A single bullet // M.C ✔️

62

Coolness was pressed against my forehead as I closed my eyes softly, breathing against the desk, laptop screen still blaring bright next to me, just playing the one video on loop. My head was pounding as it got later and later, and hours passed of me just staring, trying to think of ways I could find the missing pieces.

I was screwed. I couldn't figure out where to even start, and Calum was coming up with dead ends. Two days. I had lost my support of Kensie to rant to and try and get help with this whole thing. She had been away and ignoring all calls and texts I sent her, apologising for what happened. How I spoke my mind about Luke without really thinking about it. How I was just frustrated that no one seemed to think I had the capability to run the gang. How I always felt like an outsider even though I had been dragged into this life.

I finally lifted my head from the desk and stared forward, blinking slowly at the screen. Mentally, I just felt drained and stressed out. They had done such a poor job of editing this but had done an amazing job of hiding the rest. I had been trained in finding missing information for articles, to find the correct sources, find the sources buried deep beneath the surface that are almost impossible to find just scrolling if you aren't looking.

I knew normal people wouldn't be able to find these, but I also knew I wouldn't be able to decipher the codes that would spew and appear on my screen. Absentmindedly, I just tapped the tip of my nail against my laptop mouse, filling the room with the satisfying noise.

"Come on, Nicky, think," I muttered, letting my mind attempt to run wild. Nothing had happened. I was at a standstill. A dead end. "Why can't I find this?" I wondered. I wasn't the hacker at all, not in this gang that was very clearly Calum's, and since he hadn't messaged saying he'd found it. He must be struggling as well.

A low buzz from next to me snapped me out of my intense stare down with the screen, pulling my brows together when seeing Kensie's name pop up.

"Kens?" Words came firing out of her mouth, and I almost involuntarily flinched, expecting to be shouted at a lot more. It never happened.

"Nicky, come to the office quickly." She blurted out, her voice and tone all frantic.

"Kensie, what's going on?" I had already picked up my bag and keys, letting myself walk to my door, laptop long forgotten about.

"It's Michael."

"What's going on?" I screamed, walking into the building and looking around frantically, glancing at everyone I didn't know or had never seen before. "Luke? Calum? Kensie?" I kept repeating their names, just hoping someone would tell me where they were instead of just staring at the mad-looking woman after the important people. "Someone fucking tell me where they are?!" I yelled, tired of being stared at like I was a zoo animal in a cage.

"Nicky, calm down," Kensie's voice sounded from the left of me, making me spin around, locking eyes with her. "Quick," she waved her hand, summoning me over to her, making me kick into gear and rush over to her, panic filling me again.

"What's going on?" I repeated, but to her face this time, letting Kensie grab my hand, pulling me down the hallway, not saying a word. "You still mad at me?" Please don't be.

"No," she muttered, letting me know it was all behind us, no grudges held between the two of us ever. It was an unspoken rule between us: as soon as things were forgiven, that was it, not to be mentioned again.

"Then what is going on because you're seriously starting to freak me out." I muttered softly, letting my body continue to get dragged around.

"Trust me, it's a surprise." I pressed my feet into the floor beneath me as she spoke those words clearly hitting my ears. She jerked back slightly as I stopped, as we were still connected, spinning around with wide eyes. "What?"

"Don't tell me what I think you are." Barely heard over the hustle in reception behind us, I spoke, not trusting my voice anymore. "Kensie," I blurted out as she didn't say anything in response and just started pulling me along. My mind ran wild with all the possibilities it could be; I knew it was something to do with Michael.

"Shhh, Nicky, just let it happen," she laughed softly, knocking all the bad things out of my mind; no way she would be laughing at them. That could only mean.... No.

Almost instantly, I dropped her hand and sped up, ending up in front of her before spreading down the hallway. No way. No fucking away. Pounding against my chest, my heart sped up with nerves and anxiousness going absolutely crazy as I listened to Kensie yelling instructions behind me of where to go. Breaths and gasps left my lips as my eyes filled up with tears, knowing if it isn't what I think it is, I will be so gutted.

"There!" Instantly, I stopped, standing in front of the black, dark door with two frosted glass panes in it. I could see the fuzzy outlines of three people standing right in the view of the window. Luke, Calum, and Ashton, I could notice them anywhere, even fuzzy and unfocused. "Nicky..." Kensie placed her hand on my shoulder, now caught up with me, "just be careful." Pursing my lips, I looked over at her, confused, squinting my eyes.

"What do you mean?" Not another word left her mouth, signalling with her head to open the door.

Time moved in slow motion as I touched the cool doorknob and twisted it to the right, unlatching it from its holder. Three pairs of eyes snapped over to me, all with shit-eating grins on their faces, Ashtons and Luke's less than Calum's, but still there. They were all in casual, comfy attire, instantly letting me know this wasn't a meeting as they weren't smartly dressed. "Guys?"

"Am I not going to get a hello?" My body froze before slowly looking to the right, feeling my eyes start to flood with tears. The blonde hair was messy and longer than usual. The usual black jeans and Vans with a burgundy jumper. Rings covered his fingers, framing his few finger tattoos perfectly. Jumper sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, showing his small, faded style arm tattoos. Emerald-shade eyes stared at me, and his thin lips were in a small smirk as he tilted his head, his piercing shine in the sunlight flooding through the window.

"Michael!"

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