The Final Leg - Book 4

Chapter 24

I'm really sorry this took so long - this is like my 5th attempt at this chapter bc it was so hard and weird to write. Personally it's my least favourite chapter because of how messy it is and Imma put a little warning on the blood and grossness in it! 

Really keen to finish this f-cking book,  so stay tuned ! 

(unedited) 

There were so many mixed emotions all crammed up into one small room. In fact, there were seven emotions – one for each of us.

Max appeared as he usually did; completely smug beyond the point of tolerance. Whilst playing around with his gun and untidy hair respectively, he looked like he was utterly ready for this fight. Sometimes I wondered if the young gangster ever truly worried about things. Although he seemed in a good place, his best friend looked to be in an even better place.

Scarlett seemed to be her natural self-righteous entity. She checked her watch quickly before revealing her pistol out of her jean pocket. She always seemed so ready for situations like this. I hadn't seen her with fear in her eyes, nor have I seen her back out of a situation. Zayn really did have good intentions in choosing her to lead the gang.

Liam was almost clinging to her arm in pure nervousness. He was lingering in the space she had occupied, checking the gun in his hand was locked down instead of ready to fire. His shaky presence was practically oozing out apprehension throughout the group. The entire look of it all was oh-so recognizable; he was in the exact state I was in last year with the Declan façade. Welcome to the group, Payne.

Harry seemed unfazed about it all and I wasn't surprised whatsoever. It was like this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Throughout the year he and Louis had taken away from biking, he certainly took it to himself to normalize his entire life. He stopped riding his bike and got a driver's license, became a full-time father and sobered the drugs out of his system. But almost like a switch being flicked on, he was back.

Louis remained in an angered state. That's all he's ever been since the death of his parents. He snapped at just about everything, conducted the conversations to his liking and took a darker toll on his usual shifted approach to everyday. He wasn't as affectionate with Harry, didn't talk about Lucy and hardly acknowledged Zayn – though, none of us blamed him for wanting to ignore his adoptive brother. His anger could possibly contribute to the fight and I had no real issue with that.

Zayn was being very... Zayn. He was a mix of Louis, a touch of Harry and of course had a combined two of Scarlett and Max in him. Sometimes I failed to understand how these situations kept happening and all seemed to trace back to his willingness to not be weak and surrender. The gang outnumbers ours by a significant amount and surely that is enough to distract away from the fact Zayn's parents and Scarlett's baby had just passed. But no, this was a fight that Zayn seemed adamant about.

Sometimes I really did want to punch him.

I, however, was shitting myself.

"...So we'll get into twos." Harry nods along, repeating Zayn's orders. "Surround the area and then you and Tomlinson go and talk to Shark."

"Right." Zayn confirms with his lips compressed, arms folded.

"And then what? Gunfire?" Harry validates once more.

"If it comes down to it, yes." Zayn presses a shoulder forward.

"Which it obviously will. Then what?"

"Harry, love, shut up." Scarlett coos with a smirk. "Malik will talk it out and we fight. It's simple."

"Anyone got any questions?" Louis broods, an eyebrow raised as he steps forward.