The Hostage and the Wanted

“I feel this might be a bit overkill.” Niall murmured, tying one of his folded shirts over Isabella’s eyes, glancing at Harry. “I still don’t understand why you want to blindfold those pretty eyes of hers and I respect you for that decision and all but who is she going to tell? The Easter bunny? The tooth fairy? I don’t see a point in this four point restraint system you have going. She hardly looks like a threat.”

Harry rolled his eyes, helping Zayn and Liam balance Louis onto a chair, making sure the medical bags stayed in place.

“I don’t want her to be able to identify your flat. It’s done for your benefit, mate, not mine.” Harry explained, setting the chair back so Louis was laying down, taking great care to get him positioned before buckling him up. “You gents can drive, I’ll stay back here with Lou and make sure he’s alright.”

Zayn nodded and went to take the wheel, Liam glancing at the girl with an unreadable expression before joining his friend up front.
“Come on Louis, wake up mate.” Harry encouraged his friend, sitting across from him.

Zayn glanced quietly in the back mirror at Isabella, shaking his head with a quiet sigh before starting up the minivan and driving off.
Harry relaxed when they were on the road, the blue car left back and abandoned. It would be easy to evade the ones in the white van –at least that was the hope.

“So, explain to us again what’s going on? I am way beyond confused.” Liam asked once the car had settled down to a quiet rhythmic silence.

“Isabella –Anastasia, she’s running from these people. These people have been after her for two years, according to Ana there.” Harry smirked when there was a loud growl from the back but continued unaffected. “Anyhow, she has some psychos in a van chasing after us, broke into our flat, shot Louis. I shot one of them in the throat but they’re still after us. I don’t know how they keep finding our location but then again, Ana –“

“Harry.” Zayn warned when Isabella growled again, struggling in her seat and thrashing against her bonds, slamming her head against the headrest as hard as she could.

Niall panicked slightly, trying to calm her down, shooting Harry a look.

“Knock it off, mate.”

Harry rolled his eyes but continued.

“Fine, Isabella. She was unlucky enough to be around when the police recognized me and Louis. Louis grabbed her and I executed the rest.
We didn’t know people were after her until after the fact.”

“Ok, bad guys, damsel in distress, Harry to the rescue.” Got ya mate, say no more.” Zayn smirked, making Liam chuckle.

“No, I’m her nightmare wrapped in a peddled rose. The girl is with us purely for convenience. When that convenience runs out, I will let her go –right back to those people. For right now there’s no worry.” Harry corrected, his eyes dark as he turned to look at the blindfolded girl.

“Same old Harry.” Zayn shook his head but smiled, knowing his friend talked a tough game but his heart was in the right place.

“Same old me.” Harry mumbled, glancing down at Louis and shaking his friend’s good shoulder.

“Wait till those bags are empty, then try.” Liam suggested, glancing back at the girl.

“Hey lass, you holding up alright?” Niall asked, poking Isabella on the arm when she didn’t respond to his question.

“Hey gents? We might have company.” Zayn warned suddenly, glancing back in the side mirror of the minivan and seeing a shadow following behind about twenty feet back; its lights off and tailing slow.

Harry slid up to have a look at what Zayn was seeing, anger flashing in his green eyes.

He went back to his seat and buckled up.

“It’s them, Zayn? Floor it!” Harry panicked, wondering exactly how the hell it was humanly possible to keep finding them – other than they were being followed from afar before and didn’t notice but if that were true –why not strike at the house when their defenses were down, why wait?

“I’m not flooring it, Harry. We need to see if it’s them, we can’t just go all speed racer, yeah? We’ll lose them at the under underpass, get on the open road.” Zayn replied calmly, seeing Harry shift in his seat.

“You’re driving like a mother hen, go faster at least! These men they’re –they’re not right.” Harry begged, feeling the van speed up a little.

“We’re on public roads – the last thing we need is to get pulled over. I’d have a hard time explaining the two of you in the back and a tied up girl. Well, the girl there might be an interesting back story for but not you two.” Zayn reasoned, turning off on Katherine Road and going toward the more popular side of London to get to their flat. The car ride itself would take over an hour.

“Ok, reasonable thought by default mate but these men do not play by the rules, they play by guns and electro stuff. Fair is not in their vocabulary.”

“I think you’re over reacting.” Zayn said outright, noticing the van trailing closer – in fact, it speed up so close their bumpers were almost touch. One good push of the accelerator and they lurched forward, another good push and Zayn found himself struggling to control the vehicle.

“Believe me now?” Harry asked, instinctively checking on Louis, making sure he was steadied.

Isabella groaned, feeling Niall’s strong arm across her as they felt another push from behind them.

“I got ya lass, steady easy there.” Niall told her gently before directing his next comment to Zayn. “Mate? Move it.”

Zayn sighed but floored it, distancing them and the van.

“If we get pulled over, you’re dealing with the checkered pigs. I’m not involved.”

“A little too late for that mate, accessory to harboring fugitives and of course the girl would no doubt bring a few more charges. We don’t have a choice! Move!” Harry yelled, feeling the van start to turn even before the next hit came.

“Fucking bitches!” Zayn growled venomously, hitting his foot to the floor and watched the accelerator climb, watching the van keep up with them with ease.

“I think we’re checked and matched, mate. We need to lose them.” Liam said, his eyes wide, now watching the van with a careful eye.

“I’m trying! Niall? What the fuck kind of vehicle is this? Out of all the cars you could have got–“ Zayn started but Niall cut him off.

“Don’t go getting on my nuts, mate. I didn’t expect this! A lot of people with us, yeah? Larger car seemed reasonable –evidently and sue me for this, I didn’t take into consideration we were going to be playing bumper cars with a van full of psychos! Next time let me know, I’ll steal a bloody tank!” Niall ranted, feeling another push from behind, making Zayn swerve again, this time the whole van shook as they rode through grass and hard dirt.

“Holy fuck!” Harry exclaimed as Zayn turned the wheel and made an abrupt shortcut through the tall field of corn.

Niall steadied Isabella who let out muffled exclamations through the tape, jerking her head –or it could have been her head bouncing uncontrollably with the rest of the van.

“Trust me lass, I know how you feel –Zayn! Watch out for the bloody - “

BAM

“Never mind, you found the scarecrow,” Niall finished lamely, his other hand gripping onto his armrest for dear life. “And people tell me I’m a bad driver? Anyone need further proof? Look no further to tall, dark and dangerous over there.”

“Shut up, Niall!” Zayn yelled, turning the wheel sharply, kicking up a dust storm to try and blind the opposing van, all while the corn stocks bent to the ground like string.

“Well, just pray farmer McDonald don’t look outside his window and find us trashing his cornfield, I don’t think an explanation would begin to even cover it –or the costs.” Niall argued, which earned him a warning look from Harry.

“Niall –“ He began but as suddenly as he started, it ended – when Zayn finally hit concrete again.

“Bloody hell, we’re going the wrong side of the road! Where do you think we are? America? Turn it around!” Liam exclaimed, his hands becoming permanent fixtures on the armrests as he too was holding on for dear life. Harry was making sure Louis and his IV bags stayed tight, his body turned some so he was able to hold his friend to the seat. Niall had taken his hand off the armrest and was securely holding Isabella.

“It’s alright love, I got you,” Niall promised, holding Isabella’s tense body so that she was pushed into her seat securely. “We’re driving the wrong side of the road and might die in a fiery head on collision but don’t worry, you’ll still be in your seat; rest of us? God knows.”

Shut up Niall!” Harry, Liam and Zayn yelled in unison.

Zayn looked at the speedometer and realized they were going about 95mph. He knew he needed to turn around and the only way to do that without losing time or speed to evade their stalkers was to do a half 360 which amounted to a 180 degree turn back the other way, while avoiding other drivers –which thankfully for it being night, there weren’t any going the same way they were.

“Hold on gents, turning it around.” Zayn warned, before slamming on the break and turning the wheel sharply so it screeched loudly and jerked suddenly in a circle.

The boys inside let out an exclamation of things, ranging from screaming to swearing.

Zayn felt the van circle twice before he sharply turned the wheel straight and bolted forward at minimally lost speed.

“Bloody fucking hell you stupid idiot! Never, EVER, do that again!” Liam yelled before smacking him a few times on the arm.

Harry looked green around the gills, Niall had his hands in the air like a roller coaster, Louis had no idea what was going on –thank God for small favors, Isabella hadn’t even remotely quieted since the detour through the cornfield, Liam was back to holding onto the seatrest and Zayn was smirking like a madman, pushing the peddle to the floor again and speeding off, this time in the right direction.

“Are we being followed?” Harry breathed, his breathe coming out raggedly, his heart now in his throat.

“Nope, we lost them somewhere through the cornfield and going the wrong side of the road. I don’t see them.” Zayn replied, his eyes glancing at the road behind.

“Then slow the fuck down!” Harry yelled, his hand going to his mouth. He was going to be sick.

Zayn rolled his eyes but slowed his speed, although it wasn’t fast enough as when he passed an intersection without stopping, he noticed blue lights coming up behind him a few moments after.

“Although, gents, we might have something more to worry about. We’re being pulled over by police. My fault I half suspect.”

“Ya think, Zayn? Bloody perfect.” Harry muttered, his eyes snapping to Louis as a soft moan made its way out of his mouth. “Oh bloody perfect!” Harry exclaimed again before starting on Louis. “After all that, no, you lay there like a dead twit but we get stopped by police, you wake up?”

“Harry, shush! Give me your gun.” Liam demanded, holding his hand back as Zayn started to slow down, pulling off the side of the road.

“Why?” Harry demanded but did as he was told.

“Because, we need to bide time, you got any more of those flexi-cuffs or did you use them all on the poor girl?”

Harry reached into his pocket and gave a few to Liam, wondering what his friend was going to do. When he cocked his gun and hid it downward toward the floor, it became obvious.

Louis moaned again, opening his eyes.

“W-what?” He stuttered, his voice filled with sleep.

“Shh, nothing, Lou, we’re being pulled over by police, go back to sleep.” Harry said, not really thinking, more focused on watching the back mirror.

“Ok.” Louis replied groggily, his eyes closing but opening a second later, sitting up with a groan. “Police? Hey –where are we?” He looked around, seeing the familiar faces of his friends.

“We’re with trusted company, we might even be arrested and sharing a jail cell with them too if we don’t figure out what to bloody do!” Harry hissed, directing his comment towards the front.

“Shhhh.” Liam calmed as Zayn slowed the vehicle to a stop, rolling down the window and waiting for the officer.

Notes

Enjoy!