SMF Chapter 3 - The Game is on

Someone opens the door to Frees room and lets himself in. Free himself was sitting on his bed, with his laptop, now glaring Kain who had the nurve to walk in without a knock. But when Kain throws this broken surveillance camera on his feet, Free instanly lets his anger fade away. Now he was just confused.

"What is that..?"

"Someone has set cameras all around our neighbourhood," Kain answers with an annoyed tone. "I think there is atleast three of 'em."

Free turns his eyes to stare Kain, speechless at first, unbelieving. Then he sighs out deeply. "What..?"

"Is it the cop you knew?" Kain wonders. "Tim found this first so who ever is behind this has probably seen him taking it down and break it. Just after that Tim came to me. It's battery-powered."

Free smiles. "Now, this is new..," laughing a little.

"This if fun to you?!" older tsihs out. "If we intend to strike again in near future, someone will have the proving time we went out and back in. This is a big problem to us."

"Maybe that is what they want. Scare us and make us stop what we do," Free just calmly states back, but already thinking their options. This now here was serious. "That cop ask me if I knew anything about those robs."

Now hearing that made Kain lose his calm. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!? They are clearly on to us!"

"Calm down. I will figure something out..," Free sighs. To him, this kind of so called back offs were just a game which could easily be played differently, with different rules on different playground. After all his life was nothing but go, run, hide and run a little faster. Someone who had nothing had nothing to lose.

Getting distressed about something this minor was not his style. There was always a way to fight back.

- - - -

The very night Free didn't go out run his normal tasks. Instead he used his contacts, asked around and tried to get a clear information of who and how many suspicious outsiders were seen around the area when those cameras were set in. Eventually Free found one who remembered seeing this white van near one of the so called dropping places. What was left was to find out it's license plate.

Anyone could find the owner from the ID list from the internet. The van was registered under the public government company called GLE, as Guardian Law Enforcement. They were public officers. Any further name from that was unknown.

Free smiles and gives a long breathe out while leaning his back on the bed where he was sitting on with his laptop, searching his informations in the internet. So they were now against real pros. No doubt that cop was part of those behind the cameras. Even in his wildest dreams Free would have never guess he might go so deep and end up running to the real ones on progress. Has he been too naive..?

Well, it was about time maybe, since it's been a while, about two years when he first time used the IDs and passwords of two employees to lock inside Xs monitoring system, run by The City Guard Building. As much as Free knew, after all this time those accounts were still active, so when ever he went in and search something minor, there has not been any proof anyone has realized his random visits. No actions against him so far.

It was not that Free used this possibility all the time. Just when the time demand so. The mobile data and internet connections were always changing. He has always been extra careful to not leave any possible leads. They didn't have their own internet add, so wifi was how he run.

Frees laptop was originally from the other employee. Two years ago Free was with him in the hotel room. And, albeit this guy been very nice to him, Free stole his stuffs while man was taking a shower, leaving only an empty wallet with cards and mans clothes.

There was no pin locks or other protective shields so after taking it with him he found more useful tools in it. One of them was another mans IDs and password recordings.

Of course, the road to learn how to use these informations to his advantage was slow.. Since Free had actually just start learning how to read a while before he found his laptop. Actually, he was not really a fast reader still. But if he knew the ways, words and the goal, he could easily remember that much. He knew ABC's. Has good memory. Who needs to be able to read long sentences. In his world, that was futile.

With help of Kain and Leon, the other older resident of their Main house, Free eventually moved from pickpocketing and dealing to being a Leader of this small group with a possibility to break in the stores and buildings without a care of being seen in public surveillance cameras, since they knew where they all were. Free had all it under cover.

That was basically all they had taken advantage of from having these IDs. A little pit more use would ruin it all. There were many places they have strike just because they knew they were out of sight of the public protection and later recordings. But also Free knew how to freeze some of the areas while they were walking toward their targets. This was more boldly but very useful if this trick was needed.

If they could sure that those cameras were connected to CGB, Free might have a change to control 'em too. Or he has to freeze 'em manually. Either way, they must be able to move out, to make a living, without getting caught. Staying in like cowards would mean their loss. But.. If someone figures out the IDs used the time of the robs before AND later, eventually someone would find them.

Or someone already found him and was just waiting him to do a mistake. Expose himself..

That Free needed to avoid. Of any cost.

- - - -

The next morning when Free himself went to sleep, he ask Tim and Dino search all the cameras around their House what they could possible find. The plan was not to touch them, and more, if possible, it has to look like kids didn't even know about them. By the time Free was up, kids had found many cameras hidden while playing around.

Older guy was now sitting on the stairs in front their House, drinking coffee, smoking and staring the grey colored car parked across the street. The same cop was sitting in, reading something. Only once he had looked toward Free, then ignored him and kept reading.

But Free hasn't drop his stare. He felt puzzled. Excited. Ready to play with this man. Ready to beat anyone in any game who come and try to act against him. Seriously, what kind of cop actually park in front of the scene and waited patiently something to happen? This guy had balls. Was a real deal. Or then incredible stupid..

Tim walks next to Free and sits down, looking toward the car too.

"So?" Free asks then. Tim points six of his fingers up. Older smirks. "That many?" he sighs. When they were able to do that, without any of them noticing? Day or night, there was always someone awake. Always guarding.

"Are we in trouble?" Tim then asks quietly.

Free messes Tims hair smiling. "Don't worry. We are good. I will make sure they are gone soon. You have done nothing wrong. Great job, buddy. What you want for reward?"

Tims lips turn to wide smile. "I get a reward? Then! I want that red drink!"

"Red drink?" older laughs and gets up. "You mean Pepper? How you can even drink that stuff. It's disgusting.." But he would get it for him anyway.

"It's good!" Tim insist.

"I will get a whole sixpack for you," Free smiles and gives his coffee mug to Tim, pointing back to the Main House behind them. "Go ask what Dino wants. He deserves a reward too."

Tim nods smiling, gets up and runs in. If something could easy Frees blue mind it was seeing those children's happy faces.

When Tim went in, Free turns his look back toward the man sitting in his car. Staring him a while, Free shows even wider smile and takes a bold step closer.

Don couldn't help noticing someone walking toward the car and so he turns his eyes toward the young man approaching. Free was showing very relaxed mood out while stopping next to the car, waiting if cop would meet with him. Don opens the window and the younger leans to the door. "Are you busy, Mr Palenne? Care to drop me to the store and back?" he asks then suddenly, not dropping his handsome smile.

Wow, that was a bold move. Don tsihs smiling. "I'm not a taxi."

"Oh, come on. I can pay you for the ride, you know," Free smirks. "It doesn't seem you have anything better to do either. Come on, amuse me a little."

Free was joking, of course. But wanted to talk to this man. Since pissing them off wasn't affecting, then befriend with them. Free knew his own charm. He should show this cop there was no point sitting here day after day. There were only normal street orphans here, living their poor lives. Nothing suspicious. Cop can watch all he likes. All he will see is some kids playing harmlessly around. How long he can waste his time?

Tim steps out of the House and was about to call Free by name, but when realizing Free was standing next to the car and talking to the cop, young kid freezes. Was it okay to speak? Were they in trouble now?

Free could hear the door going and turns to look at Tim behind him. Older gives Tim a smile, as to silently say not to worry. "What he wants?" he loudly asks.

"Cotton candy..," Tim quieatly answers.

"HA?! Cotton candy?!" Where the hell Dino think he could find something like that? Free closes his eyes and sighs deeply out. Then turns his look back to the cop in. "You. Where I can find some cotton candy?? Is there any funfairs near by?"

Don felt amused. "No idea."

"Great help you cops are," Free smiles and turns his back to Don. "How useless.."

While the young man walk away along the walking street, all that time Dons eyes were locked on him, smiling. This kid was very very unpredictable..

- - - -

The same evening, after long search, Free has finally found the numbers of those cameras from the Guard Buildings side. Now he knew where their cameras were. Found two more too. Not forgetting the possibilities of other cameras hiding with different command boards. But this much should be useful enough. They could walk out without been seen.

After the preparations, Frees next move alone would confirm how he should act against those pros. What happens next would be either a succeed or a total flop.

The next night he went outside alone. Blind his trails. Made sure cameras couldn't record him going out. But that wasn't all. Free needed to be sure they could act the same as always. Show they were unstoppable. His test-strike should not look like a test strike, so he did as he always did. Broke in some random store. Stole small amount of money from the cash care and slid away like a ghost.

When he was savely back in the Main House, Free sits down and breathes a long sigh out. Now he must wait. If he had left any evidence behind and get caught tonight, cops would walk right in and arrest him. But if nothing happens, this was nothing but proof Free could play with the pros now. Prove his innocence while still keep up the money flow in. He felt very confident now. Of course, how he wouldn't. He was able to sneak out and back in without anyone noticing.

So his next plan is to show a side of himself from a different light to those pros. He would be just a normal teen living in orphanage. Being a little pissed when cops played inside his territory.

Act arrogant but clueless.

- - - -

The next day from his last strike, Free was waiting impatienly his next move. Sitting in their shared living-room and looking out the window an anxious mood around him, neither Kain or Leon dared to speak anything at first. The appearance in the room was very tense.

"You know we are playing with fire here..?" Kain finally states. "If cops knew about us, playing with them like this is stupid. We might really get caught." Even if Frees plans have never been too much or too impossible, still, he couldn't help feel a little bit out of haven.

Free turns his eyes on him, smiling. "You know, I made sure I am the only one going down alone if I fail. If we get caught, you should be save."

"And you think we would like that?" Kain tsihs back. Leon was also looking at Free. He was the newest here and usually just went with a flow with Free and Kain, didn't talk back. But he too was doubting was this all even save. Free has the habit to try his luck. "I haven't ask you to take the bullet for me. We are all in this together."

Growing more annoyed, Free simple ignores the guy. "What, is someone shooting us now..?"

"It's a saying!"

Free tsihs, but before he could speak, Leon opens his mouth. "We should move. Run," he says, speaking Spanish. "We can drop Tim and Dino to so-" "What? And abandon them?!" Free speaks back, eyeing the other very annoyed. "You are always running. That's your solution to everything. This is our place and I don't care what you will do, but I will protect it. Them too."

Kain couldn't keep up what they were saying. But the air around them grow even more tense. "Calm down. Both of you.."

Free looks at him once, then breathes calmly out. "Look, everything I have done for now is all just casual, random act from nowhere no one can really prove anything," he clears. "Who ever comes and says I have done something, has no material proof. It's how the world works. If you can't see it, can't record it, it doesn't exist. They can't accuse us of anything."

This was the poor truth Free knew. The reality. So with the help of that knowledge, Free could easily keep calmly sitting still, waiting when the grey car would once again drive in front of their street. "So we are not running..," he adds the rest quietly after turning his look back.

Leon turns his look away and leans his back to the couch. As always, he would sit quietly and just watch. But Kain wasn't that satisfied. He gets up. "What ever..," young man whispers and leaves.

Like everyday during these past days, the car came. Right on time.

Waiting ten minutes or so Free steps out excitedly, hiding his inner burning while only showing the calm and a little bit angry act out. Once again Free takes his chair, drags it with him all the way on the familiar spot next to the car, sitting down and leaning to wait when the driver would open the window and talk to him.

Not a second and Don already opens the window. Not sure what the kid wanted now. Last time he got to feel his anger mode. So a smile was how he should welcome this hotheaded kid for now.

"I like equal, Mr Palenne," Free states first, smiling and carefully puts a small item on the bench next to Don. Man turns his eyes on it. Sees a broken surveillance camera or so.

When Don moves his eyes back to the kid, Free was already ready to continue. "One of my brothers found this. You have any idea how this appeared into our yard?"

Man shows a calm smile back. "Now you are speaking to the wrong person here. But lately, the expansion of local, public monitoring has increased. Isn't that a simple surveillance camera? You broke it?

Can't say for sure when it is not my area to call, but they are probably updating the public surveillances and getting new areas under them. After what happened the next door, no wonder if they are expanding here also. It's all for the future safety.

Ask your 'mother'. She should know.

How ever, that's my best guess. But like I said, I'm a wrong person to answer your question."

The narrative from this cop was so great that Free couldn't help but to break his calm act. Free laughs a little while smiling to the man sitting behind the wheel.

"Oh my, sure, I will so take that. Now I was sure you guys would get mad if one of my kids broke your precious item," Free takes a cigarette out of his box for himself and offers one to Don. This man was fast to give his innocent answer. Adults were freaking scary. "Sorry, I was sure I have to fight with you because of that.."

Don takes one cigarette, while still carefully eyeing the young man. This was a calm gesture. Apology. A payment.

"I let my imagination ran and thought you were the ones setting that camera and have me under your eyes or something. Not that that would have been quite exciting, but surely it was a weird feeling. I felt myself turning like a criminal," Free states smiling and lights his cigarette. "And I was afraid one of our kid accidently broke something really valuable so I would have to figure out the way to pay it. Our 'mother' has no such money so.. I am the one in charge. If they do something.."

Older man was calmly listening to the younger, like trying to figure out what this kid was really up to. He has heard there was a small breaking in just last night. But after checking the cameras around this area, no one was out at the time of the rob. Or so it seemed. If these kids were behind it, and actually knew about the cameras, could pass them without being seen, then was this kid in front of him really just faking this act of innocent now to play his part. Distracting them.

Not that there wasn't a possibility of someone else robbing that place. But the way how it was done scream it was the same unsubs. Don just couldn't shake that feeling away. And he always trusted his instinct.

"Mother hasn't talk to me anything.. so I can't really tell what that all is about," Free smiles lightly and leans away, while looking surely to Don. Now the sound of his voice changes a little. Sounding more cocky. "I quess I was just too bothered by your visits and couldn't think a more rational reason why there was a camera here so suddenly. I mean, come on, who would bother bring surveillance camera in the slum?"

Kids mood and gestures were all clear. The way he spoke felt easy. Way too easy. Too clean. Too pure. Too fitting. Was it all in Dons own imagination or has this kid made a huge show to roll.

First of all, who was the mother? If Don couldn't get in contact of this 'mother' of them, this young mans statements were all questionable. "If you want I can talk with your 'mother'," Don offers smiling. Wanting to see how the kid would react to that.

"Oh I wouldn't dare to bother you with sutch a needless thing," Free immediately says back.

The kid was avoiding the subject. Like already prepared. Something with his act seem false to Don. But the smile on kids lips didn't fade away. All the way to the last seconds he kept it on.

After chatting a little more, Free gets up and leaves, saying cop could keep the broken camera. Older guy was eyeing the younger walking calmly back in. This kid was clearly gaming with Don. The more he approach Don the more he feed him reasons to turn Dons suspicions further from himself. Everything so far made him look pure. This kid was 'clean'. Nothing to 'hide'.

This uneasiness made Don suspect the kid even more.

Everytime his thoughts went around like this, he found himself remembering this small thing what he has been thinking a while. No name. No introduction. Don hasn't ask it. The kid didn't bother to name himself.

when Don hadn't ask his name in turn at any point, has the kid realized he already knew his name? Has recognised 'Aki'? Did the kid know they have met before? Has 'Aki' figured out Don really found what he was looking for? Him. Didn't Don tell that to him when they met again, anyway..

Sitting alone in his car, in his thoughts, Don sighs deeply. From the very beginning he never would have guessed the kid he met five years ago would became his own crime suspect now.

Work and personal issues should keep separated. Always. "Did I make a mistake then?" Don smiles, turns his look once again toward the house next to him.

An hour later Don finally drives away. The same time Free was sitting inside his own room. Staring out the window, having his laptop on him.

"After all.. Am I sutch a nobody that my name is just pointless to ask... Or does he actually know it already..?" Free catchs himself thinking.

Then he sighs and clears his speculations. "Don't think too much. People are fast to forget someone like you..

A nobody."