"We need to act soon."
Everyone nods their heads, agreeing with Liam's statement.
We're congregated in Harry's apartment again, leaning over the boys' work schedules with Wolfe for the next week. All their shifts are relatively around the same time for keeping guard outside of Ivory, and they all attend the same meetings.
It's been a week since Harry and my trip to the zoo, and we haven't spoken much. It wasn't as bad as after I told him I loved him, but it hasn't been exactly comfortable.
"I think we need to tell Crystal," I say.
All eyes turn to me.
I straighten up. "Think about it. We've been putting this off for weeks, and we need to put something into action sooner or later."
Zayn nods. "Rose is right."
"Fine," Harry says. "We'll tell him tomorrow, then."
I swallow. "What if he doesn't believe us?"
"He will," Harry says.
"But how do you know? I mean, you said Alec is a convincing guy, and---"
Harry and Zayn exchange a look.
"She's not wrong," Louis pipes up.
"She's not," Zayn agrees.
"What's worse, what if he doesn't believe you and tells Alec about it?" Niall asks.
"That would be a nightmare," Liam says.
"We can't win," Harry says, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation. "Whatever we do, we can't fucking win!"
"We can't think like that," Niall says.
"Well, Niall, what do you propose we do? If Crystal doesn't believe us and tells Alec, we're as good as dead," Harry spits.
Dead?
"Dead?" I ask. "Alec...Alec would---"
"I wouldn't put it past him." Zayn avoids my eye contact.
My fear for Alec is multiplied by one hundred.
"I think it's just a risk we have to take," Louis says. "We have to count on Crystal not telling, and believing us."
"Wait." Harry stops pacing and looks at me. "Rose. Rose is how he's going to believe us."
I furrow my brow. "Me?"
"That time, when I was at Crystal's office to argue about the budget cuts," Harry says. "You convinced him to side with me, he listened to you."
The memory slowly returns to my brain.
"You're the key," he says. "Crystal may not listen to me, or even Zayn, but he'll listen to you."
"I don't know," I say, shaking my head. "That was over budget cuts, this is over something much more serious."
"You've got to, Rose, you're our only hope," Harry says.
I sigh. If I mess this up, we could all be in gigantic trouble. But I have to, if we want this alliance to go anywhere.
"Okay," I say nodding. "I'll do it."
A sigh of relief echoes through the apartment, from everyone but myself. I'm terrified Crystal won't believe me, or I'll say something I shouldn't.
Everyone leaves shortly after, Zayn, Harry and I agreeing we'll talk to Crystal during lunch hour tomorrow.
I'm the last to walk out of Harry's apartment.
"Hey," he says behind me and I turn.
"You alright?" Harry asks.
I nod. "I guess I'm just...a little nervous for tomorrow."
"It'll be fine, I know he'll listen to you."
"How do you know?"
"I just do."
I nod, chewing on my lip. "I hope you're right."
"Are you afraid?"
I swallow. "I don't know, maybe a little."
"Why?"
"Knowing Alec would kill---"
"He wouldn't, he's a coward."
"Still, Harry. You can never know what people are capable of."
"That's true."
I look down.
"Rose, Zayn and I will be there the whole time, alright?" He's closer to me that before, his fingers tilting my chin up to look at him.
"Okay," I say, stepping back, away from his touch. "I'd better go."
"See you tomorrow."
I return to my apartment, shutting the door and sighing. I decide on taking a hot shower when my eye catches on something.
A small black object sits next to one of the picture frames on my shelf by the couch. I squint at it, walking over and picking it up.
I stifle a gasp.
It's a microphone.
I drop it on the floor, turning on my heel and crossing the hall back to Harry's place.
I know the door was left unlocked and I knock quickly before turning the knob, shutting the door behind me.
Harry sits at the kitchen counter, looking up from his leather journal, shutting it.
"I found something," I say breathlessly.
"What?" He furrows his brow.
"A microphone, someone bugged my apartment." I widen my eyes as realization hits me. I cover my mouth with my hand. "Oh my God."
Harry stands up, walking over to me. "What's wrong?"
"Aaron, it was Aaron," I rush out. "When he got into my apartment, he was waiting for me---he must have planted it before I got home---"
"Whoa, hold on," Harry says. "When did Aaron get into your apartment?"
Oh, shit. I didn't tell Harry.
"W-when we weren't talking, I came home one day and he jimmied the lock on my door and got in."
"Why didn't you tell me?" His tone is controlled, and I can tell he's trying not to lose it.
"I...I'm sorry, I forgot about it---"
"Fuck, Rosalie!" Harry knocks a stack of books from the coffee table, the covers flying open as they hit the floor. He begins to pace, tugging at his hair.
He grips onto the side of the couch, his jaw clenched tight. "Before I burst a fucking blood vessel, is there anything else you haven't told me?"
I shake my head.
"Are you sure?" He asks through gritted teeth.
I nod.
I've never seen him so mad, and I can tell he's containing his fury for my sake. His cheeks are flushed red with rage.
"Is there anything that microphone might have heard that could potentially hurt our alliance?" Harry asks after he takes a few deep breaths.
"I-I don't know," I say.
"That's real helpful," he snaps sarcastically.
"Look, I'm sorry I don't have a perfect memory, Harry," I spit, beginning to get mad as well.
"You're just lucky we haven't held any meetings at your place," he retorts.
"I'm lucky? Harry, how could I have known there was a damn microphone in my apartment?"
"You could have told me that Aaron fucking broke into your place, and I would have scouted it out, because it's just fucking like him to plant a bug!"
"I said I was sorry, can we just deal with the problem now?" I snap.
"There is no dealing with you," he huffs, walking past me out into the hall.
I cross my arms over my chest, clenching my jaw as I follow him.
He stops in front of my door, turning to face me.
"Where in the apartment is it?" He asks in a hushed tone.
"I dropped it on the floor, by the couch near the shelf."
Harry closes he's eyes and takes a deep breath before pushing the door open and walking inside.
I watch as he carefully picks up the device, looking over it. He presses something on the back of it and sets it on the counter.
"Pen and paper," he mouths.
I nod and reach into a drawer, handing him a stack of post-it notes and a pen.
He scribbles something on the pad, sliding it toward me.
I think I disabled it, but we need to dispose of it just in case.
I nod and take the pen from him, scrawling my response.
Where do we dispose it?
Harry reads my note and writes a quick response.
Garbage chute.
I nod and follow him out into the hall, where the garbage chute is, next to the elevator. He opens the door and drops the microphone down the long chute, hearing it but the bottom with a click.
Harry and I go back to my apartment, Harry shutting the door.
"What if there are more?" I whisper to him.
"I'll look," he whispers back.
I watch as he scours the place, looking under books and inside drawers. He checks under my bed and inside my bathroom cabinet, looking into every crevice of my apartment.
"Alright, I think you're clear," he says.
I chew on my lip.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you," he says softly.
"No, it's fine," I sigh. "I should have told you that Aaron broke in."
"You need to tell me these things in the future, Rosalie," he says seriously. "Even if we're not talking, I need to make sure you're safe."
I nod. "I know."
Truthfully, I'm a bit on edge--what if there are still devices hidden in the apartment that Harry didn't catch? What if there are hidden cameras?
"Are you alright?" He asks, catching my expression.
"I'm a little violated, I guess," I say. "This has never happened before."
"It's alright now, there's nothing else here."
"What if you missed something?"
Harry cracks a grin. "I didn't."
"How do you know?"
He crosses his arms over his chest. "When I first begun working for Wolfe Enterprises, I had to go through a type of training program. They taught us all the places they hide devices, they're always the same in case they had to go back to retrieve them."
This relieves me and I exhale. "Okay, good."
"You're safe, Rose."
I nod. "I know."
Harry leaves shortly after, telling me he'll drive me to work tomorrow to go over what I should say to Crystal.
I go to bed early, my nerves beginning to build for tomorrow. There's so many things that could go wrong, and knowing me, they all will.
I fall asleep soon, pulling the comforter tight around me.
"Rose."
My eyes fly open and I look around. I'm at the same ball, the faceless people walking around in formal attire. I stand next to a tall pillar, Harry next to me, his hand on the small of my back.
I look at him, responding to my name.
He bends down to say something in my ear, but the words are lost among the classical music playing and the sound of other voices in the large banquet room.
"What?" I ask him to repeat what he said, but he's not looking at me anymore.
Through the faceless crowd steps a blonde girl, her eyes blue as the Caribbean Sea and her lips red as cherries. She smirks seductively, stopping in front of us.
"Violet," Harry breaths.
She blinks slowly, his smirk widening. "Remember me, Harry?" Her voice sounds like honey.
Harry's hand drops from my back, stepping toward her as if in a trance. I reach for him, but he shrugs me off, drawn by Violet in her red dress.
"Harry!" I shout as she takes his hand and leads him back through the crowd, her crimson lips twisting into a wide smile. "Harry!"
I look up then, to see Alec on one of the upper levels of the large room that look over the main area, reaching into his jacket and removing the same silver pistol as before.
This time, he aims at me.
I jolt up in bed, my chest rising rapidly. I'm drenched in cold sweat, and my sheets are tangled around me. Tears fall from my eyes as the dream consumes my mind, every detail clear as photograph.
The thing that scares me about these dreams is that they're so real, so vivid in my mind.
I get out of bed, walking to the kitchen to get some water.
The clock says it's past three in the morning, and I try to force my heart to slow down from its rapid pace.
What do these dreams mean? Why do they take place at the same party? Why does it end with Alec always pointing a gun at one of us?"
My chest aches as I finish my water, placing the cap in the sink.
The door suddenly opens to my apartment, and Harry steps through.
"What---"
"Something's wrong," he says. "Something felt wrong." He catches sight of my face and walks toward me. "Have you been crying?"
"I had another dream," I say shakily.
"Dream?"
I nod.
"Are you alright?"
"I-I guess so."
"Tell me the dream." I relay every detail to him, still struggling to slow my breathing.
"I've seen that gun," Harry says when I finish. "Alec keeps it in his office at Ivory."
My breath hitches in my throat. "What could it mean?"
"I don't know," Harry says, shaking his head.
I swallow, looking down. "I'm afraid," I say quietly.
"Me too," Harry admits.
"You are?"
He nods. "The fact that in the first dream it was me he was aiming at, and in this one it was you is...a little unnerving."
"Yeah," I agree. "But...it's either both of us or neither of us, right?" I smile slightly.
Harry cracks a smile. "Right."
Harry leaves soon after, and I go back to bed, waking up on and off for the rest of the night until it's time to get up for work.
"Remember what we told you," Zayn says as everyone files into the break room for lunch.
I nod, taking a breath.
"We'll be behind you the whole time," Harry reminds me as the three of us step onto the elevator.
The combination of visions from my dream and the pressure of this visit to Crystal almost makes me want to pass out, but I know this needs to be done.
Zayn tells the receptionist we're here for Crystal when we walk into his office complex a few floors up. She purses her lips and nods.
"Go on in, he's expecting you," she says, her voice high pitched and nasal.
Harry opens the door to the office for me, nodding.
The three of us step inside, Crystal rising from his seat to greet us.
"Harry, Rose, Zayn," he says, nodding to us. "How nice to see you all."
"You too, Mr. Crystal," Zayn says politely.
"Sit, sit," Crystal says, gesturing to the chairs positioned in front of his desk.
We take our seats, me in the middle, Harry to my left and Zayn to my right. My hands rest in my lap, clasped tightly.
"So," Crystal says, sitting back down. "How can I help you?"
I exchange brief eye contact with Harry, then Zayn before sitting up slightly. "We...we actually came to talk to you about a certain corporation this company is involved with."
"And what corporation might that be, Miss Knight?"
I take a breath. "Wolfe Enterprises."
Crystal visibly stiffens, folding his hands in his lap.
"Do you know a man by the name of Alec Wolfe?" I ask him.
"I do."
"Do you trust him, sir?"
Crystal contemplates this. "He's a good man," he finally says. "Throws lots of parties."
"You didn't answer my question." I pause. "Sir."
Crystal nods. "I suppose I trust him."
I cross my legs. "I'd like you to consider some statistics, Mr. Crystal," I say. "Of the money that you trust with Wolfe, how much of it do you actually get back?"
"All of it, and more."
I chew on my lip. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Crystal."
He raises an eyebrow.
"You get forty percent, Mr. Crystal."
The shock is evident on his face, his eyebrows shooting up. "That's preposterous," he sputters. "Forty percent?"
"That's why you had to make all these cuts earlier this quarter," Harry interjects. "Because Wolfe has been conning you out of your money."
"You're my best accountant, Styles," Crystal says, leaning forward on his desk. "How have you not caught this?"
Harry exhales. "That's what we wanted to talk to you about." He looks back at me.
The next fifteen minutes is spent telling Mr. Crystal about Wolfe, everything Harry told me the night I followed him to a meeting. I watch carefully as his expressions change from confused to annoyed.
"And how long has this been going on?" He asks.
"Since Wolfe accepted you as a client, so...about two years," Zayn says.
"And you two," Crystal says, pointing to Zayn and Harry. "Have been part of this the whole time?"
"They were at the beginning, but they realize Wolfe Enterprises is a corrupt organization and we've formed a rebellion," I say quickly.
"We?" Crystal raises an eyebrow. "Where do you come into play here, Miss Knight?"
"She's been put in danger by Wolfe," Harry speaks for me. "She's a important asset to us."
"Why am I being informed about this?" Crystal asks.
"You're one of Wolfe's most important clients," Zayn says. "If you stand up to him, it could bring him down."
"And what would that lead to?"
"If all goes as planned, it could put Alec in jail along with his nephew," Harry says.
"You were his accomplices, though," Crystal points out. "Wouldn't you be in trouble as well?"
"With all due respect, Mr. Crystal, we didn't really have a choice," Harry says. "If you know Alec, you obviously know he always gets his way."
"We'd tell the authorities the truth, of course," Zayn says. "That we were forced into working for him, under threats."
Mr. Crystal takes a deep breath, leaning back in his seat.
"Alright," he finally says. "I will talk to Alec."
"Does this mean you're with us?" Zayn asks.
"Yes," Crystal answers. "Look, you all are some of my best employees, and to know I'm losing money because of Wolfe Enterprises is quite unsettling. Therefore, I will side with you."
"Thank you, Mr. Crystal," I say and he nods.
He stands from his seat, the three of us following suit. We all shake his hand, and soon we're back at work, in our desks.
"That went well," Zayn says.
"It did," I agree.
"Good thing," Harry says. "We've needed him with us."
After work, Harry drives me home.
"Well done, today," he says as he drives along.
"You too," I say.
"We're a step closer to sending Alec to the slammer, where he belongs."
"Thank God."
We walk to our apartments, stopping in the hall.
"Are you doing alright?" Harry asks me.
"Yeah," I say. "I'm tired though."
"Did you get much sleep? After the dream?"
I shake my head.
"I'm sorry, Rose."
"It's fine." I take a deep breath, meeting his gaze. "Harry, if Violet were to come back to you, would you take her?"
He seems caught of guard by my inquiry. "No," he finally says. "No I wouldn't."
"If she just walked up, right now, and told you she loved you, you'd reject her?"
He nods. "That's correct."
"But...I don't understand."
"When I thought I was in love with Violet, I was young and out of place, Rose. I could never look at her the same way again, no matter if she loves me or not."
"Do you think you'll ever love anyone, Harry?"
He sighs. "Rose, do we have to talk about this?"
"I just wanted to know." I fish for my keys in my purse. "Never mind."
"I'm sorry," he says. "You know my views on---"
"Yes, I do. I know them pretty well by now." I unlock the door and step inside.
Harry catches the door when I try to shut it.
"Don't do this," he sighs.
"Do what?"
"You know what."
I'm about to open my mouth to reply when suddenly my phone vibrates, along with Harry's.
I stare at the glowing screen of the phone, reading the text that came through. When I look back at Harry, I know he received the same one.
You have violated your trust with Wolfe Enterprises. Now, the games have begun.
- A.W.