Purge (Larry Stylinson au)

Chapter 22

TW: violence, torture, death, and generally threatening conversations. Please stay safe <3

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Everything that happens next seems to be in slow motion.

Harry's heart stops and he screams, whipping his head around to follow the bullet with his eyes, though it's moving so fast he can't see it.

Louis's eyes widen and a look of pure shock and terror contorts his face. He's frozen in fear and doesn't move.

Before Harry can even really register what's happening, though, the bullet streaks straight past Louis's head, grazing his hair slightly, burning the strands a little with it's white-hot energy. The bullet hits the wall behind them and Louis whips his head around to stare at the new mark in the concrete. 

He stares at it for a moment, his face paper white. Harry's heart is pounding in his throat but an overwhelming feeling of relief floods through his veins. 

Despite how terrified Harry had been, the officer had missed, and Louis is still alive, standing right next to Harry. Maybe they're both shaken, but they're still alive, and they're still together. 

Harry immediately turns back to the Purge officer, watching as he holsters his weapon, an evil smirk on his face. 

Shaking slightly, Louis turns around to face him as well, blue eyes still wide and frightened. It's understandable though. He nearly died a few seconds ago.

"I didn't have to miss," the officer says, a cruel smile on his face. "I could have killed you right there. That was a warning shot."

Louis blinks for a moment, then he shakes his head and regains his composure, crossing his arms over his chest, a pistol still in each hand. "Imagine my relief," he retorts. 

Harry's heart is still pounding in his throat. He thought he'd lost Louis again, and although he hasn't, he can't shake the feeling of anxiety filling his whole body.

But he can't dwell on that, because the officer is still talking. 

"My name is Admiral Wriedt," he says. 

"Do I look like I care?" Louis scoffs.

"I am in charge of this entire organization," Wriedt continues as if he hadn't heard. "Everything the Purge does, I control."

"Perfect," Louis says, uncrossing his arms and pointing his weapons at the admiral. "Sounds like you're the one I have to kill, then."

As soon as he says it, the sound of weapons being readied and aimed at them echoed through the room. Louis doesn't move, just raises his eyebrows, glancing around the room at the group of troopers surrounding them, waiting for the command to shoot.

"You'll never make it out alive," Wriedt says coolly. 

"See, that's what you think, but we've got a fun little habit of proving people wrong, and we just can't seem to break it," Louis tells him, cocking his head slightly.

Wriedt glances over at Harry. "Interesting that you have the bigger reputation, Styles. This one does all the talking for you."

"He talks, I shoot," Harry says shortly, adjusting his grip on his pistols. 

"We make a great team," Louis adds. 

"I don't care," Wriedt growls. "Now here's what's going to happen. You are going to tell me exactly where the Resistance base is so we can defeat them once and for all."

"And why exactly do you think we'd do that?" Louis scoffs.

"I think it would be a lot easier for everyone if you did," Wriedt tells him. "If you say nothing, we'll find the base eventually, and we'll kill everyone there after we've killed the both of you here."