Harry.
When I woke in the middle of the night with the feeling of something wrong, I ignored it, rolled over and went back to sleep. I didn't think much of it, Niall was probably drunk and passed out in the garden.
I'd forgotten all about even battering an eyelid in the early hours until Paul slammed something down in front of me that morning at breakfast. I wasn't an avid reader of the paper, especially not the local one written by stuck up pensioners who believed we should still live like the 50's.
I rolled my eyes at the spread sheet laid out in front of me, not taking the least bit of interest in it until Louis grabbed it from behind.
"Oi oi," he hollered. "This is what happens when you don't want our help." He mumbled whilst biting down on an apple, the juice spraying the back of my head. I shoved my spoon in my mouth, clenching it with my teeth and ripped the paper back from his hands. The spoon clattered against the table as my mouth gaped open. My eyes darted across the page from the words to the pictures. Everything was over exaggerated, it always was in the tabloids.
'19 year old girl on bail for attempted murder.' The headline screamed at the top of the page. I sighed heavily looking at the picture, there was no doubt about it, it was Lennon. Handcuffed and being pushed into the back of a police car in the middle of the night.
'The unnamed suspect was caught pouring a potentially life threatening liquid into the science department kettle at the East side university. The groundskeeper commented he saw the young woman enter the building through a hidden side door, he then explained seeing a bright flame from one of the schools burners in the lab. He called the police immediately and she was arrested for trespassing at the time. After investigations took place the liquid was found to be extremely hazardous and life threatening. Police are now treating it as an attempted murder trial.'
"What I don't understand," Louis half mumbled again. "If it's a murder trial, why did they release her on bail?"
"If she's never been charged with a crime before, then they can," Zayn interjected.
"You know the papers, they always make everything ten times more dramatic than it always is. She was probably just charged with trespassing for now."
"Who bailed her out?" Liam asked thoughtfully.
"Says 'ere," Louis once again snatched the paper, "Her brother and boyfriend paid a hefty ten grand for her bail."
"Boyfriend?" I spat out. "Now they really are trying to piss me off.
"She doesn't have a brother does she?" Niall mused.
"No you idiot, it was just a cover up so those twats could take her before we could."
"So we're back at square one again, she's probably hidden away again and we're completely clueless."
"Thanks for your optimism Louis, it's really helping." I replied sardonically.
"I'm just saying, if she came here for help this wouldn't have happened."
"You don't know that. She thought she was doing the best for herself, for everyone by staying away."
"What?" He chuffed.
"I'm just trying to see it from her perspective, whatever that might be. She clearly thinks she's dangerous and doesn't want to hurt us."
"Her underestimating us is quite insulting." Louis had to once again butt in.
"It's not just physical Lou, she doesn't want to hurt anyone emotionally because of the way she's feeling. Or rather not feeling should I say." Zayn replied. I knew his statement was more aimed at me in general but I took no offence, it was true anyway. They could cope without her friendship, they didn't love her like I did.
Everyone moved on from the hot topic of conversation and settled into different ones around the room. I sat by myself going through everything in my head. Whoever the 'scientists' were they had some sort of vendetta against whoever was going to use that kettle - that's if the paper was of course accurate.
Just as I was about to leave the room, a face I hadn't seen in a while came charging through the door, panic and fear spread across her face.
"Cherry?" Paul shot up of his chair to greet her. "Don't you have class this morning?"
"It's urgent," she coughed out.
"What's going on?"
"This." She slammed several bits of paper on the table, all with this same photograph on. By this point everyone had gathered round to see what the commotion was about. "I went back to my room last night and it was just there."
"It could just be one of your flat mates playing a prank."
"It wasn't, we all went to the pub last night and came home together, no one was there."
"Do you think this could mean something?" Liam asked, turning to face Zayn, he shrugged his shoulders and picked one of the pictures up. I took one too and scanned over it.
"It's her handwriting." I spoke without registering my words.
"I heard what happened in the science lab," Cherry added. She wasn't kept in the dark about much, Paul told her most things for her own safety. She had no interest in gang work and concentrated hard on her education. "I don't know if it means anything but it might link the two incidents." She mumbled nervously over her words.
"Anything will help," Zayn urged. My ears perked up too in anticipation.
"I know someone took Lennon and did all this crazy shit to her, like you said dad. And I don't know but there was this kid last year he wouldn't quit bothering me until I downright told him to back off."
"How exactly does this help?" Louis queried.
"Well a couple months later he was kicked out of uni for attempting to conduct illegal experiments in the science lab. The professor had him kicked out straight away without warning and told him he'd never be a successful scienctist.
"Do you think it could be him?" Niall asked.
"It's the only lead we've got, thanks Cherry."
"I don't want you going back there until this is all sorted." Paul informed his daughter.
"What about classes?"
"You're telling me you never skip class?" She didn't respond and held her head down avoiding his stern glare.
"Did he have any close friends or anything?"
"No, he was pretty much a loner from what I saw. He didn't live on campus though, I think he lived with his brother or something."
"What's his name?" The speed Zayn was firing of questions made it seem like he was having a brainwave.
"Donnie Taff."
"I bet the idiot has Facebook," Zayn added, pulling up Facebook on his laptop. After a quick two second search and with the help of mutal friends and the location setting, he was on his page in seconds. "Idiot," Zayn muttered again. "I'll track his IP address and see what else he's been up to. It'll give us a location and hopefully I can hack into his system and see if he's controlling Lennon through it."
"You think she's being controlled through a computer?" I asked, slightly shocked.
"I would put my best bets on it." He replied not even looking up from the screen as his fingers tackled the keys furiously.
Zayn and Liam stayed glue to the laptop all morning, afternoon and evening. My mind was racing with the hopes of this all ending soon. I was in such a distracted, unfocused mindset Louis pulled me to the gym with him.
I'd lost count how many times I'd hit the punch bag hanging from the ceiling. I had sweat dripping into my eyes stinging them temporarily. Louis held onto it as I swung each punch, with more impact each time.
"Do you think Zayn and Liam can trace anything?" Louis questioned, avoiding my hardened glare as I shot a punch at the bag again.
"Why are you being so negative?" I breathed out heavily between swings.
"I just don't want you to get your hopes up."
"If you try and argue that's she's just a girl I've only know a handful of months, I will miss the bag and hit you." I growled.
"Look," he sighed and stepped back. "I'm just looking out for you, and Zayn said himself he's not even sure if he can reverse whatever they've done."
"You would have a totally different opinion and mindset if it were Eleanor in Lennon's position."
"Harry don't-"
"No!" I shouted, stripping away my gloves. "She's the first person I've truly cared about besides my mum, don't start siding with them."
"I'm not!"
"Well help me!"
"Fine, what do you want me to do then?"
I breathed out heavily, hugging the back loosely as I caught my breath. "Just leave me alone for a bit."
"Alright, okay," he mumbled, patting my shoulder. "I'm still your best mate, don't ever think I'm not." I nodded at him and waited to hear the door close after he left before I sunk to the floor.
--
"Harry get up!" I ignored the hissing voice in my ear and rolled towards the otherwise of the bed. I grunted heavily when a hand smacked across my face.
"Ow," my grunt was ignored as they did it again. "What?" I shouted back.
"Get up!"
"Niall go away!" I covered my head deep in my pillows, blocking out his whining voice in my ears.
"It's Lennon, get the fuck up!"
I whipped the duvet off my warm body and sprung to my feet, racing towards my wardrobe.
"What's going on?"
"Zayn hacked into their computer, they're getting Lennon to attack tonight."
"WHAT?" I had to stop what I was doing and stare wide eyed at him for a split second.
"Yeah I know, fucking Einstein scientists can't even put a simple hack blocker on their computer."
"I don't care about that you twit! What do you mean she's going to attack tonight?"
"They're sending her over to the professors house to kill him."
"Are you serious? What are we still doing here then?!"
"Waiting for your bloody ass to get out off bed!" He earned his slap around the head from me for that statement.
I hurdled downstairs, completely missing several steps at a time. I almost tripped numerous times, thankfully the bannister was there.
"Louis, Niall, Harry, you're going to the professors house, Liam, Paul and myself are heading over to the lab their IP signal is emitting from." Zayn informed us all.
"You found out where they are?" I asked since this was news to me.
"Eventually, it's not too far away. We'll turn their computer off which should stop what ever brainwaves they're sending to her."
"Fucking hell this is so complicated!" Niall groaned.
"Niall, you just make sure you don't get hit again."
"Thanks guys, glad to know I'm a worthy member of the gang!" He hollered back, darting for the first car in the drive, Louis and I in hot pursuit.
"You know we couldn't live without ya, now get your butt in the car and drive."
"You're letting Niall drive?" I asked dumbfounded from the backseat I was already sat in. Louis shrugged and turned the satnav on so it was heading for the direction of the professors house.
"Seatbelts!"
"Just drive Niall!" I yelled and leant forward through the front two seats so I could get a clear view of where we going.
I wasn't one to get travel sick but with Niall's driving after the first five minutes I could feel my stomach churning in a bad way. Thankfully the annoying voice on the satnav informed us we were nearing our destination. I already had my hand on the door handle ready to jump out. I had my eyes scanning every door in the darkness for number 42 along the road we just turned onto. The numbers were going down from a 100 in even intervals on the left. By the time we passed 50 my door was already a jar. 44 was in sight and I flung the door open and jumped out on to the street, somehow landing steadily on my feet.
I charged up to the front door, the others slamming their car doors behind them, as well as the one I had left swung open. The door had already been broken into and only needed a slight push to open.
We tiptoed in single file formation throughout the hallway, listening to any sounds. There was nothing until we heard a very low creak of the floorboards above our heads. We crept towards the staircase, cringing as the wooden floor groaned beneath our heavy feet. Once we reached the landing we split up in different directions.
I took the direct path and carefully, but efficiently moved down the hallway. There was no light from the room I was heading too but the door was very slightly open. We hadn't yet heard anything from Zayn and the others, which wasn't the best sign but it had barely been 20 minutes since we all left.
I spread my fingers out against the door and slowly pushed it wide open. Typical he had black curtains not even allowing the moon or the stars to shine any light through. I didn't exactly want to wake the sleeping man and explain everything to him, but he was bound to wake up and scream bloody murder. I suddenly saw the glimpse of a blade, reflecting a red light coming from the alarm clock on the bedside table.
After finding nothing in the other rooms, Louis and Niall were quick to join me in the master bedroom. I signalled for them to stay back as I stepped forward towards her. Her body was facing away, her hood pulled tightly over her head as she loomed over the sleeping presence.
"Lennon, put it down." I whispered, she jumped from my voice but didn't back off and only crept closer to him. "Don't do it Lennon."
"I have to." She whispered viciously back. Her hand rose above her head, the butchers knife hung high in the air over her frame, ready for impact.
"Come back to me Lennon, this isn't you."
"This is me, I need to do this."
"Don't listen to them, this isn't who you are."
"It is!" She snapped, the body in the bed rolled over slightly but remained asleep - somehow.
"You're about to kill someone, drop the bloody knife!" My voice was rising dramatically masking my footsteps as I crept up behind her.
Louis's phone suddenly illuminated the room, for a split second it distracted me until I heard Lennon's whimpers. She was clutching her ears again, the knife still firmly in her grip. Louis set his phone to speaker mode and we could hear the commotion on the other end as Paul tried to talk to us. All we could make out was they had found the right place and were fighting with them for the controls. They were smashing buttons - both sides, in order to out do each other but Lennon was facing the brunt of it.
Her voice screeched so loud I had to cover my own ears briefly. Her arm swung back through the air but I pulled her body against mine, locking her arms by her side before she could do anything severe.
"Let me go," she hissed, trying to hit her head against my chin.
"Drop the knife."
"No!"
"Drop the knife Lennon!" I yelled. She ignored my demands and try to worm free, I was a lot stronger and smacked the knife directly out of her hand. It clattered against the floor, leaving her body to go limp against mine.
I stopped breathing for a split second to make sure she was unarmed and still in my grasp. Her body turned lifeless in less than a second, right as the knife hit the floor. It was almost astounding to feel how physically strong she had become, I had to use force to hold her in place. Her head tilted back and rested against my shoulder, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as he hands clung around my arms across her torso.
"They shut it down, Zayn's interrogating them now for a cure." Louis quickly informed us, the phone still pressed tightly to his ear as he nodded.
"Good." I settled as a response. I pulled Lennon out of the room, she looked dazed and confused as if she'd just woken up from a deep slumber. Her eyelids heavy but her eyes still very deep black. The professor was very startled when he woke up, screaming and shouting profanities but Niall and Louis were taking care of him.
"I almost killed an innocent man," Lennon's voice was soft and timid for the first time in a while as she trembled, still in my grasp but her face away from mine.
"You didn't, it's okay."
"Thank you." She whispered so tenderly it almost hurt to hear her weak voice.
"Let's get you better, okay?" I hushed in her ear.
"Okay."