It was dead quiet for the following seconds. Crickets could be heard, and as the wind howled, making the leaves of a nearby tree rustle, Liam stood there, holding eye contact with Zayn who had his eyes widened out of the sheer befuddlement he felt upon hearing the brown eyed lad's confession; just like the two men, who were standing behind him.

"Seriously?" Louis' low voice broke the silence of the atmosphere.

Liam turned around to look at him and nervously scratched his neck, "Uh...yeah." Then he quickly added when he saw Harry's eyes hardening. "But I had a reason!"

"Spit it out, Payne!" Zayn seethed, clutching the brown sweater Liam was wearing and turned him around roughly, "And the reason better not be flimsy."

Liam pushed Zayn back with a scowl and then continued in a baritone voice, "I heard from one of my men that the boy, Eric, you killed-" he pointed at Zayn, "His family has filed a missing report in the police station. Now, they don't know that he is killed, but-" he paused, licking his lips and running his hands through his hair, "-some bastard had seen Zayn with him at the Luca's, fighting with him a night before he went missing; and he informed the police.  Police was already half assured that you have already killed him, which is true in fact, and that you must have left London. Th-"

"So, filing a complain against me helps in what way, your majesty?" Zayn sardonically interrupted.

Liam glared at Zayn and responded with a "Shut the fuck up." before turning towards Louis and Harry, who were both listening to him patiently, with their brows furrowed in concentration, knowing that if it's Liam's doing, it must have been well thought.

"So, as I was saying-" Liam continued, "Police had this notion that Zayn's not here. This is what we gotta play with. Their bitches were already searching for his ass way before I actually launched the complain. This will keep them busy while we get him out of London, preferably to Ireland."

Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But he fucked up, did not he?"

"Yeah. Quite unsurprisingly." Liam turned towards Zayn, who was frowning at the ground, before continuing, "But I got it under control."

This made Zayn snap his head towards Liam at the speed of light, with eyes wide and eyebrows shot up.

"What's your plan?" Harry asked with piqued interest.

"Well it's bit, well, inhuman-"

"Oh I am interested!" Louis enthusiastically piped in, his blue eyes twinkling in excitement.

Liam sighed in despair and shaking his head at Louis, he continued speaking, looking directly at Harry, who looked impassive, "We already have one of their men, Xander Smith, in our hostage for months-"

And Zayn smirked at this, knowing perfectly well where this was going.