I woke up at seven, rubbing my face. Without hesitation I moved to the wall opposite of the door, my hands in front of me. I counted to thirty in my head before the door opened, as usual, and two guards entered to lock my hands in these weird cuffs that keeps me from being able to use my abilities. They weren't hand cuffs, they didn't stop me from being able to move my hands, they were just individual cuffs that went on each hand. I was still trying to figure out how they worked. Without a word, they lead me to the same room they did every day.
I hated it. I always considered trying to reach out to Liam, but one, I told him under no circumstance to come and get me, and two, I have no idea if I could even reach out to him.
"Louis," A familiar voice called. I snapped my head up, shaking it slowly when I saw Harry. "Help me, please."
I looked behind me and saw no one else in the room. I walked over to Harry cautiously, dropping down in front of him. He looked battered and bruised. "Help me," he cried out again, leaning into me, his head on my shoulder. "Louis, talk to me. Please, talk to me."
I shook my head and took a deep breath. "How did we meet?"
"The summer camp," Harry said.
"How?" I asked again. I couldn't waste my energy on an illusion, which was what this probably was.
"What do you mean, how?" Harry asked, looking up at me. "We got roomed together, but we didn't even realize it and looked around for thirty minutes until we finally asked for help and felt like the world's biggest idiots."
I wanted to start crying. One because harry was here, two because Harry was fucking here and I wasn't alone. "How did you get here?"
"I don't know. I don't know where Liam is. One minute we were looking for you, the next I woke up here." Harry seemed frantic, and I wish I could hold him and tell him it was going to be fine.
"Hey, look at me," I told him softly. When he did, I smiled and nodded. "Focus on me, okay? Just me, like I'm the only thing in the world." I ran my fingers through his hair, hoping they would stop messing with his head.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, sitting up again. "Please tell me you're okay."
I chewed on my lip. "Yeah, I'm fine, Harry. I'm fine." What was the point of this? Why were they letting me see him? "What happened? Why are you all bruised?"
Harry shrugged. "So much is missing. I don't know." He looked up, his lips pressed together. "I was so worried about you."
"I'm fine, Harry," I grabbed his hands and laced our fingers. "I promise, I'm okay."
"I was so pissed when you did that. I wanted to grab you again but Liam stopped me. Don't you ever do that," He said, like I would have the opportunity to do it again. "Please, don't do that again."
I didn't say anything. "Louis?"
"I won't ever leave this place, H." I'll try to get you out, but I can't leave.
Harry stared at me, "What do you mean-"
"See these?" I asked, raising my hands. Harry nodded, grabbing my wrist and pulling it towards himself. "I can't us my abilities and they track everything I do, everywhere I go. I don't know how, but they do. I can't get out of them and I'm not planning on it."
Harry kept inspecting my wrist and I sighed. He looked up at me. "Don't you want to come home?"
"Of course I want to," I said, tears forming in my eyes. "But I can't Harry. All it does is put all of us in danger. And the first and only time I tried to takes these off, I was in so much pain for weeks. They basically latch on to my skin and it makes them impossible to take off."
Harry went to say something, then the doors behind me opened. I turned around and put myself in front of Harry until I saw Zayn be the one to walk in. He would be nicer, hopefully. "Times up," Zayn said.
"What do you-"
I looked back at Harry and put my finger to my lips. "Just listen, everything goes a thousand times better when you listen."
I stood up and looked at Zayn, who hadn't moved. I helped Harry stand and lead him to Zayn, taking a deep breath. I had to let go of Harry, so I pulled my hand from his slowly. He tried to hold on, but I shook my head silently. Nothing was worth breaking a rule. Nothing.
"Louis," Harry whispered when we were walking. I glanced at him, letting him know he had my attention. "Do you know how long you've been here?"
I shook my head. A while. Long enough for any chances of me fighting back to be too small to even attempt at this point. Harry just nodded sadly. Zayn put Harry in a room before me, and that's when he fell into step with me. "Give me your wrists."
I did it without argument although it was an odd request. Zayn took off the cuffs, then looked at me expectantly. "Well?"
"Well? Well what?" I asked. My heart was pumping. It didn't seem right. Why would Zayn do this? It wasn't to help me.
"No mad rush to save Harry, or to get out?" Zayn questioned. I shrugged and shook my head. My abilities weren't back at full power after taking them off every night, let alone for three seconds. They'd be all over me before I got too far. "They really have broken you, haven't they?"
"No, I'm just smarter than that," I mumbled. "And I really don't want to get in trouble."
Zayn slid the cuffs into his pocket. I was confused, knowing this couldn't have been part of the plan. There was no way in hell Zayn was being allowed to do this. It broke nearly every self-installed rule I've come across. Zayn kept walking. Seconds later, a lock down went into place.
"Zayn?" I called. "Zayn!"
"Figure it out!"
Then I realized what they were doing. In a way, I was completely fucked. I was by myself, the things they put on me to control me weren't there, it looked like I was trying to escape. I couldn't protect myself, either. I knew I was too weak. And there was no way I was pulling Harry into the mess like they wanted me to.
I looked around frantically until I heard a gunshot to my left. I crouched down to the floor. "Don't shoot!"
"On the ground, Louis."
"Okay, okay." I got down on my stomach and put my arms on my head. I felt someone come up and grab my arms, hauling me to my feet. "I didn't take them off."
"Yeah? And who did? Zayn?"
"Yes!" I yelled. "I don't know how to take them off without hurting myself."
The guard just pushed me forward. "Boss isn't gonna like this."
"No, I'm sorry. It wasn't even my fault! I just-" I sighed and cut myself off. I was just wasting my time trying. They wouldn't listen to me.
Here, I was nothing. An object. They controlled me, and I listened.
The guards hauled me to my feet and pushed me down the hall. They shoved me into the office, letting go of me. I fell to my hands and knees.
"What the hell are you thinking?"
I didn't answer. I knew better. Once they got an idea in their head, it stuck. I was just wasting breath trying to explain.
"Well?" Boss demanded. He kicked me in the ribs, causing me to start coughing and groan.
"Zayn took them off. I don't know how to," I repeated with a groan.
"Yeah, I'm supposed to believe that. Zayn wouldn't ever do something like that." He kicked my arm, causing me to almost fall on my face. "Where are the cuffs?".
"I don't know! Zayn had them!"
Boss sighed. "Louis, Louis, Louis, when will you learn to-"
"He's telling the truth," A woman I had never seen before said, stepping forward.
"Is he now?" Boss asked, taking his attention off of me. I took a few deep breaths.
"Yes, I saw the video footage before Zayn altered it." I turned to look at her again. "There is no proof now, Sir, but Louis is telling you the truth."
"Fine. I want him in his cell. Bring me the other one."
"Don't you touch him," I growled. "Don't fucking-"
Another kick shut me up. "Yeah, and how will you stop me?"
"I'll do anything you want. Just keep him out of it." I could have been shielding myself, but I had a feeling he wouldn't like that too much. "Anything."
Boss' smirk widened. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."