This Is War [sequel to So Cold]

19: Unwelcomed Guests

(Unedited.)

Laura's POV

The air stiffened around as Niall and I first tried to soak in the information that was handed over to us in such a soft yet abrupt manner. After all, this isn't pleasing news to be delivered. Eleanor's name had now been scratched down in bold red letters on to Carlisle's never-ending list of innocent victims.

If I closed my eyes and took a deep breath inward, I could imagine my biological father sitting on the electric chair, his hands, torso, and feet bared down tightly as the workers around him left the room – counting down to his electrocution. I imagined myself sitting behind the one-way mirror beside the families that have been affected by Carlisle's ways, biting on my nails as I watched the men count down to his death.

One... Two... Three...

A strong hand grasped onto my shoulder and shook me out of my blissful daydream, reminding me that this is reality. Eleanor is dead, and Louis, Rosie, and Theo are in the palm of Carlisle's hand. They are potentially upcoming victims.

I took Niall's hand in mine, slotting our fingers together, resting them upon my leg. I felt his thumb run over the back of my hand and along the bumps of my knuckles as I tried to bite back the curses that are more than keen to slip off from the tip of my tongue.

Liam looked overwrought, biting on his thumb nail as his eyes kept bouncing back from random objects around the hotel room to Niall and I. He said he wanted some kind of opinion from us – a way to present unsettling this news to the others. He proclaims that he doesn't want anyone left in our group to feel alarmed, although they have every single right as to why they should be. His foot is tapping anxiously against the floor, acting as the only thing in the room to fill the unnerving silence around us.

"I don't understand this man," says Niall, using his free hand to run his fingers through his unmade hair, allowing his wavy locks to hover over his eyes. "What drives him to kill? How has this behavior gotten so... typical?"

Liam's jaw clenched. "His first kill was our mother," he shot those words out from between the small gaps of his gritted teeth, his hands clenched so intensely that his knuckles became very prominent and turned paper white, contrasting against his sun-kissed skin and bold inked tattoos. "The man started killing just as his successful life was about to begin. This habit ruined him, and is ruining everyone else."

"Liam," I say, detaching my hand away from Niall and boosting myself onto my feet. I closed the distance between my brother and I, placing my hands upon his tense shoulders. "I know how you feel about him, and believe me, I want to finish this once and for all, but we cannot just jump into his territory right now. He is expecting us, and he won't hesitate to kill. We both know that if he killed mum, that he will kill us with his bare hands. No matter if we are his flesh and blood."

Liam ripped himself out from my grip "Laura, I have been supporting your ideas from the beginning of this mission, but I don't know how much longer I can handle waiting around. People are dying, and we know them well. If we don't do something now, Theo, Louis, and Rosie, are going to be slaughtered."

"And risk our lives?" I spit back. "Liam, think a little more rationally about this. I understand that you're worried about them, I am too-,"

"Clearly you are not worried about them, Laura! Carlisle is going to kill until he has us begging on our knees at the doorstep." Liam runs his hands through his hair. "Dammit, he won't stop until he sees us all!"

"Listen to me, Liam!" I shouted, my cheeks flushing a vibrant crimson after raising my voice.

He scoffs, then stares at me as if I has offered him. "Listen to yourself, Laura! You're being so fucking stubborn and selfish." He begins pacing swift steps in circles around the hotel room. "We need to put our lives on the line here. Ditch the plan! For God's sake, they have Louis' child and our cousin? And my best friend himself is in there probably freaked out of his mind because his wife was shot right in front of him!"