'You are going to help me acquire something very valuable,' he spoke close to my ear, his breath fanning down my neck.
I looked up at the paintings in front of us, all worth millions of pounds, and then at the spot on the wall where one was missing...
The minute I exited the room I could hear Niall's voice booming around the warehouse. This would be the first time I've seen him since I first met him. I knew that Harry had given him some tasks, but I'd never been informed of them, just like everything else.
Niall's eyes wander to me as I step down the stairs, bowing lightly in a mocking gesture. Once I reach the end of the staircase I honour his movements with my own curtsey. Though I don't know him, his energy is infectious.
He takes my hands in his, kissing my knuckles quickly before dropping them. 'Atlas, my dear, how are you?' he asks, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
I can smell the booze on him. He's giddy, but still holds some composure. Enough to inform us of whatever news he brought. 'Better now that you're here,' I play along, smiling as he places a chaste kiss on the side of my head.
With alcohol in his system, his accent is thicker, stronger. Voice is deeper, too. Now that I'm close up I can see the details of his face. There's a light stubble over the lower half, reaching down his neck. His eyes are deep set, with harsh dark circles underneath them. Clearly he doesn't sleep much. I don't want to consider what he spends his nights doing instead. I notice the shade of his eyes; a crisp blue. Like the ocean. Innocent and pure. Quite the contradiction when considering the person they're a part of.
Others crowd around him, all welcoming him back into the fold. It appears he's worked on a few operations before, but not for a while from what I can gather. Someone said they hadn't seen him in over a year, so I connect the dots there. Rather, he's been keeping himself busy with his own stunts in the meantime. That's what landed him in court the first time I met him, anyway. Everyone has a story to tell when it comes to him, though. All recounting their days together on previous heists and joking about his antics. He seems to be quite the celebrity around here. Dare I say, people may like him more than Harry, and all I've seen so far is appreciation for the latter. It's an interesting shift.
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During my time in the team, I've learnt just how much everyone adores their leader. No one disrespects him, they all speak of him so highly, as if they're grateful for his existence. I've been made aware over the weeks how some of the people came to be a part of the group, their stories all shocking. One man who works on the mechanics with Zayn had been made redundant suddenly and lived on the streets with his kid for a year before Harry found and recruited him. Another, one of the women, fled an abusive relationship in another country, Harry stumbling upon her crying in a random back alley in the city one evening after running out of money to support herself. Every single person had a story, and in all of them Harry appeared as the hero.
It made me see him in a different light, that's for sure. He takes in the strays of the world and shows them how brilliant they can be. Perhaps that was his aim when he found me, but I can never be sure with him. He's a closed book. There's an element of responsibility behind his actions towards these people, though. Something he takes very seriously. Their wellbeing is always ensured, and they're always treated with dignity.
