A knock sounded on my door.
"One second!" I yelled. I quickly turned off my laptop and opened the door.
Much to my surprise, there stood Zayn.
"What do you want?" I snapped.
"I want a compromise." Zayn replied smoothly.
"Well too bad. I'm not in the mood to make any compromises." I started to shut the door in his face.
Zayn put his foot in the door, keeping me from closing it.
"Hear me out. This isn't easy for me."
"Oh really? Not as easy as pulling a trigger on Niall and I?"
"You and I both know it's my job."
He's right about that. At least someone is doing their job.
"Look, Asheley Grace, I know that we got off to a really bad start. But it doesn't have to be like this."

I snorted. "That's the understatement of the year. What you mean is, you are a complete arse. And what do you mean, it doesn't have to be like this?"

Zayn sighed. "You're right, I am a complete arse. My bosses told me I had to eliminate the threat of One Direction. But the thing is, I don't really want to hurt the boys. Like you, I got way too attached to them, even though I knew I would end up having to hurt them in the end. When I signed up for this mission back when I was 17, I didn't know the boys would become like brothers to me." 

I narrowed my eyes at him. Zayn looked sincere, but I was still suspicious of him. 

"Why are you telling me this? And if you don't want to  hurt the boys, then why did you try to poison Niall? And what does all this have to do with a compromise?"

"Like I said, I tried to poison Niall because my bosses told me to eliminate One Direction, just like your agency told you to eliminate them. But after realizing how close I had come to losing Niall yesterday, I lost it. I realized I couldn't do it. That's when I realized, my mission is to eliminate the threat, and there's another way to do that then murder."

I just stared at Zayn. "Come in, before someone hears you." I pulled him into my room and shut the door.

"Now what do you mean by, 'another way'. I'm all ears. " I looked at Zayn skeptically.

"Well, I'm guessing your boss told you the same thing?" He asked.

I nodded, and he continued. "Think about it. If they weren't a band, they couldn't be a spy group. Just like we are nothing without our agencies, they are nothing without each other. They couldn't be a threat to foreign agencies if they weren't together."

He did have a point there. I was starting to get where he was coming from. There was just one problem..

"You're talking about One Direction as if you weren't a part of it. But you are a huge part."

"Exactly."

 "So you're saying because you are such a big part of the band, you could break them apart so that they are no longer a threat?"

"Yup."

"And you want me to help you."

"Yup."

"Why? What caused this sudden change of heart? Yesterday you were trying to kill me."

Zayn ran a hand through his brown hair. As usual, it was styled to perfection. "Because I'm tired of all this bullshit between us. I'm tired of all this sneaking around, and plotting, and constantly being at each other's throats. I think we should at least try to work together."

"What you really mean is, you've finally come to your senses and realized that you have met your match. I think the fact that I almost tricked you into poisoning yourself yesterday scared you. If this life and death competition continues, you know who will win eventually. So you decided working with me was better than losing your pretty little life." I smirked at him.

Zayn rolled his eyes. "You don't give in easily, do you?"

"You didn't answer me. Does that mean I'm right?"

Zayn gave an exaggerated sigh. "Maybe." 

"I knew it!"

Zayn looked at me thoughtfully.

"What?" I asked.

"I was just thinking how we are alot alike. We both are spies forced to carry out a mission we don't want by tricking the people we care about. And neither of us want to hurt Niall, but we have to. Unless, of course," he added, "You agree to my plan." He gave me a small smile. Not the wicked grins I've gotten to know, but a small, sad smile.  

I shook my head. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right."

"Wow, didn't expect to hear that." Zayn said sarcastically. 

I laughed. Yes, actually laughed. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that I would be sitting with Zayn Malik on my bed, laughing about having alot in common. It sure was a drastic change from yesterday.

"So what do you say about working with me?" Zayn asked. 

"Hmm.." I thought about it. Then I decided to have a little fun. 

I'll make him pay for what he did to Niall and I these past few days.

"Maybe if you begged me."

Zayn groaned. "Please, Asheley Grace?"

"Not like that. You have to get on your knees and beg me."

"You have got to be kidding!"

"How bad do you want me to work with you?"

Zayn rolled his eyes and grumbled, but he obeyed. To my surprise, he actually got on his knees on the floor. "Please, Asheley Grace, help me with my plan. I'm begging you."

"Fine." I huffed. It wasn't like I had a choice. I didn't want to hurt Niall, or Harry, or any of the boys. I still didn't trust Zayn, but I was out of options.  It was either kill them, or work with my enemy. I chose the latter. 

Even if it doesn't work out, at least I tried to save Niall. And anyway, I got to see a whole different side of Zayn today. Maybe he's not  the guy I thought he was.

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A/N: Two updates in one day! Wow! That's a new record for me! It's ten o'clock at night, but I really wanted to publish this for you guys because I didn't update for so long. I know it's a really short chapter, but I wrote it in a hurry. What do you think about the new Zayn? Do you think he's being honest? And what do you think about his plan to break up One Direction? Comment what you think and vote! Have a great day, or night, or whatever time it is where you're reading! xx Grace:)