Recidivist |h.s|

53 |☆ shh.

Can you hear the church bells ringing, baby?

Churchyard- Ethel Cain

NO PROSPECTIVE

Everything had seemed to be a blur for everyone.

Getting there wasn't ever the main objective, it was getting Athena back.

The car ride there was the tensest. Nobody spoke, nobody fought, nobody even tried to act like it was all normal either. It wasn't taken as just another thing that happened or a loss.

Liam had stayed back, simply to just fill their boss in on everything, and sort everything out for when Athena did get back. They were moving out of the hotel, there was nothing there for them in that town.

Niall and Lottie did have this sort of understanding in the car, however. None of them spoke, but Lottie had the directions off Niall's phone, and Niall made sure it didn't turn off so it gave Lottie piece of mind.

That of course, went out the window when they had arrived to get Athena, and they say the car, smashed into the metal dividers that separated the stretch of road from the forest area that was at the side of it.

Harry had jumped out of the driver seat, taking Zayn's gun with him, as Iann got out as well. Whether or not he felt sick the whole ride, that was his sister. Blood in, or blood out. He'd die for her, and he wouldn't think twice about it.

Lottie however, had Louis and Zayn holding him back from just utterly jumping out of the car to run to see his Big sister. He was trashing around, screaming. "Let me go! Let go! Let the fuck-"

His voice could be heard from outside. But Louis and Zayn did not let go. They generally detained him, his arms were clamped behind his back as soon as the car even came into view.

They didn't have to do this. Lottie already got the idea that they were anything but a band. But Niall still held onto him. It wasn't empathy, to make sure he wasn't the first one to see a murder scene, or if Athena was injured. To save him from whatever it was. At least— that's what Niall was telling himself.

Iann walked to the driver's side, his finger on the trigger, ready for anything. He couldn't be sloppy about this. He was always ready— always prepared for anything.

Just maybe never her.

As he got to the driver's side door, there Giovanni was. Head on the steering wheel hunched over. Harry couldn't see exactly what happened, his head was facing the other way, but he knew he was dead.

Then Harry lowered his gun, just slightly. Athena wasn't in that passenger seat.

Harry's eyes scanned the back seat— and that's where he first saw her. Sitting on the floorboard, hand over her mouth, back to the back of the passenger seat, knees tight to her chest, she had a gun in her hand. She didn't have it hidden like she was ready to shoot.

Harry froze.

She looked terrified. Rightfully so.

And that's when he realized, Iann on the other hand, did not care. He ran to the passenger side. Harry blinked, realizing how bad it could end if Iann just opened the back door when he saw Athena wasn't in the front seat.