Waifs and Strays II - M.A.D. [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter Nine

Harry's POV

Everyone is silent, once again.

I had a gut feeling that Louis was still onto this horrid idea. I just hoped he had calmed down since the day Linda died.

"Shit, Tommo," Luke says in a low, almost raspy voice. "Do you know, what that actually means? That's like... over a hundred people!"

"About 150, I'd estimate," Liam says, looking at Louis with a frown.

I am glad to see that the others don't seem to be too excited about Louis' plans, as well. At Linda's funeral when Louis ended his speech with shouts for revenge and payback, I was so horrified by the other people's cheers and sounds of approval. They must have changed their minds, or maybe they didn't grasp the extent of his intentions, at the time.

When Louis only stares into the fire in fury, Liam turns to Luke. "He knows exactly what that would mean. He's only being angry. Of course, it's not our goal to kill them all," he tells the blonde Shark Head.

I see Louis shooting Liam an irritated look. "Yes, it is," he reaffirms. "That's exactly our goal." He looks around the camp fire into the other faces. "What? How is that news to everyone? I have been saying that from the start, haven't I?"

"Louis, they have innocent people, too," Ashton says next to me.

"So what?" Louis snaps. "They are all part of that gang, aren't they?! They build their entire gang on soldiers and murderers. They don't have any small children. None of them are innocent."

"They have servants and women who didn't choose to be there," Liam explains to his leader. I feel awful, seeing Louis with all of this hurt and fury in his eyes. "Besides," Liam continues, "in the end, all of us are just victims of society. All of us lost our families. We all had no other choice than to join a gang, at some point. Even the Grey Skins."

"They are victims?" Louis snarls, his breath visibly increasing due to his distress over the unexpected resistance by the others. "No, I'll tell you who the victim is. Linda! Not them. And it damn well was their decision to kill her!"

I can't stand to see him like this. I wish I could take all his grief away. Or make it hurt less, at least. "Lou," I say lowly, trying to catch his eyes. "They were only two people, that day. Only two of them shot Linda. Not 150." I know that my words will do nothing to soften his pain but I also know that he is not a killer. I just have to make him see that it isn't just a number, but real people that we are talking about.

"Well, more of them will want to hurt us," Louis replies. "Think about the map and the threat and the guy that almost killed you."

"But they are still people, Lou," I tell him calmly. "You can't bring Linda back by killing them and you won't hurt less, either. You know that I am right."

I can see that Louis doesn't enjoy the fact that I am not on his side because he glares at me without responding, but it is what it is. I can't let him go through with a mission like that.

"Yo, mate, I know exactly where you're coming from," Zayn turns to Louis with a nod of his head. "But we can't just kill them. Not with five people."

His words bother me. Firstly, because it sounds like he would like to help Louis kill all of them if only they had a strong enough army, and secondly, because I am reminded of Louis' decision to exclude me from the mission. It's not like he can, though. Like he said, I am not part of the gang. He can't make those kinds of decisions for me.

Before I can comment on it, Louis snorts angrily. "Alright, let's have it then," he spits turning to Liam. "What would your brilliant brain suggest instead, Payno?"