Who We Were Born To Be (Niam) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 16: All over again?

Chapter 16

Niall's point of view

“What's the plan for today?” Niall asked Paul at breakfast.

Paul glanced at Niall in surprise. “Don't you talk to your boyfriend?” Paul asked, sounding confused.

“I haven't seen him much lately,” Niall admitted. “He's been really busy.”

“Well you'll see him today I think,” was all Paul said, as the man got up and left Niall to his breakfast. Weird, Paul sounded angry.

Once Niall was done with breakfast he wandered through into the common room. Best find out what it is we're actually doing today.

All the other boys were sitting there, and Paul and Beth were there too. The mood in the room seemed tense. Are they angry? Niall cocked his head to one side confused. Liam bit his lip and then patted the cushion beside him, so Niall went and sat in it. Liam doesn't look happy. Liam had been unhappy for several days after his breakup with Danielle. But I thought he'd gotten over it...? Now I come to think of it, none of the guys look very happy, Niall thought, noting the faces of the other boys. What's going on?

“James thinks they've found another facility like Guantanamo,” Liam told Niall quietly. “But a smaller one, like what James destroyed in Alabama.” Niall gasped in surprise. Another facility!? Niall didn't know what to feel. Niall was terrified that this meant there were still people out there who were kidnapping and imprisoning people with powers. But he was also angry at the people doing this, glad that James had located another one, worried about what might happen when it was attacked, excited about the fact that imprisoned people could be freed. Memories of attacking Guantanamo floated across Niall's mind.

“James has asked for our help dealing with this one,” Louis added. “But Paul doesn't think we should go... we've just had an argument.” Oh. That explains why everyone seems angry.

Paul was sitting with his arms crossed glaring at Louis who was glaring right back. Niall's first instinct was to help everyone feel better by sharing love and happiness with them all, but his emotions were currently so much in turmoil thinking about Guantanamo and what might happen with this new facility, that he wasn't sure if he'd be able to use his power to share love or happiness right now. I'd probably blast them all with fear and confusion instead if I tried.

Now that Niall was here, Paul seemed to take it as his cue to try again. “Guys, you know I love you all. And I don't want to see people with powers imprisoned any more than you do! So I'm glad to hear that some people are going to be freed today! I'll celebrate with you later. We can let James and Obama's people handle it. You guys are singers. At your age you should be out partying and drinking. I should be having to worry about you getting drunk and getting a girl pregnant, not having to worry about you dying in some sort of military battle! You're not soldiers! And this isn't a war! James has other people, Obama has soldiers. Let them do what they're paid to do. You guys did your bit at Guantanamo. Way, way, more than your bit! You're all not over that. Give someone else a turn at handling this!”

Niall didn't know what to say to that. Paul has a point. We are singers. And there are other people who could do this. Niall looked to Liam. Liam was always Niall's automatic go-to when things were difficult or complicated. Liam always knows what to do.

“Well I'm going,” Louis said to Paul. “I made a promise to James that I would help rescue people around the world. I told him that even if everyone else in the world bailed and it was just me and him left, then I would do it. I meant that. I want to help, and I can help. I'll be there. There's nothing anybody can say to change my mind on this. I know what's a stake. I know what I'm risking. And my mind is made up. And you're wrong Paul. This is a war... a secret war for the freedom of people like us. A war about being able to live our own lives in peace and not be experimented on, not be imprisoned, not be tortured. You didn't see what we saw in Guantanamo. This has to be done, and I know I have to do it.”