Perhaps… Ryan should have expected this. Well, to be more accurate, he wasn’t sure what to expect, and had been pretty worried that this would not even go that smoothly. He frowned a little, feeling a little down, but it quickly faded. It surprised him when Eric accepted, but he should have known that pulling him out of the military just like that would not be so easy. He had seen some of the looks he had given, and got hints that he had wanted out. They were subtle, but he always seemed to know them when he saw them. He had even said that he wanted in before this all began. Even if that one time had been a small lie, he had gotten a sense of truth from it. There was no mistaking the signs of someone who was not completely happy with the military. It only made sense that he’d play off of it and make an offer.<br/><br/>Eric did make some good points. The military really did not like when anyone interfered, and Eric being killed was the last thing he wanted.<br/><br/>“You do make a good point, dear Eric.” Ryan almost sounded defeated when he finally spoke. “Alright, I suppose I’ll work with you for a little while longer.” It probably would have been a lot more believable than it was, if he didn’t smile and give a chuckle. He really didn’t look at this like it was a defeat; the truth was he accepting the fact that this was not going to be easy. Not to mention he did say that favors were a two-way street He wasn’t sure about getting involved with all of this, but if it meant he would be with Eric then he supposed it would be alright. His men were not going to be happy about this. They would protest, oh he knew they would, and he was not looking forward to that. He’d have to keep them in line, and maybe pull a few aside.<br/><br/>The only thing he was worried about, just out of habit, was Eric going back on his word. For a moment, he thought of something that would solidify the deal. Then, it hit him. “I want your honest word. As soon as this is over, you’ll be mine.” He purposely worded it like that, and gave a wink. There was no use hiding anything when they were speaking alone like this. When his expression fell neutral again, he put out his hand. “Let’s shake on it.” The old handshake, of course, it had to be the handshake. It hasn’t changed one bit over the years. That’s what made it so great. Was he worried Eric would deny it? Of course he was, but he wasn’t going to show it. Whenever he did something he always showed confidence. Oh, and he was confident… he was very confident. Maybe a little too confident.