Fight Me ||Zayn Malik au

Chapter Twenty-Three

Been having horrible writers block on this story lately. Sorry about that.

"So what did you think of the show?" Zayn asked over the rim of his glass as he examined the beaming girl in front of him. Heather had loved the show, it was obvious in the way her eyes had sparkled as they approached the theater and how she spoke so animatedly to Zayn about the dancers.

Zayn hadn't been able to tear his eyes away from Heather long enough to even enjoy the show. But to him it was worth it.

"It was everything I always dreamed it would be." Heather's voice was airy and light which was such a sharp contrast to the tight tones she had been using after the incident. She smiled and fussed with her dress a bit as the waiter came and took the last few plates of their dinner. Heather couldn't be happier and she hoped Zayn was feeling the same amounts of happiness.

Zayn pulled out his wallet to pay the bill and his phone spilled onto the table as well. The small screen lit up and Zayn noticed he had several missed calls and texts. All from Liam. That made him uneasy, Liam and he weren't friends in any sense of the word they were business partners. So why was Liam in such a need to get ahold of him?

Just as he was about to put his phone back away, deal with Liam later, the devil called him again and Zayn groaned. Something was up so he gave Heather a sad smile and rose from the table to take the call outside.

"ZAYN!" Liam shouted when the phones connected and Zayn pulled the phone from his ear with a grimace.

"Liam what do you want?" He asked not to politely.

"Where are you?" Liam sounded like he was running and out of breath. What was going on?

"I'm on a date wh-"

"With Heather?" The way Liam asked made his blood turn to ice.

"Yes? Why?" Zayn asked, Liam's panic starting to settle into his bones.

"They were just here." Zayn knew exactly who They were and his heart stopped. Zayn had hoped that the last police raid had taken all of the Underground out of business. "They burst in, looking for you because you weren't at your dorm. They said they want to finish the fight between you and Heath but no one has seen him since that night. I was asking questions and Niall came out of the kitchen." Liam was crying now, Zayn could hear it in the soft breaths he sucked in quickly.

"They tackled him to the ground and I tried to run to him but they ganged up on me. They tied us both to the kitchen chairs and they said that Niall was Heath!" Zayn's heart was stopped, he found himself moving back inside the restaurant and motioning for Heather to grab her things.

"God Zayn they tortured him. They cut his arms and beat him, I had to sit there and watch. They beat the truth out of him. He tried to be strong but they were killing him." Zayn knew now what Liam was saying. Heather was in danger as well as everyone she loved.

The Underground doesn't take well to being tricked and what Heather had been doing was punishable by death without a doubt. Heather wasn't questioning things as they climbed into the car and Zayn took off with no clear destination in mind.

He couldn't take her to her place, nor his own and anyone they went to would be put in danger. The Underground wouldn't go after innocent people, no that would drum up a scene. Zayn was weary of every car that followed them and often cut in and out of alleys to try and lose innocent cars.

Paranoia was setting in, he wouldn't let Heather be killed.

"Where are you now Liam." Zayn asked through tight teeth and Liam told him they were at the hospital. Liam had ratted, seeing his boyfriend beat had pushed him over the edge and they had police protection.

"I'm bringing Heather to you. I'm going to settle this." This brought Heather out of her silence as Zayn hung up before Liam could protest.

"I'm going with you." She declared having caught onto the situation. She didn't know the specifics but she knew her life was in danger.

Zayn ignored her and dialed another number. "Louis, I need you and Sydney to the Clear Creek Hospital it's an emergency." Zayn said as soon as he heard the line connect.

"Louis's not here." A smooth voice said and Zayn's hand clenched on the steering wheel as he jerked into the hospital parking lot. "How are you Zayn? You're a hard man to find."

"Well I do my best. What do you want Carson." Carson Odare was the head of the Underground and Zayn's handler.

Carson laughed through the phone, "I want to be able to trust people, but that obviously isn't something that can happen now is it?" He asked rhetorically and Zayn fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Where is Louis and Sydney?" Heather squeaked at her best friends name and Zayn shushed her.

"Someplace nice I'm sure. Think of this as a trade. You bring me your girlfriend and Louis and Harry go free safe and sound. If you don't well, all of them will die. As a show of my generosity I am sending Sydney and Gabby to the hospital as we speak. They will have an address with them. Have Heath here in two hours or the boys die."

Zayn wanted to throw up, they had Louis, Syd, Harry and Gabby. He ushered Heather inside and she hugged a sobbing Liam. The world was moving too fast and it wouldn't slow down. How had a beautiful night turned so wrong?

"Two hours Zayn. Then they are dead." Carson threatened and hung up. Zaynn drug a hand through his hair and tugged at his collar as he dialed Harry and Gabby's cell phones hoping this was all a joke. No answers.

"Son of a bitch." Zayn shouted and Heather tried to console him but she knew it was pointless.

Zayn filled Liam in while Heather got a rundown on Niall's condition from a nurse. Fourteen shallow stab wounds all over his body and blunt force trauma to the head. He had internal bleeding and bruises all over but Heather was thankful he was alive. The doctors were hopeful that he would make a full recovery and Heather wanted to sob in happiness.

Now she had to save her friends.

And she knew exactly how to do it.