~+A week later: In the evening+~

Tom met up with Jayden first since he offered to drive them to the movie theater. The captain came in his sleek black sports car much to Tom's amusement.

"Feel like showing off?" Tom says opening the door to the passenger side.

Jayden laughs as he waves his hand, "Just want to make a good first impression on your friends."

"You shouldn't worry you know. Edd and Matt will be cool with you." Tom says setting into the passenger seat and closing the door after him. He sets his hands on his lap and looks to his former partner. "You can already tell on the phone call from last week they find you intriguing enough."

Jayden hums as he pulls the shift on the car to start driving again to head to the movie house. "Yeah, but you never know. I can't really tell if your friend in the red hoodie, Tord if I recall correctly, is fond of me though." He turns the wheel to make a right and then stops at a red light. "He was just quiet."

"Don't mind him, we're not really close... never have been actually except when we were kids." Tom tells him as he leans against the car door.

"Did something happen, if I may ask?"

Tom stayed silent for a moment while he lets the car radio fill in the silence.

"I'm not sure, it just happened."

Jayden didn't pry into the backstory anymore than needed when he heard Tom say that. It seemed like a sensitive topic to touch upon. So the officer focused on the light when it turned green, signaling he could finally go.

Tom closes his eyes and enjoys the music playing in the car. He hums along to the tune, allowing Jayden to listen to his crush's love for music.

Back when they were partners, lots of times on patrol Tom would start humming to the car radio before singing with an amazing voice. It was always calming or energetic. Sometimes even loving or sad which wrapped around the man's heart in a mixture of emotions.

"Thomas."

Tom peeked an eye open to look over at Jayden, "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say, if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate to ask me." Tom could note the serious in his tone but he smiles none the less.

"I hear you, Jay."

Jayden smiles and lets the two of them continue the peace in the music and Tom's humming sometimes as a bonus treat to sing some of the lyrics.

Soon enough they made it to the movie house where Tom saw three familiar hoodies as Jay's car passes by. There was Edd, Matt, and Tord waiting at the entrance of the building for them.

"Do you want me to drop you off? I can find a parking spot by myself." Jay asks slowing his driving a bit.

"It's fine, let's just find one and head out together."

Jay nods and turns the wheel to enter a parking lot. It took them a couple of minutes to eventually find one relatively close to the building so they wouldn't have to walk far later.

They get out after parking the car, Tom waiting a moment for Jayden to check if he got everything before they lock the car. The caramel hair officer then jogs over to his friend and they start walking together to meet up with the others.

Edd was the one to notice them first since he had been keeping an eye out for them. He pushes himself off the wall he had been leaning on to greet the two men with his usual cheerful smile.

"Tom!" The man himself was greeted with a strong hug from his best friend.

Tom hugs him back with a soft smile after being surprised attack with he action. "Hey Edd, it's good to see you again. If you could just loosen your grip, I'd be better."

The two laugh once the brunet lets him go. Edd looks to Jayden with a welcoming smile. "Nice to meet you in person Jayden, I'm Edd."

"Nice to meet you too Edd." The two of them shake hands with strong grips to make a good first impression.

Matt and Tord came over in order to greet them too. Tord stood with his hands stuffed in his pokects while Matt greeted his friend with a hug like Edd. Then the ginger went over to Edd and Jayden to get acquainted, thus leaving Tord and Tom where they stood near each other.

"Witness."

"Commie."

Tom crosses his arms over his chest with an unimpressed expression settled on his face. Honestly he wished it was just Edd and Matt who came to watch the movie with him and Jayden.

Tord is looking back at Tom with an almost bored look on his face. "So you're a policeman now. Nice to know you finally can get a job."

"Legal enough for me to deal with, plus I can put some of my skills to use." Tom's been itching for a job where he can use his wheel of skills on a bigger board. The police force welcomed him in with open arms after taking a few on field and paper viewed tests.

The Norwegian rolls his eyes, if anything he thought the police force was holding Tom back from his true potential.

"To-"

"Tom!" Jayden says slinging his arm around his former partner's shoulders. "Let's get our tickets for the movie. Edd and Matt told me they got theirs already."

Tord noticed the way Tom smiles when the captain of the police force slips in, rudely might he add. But Tom didn't seem to mind it one bit since his posture loses some tension to it.

"Oh, yeah. Let's go do that before they sell out. I head the movie we're watching is pretty popular." Tom started turning around with Jayden so that they could head to the ticket stand to buy their tickets.

This leaving Tord completely alone where Tom just used to occupy. Tord clenched to his fists by his side's tightly going unnoticed by the friendly duo.

Edd on the other had noticed it, quickly going over to him. He leans over whispering to his boyfriend to calm him down. On the other hand, Matt was watching them unsure why his two friends were being so weird lately.

He's been noticing their action in the house since their friend, Tom, left the house. They were both sometimes together, once and awhile the ginger would catch them totally on their own unlike when Tom was around which was almost 24/7.

Matt rubs at his chin in thought.

Something definitely is going on, maybe he could pull the couple down for a talk just to talk one of these days.

Soon enough, the group headed inside the theater and got to their seats. Matt was the first to enter the isle, then Edd, next Tord, Tom, and finally Jayden. Tom had to count himself unlucky that Tord just had to take the seat on the other side of him.

He had wished for either Matt or Edd to take that seat, but no, it just had to be the Commie.

He didn't bother himself with the fact but just to lose himself in the movie. This movie was supposedly suppose to add into the series from Insane Zombies From Hell.

Oh yes, the opening had been really suspenseful that Tom didn't expect it to be really good then its predecessors. In fact, it really did surpass the grade quality that had Tom hiding his face in his hoodie.

He peeked out just at the wrong moment where a jump scare got him bolting out of his seat. He couldn't remember the last time he ran out at full speed like a beast was on his tail.

"Oh dear," Jayden heard Matt say from his seat. "It's been awhile since I've seen Tom get scared of a movie."

"Just means the movie is top quality." Edd whispers back.

What surprised Jayden next was the Tord fellow getting up from his seat and walking out. Jayden was just about to do the same to go check on Tom but Edd stopped him.

"Hey Jayden, it's best to leave Tord to handle Tom." The brunet advised him quietly as he got the officer to sit back down. "When Tom runs like that, Tord knows just how to take care of calming him down."

Jayden is concern for Tom, but these are Tom's old friends so they probably know more than he does. So he trusts that Tord will help Tom the best he can.

Meanwhile, Tord had indeed followed after Tom after the man had bolted from the theater. He found the Witness standing outside in the crisp cold air standing near the show posters hugging himself.

He could see the Brit's breath as he tries to calm himself down.

"Hey."

Tom looks his way, not really having the ability to glare at him when his nerves are still all jumbled up. Not a word left his mouth, Tord making a note that the jump scare must have really startled him.

He moves over to Tom carefully and stands next to him.

Tom closes his eyes and lets Tord stand next to him quietly. In the past, Tord would always do this when ever the horror of a movie they were watching scared him too much. At first he was against the whole idea of it, but the system kinda stuck.

Then he felt something warm place around his back and around his shoulders.

He opens his eyes, his vsion slightly covered with a red fabric. Tom pulls the fabric down and looks at his childhood rival without his red colored hoodie on, now only dawned in his grey shirt, black pants, and sneakers.

Tom ripped the hoodie from around his shoulders and threw it back to Tord in the face. "Idiot, it's fucking cold out right now. Keep you hoodie on!"

"I'm trying to do something nice Witness." Came Tord's slightly muffled reply as he pulled his hoodie off his face.

"And I'm trying to do Edd a favor from taking care of your sick ass if you catch a cold."

They glare at each other until they break it with a turn of their head at the same time.

Tom opens his eyes and notices something a couple houses down across the street from the movie theater. He starts heading towards the house that caught his eye.

Tord, heading Tom walk away, looks back to see his rival walking away.

"Hey!"

Tom looks back at him and shakes his head. "Keep it down." He whispers. The Norwegian looks at him questionably but follows after him quietly.

They pass by at least five houses until they get to the six one across the street. Tord notices a light shadow on the curtains yet says nothing. He's pretty sure Tom already notices it as well.

The two of them move to the side of the house where they look into a small side window. The curtain of the window parted slightly allowing them the ability to see inside.

Before they look in they head a light tapping noise behind them.

Tom and Tord look back to see an old lady in the next house holding a piece of paper against the window.

'Help the girl! Please!'

Tom could see the pain and seriousness in the woman's expression. She looked so close to crying. He pulls out his police badge from his back pocket and flashes it to the woman who smiles in relief.

Tord is the one to peek inside first while Tom calms the woman with letting her know he's an officer of the law.

Looking inside he sees a young girl in a tattered purple dress. Bruises littered her lightly tanned skin and an injured eye she kept closed that looked almost as if she was crying blood. She looks malnourished while her ankle is chained to the floor that's she's fiddling with.

Tom finally looks in beside him and his eyes widen. A spark of anger and sympathy rushed through his body.

'Follow-my-lead.' Tord mouthed to him once the officer looked at him with lingering horror from the scene.

The brunet nods and they stealthily make their way to the back door. Both of them peer into a window with some view to see inside. They were just in time to see a rather large man making their way to her.

In a blink of an eye, the man had raised the bottle he was holding and hit it against the side of the door, shattering it into pieces. Only the neck and lower top half of the bottle left in his right hand.

"Stay still you good for nothing girl!" They could hear from the man as he dangerously approaches the girl. "I'm not in the mood for your disobedience." Hearing him slur his words, meaning he's drunk.

That was it, Tom split away from Tord to run to the front door. Banged his fist against the door really hard, "This is the police! Open the door!"

"Failure in doing so will result in using force!" Tom exclaims as he keeps banging the door like a madman. That girl had to be saved, what he was doing was definitely dangerous considering he's not their inside to help her if the man does anything rash after hearing him.

He had to count 5 second before opening the door with brute force. Tom had to take a couple steps back before doing a round house kick to break the door open.

He ran into the living room where he found the man covering the girl's mouth as she cried heavily. The dangerous man holding the sharp end of the broken bottle against her neck.

"Let go of their girl."

"Not a chance! Give me what I want and I might let this brat go." The slightly drunk man exclaims.

Tom clenches his teeth knowing he found himself in a hard spot. He couldn't make a move to pull out his hidden gun or it would be an act of more hostile attitude.

"Let me talk to her."

The least he could do was provide the girl comfort while hoping Tord would come up with something to help. At least, he hoped Tord would do something to help.

"Whatever..."

The man uncovers her mouth, but moved his free hand to hold at her neck, threatening, but not squeezing.

"Hello dear."

The girl coughs a few times and takes in a few shakes breaths. She looks up at him scared and trembling from her spot on the floor.

"It's okay... I'm here to help you." Tom felt a wave of pity for the girl who whispers possibly feeling so small. "My name is Tom, what's yours?"

"T-T-Ti-ka..."

Tom hums keeping his nerves calm as he could. He needs to treat this carefully as a hostage situation.

"Tika, what a lovely name." He tells her with a comforting smile. "Tell me dear, who is this man? Your father, uncle, or someone else?"

"M-My... Ugh- U-Un-cle."

"Your Uncle, I see..." Tom could tell there were some similar features they share. "Don't worry dear, I promise I'm going to help you."

"Huh, yeah right," The girl's Uncle grumbles out as he points the ends of his shattered bottle to Tom. "I got the upper hand here officer."

Tom narrows his eyes at him but notices the reflection on the widow behind the girl and her uncle. Tord looking at him and holding his own gun in his hands, he mouths something to his childhood friend.

'Tell-her-to-close-her-eyes.'

Thanking Jehovah for not having any pupils, the other man couldn't see the sifting gaze.

"Tika," Tom said letting the girl hear his calm voice. "Close your eyes."

The girl, looked at Tom unsure a first but then turned into trust.

"And pray for your angel."

The moment Tika closed her eyes shut the lights blackout and a loud bang of the gun was heard.

"ARRGH!"

XxxX

New chapter ^^

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-StashOfWeed