Hey, what is up you guys? Surprise! This is Flower1815, bringing you a new chapter of MLTS! Yeah, I know I said I would update once every two weeks, that being Thursdays. But then I thought of the holidays, and even though I don't celebrate it I know some of you guys do, and I might not have time to upload tomorrow anyway, so why not just hit two birds with one stone and release the new chapter earlier?

Also, disclaimer; I've been getting messages regarding if other ships are meant to be in this story other than Tomtord and Paultryk, and the answer for that is entirely up to you. If you want to see the interactions between other characters as romatinc you can, that wasn't exactly what I am going for here, but I suppose I wrote them open enough to read deeper into them if you so wish. So if you want to read this and ship Eddmatt, cola losers, Eduardo x Matt, Edumark or whatever else you can, it's just not how I see them. Just please please please, for the love of god, don't ship Reagan with anyone. In case you haven't noticed, he's not good for anyone. Again, you CAN. I just wouldn't recommend it.

So I think that's it! Happy holidays to everyone, and a happy new year! Thank you all so much for reading and supporting my work, I really appreciate it, and I'll see ya'll in two weeks! :D

It all happened so fast, it's hard to tell exactly where everything went from bad to worse.

Edd hurtled himself at the nearest thug and swung his fist square into the man's face, toppling him to the ground. He was left standing there amidst the chaos, panting as fatigue began to creep on him. He swiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, hair dishevelled, observing the on-going commotion all around him.

As their camping trip neared to an end, Reagan had the brilliant idea of finishing the expedition off with a series of minor escapades. The group of five were sceptical at first, but eventually relented. Adventures are always fun, after all.

"Just because it's a bad idea doesn't mean it's not going to be a hell of a lot of fun." The Irishman had told them, eager to break some more rules before his time in this town came to an end.

It was all fun and games at first – the six of them goofed around, hopping to different places, partying and laughing in areas where they shouldn't be and were free to do whatever they wanted. However, somehow trouble always seems to find them and most of their small adventures end in the exact same way. With a skirmish for their lives.

He tipped his head to one side as he thought he heard a whisper behind him. "Edd—now!" His head whipped around. Had he really heard Tom? There was no spiky haired shape in the shadows, no eyeless husks staring at him, but the call to battle was compelling.

Just in front of him, a large tall thug had Benjamin pinned to the ground while he kicked the young man mercilessly.

These thugs… any one of them could be behind Tom's demise… he won't let them hurt any more people. What if Matt were next? He can never let that happen!

Seething with fury, Edd leaped on top of the thug with all his strength. Grunting in shock, the thug reared up in an attempt to throw him off. Benjamin staggered to his feet while the thug was distracted and vanished into the clamour. The thug lost his balance and Edd succeeded in pulling the mugger down on top of him and he punched and kicked at the thug's stomach ruthlessly. In retaliation, the mugger lashed out a punch on the side of his face and managed to stagger away. Blinded by pain, Edd let him go.

For a heartbeat he stood panting, looking for his next opponent. No sign of Reagan anywhere. He whipped around to confront a lithe man charging at him. Edd just had time to dodge to one side, and stick his leg out as the thug slipped past him, successfully tripping the man over.

Elsewhere, at the centre of the frenzy, a massive slim man pinned Reagan to the ground and drew up his head triumphantly. His skin a russet, reddish-brown, and greasy bleached hair. "Foley?" He growled incredulously. "How dare you show your face back here? You should be dead!"

Reagan snickered. "Should I? You guys didn't make a very good job of it, clearly." His green eyes glared up full of hatred. "I told yah karma's gonna come collect your debt."

Fast as lightning, he twisted and threw the thug off with hard shove. He swiftly drew out a blade from the inner pocket of his coat and lashed deep into the man's throat. Blood gushed from the wound, pulsing onto the floor. The thug stared in astonishment and lifted one hand to his neck. Legs buckling, he collapsed.

Reagan grinned at him maliciously and held his arms out on either side of him. "Here I am." He spat back, watching the thug convulse and die before him, unflinching.

The desperate cry for help from one of his targets rose above the clamour, bringing him out of his gleeful daze. Reagan rolled his eyes. While it was smart of him to go after his old gang with backup – because even he is not suicidal enough to go up against an entire criminal organization by himself – it didn't help that most of these idiots were too skittish to fight to save their own hides. Too righteous to shed blood. Still, he can't allow one of them to die on him now. Hopefully they will lose these qualities once they're properly settled into the Red Army.

Tucking his blade away, Reagan returned to the fight. He found a wiry thug pinning Sasha up against the wall by her throat. The poor girl trashed around in distress, feebly beating at the man to let her go but to no avail.

Reagan started forward and tackled the thug that had threatened Sasha away from her. Unable to use his secret weapon in plain view, he resorted to punching the man's face repeatedly before finishing off with a harsh slam against the ground; knocking the thug unconscious. He looted the man for weapons. "Here," he said, handing Sasha the thug's pistol. "You're the best shot of all of us."

She reared back in surprise, wide eyed and hesitant to take the gun. "M-me? B-but-but I don't- I never- I mean, I don't want to kill anybody!"

"Then you can either incapacitate or disarm. Your choice!" He ordered her, gesturing to the mess around them to prove his point, then jumping back into the chaos.

Edd ducked under a counter to take a breather from the commotion. Michael and Rosalyn on either side of him, panting and dishevelled from the fight. Rosalyn has a small gash bleeding on her shoulder while Michael has some purple bruises coating his face. Edd looked worse for wear as well, and he could feel his ribs cramping with pain with every movement. But the adrenaline kept most of it off, and he almost wanted to get back in there to let out all his frustrations on the fight. He knew though that the wisest thing would be to spare himself from further damage; lest he wants more nagging questions from Matt when he gets back home.

He doesn't want to give his friend any more ideas about Reagan.

"You're holding back."

The trio glanced up just in time to see Reagan tower over them, his green eyes narrowed to slits which did not match at all with the huge smirk on his face.

"Dude, are we seeing the same mess out here?" Michael glared balefully at the Irishman. "We need to get the f#ck out of here, right now. There's too many of them for us to fight our way out."

"Don't bail on me now. You signed up for this." Reagan murmured disinterestedly, striking another thug to the ground.

Michael bristled. "I never signed up for this! – None of us did! All we signed up for was a good time!"

Edd watched the on-going argument apprehensively. He wondered how Reagan was fairing in these last few incidents with the thugs. He had no idea if any of them belong to the same gang Reagan used to be in, but knowing the Irishman's past history with these sorts of criminals Edd wouldn't be surprised if he were taking out his frustrations on this mess, too. Strange how everywhere they go they seem to bump into these thugs.

"Do you ever stop and consider that you're an awful person?" Rosalyn glared daggers at the Irishman.

Reagan's lips pursed, as if he were genuinely thinking about it. "Not usually, no. If it ever happens I ignore it and the feeling goes away." He shrugged slyly.

"We can't stay here and keep fighting these impossible odds! These guys are armed for sure. If we stay here, we're definitely screwed!" Michael urged. "We need to get out of here, right f#cking now!"

Reagan scowled. He was suddenly more aware of the weight in his pocket, and his fingers itched for the hidden blade but contained himself at the last minute. He can't expect them to keep fighting when they're frightened and wounded, lest he wants to lose any chance of convincing him to join him. He was put in a position where he has to choose between revenge or ambition.

Begrudgingly, Reagan made his choice. "Fine. We'll leave." He agreed thickly, straining to conceal the rage out of his voice. "I'll go grab our ride. But I'm gonna need you guys to keep this lot distracted whilst I'm gone. Is that manageable?"

"I can do that, but it will cost you an arm and a leg." Michael told him bluntly.

"Does it have to be my own arm and leg?" Reagan grinned, his eyes lighting up with a malicious intent.

"Just hurry up and go, already!" Rosalyn snapped.

Together, Edd and the others jumped back into the fight and took on the thugs closest to them. Swinging punches left and right, and narrowly avoiding blows. Reagan bounded away. He hesitated at the doorway and glanced back at the chaotic scene behind him. His face was grim, his eyes furious slits. Then he turned away and left.

Edd whipped around as a thug swung a punch at him. The blow struck him hard on his left cheek and sent him stumbling backward, pain blooming in his face. As he thumped onto his back, he felt a hand press down on his throat. He met the thug's vicious stare as he pressed harder. I can't breathe! He felt his head throbbing as the thug choked him.

A figure flashed in his mind. Matt! The thought of him hit Edd like a lightning bolt. He's safe and sound back at home, none the wiser to where he is or what's happened, just anxiously waiting for his return. He can't die here and leave him to wait with no idea of his fate! He won't make him go through that again!

Fighting panic, Edd mustered all his strength to tuck in his legs and then shove them hard against the thug's belly, flinging the man away from him long enough for him to jump to his feet. Rage turned into energy as the thug charged at him again. A loud gunshot echoed loudly in everyone's ears. Edd and the others went rigid with apprehension, wondering which one of them was going to fall to the ground dead. However, the thug that had been advancing on Edd toppled over instead; clutching his right knee in agony.

Looking around wildly, Edd was relieved to find out that Sasha was the one who pulled the trigger. The blond girl proceeded to aim and shoot at a couple more thugs that were locked in combat with the rest of their friends, giving them the chance to back away.

A car honking right outside the warehouse got everyone's attention, signalling Reagan's return and the call to retreat.

They wasted no time. At once they pulled and struggled away from their opponents, hurrying toward the van. They hopped into the vehicle and it tore off without further delay. Once they were safe and well enough away from the conflict, the five breathed out relieved sighs. The adrenaline in their bodies subsiding.

The car suddenly veered sharply to the right, and they all violently lurched forward.

"Reagan... you do know how to drive this thing, right?" Edd asked cautiously, quickly strapping in his seatbelt.

"Well normally, I'd lie and say yes, but considering the fact that I almost flew us into that building, I'm going to assume you know the answer to that by now."

"Oh h#ll no, I did not just escape a fight with some gang members only to die in a car accident!" Rosalyn pushed Reagan aside and took over the wheel.

"We're all fine, by the way." Michael snorted with a pointed glare at the Irishman. "Some of us better than others." He fixed his gaze on Benjamin, who doubled over in his seat with pain. Sasha's seated beside him, trying to help him in whatever way she can.

The young man shook his head profusely. "It's fine! – really, I've been through a lot worse than this- ow!"

"That's no excuse for letting yourself get hurt!" Sasha admonished.

Reagan's gaze swept over each and every one of them. "See? You guys are fine! Minor injuries aside, we could've easily bested those bastards back there." He then paused with a pensive gesture. "Weird how we keep bumping into trouble, though."

"Yeah… how odd, indeed." Michael turned to fix his gaze on the blond, his narrowed eyes cold and steady.

Alarm swept through Edd at the accusing tone in the man's voice. Does he think Reagan meant for us to clash with the thugs?

But Reagan didn't appear to have noticed, or if he did he blatantly ignored it. "You know, if you guys keep running from every fight how are any of you supposed to stand up for yourselves?" He argued. Benjamin and Sasha hung their heads in shame. "Are you just gonna bend over backwards whenever a tough looking guy stands in your way? No wonder you guys can't get a break in life. You won't get anywhere like this."

"There was no way we could've won that fight!" Michael growled back at him. "They had us outnumbered. Benjamin and Rosalyn are injured. We'd all be dead by now if we hadn't left when we did."

"Easy, buddy!" Reagan innocently cautioned with a polite gesture of his hands. "I'm not trying to pin blame on anyone or anything. I'm sure you had your reasons to retreat, and I'll respect them."

Far from soothing Michael, Reagan's words had quite the opposite effect. "Are you insinuating that I'm a coward, by any chance?" He spat.

Reagan tutted in the face of the other man's fury. "No, of course not. Whatever makes you think that?"

"Enough!" Edd interrupted, desperate to quell tensions from spiralling out of control. Once he got everyone's attention, he continued, "we're all tired and distressed by what happened tonight, but it's over now. Let's just head back to camp and settle down, alright? No more fighting."

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances and eventually nodded in mutual agreement. Michael turned away from Reagan with a disdainful sniff, and the Irishman squeezed in beside Edd and slumped back in his seat. Edd shifted in his seat awkwardly.

"Hey, so... you doing alright?" He asked under his breath as casually as he could, mindful of the other people seated so close to them. "Are you hurt anywhere? I mean, I know it must be really tough facing those thugs back there given your history and everything-"

"Stop."

"I just meant that-"

"No, I know what you meant. You know, seriously, I'm over it. I just wanted us to have a really good time, you know? Forget about it, Eddie." Reagan turned away to look out the window.

Reagan isn't the sort of guy who is particularly open with his feelings, but Edd respects that. Even if it is to keep the Irishman close as opposed to accidentally driving him away like he tends to do. The rest of the ride back to camp was silent. Edd stared down at his hands and feet, shooting occasional worried glances at Reagan. He couldn't help noticing the hunger blazing in the Irishman's green eyes as he stared up at the moon.

A shiver of dread ran down his spine. Why does it feel as though Reagan has something in store for them?

(Meanwhile…)

Seventy two hours passed since Tom's transformation into a monster, and there have been no drastic changes in his behaviour since.

Tord diligently took notes about every little aspect of the serum and its effects; observing Tom's behaviour and movements with heavy scrutiny. He hasn't had a wink of sleep since before the experiments began and he isn't about to now – too many things can happen and he needs to be here to witness every little detail! Tom hasn't had any rest either, as he paced back and forth along the enclosure, his tail lashing behind him, and occasionally taking shots of charging at Tord only to slam head first against the glass wall and then retreat to the small space beneath the ledges. He hasn't eaten anything either, which worried Tord greatly. He even made the begrudging decision of returning his diet back to fish and chicken only, however the monstrous test subject promptly rejected as seen by the splattered remains on the far wall.

His behaviour infuriated Tord to no end, as it is per usual of Tom; he supposes. Usually he would have no trouble marching in there and force feeding his meals, but one good look at the sharp teeth and claws the Brit now brandishes and he instantly knew not to set foot in there with him.

He reread everything there is to know about the beast case for any answers, looking through details he might've missed the first few hundred times he read them. Tord lifted his gaze briefly to peer into the enclosure and locked eyes with the asset, still glowering at him from the shadows; the tip of his tail twitching.

Tord narrowed his eye. What's Tom up to now?

He thought all along that he would be able to predict Tom actions and deal with the monster side of him with no trouble whatsoever. But evidently just reading and researching about the damn thing isn't enough to control him. He needs more data to analyse, but to get data Tord has to have Tom's cooperation; however, Tom is set on being as difficult as humanly possible and not comply with any of it. Tord several times tried to get the monster to perform a series of tests to try out his new skills, but all Tom did was snarl and try to attack him. Even after he administered several controlled shocks, the test subject did not comply; though it does momentarily stop Tom from snarling at him like some sort of deranged animal.

His tests were getting nowhere.

Tord went back to scribbling in his notes – writing about the serum, the new formula derived from Tom's blood, the analysis results of the samples he'd collected, the effects observed so far… but nothing yet on why Tom in specific is the key to making it work. Several tests were made on Tom's DNA samples, but nothing stands out of the ordinary.

Why? Why Tom of all people? What is it about him that makes it work?

He was brought out of his thoughts by Tom stalking closer to the glass, growling gutturally, emitting what sounded like a series of clicking sounds as he drew nearer. Tord glared back at him, wearily observing his movements. The asset was standing right before him now, ears flattened against his head. His warm breath condensed on the glass. Without warning, he slammed one massive paw on the glass. Tord flinched. His reaction prompted Tom to violently lunge forward and scrabble frantically against the glass, snapping his jaws and trying to get the man standing on the other side.

This behaviour was seriously grating on Tord's nerves. It's as if Tom was stuck on a loop! That, combined with his lack of rest and constant arguments with his deputies was taking a toll on him. Who would've imagined he would miss Tom's classic annoying tendencies as much as he does now? At least then he could always counter with some witty banter and a show of strength. How is he supposed to keep this mangy beast in line?

He promptly pressed the button on his arm to administer a controlled shock. The monster screeched and rolled away fervently, thrashing around on the floor. He then jumped to his feet, shrieked at Tord and bounded away.

Tord debated whether or not he should conduct another controlled shock when he stilled. A theory popped up in his brain, brought up along with Tom's last spoken words.

You want the monster so badly? Then you can have it…

A terrible, and yet, interesting thought manifested with that. He pressed a button on his robotic arm to turn on the communicator.

"Paul, go upstairs to the research facility and grab me one of the lab rodents used for testing, please. Over."

"Sir? "

"I have a theory I would like to test out on Tom." That was as far as Tord was willing to elaborate. The communicator turned off, leaving Tord to his thoughts.

He kept watching the half-man half-monster pace around in the enclosure until he settled on one of the ledges with one easy leap, dread and excitement surging inside of him at the thought of what this test will result into. His mismatched fingers drummed against one another in a pensive gesture. If it doesn't work, then Tom is still conscious and he can be assured this behaviour is entirely out of stubbornness to submit to Tord's commands. But if this does work…

The door hissed open behind him. Tord glanced back to see Paul walk in with a white and black rabbit in his hands, repeatedly running his hands through its soft fur. The Red Army keeps an assortment of small animals in the base to test out new inventions on them. Tord frowned and took the rabbit from him.

"I don't understand why you want it. What are you going to do with it?" Paul asked, worry shone in his gaze.

"I want to see if Tom would like a bit more kick to his meal."

Tord dropped the rabbit into the dispenser unceremoniously, and watched as it hopped into the enclosure in quick bursts.

The monster noticed the new presence immediately. He stilled, tail raised and ears angled forward as he fixed his eyeless gaze on the rabbit. Tord watched his movements with bated breath. Surprisingly, he found himself silently urging Tom to not do anything – to merely ignore the rabbit's presence and continue throwing what Tord hoped is just a temper tantrum and nothing more. As much as he would like to see his monster in action, he didn't want to deal with the implications of what this could mean otherwise.

The rabbit strayed closer to the foot of the ledges. Crouching low, the monster stepped paw by paw as he slowly climbed down. Ears flat and teeth bared, the asset sprang with outstretched claws and landed squarely on the rabbit. Its cry abruptly cut off by a sickening crack as the monster sank his teeth into its spine and flailed it around, blood splattering the floor and walls.

Tord watched the disturbing display wide eyed. The monster lifted his chin and stared straight at him. The rabbit hung limp from his jaws. Grabbing its lower half with one claw, the monster wrenched his head to one side and proceeded to rip the rabbit clean in half, spilling its entrails, and gobbled down its head first. Tord felt a shiver ripple down his spine at the insinuation he got behind that gesture, as the monster refused to break eye contact with him.

This is what I'll do when I get my claws on you.

Beside him, he heard Paul gag in horror. "Oh God! He gutted the poor thing."

They continued watching the monster finish his gruesome meal. Once every bit of the rabbit was gone, the monster swiped his tongue over his blood-stained claws to clean himself; his face and clothes dripping scarlet. The fact that the beast still looks every bit like Tom was what gets to Tord the most about this disturbing scene.

This goes to prove one thing: Tom is not in control, and judging by the horrid actions the monster committed in the past, he might have never been in control at all. Why lie then? Tord wondered. Why assume responsibility for something as grizzly as murder when you had no control over it? The more he discovers about Tom and his monster form, the more questions he gets, it seems. Just how many secrets is Tom keeping?

(Meanwhile…)

The sun was rising in the violet sky as the moon sank below the horizon. A cold breeze ruffled Edd's hair as he stepped outside the cabin, carrying his bags. After their disastrous misadventure the group returned to camp Littlepine about three hours ago, and everyone went their separate ways to pack away their stuff and leave in the morning.

He saw the others gathered around the dimming campfire. Their heads were bent very close together and conversing quietly with each other. Curious, Edd walked over to join them. Soon Edd was near enough to hear them speak.

"Think about it; we only go wherever Reagan wants us to go, and everywhere we go we bump into trouble! If that ain't shady as f#ck…" growled Michael.

Edd's eyes widened with shock. It sounds like they're discussing their suspicions about Reagan!

"But why would he want us to get into trouble?" Sasha asked. "Sure he is… you know. But even so, what kind of person would want that?"

Suspicion rose along with the hairs on the back of Edd's neck. Could Reagan be purposefully leading them to the thugs? It's a silly thought, Edd knew, but the idea that they were being sheppard around for some hidden agenda made goose bumps crawl up his skin. Reagan isn't that sort of guy. He likes to break rules and do radical things, but he wouldn't intentionally lead them into danger just to maybe get revenge on his former group.

Edd sincerely hopes he's right.

"Because he is not right in the head!" Came Rosalyn's menacing answer. "The moment we met I knew he was bad news, but this whole ordeal just cements it. Always talking about making something "more" out of your life, and "seize opportunities" or something or other. Just what is he after?"

Benjamin's voice sounded now, high-pitched with suspicion. "And the way he just instantly knows about things. How does he do that?"

"I say we confront him and get some answers now!" Michael suggested.

Edd had heard enough. His mind racing he finally reached them, prompting everyone to lift their heads and turn to look at him. "You guys don't seriously believe Reagan is doing everything on purpose, do you?" His gaze swept over each one of them. "I know he can be eccentric-"

"Eccentric?!" Rosalyn cut him off with a snort. "Eccentric doesn't even begin to cut it! We're talking about a guy whose idea of fun is to hop in lava and see who lasts the longest."

Edd shrugged. "Fair enough. Reagan has his fair share of problematic tendencies, I'm not gonna lie. But he only wanted to have a fun time with us before he goes away for good." He argued. "I'm sure he hadn't meant for us to bump into trouble. It was all just a big bout of bad luck on our part."

"A pretty convenient bout of bad luck, I'd say." Michael muttered darkly, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. "For real now, Edd, do you honest to God believe in any of that? Tell me none of this seem the least bit shady to you."

Edd felt an icy ripple along his spine. He has his own doubts about Reagan, and whether or not he truly meant to go after the thugs on purpose. But then he reminds himself of all the good times he had with the Irishman, and the trust he placed on him by shedding light in his backstory. Surely if Reagan meant to lead them to trouble all along he wouldn't have told him about his past? Besides, he has done so much for him in these last couple of months when dealing with the changes going on around him. To back him up now is the least he can do for Reagan.

Edd shifted his feet awkwardly. "I trust Reagan, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's done so much for us… surely you guys feel the same way, too?"

"Well said, Eddie. But you guys are right to be suspicious."

Everyone whipped around in surprise at the sound of the new voice among them. Out from the shadows, Reagan stepped out to reveal himself; wearing an unusual attire consisting of a cobalt blue overcoat and a red sweater underneath. Edd and the others shared confused glances and stared at the Irishman with both curiosity and apprehension. An uneasy silence fell over them.

"So there is more to this story!" Michael took a pace forward. He spoke slowly, as if he was thinking about every word. "Tell us; did you mean for us to clash-"

"Ah ah ah!" Reagan tutted condescendingly, cutting him off. "All will be explained. If you allow me to speak first, of course."

Michael scowled, but kept his mouth shut. Reagan padded noiselessly up to stand in front of them so that everyone could see him. His long coat drifting behind him as he walked. He surveyed them for a few moments, his green eyes burning. Then he took a deep breath and began. "My friends, you are all aware that my stay in this town is purely for business purposes; and while I thank every single one of you for your warm hospitality during my brief visit, I came to realize the awful plight each of you go through in your lives! And in return for your kindness and companionship, I have come to extend you all… an offer."

Edd thought that his heart had stopped beating from so much anticipation. A thick silence hung in the air, as though everyone had been turned to ice.

Then Rosalyn called out. "You're kidding, right? You nearly got us killed at every given chance, and now you suddenly come to us with some random deal?"

Reagan blinked. "You will want to hear this, as it is in everyone's best interests. This offer, however, is exclusively to the five of you alone, and must never be mentioned to outside parties." He drawled, and then continued as if he'd never been interrupted in the first place. "I work for a secret organization known as the Red Army, that'll soon rise to absolute worldwide power. Our main objective is to take over the world, but also to offer a second chance to those who've been doomed by society's unjust system and life's cruel jests. People who are suffering and are in need of a little help, like you lot."

The five, still silent, listened anxiously.

"I have observed each and every one of you, and you all fit our criteria! The Red Army offers you the chance of a brand new life, to start over; where in return for your hard work and services you can get new living arrangements and get paid handsomely well, too!" He caught a gleam of interest in Sasha's eyes when he mentioned payment, and felt a surge of satisfaction. "The Red Army offers you any help you need. Why should you continue to struggle in your predicament that's hardly your fault to begin with? You played by life's rules, and yet you still get f#cked over time and time again. In the Red Army you won't be helpless anymore." Now Rosalyn was starting to look interested in his words as well, though she remained with a neutral expression on her face. "Thousands of opportunities will open up to you if you simply join us."

"That doesn't answer my question." Michael growled. "Did you or did you not mean for us to fight those thugs?"

Reagan stared him down and lifted his chin. "Of course not. What do you take me for? I wanted to test your potential, not put you in any actual danger." His expression was unreadable as he bowed his head. "You will be expected to fight for the army with your life if necessary. I am merely demonstrating to you lot that; although the rewards are great, you'll still be required to lay down your life for the organization that took you in and helped you. The last thing I want to do is give you guys false hope. You'll get everything you can ever dream of… but at a price."

Benjamin gulped. "This is… a lot to take in."

"You'll get extensive training, of course, but if this is too high a price I will completely understand." Reagan went on. "If you prefer to continue with your mundane little lives, I won't judge. Hey, at least you'll be safe; am I right? I'm sure you can sort yourselves out on your own."

Uneasy murmurs rippled through them as they glanced at one another. Edd felt sick to his stomach.

"Is this army very big?" Benjamin asked quietly, his eyes wide.

Reagan scoffed. "Plenty big!" He replied. "We're talking about global domination here! To take the world away from the grimy hands of a generation that refuses to go away and constantly screw us up every given chance."

"You know this whole thing is crazy, right?" Michael blurted out. "Secret army… world domination – this is actually insane!"

"Understand that I do not make this offer lightly. I'm taking a huge risk right now just telling you about the organization." Warned Reagan. "When it comes to joining us, you have two choices. You can either fully integrate yourself and become one of us, leaving all aspects of your previous life behind. Or you can live a double life – reporting for duty whenever your Army needs you, and still keep your ordinary life on the surface."

A cool breeze stirred the surrounding trees, ruffling Edd's hair. He shivered, not with cold, but with excitement at the incredible possibilities opening up in front of him.

"I do not ask for you answer now." Reagan murmured coolly. "You must each go away and consider my words. I'll give you lot three days-"

"I'll join!"

Shocked gasps greeted Benjamin's words as he jumped to his feet. Everyone stared at him, huge eyed. He's the youngest in their group. Reagan looked at him for a long moment and nodded with approval, barely holding back a grin from stretching across his face.

"Whoa, are you really sure you want to do this, man?" Michael asked, putting a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Like, really sure?"

"Think carefully about this, Ben." Rosalyn cautioned beside him, her eyes narrowed to slits. "This is an army we're talking about. It's pretty intense business." She shot Edd a glance, as if inviting him to speak next and agree with her on the matter.

Edd shifted. "Yeah, the army is a really though place." He conceded quietly. "There's a lot of hard work you have to do and little time for rest, and it's not something you can easily quit either."

Benjamin made a noise that sounded half chuckle, half snort. "My parents would send me to the army one day to toughen me up, anyway. They said this way I'd end up as brave as a real soldier or else dead, and either of those would be an improvement." He paused, his tone softening. "You guys barely know half the things I go through every day with them. I'm tired of being afraid all the time!"

A wave of sympathy washed over all but Reagan. They know only a few details of the young man's harsh home life, so they can understand why he would be so desperate to get away he would instantly consider joining a super-secret army.

Sasha grabbed a hold on Benjamin's arm. "But what about your brother? Would you really leave him behind on his own?"

For a split second Benjamin looked hesitant, and then he whipped his head to face Reagan. "Can my brother join this Red Army, too?"

Reagan sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Sorry mate, but the organization has a strict policy of no underage members. But-" he paused for dramatic effect. "I can give my boss a good word in for you, and we can work something out."

Benjamin dipped his head. "Do it then. I'll join the Red Army. But only if my brother gets to go, too!" He said, his voice heavy with resignation.

Reagan grinned. "Then it shall be done."

Looking around, Edd noticed people were suddenly not as weary as they were prior Benjamin's eager response. Michael, who'd been perhaps the most vocal on his suspicions of Reagan, now gained a gleam of interest in his eyes as if he were genuinely considering the offer now. Rosalyn stared at the ground, her expression unreadable. And Sasha fidgeted from side to side anxiously, as if she were holding back the urge to give out her answer immediately, too, to instead think about this entire situation rationally. Meanwhile, Edd had no idea how to feel.

Reagan spoke again, his voice sounding arrogant and strong after Benjamin's answer. His gaze swept over the remaining four, green eyes glittering. "The rest of you have three days to make your decision. Give me your answer then. Choose me or lose me. I'm not a backup plan and I'm definitely not a second choice."

Everyone nodded in understanding. An uneasy mood settled over them as Reagan concluded his offer with a bow. They started to gather their belongings, whispering urgently to one another. Edd found himself drifting away from the group, his mind reeling.

"Eddie!"

He glanced over his shoulder, and watched the Irishman approach him. "You aiight? You're pretty quiet." Reagan prompted.

Edd shrugged, feeling numb. "So this is your mysterious job, huh? Soldier recruiting?" He tried to keep his tone light hearted, but couldn't hold back some bitterness from seeping through.

Reagan doesn't seem to mind, though. "Beats living in the streets." He whispered. Slinging one arm lazily around the brunet's shoulders, he continued. "Look, I know this looks bad but I promise this has nothing to do with the reason I am here." He told him, like the liar he is. "I did what I came here for, and now I am willing to risk my neck on this job to help you guys out, because I see just how much you need help. Especially you, Eddie."

"Me?" Edd blinked dumbfounded. "Why would I want to join this rad army for?"

"Red army." Reagan corrected. "Because I can see you are not happy here. Think about it; from the moment I met you you've been grieving over your best friend's death, but there's clearly this cheerful, adventurous glimmer you carry around with you that's almost contagious, but it's being choked out by this constant sadness you always have. I mean, obviously I don't blame you – best friend dying and all that – but toppled with ginger constantly up in your case, and those pesky neighbours you told me about, I say what you need most right now, is a drastic change of pace."

Edd was so surprised, he couldn't speak.

Reagan went on: "You can't go on like this, Eddie. You'll never get better and be happy unless you leave this crummy old town, and everything else behind."

Edd stared at him in horror. Through all their difficulties, his fear and guilt warring with his excitement, he had never really imagined that he would have to leave the place he'd always called his home. "Reagan, I can't!"

Reagan shook his head. "Will you at least think about it, please?"

Reluctantly, Edd nodded. "Alright. I will."

He is being offered the chance to turn his life around in the most drastic way imaginable. To put all his anger and misgivings into fighting for a good cause, and forget his problems. But could he really abandon everything to live like that?

What about Matt?

The image of his lifelong best friend popped into his mind, and at once he thought of refusing the offer right then and there. Then two more figures appeared next to Matt. Eduardo and Mark. Taking up all the space beside the orange-haired Brit, and how much happier he seemed to be in their company. Edd grit his teeth at the thought.

Maybe Matt would be better off without him.

(Meanwhile…)

Tord furiously scribbled on paper after paper as he dealt with the various mountains of paperwork he'd actively ignored over the past few days in favour of putting all his focus on Tom and the serum project. After putting it off for so long, and with the experiments currently on halt, Tord had no choice but to put his mind elsewhere. He grumbled to himself. Usually Patrick would berate him for doing nothing but work, and recommend him to get some much needed rest after avoiding sleep for the last few days. But the Polish soldier was strangely quiet on the matter, for once.

Jaw clenched, teeth grinding, Tord kept his gaze fixated on the paper he was signing; trying to focus on the current task at hand and ignore the pang in his heart he refused to call hurt. His head started to pound. Too many things were running through his mind, and added with his lack of sleep, it gave him a throbbing headache.

Paperwork is so boring! Wish I could run more tests on Tom… Patrick is pissing me off. Can't Paul talk him out of it? Why so emotional? Don't need them! Need to make this serum work! The army is flourishing. I will begin my conquest soon. Why did Tom lie? What else is he hiding? Need to talk to him when he turns back to normal. Why does he have to make everything more complicated? Why Tom?

Are you Tord or Red Leader? Tom's voice echoed louder above his thoughts, and he winced; gripping his own head with a quiet hiss of pain.

How many more times do I have to go through with this for it to stop? Tord thought incredulously through the blinding blaze of agony in his skull I. Am. Red Leader! Tord is nothing but weakness. Too soft. I will achieve great feats no one could ever best. I am unlike any other. Tord is… His thoughts derailed into a jumble as the beeping grew louder throughout his office.

Wait... beeping?

Startled, Tord blinked back to reality only to realize that the repetitive beeping came from his mechanical arm. He folded it towards him to inspect it. A screen displaying data of Tom's vitals stared back at him; the heart rate monitor spiking up to dangerous levels. Tord blinked blearily, trying to process the information being given to him. Once it finally registered in his sleep deprived brain, his eye widened. Tom's heart rate is off the charts!

Several floors below, the halfling creature sat alone, hunched over with its head between its claws. Its tail flicked to and fro as it uttered low growls rumbling deep in its throat. All of a sudden, it threw its head back with an ear-splitting roar and its body started to pop and bend, followed by the sickening sound of snapping bones. Its form began to enlarge at a rapid rate. Its clothes ripped apart as its body turned far too big for them. Its eyes painfully merged together into one.

Tord watched as the rhythm of the heart monitor on his arm spiraled out of control. No one can survive this kind of stress!

Before he could get to his feet, or even so much as conceive a thought on the matter, sparks flew from his robotic arm and it suddenly burst with a jolt of electricity shooting through Tord's body, sending the Norwegian toppling to the floor with a cry of pain.

A thunderous roar shook the entire base to its core.

So what do you think? Leave a review with your thoughts below; I'd love to read em!

And I leave you all with one question. If you could get away from your life problems and start over from scratch, would you take Reagan's offer to join the Red Army?