"A problem?" Josh asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Even though he was wearing his shirt, he was still somehow self conscious of his scars. "What kind of problem?"

"What problem could be so important you had to tell me in the middle of the night?" Tyler scowled, annoyed that his alone time with Josh was interrupted.

Alex glanced at Tyler's bare chest before taking another breath and replying.

"Sir—" he began, but Jack pushed his shoulder back and answered for him.

"There's an intruder!" Jack exclaimed, his fingernails digging into Alex's shoulder.

Tyler's angry, tough expression was immediately replaced by one of shock and alarm. He took his hands out of his pockets and ran them through his hair.

"Outside or inside?" Tyler questioned. "Is he armed?"

"Inside, sir," Alex replied. "A-And we don't know. We couldn't tell."

"Shit," Tyler cursed under his breath. "What floor?"

"First, sir," Jack answered before Alex could. "East wing, B entrance. Should I sound the alarm?"

Alex smirked and looked up at Jack. He obviously knew his way around the Clique by now.

"Fuck no," Tyler snapped. "No alarm. This guy doesn't know you've seen him, does he?"

"No, sir," Jack shook his head. "He doesn't suspect a thing."

"Then let's keep it that way," Tyler ordered. "Renegade, take your squad and Donnie's over to the east wing. Tell 'em to bring a long-range weapon. Jack, make sure the entire west wing is on lockdown, including the infirmary and especially the armory."

"Yes sir!" Alex and Jack said in unison.

"Missile Kid," Tyler continued. "Get me my gun and round up as many snipers as you can."

"Yes T—" Josh nodded. He almost said Tyler, but he stopped himself.

"Jack, when you're done, take Horseshoe and his squad and join up with Renegade. Tell everyone to surround B entrance and be ready for my command."

"You got it, Mad Gear," Jack nodded, pulling a small handgun out of his belt.

"Make sure to only round up the squads I told you," Tyler snapped, his urgency and anxiety growing larger. "We don't need any extra people getting in the way."

"My squad, Donnie's squad, Horseshoe's squad, got it," Alex confirmed with a nod.

"If you see the intruder, don't kill him," said Tyler harshly. "Shoot 'em in the leg so he can't run, but whatever you do, don't kill him. Make sure everyone knows that."

Josh gulped. Not killing an enemy meant one thing, and one thing only.

Torture.

"Do what I say, and don't mess up," Tyler commanded, pointing at Alex and Jack. "If you do, there'll be consequences. Got it?"

Alex and Jack nodded before running off in their separate directions, ready to do their separate duties.

"Missile Kid, get me some snipers," Tyler said. "Tell 'em to set up shop on the second floor, east wing, pointing their guns at B entrance. Get some reinforcements near A entrance and the pit in case that bastard tries to run. Ya hear me?"

"Yes sir," Josh nodded.

Tyler suddenly stopped and gripped Josh's shoulder tightly with his hand.

"And Missile Kid?" He asked, looking right into Josh's eyes.

"Y-Yeah?" Josh whispered, slightly intimidated by Tyler's glare.

"First of all," Tyler began sharply. He slapped Josh on the back and pointed at him. "That's yes. Not yeah."

"Yes," Josh nodded quickly. "Yes sir."

"Second..." Tyler lowered his voice. "This guy could be armed. Be careful. I don't want you getting hurt."

Josh scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"With all due respect, Mad Gear sir," Josh mockingly said with a smirk. "I think you should mind your own business."

Tyler raised his eyebrows.

"And I think you should watch your mouth," Tyler quipped, taking his hand off Josh's shoulder and crossing his arms.

"I can handle myself out there, sir," Josh shrugged, casually sauntering away from Tyler. "Stop being so soft."

Tyler let out a sarcastic chuckle and shook his head. "You're gonna get it later," he muttered, glancing over at Josh.

Josh's smirk only grew. "I hope I do sir," he responded. "I really hope I do."

✗✗✗✗✗

The was it. The mission Tyler'd been waiting for. Adrenaline pulsed through his veins. His instinct took over.

He was Mad Gear again.

He had rushed into his room and hastily zipped up some combat boots onto his feet. Shirtless, sweatpants, combat boots. What a look.

He ran over to his closet and retrieved his favorite knife from its hiding spot in that old, beat up ukulele case.

Tyler shoved his knife in his belt and ran both hands through his already disheveled hair, making it even more wild and messy.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a split second. He looked as his wild brunette hair, the dark bags under his psychotic eyes, the bruises crawling along his collarbone, the tattoos lining his chest and arms.

He smirked at his reflection before rushing out of his room, slamming the door behind him.

That smirk couldn't seem to leave his lips as he ran down the hall. He ran so fast he practically bounded down the corridor, his heels bouncing on the concrete.

His hunger to kill grew with every passing second. His favorite knife repeatedly hit his thigh as he ran all the way from his room in the west wing to wear the Clique was waiting for the intruder in the east wing.

Tyler glanced down at the pit on the first floor below him as he continued, smiling devilishly to himself as he thought of all the things he was going to do with that guy if they caught him.

Tyler mentally corrected himself. Not if they caught him. When they caught him.

When Tyler finally reached the east wing, he saw Josh there, pointing and ordering around the snipers as they set up their guns.

He slowed to a stop and walked through the path of snipers on either side of him, watching them proudly as they focused on their weapons. A few them caught sight of their boss and nodded their heads respectfully at him. Tyler risked a small smile.

"Hey, Mad Gear," Josh called at the end of the platform, waving Tyler over to him.

"Not bad Kid," Tyler said as he approached him. He slapped him on the back before gripping the railing and looking down at the first floor. B entrance was a good distance away, and they could barely see it in the dim lights of the headquarters. "Got reinforcements?"

"Yes sir," Josh nodded. He pointed further down the corridor, where a smaller group of Clique members had their guns already aimed and ready to go. "Got them pointed at A entrance, these guys at B, and a few guys downstairs."

"Perfect," Tyler nodded in satisfaction. "Where's Donnie and Renegade?"

"Downstairs, sir," Josh replied, pointing to a small group of people right outside the pit. Some were huddled together, whispering amongst themselves. Others were readying their weapons at B entrance, their stance firm and their aim steady.

Donnie the Catcher and Renegade were standing a few feet apart from the rest, their arms crossed as they supervised their squads. Though Alex was taller, he looked small compared to Donnie's toned muscles and tattoos covering almost all of his exposed skin.

But somebody was missing. Two somebodys.

"What about Horseshoe and Jack?" Tyler asked anxiously. "They're supposed to be down there."

"Well...Horseshoe's squad is down there and ready to go," said Josh, biting his bottom lip. "I have no idea where Horseshoe and Jack are."

Tyler clenched his fists and furrowed his brow angrily. "What do you mean you have no idea where they are?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry sir," Josh quickly responded. "I'm sure he's—"

"They're going to compromise this whole thing, those assholes," Tyler spat, turning away from the railing. "I gotta go find them."

"Mad Gear, wait!" Josh exclaimed, grabbing Tyler's shoulder and turning him round to face him.

"What is it?!" Tyler snapped.

Josh simply pulled a gun out of his belt—Tyler's gun—and handed it to him.

"You're gonna need this, sir."

✗✗✗✗✗

Jack and Horseshoe moved quickly through the dark corridor, their guns cocked and loaded.

Horseshoe and Jack had followed orders up until this point. Jack made sure the west wing was on lockdown, just as Mad Gear had instructed. Horseshoe took his squad to the first floor pit and met up with Donnie and Renegade.

But then, the two silently agreed to go off on their own. It was a stupid idea, to say the least, but the adrenaline pumping through their veins gave them a sudden, risky shot of courage.

Jack had wanted to go alone, as a way to prove himself worthy to stay in the Clique. Horseshoe wasn't having it, though, and reluctantly followed him.

They were disobeying Mad Gear's orders, and there would be consequences. They knew that.

But they also knew that this was their only chance to catch the intruder.

Jack, having much less experience in the Clique, had to follow silently behind Horseshoe. He weaved in and out of rooms, taking all the right turns and paths. It was second nature to him.

Horseshoe suddenly stopped and held up his hand. Jack shuffled his feet at the abrupt stop and almost fell right into Horseshoe, but he managed to balance himself.

Jack look expectantly up at Horseshoe as the latter slowly pointed down the corridor in front of them.

They could see nothing but a silhouette standing there at the end of the hall. It was eerily silent as the two Clique members simply stared at the shadow a good distance away.

Jack swallowed back his fear. The hand that was holding his gun was shaking slightly. Seeing nothing but a tall dark shadow at the end of an almost pitch black hall was terrifying to him.

If he didn't know any better, he would've thought he was seeing a ghost.

"Shoot," Horseshoe mouthed silently, glancing over at Jack.

Jack licked his dry lips and nodded. The only sound in the silent hallway was the clicking of Jack's gun.

At the sound of the small click, the silhouette at the end of the hall turned its head to look at them.

Jack took a deep, shaky breath before aiming at the shadowy outline of what he thought looked like a leg. It had to be his leg. Anything else, and he would either be dead or able to escape.

The shadow slowly tilted its head to the side, making the hairs on the back of Jack's neck stand up.

Jack took a quick breath, set his jaw, and fired.

✗✗✗✗✗

Tyler walked briskly across the pit on the first floor, his hands clenched tightly into fists. His chest rose and fell heavily with his quick, angry breathing.

He glanced up at Josh on the second floor overlooking the pit. He expected to see Josh standing there, hands wrapped around the railing, watching Tyler.

Instead, Josh had his back turned, pointing down at B entrance and barking orders at the snipers.

Tyler found it hard to hold back his smile. He loved watched Josh step up to his role of right hand man. He loved seeing him take authority, demand respect, instill fear.

Tyler turned his attention back to the person he was power walking towards.

The Last Young Renegade.

Alex was engaged in seemingly deep conversation with Donnie next to him. Both had their arms crossed and their brows furrowed. They kept looking back and forth between themselves and their squads in front of them. Alex's right leg was bouncing up and down nervously.

"Renegade!" Tyler snapped, his voice booming above the quiet murmurs of the Clique members.

Renegade glanced over his shoulder nonchalantly, not even breaking his conversation with Donnie. But when he saw it was Mad Gear stomping up to him, his eyes widened and he quickly turned around.

Alex didn't even have time to get out a 'yes sir' before Tyler grabbed the collar of his jean jacket and roughly yanked him towards him.

"Where's that fuck buddy friend of yours?" Tyler spat, gripping the fabric of Alex's jean jacket tightly in his fists.

"W-Wha—?" Alex stuttered. He shook his head slightly, even though he knew exactly who Mad Gear was talking about.

"Jack," Tyler said through gritted teeth, seething with anger. An angry puff of air came out his nose as he stared menacingly up at Renegade. "Where the fuck is he?!"

"I—I don't know!" Alex managed to reply, holding his hands up defensively.

"Bullshit!" Tyler shouted. "That fucker could ruin the whole thing for us! And you know exactly where he is!"

"No I don't!" Alex argued, pushing Tyler off of him. "I really don't!"

"All I know is that Horseshoe and Jack are not where I told them to be, and that's obviously a fucking problem," Tyler glared at Donnie and Alex, who exchanged surprised glances.

"Mad Gear, sir—" Donnie the Catcher started softly, but Tyler didn't want to hear it.

"Someone's going to have to do some talking," Tyler growled, his fists clenching even tighter. "I knew it was a mistake bringing him into this Clique. This shit is too risky for some fuck up to ruin it all."

"Jack isn't a fuck up!" Alex shouted, his eyes flashing with a sudden anger. "He's just trying to get that guy—"

"Oh, so you do know where he is?" Tyler's lips spread into a wicked grin.

Alex's face immediately went pale, and his eyes widened.

"I-I didn't—" he began, shaking his head back and forth.

Tyler suddenly reached out and slapped Alex, right across the face. Before Alex even had any time to recover, Tyler grabbed his shirt and yanked him down to his eye level.

"You really wanna lie to me?" Tyler growled with a devious smirk. That dangerous, evil look in his eyes made Alex's heart beat faster.

"Think about it, Renegade," Tyler continued, his voice low and throaty. "I shot you once, I'm not afraid to do it again."

Alex opened his mouth to say something, but he never got his chance. Tyler roughly shoved him back, smiling to himself as he watched Alex hit the ground.

Alex's hand went up to cover his stinging cheek as he propped himself up on one elbow and looked up at Mad Gear.

"I...I'm sorry I l-lied to you," Alex murmured between breaths. He glared angrily up at Tyler, his mouth in a stoic straight line.

"You better be," Tyler snapped, pointing down at Alex laying on the ground below him.

Alex pushed himself up into a standing position. He brushed off his black and white striped shirt and met Tyler's angry glare with his own menacing eyes.

"But Jack is not a fuck up," he spat in Tyler's face. He straightened his jean jacket before turning on his heel and walking away from him.

"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see him walk through that door carrying the intruder in his bare hands," said Tyler with a sarcastic laugh.

And that's just what he did.

✗✗✗✗✗
✗✗✗✗✗

Ok my All Time Low fans, we allllll know that iconic black and white striped shirt Alex has amiright?

Also, since ATL isn't as popular as the other bands in this book, here's what these dudes look like:

In order that's my babies Rian, Jack, Alex and Zack.

You're welcome for blessing your day with these beautiful men.

And I never did do a character gif thing for Dallon, so if you don't know what he looks like here's another beautiful man:

Sorry for killing him off :(

Anyways hi kiddos! How was your day?

Hope you enjoyed today's update!

Instead of posting two chapters everyday I'm going to slow down and post one chapter a day, since the chapters in this act are a bit longer.

But it's ok, you're gonna need a break. These next few chapters are a doozy.

(I just said doozy oh my—)

-Liz.