~You could offer the world, babe,

But I'll take this instead~

Niall bounced around New Jersey for a while before he found a shady bar that hired him to bartend at. The organization trained him from the ground up, and offered him a month of work. If he could present some real identification after that, then he would could work full time there.

So that was his mission for the first month - find a place to sleep every night, and somehow buy a new identity. Thankfully, the bar was as shady as their hiring practices, and a coworker introduced himself to a fellow who hooked him up with a really bad I.D. and Social Security number. But thankfully, that was all he needed to start up a bank account so that he could get paid and everything else fell into place after that.

Once Niall had money and a better identity, there was nothing that he couldn't do. This also introduced him to the crime world, as he had hoped. And once he got drunk and bragging about his lock-picking skills, the former Irish-man was hired within an instance by people even more shady than the owners of The Hot Shot, bar and sometimes wedding location. It wasn't the biggest of towns.

And once that first job happened, there were more. He was quickly making a name for himself in the underground New Jersey crime syndicates. Not under his real name, of course. He wasn't that dumb. Niall did have a bachelor's degree.

Two years passed of living his best life. Opening safes, bartending to beautiful people and potential bosses, and, of course, getting that sweet sweet money. And finally he had the break he needed - the big job to fit in with the hotshot criminals. There was no question as to whether or not he would be able to do it. Declan was an amazing teacher, and Niall was an amazing student.

So he did it. Opened the safe, everyone got their money, the news got a story, and when Niall got to the bar, everyone was talking about the big job. Wondering who was the mastermind who opened the safe. And once just one person said that it was the green-haired kid behind the bar, the news spread like wildfire.

And for the first time in months, the paranoia crept in. Was it really that good to have that many people knowing his name? Even if it wasn't real? There was still a chance that the more people he talked to, saw, were around - just one would have to recognize him. Then it was over.

As Niall poured a shot of tequila to a regular, he knew that he had to leave New Jersey. As soon as possible. Tonight.

---

Cash, in the bag. A change of clothes, in the bag. Starbucks gift cards, in the bag. All of the fake identification and paperwork, in the duffle bag.

And in his hand was an IPhone, checking when the Uber he ordered would get there, and making sure that his plane ticket to Phoenix was booked and ready to go once he reached the gate. "Everything's going to be fine!" He said loudly, ready to leave the life he had created for himself behind.

And as he looked at the posters on the walls, and the shredded credit cards on the floor, Niall Horan wondered how much he had really changed in the last two and a half years or so. There was no one he cared about in his life - all of his coworkers and people he worked with were just acquaintances. Colleagues. And because he found himself comparing everyone he met to Declan, it was clear he was not ready for friends. Ready for a therapy session maybe. But looking back at the decision he made after his last one, that wasn't really in the cards right now.

Niall opened the door, and looked straight into the eyes of two tall bodyguards. The only reason he knew they weren't cops, was because they weren't wearing badges. And didn't attempt to show one to him, or arrest him within three seconds of seeing him, so he was probably in the clear on that aspect.

"Mr. Horan, we need you to come with us," The one on the right, closest to the door, said.

"I'm sorry, you have the wrong person," Niall said, looking up at them. Wondering if they were about to knock, or if they were just waiting for him to leave.

The one on the right spoke again. "We have the right person." Leftie held up an IPad with Niall's mugshot on it.

"That's not me," Niall pointed, trying to get past Leftie and go down the stairs, get in his Uber, and drive to the airport.

"Sir, that's very clearly you," Rightie stared Niall down.

"What do you want?" Niall closed his app, looking down the stairs to see the 2001 Honda Accord with someone named Greg driving.

Leftie brought the IPad back close to his body, turning it off. "Our boss would like to speak with you."

"I've got a flight. Can't miss it," A cute smile and another push through the men that didn't work.

Leftie and Rightie moved closer together. "Well we're headed to the VIP lounge, if you would kindly join us."

"No, I really can't-" The sentence died in his mouth when he saw Rightie put a hand on his hip, where a gun would be. And Niall was terrified of getting shot, so he did a peace sign to Greg as he passed by, safely put into the backseat of an SUV.

---

Across from Niall sat a man who had just introduced himself as Simon Cowell, businessman and rich enough to make anything happen. All of Niall's wildest dreams. "How do you know who I am?"

"A friend of yours told me about you," Simon said, seated in his suit and tie as always.

Niall furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't have friends." From his experience, it was much better to be alone, even if that meant a lonely life.

Simon looked down at the salad in front of him. "Just someone who knows how good you are, then. And I want to hire you."

"To do what?" Niall played dumb, when he definitely wasn't.

Simon poured the ranch onto the premium lettuce. "Let's not play games now."

Niall furrowed his brows, and then cracked his neck. "Fine, I'll do it."

Simon smiled, showing his teeth and then taking a bite. He chewed before replying. "Good. And there'll be a team."

"I missed my flight to Arizona," Niall said, overlooking the statement Simon had just relayed.

"Well, you're coming with me to New York. I have a place you can hole up for the prep and the duration of the job."

"This sounds serious." Niall closed all of the apps on his phone.

"It's a big job. And you're the second piece of the puzzle. I'll need to find three more." Simon ate more of the salad, thinking. "Well, not him surely. She's insane."

"How many people?" Niall bristled. He was far better working alone.

"Five."

Simon sat by himself on the private jet, letting Niall have his own seat. He could have all of the food and drink he wanted, but mostly he looked over the contents of his duffle bag and mused over how the tables had turned in the last hour or so. He thought about the job too. Five people would be the biggest group he had ever done a job with. Maybe he would find a friend among them?

Niall sighed, thinking about that possibility. Sounded horrible. "I can do it on my own," He folded his arms and brooded.