TWs: Betrayal, manipulation, gaslighting, and panic attack/hyperventilating
Tord stared in shock as he looked at who he thought was his friend.
Pau had a distant look on his face, not meeting Tord's gaze.
"Pau?" Tord stepped forward, "You're working for him?"
The ruffled brunette opened his mouth but was cut off by the General, "He's working with me- isn't that right, Pau?"
Pau looked at the General with a frown. Instead of speaking, he slowly nodded.
"Bullshit!" Tord yelled, "You're manipulating him into working for you! Pau, look at me and tell the truth."
The General looked at Pau with guile, "Go on- tell the truth, Pau."
Pau looked at Tord, rubbing his neck with a bandaged hand.
'His hand wasn't plastered before.' Tord quirked an eyebrow.
The tall soldier met the ex-leaders gaze, "It's the truth- I am working with him."
"You're lying." The shorter shook his head in unease.
"No, I'm not," Pau spoke firmly.
Tord sucked in a breath, "How? Why?"
It looked like Pau wanted to speak, but Lynnedslag cut him off again, "It doesn't matter now. All that matters is you; and your little demon 'friend' over there."
Tom was caught off guard by the General acknowledging him as a 'demon.' No one was supposed to know he was possessed. How did this random guy know about it?
"We'll be back later to initiate what we lost all those years ago..." The General glared at Tom when he said that statement, making him wary.
Pau pressed a button on the other side of the glass, making the wall ascend back into place where it was before.
Tord felt lightheaded as he backed up against the wall. He felt the walls closing in on him all over again as he kneeled against the wall in a fetal position and held himself with the only arm he had. Holding himself tightly, he bit his lip as he tried not to cry.
"You need to breathe, dumbass."
Looking up slightly, he saw Tom sitting in front of him. There was a frown on his face as he looked at Tord. The Norsk let out the breath he was holding, coughing a bit as he tried to control his breathing. Tears rushed to his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. He tried to say something, but it came out in wet mumbles.
"I don't want to hear you talking; it sounds like a drowned puppy. Just take a deep breath, in and out."
Tord nodded, remembering what he did for Matt whenever he was panicking. He slowly inhaled and exhaled until his heart was steady. Even if his heart was stable, it was still aching from pain at the revelation.
His friend, who he thought a father figure, was now working for- with his father. Pau practically raised him whenever his mom was busy. He even raised him after she died, though he was distant at first.
"Commie? You alright?" Tom questioned.
"I'm-" His voice cracked abit, "I'm fine."
Now he really did know what it felt like.
There was a movement behind Tom, making Tord look up. Tom followed his gaze to the wall as it descended again.
It wasn't who Tord was expecting, but he was relieved to see them.
"You, Yan!?" Tord stood up, walking over to the glass.
"Red!" You and Yan ran up to the surface, greeting their former leader.
"How did you guys know I was here?" The shorter asked.
"The General practically bragged about it." You rolled his eyes, "He never shuts up."
Yan pushed him aside, scanning over Tord, "Are you hurt?"
"No." Tord shook his head, "But Pau-"
"We know..." You frowned as he rubbed the back of his neck, "He follows the General everywhere, helping him with stuff ever since you arrived."
A pile of boxes fell behind the duo as a kid in a white cap groaned on the ground.
"Clay, we told you not to follow us!" Yan scolded.
"Clay!" Tord grinned.
"Tord!" Clay hurriedly ran over, touching the glass, "I wanted to see you, so I followed them."
"There also seems to be no way of getting you out without a password," Yan said, pointing to the wall where there was a keypad.
Tord sighed, "Of course."
"But there has to be something we can do!" Clay whined.
The Norsk looked at the boy, then Tom, who was standing away from them. He smiled as an idea started to form.
"Actually, there is something you can do." He spoke to his friends.
After a day of searching to make sure they weren't correct about the kidnapping, Matt, Edd, and Pat were in Edd's apartment once more, with Pat pacing the room and whispering to himself.
"I should've known. I should've expected this." Pat muttered, "The Red Army always gets its way..."
"The Red Army?" Edd perked up at that last statement, "Why do you think they were taken by The Red Army?"
"The Red Army is our only enemy at this point. Tord's father would do anything to make sure Tord stays."
"But why would they take Tom?" Matt asked.
Pat stopped pacing at that question, 'Oh, right... they don't know.'
"Uhm- uh-"
"Maybe as leverage against us?" Edd spoke.
"Yes." Pat nodded, "He was taken for leverage."
'Saved...' Pat breathed in relief.
There was a knock at the door, prompting Edd to get up to open it.
"Can I help you?" He asked the three strangers; two adults and one child.
The blonde with diamond-blue eyes spoke, "Hello, we were wondering if you've seen a Pat Dudzik around here?"
"It's important we talk to him." The ravenet with charcoal grey eyes spoke.
"I mean, I don't know his last name, but there is a Pat here," Edd told them.
"May we come in?" The dark-haired person asked.
The brunet looked at them warily, eyeing the guns they had around their shoulders.
"We won't try anything," He looked to his partner, glaring at him lightly, "I promise."
Edd hummed, "Sure."
They walked inside, immediately noticing Pat standing in the kitchen doorframe.
"Pat!" You quickly ran over to hug him.
"Ah-! You? Yan? What are you guys doing here?" He questioned, trying to inch his way out of the hug.
"Why does everyone forget about me?" Clay complained.
"Wha- Clay!? Forget about you two; you brought a kid along on your journey?" Pat glared at them.
"Hey, don't blame us; he's the one who snuck on board." You crossed his arms.
"And we're here," Yan pulled You away from Pat as the room was silent, "Because your friends have been taken to the army base."
"So Pau, Tord, and Tom were taken by the Red Army?" Edd asked.
Yan nodded as Pat sighed, "I knew it- the army always gets what it wants."
You and Yan looked at him in sympathy.
"First, it was Pau-" Pat groaned as he leaned against the doorframe.
"About Pau-" You spoke, only to get cut off.
"Then it was Tord." He continued, "Ah, this is too much..."
"Pat." You spoke up, getting Pat's attention.
"What is it?" Pat looked at the blonde.
"Uhm- well..." You looked at him nervously. Then he pulled Yan in front of him, "You tell him, Yan!"
The ravenet rolled his eyes, then looked at Pat with reluctance, "Pau... he's a traitor."
There was silence across the room as Pat whispered, "What?"