Stockholm Syndrome

Zayn, Liam, Louis, Niall and Broadway stood back behind the curtain eagerly awaiting to be announced. This was a hopeful tactic for Broadway and even for the One Direction band. He schooled them on what to say, how to say it and hopefully anyone still associated with the Organization will make a mistake. All he needed was a break.

Niall rubbed his hands together nervously, looking to Louis and going down each of his bandmates, his eyes conflicting. He had never in his life felt as hopeless and powerless as he did then.

“It’s my fault, I know it is. If I hadn’t suggested we sneak out, then we wouldn’t be here right now…“ Niall’s voice broke off, letting it trail like an echo. It wasn’t hard to disagree that it had been his fault to a certain degree but it was also said by their former bodyguard if they hadn’t gotten him that day they would have gotten them another.

“Don’t worry about it mate. We’re going to get him back.” Louis assured Niall, putting a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

“I hope you’re right. I don’t think I could ever forgive myself if something happened to Harry. I wish he was back with us. Hell, I just wish Paul was here but he went to meet Harry’s mum at the airport. This is going to be so hard to explain to the public-let alone her..” Niall sighed.

“You know she will understand. They specifically said that if they had not taken him then they would have eventually taken him. We would be here regardless sooner or later, there’s no sense in killing yourself with guilt. We will get Harry back.” Louis promised, looking out from the curtain to the packed room with reporters as it neared time for their interview.

“Maybe…but it still doesn’t make it any better.”

Louis sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get through to Niall. Niall listened to Harry and since he was no longer there it was like talking to a dead horse.

“We might not, I told you there’s a real possibility that they will kill him. You and everyone else needs to accept that,” Broadway cut in, hearing their names called from the microphone, giving Niall a shove forward and point. “Do as you’ve been instructed, Harry’s life may depend on it.”

“I still don’t think what you are having us do is very nice at all but-“ Liam started but was shoved in the back by Broadway.

“I don’t care, we’re waiting for one of theirs to make a mistake-don’t make one yourself thinking you’re gonna try to play hero. I learned long ago that it gets people killed. Do as I’ve instructed. Nothing more.” Broadway told them sternly, watching as they entered into the room, a slew of camera flashes and questions roared into the air, swirling around them like high pitched mosquitoes.

As they reached the front, they all took seats behind the safety of a long rectangular wooden table, complete with wooden chairs and waited for the roar of the noise to die down.

When it finally did, the boys were able to hear their own thoughts again but still felt uneasy that this was being televised across the world.

“Thank you for coming everyone, we will call on questions but please only ask questions if called upon. We’re overwhelmed as it is.” Louis said, being the first to pick a reporter from the crowd. She was a skinny Asian, the television newscast seemed to come from China.

“Everyone wants to know what happened.” She asked, her face calm and her voice even still. She was emotionless, to her this was a job-this didn’t even matter.

Niall raised his hand so attention could be brought to him before speaking.

“Harry and I were going to sneak out. Things didn’t go as expected. I misplaced my wallet, went to get it when I came back Harry was gone. We aren’t quite sure ourselves.” Niall replied, his face falling slightly, knowing that there was far more to that story but Broadway specifically said to answer it simply and to the point.

Niall pointed at another reporter-this time a middle aged man who looked to want to be somewhere else at the moment. Niall could sympathize-he did too.

“What are the police efforts doing to help with the case? We have not heart of much coming from the police’s end, only that the investigation was ‘ongoing’ in reporter language, that means absolutely jack as I have come to find out. Can you confirm?”

This question was the goldmine question, one they had been looking for down the line of questions.

This time Liam raised his hand.

“While some might be the Nation’s finest, we have hope that the city of Billings Montana will live up to the challenge. We know just about as much as you with their investigation, nothing more. They are not telling us much but I’m sure they would have found a lead by now and are following it. It is their precinct that are going to look like a bunch of sods otherwise.”

Broadway clapped his hands together, knowing he just got the help he needed in his investigation. Knowing what he knew about the lead police chief-although not a bad guy, he was lazy and having his police force under fire was just the plan needed to help get it taken seriously.

Liam picked a cute blonde from the crowd. She looked a bit young, late teens early twenties, with dark round glasses.

“What is One Direction’s fate if Harry isn’t found? What will be your next actions be?”

Zayn raised his hand.

“It’s not been decided at this time. We are more focused at finding Harry. We are not focused on what will be until it happens. One Direction isn’t One Direction without Harry, which is why we are doing everything in our power to bring him back. We have the police and a private investigator working the case, we are extremely hopeful.” Zayn replied dryly, seeing a few more reporters stick their hands up.

Louis pointed to a rather overweight male, his eyes closed behind a vast emotion of containment.

“So does that mean the end of One Direction?”

Louise frowned.

“One Direction is taking a break until Harry comes back. All our efforts are going into finding Harry. One Direction isn’t done – we’re simply taking a break until we get things resolved.” Louis responded, going to call on another reporter but was interrupted by the same reporter.

“And if Harry is never found? What then? What if he’s dead?” The same reporter insisted, actually smiling at the possibility.

It was as if all at once a cold front passed through the table where the boys were sitting. They literally felt a cold sense of dread sweep down their spines, shuttering involuntarily from the inside out. Something in that guy’s tone did not sit well with either of them.

“Thank you for your question but we answered you with all we know at the moment. If Harry is in danger, the public needs to rest assured that we are doing everything in our power to find Harry-alive. We will accept nothing else and will deal with anything further if it comes along.” Louis insisted, pointing at another reporter.

“This organization, why Harry? What did they want with him? Why just him? Why not the whole band?” The one Louis pointed to asked right away, jotting notes down.

“We’re all still wondering that ourselves. We have no idea what is going on or what is happening to Harry. I wish more than anything we had some sort of clue. I don’t understand why they just grabbed him and not one of us. We just know that, this organization reacts very spastically. If they panic Harry could wind up dead. We want to keep them pacified, so at this moment we are just waiting for some sort of sign to know he’s alright – that’s all we want.” Louise replied, watching Niall raise his hand to speak.

“I just want him to know that it’s my fault…had I not left him, I could have done something, I think I could have... If he’s listening-if any of his captors are listening, please let Harry know I’m sorry I failed him.” Niall’s voice cracked with emotion.

Liam and Zayn who had been sitting in between him, put their hands on his shoulders. It was then they noticed the silent tears creeping down his face. He truly blamed himself for Harry’s abduction and it was apparent in the way he was breaking down in front of everyone.

Zayn leaned in close, whispering something into Niall’s ear. Whatever was discussed, Niall nodded in understanding and wiped the tears off his cheeks, trying to pull himself together.

Broadway-who had been standing at the back put his knuckles into his mouth, knowing Niall needed to toughen himself out, the organization would have sent spies after they were brought aware of the press conference being televised, which means they were more than likely watching. If they saw Niall’s weakness they could use it against them and Harry. It was best to stay placid and emotionless. He found that was the best way.

The interview carried on for another half hour, the band discussing the same questions and giving the same answers. It seemed no headway was being made but they also knew that it was best not to give a lot away…even though they had nothing to go on.

By the time they reached their hotel again they were well and truly exhausted. Going up to their hotel suite, they met Paul at the door.

The look on his face suggested he had seen the conference and ushered them into the room, Broadway included and shut the door.

“I’m glad you’re back-we have some extra guests that showed up.” Paul said, gesturing out to the main living quarters.

The buys followed him into the main room and stopped, seeing Officer Phillandrias and a few of his men sitting down on one of the couches with Harry’s mom.

Niall rushed forward to embrace her.

When she looked and saw the boys her conversation with the officer stopped and she stood to embrace Niall emotionally.

“Oh Niall…” She whispered into his ear sympathetically, tightening her embrace around the boy. “It’s alright, shh, quiet now. It isn’t your fault. They had this plan a long time-there was nothing you could have done.” Harry’s mom comforted and assured softly as the sobs that racked his chest poured out in an anguish that he had kept bottled up since it happened and no one in the room or God himself could convince him otherwise.

Notes

One more chapter with 1D then we'll switch back to Harry :-) enjoy!