Find Me [Completed]

P31: Road Trip

Edd held tightly onto the steering wheel of the blue van he was driving. Tom sat in the passenger seat, and the two's daughters were chatting up a storm in the back seats. The four were on their way to the nearest mall, because the girls wanted to go shopping like typical young girls do.

Edd glanced over at Tom, who stared blankly at the road ahead. It had been close to five weeks since he'd started acting so weirdly. He never did figure out just what was going on. Tom never spoke to him or Matt, only Tord. In fact, he didn't talk to anyone but Tord. Tord would always be smiling and laughing, and Tom always wore the same dead expression that everyone had started to grow accustomed to on him.

Edd was worried. He was really worried. He glanced over at Tom. Yup, still just sitting perfectly still and staring ahead at the road. He then glanced at the rear view mirror to check on their daughters. Yup, still arguing over whether pink or black was the better colour. Thankfully their bickering added some type of atmosphere to the car ride.

"So, Tom..." Edd started, looking back at the road. "You're awfully quiet lately. Did something happen with you and Tord?" He asked, not expecting an answer like the other times he'd tried to ask Tom something as of late.

"No." Tom surprisingly answered. A soft clicking sound came from his visor, and Edd noticed Tom jolt slightly in his seat.

"Something wrong?" Edd asked, curiously.

"No." Tom repeated his previous answer. "Take a right in 500 metres. Our destination is on the left." He guided Edd, who did just as Tom said. He pulled into a vacant parking space near the entrance of the mall.

The four got out of the van, and the girls immediately ran off to the entrance of the mall and out of sight.

Edd went to follow the girls, but stopped when he heard Tom call his name. "What is it?" He asked as Tom went around the front of the car.

"Your ruse is up." Tom told Edd with his deadpan expression.

"What?" Edd asked, unsure of what Tom was talking about.

"Did you think we wouldn't figure it out?" Tom asked.

"Figure what out? Tom, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Edward Gold, you are are charged with coercing with an enemy faction and treason against the Red Army."

Edd's mind races. How on Earth had he been figured out? Were the others figured out too? If Tom knew then Tord obviously knew too...

Edd's thoughts were cut short as Tom pulled a laser pistol from his waist and aimed it at him. "Tom, let's not do anything rash... I swear that I can explain! I have a good reason for what I've done..."

"Your excuses are arbitrary." Tom responded. "The punishment for your actions is immediate termination." He said, and Edd could hear the electric-powered gun warming up its fatal shot.

"They were going to hurt my family! I had no choice, Tom!" Edd pleaded with his long time friend.

Edd heard the ready beep of the pistol and squeezed his eyes shut. He thought of Matt and Mateya, and imagined what a normal life would have been like with them. A big out with a white picket fence out front, and a cat who would go on adventures with them.

A silent moment passed.

And then another.

Edd opened his eyes. Tom was still standing with the pistol aimed at Edd's forehead. His finger was on the trigger, but Edd could see Tom's hands shaking slightly.

Then, in a complete blur, Tom placed the barrel of the pistol under the bottom ridge of his visor and shot up through the machine.

"Tom!" Edd exclaimed, hurrying to his friend who doubled down to his knees.