Zayn was very surprised to hear Mila no longer complaining about jumping from carriage to carriage. He knew very well that if they were travelling atop the transport like her and Harry had been doing before, that she would be kicking and screaming. Now, she jumped easily across the gap between carriages, following close behind him and his friends as they searched the train for Tony and his troops.

"I think it's a weapon of some sort," Liam finally said as they searched the third carriage. One man had been found lying with a broken leg in one of the compartments and with a little encouragement from Harry and his knives, he pointed the spies and Mila in the direction of where Tony was staying: the very front of the train.

"It can't be," Zayn said, shaking his head. He'd tried his best to get those horrible words about his parents out of his head, but no matter what he did, they were glued to the spot, taunting him like a nightmare that wouldn't pass. My parents would never take part in designing a deadly weapon like that, they were just standard spies like myself. Going on missions for the Association, not working in the Weapons Hall day and night. "My parents didn't work with machinery or weaponry."

"How do you know that for definite, though?" Harry asked quietly, jogging up to Zayn's side. "You know that secrets aren't allowed in the Association, so it looks as if the things that guy heard about your parents were true. Yeah, maybe they helped a little when designing some sort of weapon but if you think about it - this is all an act of revenge."

"Hm?" Zayn mumbled, confused for a second.

"Harry's right," Louis pitched in. "That guy said that this object had everything to do with your parents - that they helped design whatever it is they've taken. It's an enhanced design of an original idea, a better re-make of it. According to him, your parents used this thing to help kill hundreds and so they've taken something that will help them make it even more bigger and better. More powerful than your parents designed it to be."

"So, they've taken my parents design that helped the Association ... to use against the Association?"

Harry and Louis nodded in unison.

"Correct-a-mundo," Louis said with a small smile. "At least, that's what all of this looks like. Of course we could both be wrong. I mean, how would they subtly carry a weapon of some sort out of a heavily guarded corporation without being caught?"

"Beats me," Harry said with a shrug. "Zayn, how much further until we reach the front?"

"No idea. These trains always seem to go on for ages," he answered. "We shouldn't be too far now."

With the screams of a man and a woman inside his head, Zayn narrowed his eyes as he led everyone forward.

From the back of the group, Mila watched Zayn cautiously, very much aware that he was still trying to calm down after hearing such terrible things about his parents from a complete stranger. She knew that if anyone were to say such awful things about her parents, that she would punch them into the middle of the following week without a moment's hesitation. For such unforgivable things to be said required a punishment of some sort.

Mila wanted to tug her shoe off and launch it at the man's unconscious body.

"So, how many men are we talking?" Mila asked, looking to her right where Niall stood, a knife in one had, gun in the other. He turned to look at her, a boyish grin gracing his features.

"Well, take the ones we've already dealt with and maybe double it? There were a lot of men gettin' on this train, Mila. I'd say a lot are still left but fingers crossed that I'm wrong."

Mila observed Niall as he spoke, her eyes landing on the single drop of sweat rolling down his forehead. He's scared, she realized, bowing her head. Cautiously, she reached out and rubbed his back soothingly. "Hey, it's OK."

He looked at her confusedly. "Hm? What do you mean?"

She laughed quietly. "You're sweating and shaking," she noted, glancing down at his once steady hands.

Niall followed her gaze and he just rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, honestly. My hands always shake in times like this - I think it's the adrenaline in my veins. I'm just ready to get into action, to be honest. As soon as this mission is over, the sooner we can head back to the Association, take a break and head home."

"Do you live in the Association or in the city?" Mila asked.

"We all have two places to call home," Niall told her. "I just prefer being in the Association because I feel safer in there than out in the city. Zayn, for example, is the opposite. He loves having a little more freedom out in his city home. All we're allowed to take to our city homes is a gun but in the Association, there's weapons on every corner, so it's a feeling of safety that keeps me there, I guess."

"It sounds very ... safe," Mila finished, unsure if she had used the correct word. "How long have you been working there?"

"Oh ... about five or six years? I'm still just a baby compared to these guys," Niall gestured to the four other spies before them. "They've been here maybe eight to ten years? They're all so dedicated to their work but people like Zayn have had it hard. It's a tragedy to be honest."

"Yeah, I've heard what happened," Mila said, nodding sadly. "It's awful."

Niall glanced at Mila out of the corner of his eye.

"He gets really cagey when you mention it sometimes so it's hard to talk to him because even the slightly mess-up has him retreating to his room to be alone. Mind, I don't blame the lad - he's lost so much."

"Yeah," Mila said. "He's lost way too much for someone so young." She saw Niall nod.

All of a sudden, the group of spies halted in front of Mila and Niall. She shot him a quizzical look to which he returned with one of his own. Mila stood on her toes to see over Liam's shoulder and she noticed Zayn standing with a hand in the air, alerting them all to stop. For a moment, everything was silent until Zayn's footsteps could be heard as he neared the carriage door. He slowly opened it and Mila could just make out the shape of a person standing in the doorway of the opposite carriage.

"Tony just wants to talk!" he called over to Zayn.

"Tell him he can talk to me after returning what he has stolen!" Zayn shouted back, aiming his gun straight across the gap at the stranger. "Now!"

The man momentarily disappeared before before returning with a frown. "He wants to talk, that's all. C'mon, man. Don't disobey him or he'll kill you all."

Zayn scoffed. "Can you confirm he won't shoot us straight on sight?"

The man nodded. "I'll go first if you want."

There was another moment of silence before Zayn nodded slowly and tucked his gun into his belt. He didn't tell the others to do the same and Mila felt her grip on the gun shaking, her palms becoming sweaty.

"You tell him not to hurt any of my men," Zayn said suddenly, patting Louis on the shoulder. "If he harms any of them, I swear to God-"

"You'll what?" asked the man, cutting Zayn off. "Stop being the brave, little boy and listen."

Zayn remained silent, carefully making his way over to the front carriage of the train, the other spies and Mila following. As soon as all of them had crossed the gap and were standing in the new carriage, Mila had to hold her breath. Before them were six men, three on either side of the bald man from before: Tony. Each of them stood with a gun, pointed in their direction.

"Malik, you sneaky, little fucker," laughed Tony when all of them had made it into the carriage. The man who had led them into the carriage was one of the six men standing beside Tony, his face expressionless. "That little bitch hiding behind you has a good aim - I may just keep her for myself."

Mila cringed at his suggestive tone and she looked away as his eyes landed on her. "The hell you will," she snapped, pointing her gun at him. The six men instantly pointed heir guns at her. Zayn held his hands up in front of her, shielding her from their view.

"Mila, don't," he said calmly.

"Protecting her, Zaynie? How adorable," Tony said, pouting. "Boys, make sure you keep her alive. She'll make a fine shooter."

"Don't worry," Liam whispered in her ear. "You'll be OK." She looked up at him to see his nose was still bleeding a little.

"Give it back," Zayn said suddenly. "I don't know why you want this thing so badly but it's not your property, McPherson-"

"So it's yours is it?" the man said, cutting Zayn off. "It may have been designed by your parents who worked for the same corporation that took you in but if you think I'll willingly give it over, then you're very naïve, young boy."

Mila saw Zayn grit his teeth, eyes narrowing. "Why do you need it so badly?"

"To kill, of course!" laughed Tony. "You stupid boy."

"Well, how the hell am I supposed to know when I don't even know what it is that you've stolen?"

"Ah," Tony muttered. "Point taken. I suppose this is the part where I tell you, huh?"

Zayn remained silent, his eyes glued on his enemy standing before him. Mila saw Louis drumming his fingers against the barrel of his gun, his jaw clenched. Harry had a knife in each hand, his thumbs running up and down the blades, blood trickling down the shining surfaces. Niall's foot was tapping, his eyes darting back and forth between each of the seven men before them. Liam was motionless, his gun at stomach-height, aimed forward at the enemies. Mila was still shaking, her heart racing in her chest.

"But you won't," Zayn commented, a smirk forming on his lips. "You want to see me becoming even more frustrated because I have no clue as to what it could be."

"Clever boy, maybe you're not as stupid as I'd originally thought. How about this - what do you think it is? Hazard a guess."

Zayn took a deep sigh. "I want to say it's some sort of weapon or something taken from a weapon that you're going to use as part of your own technology but I know for a fact that it's not. One of your men informed us that you wouldn't take something so obvious and risk getting caught."

Tony's eye twitched and his free hand curled into a fist. Mila felt herself sweating.

"I see I'll have to find better men, then," he said stiffly, his teeth clamped together. He's angry, Mila realized.

"So, it's true?" Zayn urged. "It's not a weapon at all. Then what is it?"

Tony laughed maliciously. "It's extraordinary how little you know about your own genius parents and their true involvement with the Association."

"Just tell us what the bloody thing is," Louis said, exasperated. "For Christ sake, this is getting ridiculous."

"Ah," Tony drawled. "Louis Tomlinson. I remember you very well. You shot me three years ago in Cardiff."

"It seems you're awful at dodging bullets."

At Louis' words, Mila's eyes travelled to Tony's shoulder where she had shot him earlier. There was a red patch on the material of his jacket. It didn't seem to be bleeding as badly as Louis' foot had before and she felt the urge to shoot him again taking over, her finger tapping nervously against the trigger.

"I never did forget how much of a cocky, little bitch you were though," McPherson continued, his eyes narrowed at Louis. Mila looked up at Louis in time to see a sarcastic smile appear on his face. It was gone as quick as it had appeared.

"Give it back to us," Niall snapped suddenly. Tony's eyes landed on Niall and all he did was grin wickedly. Niall gulped, still sweating. Mila wanted to reach out and take his hand.

"This," Tony started, pulling out a small, leather satchel from inside his jacket, "is what all the fuss is about. This tiny, insignificant piece of property from the Association. How badly do you want it, Zayn? C'mon and tell me."

Zayn held out his hand. "Return it to us, and we'll let you live. All of you."

"Zayn, my dear boy - you are outnumbered."

"By one, you asshole," Mila snapped, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, I do like this little one." Tony took a step closer, eyes on Mila. "I wonder if your confidence and bravery remains while in the bedroom."

Mila's mouth fell open, disgusted by his filthy words.

"Leave her alone," Liam said, pushing Mila behind him ever so slightly to shield her from Tony's view. "You're a pig already without being so vile to an innocent, young woman."

"All so protective over the victims, aren't we? You must be taught by softies at the Association."

"This is bullshit," Harry said suddenly and with a flick of his wrists, he sent the two blades flying towards the two men standing on either side of Tony. Bullets were shot, and everyone ducked at the same time, the spies around Mila rolling to the side, Zayn pulling her backwards into the open compartment to the left. She landed on top of him, her legs straddling his hips. She instantly apologized and jumped up from where she was, Zayn following after her.

"Good shot, Harry," Liam called from the compartment just up the carriage, closer to McPherson. Mila looked behind them to Niall had piled in behind herself and Zayn.

"Four and Tony left, Zayn!" Louis called from the neighbouring carriage. Zayn crept closer to the door, jumping back when two shapes suddenly shot past - two of the remaining men with Tony. "They're getting away!"

"Follow McPherson!" Zayn yelled just as the other two men and Tony rushed past their compartment, down the centre of the train once again. Niall was on his feet instantly, heading straight for the door, a new gun being tugged from his weapons belt.

"Guys, c'mon!" he yelled. Mila and Zayn left the compartment just as everyone else did, Niall standing before them, making his way after the thieves.

"Niall, don't let them out of your sight!" Harry called. Mila led the other four spies after Niall, her gun held tightly in her hand.

"Hurry! They're getting away with the documents!" Niall was frantically shouting, determination on his face. "They're gonna get away!"

"Let's go-" Mila began, but a hand was suddenly pulling her to a stop. She looked over her shoulder at Zayn quizzically, his eyes on Niall. Harry, Louis and Liam had paused behind Zayn, asking why they had stopped.

"Zayn, he's getting away-" Liam began but Zayn hushed him.

Niall stopped when realizing his colleagues were no longer following after him. Mila looked back and forth between Zayn and Niall, confused. Why did Zayn stop us? she wondered.

"Niall." Zayn's voice was clipped, almost unsure. The Irish lad looked back at his friends, slightly out of breath, cheeks tinted pink.

"What? Zayn, come on - they're getting aw-"

"What did you just say?" Zayn asked before Niall could finish. "Just before?"

Niall thought for a moment, his eyes widening.

"I, er..." he trailed off, his eyes suddenly darting between the five people staring at him.

"Zayn, what's going on?" Harry asked suddenly.

Mila frowned, trying to think for herself what was wrong. There was a sudden shift in the air, almost a negative feel sitting above them. She looked down as Zayn slowly started to lift his gun towards Niall. Mila instantly pushed it down, glaring up at the spy.

"Are you insane?" she asked him. "He hasn't done anything ..." she trailed off when Zayn's eyes met her's, an almost sad look passing over his entire being, "wrong."

"Zayn." Louis almost hissed the name.

"How do you know they have documents, Niall?" Zayn asked suddenly, standing up straight. "You said they're getting away with the documents. How do you know what they have?"

Niall suddenly looked scared; his mouth fell open and his blue eyes widened. Mila thought hard, remembering everything she had heard from the past few hours she had endured with the spies. Disguises, guns, liars. Liars.

"Tony mentioned something about having people working for him in the Association... He said you work with liars."

Before she had a chance to move, Niall lifted his gun and fired.

Zayn instinctively moved, his arms flying forward to push Mila out of the way, to the right and back into the compartment they had exited before. She shrieked as she collided with the padded bench against the wall. Zayn remained silent as the bullet hit him square in the chest.

"Zayn!" he heard someone shout behind him. For a moment, he stood still, his eyes wide and glued on the blond boy who had turned and began running after Tony and his men. He couldn't chase after him though. A sudden pain had began to spread from the place where the bullet had hit him, through his entire chest. He fell backwards, vaguely aware of the arms that caught him and the voices calling out his name frantically. The voices were too difficult to focus on - the pain was too much to bear, almost too difficult to breathe through. He gasped, trying to take in the air he required. It was difficult.

I'm dying, he thought, his hands grasping out to grip onto something - anything. Oh Lord, I'm in shock.

His hands were taken in a pair of smaller ones. Feminine hands, he realized after a moment. He was momentarily blinded, all he was able to see was white.

He heard a voice - her voice - coaxing him back into the right state of mind. He took a ragged breath.

"Zayn, it's OK," she said, her voice shaking. "You'll be OK. I promise - I'll help you."

"Go get Niall!" he heard someone yell - Liam, he assumed. "Go get that little bastard - don't kill him. The Association will see to him."

Zayn's vision continued to blur in and out of a white landscape, images coming into focus to suddenly disappear once again. He grit his teeth together, trying to breath calmly through the burning pain in his chest.

"Zayn, listen to me - listen to my voice," she said, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "I'm going to help you. I'll save you. I swear..."

He couldn't keep his eyes open. Letting unconsciousness take him over was blissful, and he welcomed it with a smile.

PLOT TWIST 

Tsk, tsk NiallLet know what you all think in the comments! PLEASE comment? <3

Cazza