The Silence That Surrounds

Harry’s POV:

I kneeled down next to the bed Sophia had been placed back on last night, glancing at her body and the way her chest rose and fell gently with her even, weak breath.

“Ms. Stone? Please wake up, you and Dylan both regrettably have a busy time ahead and Damien is not in the best of moods this morning. Come on doll face, open those eyes for me and show me you’re with us. “I said as I shook her, my lips lingering gently by her left ear and speaking softly.

The coldness of the basement didn’t seem to affect her much, the others were not so lucky as they huddled in the corner to preserve heat but a blanket that had been found by Niall was draped over Sophia with the upmost care.

She moaned and turned away from me, crying out as she picked her hips up.

I watched with grim observation as she shot up in bed, her breath hitching unevenly in her throat, her eyes wild and her mouth open in a silent scream.

Whether than take the chance my hand met her mouth, shushing her before she even started.

“Ms. Stone, I have two painkillers and three day after pills, you will receive three every eight hours for the next four days. I am not taking the off chance of pregnancy. As for yesterday, you will be happy to know Liam managed to sew you up to correct the vaginal tearing that was caused during your ordeal but you are going to be sore for the next week.” I explained, my tone neutral but the amount of fear in her horrified eyes was positively jaw dropping. It amazed me and I did not unnerve easy.

I felt a presence at my side and saw that it was Christian. His demeanor was different today – cautious…closed off?”

“Harry? She can’t breathe.” Christian pointed out tiredly, reaching over and gently removing my hand from her mouth.

I let it drop before grabbing her hand and forcing the pills inside her palm, grabbing the other and thrusting the water bottle into it.

“Take them, they’ll make you feel better luv. Christian? See that she follows orders. I’m going to go and wake Dylan up. The boy is in real need of a shower.”

Christian nodded and began to speak soft comforting words to Sophia as she struggled to regain her breath. I did not have the time or patience to deal with the theatrics – traumatizing or otherwise. Damien gave me set instructions and they must be followed.

As I skipped up the steps and went through the kitchen I saw Steel at the stove and hard at work on breakfast.

“For everyone or Damien only?” I questioned, stopping beside him as he had a less than thrilled expression on his face.

“Damien. I do this every day, three meals and in between if ordered. Jonathan is responsible for making sure Christian gets fed and Shane is responsible for overseeing Jonathan to make sure he has eaten – Colton cooks for himself, so if your group wants something they will need to take it up with Master Styles and get permission.” Steel answered as I nodded once and continued on toward the guest bedroom that held Sophia’s brother.

As I unlocked the door and stepped in, I faltered only slightly at the sight that greeted me back.

In front of me, strapped down in his usual spot was Dylan, the thick white long johns covering his lower half, urine staining through them as he tried to hunch his body to curl into a ball. Silent sobs were racking quietly from his chest and his face had been bruised and scrapped from the constant abuse Damien had done. He looked much younger than twenty-one. The gag in his mouth looked to have been carelessly forced in with a long scarf in between his teeth to hold it in place.

As I entered through he looked over, the misery and hurt in his eyes was fresh and I knew it wasn’t because he was kidnapped. It was because in a sense – he too had lost something important, he lost the will of living in ignorance. Dylan had watched his sister become another minority, a minority his own ignorance could not ignore.

“Good morning, Junior Stone. Did you sleep?” I asked in mock interest, my mind slightly occupied as I went to his overnight bag and pulled out a pair of his regular boxers, a wife beater, a green polo shirt and long tan khaki shorts with white socks, his hair brush and a hair tie. With the items I went over and set them on the bed and began to take the gag from his mouth.

His eyes lit up tearfully as my hands made quick work of his gag, swiftly untying it and pulling the second cloth from inside his mouth before tossing both items on the nightstand and unstrapping him from the bed.

“Come Stone, Damien has ordered me to make sure you get an adequate shower – with my assistance. You were downgraded to high profile but we still have precautions that need taken so I’d appreciate if you stood and gathered your clothes and followed me into the bathroom without struggle.”

“S-Sophie –“He struggled out hoarsely but clamped his mouth shut when I took out my gun and pointed it toward him.

“She’s right as rain, lad. Now, up you get, yeah? Don’t make me use force. I hate using unnecessary violence…alright, maybe that was a slight lie. I actually don’t mind it all that much but I would like to avoid messing up that pretty face anymore. Your sister will already be blaming me for that shiner you got thanks to my father.”

I motioned him from the bed and to my surprise he actually stood up and followed direct orders, grabbing the clothes I had set out, following to the bathroom and without me having to order him anymore. He stripped without a problem, the urine soaked long johns and boxers falling to the ground as he stepped out of them before going to the toilet and relieving himself.

I studied the boy for a quick moment. He had his father’s features. Signature blonde hair – only much longer and he himself had a long thin figure, slightly toned but still frail looking with the same shade of blue like orbs as Sophia’s. He was beautiful in his own way, much equally matched to his sister’s beauty.

I must have spaced because he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Shampoo, conditioner and body wash are all in there, I suggest you take advantage.” I nod to the shower and he takes that as his queue.

When the water turns on I stand back and look past the prisoner, his offhanded but heard comment of the strawberry shampoo didn’t go unnoticed and I snorted to further make his point moot.

He heard my amused snark and went quiet, his disposition more submissive.

A sudden knock at the door sounded before it was opened, revealing Liam. He wore a straight face and a sigh.

“It’s Sophia. I got her to take the birth control but she’s refusing the pain killers. Do you have a moment?” Liam asked, clearing his throat as they set passed me onto Dylan.

I sighed and nodded.

“Yeah, watch Dylan. I’ll set her straight.” I nodded, going toward the door only for Dylan to stop me.

“Don’t hurt her, you’ve done enough of that already, mate.”

His voice had an undertone of warning and I couldn’t help the bitter laugh that escaped my throat.

“Yeah?” I challenged stepping back in and over to the shower, looking evenly at the boy before reaching in and pulling the nozzle all the way to the left so the water turned a comfortable warm to steaming hot.

Dylan let out a pained exclamation before pulling the nozzle back to the right to even out the water temperature.

“Just like you? Right? Just like your bloody fucking father, yeah? You aren’t any better, mate. Not in the slightest so get off your podium, no one’s listening. You’re insignificant in the grand scheme of things and even less so now, so if I were you I’d shut my mouth because you don’t have a pot to piss in here and you sure as bloody fuck don’t have any authority. The only thing you have is a pretty face and a father who fucked you both over. Directly, indirectly – it doesn’t matter. What matters is your pretty face does what it’s told because if you think I’m a monster, you will come to realize I am a fucking Goddamn SAINT compared to what my father is.” I growled, pushing his nude body into the title and trapping us both under the water in a moment of tense silence.

“Don’t hurt her anymore, alright? Please?” Dylan begged, his voice weak. He had no fight in him and I could see the desperation in his eyes. He cared for Sophia, under the tough exterior – I did start to suspect that he truly didn’t know where his sister was.

“I’m not. Unlike your father, I know the worth of my gang members – which says a lot, yeah? Especially when your father traded her like worthless rubbish for a down payment HE never planned to keep. You want to beg someone? Beg daddy to pay up – because as it stands right now? Once the company comes under our control, we have no use for you; so beg him like Sophia begged him but he has already proven to us that he holds his money in much higher standards. You want a life lesson, kid? Don’t owe the mob money and don’t borrow from your drug dealer.”

I smirked and gave Dylan one last shove before walking out the door, leaving Liam to watch the kid.

It was a short walk but I could hear the conflicting voices coming from the basement.

“Come on lass, you need these.” Niall coaxed before groaning after a second of pause. “Please stop being difficult! Take the bloody pills.”

“No!” Sophia yelled but that was overshadowed by a sudden gunshot coming from outside and Steel’s voice yelling excitedly through the thick oak door.

“I got him! I shot the cat, come on, it ran this way!”

My heart dropped and I took a detour to outside and saw Steel and Colton heading towards the forest, trailing behind a path of blood.

I cursed and ran after them in an attempt to save the cat. Goddamn bloody cat, I don’t know why I even bother.

*

Dylan’s POV:

I watched him go. His long curly hair hanging damp to his face and a deep scowl on his face, leaving me with another captor.

This one just watched me shower, his dark eyes never leaving my direction. It was odd and I felt the familiar sense of heat flushing my cheeks as I lathered some lemon soap on my skin and washed it clean, finishing up with the strawberry conditioner – the man outside letting out a snort before walking to the sink and coming to stand in front of me, handing me a dark green conditioner bottle.

“Here, it’s tea tree. It will cover the smell of the strawberry – Harry can be an ass.”

I took it with a grateful sigh.

“Thanks.”

He nodded and I finished up, relief finally washing over my stiff muscles.

A towel was handed to me and I thanked the gent in front of me who seems to have been worn down. His eyes tired and dead of life.

“Is Sophia going to be okay? I –I didn’t know it was this bad. I truly did believe my father when he told me she was on holiday. “I tried to explain, drying my legs and wrapping the towel around my waist. Modesty was the last thing on my mind.

“Sophia is under Harry’s protection now. She is a part of us and he will see that she is cared and looked after.” He assured.

“He raped her – they all did.” I spat bitterly, throwing my shirt over my head before throwing a pair of my own boxers on, glad to be free of the restrictive clothing.

“Yes but – it got the message across, it got your cooperation did it not?”

My hands tightened into fists.

“He didn’t have to! They – my sister was a virgin! I may argue with her, I maybe a bastard but she’s my sister. She’s MY family!” I exclaimed but the guy looked at me with the same calm, dead eyes.

“Not anymore, lad. She belongs to Harry and Master Sty –“ I cut him off.

“Master Styles? He is not her master, he is not mine. I am cooperating strictly because of Sophia. I want her kept safe.”

The older man smiled a little.

“She is not the one you should concern yourself with, your priority right now is getting into the systems and locking everything down. Accounts, mergers – whatever you can. If a main source of money is going through that server, lock it down. Harry wants everything halted and in return he will be able to deal with your father directly once his source of income is grounded. Money speaks volumes and your dad seems to thrive from it alone. So much so that he would trade your sister and abandon her in the hands of ruthless criminals.”

Although his voice was easily dismissed as emotionless, I could tell by the dark outline of his features that there was a deeper undertone to his words.

“I truly did not know. Had I – I…” It was at his words did I grow silent with realization. Had I known of her abduction – would I have traded places?

“Your family are all the same. Born and raised with ignorant bliss – how Sophia escaped such things is a miracle. Perhaps, when Harry deems it appropriate, he will show her how to truly survive. Maybe with us she has a chance, it is obvious your family values money over human life. A truly empty consumption – an empty and pathetic existence. That is all you and your family are. I envy you in a way, I resent that ignorance because it is something I myself can never have. You are a lucky boy, Stone – something you should be thankful for and yet you squander it selfishly. Why am I even bothering? Words are wasted on you anyhow. Come, breakfast will be ready soon and Harry wants you back in your room.”

I felt anger flush through my cheeks, my hands tightening against the fabric of my clothing. He assumes I do not love Sophia – that I would leave her here to never see the sight of the sun. I may not have wanted to trade places with her but that hardly seems to be a fair judgment. I would have helped her escape – I still could. It’s not too late, dad could help us out. He wouldn’t leave me here and I know he would be relieved to get my sister back.

“Your assumptions of me, sir, are wrong. I have nothing to prove to you or your band of miscreants. My purpose for being brought here is obvious, you need my help –“ I cut myself short at the sound of his condescending laughter, pulling my shorts over my boxers.

“What we need is cooperation. Once we achieve our goal, you are going to die. Harry will take you outside, bound and gagged – just as he did with your sister and force you on your knees and pull the bloody trigger. I normally feel sorry for our victims but you? I won’t. You deserve this and more.”

I swallowed but allowed the older man to lead me back into the room I had been staying at for the past few days and shove me back onto the bed before grabbing the anklet from under the bed and connecting it to my foot. When he made sure I wasn’t going anywhere he turned, leaving me to my own troublesome thoughts.

For a moment I sat there and moved my foot awkwardly, the chains moving with it with small delicate clinks and the weight seemed foreign – was Sophia chained down like this?

It was at that second loud gunshots were heard outside, followed by screeching tires and the sound of an opening door.

“Harry shot me! He bloody fucking shot me Master Styles! We had that fucking cat and he cornered us and stole the cat before we could crush its skull! Steel shot the cat in the leg and when we went to kill it Harry fucking shot me in the shoulder!” A pained voice I knew as one of the older gang members screamed in agony, a heavy object hitting the wall with great force.

“He what? Come here boy, let me get a look at you.” Master Styles demanded before pained screaming could be heard from the injured gang member.

“He nicked you, hardly a concern, where did he go?!” Damien ordered before more painful could be heard.

“I don’t know, Master! He took off with the cat like a bat out of hell, do you want us to trail him?” The injured one moaned out before a body could be heard smacking against the wall.

“No, let him go. I will deal with my precious son when he gets back. For now, Steel? Get the girl and her brother out here. We have much to do today and I don’t want to wait any longer. Jonathan? See to Colton’s arm, make sure it doesn’t get infected. Shane? The rest of Harry’s gang are hereby grounded and under strict confinement until further notice. Get them tied back up and gagged, I will deal with them and Harry whenever he should get back. Christian will be out here with us, watching the other two. Everyone understand their order?” Damien yelled with authority, my throat constricting nervously as I struggled to swallow the lump.

A chorus of ‘yes Master Styles’ followed his rhetorical question and I was left wondering what was going to happen to us.

I didn’t have to wait long as a large figure came into the room and right toward me. The sudden movement caused a large chunk of fear to move right through me, paralyzing me to the core – at the same time verbal protests could be heard on the other side of the cabin – the basement seeming to interrupt and come alive in violence but one thing that caught my attention was Sophia’s desperate and pained screams.

Without thinking I turned toward the bigger figure and balling my hands into fists before bringing my arm back and giving him a strong right hook, watching him back away, his grip on my arm falling away. I used that moment to run toward the open door but a sudden pull on my foot caused me to lose my footing and fall to the carpeted ground, Steel’s figuring now leering over me before all I saw was his fist flying at my face – after that it faded to bright Christmas like stars and then – nothing at all.

Notes

This chapter is dedicated to all of my readers. Silent or non silent. Thank you for being such amazing readers, this chapter's for you!