Ska Rockheart," Tord said, reading from the file in his hands. "Born on June 20th, born 1993, 76 inches in height, 135 lbs, gender: male, currently 25 years old, Nationality: Britain; British." He placed down the file and looked at Tom. "Is all that information correct?"

Tom blinked, startled. "Uh-"

"Good. Now let's get down to business."

The two enemies stared at each other, their eyes cold as steel, daring each other to look away.

Paul felt like he would freeze if he stood in between them.

"I will ask you a few questions, Thomas," Tord said cooly, "so please, answer them truthfully." Tord flipped a page in the file and grabbed a pen from his front pocket, ready to write.

Tom narrowed his eyes. He needs answers from me. If he thinks I'll betray my friends after I just sacrificed myself, he's an idiot. Bring it on, bastard.

"Have you been in a healthy physical condition?" Tord asked.

Tom blinked. "Yes?"

"Nothing in your body gives you problems?"

"Um, no."

Tord scribbled down his answer on the paper then continued.

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"Not..that I know of."

"Have you broken anything in the past few months?"

"Uh, no but almost, just sprained a wrist."

"Which wrist was that?"

"Left."

"When was the last time you drank any alcoholic beverages?"

Tom had to strain out the words. "Nine months."

Tom could've sworn he saw Tord smirk a little.

"Is your virginity still intact? Have you had sex with the opposite gender, or the same gender in any of your years as an adult." Tord's gaze burned into his.

"What? What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer it."

"N-No."

"A little late, don't you think?" Tord said with a mock tone, making Tom glare at him.

Tord wrote a few more things down before clicking the pen and putting it back in his pocket. He slipped out a piece of paper from the cream-colored file and pushed towards Tom. "Your requirements."

Tom frowned, and he saw Patryck stifle a sigh. "Requirements?" he echoed.

"Slowly, Tord," Patryck hissed under his breath.

Tord ignored his words. "Yes, if you are to stay here until the world is finally mine, then there needs to be some ground rules."

Tom looked at the paper carefully as Tord continued.

"I don't want some old alcoholic stuck in my cells doing who knows what; I want to put you to good use."

Tom looked at him, his eyes flashing with anger. "So you're just going to make me into one of your little soldiers?"

Tord's eye gleamed. "Not quite." His words had more meaning than they should have had.

Tom turned his eyes to the paper again, reading every last word. Occupation: Red Leader personal bodyguard. Yeah, right. Stay by his side 24 hours a day, longer if required. What a joke. Wake up at 5:00 am in the morning everyday to report for duty. Wear required uniform for the job, always. Blah blah more crap stuff I don't need to know about. But the last requirement caught his eye. Swear a loyalty and death oath to the Red Army and to Red Leader.

"Are you kidding me?" he blurted out. He shoved the paper towards the Norski. "If you think I'm going to just give my entire life to you just like that, go eat shit."

Tord narrowed his eye at him; Paul cringed, turning his head away; Patryclk had his eyes closed.

"I do not belong to you," Tom continued, "so if you-"

He was cut off as Tord grabbed wrist with his robotic arm and pulled him roughly closer to him. Tom let out a grunt and tried to yank his wrist away, but Tord only gripped it tighter, his gaze burning into the Brit's with much hostility.

"You gave yourself to me the moment you stepped forward. The moment you said the words. If you weren't prepared for what was going to happen next, you should've thought better, Jehovah's Witness. It could've been Edd." With that, he let go of Tom, leaving the Brit rubbing his wrist where the metal had burned.

Tom had to admit, there was truth to his words. He hadn't been prepared at all for what he had done, his only thoughts were to save Edd and leave everyone else out of it. Besides, it was only until Tord had taken over the world, which didn't seem like a bright future for anyone. They might all end up slaves until then. Tom might as well get used to it. But he didn't think he'd give his entire life to him.

Tord sighed. "Let's make a deal. You only have to say the oath until you are ready. Until you are completely loyal to me willingly."

Tom suppressed a scoff. He didn't think that would ever happen. But the look in Tord's eye sent a shiver down his spine. What did he know?

"Do we have a deal?" Tord said impatiently.

Tom took a deep breath. "Deal."