Chapter 24: Trust None

Zayn stared at the figure in front of him silently. He had woken up a few minutes ago, surprisingly with little effect from whatever Ethan had sprayed in his face. The only thing he didn’t like was the slight hard time he had catching his breath.

“Hello, doctor Malik,” Ethan smirked, finally taking his eyes from the screen and toward his prisoner who sat on an overstuffed beanbag chair. “Pardon the mess, I wasn’t expecting company.” He excused sarcastically, gesturing about the van.

“Why am I here? Where exactly is here?” Zayn asked, looking around at the conditions of the van before his eyes came back to his captor.

“Because I need you to be and that is not for you to know. Ana is up to something. I don’t know what, screens are opening and closing so fast that I am barely able to read what she’s typing but I do know it’s going to Saudimere’s company – I’m tracking the signal and activity but nothing appears to be changing. Which, last time she stole over five million, it didn’t show up for about a week and that was only discovered through records. I’m sure if the boss notices anything out of the ordinary that he will call.” Ethan said, although it was mostly to himself.

“Why do you need me here? I have nothing to do with Isabella’s decisions.” Zayn asked again, feeling cold metal encircling his wrists behind him and another pair securing his ankles.

“Because I need you to be and sometimes, doctor, another person’s decision can effect someone else. Directly and indirectly.” Ethan repeated with annoyance, not giving anything away.

Zayn groaned, leaning his head back from the slight headache. Whatever he was sprayed with was definitely making it hard to breath.

“What did you spray in my face? I can’t breathe.” Zayn complained, his airways a little raspy.

Ethan hit himself in the head, almost like he forgot something. He turned from his chair and got up, reaching into his pocket and bringing out an inhaler.

Zayn began to shake his head but Ethan knelt down so he was eye level.

“It’s an effect of the knockout spray, this inhalant counteracts it. Don’t be difficult, I’m already dealing with that on a massive scale and I really need cooperation from somewhere.” Ethan growled, shoving it into Zayn’s mouth and pressing twice.

Zayn breathed the spray in and coughed, his lungs clearing out and dissipating the heaviness that had settled in his chest.

“Thanks.” Zayn replied gratefully, coughing again before looking at the weird look that crossed Ethan’s eyes. Thank you must have been foreign because his eyebrow cocked slightly.

“Not something a captive says to their captor but you’re welcome. For what it’s worth, I was trying after the blonde one but you seemed like an easier target –that and he moves quick.”

Zayn chuckled despite his situation.

“He could outrun you a mile, mate, Irish legs –that sort of thing.”

Ethan frowned before reaching over to the cooler in front of the back door and grabbing a bottle of water.

“So tell me, as I am most curious, what brought you into this mess? Your two friends kidnap a chick and they bring her to you guys to share?” Ethan asked casually, his blue eyes emotionless as he opened the bottle of water and put it to his captive’s mouth.

Zayn took a few grateful gulps before pulling away, swallowing slightly as Ethan put the cap on and stood back up, sitting back in his chair to watch Isabella.

“I was just the doctor, mate. Nothing more. I patched her and Louis up. Some of your men critically injured my friend and they didn’t do Isabella many favors either.”

Ethan was preoccupied with the screen again and didn’t respond.

Harry was begging Isabella at that point to turn the signal back on. Louis was pacing and Isabella was ignoring them both. Whatever she was doing, it was intense. Ethan saw it in her face and he was keeping a close eye on her activity – as close as he could with all the windows popping open and disappearing.

“Ethan?” She finally spoke, the first word in almost an hour. They were bland and as emotionless as his had been earlier.

“What’s up sunshine?” He smirked, turning on the video on his end.

“I believe you’ll find all communications to the vans open and ready. I even did you one better, click this link. It will show camera functions in all the vans so you can see that everything is in order.” Isabella explained but couldn’t help the smirk that fell onto her face – he knew that smile, it was a dangerous, it meant there was more.

“Ok, the cat to the canary here, Anny, there is to assume more than just fixing the coordinates and communications – isn’t there?” Ethan guessed, frowning deeper when all she did was chuckle.

“Who’s the cat and who’s the canary? I’d say, judging from my point that we’re both matched, sweetheart. Go on, click the link and find out.” Isabella encouraged, her eyes shining a little but when they looked passed Ethan and onto Zayn, she lost a little more spirit. Ethan noticed and smiled himself.

“I’d say in the way of players, I have the advantage but you seem to have more of the technological standpoint on your side. I respect that but if you don’t watch your step, you may find the consequences irreversible.” Ethan warned but clicked the link, seeing sixteen windows pop up simultaneously.

“Van one to sixteen, status?” Ethan demanded, finding it was all very still and silent – although he could see the van moving from the shaky way the camera moved. “Again, vans one through sixteen, report!”

Harry was whispering in Isabella’s ear quite frantically, his face glancing to Zayn who looked to be equally as confused. His face banged up a little but Ethan looked worse, his clothes had actually been ripped and he sported a bruised nose and the beginning of a black eye. Zayn had really put up a struggle.

Isabella whispered back to Harry and all he did was bite down on his tongue, his hand going to his forehead, whispering back frantically, which all she responded with was a shrug.

Ethan watched the exchange before questioning it.

“Why aren’t the teams responding, Ana? I said to open up the communications.” Ethan growled, taking a small pocketknife out and standing up again. Zayn moaned as the cold steel hit under his jaw, the sharp blade digging in a little.

“I did open them and the vans are coming back.” Isabella shrugged.

Ethan noticed the undertone and looked at Louis, he and Harry were murmuring to one another, one pointing to Isabella before the other seemed to shake his head in disagreement.

“Ana, what did you do?” Ethan demanded, his knife digging in a little further to Zayn’s neck. The doctor groaned but didn’t dare move.

“Your men, according to the location here on the map, are at a pub. I’m no genius –but I’d say they were pretty lax on the understanding in communications. You wanted the vans back and communications open, I did it. It took me some time but I hacked the system of the vehicle crossing it with motion sensory to make it here safely, so they will make it back to England in roughly around twelve hours. Your men are still at the pub, getting wasted off their asses. None of them know their vans are gone yet.” Isabella chuckled, clearly finding amusement as she sent him another link. “In case you don’t believe me but just so you know, that guy with the dirty blonde hair and soulful eyes can belt out tunes. According to the sign, it’s karaoke night.”

“I hardly think this is the best time for sarcasm.” Ethan replied calmly, glancing at Zayn and withdrawing hi knife, sitting back down and clicking the link.

Ethan saw all of the men that Glen had hired exactly where Isabella said they would be – although he had to admit, the one singing had a good voice…and if he ever saw the man again, it would be the first thing he would remove.

“Not being sarcastic, I’m answering you truthfully, Ethan. I’m trying here. I’m cooperating only because you have a friend of theirs and I have something you want.” Isabella relaxed, her tone once again emotionless.

Harry and Louis looked at her.

“You want me. So I suggest we make an exchange.”

Ethan smirked, leaning forward slightly. Laughing as Harry and Louis were quick to object. She ignored them and continued.

“You want me, you said so yourself. So come and get me.” Isabella smiled before disconnecting the call.

Ethan tried to make out if there was any further discussion but she had killed the audio to the laptop.

He sighed and looked at Zayn, he hadn’t spoken much since waking up and perhaps that was for the better. He grabbed a few bandanas from the table and knotted them together into a longer piece of fabric.

“She certainly doesn’t has your best interest in mind. I saw through her façade. The one thing I know for sure is she cares for you deeply – enough to try and distract me from this van, a wild goose chase, that’s all it is.” Ethan bent down, readying the cloth but Zayn lifted his head back.

Ethan hesitated but nodded for the doctor to speak.

“If you know this, what are you going to do?” Zayn asked worriedly, eyeing the blue and green fabric.

Ethan looked at him a few seconds, wondering if he should answer.

“Go and get her, truth be told you were my distraction. It didn’t work well, her emotions are pretty shut off right now. My fault I suspect. When her brain is overloaded she can get a bit –distant. You’re not dealing with regular emotions, Zayn. Anastasia needs to be under my care. She needs to be safe.” Ethan explained.

“You’re not safe, mate, you want to turn her into Saudimere. She’d be well enough alone with a pack of wolves.” Zayn glowered, struggling a little.

Ethan put his hand on Zayn’s shoulder to still him, his blue eyes sparkling with annoyance.

“She will be safe in my care. Regardless of my feelings, she is Glen’s weapon and her care is best in my hands because I can control her.”

“You can’t even catch her! Mate, Jesus Christ, you need to see a doctor for those delusions of grandeur. She has been perfectly fine with us. We have taken care and given her what she’s needed. I’d rather her stay with Harry and Louis a thousand times over then to see her caged by the likes of you. You are a heartless bellend!”

Ethan shoved the cloth into Zayn’s mouth and tied it securely to the back of his head, the knot tickling his throat.

“Maybe so but should anyone attempt to help you escape, at least while I’m gone, you’ll find I’ve rigged the corner of the van with some explosives. They are wired to the doors and I’m the only one with the passcode. The charges are set to detonate in fifteen seconds from the time they are triggered so there would not be time to get you out. So if I were you Doctor, I’d pray.” He smiled and patted Zayn’s shoulder before looking back for the last time and leaving, arming the van as he left.

Zayn swallowed, hearing the steady beeping of the active charged. He couldn’t see them but he sure as hell could hear them.

Isabella’s face flashed on the screen, her eyes wide.

“Zayn? She called, making him look up to where the computer was.

Harry and Louis were by her side, having listened to the whole thing.

“We heard everything, we’re getting Liam and Niall out to your location. I got the coordinates and they’ll figure something out then. Once you get out of there, you three need to move fast and move far. Do not come back here, do not follow us. We’ll find you guys again. Ok?” Isabella promised.

Zayn nodded, his breath coming out rigid.

“Be safe, Zayn. I’m sorry I got you into this.” Isabella frowned, her head falling a little as she hit the end button and the screen turned back to black, waiting for more commands.

“Contact Niall and Liam, tell them we’re running and give them these coordinates. Tell them about Zayn and to use caution.” Isabella ordered, giving them a piece of paper.

Harry took it, leaving the room to do as she asked as Louis reached back into his pocket, taking out the familiar looking flexi-tie.

Isabella put her hands together in the front, not bothering to fight him.

“I’m running with you, Louis, not against. You’re involved, you’re all involved and for that I’m sorry.” Isabella apologized, a tear falling down her face.

Louis paused, having been ready to attach the tie to her but he paused and took it away, scrutinizing her up and down.

“I can help Zayn, I can help everyone but you’re going to need to trust me.” Isabella said, reaching a hand to his shoulder, watching his worry lines crease. “Can you trust me, even a little?” She pleaded before letting her hands fall back to her lap.

Louis let the question linger in the air for a few moments before Isabella felt the familiar pull of her hands connecting together, the sharp zip of the plastic again pulling taunt.

“Not a chance.” Louis said, standing up and pacing again – this time completely at a loss.

Notes