BRAVADO - Larry ✔️

28. The rebellion won't start without you

Louis' hand reaches out to steady himself against his office desk, his other hand running up his chest where a large lump settled where he tried to massage it away. Max's words hitting him like a ton of bricks as he blinks up at him.

"He what?" Louis whispered in disbelief and Max crossed his arms in front of his chest broadly. A hard look on his eyes as he looked at his leader.

"He escaped last night while you were with the nurse. He found his opening and took it. Fortunately none of my soldiers were harmed." Max states seriously. Lying through his teeth to his leader. Thinking that he was better off without the boy but really, it was the only thing his leader wanted.

That was why he did it. The boy had to go.

"No, this isn't right." Louis shakes his head as he looks at Max with a frown.

"He wouldn't-"

"He fooled you Louis." Max states softly. "He knew what he was doing." He bites his lip.

"I don't think he looked at you the way you did with him sir. You were too kind to him and he used your kindness against you. I could sense it about him from the start. Once a rebel always a rebel."

Louis snorts at that, pushing off of the desk and going to look out his window.

"Too kind huh?" He mutters, feigning sadness from seeping into his voice as he looked down at his soldiers patrolling the front gate, no worry under them as one of their prisoners just escaped and was moving forward with Charlotte's plan to bring him down. They didn't seem fazed and Louis peers down curiously.

"How did he escape?" He asks lightly and Max clears his throat before answering. Gathering his thoughts.

"Through the stream sir-"

"There was twenty soldiers patrolling the fence yesterday due to the power outage ever since the rebel broke in. Surely someone would've seen him." Louis turns around frowning at Max. They would've done something surely. Everyone knew Harry was a valuable asset to me. They would've seen and stopped him from escaping.

"I'm not sure sir." Max lowers his head and Louis sighs, rubbing his chest again as he turns back to the window, peering out.

He couldn't shake the feeling of this whole thing not fitting right, everything seemed so out of place. He had said in the hours between his escape that he loved Louis.

Louis blinks away tears starting to form in his eyes.

He saw his face. He meant it, he was sure the boy meant every word. He wouldn't be so heartless and use him like that, emotionally and physically. Something was definitely out of place.

"We have news on Charlotte." Max changes the subject to one of more importance but really, Louis couldn't care less about his sister right now.

"She's closing in quickly." Max continues. "Her army she has built up over the years is strong-"

"Let her come." Louis grits out, the unsettling rage for his sister who took everything from him as a child stirred a fire in him. How she had manipulated the people and everyone he knew around him into thinking he was a killer, inhuman and dangerous. She manipulated him through Harry which was the lowest he thought she has ever gotten but it has broken him for the worse now instead of the better.