espionage [h.s.]

SEVEN

A.N. this is quite a long chapter, you're welcome. also please try to be more active & remember to vote/comment, it helps the story grow and I'd really appreciate it! Enjoy the chapter x

HARRY

"They aren't moving very fast," I say as I observe the group of trainees who are currently doing laps around the training grounds outside. We only come out here to do cardio occasionally because it's dangerous to be above ground and out in the open for too long, in case anyone somehow manages to work out the location of the institute, but we've never had any imminent threats to date. "Why aren't they moving very fast?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's fucking subzero out here?" Louis splutters sarcastically from beside me, his breath creating a white cloud as it mingles with the cold air. "They're probably all freezing their dicks off."

I turn to face him with a look of amusement. "Even the girls?"

"Freezing their dicks and their tits off," he corrects himself. "You know, respectively."

I shake my head at him as I turn back to watch the trainees, who I notice are also complaining about the cold, some of them having stopped running and are now frantically rubbing their hands together to generate some heat. "Hey, no stopping! Back to laps, everyone!" I shout at them, causing some of them to groan and grumble amongst each other. "It's not even that cold."

"That's easy for you to say, mate," Louis says, beginning to jump up and down a little in an attempt to keep warm. "You're wearing a coat."

"So? It's not my fault you didn't bother to put one on."

"You didn't give me the bloody chance!"

"Stop whining. You're as bad as them," I say, nodding my head towards the trainees who are still complaining like a bunch of toddlers.

"Maybe they have a point," Louis suggests with a shrug. "We should probably go back inside now, maybe get a cheeky hot chocolate. Ooh, maybe the kitchen still has some whipped cream and marshmallows-"

"No," I cut him off sharply. "We're not running a primary school camping trip."

He tuts at me, beginning to mutter under his breath but I can't really hear him due to the fact that his teeth are chattering slightly. I slip my hands into the pockets of my coat as I continue to observe the trainees, my eyes subconsciously finding Rochelle amidst the group. She's been here a few days now and she seems to be easily keeping up with everyone, even having surpassed some of those that have been here longer than her. She gets along with most of the other trainees and I've noticed she's also been welcomed into a friendship group made up of Niall, Zayn, Liam, Connie and Stefan. But there's still something about her, something that I can't quite put my finger on. Something that I'm itching to find out.

As I watch her, I notice that she's with Connie and Zayn now, the three of them trailing along with miserable expressions, while Stefan and surprisingly Niall literally run laps around them. "Good work, Rostov!" I call out to Stefan, who is sprinting around the track as if this is just some casual stroll for him. "You too, Horan!"