The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Harry jotted up the steps of the London precinct, hands in the pockets of his pants and head down in a discreet and easy manner, making him blend in with the shame of having to pick up someone from the police station.

As soon as he entered, he went to the front desk, his head still looking at the floor.

“Pick up, Sophia Stone.” Harry muttered.

“Aye, she’s processed and ready to leave. Cap’in was specific with this one, said to talk to his second in command. Come to the side door, I’ll lead.” The desk clerk relied, getting up from his chair and buzzing Harry into the back.

Harry kept his head down until he was through the door, that’s when he picked it up and followed the clerk down the too white washed walls to the third door on the left, a sharp knock sounding.

“Yes, yes, come in. I’ve not got all day!” Came a rather older, posh accent.

The clerk threw the door open and gestured towards the second empty chair, Sophia was occupying the first one.

Harry sat down into it and looked over at Sophia with a burning glare.

“Good morning, Officer Drag. I see we have ourselves another situation?” Harry questioned, the second officer busy taping away at the computer.

“Indeed, Mr. Styles, it would seem that way. In fact, I am not sure why she is getting out at all to be honest. According to her record, her charges include, theft, personal theft – that would be the gentleman’s clothes she took from him – boxers included.” Harry’s head snapped to her at this.

“You, Ms. Stone, have a lot of explaining to do.” Harry’s eyes grew darker, his head going back to the officer.

“I can explain that, the gentleman in question called me a whore and Louis –“

“Quiet!” Officer Drag shouted, making her go silent.

Her cleared his throat.

“Other offenses include and these are rather serious ones I’m afraid. They include Kidnapping, assault with a – “Harry interrupted lifting his hand up.

“Excuse me, but kidnapped WHO exactly?” His eyes shooting to the officer.

“A one, Louis Tomlinson,” Officer Drag sighed, like he had explained this a million times before. “She is to stay at least one hundred and ten meters from him at all times until the courts can review her case, to which time there may be a fine or jail time issued.”

“But I didn’t – “Sophia tried explaining, but Officer Drag and Harry both shot down her protest with a ‘be quiet’, continuing to speak to one another.

“Officer Drag, I’m sorry for the disruption to your otherwise perfect day. I will keep a shorter lead on her, I promise.” Harry nodded, his eyes darkening a jaded green, though Sophia was sure there was a little bit of worry etched in them.

“Other charges included resisting arrest, assaulting an officer, intent to do harm –“

“I did not resist arrest!” Sophia protested.

“You pulled the arresting officer’s pants down and tried to run away.” Officer Drag responded to her outburst calmly.

“He lost his pants, I was helping – “

“Sophie? Please use your right to remain silent, luv. Because this isn’t looking good.” Harry robbed his throbbing headache.

“I – he.” Sophia threw her back against the chair and folded her good arm over her chest with a scowl at the second in command.

“She did not have a driver’s license on her and the one in the system is expired by two years. The last one is damage to property, which Mr. Heart, the car’s owner and the person she stole clothes from, insists on being paid for by her or her guardianship. Which would be you.” Officer drag finished.

“Is that all or are you done with the charges?” Harry asked sarcastically.

“Well, there was reckless driving, she went up a ramp against the flow of traffic, but I figured you had enough on your plate.” Officer Drag chuckled, handing Harry a slip.

“She took a Lamborghini, nice five hundred-thousand-pound price tag alone, upholstery and paintjob are ruined and his estimation on bodywork is around two hundred and fifty thousand.” Harry felt himself go faint as he reached over for the paper, which was a fax from Asher Heart on repair.

Wait, Asher Heart…the…musician?

“Wait, Asher Heart? The musician Asher Heart?!” Harry freaked, his eyes rolling over back to Sophia who hunched down from his booming voice.

“The very one.” Officer Drag smiled, knowing Harry would catch on and one that also let Sophia know she was in trouble.

“SOPHIA!” Harry’s voice etched in unhuman screech. “Why would you – why did you rob that bloke naked and take his car?!”

“Louis might still have his clothes and wallet and I’m not incriminating myself anymore.” Sophia said, using her right to remain silent. It might save her the rest of her hearing.

Harry growled, getting up.

“I’ll have the money wired to Heart’s account by the end of the day. Do feel free to let him know that, yeah? Come on Sophia. I need to go pick up your nanny from hospital – and exactly how did Louis end up in the hospital? Between forgetting my pants, Damien’s screaming and my blistering headache, forgive me on the lack of detail or if it escaped me.”

Sophia didn’t say a word.

Harry growled again and nodded towards the Officer, grabbing Sophia’s good arm and forcing her to follow him.

“You have cost Damien quite a bit of money. I hope you know whose hide is going to get beat for that. He’s going to have a heart attack on the floor when he sees this paper! I’ll have to resuscitate him and from there he’s going to hang me by my balls until they turn blue and fall off!” Harry fisted the estimation tightly, shaking it.

“He has my father’s company. Billions pouring in every week unless he’s not keeping up on stocks or watching the market. He can’t just take from the investors, but the revenue for the stocks he can.” Sophia explained, flinching at the bright light as they walked out of the police station.

“So? Money is money to him.” Harry scowled, but stopped when Sophia walked in front of him on the cobblestone road, her new cast pressing gently to his chest.

“Harry? Give me a laptop and I can square away my debt. I’ve offered before and I can again, this doesn’t have to be mentioned to Damien.” Sophia pleaded, their eyes meeting, hard green meeting soft blue.

“Damien already knows about your joyride. Thankfully, he doesn’t know many details, but he is pissed, Soph. He is mad and I won’t be able to protect you from his wrath. He is going to kill you when he sees you. Why weren’t you on the ferry with Andros and Aiden? I trusted Louis to get you onto it and away from here, far away from here. Why didn’t you go? Huh? WHY?!” His voice raising at the last part.

Sophia flinched, taking her good hand and gently fingering the aging gang member’s hard face, the gentle touch of her fingers massaging his cheek made his face drop its hard stare and stare ahead awkward.

She reached around and pulled him into a gentle hug, her cast wrapping around to trap him, her lips by his ear and blowing gentle gusts of air against it as she spoke.

“Because we all must make sacrifices. You chose yours and I chose mine; I couldn’t leave you to die, Harry. I couldn’t leave Louis or Niall or Liam or Zayn. I couldn’t do it because I was taught by the devil himself that you don’t leave your family out to dry when times become tough. He once told me that sacrifices must be made for the good of others. It was never an opinion to leave, because then that means others would have to die. I’m not selfish. I choose to stay.”

The softness of her heart melted him a little and he found himself hugging her back, a breath of air leaving his mouth in relief.

For a moment they stood, the world around them freezing in a momentary bliss that each of them felt wholeheartedly.

“You’ve become my family, as much as I hate myself to admit it, I have to.” Sophia confessed, leaning back to stare back into the lost look of his own greens.

“You never cease to amaze me, nightshade.” Harry whispered, his hand pulling up to wipe away the silky strands of her hair, noticing it felt freshly washed and she was wearing a white flowy flowered sundress.

“They made me shower and change. I smelled like ocean trash when I got here and a nurse redid my cast before they booked me.” Sophia smiled and let Harry finish leading her to the jeep.

“Louis is at London hospital, we need to pick him up and then we need to switch cars at the cabin because Niall, Liam, and Zayn are coming with us to the playhouse. Damien said it was urgent and with the way he sounded this morning on the phone, I don’t want to chance getting him anymore pissed off then he already is.” Harry reasoned, opening the door for Sophia and helping her in before climbing into the driver’s side on the right side.

When he was in and they were off, Sophia opened up about the incident, starting from when Elliott attacked them to when Louis got shot in the butt and then moved onto how he dumped her and him into the ocean and swam, losing the men. She left out no detail, right up to the rising and falling of Asher’s waxed chest and the feelings going through her – which Harry admitted was a bit too much detail, but let her continue to right up to when the police arrested and booked her. Though, she may have left off how scared Louis was when she was driving, trying to save him some dignity.

“So, that’s it. The officer’s pants fell down when I tried catching myself and the running away from him bit was backing away to make sure I didn’t fall back down. Those charges are bogus. If my father was alive, he’d have that man’s job.” She finished in a rant.

Harry had remained silent all throughout, nodding occasionally.

“That’s it? You do realize they could have charged you with more offences than they already are? Luckily for you, Mr. McMichaelson is going to make everything go away. Now, how did a restraining order get put on you for Louis? You technically have to sign for them and it has to be approved by the judge.” Harry questioned, rubbing at his hairline.

“Maybe Louis accidently signed one?” Sophia questioned.

“Why would he do that?” Harry wondered with a frown.

Sophia chose to again use her right of silence, not answering Harry’s question.

Harry didn’t notice and they pulled into a parking space a few minutes later.

“Alright, here’s the deal; I’ll go get Louis. When you see us coming out, pull the car up. You don’t have your license, I know, but this will be easier. I don’t know how long were going to be in there before discharge; so when you see us come out, pull the jeep around. I assume you know how to do that, yeah?”

Sophia nodded, choosing not to answer that with a verbal response.

Harry nodded back and turned to go inside to pick Louis up.

It was around thirty minutes later that she seen the familiar face of her leader with a wheelchair, wheeling it towards the pickup line.

Sophia took that as her que to carefully and slowly back up, driving it forward at a snail’s pace, parking it in front of the men, smiling proudly at herself.

When Harry opened the door and Louis saw Sophia sitting in the driver’s seat, the first thing he did was scream. The second thing he did was push back and ram the wheelchair handles into Harry’s stomach, forcing the leader’s hands off the chair to cater his poor assaulted body. The third thing Louis did was roll away.

“THAT DEMON BITCH FROM HELL IS NOT DRIVING! NOT HAPPENING! HELP I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!” Louis screamed, rolling towards the steep incline. That didn’t go unnoticed by Harry, who, started running after him.

“Louis come back! She’s not driving! LOUIS! THE HILL!” Harry screamed, running after his second in command.

The wheels picked up in velocity as he hit the top of the incline, rolling forward, hair whipping back, eyes wide and mouth open like a gutted fish.

“LOUIS!” Harry yelled, watching the chair head right straight towards traffic. “FUCK ME!” He screamed out before slamming of brakes could be heard and loud yells of surprise – he wasn’t sure if those came from Louis or the drivers. None the less he started running down the hill, Louis now out of his sight.

“I’m too old for this rubbish.” Harry muttered, seeing a toppled chair at the curb a little way down, Louis laying a foot from it on the ground.

Seeing Louis unmoving he hurried to him, cars stopped out of concern or curiosity at what they had just witnessed.

“Louis?!” Harry tried again, relieved when he groaned.

“That bitch is under no absolute fucking way driving. Capeesh?” Louis hissed, his head still on the ground, not making an attempt to move.

“She was driving to pick us up before you went all mental. She was just driving to the curb. I didn’t see the harm, what did she do that’s got you all unnerved, mate?” Harry frowned, which presented another question. “And by the way. Did you put a restraining order on her?”

“The nurse asked me if I wanted to. I was high as a fucking kite with all the pain meds they had me drugged on while sewing my ass shut, no thanks to Elliot, so I might have signed one. Why?” Louis asked, groaning as he got up and sat in the chair Harry now had beside him.

“Because the police informed Sophia she had to stay a hundred and ten meters – the size of a football field away from you. Thankfully, when Zayn tried doing this, McMichaelson made it go away. Remember that? He went to the police and McMichaelson called us, the restraining order never went through,” Harry questioned, grabbing the back of his chair and began to slowly walk back where they came. “Okay, please don’t knee me in the stomach anymore with your chair, Louis. We’re about to go up the hill.”

“Don’t let Satan’s daughter behind the wheel and I won’t have to!” Louis retorted, folding his arms stubbornly.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“She can’t be that bad.” Harry defended.

“HAH! A blind person drive’s better than her. At least they can stick a cane out the window and check for traffic. She doesn’t bother. It’s like ‘hey Louis, let’s go up this one-way ramp like were in America and see how much I can make you to scream like a girl!’ It worked. She never actually drove before, so she told me.”

Harry’s mouth opened slightly.

“So that explains the detailed damage to Heart’s Lamborghini? Damn. Guess you or Zayn are going to have to train her to drive.” Harry dismissed.

“I’d rather have my tonsils skull fucked with a rabid bat. If she couldn’t learn at sixteen and had to have daddy buy her license, then she won’t be able to learn now. I’m not getting into a car again if she’s driving. End of discussion.” Louis stomped out that idea, making it clear that Zayn would have to be the one to teach her – if she survived the next ten hours.

“Louis, we got bigger – “Harry started, but was interrupted by a car pulling up and rolling their windows down.

“Young lad? Are you alright?” The older woman asked, her husband peeking around from the passenger side.

“He’s fine, mum. He just got a little overly excited, didn’t you?” Harry smirked at Louis’s glowering stare.

“Fuck you, curly. You’d act the same way if you had to drive with Satan’s spawn.” Louis counteracted, making the women gasp.

“Don’t worry, mum, he’s always like this.” Harry smiled.

Louis said nothing, he was far too miffed at the madness going on around him.

“Harry? If she drives, I will jump out of the goddamn jeep.” Louis glared, making Harry groan.

“If you don’t stop, I’m going to tell her to drive us home. Shut it, I heard you the first hundred times.” Harry warned, the woman driving away from them with a shake of her head.

They finally made it to the loading area, the jeep still waiting. He pushed Louis to the passenger side and opened the door, noticing Sophia was in the middle.

“What took you so long? Security was telling me to move.” Sophia said, seeing Louis give her an evil look, climbing in beside her.

“Louis saw you behind the wheel, panicked, drop kicked me in the stomach with his wheelchair and nearly got himself ran over by oncoming traffic as he sped down the deep incline – you wouldn’t happen to know why that would be, do you Soph?” Harry asked sarcastically.

“Nope, not a clue.” Sophia replied, a panicked look crossing over her face.

“Uh-huh. Louis told me you don’t know how to drive?” Harry pursed his lips, his eyes focusing swiftly on the red rooted red head with black hair.

“Tattletale. Harry, I obviously parked this hunk of metal without a problem, I can do it again. Want me to?” Sophia asked, seeing Louis’s eyes go wide as he clawed at the door handle.

Harry locked the door before Louis could open it.

“HELP! I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!” Louis screamed, his face pressed against the glass pane.

“SHUT UP, LOUIS, JESUS CHRST!” Harry yelled at Louis’s panicking. “No, I believe you, I saw it. Zayn will be teaching you to drive, he’s probably the best one out of all of us. If he can’t teach you, no one can. Once he does, we’ll take you to get a legitimate license so this doesn’t happen again. Which means you will take the test and pass on your own terms.” Harry explained, calming down, hearing Louis’s fast breathing, his hand still clawing the door.

“You’re drooling on the window, Lou,” Sophia noted, her hand going to his shoulder. “Listen, I’m sorry I scared you. The next time you get into a car with me – “Louis interrupted her apology.

“Will be when hell has frozen over and England makes weed legal.” Louis finishes sarcastically.

“Okay, well, not what I was going for, but I’m glad you weren’t hurt.” She said, her smile genuine.

“I’m glad you weren’t either, flower.” Louis muttered, looking down at his lap and playing with his fingers.

“Okay, we need to pick up Liam, Niall and Zayn and then head to the Playhouse, Damien is expecting us. We’ll switch to the van when we get back.” Harry explained.

“Okay.” Sophia nodded her agreement, glancing at the apprehension that showed clearly in Harry’s green orbs.

Louis nodded and sat back, relaxed that Harry was driving.

Harry set off on the long track back to the cabin, the silence in the jeep a comfortable one.

Eventually, Louis fell asleep, his head dipping on Sophia’s shoulder comfortably, making her smile.

“You know, Harry? My brother used to do this when we and dad went up to the lodge. They would hunt and I would cook whatever they brought back. Sometimes they wouldn’t catch anything, but sometimes it was like Christmas. Those are the times I remember thinking how simple life was. How I wished it could be that way all the time, how there were less rules to go by out in the middle of nowhere. Mother of course would never join us, no matter how much we begged her. Even dad. He’d joke that they could make another baby together and get it perfect…though I think he just wanted sex and damn all about any more kids from the brutal detail he told me.” Sophia recalled, her good hand going up to play with the tips of Louis’s hair absently, turning the fine follicles between her fingers and gently tugging.

Harry kept driving, the silence giving her permission to continue.

“My mum was more of a people pleaser. She loved bending her back over for the neighbors. She enjoyed the extravagant parties that Dylan and I were always sent upstairs for. She wasn’t a normal mum by any means, but she was mine. She was the only one I ever had – would ever have, but it was simpler when work wasn’t involved. That’s how I met Asher Heart.”

Harry’s hands gripped the steering wheel at the name.

“Why are you telling me this, exactly? Do you really think telling me is going to change anything that’s happened? We can’t change the past, Sophia; only the future. Start living in the now, not the then.” Harry told her bluntly, making her pause in her actions.

“I was trying to remember the best times I had with my family. I miss my brother and my mother. I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Sophia murmured, laying her head against Louis’s and closing her eyes, figuring she might as well get some rest before going to the Playhouse. She had a feeling she’d be needing her strength.

She heard Harry sigh, but he didn’t say anything and turned on the radio to some old music station, turning up the volume and started singing softly to the song that had been playing.

Sophia listened to him, his voice soft and quiet, a lulling one that was easy to fall asleep to.

*

“Wake up, were here,” Harry said, shaking Sophia’s shoulder and opening his door and letting out the number of whistles for Niall, Liam and Zayn.

The whistles echoed into the trees and vibrated back, making the door slam open with three lazy looking figures stepping out, bedheads and all.

“OY VEY! We need to leave, get dressed and get back here!” Harry yelled, eyes wide at the dragging figures.

“Where we going?” Zayn murmured, leaning against the doorframe.

“Playhouse, get in there, get dressed, now! You got two minutes or you’re leaving with what you got on.” Harry threatened.

“Okay, M’ready then.” Zayn yawned, making his way down the steps.

Harry pulled his gun from the back of his waistband and pointed it at Zayn’s feet, shooting off a warning shot that just missed.

Zayn halted, eyes a bit more awake.

“TWO MINUTES, SCRAM!”

All three practically ran over one another with getting back inside the cabin, hurrying to get dressed as their Master commanded.

Harry rubbed his ongoing headache and turned back to the jeep.

“Sophia? Help Louis to the van, he sits upfront you four will sit in the back.” Harry ordered, watching her nod and get out of the driver’s seat and go to the passenger side, helping Louis out and taking him to where the van was parked behind the brush.

Without a word, she helped him in with a smile and shut the door, going into the back as she was told, joined by Zayn, Niall and Liam in a record minute and thirty seconds.

“Greetings everyone.” Sophia held up a peace sign.

Zayn muttered something under his breath and leaned his head back to catch some more sleep, Liam returned her smile and Niall waved, not really verbalizing any words.

“Okay, everyone’s in?” Harry made sure he got everyone, counting the bodies and himself before nodding in approval.

Sophia watched the divider between the back and the front shut, leaving the four of them trapped in the back in silence.

With her tiredness no longer really an issue she decided to pass the time by humming.

Zayn shot her down after thirty seconds, the tune off key.

“If you don’t shut up, I will murder you and hide the body.”

Sophia stopped, but not without slightly frowning.

“Where were you guys? We stayed up until seven this morning waiting.” Niall questioned, shifting slightly to get comfortable.

“I got arrested, Louis went to the hospital.” Sophia replied, before beginning to explain as they would want an explanation.

Zayn actually snorted a few times, replying with ‘good ol’ Lou.’ Or ‘what the hell.’ Niall and Liam said nothing. Though they weren’t supposed to know about her leaving, but the cat got grabbed outta the bag on that one and each of them listened in further explanation.

“So you had a chance to leave, but you chose to stay with the riff-raff? I’m impressed, Ms. Stone. Truly. Guess time really does change a Grade A person.” Zayn smirked.

Liam shook his head, extending his hand.

“Welcome to the team then, Ms. Stone.” He congratulated her, Niall reaching over and giving her a light hug since he was sitting the closest.

“What Liam said.” He smiled.

Sophia returned it, a small uneasy look in her eyes.

“Thank you.” Was all she said and let the space revert back to silence. After all, she now found it more comforting then meaningless chit-chat. Harry inadvertently taught her that when she had tried earlier.

Harry was a whirlwind of emotion. Switching from calm to fury in three seconds and that scared her.

It seemed like time drew by, the quiet talking upfront scarcely heard to Sophia’s own ears, but she knew that she was the topic of conversation. Somehow, she always seemed to be.

*

“She’s going to die, Harry. You know when police get involved and scenes are caused, whether McMichaelson makes them go away or not, Damien settles the score with the one who made the mistake.” Louis mumbled, shifting on his butt and wincing, the pain meds having worn off.

“Yeah? Whose fault is that? Hm, I wonder. You were supposed to make sure she got out of here. I could have sold Damien a story, killed a girl and acid bathed her for a day, Damien wouldn’t have been able to tell and no one would have been the wiser. I always have a backup plan, Louis. You know that!” Harry exclaimed, his hand pounding on the wheel in frustration.

Louis snorted.

“Yeah, kill an innocent girl to take Sophia’s place so she could escape? Are you really that deranged?” Louis asked rhetorically, because he knew Harry damn well was mental enough to do it if it came to protecting the gang or the girl he loves to hate.

Harry’s eyes darkened against the contrast of the gray clouds above.

“You don’t need me to answer that to know.” Harry replied quietly.

“You’re right, I don’t. I know you well enough to know that you hadn’t thought of that plan ahead and you just now pulled that out of your arse. Harry, I did halfheartedly try to convince her to leave. She chose to stay; she knew the risks – she knows that this could be her final few hours. She is aware because the girl isn’t stupid. I WISH she was at times, but sadly, she’s not. Daniel’s spawn maybe naïve at times, yes, but they most certainly are not dumb.” Louis finished, folding his arms across his chest.

Harry sighed.

“Yeah I know, which is going to make this harder. There’s only one way to get her out of this and she dies either way.”

“Not necessarily, Harry. If we can teach her basics, I believe she would be able to beat Damien. I wouldn’t have had her stay if I didn’t think there was a chance. You know me, you know my feelings are always spot on and I have a good feeling about it.” Louis insisted.

Harry merely nodded.

“I hope you’re right, lad. I really do.” Harry said, rubbing at his hairline again.

Louis nodded once and leaned back, the front as silent as the back.

*

A few hours later they pulled up to a large hidden warehouse like structure. The building was huge, stretching at least three stories, the outside condemned looking with an abandoned feel to it, but even the boys knew better as looks were deceiving.

“We don’t know if Damien will take the deal, what if he doesn’t?” Harry asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Worst case scenario? She becomes one of Damien’s dolls and I slit her throat or best case scenario, Damien is stupider than he looks and accepts our deal. Either way, elevator’s going up.” Louis shrugs.

“What goes up must also come down, basic law of physics.” Harry retorted, getting out of the van and opening up the door to the back.

“We’ll discuss this later.” Louis murmured, heading slowly to the entrance of the broken down building.

Zayn and Liam got out with Niall last to follow, his hand taking Sophia’s good one and guiding her out.

“Thank you,” Sophia bowed slightly, looking to the huge structure out in the middle of nowhere with overgrown weeds and bushes surrounding it. “Wow.”

“Lass? When we walk in the door, you are going to see some things, okay? Please don’t scream.” Zayn warned, his hand taking hold of her arm and walking her in the direction Harry and Louis were going.

Sophia was confused, but otherwise nodded and let Zayn lead her up to the door, Harry producing a key and stepping in, allowing the others to follow.

The moment Sophia’s feet touched the tiled floor her eyes widened in horror as a strong stench of rotting flesh hit her nose.

“Oh my Go – “Zayn’s hand was on her mouth instantly.

“Shh, most of them are asleep, don’t scream.” Zayn warned again, taking his hand slowly off her face, rubbing her back.

“W-wha…w- “Sophia stuttered out breathless, her eyes going from one side of the hallway to the other, seeing endless rows of children without arms and legs hanging on the walls.

“These are dolls, Damien’s dolls. He makes money selling them and renting them out to others if they don’t sell.” Zayn explained, his low voice deafening in the quiet hallway.

“D-dolls? T-they’re – “Sophia couldn’t form whole sentences, eyes beginning to roll into the back of her head.

Zayn noticed and reached out before she could faint to the floor, grabbing her and holding her bridal position.

“Harry? Um – “Zayn gulped seeing Harry had been watching her reaction.

“I knew that was going to happen. Niall had the same reaction.” Harry remarked calmly, walking to Zayn and taking the unconscious girl from his arms.

“Any sane person would!” Niall defended himself, his voice rushing out in a loud whisper, the sound still echoing in the hall.

“I’ve been seeing it since I was thirteen. It doesn’t bother me much anymore, even less so when you know you could have ended up as one. I wasn’t Damien’s first choice as a son, obviously.” Harry shrugged passively, turning and walking down another hallway where the bodies of children weren’t visible.

“Damien threatened to turn you into a doll?” Liam cocked his eyebrow.

“Many a times, yes. Till I turned seventeen.” Harry replied, his voice practically screaming across the walls, unbothered to lower it to appease to the sleeping dolls, they were far too gone to care anyway.

“Why is it that I have a hard time picturing you as a doll?” Louis retorted, stopping next to Harry in the safe haven of an empty hallway and out of sight of the kids.

“Because I was never turned into one?” Harry retorted, setting Sophia down onto the ground and whistling once across the building, the wave of it causing Louis and Niall to flinch from the high pitched sound.

“Well, if France didn’t hear you before, they sure bloody well did now, didn’t they?” Louis rolled his eyes, hearing the unmistakable sound of Damien’s fast falling footsteps.

“Niall? You wake up Sophia, I’m going to talk to Damien so he doesn’t jump the gun.” Harry calmed, ignoring Louis’s retort, dragging his mate with him to the start of the hallway to meet Damien the rest of the way.

When Damien came into sight, to say he was angry would be an understatement.

“TOMLINSON!” His voice boomed, marching towards them.

“Mummy.” Louis coward, hiding behind Harry.

Harry stood calm and unmoving, holding his hand out to push against Damien’s chest slightly.

“Dad, calm down. I handled it. McMichaelson made it go away and the indiscretion with Asher Heart was handled quickly.” Harry calmed, his voice tough with authority.

“You didn’t handle shit! Tomlinson can still walk without assistance! He should be beaten! What’s the story, huh?! Where’s the girl? I’m settling this right fucking now!” Damien roared, pushing the two out of his way and heading to where they had set Sophia.

Louis and Harry ran after him, panic in their steps.

“Damien, wait!” Louis called, flinching at the pull of his stitches, struggling to keep up with Harry’s long strides.

“Dad! Wait, there’s a good explanation!” Harry yelled, reaching to grab his shoulder.

Damien spun around with pure rage in his eyes, a fire that surpassed Harry’s own.

“Yeah? There is? WHAT?!” Damien demanded, using his strength to push Harry off him to the ground.

Louis cringed, backing up a step. If he got shoved like that, he’d be going through a wall.

“F-funny story, Damien, ha-ha – uh…well, you see – “Louis stuttered, scratching the back of his neck nervously as Damien turned away and began walking again with an animalistic growl to follow.

“THE GIRL! WHERE THE FUCK IS THE GIRL!” Damien screamed, his voice shaking against the walls, making Zayn cringe and back away with Liam. Niall was the only one to remain bending next to her as she came to with a groan.

“Stand up! Stand up, stand up, stand up!” Niall panicked, trying to get her body up.

She opened her eyes to quick footsteps, a sound of a hard hit, Niall hitting the wall with a thud and her being lifted to a standing position by her throat.

“YOU’RE FUCKING DEAD, YOU FUCKING CUNT!” Damien boomed, slamming her against the wall so he could keep her upright.

Sophia’s eyes widened in fear, her hands shooting to Damien’s hand as it choked the life from her.

“Stop!” Zayn shouted, going to push him away, but was held back by Liam and Niall.

“Don’t.” Liam gulped, watching the scene immobile, Niall with wide eyes.

“LET HER GO!” Harry exclaimed, he and Louis shooting down the hallway towards them, stopping short of their main leader.

Damien lessened the pressure on Sophia’s neck, the other hand bringing a knife up to her throat and pressing in, a small line of blood trickling down with the pressure.

“Tell me to let her go again, Harry and I’ll slit her fucking neck open like a Goddamn fish! TELL ME AGAIN! GO ON, TELL ME TO FUCKING LET HER GO AGAIN!” Damien screamed in challenge.

Harry stood frozen, his world unmoving for a moment, heart beating quick in his chest as he remained quiet.

Damien chuckled when the silence surrounded them all again, except his quick breathing and Sophia’s struggled gasps.

“Tell me to let her go again.” He instigated, eyeing each boy, a cold smirk on his face as he pressed the blade in deeper, quickening the flow of the blood that came down from the adrenaline pulsing through her.

“You want us to do that. You want a reason to kill her, we’re not going to beg you to end her.” Niall spoke up, his voice as cold as Damien’s.

“She dies slow or she dies quick, either way, she’s dead. Make it quick, make it slow – because we all know that my mind is made up. So, say it. Tell me to let her the fuck go.” Damien gritted his teeth.

“No, because there’s a better deal to be made out of this than her death.” Louis spoke, his voice slightly higher than normal.

“Oh? Has Tomlinson got a thing for the slag? What deal would I ever make with the likes of you that would deny me pleasure of washing my hands in Ms. Stone’s fucking blood? The feeling of warm sticky copper against my flesh would be all the more satisfying to kill her. She spares no purpose. I have her company, she is deadweight now, it’s time to take out the trash.” Damien said, his voice tight and determined.

“There’s one other thing you can do – “Harry began, but was cut off by Damien again, completely ignoring his son’s words.

“Perhaps maybe there is, Harry. I can make her a doll. MY personal doll. A doll I can fuck over and over again, a doll that is nice and quiet, a doll that can’t scream or bite. A doll that can’t move, but can see and know everything that is happening to her and not do a single thing to stop it. That should be her fate…perhaps, that is her fate. She is beautiful enough for it.” Damien purred, his cold olive greens meeting Sophia’s soft fearful ones.

“Alright, if you won’t listen, then I challenge you to a street fight. One of my members against your best fighter. You choose who and when, winner gets to live, loser dies.” Harry challenges, crossing his arms over her chest.

“Name your terms.” Damien gritted, throwing Sophia to the ground and facing Harry in rage, stomping up to him so their noses were touching. “Go on, name your terms, but I can bet I know what it is. You want to spare the girl because you’re weak.”

Harry only blinked, backing away a step but keeping eye contact none the less.

“No, I want Sophia to prove you wrong. I chose her against your best fighter. If she wins, you erase the strike against her and a slate that allows her a clean entry into the gang. If she loses, she dies and you get what you want. I’m requesting three months to allow her hand to heal.” Harry replied, his voice stealthy cold just like his fathers, eyes determined.

Damien just chuckled, a large smile now crossing his face.

“You gave me the duration, son. Request denied. You got one month, not a moment more, but you will see, just as you have before that my fighters never lose. Say goodbye to her now because you won’t get a chance later.”

Damien stuck his hand out to Harry to finalize the deal.

“Harry, no.” Sophia begged, her voice pleading in the background of spiked emotions.

Harry’s hand melted into Damien’s hand like a glove, shaking it.

“One month.” Harry nodded, his own teeth gritting against one another in anger.

Damien laughed and slapped Harry’s back.

“I knew we were cut from the same cloth.” Damien retorted, turning his back on the group, Sophia’s cries quietly wafting in the air.

“Believe me, dad; we are nothing alike.” Harry clarified in anger, his eyes going to Louis’s shocked face.

“Oh son, keep telling yourself that. Sheep to slaughter, that’s all they are. All they’re good for.” Damien replied, now walking out of sight in satisfaction.

Louis went over and helped Zayn pick her up from the ground.

Sophia clung to Zayn, her face smashed into the cotton of his shirt, crying like her life depended on it.

“Harry, she’s dead. Damien’s right, his fighters never lose.” Louis gulped, eyes wide.

“Maybe she wouldn’t bloody be in this situation if you had done what I asked! Guess your fucking intuition isn’t always right, aye? Sophia?”

Sophia turned her head from Zayn’s chest, her tears unstoppable.

“Go get cleaned up, you’re a bloody mess. You want to play with fire? We’ll play with fire. You wanted into our gang? You’re in. Now, toughen up because if I see your eyes even remotely teary the next time I see you, I will punch you in the face so hard, you’re dead fucking brother will feel it,” Harry threatened, marching to her and pulling her from Zayn’s grasp, cornering her to the wall, their lips nearly touching. “I promise you, Sophia, I will bleed every single weakness out of you before the month is through or I will kill you myself.”

He shoved her into the wall and turned to walk the opposite way his father had, hands bunched into a fist as he went.

Sophia’s breathing remained uneven to the point she slid to the ground, Zayn and Louis following her down to stop her from falling.

“Sophia, flower? You alright?” Louis asked, his voice sounding like an echo in her head.

“I-I’m going to die.” She whispered, her voice barely audible as she welcomed the darkness back with open arms.

Louis simply hugged Sophia to him, looking lost for once and unknowing what to do.

Notes