TOYLB: Lurker in the Shadows- Season 7-7

*the gang followed Alexis to the apartment where Edison was staying*

Ozzie: This the plc, Alex?

Alexis; 8nods8

Rodeo: Man, this building has gone to the dogs, no pun intended, Alexis

Ambrose: It is a safety hazard

Thrax; 8looked round8

Ozzie: Which floor does Eddie live in, Alex?

Alexis; 8pointed it out8

Ambrose: Right, lets go

*the gang went up, then Ambrose shoved Klepta gently to the front n jerked his head, telling him to do the honors*

Klepta: *frowned a little before sighing n knocked*

Thrax; 8listened8

*a bit of shuffling was heard before the door was answered, n wen Eddie looked to see Klepta n the gang, he started n quickly tried to slam the door*

Alexis; 8slammed it open8

Edison: *activated his Deadman powers n tried to shoot them with it; apparently he still had his powers given to him frm the barracks*

Alexis; 8hissed8

*the twin boys used their hair power to elongate n bind him to subdue him*

Ozzie: Careful, bros, he's with child, remember?

Rodeo: Yeah, whatevr. Hold still, Eddie!

Rouge; 8snarled8

Ozzie: *realized tht Edison hadnt said anything since they met, not evn one word, n the noises he made wen he struggled sounded weird, like he had heard this kind of noise before as he paled a little* Thrax...Open his mouth. Chk inside

Thrax; 8got close n easied his mouth open8

Edison: *struggled to pull away bt Thrax's hold was strong, n opening the mouth revealed tht his tongue had been cut off*

Thrax; 8winced, shucking in a breathe8

Ozzie: *covered his mouth* Oh Frank...

Rodeo: *sees it too* Holy spit...Is tht...?

Alexis; 8nods8

Klepta: Oh Frank...Oh Frank, wat hv they done to u, Eddie...?

Edison: *snapped his mouth shut, biting his lip as he looked away, tears welling up*

Thrax; Was it the barricks?

Edison: *shut his eyes tight, not responding, bt his facial expressions were answer enough*

Thrax; 8wasn't surprised8

Klepta: Oh, Eddie...Eddie, I'm so sorry... *held Edison close*

Edison: *sobs in his arms as the twin bros noticed he had stopped struggling n released him*

Thrax; Now what/

Ambrose: Well, obviously he can't tell us wat we need to knw, wat with his tongue gone n all

Ozzie: Maybe u should try the link, hon. Try to tap into his memories like u did for me

Thrax; If he'll allow me

Klepta: *held Edison's cheeks* Eddie, we need to knw wat happened...

Edison: *shook his head hard*

Klepta: Pls, Eddie. We need to knw wat happened so tht we can help u. Do it for me, OK? Pls?

Edison: *bit his lip n finally nodded with a sob*

Thrax; 8got into meditative position8

Klepta: *helped Edison to sit like him as well in front of him, keeping his hand on his shoulder so he knws he's safe*

*the mind link slowly led Thrax to a dark room tht only had a dim light in the middle, n at a corner sat Edison, curled up in a fetal position*

Thrax; 8sowly approached him8

Edison: *felt his presence, bt didnt look up* Ur inside my head, aren't u?

Thrax; Yes

Edison: *sits up slowly n turned to him* I suppose u wanna knw wat happened

Thrax; 8nods8

Edison: *held out his hand, gesturing him to take it*

Thrax; 8gently took it8

*the moment their hands touched, they were transported to the day Edison was arrested n taken away. The legendary cruelty of the barracks were laid bare before him as the scene showed him, along with Ramon n the other ppl selected to be Deadman undergoing rigorous torture to break dwn their spirit*

Thrax; 8shallowed back the bile in his throat, memories coming back8

*scenes followed one by one, showing Edison being waterboarded, being kept in different kinds of torture cells: one with strobing lights, then one in complete darkness, then one with blasting music played in a loop*

Thrax; 8breathed heavily8

*then the scene switched to a catatonic Edison sitting in a surgery room being strapped on a surgery chair, n without evn much of a courtesy of a stronger or proper anaesthetic, the surgeon just force fed him some over-the-counter numbing solution with a shot of tequila before cutting out his tongue*

Edison: *winced at the scene. Despite being catatonic, he does remember tht scene n remembered being barely numb enough to get it ovr with*

Thrax; 8growled8

*the scene changed to Edison n the Deadmen being hung by their wrists with loads of surgical wires n tubes sticking out of their backs, indicating their initiation to turn their blood into the Deadmen machines they r*

Thrax; 8looked at Edison8

Edison: *wasnt reli looking* Yeah, u saw tht. Tht's how we were turned. How my blood...has become a weapon *looks at his hand*

Thrax; 8gently squeezed it8

Edison: *blushed a little in embarrassment being pitied like this as he looked away again*

*the scene switched again to the day they were going to be drafted for the blood pact, n the scene where Edison grabbed Oz's hand for no reason for a while before letting go*

Edison: Tht was wen I started to remember. I took one close look at Oz n everything came bk to me, my past, my memories with the family, wat I did to our mom n to the unborn Oz, n...wat I did later on here before I was taken by the barracks. I dunno how, n I dunno why. It just seemed to click. Like seeing Oz unlocked everything

Thrax; He has that affect

Edison: Tht or my hatred for Oz runs so deep tht seeing him just triggers everything

Thrax; 8tightened his hold8

Edison: *ignored tht hold; he was used to pain by now*

*the scene then showed him at the blood pact, n wen he flowed out along with the Deadmen, he somehow manuvered his body against the flow n it led him floating off to another direction, then he used his Deadman powers to levitate himself n snuck off into one of the barrack cars, stealthily assassinating the driver before making a run for it, all without evn alerting anyone*

Thrax; 8inhaled deply8

*the scene changed bk to the dark, dim room as Edison curled up at his corner again*

Edison: U pretty much knw the rest. I let Klepta fuck me n now I'm knocked up with his kid. All I ever wanted...n yet...I dont feel happy

Thrax; That's because you went about it the wrong way

Edison: Wat do u mean? I spared Osbourne, didnt I? I could've killed him anytime I wanted, bt I've decided its no longer worth it anymore! I knew I would upset Klepta if I did tht, n the cycle will repeat itself again, so I decided to be the bigger person n let Osbourne go! Klepta has always been wat I wanted! I wanted him to be my mate, my lover, the father of my child. I got wat I wanted! Why? Why do I feel so upset?! Why am I not satisfied?! Why do I still feel so sad?! *starts tearing up as he sobbed hard, grabbing his shaking head*

Thrax; 8knealt before him8

Edison: Get outta here! Get outta my head! I dont need ur pity!! *sobs as he curled up evn more*

Thrax; Easy now

Edison: *sobs hard* I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...All I want is Klepta...He's all I want...That's all I want...Klepta... *sobs*

Thrax; 8held him8

Edison: *sobs hard as he tentatively bt surely clung onto Thrax n sobbed hard*

Thrax; 8held him close8

Edison: Pls...Dont let him hate me...Dont let Klepta hate me... *sobs* Pls dont let them kill my baby...I knw the twins...n Ambrose...they hate me...

Thrax; I'm not too happy with ya either but for the sake of the child. . . .

Edison: Dont let them kill my baby...I beg u, pls... *sobs as he slowly disintegrated, then a blinding flash, n they were both in reality*

Thrax; 8stood up8

Ozzie: *went up to him*

Klepta: So, got anything?

Thrax; 8was a bit shaky on his feet8

Ozzie: *sat him dwn on the couch, n went to get him some water*

Edison: *clung to Klepta quickly, still terrified of wat the twins n Ambrose might do to him*

Rouge; 8looked at his brother8

Rodeo: *shrugs, not sure if its a good idea to rub anything in*

Ambrose: So, care to share some insight*

Thrax; 8slowly sipped the water8

Ozzie: Its alright, Thrax, take ur time

Thrax; 8inhaled deeply n told them what he found8

*everyone sucked in a breath at how Edison was treated at the barracks*

Thrax; 8sighed8

Ozzie: Oh crap, evn a good city like this can still hv such brutal ppl

8the others nod8

Rodeo: So wat's the decision here? Wat r we gonna do with Eddie n...tht hellspawn inside him?

Edison: *let out a whimper, clinging evn more on Klepta*

Klepta: Reli, Rodeo? Ur going there? Seriously?

Alexis; 8clawing the floor in warning

Rodeo: *sighed in exasperation* Fine, fine. Wat do u think, bro? *turns to his twin*

Rouge; Ya know my answer

Rodeo: Wat abt u, Amb?

Ambrose: I can protest all I want, bt ultimately its Klep n Eddie's decision

Ozzie: I second tht

Thrax; 8nods8

Klepta: Its OK, Eddie. We're not going to take the baby away. We're not going to kill it. Its my baby too, OK?

Edison: *nods, sniffling*

Ozzie: U sure as hell cant stay in this hellhole. Its built to collapse at a sneeze or something

Alexis; 8nods8

Klepta: He can stay with us

Rodeo: Wat? No way, I draw the line on tht one!

Alexis; 8side kicked him8

Rodeo: Ouch! Wat? Aftr wat he did, u think we'd let him in to our home??

Klepta: He's staying with us, period. If u dont like it, u can move out

Alexis; 8smirks8

Rodeo: *turns to Rouge* Bro~ Say something~ Amb~!

Ambrose: *gave him a "Dont look at me" shrug*

Rouge; 8shook his head8

Rodeo: *rolled his eyes n groaned* Fine~ He can stay with us, bt he's staying in UR room, Klep. Its ur baby, so its UR responsibiliity

Klepta: Dont worry ur head off, Rodeo, I plan to *patted Edison's bk* There, there, ur safe, Eddie. Ur coming home with us, OK?

Edison: *smiled sadly n nodded, still clinging onto him*

Alexis; 8took a blanket out of the pack he was carrying n wrapped round Edison8

Edison: *was a little taken aback by the sudden kindness, bt he didnt reject it*

Ozzie: I'll go dwn to the landlord to settle Eddie's rent. U guys bring him out of this building

Thrax; Right, c'mon guys

Klepta: *nodded n took Edison's hand*

*the rest followed suite as Ozzie went to the office to settle Eddie's remaining rent*

Thrax; 8looked round8

Ozzie: *came out to meet them*

Klepta: I owe u one, Osbourne

Ozzie: Oh its fine. We're family, I dont mind doing it

Edison: *looked at him in surprise wen Oz said tht, then looked away rather ashamed*

Thrax; 8rested his hand on the viruses' shoulder8