Chapter 6: Tod Retts

Tod William Retts, was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio at July 8, 1988. It was the first sentence that Nicholas read.

Tod was born in an abusive family, having an abusive father while growing up was hard for him and his sister. His father was a drunk and his father who is named Gregory Brookes would always sexually assault his sister, Marcy Brookes and he had to watch the horrible things his father did to her. His father says that if one of them told their mom or even make a sound, he would kill them.

His father always beats his wife and Tod's mom, Kristine Brookes. She would always complain about Gregory, that he always uses his money on gambling.

Tod had a lot of childhood trauma for always being able to see his mom and sister get assaulted all the time, while he was just standing on the corner of the herculean wood wall crying. No one else would hear his explicit screams, except the trammeled woman in the family and the brutal father.

Growing up, Tod was a loner. He would never sit in the actual canteen tables at school. He would always be sitting at a trash can. Tod was often bullied and he never came home without a black eye or a burn by a cigarette in his body. Tod had to go through this everyday for most of his childhood.

As Nicholas was reading through the folder, he felt bad for Tod. He continued reading the folder.

One rainy evening, Marcy and Kristine were out at the shopping center to get groceries. Tod's father had a visitor over. It was his father's kind friend from work, his name was William Jones. The first thing he though about this guy that he just met was that he is a totally different person from his father, Yet somehow they're "friends".

While William was sitting in the couch, Gregory screams at Tod for not being able to follow instructions. He took his belt and he hitted Tod in the side of his stomach.

William gasps nauseatly as his eyes pop out. He tries to calm down Gregory, but suddenly he punched William away. The aura changed dramatically as William was able to punch back at Gregory. He punched back at William and surprisingly he was able to dodge, he finally managed to pin Gregory down and he told Tod to dial the police as he was breathing distinctly.

As little child Tod was holding the phone, his father shouted at him saying "Don't you fucking dare call the cops on me, or else you're gonna get it!!!". Tod was indecisive, he wasn't able to choose over his father or the man that was ever nice to him.

Tod got frustrated due to his indecisiveness, his head was hurting because he was thinking and crying vigorously.

While Tod was contemplating, his father head-butted William causing him to fall down.

His father stood up tall and vicious looking, he brisk walks down over to Tod.

He was about to punch Nicholas in the face, until William kicked the back of Gregory's knee breaking his leg. William then put his arm around Gregory's neck and chokes him, Gregory was fighting his physical struggle.

Tod was seeing his father's last moments, he had mixed feelings. He didn't know if he was going to be happy or sad, he again was frustratingly confused.

Tod's body suddenly flinched, "Stop, don't kill him". William was confused, Tod kept begging to William to let him go. Tod didn't even know to himself what he was doing.

William closed his eyes because he knew he might regret his next choice. He removed his arm around Gregory's neck, he gasped as he was still struggling to breathe. William discusses the fact that his son still wants him alive after all the horrors he has seen him done to Tod. William picks up the phone and dials the police, Tod ran upstairs to his room crying and his father was still laying down.

William was able to find a rope at the small cabinet compartment underneath the stairs. He tied Gregory to the stair's handrail while waiting for the police to arrive at the house.

The officers had arrived and has arrested Gregory. Kristine was on their car with his daughter and the groceries at the back seat, and when they turned to their street. She was surprised to see that there were police vehicles surrounding the house, she immediately stopped then parked the car and she went down the vehicle immediately with her daughter and they started marching quickly.

Marcy pulls down the shirt of his mother, trying to get his attention. They stopped walking, Kristine looks at Marcy and she pointed at something. Kristine looked at what was her child pointing at at, what she saw was not something but a someone. It was his beaten-up husband entering the back of a police car. Gregory noticed them, he grunts out and curses at them and he swore that if he got out this situation, he would kill them.

The police holding him custody grunts and pushed him inside the car. "Let's go Marcy" Kristine said as she was looking at her. They got near with one of the police officers, and Kristine uttered that they were the relatives of the victim. They let them enter through underneath the barricade tape into the crime scene.

Kristine saw his son being kept safely by the police, his mom screams out his name and she ran towards Tod. He notice his mother approaching him, he stood up and also ran towards her. They shared a warm hug, as Tod said "Dad is gone now, mom". Marcy joined in on their snuggle, the mother sniffed and patted him in the head.

William then showed up. Kristine stood up and asked his son who was the person standing behind him. Tod answered confidently, he said "Mom this is William, he was dad's friend" and he added "He helped me into putting dad in his place."

She understood and looked at William with a smirk and she thanked him.

Nicholas couldn't process his thoughts that Tod had to went through that in his life.

Two weeks after that incident, William died in a car accident. Kristine was the first to hear the news, he knew that Tod will get sad because William usually spends time with Tod often because he knew Tod didn't have any friends. That night she told Tod the news, when he came home after school. Kristine sat him down and told Tod what happened. When Tod heard that news, he was devastated and depressed. He ran up his room and cried in his bed, his mother decided to not disturb him because she knew it was a lot to take in.

That night, Tod sneaked out his home by the window beside his bed. He hangs down by the frame of window and drops his way down the bush.

He got up and climbed up the back of their fence, if he had used the gate of the fence someone could hear him. He got out of his house all by himself in the lonely cold night and nothing but a jacket that William had given him to keep him warm.

He ran over to the bridge and wanted to jump, but there were police officers who stopped him before he was able to stand on railing of the old, rusty and moldy red bridge.

Life got better for Tod after those hard times he went through when he was a kid.

Years had passed, Tod was grown up. He left his home at the age of 21 to join the military.

When he arrived, somehow everyone was being nice to each other. It was because their captain was really strict and scary, because he always demands perfection. Tod had a hard time learning from the military school, but he was able to manage. Along the way, Tod made friends and at the graduation they all passed.

"Where ya headed to?" said Tod's friend Julia Rey. "I'll most likely join Special Forces, how about you guys" said Tod. Both Tod's friends Julia and Robert Garcia wanted to join airforce. Before saying goodbye to each other they had a wonderful celebration party by the academy.

As they were going home, Tod had one last hug with his friends.

Onward, Tod joined the special forces and served for more than four years. He was assigned to help during the civil war that happened in their country.

It wasn't the greatest experience for Tod, he lost most of his teammates. But he thought it was going to be better for him.

Within the year of 2017 in May, there was a conflict between the country Philippines and the terrorist group that called themselves "The Rising".

Tod was one of the people assigned to get sent over and help the country. He notices that there were going to be air force pilots helping them too, while all the Navy's, Air forces, and line up, he was looking for his former friends. He wasn't able to spot them, he thought their not a part of the mission. When he entered the ship headed to the southern part of Philippines.

He entered the bunker he was supposed to stay in, some of his teammates are already in their respective places.

Halfway along their journey, they were assigned to eat lunch. Tod got his meal and went to sit down with his team.

After his meal, someone mysteriously pats his back twice. He turned around to be surprised as he saw his two former friends, Robert and Julia.

Tod was speechless, he thought they weren't assigned for this mission and it turns out that they are.

They sat down and talked about their experiences after the separation of their friendship.

They talked for hours nearly without end, they told Tod stories with their experience in the air force. They kept talking until the speakers rang a message and said that they were all dismissed from lunch.

They said goodbye to each other as they were waving and going different ways.

After a few hours, they've finally arrived at the the island base in the Philippines. As they're feet touched the sand of the island, they were immediately called to deploy at the battle field. After getting they're weapons and other accessories, Tod and his team led by Capt. George Smith III, got on a enclosed navy ship and rode to the main land.

As they closer to the island, the sounds of war get louder. When the opened their doors, the sound of gunshots, missiles being fired, and the loud bang of grenades got even louder.

Tod and his team found a safe spot that can cover their assault. Some of Tod's teammates already bit the dust from fighting.

While they were trying to sneak over to another hiding spot, their captain stepped on a trip mine which caused to damage his feet. They took him over inside the house, and immediately sealed his wounded legs.

Even if they were to seal his wound, it would be a big nuisance to carry him around because enemies might find him if they left him there.

As Capt. George was gasping for air, he said with his last breathe was "Tod, you lead this group" and he added "That's an order".

Tod was looking at the remaining people from their team that where still alive.

He didn't have a plan in mind, he tried to ask his team about ideas but they also don't have a plan in mind.

Tod said to his team to just run and shoot, all of the remaining members never liked that idea. Suddenly, someone radioed Tod. It was the air force commander, he said that Capt. George was in-charge of letting them deploy. Tod grieved and said that Capt. George was dead, the air force commander couldn't believe it.

Tod then had a lit lightbulb, as the commander was about to reply to him, Tod said that they should deploy now. He added that the former captain ordered him to now be the captain. The air force understood and started deployed the bombers into battle.

All they had to do was wait for the jet-fighters before they go out and shoot the nearby enemies. As soon as they heard the dash of the bomber planes, Tod signaled them to shoot the enemies.

The enemies are getting knocked over and some were retreating already. They were looking very victorious, until they heard another bomber plane dash. But this plane wasn't theirs it was the enemies jet. It took down some of the planes from the air force, the soldiers went to any shelter that can shield them because the plane was dropping missiles at them.

The enemy jet took down another plane, Tod suddenly hears someone in his radio. "Thanks for being my friend, Tod" he heard.

He didn't realize who it was, it took him a second to realize that it was his friend Robert. Tod looked outside his cover, and he saw a fighter jet hit the only enemy jet causing the both to crash. Tod had realized what Robert had said over radio.

The enemies didn't fought back further and they decided to retreat.

All the soldiers were also asked to retreat, but some will stay in the main land to guard the place and report any unusual activity.

They decided to celebrate, but Tod was at the infirmary in the Navy Ship looking at the the dead corpse of both his friends Julia and Robert. Julia was one of the jets that got shot down by the enemy plane.

When Tod went to eat, everyone congratulates him for being the new captain. He was asked by one of the people that Tod should give of a speech. Tod at first rejected it, but when he was forced and encouraged to do so he just went over and decided to talk to the crowd.

Tod stood up a canteen table and took a deep breathe. Tod spoke about how he was infuriated due to the fact that they were celebrating like they actually won, even if they knew they lost a lot of people and that the enemies are still out there.

There was a moment of silence before Tod stepped down the table and left.

Tod resigned after that, he continues to live by doing small side jobs.

He ran away from the military life, the life of injustice and fate.

He's a philophobic and gamophobic, he is scared of relationship commitments. So he was never in a relationship because of his trauma with his sister getting sexually assaulted.