Tribulation [h.s]

51

"You're the one I can't lose
No one loves me like you do."

* DOUBLE UPDATE!! READ CHAPTER 50 FIRST
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"What are you doing here?"

"Me?" Liam chuckles as he enters my hotel room. "I was taking care of business here in Berlin, and well," he digs in his coat pocket, pulls out five square envelopes, and hands one to me. "who do you think managed to get everyone's invitations?"

I take my invitation. "Thanks, Liam. It's good to see you."

We start walking together towards the balcony where all the other boys are. "Did I miss out on a lot while I was gone? If I did, you'd have to fill me in some time.

I snicker. "You didn't miss too much. Nothing important that I know of anyway."

When we walk out to the balcony, Niall, Harry, and Louis are already engaged in a conversation. Niall is sitting at a small round table, rolling a blunt with his bottom lip caught between his teeth. Harry and Louis are standing beside each other, nursing their own cup of whiskey. Harry is leaning over the railing to the balcony, staring out to the city. Louis isn't facing the city like Harry; he's facing Liam and me when we walk in.

Niall looks up. "Ah, look who decided to show up."

"Been a while," Louis raises his glass to Liam. "Nice to have you back, brother."

"Yeah, yeah," Liam brushes them off and sits across from Niall. "What we're you guys talking about?"

Niall puts the blunt in his mouth and lights it before taking a hit. "You don't think we'll run into any trouble, do you?"

"What kind of trouble?" Liam tilts his head.

"The kind of trouble that could ruin the operation."

What? Like Invictus?" Liam mocks, his laugh boisterous and scornful.

The blood circulating through my veins and pumping through my heart freezes.

Invictus.

I haven't heard that name in a long time.

"No way," Niall rebuttals with a roll of his eyes. "We're in Germany, and I haven't seen the fucker in over a year. You know I almost ganked him once, right? I shot him in the back, but the crazy fuck jumped out a window after ruining a deal with the local gang and escaped. He disappeared for a few weeks. I thought he finally rolled over and died, but he reappeared eventually."

"I remember," Louis says indifferently. "You talked about that for weeks."

Liam looks at me and provides clarification. "Invictus tried sabotaging Macello's operation multiple times, yet, no one ever saw his face. He wore a fucking guy Fawkes mask like a coward. He was a fuckin' freak we dealt with for years."

"He left art all over the city," Louis adds, solemnly. "Beautiful, elaborate art for all different types of causes and movements. It wasn't long before he was considered the voice of the people," His eyes are dull and I watch him relive his memories as he speaks. There's bitterness and there's a amusement swirling in grey pools of his eyes. "It was cool at first until he started interfering with our business." Louis's face suddenly ashens. "Eventually, he started killing people we worked with." Fear blooms in my heart. I look down at the ground, unable to look at them. "He would leave art at the murder scenes, exposing the victims for all the heinous crimes they committed while they were alive." He lets out a raspy chuckle. "Old habits die hard I guess."

"I remember," I nod slowly, glancing at Harry, who still hasn't acknowledged anyone yet. He won't even turn to look at us. What's his problem? "He was all over the news for years."