For God and Country (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 26

"Same here," Louis agreed, "I've never done anything like this before. My, uh, boss is already on my case for slacking at work."

Zayn knew Louis wasn't trying to make him feel guilty, and it wasn't his fault Louis refused to leave him be, but right now he could sense the burden he was becoming. "I don't have to stay. I told you I'm fine on my own and I already promised I wouldn't go back to..." Zayn searched for a safe word, "work."

"I can't just leave you like that. How are you supposed to buy food or rent or clothing?"

Zayn didn't feel to need to tell Louis that he didn't exactly have a landlord and he'd been wearing the same ragged tee shirts for years. Still the food thing did propose a problem. And Louis had such nice, annoyingly fluffy towels. "Well I don't want to just sit around here all day and wait for you to feed me."

"I can. I don't mind."

Zayn shook his head, "No I can't just do that. Call it a personal code. I don't take what I can't repay. And I don't take things for free."

Louis seemed to accept that much at least. "Well then I guess we should find something for you to do."

Zayn nodded absently. That was easy. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. "Like what?"

Louis shrugged, "Are you good with numbers and planning?"

Zayn didn't know it then, but those equations he was doing to figure out how long it would take to cross a thirty foot room or how many people could fit in a private plane and still get them out within two minutes were plans for missions that Louis often skipped because he hated doing them.

***

It was almost midnight when a timid, "Max?" in Liam's soft voice filtered past his door.

"Come in," Zayn allowed. The door cracked open and Liam slid inside before shutting it quietly behind him. He came and sat of the edge of Zayn's bed, where Zayn was sitting in just a pair of comfy shorts reading a book. "For tonight I can pair you with another bottom, but I've got tops that are complaining about having to bottom, so I need to know if you're strictly a top or if you switch."

Liam looked awkward saying it. Zayn wondered how he did that because he heard Liam right next door, multiple times a night, and he didn't sound shy. But when Liam wasn't in bed he was this soft, almost cozy, person.

Zayn could lie. Say he was strictly a top, save himself from at least half the torture, but Albert was a top and that would mean his chances of getting to him would be zero.

"I bottom," which he did. Preferred it actually, because Louis preferred to top and he always made sure Zayn loved it. "Actually if you're asking, I prefer them a bit older. Makes me feel safer." Hey if Liam could get him closer to his target then so be it.

"Older? Oh okay," Liam looked put off by the new information. "That actually helps a lot. We get a lot of them and most of the guys don't like them older. So that's," Liam looked around Zayn's room awkwardly, "good."

Zayn nodded curtly and said, "So if there's anyone like that in our client list then maybe send 'em my way."

Liam looked utterly shocked by Zayn's sudden enthusiasm. "So you're ready to go then? You seemed really secluded lately."

Zayn scoffed and tried not to show how much this conversation hurt, "I don't enjoy it, Liam, but if I have to do it than I might as well fuck someone I like."

Liam only flinched a little before he answered, "Alright then. Anything else I can do for you?" Liam's tone was anything but accommodating and Zayn didn't like the look of dejection he put on Liam's admittedly attractive face.

"No," Liam turned to go, "And thank you for your help these past couple days."

Liam didn't turn around but he did say a quick, "Sure," before leaving.

***

A week into the mission and Louis still hadn't heard from Zayn. The only reason he had any sense of sanity was HQ's daily updates that Zayn was doing his job well. Which meant he must be miserable, but planning an extraction would only put them in danger, so he continued to do his job and actually resorted to praying for Zayn a few times.

He also hadn't heard from Harry in a couple days. Which was mostly his fault, it's true, but Louis called the other day, twice, and Harry hadn't answered. He's not trying to be possessive or anything, because he knew it wasn't fair to expect Harry to drop everything when Louis called, but he missed him and would love to hear his voice right now.

Right now. Which happened to be Louis first chance to get into Albert's house. The wife and kids are at some school play, while Albert lied and said he had to work, but instead went to his favorite dirty brick building. Louis begged for him to be with anyone but Zayn right now, but Louis had no way of knowing, and he refused to waste the chance that Zayn might be giving him.

The house is beautiful. Big but not unnecessarily so. Good size for a family. Paintings on the wall that Louis didn't recognize but Harry probably would. He walked easy down the hall in his run of the mill business shoes, a size too big with thick socks so that if they ever ran foot printing tests they'd be off by a size and his specially made loafers wouldn't come back to him.

The office was locked but Louis picked it easily. Inside it was dim, lit only by a lamp on the desk, with rows of books and a large television set in the wall in front of the imposing wooden desk. Louis ignored it all and went for what he came for. He opened the laptop and set to work. Normally Zayn would be the one to break into the computer, but Zayn had a very different job this time.

Luckily Zayn taught him the basics over the years, enough to get into a businessman's home computer. He settled back into the leather chair and moved his fingers across the keyboard, typing out codes and access keys. He wasn't going to take anything tonight. That would take far too long and without Zayn's assurance that Albert was detained he didn't know how long he'd be gone. Tonight was just Louis' way in so next time he could access the laptop within minutes.

Louis had his eyebrows furrowed and his lips in a thin line as he worked, nearly falling over when his phone buzzed in his pocket. HQ could wait he couldn't answer at the moment. But then he realized that wasn't his work phone. He kept his personal on him during work, but never answered because HQ watched all his activity while he was on the job. He didn't know who'd be calling him anyway. Curiosity got the best of him and he paused his fingers and took out his phone.

Harry's number.

Harry? Why is he calling? He's not supposed to call. It's in the rules. He wouldn't be calling if it wasn't an emergency. But if he answers HQ will latch on to the call and know about him. But what if he's in trouble?

Shit. Shitshit.

Louis searched through his small bag for the scrambler and turned it on before answering Harry's call. HQ would wonder what's up but at least they wouldn't know.

"What the hell, Haz?" The other side of the phone was just tears. "Harry? Baby, what's wrong?"

"Lou," his name came out so quiet Louis almost didn't catch it.

"What is it Haz? What's wrong?"

"Do you kill people?"