The Silence That Surrounds

Harry’s POV:

I looked down at my hostage with guarded eyes and a steady hand, the silence surrounds us except for the small muffled sobs radiating from Ms. Stone. My finger sits easily on the trigger, I could pull it without another thought and never think of the girl again. I could forget about her presence the same way I had not thought about Evelynn those many years ago. Her little body buried within these walls like so many other victims that were unfortunate enough to come here over the years.

“Louis? Give me a countdown from five.” I requested, hearing Sophia’s voice garble and falter, she was accepting it the best way she knew how and in a small way I admired her for her bravery. I addressed her again. “If my word is worth anything at the moment, Ms. Stone, you aren’t as weak as I expected you to be. You’re braver than most who have come and gone. I admire that but we can’t waste any more time. We have to move forward.”

I saw her nod her head, her sobs dying. She understood, she had accepted it.

“Good. I’m glad you understand.” I finished, my voice trailing off and my hand on the gun again. “Louis? Five count, now.”

He sighed but did as he was instructed.

“5…” Louis started. I made sure I was aiming at a place that would kill her instantly.

“4…” Louis eyes me, my dark orbs furrowing in a dangerous glare, the anger inside of my overtaking my body.

“3…” Three long months and no word from either her father, no words from her brother and her mother only cared about drugs and parties. It almost made me sympathetic toward the girl to have such bloody shit parents but I exhausted all my options. I called my father and he had not gotten back to me. So I’m carrying on with my orders and moving forward.

“2…” I gripped the gun tighter, outstretching my arm and tightening the trigger under my finger.

“1…”

The shrill ring of the phone cut us off and I immediately swore and uncorked the gun, reaching into my pocket and whipping out my cellphone.

“What!? I’m in the middle of a Goddamn –“

“Do not take that tone of voice with me, BOY. You fucking ingrate! You called ME, you interrupted MY personal business. Now what is it?! You have twenty seconds.” My father’s angry voice yelled through the receiver.

I mentally swore at myself before glowering at just the thought of talking to this monster.

“Ms. Stone’s brother, Dylan Stone. He has other factors of information dealing with the company that may be of use. Ms. Stone gave up some more data earlier regarding her father’s business. She has been of some use but it would seem she only holds the secrets, there are other players in the game. According to her, she’s willing to get the money you require and any information.” I explain to my father hurriedly before he can hang up.

“And you believe she is legit? That she will give her father and brother up willingly?” My father laughed, almost as if he himself had doubts.

“She has already been most attentive in details with other major associates, I believe she fears punishment but at the same time, at least reasons to my own knowledge she is angry at daddy and mummy dearest; which is something much easier to play on than force.” I chuckled, glancing at Sophia who fell down on the ground, unable to kneel any longer.

Niall and Zayn helped pick her up from the ground.

“So you want her as a temporary or permanent asset?” My father asked, his tone uninterested and bored.

“Depends how useful she can become. So far, she has not disappointed, if you know what I mean.” I forced out a laugh, which my father did not return, in fact he sounded quite bitter – which also made me very happy. Anything that pissed him off was worth his degrading.

“She shows initiative? She would help us – a criminal enterprise bring down her father for not even a guarantee of sparing her life? I’d say that’s a twist in the plot considering I want Mr. Stone brought down. I trusted him, his daughter was only supposed to be a down payment – a temporary hold until he could get the money. That was originally the job, babysit the bitch until her dad gave me the money he owed - now I’m stuck with the prat.” My father yelled, more than a little angry.

I opened my mouth to reply but a few gunshots erupted from the other side, followed by a scream of panic.

“I believe she would be of some use, dad –more so than some around here. I believe if we take the brother you will get more ammo to use against your enemy. Ms. Stone’s idea. Niall told me earlier that she maybe of more use than originally thought. She suggested we kidnap the other one, pretty sure that he would be more of a key.” I related, watching Zayn and Niall struggle to keep her on her feet, her head shaking back and forth.

“Well then, get the boy – tonight if possible and I will be there within the end of the week to personally welcome Ms. Stone into our little group. She is to remain on hostage status until I say otherwise but get the brother, keep him tightly locked up and secure until I get there. I don’t want him moving so much as a finger without hardly being able to. Don’t fuck this up. I will be in touch.”

With that he hung up and left me to breathe out a sigh of relief.

“Niall? Zayn? Take Ms. Stone in and warm her up something to eat. I’ll be in momentarily, get her untied, take her gag out. She won’t be needing it. The rest of you? Meeting time, five minutes.”

I watched as they all scurried in like cockroaches, Niall picking up Sophia in his arms bridal style and continuing into the warm house. I stayed out by the clearing for a few minutes before aiming my unused gun at a tree and firing off the shot, hearing it echo, momentarily deafening the silence with a sudden bang.

For a moment I stood and watched the smoke come from the tip of the gun, its metal warm.

“This is not what was supposed to happen. This is not –“My voice trailed off, alone in the cool frigid air I was painfully aware of the cold but it now no longer bothered me. It felt like I have been standing out here for ages.

With a resonated sigh I dashed back into the cabin, the warm now surrounding my body from the cold night air. I walked into the kitchen and saw Sophia sitting in her chair, her arms plastered to Zayn as she cried into his shoulder.

His arms were wrapped around her lightly, his words soft and unheard by the rest of us. He was comforting her – a rule that is punishable by a severe beating. We comfort ourselves, we deal with problems ourselves – there is no comfort in the darkness, there is no compassion but tonight, I just couldn’t bring myself to yell. There was too much to do and little time to do it in.

“Zayn? Get off the girl, you know the rules. She will need to take solace in her own feelings from now on. Tonight I have way too much on my plate so consider that your one and only warning. Niall? You will be in charge of her tonight, she stays in your room. I need the guest room for her brother. Boss agreed to take Dylan to see what all he knows and his direct orders were not to let him up until my father gets here. Sometime end of the week so fit the bed with a few of those absorbent pads and plastic sheets and we’ll figure something out regarding what to do when he has to use the bathroom. Until otherwise specified, he is a code red case and must be treated as such. Louis and I will leave in a few, he wants it done tonight.”

I watched Louis carefully but all he did was nod. The others followed suite to follow orders. Zayn went to change the bed out. Since the straps still hung from there, there was no need to set anything else up.

“H-Harry?” Sophia stuttered, swallowing hard.

“Hmm?” I murmured, going over to the fridge, taking out two beers and returning to the table. I dropped one in front of her. “Might as well get some hair on your chest, you’ll need to stockpile it if you hope to survive here.”

I watched the confusion etch over her face but gladly picked the drink up and chugged it down, grimacing at the aftertaste.

“My brother has a hard time breathing if his arms are raised, he can’t be cuffed to the bed like that and he’ll need his inhaler. If you don’t wish to kill him.” She mentioned, her voice shaky. I can’t say I blame her – especially just escaping the wheels of death.

“Fine. Liam? Go tell Zayn to add the ten point restraints on. Two on his chest, three on his torso, the wrist, arms, ankles, and legs. I need him tied down flat and monitored twenty-four seven until my father says otherwise. One of you will guard him at all times. Ms. Stone was high end but you know that if you fuck up with a code red case that my father will not hesitate to shoot you on spot. So don’t fuck it up.” I finished my little pep talk, my voice raising to make sure everyone in the cabin heard me.

Sophia stood up on shaking legs, her hand reaching out to touch me. I didn’t move from my spot but felt her arms snake around to embrace me in an iron-like grip, a sob escaping her dried lips.

“Thank you, thank you so much.” She cried.

I stood shocked for a few moments, unable to process what she was doing but the shock overtook my ability to push her off so I stood there – letting her before gathering up enough force to push her from me, a scowl darkly etched in a dangerous warning.

“Depending what your usefulness is in this gang, don’t thank me. I gave you a reprieve, what you do to stay alive is up to you but I can guarantee that crying and breaking down around my father is a sure fire way to get yourself shot. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m your friend Ms. Stone. I did it to save my own neck, not yours. In fact, tonight, you know what I just found out?” I smirked, forcing her shoulders down into her chair, kneeling down next to her, my eyes forcing their way into hers.

She shook her head, defeat and sadness radiating from her.

“I found out daddy dearest and mummy traded you off to my dad for a down payment to the sum he owed. You were disposable to them – less important than the company itself apparently – less important than your brother. Louis was there for a reason that day. Your father ordered the limo but gave Louis the keys. He knew what was going to happen to you and he didn’t care. Doesn’t that make you angry? Make you the least but vengeful?” I smirked, seeing the shock come over her face.

“He –he wouldn’t –“She stuttered, her eyes going wide.

“Oh baby girl, he would. He would and do you know why? Because money is the root of all evil and your father, luv, is the monopoly of the bloody fucking devil.” I hissed, agitation and anger swallowing my good mood.

Her hand went to her mouth, muffling a sob.

“No –“ She shook her head as I pet her beautiful hair away.

“Believe what you want but my father will possibly confirm this by the end of this week.” I laughed, unbelieving of how stupid and naive she could be.

“H-how much? Everything’s laid out now, you have what you want, you have my complete cooperation. I deserve to know – I want –“She stuttered, her confidence faltering again, music to my ears.

“You may think you do but you may not be happy with what you find.” I warned, my eyes slitting and the anger boiling to the top.

“I WANT TO KNOW! WHAT WAS I WORTH!?” She screamed, her hands grasping my arm tightly, pinching my flesh.

I tore her hands from my arm and hauled back, slapping her with the back of my hand.

“You don’t NEED to know. You aren’t worth a fuck if he didn’t pay! This was all some – some ploy to get us to babysit you for a few months and right now, father is pissed and I’m two seconds away from shooting you. You are NOT in charge. I AM. The sooner you realize this the sooner we can all be one giant happy goddamn bloody fucking family! You want to know how much your father owes? He owes us about five hundred million – that’s without the interest. Interest adds up over twenty-nine years at forty nine percent, you do the fucking math, your father’s company is rightfully ours, he didn’t pay – he doesn’t get to keep it.” I took a breath to keep my anger in check but at this point I was seething.

“The problem we are having, Ms. Stone is that in order to bring Satan himself, you have to deceive the deceiver. Meaning, you work with what you got and sweetheart, we got you. We got the weapons we need. Your job is to convince your little bro and if you fail to do that, I will take you both out into the clearing and this time, there will be no pause – I will shoot you both where you fucking STAND. Don’t thank me because I am not your savior I’m a Goddamn demon. My job is to make sure your cute little ass does what I need it to. You are my puppet and you will obey your master. I can be kind or I can be cruel but either way Ms. Stone, you are now mine. Welcome to the group.”

I stomped out, hearing Niall rush to Sophia’s side, her sobs igniting the quiet air as the rest gave me a look, the familiar memories of their past each hitting them in a different way. Louis followed me out without another word, leaving the silence to follow.

Notes

Hope Harry's POV is as true as it has been this one was a little bit of a challenge!