nine ◌ harry, the über nerd

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I was immersed in the same dream from the previous night. While part of me was thankful for the lack of nightmares as I slept, the other half however, wished to be attacked with terror. What I hated the most about having peaceful dreams, was the moment right after when my eyes finally opened. Waking up from a dream so sweet where my soul was submerged in a sublime world, meant it was only an illusion. It meant that each time I woke up, I woke up with a broken heart.

With a delicate touch, my body shook lightly as warm air fanned across my cheek. Groggily, I slowly opened one eye, emerging myself from the inside of a soft blanket. Niall stood above me with a grin on his face, and a can of Redbull in his hand. I glanced at the digital clock sitting on the bedside table, and groaned at the time. It was ten minutes till 2AM, which meant it was time to embark on my first task.

"Sorry Tasha, but it's time to get up," Niall smiled. He hovered above me with elation beaming from his body as he handed me the energy drink. It was cold to the touch, and when I lifted the tin can to my lips, the sour liquid was arctic down my throat.

"How are you awake and so happy?" I asked. My words spewed out of my mouth with more of an annoyed tone than I had intended.

Niall softly chuckled, taking no offense. "I haven't slept, yet. I'll sleep when we're done with the mission."

"Where's Beckham Jr. and the asshat?"

"Downstairs in the parking garage loading up."

"Okay, alright. I can do this," I nodded reluctantly. "Let me just throw some cold water on my face and chug this thing."

"No worries, I'll wait for you in the living room," Niall walked out the door, leaving me to get ready by myself.

I turned on the main light of the master bedroom, taking in the classy decoration that matched the aesthetic of the main area of the apartment. While I offered to sleep on the couch, not wanting to be anymore of a bothersome than I already was, Liam insisted I take his bedroom. I will admit, I was glad he did, because the tattooed street fighter had quite the sophisticated bed chamber. With a memory foam mattress, and four incredibly fluffy pillows, my short slumber was more than sweet-- it was heavenly.

After submerging my face in a sink full of freezing water, I quickly replaced my fuzzy shorts with a pair of black jeans. I then threw on a black long sleeved shirt, and plopped a black beanie atop my messy head of black hair. When I peered at myself in the mirror, I stifled a laugh— I seriously looked like I was in some cheesy heist movie, but I digress. With my backpack on, I flipped off the light switch and met Niall in the living room.

"Ready?" Niall stood up from the couch when he noticed me appear from the darkness of the hallway. It was then did I take note of the all-black attire adorning his body as well.

"Ready," I nodded my head with certainty. But was I really? In hindsight I don't think I was ever ready, just crazy enough to fake it.

I followed Niall out of Liam's apartment, making sure the door was securely locked behind us. The evening air was surprisingly cool for May in Los Angeles, and was pleased with my choice in clothing. When Niall and I arrived to the parking garage of Liam's complex, I first saw Harry crouched before a black Honda Civic with a screwdriver in his hand. The white light that hung above us, draped an eerie veil around Harry as he diligently worked.

"Need help, mate?" Niall asked, standing next to Harry, who too was clad in the color that matched the night sky.

"I got it, thanks," he spoke as he ripped off the license plate of the car.

"Did you sleep well?" Liam asked, slamming the trunk door down.

"I did," I smiled. "Thanks for offering your bed. I've seriously been missing out on memory foam."

"It's no problem," Liam shrugged. "Here," he handed me a black vest. "It's bulletproof."

I took the vest from him with a lifted brow, "do we plan on diving into flying bullets?"

"It's just a precaution," Harry grunted. His eyes were glued to the new license plate, screwing the metal into its frame. "Just because you can fight, doesn't mean you can outrun a bullet.

I held my tongue in response. It was way too early to be arguing, and instead of zealously bickering, I rested the can of Red Bull on the ground. With both hands, I placed the bulletproof vest on my body and strapped it in till it was snug. Once Harry was finished with the license plate, we all hopped into the car. Niall and I in the back, while Liam sat in the passenger seat, and Harry behind the wheel. He revved up the engine and gripped the steering wheel tightly, his arm muscles flexing in the process— what a fuck boy move.

The drive from Liam's place to the Port of Los Angeles was a 30 minute drive, but with Harry behind the wheel, I knew it'd take less time. I would never be able to wipe away the memory of him speeding down the 10-freeway after picking me up. For a quick moment, I felt somewhat bad for Harry. He clearly had no idea what he was signing up for when he was hired to protect me. He probably didn't think he'd have to seize a bleeding girl, then assist her to do some crime on a Friday night.

"Question," I pipped up, after being on the road for fifteen minutes.

"Answer," Liam spoke. "Maybe."

"Your post was at Flip Side, Niall's was at the training facility, Harry's was at Kennedy Prep," I listed. "Who was meant to watch over me while I was at home?"

The boys did that stupid telepathic thing again. Liam looked at Harry, and Harry looked at Niall from the rearview window. His icy green eyes caught mine for a moment, and I felt myself innately gulp. I tore myself away from Harry's unsettling glare, and brought up the obvious.

"You guys do that a lot," I pointed out, annoyance in my voice. "Speak to each other with your eyes, I mean."

"Sorry. Just, low key asking each other if—"

"—if it's wise to inform me about my life?" I interrupted Niall. If it weren't for the evening darkness that surrounded me, you could see the fury etched across my face.

"It was your mom," Liam suddenly turned in his seat to look at me in the blackness. "Your mom was keeping you and Kat safe in your home."

"Oh," was all I could say before sinking into the seat.

I wasn't in our home when ANTI infiltrated it. I didn't see what happened in there, but if my mom was meant to protect Kat and I, then I can guarantee anyone that she tried her hardest. I was pretty damn sure she died protecting Kat, and even though it didn't end how she would've wanted, it's now on me to make sure my mother didn't die for nothing.

Harry parked the car about half a mile away from the L.A. Port. In the darkness of an industrial vicinity, the four of us used flashlights to navigate through the trunk of the car. The boys slipped on their bulletproof vests, while I slipped on my backpack, and made sure the straps were secure.

"We all know what we're doing?" Liam questioned, analyzing the high-tech gun in his hands.

"Security," Niall was first to respond, throwing on his backpack. "I'm hacking into the security system and broadcasting a looping feed of an empty port. Liam?"

"I'm handling the night guards. There are four on duty and I'm shooting those fuckers with one-hundred-twenty milligrams of horse tranquilizer," Liam smirked with a cynical gratification glinting in his eyes. He gave the weapon in his hand a playful kiss. "Harry?"

"I am scanning for the Psilofetamine and assembling the bomb," Harry's serious tone was sobering, as he plugged in specific cables into an iPad. "Tash?"

"Tasha," I corrected with an eye roll. "I'm doing the ass kicking, and starting the trail."

"Alright, everybody get their coms on," Niall gave each of us an ear piece and a minuscule walkie talkie. "Let's sync it up to channel two."

I clipped the gizmo on my waist band and stuck the digital piece inside of my left ear. It took a few moments to adjust, but soon it was like a tampon-- once it's in, you can't feel it within the vaginal walls.

"Radio check, this is Niall, check."

"I can hear you loud and clear. Radio check. This is Harry."

"This is Tasha, broadcasting to the world that Harry likes kombutcha and it's weird as fuck."

Harry rolled his eyes and shot a snarl in my direction. "This is Harry, broadcasting to the world that Tash likes running so much, she runs away from all her problems instead of facing them head on."

My eyes narrowed in on Harry as I marched straight for him with perfectly calibrated focus. He eyed me too, but his facial expression was glazed with smugness. Harry was able to crawl beneath my skin and he knew that.

"If I run away from all my issues, then why the hell am I here now?" I cocked a brow.

"Just teasing. Chill," Harry flicked my nose with his pointer finger and thumb, eliciting agitation and I launched for him. Before I could claw his eyeballs out however, Liam's arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back.

"Tasha, calm down. Now's not the time for a rumble," Liam held me with a stronger grip as I grappled beneath his arms. "Harry leave her alone."

Harry let out a burly chuckle, throwing his head back with delight. Liam softly tossed me off to the side in annoyance, and I stumbled upon impact. I found my stasis, and tapered myself into a steady stance instead of flopping onto the asphalt.

Three minutes later, our main form of communication was radio checked and ready to go. We were on a time crunch and only had about forty minutes to execute this assignment. Before I knew it, we were off, running swiftly into the evening darkness. I lead the way, taking the boys through alleyways, fire escapes, and up walls to ensure we stayed within the shadows of the night.

The cool wind that kissed my cheeks as I ran down the streets eased the tension in my soul, and before I knew it, I felt no stress. All I could hear was the pounding of my shoes against the concrete, and the steady rhythm of my breath. I felt my lips tug into a challenging grin the moment I reached an intricately designed stone rampart. Beyond the barrier was a fifteen foot drop onto Ronan Street. I leapt onto the flat surface of the blockade and like a flying rodent, I glided towards a lamppost. My hands grasped onto the smooth metal and with buoyancy, spun around the pole.

"Tasha if I didn't know better, I'd think you were an world class stripper," Harry pestered.

"You're right," I agreed promptly. "World class. As in elite, swank, exclusive. As in, you're too foul to be granted access."

Harry didn't reply to the snarky comment, and I stood on the sidewalk with a sanguine smirk bonded to my face. I twisted my torso left to right as I waited for the boys to hoist themselves over the barricade and conscientiously drop onto the concrete.

"Niall from where you are, I'm gonna need you to drop with bent knees," I advised, eyeing the blonde-haired boy who stood at the very edge of the stone ledge. He turned over his shoulder to gaze at the drop below him. "Then roll onto the ground to buffer the blow."

Niall let out a breath and after counting to three, he jumped onto cement with flexible knees. The moment his feet hit the ground, Niall rolled onto his side and jolted right back up again.

"That was easier than I thought," Niall let out a relieved breath.

"You did good," I heartedly patted him on the back with pride twinkling in my eyes. "Now let's keep going and do it again."

Swiftly I turned away, and sped off down the road. I accelerated towards a set of half walls, jumping onto one, tactfully leaping onto the next, and then front flipping back onto the ground.

"You're a fucking mutant squirrel, Tasha," Liam's voice filled my left ear, through the attached com. After a smooth landing, I turned over my shoulder with a grin, chuckling at Liam's kooky comment.

"Show off," Harry mumbled his words, but I could understand him crystal clear.

"We all have our strengths Kitson," I started, sprinting up a brick wall and limberly back flipping off of it. "And being a ninja, clearly isn't yours."

Niall's giggles filled my ear, mixed with a grumpy string of words from Harry. Another quick minute, and all four of us were standing right in front of the LA Port. All that separated us was a chain-linked fence that towered before us, and beyond that were gargantuan freight ships docked on the Pacific Ocean. The golden lights of the harbor reflected upon the dark waters, dithering within the waves.

There was a serenity enveloping us; like a calm before the storm. It washed over me like a frigid bath, awakening me into sobering awareness. My heart hammered against my ribcage as I stared at the industrial wonderland and realization hit me like a wrecking ball to my chest. This was it: I was plunging into an ANTI-sanctioned assignment. I could get arrested, I could die, or I could succeed and save my family.

"Alright, siphoning some Tasha power..." Niall's voice faded and he bit his bottom lip in concentration. He dashed towards the chain-linked fence and flew onto the barricade, scaling it like a spider monkey. With ease, he climbed over the tubular edge and landed on top of the grass on the opposite side.

Liam and Harry followed suit, copying Niall's movements and success without difficulty. Because I was a lot shorter than all of them, I needed a running start. I backed up several feet, and I sprinted towards the steel barrier. I launched my body towards it, gripping onto the fence with the best grip my muscles could muster. I leaned my torso over the top of the fence, awkwardly dangling face first. Unexpectedly, Harry reached a hand upwards in assistance.

"I got this," I slapped his hand away, determined to troubleshoot on my own. I methodically scaled down the other side of the fence head first, and flipped myself into a smooth landing.

"Nice," Niall complemented, holding his hand out for a high-five. I struck my palm against his with a wink. Harry however, scoffed.

"Alright, we've got thirty minutes," Liam looked down at his watch. "Let's get in there, do the job, and get the fuck out."

"Got it boss," Niall saluted. "See ya guys later. I'm heading over to the surveillance room."

"And I'm going to tuck-in our guards for a sweet nap," Liam hinted. He turned on his heel, weapon at the ready, and sauntered away. Which meant Harry and I were alone... together.

Fucking shit.

Harry and I were silent as we walked towards the docked freight ships, filled with metal pods. My senses were at its maximum power, assuring that we were one step ahead of any danger to possibly come our way. Harry held onto his intricate-looking apparatus, periodically glancing down at the screen and using his fingers to tap certain buttons.

"So while we were studying blueprints, and hacking into the employee system, you were playing with this toy?" I gestured for the device in Harry's hand. The awkward silence was beginning to annoy me.

"This toy, is how we're going to find our target," he declared, matter-of-factly.

We walked down the docks, surrounded by thousands of metal pods. Any one of them could contain the street drug, and it seemed impossible that we could actually pull this off. Harry however, was more confident in this assignment.

"How does it work? Can you see through walls with it?" I questioned, examining the baseball-sized satellite attached to one end of the iPad.

"Sort of. I developed this device to scan the area for any chemical anomaly. Psilofetamine gives off a specific molecular frequency," Harry explained. Surprisingly, his voice increased by a couple decibels, and the inflection of his tone wavered chaotically. He spoke in the same way I did whenever I passionately discussed a building's architectural history. This only told me one thing.

Harry is an über nerd.

"You are incredibly excited about your geek machine," I playfully nudged him. "It's kinda adorable in a nerdy way."

"Adorable? So you were day dreaming about me in the shower," Harry joked impishly.

"Gago ka naman," I insulted with a light shove of his shoulder.

(translation: you're so stupid, you're such a moron)

"Hey, if I'm so stupid, then how would I be able to build this nifty piece of tech?" Harry retorted.

My jaw dropped, "you understood what I said?"

"Every word, darling," Harry sent me a wink. "Professor Dela Cruz isn't just my boss, he's a my Tito and I learned a few things from him."

(translation: uncle, said with respect)

"Okay fine, you win this round," I held my hands up in surrender. "Continue on. How does this thing," I gestured for the sophisticated gizmo, "find Psilofetamine's molecular frequency?"

"The waves that I'm sending into a precise sphere are within a definitive subatomic scope; a certain range that I'm controlling on the iPad. Then once the program detects a discrepancy— bingo, we've found our winning ship," Harry spoke so eloquently that it weirded me out. I was so used to the fuck boy mannerisms that when he showcased his intellect, it gave me whiplash.

"I wonder what it feels like to be on Psilofetamine?" I wondered out loud. Other than the one time I had a bite out of my cousin's marijuana laced cookie, the only drugs I took were gummy vitamins and NyQuil.

"Probably the best and worst high ever. It's an upper like alcohol and coke, but it's also a hallucinogen," Harry explained. He turned his head to look at me, and for a moment I allowed myself to relish in his beauty that only radiated beneath the moonlight.

"It's synthetic," Harry continued. "Easy to make and cheap to produce. Imagine hallucinating a scene in which you were getting chased, and in your head you got away with ease. But then waking up the next day with a broken foot because while you thought you were running perfectly, in actuality, you fell off a balcony."

"Why does it sound like you're speaking from experience?" I observed. My tone was lighthearted, and I honestly was just joking around. According to the green eyed nerd however, he deciphered my words differently.

"I'm not a druggie," Harry dismissed cooly, dropping the topic.

"What's everyone's twenty?" Niall suddenly questioned, his voice filling my ear.

"I just tranquilized the last guard," Liam informed. "Standing by."

"Ten-four," Niall affirmed with sternness. "Harry and Tasha, what's your twenty?"

"Um, Harry and I are still searching for—"

My words were interrupted by a high-pitched whistle emitting from the device. I looked at Harry with wide eyes, exploring him for an answer. An ear-to-ear grin filled Harry's face with dignity, and then declared:

"I found the Psilofetamine."

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» author's note «

Let the ANTI games begin. The action sequences I've got planned for this story makes me so damn excited, especially because with every task, it gets more difficult and more intense. Also, Psilofetamine is a made up drug in case you were wondering.

Hoping you all enjoyed this chapter! Please don't forget to hit the star button to vote for this chapter. If you've got theories, opinions, feedback, etc. don't be afraid to lead me some comments.

Also, I've started writing a fanfiction review book called "THE ILLEST." I'm featuring my favorite 5SOS & 1D stories on Wattpad, with the addition of fanfictions that contain POC (people of color) characters. Check it out if you need help finding something new, incredible, and totally spectacular to read.

Thank you all so very much for the support!