The Hostage and the Wanted

Liam jerked awake at the sound of the titanium door outside their cell. It had opened with a giant creak, allowing the lights from the hallway to illuminate inside the bleak room, filling it with temporary blindness.

He shielded his eyes and glared against the sudden harshness.

Almost as fast as it opened, the door shut again but this time in its place were a few dull lights turned on up above, how they were yesterday before being turned off.

“Good morning gentlemen. I trust you slept well?” Ethan asked, making his way to the cell door and stopped, seeing Liam was the only one to open his eyes. Louis still slept soundly on his one shoulder and Niall had taken up occupancy on his lap somewhere during the time they had drifted off.

There was a slight pause, Ethan’s eyes lighting up.

“Should I come back later? They look so cozy – shame to wake them up.”

Liam could hear the sarcasm in his tone and took his free arm, rubbing it against Louis’s shoulder gently. He knew he friend was a deep sleeper, Niall was the easiest to wake, so he moved around a little.

“Gents, come on –get up, time to wake up.” Liam said.

Niall moaned but didn’t budge.

“Niall, mate, come on, up you get. We have to get up! We have company.” Liam tried again.

“Tell them to bugger off.” Louis muttered, although it took a few seconds the memories from yesterday flooded into him and he groaned, opening his eyes and looking forward to face Ethan.

“Why don’t you tell me that yourself?” Ethan challenged, crossing his hands over his chest.

Louis only scowled and remained where he was. He wasn’t stupid to challenge someone who could easily put a bullet through his head without even thinking twice.

“That’s what I thought. Anyways, Harry is looking better this morning. He’s gotten his strength back and should be brought here in a little while after breakfast. Yours should be brought in the next thirty or so.” Ethan told them, seeing Niall sit up from Liam’s lap, his short hair sticking up in different places. It almost made Ethan smile.

“What about Ella?” Niall asked, his voice still filled with sleep.

“Anastasia is not your concern or theirs. She is mine for the moment and until Glen Saudimere tells me any different, she is still in my care. What he does to her is his own right.” Ethan shrugged.

Niall felt desperate, not knowing what was happening to his friends was driving him nuts.

“Zayn, what about him?”

Ethan frowned, although pointed to his face.

“Your friend broke my nose, I broke his – his stay will be a slightly lengthier one then your friend Harry’s.” Ethan smirked, although when he touched the bridge of his nose it sent a short amount of pain into his naval passage. “You’re lucky I was able to reset it.”

Louis stood up, walking to where Ethan stood, the thick bars the only thing separating the two men.

Although it was dim in the barely lit room, Ethan saw the fire in Louis’s eyes and stepped back in case the younger man tried something.

“Actually, mate, you’re lucky there’s bars separating us or I’d break your nose beyond recognition. If you hurt my friend again, I’m going to do a lot worse. Mark my words, yank.” Louis promised, hearing the boys behind them scuffle from the ground and head toward Louis, arms pulling him back.

Ethan smirked.

“Consider them marked, Tomlinson. Now that we have the pleasantries and threats out of the way, I’m going to go and have some stuff brought down and by the time that’s accomplished, your breakfast should be here.”

He made toward the door, knocking twice.

“Thank you.” Liam said, making Ethan turn around.

“You’re welcome, although I really wish you would stop thanking me.” Ethan said as the door opened and he stepped out.

Liam sighed and released Louis, who promptly spun around, his finger against Liam’s chest.

“Don’t even start, lad. These are not people you want to fuck with and Ethan has more than proven that, yeah? So get your bloody finger off my chest before I break it and your skull.” Liam warned and Niall stepped between them, separating the two.

“That’s enough, gents. We need to keep it together, we, least of all cannot start turning on each other. Come on –everyone cool off.” Niall pleaded, looking between the men as Louis threw his hand up and went to sit down on the bench.

Liam went and sat down on the opposite side of the cell and Niall stood there, trying to control his emotions so he didn’t burst out crying again. It wouldn’t do him or anyone else in this cell any good.

“Come here, lad.” Liam offered, seeing Niall sort of stand there looking lost.

He obliged and sat next to Liam as Louis crossed his arms and faced away from the two.

“You’re right, we need to keep it together. I’m sorry. I just don’t want anyone getting hurt. If we cooperate then there’s less likely a chance of that. Threatening someone who hold all the cards isn’t exactly a smart move but I understand your anger, Louis.” Liam sympathized, making Louis look over toward them.

“I don’t think ya do, mate. I don’t think you understand what’s going on in my head. Best you don’t try.” Louis advised, facing away from them and leaning back against the cold wall.

“Let’s just let it go.” Niall pleaded, welcoming the silence.

Liam nodded, gripping Niall’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze before prompting his foot toward him and lean back into the corner.

*

Harry’s eyes opened, pain shooting up his arm. He looked up and nearly jumped back from the cold blue eyes that were set down on him – he looked and found that his I.V had unceremoniously been ripped out – tape and all.

He moaned, forgetting he was tied down and tried to sit up, only to fall back on the bed again, tired and drained.

“Let me help with that.” The blue eyed stranger offered, sitting Harry’s bed up, keeping his eyes on him cautiously.

“Thanks. Who are you?” Harry asked, the dark hair and lifeless blue eyes made him feel as if he was looking into the very depths of hell and the point of no return.

“My name is Glen. Glen Saudimere.” The man smiled, grabbing the now warm cup and putting it to Harry’s lips. Harry declined and he set it back on the table. “You must be Harry Styles. I’ve heard some interesting little gossip whispered around here – like being wanted in England, kidnapping someone’s property –does that ring any bells?” Glen asked, his nose crinkling a little and the snark look that crossed his face made Harry feel like it dropped ten degrees in the room in just seconds.

“Isabella –“Harry started but felt his head swing back with force from the punch that was thrown at his cheek. Thankfully it wasn’t as hard as it could have been but it was still painful, which in turn made him cry out in surprise.

“Her name is Ana-fucking-stasia. Stop calling her Ella, Isabella – whatever the fuck you’ve been calling her. That stops. She is to come to terms with her name and she needs to realize that just because she goes and moves, changes her name, she is still Anastasia Jade Bright. I won’t give you a love tap next time and just outright break your jaw, clear?” Glen asked, leaning his elbow by Harry’s head, prompting his chin to his hand and glancing at the younger boy expectantly.

“Yes, sir, crystal clear.” Harry gritted his teeth, seeing Glen smile and sit back again.

“Good, it will be fun working with you, Harry. I can tell you and myself will get along just fine.” Saudimere said, glancing to the hospital table and gesturing toward a tray that had been set there. “I think I will leave you to eat and I myself need to go get some work done.” He stood but not before releasing one of Harry’s hands from its prison.

“Don’t get any ideas, Killian will be watching you and your feet are still tied down. He can get to his stun gun a lot faster and I don’t think you want any more electric going through those pretty boy veins, do you?” Glen smirked, gesturing to Killian who came back in and took the seat he had been in earlier.

Killian watched his boss leave with a look of dismay, he turned toward Harry and released his other wrist, gesturing to the tray.

“I got you a bit of everything from the cafeteria. Not sure what you ate, better than what they feed prisoners here at least so enjoy it while you can.” Killian said, picking up his magazine.

“Killian? That Irish?” Harry asked, pulling the table close to him and looked at what the contents were, making a face at the unappealing garbage but grabbed the fork that had been sat by.

“Yup, international student. I’ve been working for Mr. Saudimere for two years, amidst of the time shit hit the fan. I’m originally from Kells.” Killian offered, his accent only a hint of Niall’s. He sounded very American as far as Harry could tell.

“You sound –“Harry started but Killian already stopped him.

“They couldn’t understand a word I said when I got here, so Mr. Saudimere had a team work with me on annunciation and voice dialect and if I don’t want bones broken I am to stick to that at all times but nothing is perfect, still got a bit of Irish in me left that can’t be helped.” He chuckled looking at the door before letting his voice go natural. “OF carse why spoil a gu’ thing?”

Harry bit into the food, not really hungry but he knew he needed to sustain himself, considering he didn’t know how long it would be until he ate again. Although he did let a whisper of a smile form.

“You’re not a bad bloke then, huh?” Harry asked, grabbing the cold glass of juice and putting it to his lips, enjoying the sweet nectar of orange that ran down his throat.

“Nah, I’m Irish, not a dick like these bleeding yanks here.” Killian waved, making Harry chuckle.

“Niall is from Mullingar, not too far from Kells?” Harry asked, glad to be able to talk to someone who wasn’t a total jackass.

“Not far at all, short drive –well, short compared to some.” Killian chuckled. “Now go on and eat, I’ll take you to your friends when you finish. I still got to look after Zayn, he’s been awake a few times but Ethan keeps sedating the poor buggar.”

Harry frowned, seeing Zayn was still locked down into his bed, this time though Harry could see his face and he outwardly flinched at the darkening bruises around his eyes and the clearly broken nose he had. It hadn’t even been reset back!

“Bloody Jesus.” Harry gasped, his hand going to his mouth.

“It looks worse than it actually is. He’s pretty beat up but Ethan checked him over and everything seems insignificant. Nothing broken other than his nose and he thought that was only fair.” Killian snorted, clearly not sharing in the sentiment.

Harry pushed his plate away, no longer to stomach the food. He just wanted to run to his friend at that moment.

Killian pushed the plate back gently.

“Please eat? I know it sucks but that’s cafeteria food for you. I know you’re upset because of Zayn but he would want you to eat.”

Harry sighed and did as he was asked, he just wanted to see his friends and make sure they were alright.

Killian nodded, standing to check up on Zayn, pressing gently around his face to make sure swelling was going down before crossing the room and opening a freezer from somewhere, grabbing an icepack.

He didn’t say anything before putting it across Zayn’s eyes and nose.

Harry finished nearly everything before pushing the tray away again, looking at Killian.

“Can I go see my friends?” Harry asked, watching Killian nod, unhooking his feed from the four points and helping the green eyed boy from the bed.

Upon throwing the covers off, Harry noticed he had been changed into a pair of dark black sweat pants and an undershirt. It wasn’t anything he minded –but the thought someone dressed him left him uneasy.

“Ah, yeah – those. Threw up on your other pair of clothes, don’t blame ya considering the stun gun they got you with. Come now, let’s get you to your friends.” Killian waved.

Harry followed behind, keeping his eyes open for any sort of escape route.

Notes