Happy #SlaveMeThursdsay peeps!! I think you'll all be joyous to hear you get what you want. Enjoy! #TMZ

COMMENTS AND VOTES! MWAH!! Xoxo

***

Zayn picked Niall up after he had a quick shower and changed out of the clothes he'd been wearing for over twenty-four hours. Niall left Harry with a kiss at the door and got into his car.

"So, what's the big break?"

"Marcus is letting me see a copy of the contract between him and Magee for Liam. I just need to see something, his name, his signature, to prove he's involved."

"How did you get that?"

Zayn felt guilt sweep over his body and through his blood. He gripped the steering wheel tight and licked his lips nervously. "I'll explain later. Right now, I need to get to Cordin. We can't meet at Marcus' house; I'm sure it's under investigation. But Marcus seemed sure Cordin would have it. I just don't know how to find him."

"What about his restaurant? Would anyone there know how to get to him?"

Zayn felt the warm spark of hope behind his eyes and he reached across the car and pulled Niall into him blindly and smushed a kiss to his hair. "You are a genius! The smartest person I know."

Niall swatted at him jovially and straightened out his hair. "Duh."

Zayn was nearly bouncing in his seat the entire rest of the ride. He was this close to freedom and he couldn't practically taste it. He and Niall nearly ran into the eatery and through the door to the back. The staff gave them nervous glances at the noise, but soon relaxed.

Zayn walked up to the closest chef and asked, "Who's in charge here?"

He didn't answer, but just pointed to the back wall where a room with a closed door was located. Zayn thanked him and made his way over. Just as he was about to knock, a short man in a suit stepped in front.

"Can I help you with something?" A man in a suit approached.

"Are you in charge?" Zayn asked.

"I am indeed. You shouldn't be back here."

"Marcus sent me." A look of...disdain maybe...flashed across the man's face. "I'm looking for Cordin."

"I don't know who that is," the manager claimed, rather loudly, before nodding to the door behind him.

Zayn narrowed his eyes in confusion, but slipped around the man to the door. He opened it to find one shaky, cowering Cordin sitting in a flimsy folding chair.

The manager ducked around the doorway and sent a cheeky, "Oops," to Marcus' right hand man before walking away.

Zayn watched him go before stepping into the office and shutting the door behind him and Niall. "Cordin," he greeted cautiously.

"I know why you're here. Marcus contacted me through his lawyer." Cordin stood up, distraught with anger. "What is it about this guy? He's just a slave! And now Marcus might go to jail over him!" He turned on Zayn and pointed at him. "Just take your goddamn slave and leave us be! I just-" He turned away from the two and curled his thin arms around himself. "Just give me Marcus back."

Zayn shook his head in disbelief. "You-" He laid a gentle hand on Cordin's shoulder, but he still flinched. "You love him, don't you?"

"Humans don't love Masters and Masters certainly don't love Humans."

"But you do," Niall confirmed. "You'd agree to do anything for him, and he knows that. He's using you, Cordin."

Cordin laughed, sarcastic and wet. "You think I don't know that?! I'm a housekeeper, for fuck's sake! But he had be doing all of his dirty work. And I do it, gladly, because then he tells me how much I mean to him and that he couldn't do anything without me."

Zayn closed his eyes and took a long breath. He couldn't feel sorry for this man, someone who willingly put Liam in harm's way, but he couldn't pretend that the desire to do anything for the someone you love was foreign to him. "Marcus said you could help us."

Cordin ran a hand through his hair and leaned over to get the folder in the small desk. "Here it is. The police have the original, the one kept at the warehouse, but I'm sure they're looking to keep this quiet."

"Won't matter. All I need is a threat," Zayn assured.

***

Getting to Magee was much harder then getting to Cordin. Zayn and Niall drove the two hours it took to get to him and figured a united front would be enough to get them in. Sadly, no. Especially when the secretary figured out who Zayn and Niall were. Magee refused to see them.

They waited, sunk down in their seats, for Magee to leave the elevator and walk to his car under the shoddy lights of the parking structure. Just as Magee reached his vehicle, Zayn got out and strode over to him, shutting the door with a hand over Magee's shoulder.

The other Master turned under his presence and sized up the duo standing before him. "Zayn Malik. I can't say I'm fully surprised, but a bit in awe of your gall."

"We should talk." Zayn tilted his head tauntingly. "Actually, I should talk; you should listen."

"Whatever pleas you're planning on making, I'm not interested. Liam's quite the commodity. He's not for sale."

"I'm not looking to buy. I plan on you giving him to me."

Magee laughed, a snooty chuckle, and clicked his tongue. "Boys, come back another day. I'm tired."

Niall pushed their copy of the contract into Magee's face. "Look familiar?"

Magee flinched back and then narrowed his eyes to read the words on the page. "How did you get this?"

"Called in a favor. Now," Niall settled back and tucked the contract under his arm, "wanna talk?" Zayn backed up as well and gave Magee a smug grin.

"Fine."

***

Zayn and Niall were holed up in a hotel in town so they could have coffee with Magee the next day to discuss what Zayn hoped would be an easy surrender. He was itching with the fact that Liam was within reach, but he had no idea where he was. He'd insisted the slave be brought to the meeting to ensure he was okay. Magee had just licked over his teeth and warned, "Be careful what you wish for."

Now Niall was waiting patiently at a table while Zayn tapped a foot in the line for coffee. Finally the person in front of him moved and Zayn was greeted. "What can I get for you?"

"Two decafs, please. One with milk."

The barista recalled his order and rang him up. It was like the coffee was already in his system with the way his body was vibrating, which is why he chose decaf. He picked up the two cups from the counter and just as he nodded his thanks to the worker he felt it. That unmistakable feeling that the person you love was in the same room as you.

Zayn flipped around and found him immediately, glad to see Liam was already looking at him. He smiled instantly, relief that he was actually real flooding over him. Liam smiled wide back, but the quick grimace of pain brought Zayn back to reality as his eyes looked over Liam's face then body. His shirt was covering most of the wounds he could tell, but the sizable one on his bicep couldn't be missed, and his lip was split. A few scratches marked his face, making Zayn want to rub away the hurt from each and every one.

He nearly dropped the cups on his way back over, before actually dropping them to the table. Liam sent him one more glance before lowering his head submissively and sitting between Niall and Magee, across from Zayn. Zayn tried to catch his eyes as he sat, but Liam refused to look.

"I'm here," Magee stated the obvious. "Now tell me what you want."

"You've hurt him," Zayn snarled, low and warning.

"He's fine," Magee brushed him off. "Aren't you, slave?"

"Yes, Master," Liam whispered, words more air than sound.

Zayn heart fell at the sight. He couldn't help but reach across and lay a hand over Liam's on the table. Liam flinched, but then relaxed and looked up. "I'm so sorry," Zayn tried, but Liam shook his head, eyes fond and searching.

"No. Not your fault."

"Shut up," Magee ordered and Liam pulled his hand away and lowered his head again.

"You're a monster," Niall accused and glared at the older man.

"I'm a Master," he claimed. "It's you, little boys, who don't know how to own a slave."

Zayn moved to stand, but Niall caught him, and suddenly Zayn was so glad he'd made Niall come with him. "Why don't we just save the time and you give Liam back to Zayn," Niall started.

"Why the hell would I do that?"

Zayn looked at Liam, even though he wouldn't look back, to gather his courage. "The police may be afraid of you, but I'm not. And I've got a bit of influence myself. I won't hesitate to take this to some friends in the media. Show them that Marcus isn't the only bad man in this area."

"I will destroy you if you even think about."

Zayn just huffed a humorless sound. "I think that's what you don't understand. I'm already ruined. And I would destroy myself all over again for him." He looked firmly at Liam, begging him to look up, and when he did Liam was looking at Zayn with a kind of hope he was sure Liam hadn't felt in days.

"All of this, over a slave? Why?"

"Because I love him," he admitted, still looking at Liam. Then Zayn felt the rough fabric of jeans against his trousers and smiled as Liam's foot hooked around his, pulling it closer. Zayn was absolutely sure now. "I will spend every single day, for as long as it takes, trying to get Liam back."

"I paid for him," Magee reasoned. "I own him."

"I'll pay you your fee. I don't want to have to fight you, I just want my slave."

"Can you even afford him?"

"Whatever it takes," he breathed in confirmation.

Niall just slid the papers across the table. "How about we make this easy." He flipped the contract over and tapped the clean, white side. "A new contract. Name your price and we'll pay, then, it's over."

Zayn finally broke Liam's gaze to look at Niall. "You don't have to help me."

"Of course I don't. But I am." Zayn was the one who lowered his head then. He didn't know what was going to happen to Niall and Harry after he got back home. Suddenly he felt like the worst kind of person for not making sure Niall would be safe. Niall broke that train of thought with a more insistent tap on the paper. "Let's get to it. I'm sure you're a busy man."

"More trouble than he's worth, trust me. Mr. Malik, you're making a mistake. He'll be just as disobedient as he was with me. He'll run, he always does."

"Not from me. Not once, from me." Liam pressed his lips together and shook his head, agreeing silently with Zayn.

"Fine, but I don't want to see or hear from either or you ever again. Is this the only copy?"

Niall nodded. "The only one we have. The police have the original."

"Fine. I take this with me, and you keep your mouth shut."

Zayn and Niall both agreed and Magee picked up the pen and wrote some inordinate amount of money, at which Zayn didn't even peek, because Liam was getting up from his chair, and then Zayn was, too, and they met in the middle behind Niall's chair. Zayn pulled him in gently, aware of his current state, and pressed his lips to Liam's. Liam moaned softly with relief and wrapped his arms around Zayn's waist.

"I'll leave you to your shamble of a life, then." Magee rose from his seat, contract in hand. "I hope it's worth whatever Marcus is demanding. The prick was always overzealous." He got to the door and looked back. "You have until the end of the day to get the money. If not..." Magee just pursed his lips and walked out.

Zayn couldn't pretend to listen when Liam was poking his tongue at Zayn's teeth and gripping his shirt. Zayn let him lick across the roof of his mouth, sighing at the sensation before pulling back and kissing along his jaw, fingers in his hair.

"You saved me," Liam whispered against his neck.

"Because you saved me."