The Hostage and the Wanted

Chapter 16: Chaos

Isabella’s heart skipped a beat, turning around to face Harry. His face was unreadable but he didn’t appear angry –in fact he looked somewhat disappointed.

“You know, luv? I had almost hoped my feeling was wrong. When I saw Niall leave the bathroom, I knew he was being too lax. I just wanted to see for myself if I could trust you any further – it’s obvious that I can’t and obviously never will. If you’re going to run every chance you get then measurements will need to be taken and I don’t want to do that.” Harry explained calmly, walking a step forward, seeing Isabella take two back, her eyes intently watching her green eyed captor and what he would do next.

“Then let me go, disappear and give you the chance to do the same before we all end up in trouble! Harry, these men are dangerous, you’re on the list – they know you guys helped me and if they get a hold of you, they will not take kindly. You’ll be another victim to the long line of people I’ve come across – innocents. Even if you have your demons, you’re innocent in my affairs and I don’t want to see you, Louis or the others hurt. Please believe me.” Isabella begged, stepping back another step nervously.

“I do believe you, Ella, luv but it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change the course of our adventure and I really don’t want to have to chase you –“Harry was dismissing everything she had just said, this made her angry.

“You can’t keep me safe, Harry! Don’t you get that? They are always going to chase me, always be after me! I have to leave! I need to get –“She cut herself off, seeing Niall join beside Harry –looking at his friend awkwardly, having heard the conversation from the bathroom when he was going to check in on her. He decided to meet the two outside and see if he could help.

“You’re right, dove. Harry can’t keep you safe –we’re not even sure we can but you have to have faith and trust in someone. Harry is the better bet. Louis too –they have the skill to get out of situations, although taking from the latter times before this point may not be the best of examples.” Niall offered, which made Isabella fold her arms across her chest.

“I did have faith, Niall and it got them killed. I won’t do that to you –to Harry even though he’s convinced I’m the head demonic bitch from hell. I’ve been trying to run, trying to keep people safe because anyone close to me always ends up dead or missing. My fiancé –did you know that I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead? The last time I saw him was before shit hit the fan. I begged him to run, to come with me and he wouldn’t. He didn’t understand that because of what I did, I had to run and that was when they first hit. They caught up quick and I bolted, I ran like a bloody fucking coward! I looked back and the only thing I saw was the fear in his eyes – his hand reaching out so silently, the sounds around me quieted to a soundless picture. Everything around me stilled –panicked but so hushed that the air around me froze and all I could do was feel the grim reaper’s breath on the base of my neck, his scythe pulled back to cut me out of the picture permanently. I heard a distance of gunfire but I didn’t turn back. They were already after blood and I was their target. I’m still their target and I need to get away before there’s more bodies –more victims. The cop was only the start in the long line, next time there may not even be a warning. The silence will surround again, and it may be the last thing I see, the last thing any of us see. That’s why I need you let me go.” Isabella explained, her voice cracking in so many raw emotions that her eyes were blurring her vision.

“Ella, hun? Calm down, everything’s going to be alright, nothing is going to happen to us. Any of us. Why don’t we go back inside and talk about this?” Niall offered, cautiously approaching the girl but she backed off, her hand going out before she turned and bolted as fast as she could.

“Way to go.” Harry growled, on her trail almost straight away, Niall groaning, knowing he was going to be late for his appointment but followed after Harry.

For any sane person, two guys chasing a girl in just a towel down the street would raise some questions, however, a girl up in a tree with just a towel and two guys standing below –there would be a few million dollar questions to that scenario.

Isabella knew she couldn’t outrun Harry. Her energy wasn’t at its peak and she knew that because she didn’t have her shoes on and he did, that gave him the advantage. So she saw a tree about a block down and jumped up the branch, climbing up to the top and looking down, their feet stopping just below, their eyes looking up to match hers.

“Isabella, please? I need you to get a fucking bloody grip!” Harry growled, his hand instinctively curling tight into a fist.

“I’m calling Liam and Zayn – see if there’s anything they can do. We’re out in a very public place and this is the last thing people need to see. Do you know how bad this looks? Next time, Styles, give her, her fucking clothes, mate. Jesus H Jiminy.” Niall ranted, far from calm as he took his phone out.

“Leave! I’ll find my own way gone. Go! I’m not going back, fuck that, not happening!” Isabella yelled, looking around and spotting some acorns growing near her, grabbing them from the branches and pelting them down as hard as she could.

“Ouch!” Niall exclaimed, one having got him in the back of the head, the same time as Zayn answered –also sounding a little beside himself. “Zayn, mate, we got a situation – what? The van? How far are you, are you being followed?” Niall pulled the phone away as gunfire could be heard. Right before the phone disconnected.

“Fuck!” Niall yelled, dialing Liam. This was unnerving. This was not how things should be.

When Liam answered the only thing he could hear is Harry and Isabella arguing, with Niall’s head turned the same way as the tree and his body turned another, it was hard not to.

“Liam, mate, I think something happened to Zayn, gunfire, phone dead. Isabella up in a tree naked – fuck all mate you got to help!”

“Where are you guys? Louis is out here in the kitchen –you left something on the stove and whatever it was set off the smoke alarm! The wall was on fire when he came in!” Liam exclaimed, struggling to keep his calm.

“A block away, west by – by –fuck it all road.” Niall growled turning to the two arguing humans behind him, finally having enough. “Bloody fuck, shut up!”

It quieted for a moment and he was able to explain to Liam about Zayn and to go see if he would be able to see if he was ok and to send Louis down the street to see if he could help in some way.

“I told you.” Isabella replied calmly, her eyes full of raw emotion. She wasn’t going to be responsible for their deaths. “I’m leaving, I need to get them away from here.”

“You’re not bloody going anywhere! I’m also convinced that you won’t get far in only a towel and you don’t have any money on you and I have your personal items that I’m sure you’re going to want back” Harry responded to her just as calmly.

Isabella fell silent.

“You have money, my money. I told you that you could have it, you could use it to get away.”

Harry nodded in agreement.

“Right luv, you did and I am but you’re still included in my plans. I’m sorry, Ella. I truly am but you’re not going anywhere.”

“Why?! Why do you need me so bad? I’m nothing!” Isabella exclaimed as Niall turned to watch the two continue their cock sizing –if Niall had to pick a winning size, he’d say Isabella was winning at the moment.

“You’re wrong about that dove, you’re something – something someone wants and for a reason. I think this Chess game needs to come to an end now. The game is down to the kings and neither of them are getting anywhere with the bloodbath surrounding them. It’s time to stop running, face the music –face facts and tell us exactly who Anastasia is. Because from where I’m standing, lass, they want Anastasia, not Isabella.” Niall paced, his eyes wide in fear. He was severely worried about Zayn as his phone was completely dead and unresponsive. It went right to voicemail.

Isabella grew angrier, she didn’t understand these men. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t just fuck off.

With new vigor she grabbed another handful of acorns and tossed them again, this time Harry managed to end up with a few new bruises but unlike Niall, his pain tolerance was a tad higher.

“Throw those at me again, luv, I swear –“Harry didn’t get to finish his threat as a car pulled up, parking on the side of the street, Louis and Liam stepping out, taking in the scene.

“You need to get Zayn!” Niall exclaimed, seeing Liam looking a little more relieved.

“Zayn pulled up about five minutes ago. His car is all shot to hell and a bullet grazed his hand but there’s barely any bloody. He’s fine – although a miracle if you consider the state of the car and the condition it’s in. You need to steal and refurbish another car. That one is totally fucked. He lost the van through the underpass –luckily he came out on the right side of the road this time but he lost his phone about twenty minutes from the flat. He wasn’t followed but it’s far from safe out here for us. I think limiting our time out for a little bit will minimize our chances of being murdered thanks to spy mission impossible up there.” Louis ranted, jerking his hand to Isabella who sat rigidly on one of the higher branches, going for another handful, her cheeks red, her eyes stained and her emotions completely rampaging.

“Look ou-“Louis cringed, hearing hard objects hitting human tissue and bouncing off them with a hard plop.

“Fuck me!” Niall yelled as Harry had enough of the abuse, ascending the tree after the hazelnut hair colored girl.

Isabella wasn’t going with them without a fight and took another handful of squirrel treats.

This time Harry cried out, his body losing touch with the tree and him coming down hard onto the ground.

“Bloody desert viper.” Louis muttered, going to Harry and kneeling down. “Mate, stay down. You’re bleeding, the bitch got you right in the face and you’re in way over your head where this one’s concerned.”

Niall decided he would try a calmer approach, leaning over and whispering to Liam, his eyes not leaving up from the tree.

Liam sighed but nodded, going back to the car and driving it to the flat to confide in Zayn’s medicine cabinet.

“Ella? Can we talk? Please, dove?” Niall tried softly, leaning against the tree – seeing that she had armed herself again. He wasn’t stupid and knew that in order to get what they needed, telling her that she wasn’t leaving really wasn’t doing them any favors. So he began with something else. Reverse psychology. “What if I let you go? Guaranteed your freedom and secured you a way out of here? Would you stop hurting us?”

“How would I even begin to trust you? You’re friends with those ass fuckers!” Isabella spat, throwing the objects down at them, making Louis duck for cover, leaving Harry to the brunt of it. He just moaned and rolled to get up off the ground, away from the crazy bitch.

“Ella, name calling isn't polite.” Niall chastised, keeping calm but glad she didn’t hurl any at him.

“Keeping me hostage isn’t polite either! Didn’t your mom’s ever teach you that? Oh, right, who am I kidding? You’re a car thief, and illegal gun seller, Harry and Louis are robbers, Zayn’s a doctor – bout the only one I have any respect for around here and Liam? What’s he do? Lure children into his van with promises of sweets and unicorns?”

Louis shook his head, standing up and going over to where Niall was.

“No, he works shifts at a local club and if he’s not doing that, he’s helping Zayn with his shifts as an intern.”

“Ok so three assholes out of the bunch of five –not comforting. So trusting a car thief on his word would be the stupidest, dumbest mistake I could possibly make. I’d sooner trust the local serial rapist. You’re trying to lure me down with pretty words and false promises. I’m not falling for it.” Isabella glowered, hitting her hand against the tree in absolute rage. Although her tone was extremely cool.

“Oh, trust me lovely, I want nothing more than to see you off. Far bloody away from here.” Louis guaranteed, crossing his good arm over his chest and cringing at the slight pain in the other shoulder –though it wasn’t as bad as yesterday.

“Good, then screw off. I see you’ve gone away – I leave. Simple.” Isabella shrugged, cringing as the one branch scratched her leg.

“You know what? Fine.” Louis shrugged, walking over to Harry and helping him up from the ground, checking him over. “She bloody got you good, mate.”

“I know. I’m done. I’m letting Zayn and Liam deal with her. They have better luck.” Harry muttered, beginning to walk back toward the flat, nursing the small dents in his head with his good hand while the other held his bleeding forehead. Louis walking beside him, his good arm around his friend’s shoulder.

Niall still stood at the bottom, watching with crossed arms before sighing and looking back to the girl in slight wonder.

“Who are you? That’s all I want to know.” Niall asked, his voice a lot more quiet but his blue eyes intense.

Isabella shrugged.

“I mean, who were you before all the bullshit started? Your name was Anastasia, you worked for someone –you stole from someone…but who were you?”

Isabella fell silent, her own eyes scrutinizing the blonde below.

“You want to know who I was. Really?” Isabella snorted, not really believing it was anything but a stall tactic.

“Yes.” Niall replied, his voice never changing.

“Alright. My name was Anastasia Bright. I was a hacker for Glen Saudimere, his company name was Saudimere Homes Incorporated. It was –is, has over five hundred million in revenue with even more invested in private stocks. This is paid for by private parties, unbeknownst to their knowledge. I was one of the top hackers of my class and I transferred money to an out source for Mr. Saudimere. He used me for this purpose and filled my wine glass, but you know what they say about a wine glass that never fills right? It’s a trick glass – I was the trick.” Isabella smiled, beginning to climb down to the lower branches to meet Niall’s shocked eyes.

“You were the fall guy? He used you to commit fraud?” Niall questioned further, seeing the car pull up and park on the side.

“Oh no –not the fall guy, he was killed right off. I was the hacker who fucked Saudimere, right under his nose. He has no clue. His hands that were in the casinos, the different business districts –he didn’t have them in there for long. He did something that was very naughty and I made him pay.” Isabella chuckled, her eyes seemed somehow sadistic. They were vibrant and if Niall didn’t know any better –he’d think she was possessed. There was nothing but bitter joy when she spoke of her ex-employers struggle.

“What’s going on?” Zayn asked, coming up beside Niall as Isabella smirked and waved. He smiled back politely, although concerned with the unnatural look in her eyes.

“She was just telling me a big piece of the puzzle –about her employer.” Niall answered, following Zayn’s gaze as she sat a few branches up.

“Or I could be telling you one big fucking lie. Guess you’ll have to figure that out on your own, stud. Seriously? Do you think I’d tell you my story? A pathetic car thief with no future?” Isabella laughed, which made Niall start to grit his teeth.

She was angry, fed up, thirsty, starving to run and they wanted to play games. Well, she could play them better.

“Ella, that’s not nice.” Zayn frowned, leaning forward when Niall whispered something, although he looked to be keeping a few tears at bay.

Zayn nodded, patting his coat pocket.

Niall confirmed with a nod of his own and together they approached the tree, beginning to climb it.

Notes