THE DEATH OF YOU

The man is back and on the phone to Harry.
Justin and I sit watching him. Listening to his conversation.
"Now that I have your attention," he smiles evilly staring ahead as he speaks.
"Now now young man.. What a mouth you have on you.. You better start listening to me or your precious girl will endure the consequences," he warns. His voice is cold and wicked and my fear turns to ice.
"No young man.. I call the shots.. When I get what I want you'll get what you want!" He barks down the phone at Harry. If we had glass windows they would burst with the impact of his shout, and as I jump and wince I notice the others around me doing the same.
"Oh is that right.. Walker has a big mouth.." his eyes find Justin and I can feel him shrinking beside me.
"Well all right.. since you might need motivation.." He moves the phone from his ear and presses a button.
"Cassie? Cass are you all right?!" I hear Harry's frantic voice.
"Harry?! Harry don't do it! Whatever he asks of you don't give in!" I scream. The man kicks me and I hiss in pain. "Don't touch her you fucking Nazi!" Harry shouts. However, the man cuts the call and then kicks Justin in the face. Blood splatters out of his nose and mouth. He might have lost a tooth but I can't tell.
Justin doesn't make a sound. He doesn't even wince in pain. It's as if all is dead inside of him. He might as well be dead since by the look on the man's face he might really kill us.. and if not him then Harry will kill Justin for sure.
The man walks away, leaving us alone, only one man guarding the door.
"Why did he hit you?" I ask as Justin wipes his face with his shirt. His hands aren't bound like mine. I'm confused at what justin's roll in all this is.
"Harry probably found the clue I left them," Justin wheezes. OK. So he is in pain. A lot of pain.
"Breath from your mouth.. that nose is broken," I inform him, even though I'm sure he knows that already.
"What clue?" I ask after he spits out a mouthful of blood.
"Why this is happening.. and who is orchestrating all this," he huffs.
"And?"
Justin gives a look that kind of says 'really Cassie? You DON'T know who is? You don't know who THAT scary man is?'
"You don't know who Jermaya Covonov is?!" The man at the door growls at me, his brows raised to his hairline.
"Should I? It's not as if he is part of the royal family or a politician? Just a fat man in a cheap suit," I snap, pushing it.
"Watch it!" The man scrawls at me.
"He is dangerous and evil.. you don't want him to know who you are.. and you don't want to piss him off," Justin states quietly.
"Well you seem to piss him off," I note.
"That is because I couldn't do it.. I thought I could.. for my sister.. family.. screw you over.. but I can't.."
I think Justin is about to cry but he is able to hold his emotions in tack.
"Well.. this man already knows who I am and he has assaulted me so.. I've met enough scary people in my life.. and he is no different than them.. nothing special," I shrug. I wish though my hands were untied.
"Cassie.. this is not the time to push it," Justin warns, eyeing the man at the door.
"Can you untie my hands please? I'm in pain," I ask shortly.
Justin thinks it over before moving to cut the ties. The man at the door watches but says nothing.
"So tell me what the hell is going on!" I order Justin.
"Well I told you about my dad being Zach Walker.. Harry's manager in America right?"
"Well yeah.. and I have no clue what that has to do with all of this!"
Justin tells me then the story of his dad. A gambler who owed a lot of money and was going to pay it off using Harry. How Harry at first said no and then yes. How he trained until he backed out at the last minute coming home, making Jermaya so cross he kidnapped his little sister to motivate him to help get Harry back into racing.
"Wait a minute! Harry got into his accident while taking part in that race!" I correct him.
"No he didn't! He came just to let my dad know he will not be taking part in the race.. Harry said there was something more important.. a place he needs to be... they got into a huge fight.. Harry never took part of the race," Justin explains in a quiet voice.
"He never raced? He was going to forfeit? Oh my God!" I gasp. Tears flood my eyes and spil down my cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Justin is alarmed by my tears.
"He was on his way to me.. I never knew about all this.. I was on my way to the airport.. heading home.. I didn't know.. this.. this is all my fault.." I stare at Justin wide eyed.
"No! No Cassie.. it's not! Get that thought out of your head!" He demands, touching my shoulder.
"It is! If it wasn't for me being so stubborn he would have raced and won! Your dad would have paid off his debt and Harry would have never gotten into that horrid accident!" I sob, feeling the weight of all that has happened.
"No! Look.. what happened with Harry and the accident was tragic but it could have happened anywhere and about the race.. They would never let Harry go after one race they would make him race over and over and it is good he got out when he did!" Justin states.
I nod trying to agree. And then another thought pops into my head.
"Are you telling me they held your little sister for a whole year and a half?" My eyes fill with more tears.
"No.. only once Harry was out of harm and back racing.. Then he came back and that was when they transferred me here," he explains. I nod as if I understand but I don't. Nothing makes sense to me.
"Whatever happens Harry should not race for him," Justin whispers as the door opens again and Jermaya walks back in holding a little tablet.
"Alright kids.. Justin.. I thought we had an agreement.. I guess you forgot but I can remind you," he smiles.
One of his men takes the tablet and leans down so we can have a look.
A little girl is sat on a chair which is much too big for her. A man behind her is holding a gun to her head. The girl's face is dirty and dark tear marks can be seen.
"You son of a bitch!" Justin snatches the tablet out of the man's hand.
"You fucking dick! I swear to God I will kill you!" Justin makes an attempt to get up to his feet, however he is kicked back dropping the tablet. I pick it up and look at the screen. The girl is older then I remember.
"Kristen.." I gasp. I touch her face on the screen and feel my eyes water.
"What would it take? How much money do you need? I'll get it for you! But let the girl go! I promise I'll get it.. She is just a little girl.. Please!" I sob.
"Now this is how I like my guest to act. Now sugar, this girl stays right there.. but I can have them move the gun... you however will not get me the money.. you will get dear Mr. Styles to race for me." His smile is evil and his eyes are death.
"What do you care? You lost money. You need it back! What do you care how you get it?!" I snap.
"Because I'm an honest man.. I make my money legally!" He claims angrily.
"Sure.. This is very legal.." I roll my eyes and wipe my tears.
He leaves us then and Justin takes back the tablet. The gun is removed from his sister's head. She seems too small to sit there on her own.
"You know my sister.. you know Kristen.." He mumbles.
"I do.." I break down again.
"Justin I'm so sorry.. I'm sorry you need to go through this.. this is terrible and I wish I knew of this before.. we could have stopped this from the beginning.. Nipped it in the bum.." I hug him. I'm crying again and feel hopeless and helpless.
"You have nothing to be sorry about," he wipes his own tears.
"I feel sick to my stomach.. we need to stop this.. we need to help her.. I understand.. I would have done the same," I whisper.
"No you wouldn't you would have gone to the police.. how do you know my sister?"
"She used to come down to the tracks with your dad.. she didn't like dolls.. she liked her cars.. and she used to sit with me.. the sweetest girl.." I sigh. He nods.
I have no clue what time it is. I am tired and aching. I lean closer to Justin and lay my head on his shoulder.
"Go to sleep Cass.. I'll keep an eye out for you," he whispers.
"Justin.. I forgive you.." I whisper back and let the sleep take me.

I am woken with shouts and jump up. It seems that Justin has also fallen asleep, his head resting against mine in our sitting position.
"You!" Someone calls and I squint.
"Do your magic! Call your boy!" A phone is shoved in my face.
I stare at the phone suspicious of the man holding it.
When I don't take it he throws it at me. I am not fast enough to duck out the way and it hits me on the side of my forehead. Black dots float in front of me and I can hear Justin shouting at the man some foul words.
I shake my head, shaking away the dots and reach for the phone.
I dial Harry's number, swallowing the pain and the tears.
"What?" He growls.
"Harry?" I whisper, having a hard time believing he is really there, on the other side of the line.
"Cassie?" His voice is soft and shocked, not believing himself.
"Harry.. I'm OK.. I'm fine.." I tell him, my voice cracking.
"Oh god.. Cassie! Are you hurt? Do you know where you're? Keep talking to me so they can trace this call alright?" Harry orders in a soft voice.
"Ok.. Harry.. it's not Justin's fault.. remember he didn't have a choice.. he is a victim just like us," I state as tears run down my face.
"I know love.. I love you Cassie and I'll find you and that dick face will pay for taking you from me," he promises.
"Come on bitch! Get to the point!" I am kicked by the man standing above me.
"Harry.. they have Kristen.. Justin's sister.. the little girl from the tracks in Malibu.. they have her at gun point," I am sobbing now, trying hard to be able to speak clearly so he will understand.
"They will kill her if you don't race.. if you race and win he will let her go," I cry.
"What about you? Will they let you go?"
"First Kristen.. get the little girl.. please Harry.. you can do it," I swear.
"I will get her and I will get you! I promise!"
"That's enough!" The man reaches for the phone.
"Wait! Just one more thing!" I beg from the man leaning away from him.
"Harry- you were on your way back to me when you got in the accident! You never raced! You were making your way to the airport to come home with me!" I yell as the man snatches the phone from my hand.

Notes