Decrypted

Chapter 6

kids are cool sometimes but sometimes i wanna wring their necks.

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Niall finished up his conversation with the lady, annoyed since he didn't gain any info and because Zayn had left him.

He slightly stomped over to Zayn, having his arms crossed, and waited for him to finish.

"Perfect, thanks again, Gerald!" Zayn thanked, picking up the old radio and lightly caressing the stained wood.

Zayn turned to Niall and slightly jumped, expecting Niall to be at the register still.

"Why'd you leave me?" Niall slightly whined, feeling abandoned. He was intent on staying with Zayn since Niall knew nothing of survival, and when Zayn left, it scared Niall.

Zayn snorted, "What? Im your babysitter now?"

Niall's shoulders tensed, "No, you're my partner. You're supposed to help me, not leave me."

"And i did. I helped you talk to Marge by starting you off then letting you go." Zayn explained, glancing at the radio.

"Well, don't do that again." Niall demanded, letting out one more huff.

"Like i'll listen to you, cookie. Let me remind you of who's been playing this game longer, hmm, oh, thats right!" Zayn beamed, sticking his finger in the air then pointing at himself, "Me."

"You're the worst partner ever," Niall spat, fed up with Zayn's teasing, "Harry would never talk to me like that."

"Well, im not Harry. So get used to it or simply leave." Zayn responded, a little harsher than before.

Niall was quiet and done fighting with Zayn. He knew he couldn't say anything else since Niall couldn't leave, he was sure he'd die without Zayn.

Zayn noticed the silence, glancing over at Niall before turning his attention back to the radio, "Did Marge know anything?"

"No." Niall responded shortly, in a bad attitude from the conversation.

"Hmm, thats odd," Zayn mused to himself, "Did she check the account database?"

"Uh, i dont know."

"Like when Harry last visited and what he purchased?" Zayn clarified for Niall.

"Yea." Niall huffed, feeling stupid for not knowing what an account database was.

"Well?" Zayn prompted.

"Well, what?"

"What did she find?" Zayn pried, finding Niall's stubbornness a little amusing.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Not even the lollipops he gets you?" Zayn questioned, pretending to be a little shocked to get a reaction of out Niall. Zayn wouldn't admit it, but he felt a little guilty for upsetting Niall, and he hated that feeling.

"I guess not," Niall pondered for a second, "Yea, she didn't mention any purchases at all, now that i think about it."

"Someone must've erased his account or forced him to," Zayn reasoned, looking up at Niall and seeing his wide eyes, "But its okay, we dont need it anyways."

"Yea, but-" Niall cut himself off, sighing a little.

"But, what?"

The blonde wore a small, sheepish smile, "But now i wont know which lollipops he got me."

"Lollipops are overrated, anyways." Zayn waved his hand as if to dismiss the idea of the lollipop.

"Not when you're hungry." Niall meekly protested, patting his tummy.

"Eat the cookies you have, dont you have a whole bag?"

"I would! But i kinda ate all the blueberry and oatmeal ones already, and i dont really like the raisin ones." Niall explained, grabbing his backpack and showing Zayn.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Ten minutes and a couple of bargains later, Niall ended up with one sugar cookie and three chocolate chip.

~*~

"So, why'd you buy that junk, anyways?" Niall asked, a couple of cookie crumbles falling out of his mouth.

"Its not junk, its a high definition radio, but i expected you not to know that." Zayn teased, siting down on the bench next to Niall and pulling on the antennas.

"So, a fancy piece of junk?" Niall teased back, feeling in a much better mood with some food to eat.

"Well, this junk may help us find who we're looking for," Zayn said and began explaining, "This is the radio my father always talked about. Since this was limited edition, im sure this radio is one that he could've used."

"So, like, are we going to listen to his music?" Niall questioned, looking at the radio with a titled head.

"No," Zayn shook his head, "He recorded his findings on tapes. Once we play this, we can see if its him and if theres any information on his whereabouts.

"Well, what're you waiting for? Play it!"Niall cheered, taking the tape and placing it into the radio.

'Baby, you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed'

Niall bit his lip, looking over at Zayn apprehensively. The tape wasn't his fathers, it was some young boy band tunes.

Zayn however didn't seem bothered, he studied the tape, took it out, flipped it, and placed it back.

"Im, so sorry, i know-"

"It's backwards, cookie." Zayn smirked, pressing the play button.

"This is Yasir Malik, worker for diamond Co.
Currently, im in a chamber, but im unaware of the number.
I have been taken hostage by a person, shielded in black.
They have blond hair, and one of the security weapons.
It is black with red poison inside.
I'm afraid i may not live till tomorrow.
If anyone finds this tape, please, stop this person.
I will update later on if i manage to survive. "

The tape shut off, leaving the two boys in silence.

Niall fidgeted, wanting to place a comforting hand on Zayn's back but also not wanting to get hurt.

"I'm sorry about your father, but we can and will find him. We can take this person down together." Niall tried, speaking softly.

Zayn slowly nodded, looking off into the distance. He was in deep thought and mumbling to himself.

After a couple minutes went by, he stood up stiffly, taking the radio with him.

"Are you?" Niall trailed, looking up at Zayn.

"Get your stuff, we're going to chamber 11."

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Dun dun duuuun. Uneditedddd lmao

I thought this chapter was a little cute :) I hope y'all enjoyed!