Chapter 25: Turned

Niall was yelling through the phone in volumes that could wake the dead. Harry had to take his ear away from the phone, holding it a good foot from him and it still came out crystal clear.

“Niall, I don’t know! Okay?! Jesus, mate, I don’t! Isabella told me to give you the coordinates and –“

He was cut off by Niall again and just sighed, walking back into the living room – stopping when he saw Louis had tied Isabella’s hands together again and was pacing. She just sat there placidly, watching him disapprovingly.

“What’s going on? Louis, I think we’re passed that. We need her help to get Zayn out of this, Niall is about to piss himself and Ethan is no doubt on his way here.” Harry said, turning the phone on speaker, his friend’s ranting never decreasing.

“Piss myself? Bloody fucking – way passed that, mates. How do you expect me to defuse a bomb!? With fifteen seconds to get him out? Do I LOOK like superman? If you’re so inclined on miracles, call him!”

“Shut up Niall!” Louis and Harry said in union with Isabella following in a second later.

The whole room went silent, with Isabella glancing at her captors.

“If you allow me to go to the coordinates, with your assistance if you feel so inclined, we can get him out. I had to defuse a fake explosive one time, it was for this contest –“Isabella saw the looks and shut up.

“The keyword there, luv, is fake. I’m pretty sure your sociopathic ex-lover is quite handy with the scientific equation of how to make an explosive. He’s proven he can cut power, get into places undetected – you see where I’m going with this, right?” Harry asked.

Isabella nodded.

“Then you come with me, I defuse it and we get him out together – I come with you peacefully and they leave and get out of here. I’m pretty sure the only ones Saudimere is after right now is me and company –which would be you guys.”

“Bloody perfect,” Louis muttered, taking his knife out and cutting Isabella’s wrists free again. “I still don’t trust you, love but we don’t seem to have a choice.”

Isabella nodded, glancing at Harry and nodding her thanks before standing up and gathering what they needed.

“Stud?” Isabella asked as she moved about, hearing the silence still on the other end.

“Yeah, dove?” Niall’s voice sounded drained but he answered her nonetheless.

“Go to the coordinates, we’ll meet you over there. Is there a vehicle out there for us to use by chance? If not I can –“

“Yeah, it’s the small grey one, keys are still inside.” Niall responded softly.

Isabella was about to end the call but Niall’s voice stopped her.

“Be careful dove, Ethan is obviously not playing with a full deck. I’ll see you over there in twenty.” Niall promised before ending the call.

Isabella looked at the phone a few seconds before Harry put it back in his pocket and helped her gather the items that they needed. She got the duffle bag and set it on the couch, making her way toward the bathroom, an unreadable expression clouding in her eyes.

As soon as she was inside, the first thing she looked for was something blunt. Isabella was not leading Harry and Louis to their deaths and she knew damn well that Ethan wasn’t about to come after her. He would be waiting close to the van – she knew him, she knew his strategy.

When her hands came up empty for anything blunt she swore and opened the door again, running right into Harry.

She murmured an apology as he gripped her arm, making her look up.

“I really wish you would reconsider.” Harry whispered, his voice hushed enough so Louis couldn’t hear.

“You can regret your life’s decisions but you can’t help the consequences. I’m holding my end of the bargain, saving your friend.” Isabella shrugged his touch away and started down the hall again, Harry’s voice stopping here again.

“I’m not stupid Ella, I know you’re not doing this for our benefit – you’re on a mission. I can see it in your eyes.” Harry observed, making her stop and turn around.

“To save your friend, to save what’s left of my strength. I’m not doing it for my own benefit either. As far as I care, Ethan can have me –too many people have died or gotten hurt. I’m not about to let that happen to you guys.” Isabella said, her tone working on automatic, continuing down the hall.

Harry shook his head, going into the bathroom.

It was no more than twenty seconds later that a loud crash could be heard and a pained cry coming from the living room. Harry didn’t hesitate a second, he was instantly out the door. Although he stopped at the entryway of the hall and looked in to see Isabella now had her arm around Louis’s chest, his own gun held tightly to his temple.

“Isabella!” Harry exclaimed, his stomach dropping. “What the bloody –“She cut him off.

“Harry? You need to be quiet.” Isabella responded to his outburst as calmly as she could, her muscles tense. She adjusted her arm across Louis for a better grip and pressed the tip of the gun in a little more into his temple.

Harry let his voice drop, the whole room reaching a cold subzero effect of tension and all they could do was stand around and wait for the other’s move.

It was a standoff and Harry knew he still had his gun on him – but he didn’t want to accidently shoot Louis.

“This isn’t going to accomplish anything, luv, it’s just making things worse. You can’t go alone, you need help. Let us help you.” Harry pleaded, his hand go forward cautiously, taking a step as he did so.

“Give me your gun, Harry. If you truly trust me and my decisions of making sure Zayn is safe, then trust me or don’t.” Isabella said, making Louis take a step back with her, his voice completely frozen.

“I don’t trust you, you’re not being logical right now.” Harry tried to get her to see reason but that only upset her.

“Mate, not the best words to use.” Louis grunted.

“Give me the gun Harry! I’m not playing, logical or not you’re leaving me no choice, you never left me a choice.”

Her voice was so soft that Harry had to strain to hear here from the entryway.

“I’m not giving you the gun.” Harry told her with finality, watching her move carefully.

“Alright, then I’m not giving you Louis.” She counteracted but saw Harry smirk, despite everything, Isabella wasn’t using her brain on a realistic level.

“Alright, whatever keeps you here safe, luv. If you fancy him so much, keep him.”

Louis rolled his eyes.

“Thanks, mate.” He responded placidly.

“I’m not playing games, Harry. Give me the fucking gun!” Isabella screamed, cocking hers off safety.

“I told you no, I need it and we’re going with you.” Harry insisted but made no attempt to take it out, his green eyes were much too focused on Louis – who looked on in nervousness.

Isabella glowered in annoyance.

“I’m keeping my promise but I need to breathe –and that breath is best taken without you two constantly squeezing the life out of me. Now –“She paused and pushed Louis with what strength she could muster, watching him fall forward, catching his balance and turning back toward her.

Harry grabbed his good arm before Louis could lunge back.

“Nah mate, if my recent battles taught me anything –don’t.” Harry advised, watching the girl closely.

“We’re wasting time!” Isabella growled, scratching her neck awkwardly before keeping the gun trained on them and going to the kitchen chairs.

She drug one chair before setting another directly behind it so the chairs were turned back to back before motioning them over.

“You have any more of those ties?” Isabella demanded, watching them remain plastered to their spots.

“Yup and they’ll make a lovely choker for your neck, love, when I get my hands on you.” Louis quipped, his lip turned upright, making Isabella laughed.

“Harry? Darling? Reach into his back pocket and grab a few. I’m done playing. If I have to seek cooperation then I’m not going to be very nice in going about the way I do it. I don’t want to have to shoot you guys in the foot for your obedience but I will.” Isabella threatened.

Harry reached into Louis’s pocket and took out the last six ties there were, showing them to her.

“Good. Louis? Sit down on one of the chairs, Harry? You’ll tie him.” Isabella continued with her orders, watching Harry’s hands with continuous caution.

Louis and Harry looked at each other but neither moving. This caused Isabella to point the gun at a nearby wall and shoot off a warning shot.

“NOW!” Isabella bellowed, watching the two boys jump back but make their way over with hesitation, Isabella backed off from their reach, relocking the trigger.

Louis sat down on the chair facing the kitchen, putting his hands down to the sides but not behind him, his shoulder was still healing and he couldn’t physically put his arms behind him without ripping open skin.

Isabella gestured for Harry to lock his friend’s hands to the seat frame.

Harry took one of the ties, positioning it at one of his wrists and the wooden frame before locking it to the frame.

“Tighter.” Isabella ordered, waving the gun about.

Harry rolled his eyes but locked the plastic until Louis cried out. Not painfully but a gasp to know that he had efficiently bound him.

“Good, now the other one.” Isabella kept her commands controlled and emotionless.

“Want me to gag him too?” Harry asked sarcastically, receiving a look from Louis.

“Don’t give her anymore ideas, you horse’s ass.” Louis responded, flinching as Harry locked his other wrist and looked back at the girl, his eyes more than a little angry.

“No, I’ll take care of all that before I leave. Now, if you would be so kind as to have a seat behind your friend, I’ll get you comfortable and be on my way.” Isabella took a step forward but stopped. “I want your gun though, Harry. I’m not asking again.”

Harry went to reach back but Isabella stopped him.

“Nu-uh, get your hands up and keep them there. You move, you get hit with the gun. I’m not fucking playing.” Isabella warned again.

“I know you’re not, luv.” Harry responded calmly, his voice dead weighted in his throat, his heart beating quickly but he held up his hands, the ties still gripped in his one hand.

“Good, keep your hands up!”

Isabella stepped forward and reached hastily under his shirt, her fingers gripping Harry’s gun as she pulled it from the waistband of his blue jeans and tossed it away, grabbing the ties and letting Louis’s gun touch the tipoff of his cheek.

“Put your hands behind you, very slowly. One false move and you will get hurt.” Isabella said, watching him do as she asked before she took the end of the ties with her one hand and connected them into the locking mechanism, pulling it tautly against his wrists.

Harry refused to cry out, even as she took the gun away from his cheek and used both hands to secure him.

“Maybe Ethan was right, maybe you are just a dangerous animal that needs to be caged and locked up.” Louis muttered, loud enough for her to hear.

“Strangely, coming from you, Louis, hearing it doesn’t bother me that much. You hurt my feelings already about never trusting me. Had you trusted me, I would have stayed. That was never a lie but you tied my hands – literally and figuratively here. If you’re going to treat me like a desperate hostage, I’m going to act like one and right now all I want to do is help Zayn and get the fuck out of here. I can lead Ethan away but I have to get you guys out of danger.”

“And we have an obligation to keep you safe, you don’t seem to understand that!” Harry tried desperately, seeing her stand up and go back to Louis, taking another tie and connecting his ankles together before walking back to Harry and doing the same.

“Don’t do me any favors.” Isabella told him blatantly, walking away from the men and into Zayn’s room, looking around before finding a few sealed sedation needles in a basket. She took them out and walked back, having found what she was looking for but stopped and went to the room she had called her own for almost a week. She had to admit, she would miss that bed. It was the most comfortable thing she had slept on for two years. She found the cloth they had blindfolded and gagged her with before picking it up and returning to the living room.

Harry saw what was in her hands and instantly tensed, groaning when the pain from his wrists travelled up his arm.

“Ella, luv, I’m sorry if you thought it was about not trusting you. We just want you to be safe, please believe me.” Harry tried again, his eyes not leaving her hands.

“I believe you but I’m not taking the risk of your lives or theirs. Ethan isn’t coming here, he’ll be lurking by the van. This is a challenge - Zayn’s life depends on me showing up and with Liam and Niall, I’ll have a better chance of escape after the fact. Ethan will see me go and follow, you’ll be free to live your lives.” Isabella explained, taking the folded shirt and forcing it around Harry’s eyes, tying it to the back of his head.

Harry swallowed, his vision cut to pure black before he could hear the plastic rip open.

“Please don’t do this, luv. I’m begging you, you need someone on your side –someone that understands.” Harry sounded desperate, feeling her touch soothe the long strands from his face. He knew he wouldn’t change her mind and soon enough,, he felt the prick of the needle.

“Doesn’t do any good to talk to a dead, daft imbecile.” Louis muttered, looking up at Isabella as she made her way to his side, ripping open the sedative and uncapping it, testing the liquid to rid the air bubbles.

Louis just watched her.

“For what it’s worth Louis, thank you for your kindness.” Isabella told him, sticking the sedative into his arm and releasing it into him.

“It was worthless. Complete rubbish.” Louis smirked, Isabella’s eyes conflicting a little but she simply leant forward and kissed his cheek.

“Goodbye Louis. May you and Harry find some peace in your lives someday.” She sighed, reaching over to run her hand to Harry’s shoulder, repeating the same gentle kiss to his cheek “Goodbye Harry.”

“Goodbye luv. See you soon, yeah?” Harry replied softly, his head falling slowly to his chest.

Isabella didn’t waste time. She grabbed the laptop and the duffle bag, heading outside into the fresh air, her lungs clearing and her mind finally free.

“I’m coming Zayn. I am so sorry.” She murmured, seeing the car that had been left and going to it, throwing the items in and getting into the front seat and taking one last look toward the flat before speeding off.

*

It was about five minutes later when Louis began to feel the familiar feeling of the drugs entering his system, he found it hard to concentrate on any one thing but there was one thing he knew for sure.

“Hazza? I think the bitch got us with the painkillers, not tranquilizers.” Louis said, before snorting and beginning to move his body back and forth. With his pain temporarily halted, he went about trying to free himself from the ties.

Notes