Swapping Spit (Nouis) [under editing]

Chp 27-Security Footage

For some reason wattpad's being weird and erasing the indents for every paragraph so...you'll just have to read it without them I geuss. :/ it's kinda confusing I think but it's better than no update?? Thanks so much for all the popularity Swapping Spit has gotten! The votes have really picked up and I'm so excited and flattered! It's a great feeling really :D and I love reading your comments! They really make my day!! So here's an update! Please read comment vote and most definately enjoy!!!

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Niall's POV

After I'm sick, Liam holds me in one of his famous hugs. His hand rubs circles in my back while he whispers softly.

My sobs soon seize and I lift my head to whipe my eyes. But as I do, I notice a note scrawled on the stall door. I inhale sharply, almost choking on my spit. I pull away from Liam and say, "The door. Louis wrote on the door."
It takes a second for Liam to comprehend it but then his eyes dart to where I'm looking.

"Oh my god," he whispers. We read it over and it says Louis' name and what direction they were headed and what time. Then he jumps to his feet and pulls me up. My knees buckle from exhaustion and I lean into Liam.

"Oh, Ni. Sorry. Are you alright?" He steadies me, looking at my pale face.

I nod slowly. "Can we maybe get some medicine?"

"Yeah, sure. That's a good idea. Are you okay to go?"

I swallow. I still feel like I could throw up at any minute but we just found a really big clue so I suck it up and nod.

Liam ushers me out and we find Maura and Karen waiting by the door.

"Are you alright, honey?" My mum asks.

I force a smile and nod. "We're just gonna buy some medicine but we found a clue-" I rush.

Liam interrupts, "Louis wrote a message for help on the stall door."

The mums' eyes grow wide. Liam takes out his phone to call John, putting it on speaker. He picks up within seconds.

"Hello?" he answers.

Liam repeats what he just said to us.

John jumps into action, "Ok, what rest stop are you at?"

"It's off of exit 112."

"I'm on my way but in the meantime I want you to ask the front desk or someone who works there for the security tapes to see if they taped Louis with Richard."

Liam nods. "Ok, will do." They hang up and I follow Liam into the small drugstore.

"Can you get your medicine?" he asks me.

I nod my head weakly and he pats my back, flashing me a sympathetic smile. All I feel like doing is sleeping. But I need to find Louis, whether it kills me.
I head down an isle and grab some medicine before meeting Liam at the checkout where he's asking about the security video.
"There's a camera up there," the cashier points to the corner of the ceiling.

"Is there any way we could have a look at the footage?"

"...Yeah. Why?"

"Our friend was kidnapped and we think they might have stopped here."

The cashier's face drops. He asks, "Does he have brown hair, kinda short?"

My heart leaps at his accurate discription. Liam and I nod our heads eagerly.

The cashier, who's name tag reads Michael, continues. "He came in here and bought the same medicine you have there," he points to the aspirin in my hand. "He was with some man."
At that moment I'm sure it was Louis.

Liam looks as sure of it as me. "So can we see the footage?"

Michael springs into action, muttering a curt "Follow me."

He walks us through a doorway into a back room with multiple computer screens showing different security cameras. He fiddles with a remote for one aimed at the checkout desk and rewinds it.

"Stop!" I exclaim when I see Louis appear.

He plays it from there. Louis walks up to the counter and hands over the medicine and a water to Michael. He doesn't make eye contact and glares at Michael. Michael hands him the change and Louis walks away. And Richard is waiting at the doorway. That's it. But it's all we need.

"We're going to have to show this to the police when they arrive. They should be here any second," Liam says to Michael, who nods curtly. He seems to be handling this situation quite well.

We here John yell, "I'm here!", running over to us. His keychains clink together in his pocket. Michael plays the video again and John watches with a stone serious face. Right after we see Louis walk out with Richard, John orders, "Replay it."

Michael does so and at the same point John says, "Pause."

He points to an object Richard has in his hand. "That's his phone. Now play it." It's as if he's waiting for something.

But the footage only shows them walk off the screen. John looks at the other computer screens and points to another. "Is that aimed at the doorway?"

Michael nods. "I'll rewind it."

Liam and I look to that one and sure enough, it shows the continuation of Richard and Louis walking out.

John watches Richard and just as he brings his phone up to his ear, John speaks, "He's talking to someone. Does he have an accomplice?"

I shrug and say, "I have no clue."
John's lips purse together as he thinks. "I'll keep that possibility in mind. I took a picture of Louis' message on the stall door so we can modify our search grid."
Liam and I nod. John leads everyone out and into the main foyer of the rest stop where other police have gathered.

John's orders boom, "Louis was headed east at 4:30 AM. It's now about 6:15 AM. We're getting close. I want everyone searching everything east of where we are currently." A hushed murmur of voices echoes out from the units taking in their orders. John wraps up with a warning that churns my stomach even more, "We're running out of time."

Into his radio pinned on his shoulder, he orders, "I need units surveying every rest stop east of Exit 112. Check inside everywhere and watch the security footage. Ask around if anyone's seen Louis."

He takes a look at me and asks, "Are you alright, Niall?"

"I can't stop thinking about Louis. And Colby."

John's face changes and shows remembrance of Colby. "Ah, the kid with Richard when you met them at the park," he justifies.

I nod. "I can't help but wonder what's happened to him, too. We have to find Louis and Colby. Neither of them deserve this."

"We will try to find Colby, too. Okay?" He pats my back in assurance.

I force a small, fake smile. Then he says, "If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to find Louis' message?"

"We pulled over at this rest stop because I threw up. So when I was in the stall, I saw it," I explain.

John looks surprised. "Of all the places to pull over. The one that Louis also went too. I'd say you lads are destined for each other."
A proud smile grows on my lips.

Then John adds, "And you're both sick at the same time...?"
I shamefully look to the ground, suddenly finding it very interesting. "I guess we...swapped spit that night we kissed before he was...uh, kidnapped."

"Well I geuss that seems to be working in your favor, Niall." He offers me a smile and claps me on the back. "Let's go find that son of a bitch who took your boyfriend."

As he walks away, I try to keep the blush from my face at his comment but fail...miserably.
Liam comes over to me and tells me, "I just called Harry and filled them all in. They're going to look east of here, too."

I simply say, "Ok."

Liam casts a lingering look at me. Then he sighs and puts a hand around my shoulder. I turn and throw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. We stay like that for a moment, seperate thoughts screaming through each of our heads.

Louis means the world to me, I know that now. What sucks is that it took Louis being taken away for me to realize that. I can't help but feel like it was my fault. I was so drunk and couldn't remember anything. I did nothing to help Louis when Richard was kidnapping him. Nothing at all.

"Let's get going, Ni," Liam whispers softly. I pull away and let him lead me out the rest stop and into the car. Maura and Karen are already waiting and pull out as soon as my seat buckle clicks.

Liam hands me a water bottle and I take two aspirins. I hope they'll help me feel better because I really don't like feeling sick. But I have to stay strong, for Louis.

"Tell us if you feel like throwing up again, Ni," Liam says. "'Cause I'll give you a plastic bag instead of pulling over. It'll take too long." He shoots me a sympathetic look. But I understand.

I'll do anything to find Louis.


Louis' POV

The words that Richard exchanged with that person over the phone keep replaying over and over in my mind. There's something unsettling about them.

By tomorrow.

Sat slouched in the backseat, I say out loud, "What's tomorrow?"

Richard snorts. "None of your business."

"Well it's something involving me, so I'd think yes, it is my business," I say sassily. What can I say? I'm the sass masta from Doncasta.

"I said its none of you're goddamn business!" He hisses.
I keep my cool because I know I can win this. "Then if it's not my business, it must not involve me...so who does it involve?"

"No one."

"Someone."

"No one."

"Someone."

"NO ONE."

I pause before saying, "Someone." I could do this all day.

He takes a deep breath and says, "My father."

"Your father?" I question, doubting it slightly.

"Yes! Just stop asking questions!" he yells, almost pleads.

I don't listen to what he wants me to do. "So something happening tomorrow doesn't involve me, but does involves your father. Why am I here then?"

"I'm just following his orders," he whispers so quietly I have to strain to make sure I hear it right.

My eyebrow raises skeptically.
"And what were his orders to you, Richard?"

He remains silent, eyes strained on the road and hands firmly gripping the steering wheel.

"Richard..." I tease.

"He made me do it, ok?"

"Do what?"

"Rape your sisters."

My eyes stare at the back of his head, almost burning holes through it. What a coward, he can't even say that to my face. A thick tension hangs in the car, so thick I could cut it.

"I didn't want to do that to them. To your mum. But I had to. My father left me no choice."

I snort. "So you're telling me its not your fault you raped them?"

"My father made me."

"That's pathetic," I start. "You committed your own actions, why don't you man up and own them?"

He stays silent. Ha, I win.

The silence is invaded by the gentle hum of the car on the road. I look out the window and rub my temples. My headache is still there, but it's gotten a bit better with the medicine. Same with my stomachache.

It looks to be almost noon as the sun is rising in the clear sky.
My mind starts to drift to my mum. I wonder how she's doing. They were supposed to leave the day after we went to the bar, but I doubt the mums left. I bet they're looking for me with the lads. I hope they all are. They're truly my only hope at this point.
I left a note at the rest stop, and I'm praying someone has seen it. It was a pretty brilliant plan on my part, I think. So as much as I hate being sick, it worked to my advantage. So thank you sickness for getting me sick.

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Well? How'd you like it? :D sorry for the long wait till I update (did you hear the rhyme?? I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!) I was on vacation and hardly had any time to write but taa daaaaaa (in Marcel's voice)! Please vote and comment!!!