{CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN}
"Don't worry Wormy, it's Harlow after all. She'll always come back to us."
The boys were absolutely loosing their minds. Total and completely.
No one had spoken for over three minutes, not one word muttered. It must've been a record for them. The marauders were usually always chatting boisterously about something unimportant or a prank. But it must've been a record set for them. Going three minutes without saying anything.
Just because their mouths weren't moving didn't mean that their minds were frozen or still. Their brains weren't working or functioning properly. They were travelling a mile a minute, mostly focused on fear. Millions of questions and random worries were practically being screamed and shouted inside the boys heads.
What the fuck just happened?
That question was the loudest one of the lot. The one most present and articulate. None of the boys could begin to fathom what hell Harlow was dealing with, at the exact same time as they're freaking out over the quickly shut down phone call.
Peter, usually the most anxious and paranoid of the boys, was surprisingly the first one to talk. "We could -eh-try phoning her back." He suggested quietly, his tone remaining completely unconvinced and nervous, as he fiddled with the tips of his fingers as he spoke. Peter was always constantly fidgeting when he's nervous or panicked. In class his hands would be constantly moving, so it didn't come as a surprise to the boys to see him picking at the skin around his fingers.
Sirius rolled his eyes in frustration, his concern making him more irritable than usual, "Yeah... cos she'd pick up." He retorted sarcastically, his voice sounding snappy and grumpy, "She hung up." He added, speaking slowly with breaks to emphasise his words and get the point across to Peter. The poor boy frowned to himself, almost ready to cry from the sting of Sirius' words. To try and make himself feel better, Peter reminded himself that Sirius lashes out when he's scared or stressed. It wasn't a personal attack.
"That wasn't really gunshots was it?" James muttered stubbornly, choosing denial as his method of processing what just happened. "I mean surely Harlow wasn't being shot at." He tried to sound confident with his words but he failed miserably. It wasn't at all comforting to any of the boys.
"She most definitely was!" Sirius responded fiercely, finding the boys childish - in his opinion - replies to be rather annoying. "Of course she was fucking being shot at." He basically shouted, his arms wildly gesturing around as the volume of his voice got louder. Sirius' arms dropped to his sides and hit against his thighs. Looking at his friend, he took in a deep breath.
Remus nodded his head softly, his brain working away. "Yeah she was being shot at..." He acknowledged softly, sounding far more hopeful than the other boys, "...but she's with the Avengers. I mean she is an Avenger so she's fine. She's absolutely and totally fine." He spoke quickly, forcing a small smile onto his face. Remus was often one that was left to reassure the other boys, but it didn't mean he believed his own words.
No matter who you're with, being shot at is never a good sign.
He knew that, they boys knew that. But Remus was trying to keep them all positive and well... in delusional hope.
"How can you say that?" Sirius questioned, "Fury just died, in front of us, might I add. Currently things really don't seem like they're going to plan." Sirius refuted, choosing to wallow and concentrate on all the bad thoughts unlike what Remus was trying to do. Sirius didn't understand the point in lying to himself or trying to do so. He knew there was something wrong, it was obvious. Hearing the boys try to deny it only frustrated him further "It's stupid to think otherwise and you're not stupid Moony, so don't act like it."
Remus shook his head, not wanting to entertain Sirius' small outburst or better yet his temper tantrum. "Sirius!" He exclaimed, noticing how his words sunk the other boys' moods significantly. "You can't say that! You don't know."
"I thought you were supposed to be all wise and knowledgeable Remus. Either use your brain or shut up!" Sirius snarked bitingly, pushing himself off the ground and breaking the circle they had previously formed around the phone. His feet hit stubbornly off the ground as he marched over to the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him.
Remus couldn't help but be annoyed. Even though he denied it, he still sometimes felt a little anger towards Sirius for the events on the full moon. He always felt so ashamed and childish for feeling that way - despite it being more than valid. So times like these he easily got heated. "Childish." He muttered mockingly under his breath to himself, his eyes staring at the now locked door to the toilet. He then turned to Peter and noticed his obvious panic, "Don't worry Wormy, it's Harlow after all. She'll always come back to us."
Peter nodded softly, "I mean she did quite literally come back at the exact time we needed her last time. You know- when Sirius... never mind." Peter agreed, quickly trailing off as he brought up the sensitive subject.
The boys had silently agreed to not bring up that dreadful night. None of them wanted to injure their friendship by the topic coming up when it wasn't needed. "Sorry." He muttered quickly, flashing a sympathetic look at Remus.
Remus simply shrugged, pushing it aside like he always made sure he did. He couldn't linger on the situation otherwise all he'd be left with was hurt.
"He's just worried about her." James quickly intervened in defence, feeling the need to have Sirius back and defend his actions like he usually would. "He just really cares about her. I mean you remember how happy he was after he spent time playing Quidditch with her. Or when he couldn't stop staring at her during the Christmas dance. He spent the rest of the night moping after Harlow left. Or how Sirius insisted on dancing with Harlow on New Year's Eve and the welcome back party." James listed, rambling as multiple memories popped up, of all the times Sirius was left grumpy after the redheads disappearances or her lack of attention to him.
Remus narrowed his eyes of James, curious if he had put together the same conclusion as himself. There was only one reason why Sirius thought constantly of Harlow. There was only one reason why the boy felt such a large need to be around the girl. Sirius liked her, and more than a friend. The way he looked lingeringly at the girl was enough to give it away to Remus. "Yes James, and what does that make you think?"
James' eyebrows furrowed. "What'd ya mean Moony? Sirius cares for Harlow like the rest of us. He just gets wound up easily." He answered, managing to miss the subjective tone Remus used.
Remus sighed loudly, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "For fuck sake." He whispered quietly, once again disappointed by his friends general lack of observation skills.
James hadn't heard Remus' words and shot him a cheeky smile before standing up. "Love it when I'm right." He muttered teasingly, gloating as he started to walk over to the bathroom. "I'm gonna check on him." James stood outside the door for a second, rapping his knuckles against the door. "It's James."
After a brief pause, the door opened suddenly and allowed the teenage boy to enter. Remus watched as James entered and shut the door behind in. It was then that Remus' mind flicked back to the problem and his eyes roamed over to Peter. "Do you want a hug wormy? Will that make you feel a bit better?"
On the other side of the world, Harlow was being led through the dimly light hallways of the Hydra base. Surprisingly her arms weren't roped up and tied tightly behind her back and her feet weren't chained together. Instead she was walking behind two guards with another two behind her, with only a pair of handcuffs keeping her wrists together. She always figured if she was captured again the security would be at the maximum to stop her from escaping again.
But it turned out they didn't need further security. They just needed Winnie to use as a leverage against the teenager girl.
She refused to leave him. She couldn't do it again.
The guards led here to a large space, it was filled with different kinds of technology, clearly a room that was used often and by many people. They simply passed through it, but Harlow made a mental note. In the future, if she could ever be motivated enough, she'd greatly be benefited by knowing where the access to the main systems were.
The Hydra base was slightly different compared to the one she was kept in. It was far cleaner. There was no splotches of blood trailing over the hard scuffed floors. The long line of lights were all working, which was unlike what Harlow was used to. There wasn't even one that was flickering. It was almost as if Hydra was putting effort into this base, and Harlow couldn't understand why.
Previously they had always been perfectly content having incomplete and disgusting conditions to work in. Harlow didn't doubt that there was other places in her old base that were done up nicely for the people in charge. But underneath the surface, down in the large basements, it was a hell.
The guard at the back hit his baton against the back of Harlow's leg, wordlessly ordering her to speed up. Her head whipped round and sent him a nasty glare that no doubt made the guard question his choices. But, he worked for Pierce, a powerful and demanding man who surely would get rid of him if he didn't obey his orders.
She witnessed the same guards eyes drop down to where her hands were chained behind her back, checking for his own safety. An idea popped into Harlow's head and a mischievous smirk formed on her lips, which went unseen by all the guards. She needed to give the guards and Hydra a reality check. Clenching her hands into fists and letting them heat up carefully, Harlow pulled apart her wrists in one quick motion, breaking the cuffs and letting the metal clatter to the ground.
The guards quickly became alarmed, reacting as soon as they could by pointing their large rifles at her in defence. Their fingers trembled over the trigger of the gun, ready to press down on it if need be.
Harlow's action wasn't to serve as a threat but rather a reminder. Sure, she couldn't escape yet again because then she would be leaving Winnie. But Pierce refused to make any deals with her. She couldn't exchange promises of good behaviour for Winnie's safety or his mind remaining un-tampered with for the time being.
With the same smirk on her face, Harlow continued walking, her hands resting by her sides in a relaxed state. The threat was still lingering in the air and it was practically deafening. The air was thick and tense, suitably so considering the situation.
As Harlow walked, caged in by guards, she noticed the numerous hallways leading off the one they were walking through. The current Hydra base that they were at seemed to be much larger than the one from her childhood. In that moment Harlow thanked her lucky stars that she basically had a photographic memory. She could pretty much formulate a map in her own mind, ready to assist her when she needs.
Harlow never had the chance to properly understand or memories the layout when she was first captured. She easily remembered the small hallways she would travel to get to the training room, her cell and the so called "medical" room.
Her lack of knowledge was why her escape went so badly the last time. It was ill planned, despite all the effort Harlow put into it. In the end, she acted impulsively, she had to, and it paid of for her - just not Winnie.
Somehow I managed to write a large chunk of the next chapter but not this one first, so sorry everyone... no idea why that happened.
Next chapter is a flashback to the escape!
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