Eighteen // 5SOS

Chapter 9

The group looked at Steph in silence, wondering if she had really just said what they thought she had, some of them realising in that moment just how hungover they still were.

"Break him out?" Ashton said slowly, looking for any signs to see if she was joking, but she simply smiled pleasantly back at him.

"I'm not sure how we can do it, but I think it's probably the only option we have left," she said.

"There must be something else, we can't seriously break Luke out of jail," Calum said determinedly.

"Well, tell us then. We don't have a lot of time and this is a fairly quick way for us to get things done,"

Calum bit his lip in thought, before looking down, defeated. He rested his head on Lemon's shoulder where they were sat, and she gently massaged circles into his hair.

"I actually don't think it's too bad an idea, considering our situation," Lemon said, everyone turning to listen. "Like Steph said, we don't have another choice right now,"

"I think so too," Becky said quietly.

"Me too," Moon said.

"Does everyone agree then?" Ashton said, looking at people for approval. No one seemed to completely refute it anymore, everyone nodding quietly.

"Okay," he said, nodding too. "I guess we'd better get a plan together,"

-

"This is definitely the worst plan we've ever come up with," Becky said, "But it might just work."

"Okay, so I'll run through what's happening one more time," Ashton said. He was sat in the centre of the group, a natural leader, everyone facing him. "We're gonna split up into two groups. Moon, Becky and Luc: you're coming with me. We're gonna try and distract the receptionists while the second group sneaks past. Caits, Lemon, Iggy and Cal; that's where you come in."

"Iggy and Caits are going to distract security while Lemon and Cal get Luke out, and then we all run like hell to the bus, which Steph will be driving." he paused for a moment to see Steph looking quite dazed and oblivious, before muttering "God help us all,".

"I have a question," Moon said, speaking up. "What will we do to distract them? It can't be something too big or we'll get arrested ourselves, making this whole thing a bit pointless."

"Good question, and I wish I had an answer," Ashton said, thinking. "We'll just have to wing it,"

"So we're doing this?" Calum said, his arms folded in determination.

"So we're doing this," Ashton confirmed, breathing out and standing up. "Good luck everyone, try not to get locked up,"

-

Ashton lead the way as Moon, Becky and Luc strolled anxiously into the police building behind him. Caits, Iggy, Lemon and Calum were stood against the wall, breathing slowly, and waiting thirty seconds to sneak into the police station, so as not to make it obvious they were all together. Iggy and Caits would enter first, as they were the only ones to know exactly where Luke's cell was. Though the thing Iggy was most worried about was the distraction part, and how the hell could she distract a guard for even nearly long enough that they could get Luke out? At the same time, Caits was nervous about seeing Luke again, and despite the huge stakes at what they were about to attempt, she couldn't help but picture how he would react when properly speaking to her.

Walking up to the front desk, Ashton swallowed before addressing the receptionist.

"Hi," he croaked, before clearing his throat and continuing. "I was wondering if you could help me,"