Broken Glass [h.s.]

one

Dove

"Mr Styles is ready to see you now" a guard says walking me to a big ebony door.

He knocks on it three times, two close to each other and the third some seconds apart, proceeding to say his name and special code when he's asked, following the rules of the Styles Mansion.

The doors open, showing the room on the other side.

"In you go" the guard says pushing me inside, and the doors close right behind me with a loud bang.

I look around. The room is rather big. A smooth black carpet is in the middle, I don't even want to think about which animal the fur belongs to. All around, the walls are covered by libraries full of strong-smelling books that reach the ceiling. But what catches my attention is the desk full of papers that is in front of a huge anti-projectile window, that enlightens the whole room. It's made of ebony, just like the door.

"Walk closer" the man sitting behind it says. I comply and, once I'm standing right in the middle of the carpet in front of him, he speaks again. "I heard you want to talk to me. Go on, here I am."

I force myself not to be intimidated, and I walk right in front of the desk and put my hands down on it. "I came here for my parents."

The man smirks, taking his glasses from his brown fading to grey hair and putting them on the bridge of his nose. "I understand darling, but you see, they went against the law."

I scoff. "What law? There's no law, you're not even the rightful ruler of this town."

"But darling, I am the owner of this empire. And they went against my rules."

"They sold vegetables from their vegetable garden, don't you think it's a bit pretentious to call it going against the law?"

He sits back comfortably on his chair looking at me, seeming entertained by the conversation. "Miss... Winters, am I correct?" He asks feigning uncertainty, and I nod. "I don't think your presence here will be of any help. You can leave."

I can feel the mild threat behind his words, but I don't care. I take my pocket knife out of my belt and stab the desk with it, right through a paper sheet with some numbers scribbled on it. "I suggest you rethink your decision."

I hear the guard behind me take out the gun and point it at me taking the safety off, but Mr Styles motions him to put it down. He hasn't even flinched.

He smiles for a few seconds, thinking about something. Then, he speaks. "Miss Winters, have you ever heard of my son, Harry Styles?"

I laugh bitterly. "How could I have not? Everyone has been talking about him since he decided to take on the family business and started doing whatever he wants. He destroyed so many shops in the suburbs, just because he wanted to have fun. Not to say that he's the one suspected of those murders down on Canon Street. But maybe you should tell me about it, shouldn't you, Mr Styles? He's your son, after all."

He snickers. "Glad to know you studied for today, Miss Winters. Since that you're oh so acknowledged about this, you may also know that Payne and the Moon gang are targeting him."

I'm surprised. "I have to admit, this information didn't get out. Too bad, I would've loved to help them."

He stands up and walks around the desk and behind me. He whispers something to the guard at the door, and he nods and gets out. He closes the door behind him, and returns to me, leaning on the hard wood of the desk. "Let's make a deal, Miss Winters."

I raise an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?"

"He needs to be taken out of town. Join the team, make sure he doesn't die, and I'll set your parents free once this mess is taken care of."

"How do I know you won't just kill my parents once I'm done with this?" I ask him, distrusting him.

"You have my word."

"The word of a murderer!"

"The word of a father, worried about the safety of his only son."

"Do you promise me that you won't hurt them?" I ask him.

"Seriously? They're nobody important, why should I even waste my time doing that?" He laughs.

I look away, glancing to the row of books on my right side. "When?"

He smiles. "As soon as possible." He moves towards the three armchairs in one of the room. "Let's have a seat, shall we?"

I follow him and sit on one of the armchairs, while he sits on the one in front of me.

"You're fast with the knife. What about guns?" He asks, his dark eyes studying me from behind the glasses.

"Guns as well. I was taught well." I reply.

"Maybe I should keep your dad in my prison" he says, opening a bottle of scotch and putting some in a glass. "Want something to drink?"

"Really funny. My uncle taught me." I say, and shake my head. "No, thank you. I don't fancy being murdered just yet."

"Oh, Mr Winters. What a valuable man. The pride and glory of my army." He replies, starting to drink.

"Until he was killed."

He raises a brow. "Why the angst, darling? Everybody knows this is a hard world to live in."

"Thinking about it, your son is good with the gun as well. Why would he need people to protect him?"

He grimaces. "My son is good, but he's a bit impulsive. And totally unruled. I don't want him to put himself in danger. He will never get out of town without a fight, anyway."

"Then let him stay here."

"They've already tried to kill him twice. I lost two of my best men. I don't want the third to be him."

I nod. "What does he think about this?"

"He doesn't want to! That's why you'll be in three to take him out of town. Make sure he doesn't disappear, you know" he replies laughing.

I shake my head. "How are we even gonna make it? It's impossible to get out of town without stepping on the Moons' Territory, and they'll be glad to kill us all."

"There's a system of underground tunnels all under this city" he replies, and takes a map out of a cupboard under the little table between us. He points at a little cross a bit out of the city centre, halfway into Payne's territory. "This is the entrance. There were more, but they've all been buried by the earthquake of fifty years ago. This one is still open, and will lead you out of town. Nobody knows about its existence. They were used during the Great War of two hundred years ago."

I study the map curiously. "What makes you think you're the only one that knows about this?"

"They go straight under the city, connecting places in an almost perfect way. If Payne or the Moons knew about this, they would've used it as a warehouse or at least for their trades" he explains. "Mind if I smoke?"

"Not at all" I reply, and he takes out a pipe. "I guess it makes sense. But it still leaves us with a great deal to do by foot."

"It's the best way. I studied it for weeks" he replies, smoking the tobacco he has taken out of the cabinet.

"What about once we're out of the city? What then?" I ask.

He points at another cross, out of town. "This is where he has to go. It's the Styles's country house."

"Will he be safe there?" I ask him.

"Yes. The city is the problem. Once he's out, he's safe. The countryside is none's territory. Nobody cares about it."

I look out of the window, to the polluted sky. The Styles multiplied the factories of the city some years ago, and it has been of a smokey grey since then.

"Okay" I say.

"Are you in?" He asks.

"Yes" I reply, "I'm in."