We're doomed.
Dante thought as he and Reagan sat uncomfortably close together in the back of a van with Green Rebellion members huddled all around them. They jostled and bumped into each other as the van rattled and shook whenever it drove over a bump on the road. At one point, Dante softly apologized to the rebel sitting next to him when he accidentally elbowed him in the ribs, but was thanked with nothing but a scowl in return.
Thankfully the trip was mercifully short, all things considered, and the van came to a skidding stop.
"Out." A rebel opened the van's doors and growled.
With guns aimed at their heads, Dante and Reagan wordlessly shuffled out of the van with their arms raised.
Once fresh air hit his face, Dante took the liberty to survey their surroundings. Nothing but woods for miles, it seems. They were on a narrow stretch of dirt road with no hints as to where civilization might be headed.
Metal clasping around his wrists roused Dante out of his thoughts and he realized with a sinking feeling of dread that he'd been cuffed in chains. "Come on, move!" A rebel thrusted his rifle to his back and shoved him forward.
"Hey, not so rough on the goods there, bruh!" Reagan teased as he was manhandled to walk beside Dante. Unlike Dante, the Irishman held a mask that was cheerful, curious, and faintly bored at the same time.
Surrounded by rebels on all sides, Dante remained close to Reagan as they were forced to trek down the dirt road. Lifting his head, Dante could see a walled wooden structure peeking above the tree canopy a good distance away. The rebel base camp!
"Well well well, it would seem we hit the jackpot today, eh falls?" Reagan drawled under his breath, too quiet for the rebels to hear him.
Dante looked at him in alarm.
"Our deal, remember?" Reagan rolled his eyes. "I help you get down to the bottom of the whole 'blowing up Red Army bases' ordeal, and you'd set me free. Now that we're at the heart of the problem, things should run much quicker!"
"And pray tell how you expect me to get out of this one alive long enough to report any of this information back to the main base?" Dante hissed, shifting his eyes around the rebels in hopes none of them were eavesdropping on them.
Reagan shrugged. "Relax, I got this all under control." He said. "Besides, if you ever feel like you're in danger just use your charm and adorable puppy-dog eyes to seduce them! Easy peasy!"
"You're kidding right? I'm about as seductive as a cabbage." Dante growled, and added sullenly, "And I do not have puppy-dog eyes."
"Whatever you say." Reagan shook his head. "Just… Let me do most of the talking, aiight? You can just stand quietly in the corner and use your spy smarts to take in any intel we acquire. But remember, you OWE me one."
They fell quiet as they approached the camp gates, and the rebels standing guard nodded impassively as they went past them, straight into an open clearing leading up to a wide lake and various wooden lodges lining up the shore. A campfire circle lay in the middle, but there was no fire currently. Dante looked around, his eyes wide. There were rebels everywhere; training in groups, sitting together by the lodge steps or by the lake, standing atop the watchtowers observing them.
A wooden signboard caught his eye; three faces were plastered beneath the words 'WANTED'. Dante twisted to try and stare at the faces as one of their guards hurried past. He could've sworn one of them was Red Leader… and one of the others was… but surely it couldn't be…
Dante gulped.
By now, the other rebels around camp realized there were strangers amongst them and they gathered around, staring at them curiously as they formed a half-circle around them as they walked past.
Their guards steered them through the tangles of people, keeping one hand firmly settled on their shoulders; guns still aimed at the back of their heads. Soon Dante realized that the same wanted signs posted near the entrance were plastered all over the camp, hung from walls, pinned to trees, and nailed to boards. He got the chance to peer at one more closely when they stopped at the steps of the main lodge.
There's no mistake - that's Reagan! They're really looking for him. Reagan, Red Leader, and a man I've never seen before. But why?
A pang of fear and regret shot through him. Damn! I never should've roped Reagan into this! I just delivered him straight to the Rebellion's hands.
Word spread quickly through the rebel camp, and a massive crowd had amassed to observe them. Dante was appalled to find children - literal children, who should be in school worrying about grades - leering back at them amidst the crowd with bared teeth.
A wave of shame washed over Dante as he stared helplessly at the kids. The Green Rebellion must've taken them in after the war started. He deduced. He hated the fact that the war the Red Army started had split so many families, and he wished it hadn't come to this. That's the one aspect about his job he hated the most, but he knew there were divisions in the Red Army specialized in amending this unfortunate collateral damage.
Dante's heart thumped as they stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the lodge. Should they try to run? Wasn't it possible - even likely - that Green Leader would take one look at them and call for their execution? He got Reagan now, for whatever purpose of his, and who knows how long Dante will live up to be useful. Lest not forget, Green Leader orchestrated the destruction of several Red Army bases and the death of thousands of soldiers with his own secret weapon. What sort of mercy can be expected from him?
Stay calm. Focus! I mustn't panic and run wild with thoughts. Remembering his training, Dante took deep breaths.
He needs to be ready for what's to come, and brace himself for the worst. No doubt he will be interrogated, tortured, and killed once he was deemed worthless. But he won't be taken down so easily. All the secrets Dante holds about the Red Army will die with him; that's part of the oath he'd sworn on the day he finished his training and was promoted to spy. He knows if he spills any secrets more people will die, and so it rests with him to make it through whatever torture methods the rebellion has in store for him.
Tears pricked the corners of his eyes and his breath became labored with anxiety. It's now or never.
Two men came barging out of the doors of the lodge. The shorter of the two had dark brown hair, brown eyes, a scowl on his face, a mustache, and he wore a blue sash around his head, and a dark green military uniform. The uniform itself looked handmade, with varying shades of green stitched together along the outfit and fake badges sewn in. The other man was tall, and big, and the only trait Dante could make out about him was a head of messy brown hair as his face was obscured by a gas mask. He wore the same outfit as seen on the broadcast; an eye-catching green hoodie and black coat that swirled in the breeze.
Green Leader.
The man was huge and intimidating, and Dante briefly wondered how many Red Army soldiers it would take to bring him down in hand-to-hand combat alone. He always found Red Leader's presence imposing, but with Green Leader standing directly in front of him he found himself shrinking away from his masked gaze.
The man in question stopped suddenly, and for a split second Dante was actually concerned he might have read his mind. But the man was standing at the top of the stairs, staring straight at Reagan.
"What's the meaning of this?" The shorter man demanded. Dante guessed he might be the second in command.
"Green Leader," One of the guards escorting them dipped his head. "We found these two skulking around town. They came in on the ferry along with the rest of the refugees."
"I got this." Reagan whispered and cleared his throat. "Greetings, Green Leader! Word around the grapevine is that you're looking for me, is that correct?" He smiled that signature cheshire, sh#t eating grin.
Green Leader did not respond. Dante could hear his ragged breathing echoing through the mask's modulator. His trembling fists balled on either side of him.
The shorter man glared at Reagan but quickly turned to his leader with a look of concern. "Let me-" He tried to speak while placing a hand on his shoulder, but Green Leader tore away from him before he could finish.
Dante held his breath as Green Leader stormed down the stairs, approaching them, only for him to unceremoniously throw a left hook straight into Reagan's face.
The crowd hissed and gasped in unison as Reagan fell to the ground with a startled cough. "That… that was uncalled for." He groaned, rubbing his sore cheek.
"Eh- I mean- Green Leader!" The commander hurried forward to join his leader's side. "Calm down, sir. Let me handle this one."
Reagan staggered to his feet. "Hot stuff? Is that really you?" He called. "I had a feeling you would be involved with the rebellion, but I never imagined that you would be one of the top dogs in charge! Nice mustache, by the way." He whistled.
"Shut it, you!" The man grabbed Reagan by the collar of his shirt and dragged him forward until they were nose to nose with each other.
"You were warned to stay away." Green Leader cut in, his voice thrumming with a deep echo. "Why are you here?"
"And who is that loser?" Eduardo motioned to Dante, who was standing there in stunned silence the whole time.
All eyes turned on Dante and he felt himself shrink beneath his skin. He took a deep breath, remembering his training, and opened his mouth to speak. "I'm here to-"
"Oh, he is nobody, really." Reagan chuckled. "Just my next work in progress to get back in the Red Leader's good graces. You know the drill."
"Because that worked so well for you last time." Hot stuff sneered.
"Hey, I believe in second chances, don't you?" Reagan shrugged innocently. "Speaking of which; you wouldn't happen to know Eddie's whereabouts, would yah?"
The man dropped Reagan to the ground and delivered a swift kick to his gut that had driven the wind out of him, as he lay curled up retching and gulping by his feet.
"Don't hurt him!" Dante cried out.
The man paid Dante no heed, but Green Leader turned to stare at him. "Are there more of you?"
"You know," Reagan rasped as he picked himself up back from the ground again before Dante could reply. "I've been told one is quite enough of me. It's a vicious lie, of course. I for one think five hundred of me would be delightful, actually!"
"Christ," The second in command glowered in distaste. "I cannot imagine anything more obnoxious."
"Speak for yourself! Falls here agrees with me whole-heartedly." Reagan said, nudging Dante with his elbow. "He's been through so much already… he can handle however many Reagans life throws at him, eh pal?"
Dante blinked and gave Reagan a small sideways smile, trying not to laugh at his antics. Call him optimistic, but was Reagan seriously trying to cheer him up in an unsettling situation? If he was, it was working.
"What are your orders, sir?" A tall man with a bald head and military clothing approached. "Should we execute these two sorry lumps?"
"No!" Green Leader and the second in command said at the same time. The shorter man shot his leader a surprised look.
Green Leader cleared his throat. "Take them to the prison. We'll interrogate them." He ordered. "I'd like to speak to this… Falls, alone."
Dante lifted his chin, trying to look brave in the face of the Green Leader.
"And I'll handle the pest." The second in command cracked his knuckles gleefully, eyes glittering with an unknown threat to them.
Dante and Reagan were led to a different cabin on the edge of the woods and placed in separate holding rooms. Dante shot Reagan a rueful glance as they split up, wishing they had been given the opportunity to properly converse alone before being interrogated.
The guards forced him to sit down and cuffed him to the arms of the chair. Dante did not bother struggling, as Green Leader walked into the room as soon as the guards had left.
For several heartbeats, neither of them spoke. Green Leader stared at him with that motionless mask of his, and Dante tried to keep his breathing under control while also strategizing the best way to go about this.
"Who are you?" Green Leader asked.
"I'm Henry. Henry Falls." Dante lied smoothly. "I'm a reporter for The Daily Tea."
"How do you know Reagan?"
How do you know him? Dante wanted to retort but held himself back. "We met a couple weeks back. He offered to help me with my job." Which wasn't entirely untrue.
Green Leader snorted. "And I suppose in exchange for his help he would offer you a place in the Red Army, correct?"
Dante stared at the Green Leader evenly. "I know nothing of the sort."
"Ah," Said Green Leader, tilting his head while his gaze pinned Dante to the chair like an exotic insect, studying every inch of his features. "Really. So… you're not here about the reward?"
What reward? Dante shook his head. "I don't know anything about any reward. Reagan was just helping me find juicy material about the war for my website." He said. "Why? What is he to you?"
Rule #5 of espionage- If captured, NEVER ask the questions. You're the one tied down getting tortured and questioned. Your captors don't have to answer anything unless they already decided they don't plan to let you live to tell the tale, and that's a sure fire way to get yourself killed.
Dante knew he was playing with fire, but the question came naturally to him and he sensed he wasn't in immediate danger. Yet.
He wasn't surprised when Green Leader did not reply right away. Instead the rebellion leader straightened up and rummaged through the inner pocket of his large coat. At one point Dante was sure he heard a quiet 'mrrrp' coming from within, but did not question it as the Green Leader pinned a sheaf of crumpled loose pages before him. The papers crinkled stiffly in his fingers as he moved away, allowing Dante to lean forward to read them.
REWARD REWARD REWARD
For any information regarding Red Leader's plans and whereabouts.
For any information leading to the whereabouts of a Red Army soldier seen previously roaming London, known as Reagan Fitzroy Foley.
For any information regarding the present location of a rebel with striking orange hair named Matt Prince, last seen frequenting the Town Square Thursday, June 22.
Come before Green Leader with anything. Your safety guaranteed.
REWARD REWARD REWARD
Pictures of Red Leader and Reagan accompanied the words, along with another picture of a handsome man with fair skin and blue eyes he guessed was Matt. The picture of Red Leader was outdated, too. He appeared younger, and he bore no scars.
"I'm not surprised you don't know about this." Green Leader broke in. "Given you're not from around here, it's no wonder you trusted Reagan so easily. He is very good at getting under your skin with false promises."
"I don't know about that…" Dante murmured sheepishly.
"No need to be coy with me. I know." Green Leader hissed. "I know you believe Reagan is your friend, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Whatever he said to you these past couple of weeks - whatever he promised you - trust me, it's all just a ploy to get you to join the Red Army."
Dante blinked in surprise. Now everything was starting to make sense. Reagan's words from earlier when they first got here… Was Green Leader under the impression Reagan was a recruitment program agent? And Dante was his new client? Reagan was a lot smarter than Dante gave him credit for. He baited the Green Leader into believing his words and exempt Dante from all suspicion. Green Leader wasn't going to torture him for information, because he believes he is a victim.
"You sound confident. How can you be sure?" Dante dared to ask.
Green Leader heaved an audible sigh behind his mask. "Believe me, I know so. Reagan would do whatever it takes to get what he wants, even conning innocent people into joining his side." He shook his head. "But enough about that. Let's get down to business; have you seen this man?" He tapped the picture of Matt on the poster. "Has Reagan ever mentioned him in any way?"
Dante shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. I'm sorry."
This answer didn't seem to make Green Leader any happier. He hissed quietly behind the mask, and turned away.
"I apologize if this is too bold of me to ask, but," Dante said slowly, testing the waters. "Why were you looking for Reagan anyway? From what I've seen it just doesn't seem like you enjoy being anywhere near him. "
Green Leader laughed, and that reaction startled Dante more so than had he angrily shut him up instead. The man in the gas mask glanced back at him. "It's that obvious, huh?" He shook his head. "F#ck… I admit, yes, I did not expect to see him in person again. Last I saw him, I explicitly told Reagan to stay away from me. But my men convinced me he could be useful so I gave in and let them put up posters for him. Even so, I wasn't prepared for the possibility of seeing him again so soon."
Yet another trait Green Leader and Red Leader majorly differ - Green Leader isn't afraid to rant to strangers. Dante never expected in his wildest dreams that a rebellion leader who orchestrated the destruction of several army bases to simply air out his feelings to anyone. It gave Dante the impression that Green Leader was a lot more casual than he appeared. Less cunning, and more easygoing. Red Leader could never!
But more importantly, Green Leader seems to personally know Reagan. What kind of history do they share? Dante wondered. Probably one of animosity, given Green leader's words.
Dante frowned. "What does it matter what your men think? You're the Green Leader at the end of the day. Surely any choice you make overrides their decisions?"
"Indeed. But as Green Leader I owe my people the chance of having their voices heard." Green Leader murmured, peering out the window, his back turned. "I may not agree with them all the time… but I must do what is right to end this war. If Reagan has the answers we seek, then we need him. It's as simple as that."
Dante narrowed his eyes, studying Green Leader closely. He didn't look particularly confident in his words. Almost as if… it was rehearsed somehow. Or told to him. This line of reasoning clearly wasn't Green Leader's. On another note… just answers? Does he even know Reagan had long been demoted and stripped of his ranking? Or that Reagan is the secret weapon? Shouldn't the Green Leader act more ecstatic at the thought of having the Red Army's secret weapon in his custody?
Reading body language was one of the most vital parts of becoming a spy, and without proper training of your own it is hard to obscure your emotions with your body. Normally there are slip ups, but Green Leader's body language was neutral; if not subdued. He's not hiding anything.
But if the Green Leader doesn't know the truth about Reagan, then what do they want with him?
Meanwhile, in the room next door, Reagan was forcefully chained down to a chair. He didn't fight it, only looking at the rebels with amusement before they left him alone with hot stuff, who wouldn't stop glaring daggers at him.
Hot stuff leaned down, towering over Reagan. "Let's start out simple shall we?"
"Capiche!" Reagan chuckled.
"Where is Red Leader?" Hot stuff asked. "How do I get to him?"
Reagan rolled his eyes. "In some mountains in Norway. But you knew that already." He smirked. "Or are we just going to pretend the deal between us never happened?"
(Flashback… )
Five years ago…
"You came!" Reagan straightened up from the brick wall he was leaning against as Eduardo stepped out of the shadows toward him. "Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Yes." Eduardo growled, producing a file in his hands. "Do you have the payment?"
"Yeah yeah! All the available info I could scrounge up about the Red Army and Red Leader himself in return for my hit list," Reagan said matter of factly as they exchanged files. "And the promise to never go near Eddie and ginger again. You're not still upset about me shanking you in the guts, are you?"
"And you're certain this will help me take down the Red Army?" Eduardo ignored him in favor of asking his own question.
Reagan shrugged. "Beats me. Knowledge is power, I guess, but it means nothing if you don't have the weapons to back that up. I guess it all comes down to what way you're going about this." He murmured, filing through the pages upon pages detailing all the information on his former gang and his traitorous family. "Honestly, by the time I am done with my personal hitlist you may not even need to go after Red yourself. I'll be sure to keep you in my thoughts when I gouge out his throat!"
Eduardo snorted. "I'll be sure to know of your success when the Red Army makes it to the news."
"Cheer for me, would yah, hot stuff? ~" Reagan blew him a kiss and stalked away with a sway of his hips.
Back to the present, Eduardo scowled back at Reagan with his arms crossed over his chest. "So much for that info, and what good did that do? You didn't even manage to kill Red like you promised. Now it's up to me to clean up your mess."
"Yeah, well, I ran into some trouble along the way but mark my words, that's still very much in my plans for the foreseeable future." Reagan said. "That's why, I figured, I would have better odds working with you guys! Same goals and all, eh?"
"Absolutely not."
"Oh come on!" Reagan groaned, straining against the cuffs in his chair. "There's no need to torture info out of me - I am an open book! Any and all info that I have on the reds is yours for all I care! We don't need to destroy this unsteady alliance we have going on, hot stuff."
"You really expect me to believe you came all this way just to join forces with us? I'm not buying it." Eduardo hissed, glaring down at Reagan. "Why are you really here? What did you hope to accomplish by coming back? Did Red Leader send you to spy on us?"
"Ha!" Reagan barked out a strangled laugh. "As if! Red Leader hates my guts, don't you know? After I tried to kill him and all, I got… demoted, let's leave it at that. I assure you I have no intentions of spying or backstabbing any of you. I just want Red Leader dead, same as you." Yeah, I leave the spying stuff to Falls. Hopefully the bashful soldier won't give himself away during his own interrogation.
Eduardo pinched the bridge of his nose with a frustrated sigh. "I'm tired of your games. You better start talking now, and you better do so quickly. Because I have just about seven reasons why you should spill the beans…" He grabbed Reagan and leaned closer, his eyes glowing a vivid green. "Before it's too late and I simply decide to burn you to a crisp."
Reagan hissed through his teeth and flared his nostrils as Eduardo moved his hand up towards the side of his neck, singeing the skin there with one finger by using his powers. It didn't escape Eduardo's notice that Reagan's face bore blemishes, old wounds and scars across his skin.
Damn. Someone got to him before I could. Eduardo thought. Lucky bastards. "Don't test my patience now."
"So the rumors are true then." Reagan flinched, eyeing the glowing green hand lurking menacingly close to his neck with keen interest and a faintly amused expression. "That's very interesting. And may I inquire how you came about these lovely super powers of yours? From one super-powered individual to another."
"Not a chance." Eduardo said, lifting his palm higher.
"You know, if you are still pissed off about Red coming in and taking away your friends I can lend you a hand, man." Reagan sputtered, eyes wide. "There's no need for threats here. And really, given how mad berserk Red B#tch was when I tried to snag Eddie into the army; chances are, he is not going to hurt him-"
"What are you babbling about?" Eduardo narrowed his eyes, pulling his hand away.
Reagan relaxed. "Red Leader. Did he take Eddie and ginger?" He asked, concealing the desperation in his voice with a lax tone. "I saw the apartment complex when I came to look for you. I saw the wanted posters. The Red Army took them?"
"None of your business!" Eduardo growled defensively. "And why do you care anyway? Last I checked, Edd was just a business opportunity for you and nothing else. He warned you to stay far away from him, didn't he? He made his intentions and dislike towards you perfectly clear, so you shouldn't be surprised to be greeted by a punch in the face after all these years-"
"Wait," Reagan cut him off, wide eyed. "Are you telling me… good ol' Eddie is Green Leader?"
Eduardo stopped ranting, biting the inside of his cheek in a sudden flare of annoyance. Sh#t. Eduardo! Think before you speak, damnit.
He did not reply, but his silence was answer enough for Reagan.
For several heartbeats Reagan just sat there in stunned silence, processing this new piece of information as he imagined the face behind the gas mask. Suddenly a wide grin split his face and his eyes became half-lidded. "Oh my!" If his hands were free he would be fanning himself - was the room hot? "Hot stuff I might just have to demote you to 'stache now, cause HOT DAMN! Now that… that is a big ass man with the proper strength to snap my spine in half!"
"Knock it off! Quit thirsting after my friend!" Eduardo growled, eye twitching. He lurched forward and grabbed Reagan by the neck again. "That is precisely why I won't let you go anywhere near him again."
Reagan's smile did not falter. "I'm simply offering my services and loyalty to your little group. I reckon you might need all the help you can get to take down Red, and I am more than willing to assist!" He added. "I figured you were desperate for my help since you've been trying so hard to catch me."
"That's irrelevant to me now." Eduardo said gruffly. "One last thing, where is Matt?"
"Last I saw ginger, he was pointing a gun at my head when Eddie demanded I stay away from you lot, but that's about it. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, 'Stache." Reagan replied airily. His grin only widened when Eduardo fumed with frustration. "If he's gone missing… If ginger was caught by the Reds, I can help you get him back."
"What makes you think we need you in the first place?" Eduardo demanded.
"Huh, hello? The wanted posters you have for me? The guys in black you ordered to come after me? Or the fact you've been targeting any Red Army base I've been previously stationed at for the last couple of weeks?"
To his surprise, Eduardo chuckled darkly. "And what makes you think we're the ones who wanted you?"
Reagan blinked. "Well… I did. Right before that creepy laugh of yours. I mean… If you're not hunting me down, then who else? I sincerely doubt you are secretly working for the Reds this whole time."
"Oh no, of course not." Eduardo drawled, tidying up Reagan and then patting him condescendingly on his scarred cheek. "But there's more than one person of interest who is eager to make use of… someone with your particular skill set."
For the first time tonight, Reagan felt as if a massive lump were stuck in his throat, choking the air out of him; and for a brief moment he actually considered the possibility of his heart physically lodging up in his throat.
"You fool. ~" The voice snickered in his ear. "You have no heart, remember? ~"
This wasn't what he expected to discover when he came across the Green Rebellion.
"There are many uses for a monster like you. My supplier will be thrilled to know we have you in our custody." Eduardo continued, driven on by the fear in Reagan's eyes. "Now, thanks to you, we can move forward with our plans."
"Y-you can't get rid of me!" Reagan managed to choke out. 'Stache might not be working with Red directly, but what if he is in cahoots with Bing somehow? A cold jolt of terror shot through his spine. "You already have me where you want. The Red Army won't stand a chance against our powers combined now that they don't have a super weapon of their own anymore. I am perfectly willing to lend you my loyalty when the time comes to crush Red - what more do you need?"
"How about insurance?" Eduardo hissed. "I can't trust you. You already hurt my friends once before, and I need a guarantee that the Red Leader dies."
"And this ally of yours can make sure of that? What do they have that I don't?!" Reagan exclaimed. Then he paused, taking a deep breath. He was losing his composure. Eyes on the prize, Foley. Don't lose your cool now. "Look," He said slowly. "You already worked hard to pave the way to Red Leader's painful demise. Blowing up the bases to rile him up was a ballsy move for sure - not sure if I'd have done it personally, but kudos to you for effort! And I am grateful you and Eddie went out of your way to secure my freedom, so why would I ever turn my ire back on you guys? Let's leave whatever misunderstandings we've had in the past! This can be the start of a beautiful alliance between us! Surely Eddie wouldn't be on board with trading me for whatever supplies this ally of yours is offering?"
"Edd is not aware of everything." Eduardo confessed.
The last shred of hope of talking his way out of this mess abandoned him, and Reagan stared at Eduardo in bewilderment. "So… you're going behind Eddie's back to kill Red? Blowing up the bases, finding me… it was all just so you could trade me for supplies?"
Eduardo leaned closer. "Just between you and me; Edd may look the part of leader, but I am the one who truly calls the shots around here. He's just my understudy - a perfect role model to inspire troops, if you will." He bragged, eyes blazing. "Don't get me wrong, I like Edd. Yeah he can be an ass at times, but his heart is in the right place - even if that place sometimes is misguided. But he doesn't have the guts to get his hands dirty. It took me an eternity to convince him to make those wanted posters for you! But once I assured him he wouldn't have to interact with you in any way, the operation was good to go."
"What's going to happen to me?" Reagan demanded flatly. "Since your victory relies so heavily on your alliance, I at least have the right to know what awaits me."
"Meh, who knows? I didn't bother with the details." Eduardo shrugged. "The moment I learned Red Leader would die if I handed you over I was set."
Reagan had never been gladder for all the years spent practicing his poker face. He barely managed to hold back the expression of surprise and apprehension that threatened to take over him right then and there.
"Why are you telling me all this then?"
Eduardo smirked. "Stupid rat, what makes you think you're capable of doing good on anything I tell you?" He produced a syringe with a vivid green concoction inside the vial. This time, Reagan did flinch. "I'm not taking any chances with you." He grabbed Reagan.
"Ow- wait!"
Before he could protest, Eduardo plunged the needle into the side of his neck and pressed down. The effects were instantaneous. Reagan felt his blood burn, something inside of him shrieking in agony as all of his strength ebbed away. By the time Eduardo stepped back, Reagan felt as though he couldn't even lift a finger anymore.
He kept his head down as Eduardo exited the holding cell, and he strained his hearing to listen beyond the room.
"Did he say anything?" He heard Eddie ask through his silly voice modulator. Now that Reagan knew the truth, he wanted to laugh at his disguise but sadly he didn't have the strength for it.
"Nothing we don't already know." Eduardo grumbled. "You got anything out of the loser?"
"No. He's just a civilian." Edd sighed. Reagan smiled knowing Falls didn't blow his cover. Thank Christ almighty for Eddie's poor interrogation skills! "What's going to happen to Reagan now?"
"Don't worry about it, Edd. If everything goes according to plan, and I'll make sure they do, Reagan will be gone next nightfall."