Operation: Dangerous Love

Louis was dragged out of bed – quite literally by his feet at seven o’clock sharp by his mother…well, she tried to drag him out of bed but only ended up wetting a washcloth and wringing it out over his head.

When he was a thoroughly drowned rat and with his sleep senses slowly fading away he was up, tripping over the dumbbell as he usually did every morning. This was followed by a brief but normal string of curses the neighbors likely heard before showering and dressing.

When eight o’clock rolled around he was downstairs in casual but neat clothing for his interview at the Science Research center. For some reason, being paid to let them test out new products on you seemed like an easy paycheck and at the current process in time, Louis needed one so his family would get off his back about being a lazy git. Sometimes he wished he would have just stayed in that bloody coma, even though he had no memory of it.

“Do you want some breakfast before you go, son?” His mum asked, holding up a pan of sizzling bacon.

Though he was tempted to say yes, the time was vast approaching to the exact place he needed to be at and that breakfast would cost him.

“No thanks, mum. I need to be at the Research Center in less than forty minutes. Save me some lunch though, should be back before noon,” Louis responded with a smile, leaning over and kissing his mother’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too, son.” She replied with a wave as he stuffed his wallet into his pocket and hurried out the door and down the street.

The Research Center was only six blocks from where he lived and jogging there was a perfect way to get exercise.

Louis was a twenty-three-year-old male with a perfect physique and yet – he never felt the need to flaunt it at clubs. For him, sex was just another part of life. He was not a virgin by any means and he had a good idea about the female body but it never seemed to satisfy him. He often wondered what was wrong and it puzzled him that while he found his lady counterparts attractive – they just couldn’t keep his interest for long. Maybe that’s how he got his reputation as a player but strangely, he wasn’t that bothered by it.

Houses passed by in a whirl, his feet keeping in time with his heartbeat, he was one of the fastest runners on his footy team and soccer was also another sport he owned but he came to the realization early in life that he couldn’t do it professionally. To many rules and early morning practices would leave his coach bald trying to get him up from his bed alone.

He neared the huge building, the cheery bright letters of Scientific Development and Research showed largely on top of the structure.

“If I ever find where the interviews are being held, it’ll be a bloody miracle. Fuck a wet cat, this place is gigantic.” Louis muttered, slowing his jog to a normal walk once he reached the inviting doors. He happened to glance over at a black Range Rover with dark tinted windows. So dark in fact, that he couldn’t even see in. It only caught his attention because the vehicle had slammed on its brakes. Drawing Louis’s attention to the sound itself. He had to admit his jealousy though, whoever owned the Rover was one lucky son of a bitch

“Lucky bastard.” Louis grumbled, knowing he could never afford one.

With one last look of adoration to his impossible dream car, he forced himself into the revolving door and coming to an abrupt halt just inside, gawking with wide eyes.

A large receptionists desk sat in the middle of the room with white and light blue couches strewn about in different sectors of the huge waiting room. In one small corner was a children’s section with a building blocks table. Louis was half tempted to go over there and build something before they called him in but refrained and went over to the receptionist’s area, smiling at the blonde headed woman with long hair, petite frame and round glasses. Her dull brown eyes unnerved the young lad a bit. They were empty and seemed to go on autopilot.

“Hi, I’m Louis Tomlinson. I have an 8:45 appointment with a Dr. Jenkins?” I greeted politely, seeing her lifeless orbs scan the computer in front of her with a few clicks of the mouse, she sat up straighter, biting her lower lip and leaning forward. “He is expecting you but if you’re smart, Louis – you’ll run. Nothing good will come out of that interview.”

Louis was taken aback but cleared his throat to bottle down his nerves.

“Yes, well, I need the money and they need a participate. I’ll be over there on the couch waiting, call me when it’s my turn, yeah?” Louis ignored her, making the girl look around nervously.

“Louis, trust me – you don’t want this job. It’s not a job. They experiment on humans – they experimented on me!” She hissed quietly, pointing to a red blinking ruby on her neck, the jewelry suiting her perfectly. “Get out while you still ca –“

She wasn’t able to finish as a click and sudden beep came from the ruby on her neck, a blink later and a loud explosion sounded, blood splattering into Louis’s face and onto his clothes.

When his initial shock dissipated, the receptionist’s body was only half there, her head exploding clean from her neck.

“Oh my God!” Louis exclaimed in fear, turning to hightail it from the place but multiple clicks of guns arming stopped him dead in his tracks – along with the echoing of the revolving door auto-locking itself.

“Mr. Tomlinson, such a pleasure to see you again.” The voice greeted sardonically. It was vaguely familiar and if only took Louis a few moments to recognize where it came from.

“What’s this about?” Louis demanded, turning to the guns pointing his way. There were literally a hundred men pointing some kind of weapon at him and that was enough to unnerve him more than the headless receptionist.

“I’m hurt 363, you don’t remember your old friend?” He pouted, his lips curling into a snarl and then into a smirk before a cruel chuckle erupted from deep within his throat.

“My name is Louis Tomlinson; I came here for a job. You mentioned benefits but something tells me your whole operation runs deeper than mere product experiments.” Louis spat, trying to wipe the drying blood from his face.

He only succeeded in smearing it in more.

“Oh, you won’t be helping with any of that. My purpose was to get you here and then blow your brains out. You were a failed experiment that should not have been allowed to live. Styles did something to speed up the learning process -making you normal but I’m sorry to say that your mentor is dead and I think its high time that his failures join him in the grave. You were the last one alive, 363. We killed the other five unborns. We killed your gene donor, he was in a coma and never coming out anyhow. People say this is cruel -but I say we do things in the name of science and this…this is for the greater good. Goodbye, 363. Sleep well. Gentleman? On my mark -fire.” Jenkins finished, his hand slowly rising his fingers positioned upward.

“Fuck a -fuck.” Louis swallowed, his eyes zooming wildly about, frozen to his spot in absolute mind numbing fear. “Wait! Why? I’ve never hurt anyone.” He cried, feeling his reserve break.

“Because you were never supposed to live. We scrapped the project and Harry was your successor, his experiments all failed – except for you and I can’t allow someone who is not actually a person, who does not possess a soul to carry on living.” Jenkins said with conviction, determination etched inside of him.

“I’m not a clone though! My name is Louis Tomlinson; I was born to my mother Johannah Poulston – I have four sisters! I’m not a clone, I’m human I feel! I know right from wrong, I’ve never hurt anyone. I have a soul, I have a good soul” Louis begged, his arms raising over his face to help shield the soon to be flying bullets.

“You are not human. You are a dog that needed to be put down years ago. A dog will always be called good but there will come a day when you turn on your owner – a day when you will no longer be able to distinguish the blurred lines of what is right and what is wrong. You live in an illusion, a dream. A vessel that was not created directly by God, has no soul. You are an abomination to humanity and it’s time to put you down before you hurt someone.” Jenkins smiled, enjoying the look of fear to cross Louis’s face.

“I’m a good person! I have a soul! I volunteer at the children’s hospital when they need someone to – “Louis tried but Jenkins interrupted him by raising his fist upward, his fingers extending into a silent count.

“Alright, men – on my signal!” Jenkins called, making Louis whimper and back up a step, fear shining clearly in his beautiful blues.

More clicks were heard, making Louis’s life flash before his eyes.

“Any last words, 363? I feel it only fair to grant you that much. A lot more than what Harry got.” Jenkins laughed, his fingers stretched up toward the sky.

“Yeah, fuck you, asshole!” Louis snarled, consumed by fear but making the doctor in front of him laugh a little harder.

“I remember the first time you called me that – poetic really that it’s the last thing you choose to say. Men!? FI – “

The smashing of glass sounded suddenly, coming through the side window by the revolving door; glass flying everywhere – even temporarily blinding some men.

Shots began firing and Louis took shelter behind a nearby couch as their aim was now on the black Range Rover with the tinted out windows.

Louis saw the bullets bounce off the windshield and stared at it dumb amazement. He was practically pissing his shorts and he still found beauty in the stranger’s magical powered car. It sure knew how to take a beating – that’s for sure.

The car stalled in one place, waiting until the bullets stopped before suddenly lurching forward and plowing into the enemies, at a high speed, some of them going under his wheels while others were catapulted into the opposite side of the room head first into a wall.

Louis flinched as he used some of the men as speedbumps circling around and pulling up, opening the door for the young bloke behind the couch.

“Get in!” A deep voice demanded, making Louis sure it wasn’t a request but a direct command.

That and he didn’t feel like dying today so he hoped in and they were off before he even closed the door properly.

“Seatbelt.” The stranger commanded, his hair tucked into a sports cap and his eyes covered with darks sunglasses.

“My home is six blocks from – “Louis started but the stranger turned a sharp right out of the driveway, which was the opposite way to his home.

“You’re not going back home, 363. You need to come with me. It’s too dangerous to go home, that’s the first place they will look and if you’re there, they will kill your family. Don’t worry, I have a safe house in the forest out passed London that we can stay at.” The stranger said, his plump lips pursed in thought, eyeing Louis cautiously.

Louis seemed to panic, his hand going to the lever of the door, trying to open it.

“I need to go home!” Louis demanded, glancing at the stranger before reaching over and grabbing his hat.

The next moment it was off, uncovering the stranger’s long thick curly brown hair.

“363, I need you to calm down,” He advised, reaching between the seats and feeling around, finding the object he was looking for and pulling it up. “Here, you look like you need a drink.” The bloke told him, pulling his sunglasses away and allowing Louis to see the rest of him.

Louis gawked at his jaded green eyes, his memory flashing back to his dreams – the very same orbs that had looked at him with such admiration. Something changed though and it made him doubt the dreams were even real at all.

“My name is Louis Tomlinson, I’m not a number.” He spoke dejectedly, receiving a quick glance from Harry.

“You are to me,” He spoke monotonously, forcing the water into Louis’s hand. “Now, drink.”

Louis shook his head, not fooled for a moment.

“Nope, not happening. You probably drugged it. Let me go home, NOW!” Louis yelled, smashing his fist against the window as hard as he could manage.

Harry remained calm, his eyes washing over in a watercolor green. They were dull from their normal shade and something told Louis that Harry was trying to think what to say to him, which, he would just be wasting his breath.

“The water is drugged,” Harry admitted truthfully, pulling off to the side of the road, now able to stare Louis in both eyes. “I need you to drink it or I’m going to have to put you out myself. I’m giving you a choice – “Harry tried explaining but Louis shook his head, throwing the water bottle back at him, tears seeping down his already red face.

“No,, I want to go back home with my family! You can’t just take me away from them!” Louis panicked but shrunk into himself as Harry hauled back and punched the steering wheel with a sharp thump.

“You can’t! ALRIGHT?! You go home, you die! What bloody fucking part are you NOT getting, mate? I’m not letting you die, so shut the bloody fuck up!” Harry screamed, his voice casting out loudly, making Louis’s ear drums bleed.

“So you’ll let my mum and sisters die? You won’t help them?” Louis whimpered, making Styled turn away.

“They are NOT your family. You have no family. Whatever images you have are not yours and those people are no concern of mine. Whatever happens to them, happens. You are my only priority at the moment and you better damn well be thankful I was happening by that bloody building at that moment because your interview from hell could have landed you in the grave. I saw you and stopped, I waited – observed and then saw what was going on and intervened. Be thankful you’re even still alive. Now, one last time, 363…drink the water or I put you out.” Harry warned, his hand going toward Louis’s neck.

Louis covered his hands with his eyes and started to cry, his reserve breaking apart by this crazy ass block next to him.

Harry’s eyes softened, his hand pausing before going to Louis’s back, rubbing gentle.

“Listen, 363...I know you don’t –“

“IT’S LOUIS! AND DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME!” He panicked, his smaller body hitting the side of the door, his hands pulling on the lever to try to open the door. “HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME, I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!”

Harry groaned as he started pounding on the window again. Thank God for bullet and soundproof windows or he would have some explaining to do. With the tint preventing anyone from seeing in, Louis would go unnoticed.

“The windows are soundproof, 363. Now, it’s time to go to sleep.” Harry smiled, though abet sadly as he took a syringe from his pocket and uncapped it.

Louis turned in time for Harry to plunge the needle into his arm, injecting the drug into his system.

“NO!” Louis panicked pawing at the window in desperation. It reminded Harry of a frightened animal and that had not been his intention.

He reached his hand over and rubbed Louis’s back.

“Everything will be better when you wake up, I promise, 363 and you know I’ve never broken those to you.” Harry said soothingly, watching Louis’s muscles begin to relax.

He caught the lad from falling forward and laid him gently back on the seat, preening the soft wisps of his short bangs from his eyes.

“My family.” He cried, trying to fight Harry off of him.

Harry took his other hand and wiped Louis’s tears away. His stare never leaving the young man’s, though he knew his pain. He had to leave his family behind too. The only difference was; Louis didn’t have family…not really. All he ever experienced was an illusion of one. He always had Harry though and that’s who he would have to learn to rely on again.

This time however, Harry knew it wouldn’t be as simple as it had been before. Louis was too far brainwashed and Harry wasn’t the same person he had been; but in time, he hoped his heart could thaw again.

He reached up and placed a fragile kiss on Louis’s red cheek, glancing at him in fondness.

“I’m sorry but this is the only way I know that you’re going to be safe.” Harry murmured, turning back to the road and starting the engine once more.

He made sure Louis was comfortably asleep before pulling back out into traffic, heading for the place they would call home.

Notes