Detached [h.s au]

Chapter 17: Plan

a/n: I know I'm always posting gifs, but I can't help myself

Elizabeth's POV

"I guess there's a reason I'm here, yeah?" I ask no one in particular as my eyes trail from Zayn, over Liam to Sarah. I didn't get the chance to reply to her previous question since Harry nervously suggested us to take a seat.

Harry went to the bedroom to put little Katie to sleep after he spent at least five minutes humming something to her and slowly swaying her as if she was his child. I found it so sweet and I couldn't keep a smile off my face. And to think he didn't even try to hide this part of him in front of me and everyone else is amazing.

"I guess," Zayn says. "I actually needed to talk to Harry urgently."

"About the plan?" I ask, trying to sound as casual as I can. I'm getting to the bottom of all this and I'm getting to it today.

"What do you know about the plan?" Liam skeptically adds.

"I, um..." I chuckle nervously. "I know it exists."

Sarah half-smiles and leans forward, her elbows resting against her thighs. "You're playing us, aren't you? Harry didn't tell you anything, he doesn't have the balls to do it."

"Excuse me?" Harry says as he makes his way to us, folding his arms over his chest.

"So, you told her?" She raises her trimmed brow.

"No, but-"

"Called it." She smiles victoriously.

"Tell me what?" I ask. "Hi I'm still here." I give everyone a small wave, a nervous smile on my face.

"The truth about the shit society we live in," Sarah says. "Filled with lying and manipulating scum."

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion, instinctively glancing at Harry only to see him already looking at me. His expression is unreadable, but I can tell this situation is making him nervous with the way he's holding. "I don't understand," I say, pausing for a moment. "I mean I do, to some extent."

"Aren't you a scientist?" Sarah asks, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Yeah, and?"

"Then you should know about all the sick things that are going on in those dirty labs of yours," she remarks bitterly.

"Are you planning on getting to the point?" I ask. "Because I certainly have no idea what are you talking about."

Harry approaches me, taking a seat beside me. "She obviously doesn't know anything, Sarah, I've told you that hundreds of times."

"How can you be so sure? Her father was in charge of one of the companies." She glares at me. "For all we know, she's faking innocence."

Liam nudges her gently, scolding her silently. She mouths "What?" to him and rolls her eyes, shaking her head.

"Whoa, why are you mentioning my father?" I'm trying really hard to stay calm at this point, I think I'm more confused than I was when I got here. How does she even know anything about him?

"Beth, how much do you know about his work?" Zayn interferes, his hazel eyes filled with seriousness.

"I...not much, why?"

"Because we think that he's involved with Gerald and--"

"What?" I raise my voice a bit. "Do you even know what are you talking about?"

"Beth, listen, it's not that I'm saying he is, but he might be," Zayn calmly explains.

"My dad would never do anything like Gerald, he would never kidnap someone and tie them down for information and who knows what else," I say harshly.