SMF Chapter 7 - The side where I should belong

The TV was still on. Don was almost asleep when suddenly the sound of phone ringing woke him up. Free who was still clear awake, watching some movie, looks at his phone and after realizing who was calling he sits up. A call from the Main House at this hour when Free usually worked was rare. This was alarming. "What is it?" he asks after answering the call. His voice sound worried.

"They took Tim!"

"What?!" Free gets quickly up.

"The Greentowns Alf. They came and.. Kain is talking to them right now. They want you here. Have something.. I don't know.."

"It's okay, Dino. Calm down," Free runs straight toward the front door, searching his shoes. "Are they inside?"

"No..," Dinos voice breaks.

"Tell them I'm coming. Talk to me. What they are doing?" Free was now out of the door. After he was gone, Don gets slowly up himself, walking to the balcony. A small moment later he could see kid stepping out of the building and immediately running down the street.

Don smirks. "Even with a broken rib.. With that speed no wonder he came back to the house so fast.."

- - - -

Free runs through the alley and across the street. After arriving to the Main House area he could recognize some gangmembers from the next neighborhood sitting on their stairway. One of them, Alf, was sitting and holding Tim under his arm, talking with him.

"Now there comes your big brother," this young man smiles. "He really made a haste." Kain was standing a little closer, between the members and their house. Having a small bruise on his face.

"Get your fucking hands off him!" Free yells while walking straight toward Alf, moving his hand about to make a direct hit right to that ugly face. Alf jumps up and pushs Tim away on Frees feet.

"Right to the action, ha! We just came here to talk," man laughs. "Seems like someone has already beaten you up."

"I don't have businesses with the kinds who use children as a calling bell!" Free tsihs angrily. "Have I ever come to your house acting like this!?"

"Oh, where are my manners," Alf laughs some more and casually raises his hands, showing he has no weapons. "Let me explain why we are here. The shit hats have been seen playing around a while now in our sector. Some of us went missing. And today they strike in. Know why?"

"Non of my business," Free calls loudly.

"They took my brother," Alf continues. "Knew exactly where we were and what we had. I lost over three kilos!"

Taking a step closer, Free shows he wasn't interested to hear about something he has nothing to do with. "Not my business!"

"You have been all buddy buddy with that cop who patrols here almost daily. Today he wasn't here. Just a coincidence? Don't think so..," Alf turns slowly around, walking a circle while talking, eyes on Free. "Cause what we know you are famous of doing anything for money... And after all the businesses we two have done together I just couldn't think about anything else than... Well, you are the only one here who..."

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Free suddenly states, cutting Alfs line. There were cameras all around them. Some have voice recordings in, maybe not precise ones, but still they were recording. No way Free would let Alf say out loud he was involved with drug dealers. "You come here crying when you yourself make a mistake? That's all on you. Me talking with one pervert is not the reason come here and blame me," Free continues with more silent voice.

Alf smirks, not bying this. "Well if you were in my spot wouldn't you do the same?"

"Hell no!"

Man sighs. Of course younger wouldn't admit anything like this. Fine, they could make him talk another time. "If you have nothing then we are done for now," he walks in front of Free, leaning his face closer. "But if I find out you or your cop have something to do with the strike.."

"Now what would I get from selling you out!?" Free spits, leaning his own face closer, fearlessly. "You touch my brothers again it will became my business! After that you will go with your brother!"

"It barks but can it act?" Alf asks, finally walking past the younger. "Lets go boys." The group of men start to leave.

Free keeps his watch until they were all gone in sight. "Are you alright Tim? They didn't do anything to harm you?" he then asks, holding now his aching side. The pain was slowly getting stronger when the adrenaline in him fade away.

Tim hums, holding his cry. "I am. But it was scary.."

Free tsihs. This was not good. Greens coming here all of the sudden, blaming him, when he was under the watch by fucking cops. He has done a shit! Was Alf an idiot?!

When they went inside Free let all his frustration out. Was that hit made by Don and his friends? Did it have anything to do with Free going with Don yesterday? How the hell he has suddenly get involved with something like this!?

- - - -

The next morning Don was making coffee when all the sudden he could hear someone opening the front door and letting himself in, without closing the door behind him.

Free walks straight in, without taking off his shoes, and puts a slide plastic bag on the table. His hands were dirty. Eyes looking tired, he was glaring straight to Don who was calmly standing in front of the desk, eyes on him.

"You left in a rush. Everything alright?" Don asks with a casual voice while moving his eyes to stare the bag Free brought with him.

Young man was trying to find any kind of clue from Dons behavior if man possible already knew what has happened. He himself has stayed up the rest of the night, thinking over and over again what all he had done, said and possible blurt out in front of Don or the cameras around. Kains warnings were turning real in his mind. "You have something to do with it?" Free asks bluntly.

"Don't know. Have I? Depends on what it is," Don answers vaguely. "What did you bring with you?"

 Younger tsihs. "You want me to be your pet? Was that it?"

Looking now again straight to kids eyes, Don shows a mildly surprised face. "What?"

Playing ignorant? Or actually being honest? He really doesn't know anything?? Free couldn't tell. But he finally plan to say at least this much. This should give him the reaction he need. "Because of you They think I have something to do with a hit to druglab. They think I have been taling their.. I talk myself out of it. For now. You want me to get killed for real? Why?"

"Hey. Why would I want you killed?" Don sighs.

True. How ever he look at it, Don wanted him confess the robs, not get killed before that. Man said he was interesting, why he would set him up like this if his own goal would fail then? Has Free just become an idiot, being too stuck of everything Don has said before and because of that illusion he honestly believed this man was not involved with what happened? "If it's not you, then your friend. He was on the scene. Your car was there!"

"Was where?"

Free tsihs. How ever it was, if he gets more involved with Don, something even worse might happen. Cut this shit now. If cop wasn't going to arrest him because of stealing that car, now was the best time to draw a line between them. "You know, just keep the rest of the money. I don't want 'em. Instead, could you just vanish?" he turns and heads to the front door, keeping his left side again. "With this I'm done with you."

Free walks out of the apartment and slams the door shut behind him. Don watchs him leaving, then calmly turns to look at the bag. In were two license plates, covered by dust.

"He still has my keys though..," man says quietly out loud. Then searchs his phone. Makes a call. "Hey. I need to talk to you.. Yeah, it's about yesterday..

Exactly where you were then?"

- - - -

Two days later Don appears on the street in front of the Main House again.

Not long time later young man steps out of the hostel building, walks through the terrace and sits down on the stairs, lightning his cigarette, just watching straight toward Dons car. Man was looking back.

Free knew exactly when Don was about to come. Man hasn't taken the tracker off. Had probably even charged it again. Of course it was the exact same time he usually arrived. But this time, Free plan to keep this distance. No, he has to.

"He is here again?" Tims voice asks behind Free.

"Because of me," Free answers calmly back. "He is.. stalking me."

"You are not going?" young kid sits down next to Free, puzzled. "I thought you were friends. You always seem so happy when he arrives."

"Don't be stupid. We ain't friends. Have no reason to talk to him anymore," young man points out, looking angry. Uneasy.

The next day was the same. Free was looking out the window when Don was driving across the street, in front of their House, once again.

"He probably has nothing to do with it," Kain who's been watching youngers annoyed mood for days now finally clears what he himself think. Leon was with them too, staring quietly Free also.

"Can you trust cops?" Free asks harshly. Really letting his frustration show out.

Older laughs. "Now you are saying so? What ever it is, our problem now are the Greens, not him," Kain tsihs. Sure, he didn't like how closely Free has played around with the cop outside. Free should have never even talk to that man in the first place. But even he thought Alf coming here with his accuses was not because of that cop. That was just a made-up reason to bark. "I'm not sure what is going on between you and him. But the way you are now - ."

"Yeah," Free sighs. "You think I should go and try to talk some sense in Alfs head?" he changes the subject. "If I leave this here.. If Alf can't find anyone else to blame he might come back."

"So many ifs," Kain smiles. Of course Free wasn't in the mood to listen others. Sometimes he was fast to show that arrogant and selfish side of his. Even toward them. "Like you said to him, it's not our business. He is just a bully. Talking big. He was just trying to scare us because he's under pressure himself, you know."

Free turns to look Kain. Doesn't say anything first. But after a while he makes a move to walk out of the room. "What ever. I need to find another reliable dealer soon. I'm heading out."

"You want company?" Leon asks in Spanish.

"Neh. I will go talk to Danny," Free adds, waving his hand. "Let me know if they come back."

Outside. Free closes the front door behind him and slowly walks through the terrace to the stairs which lead to the side walk. His eyes were locked on the man sitting inside his car across the street, looking calmly back.

Free stops on the last stair. Doesn't move his look.

Why the hell he would even think this cop wasn't a threat? He was here to see Free do a mistake and then take him in. All in all, if he keeps talking to him, Alf might find another reason to blame him. Maybe hurt someone for real this time. That he didn't want.

Finally Free turns his eyes away, putting the hood of his light hoodie over his head. He should keep the distance. Shouldn't talk to him anymore.

He steps on the walking street and keep calmly moving forward, leaving man behind him.

- - - -

Some hours later Free was heading back toward his neighborhood. Walking with a broken rib has really taken most of his energy. Because of the pain he was planning to head to the nearest pharmacy and actually buy some painkillers. The ache all over his body was starting to get unbearable.

A random guy was walking toward him. Then stops in the middle of the street. Blocking his way. Man was clearly staring at him with a wide smile, keeping an eye contact, so Frees whole essence became alert. The second warning comes from the sound of a starting car near them.

Run. That's what Frees instinct say. But the moment he turns his look to the car driving closer he realizes there was already someone behind him, suddenly holding him from his hand and pushing his body against the wall of the building next to them.

The pain loose his resistance. 'Be smart. Don't fight back'. These guys were way bigger than him.

Other man walks closer. Was carefully eyeing Frees face. "Yeah. That's him. Take him," he says and nods his head toward the car. They tie his wrists with some tape and throw him in the back seats of the car. One of the guys holds a knife against Frees neck, to keep him still. "Be a lamb and behave." Free didn't speak. Didn't dare to move. He sit still and looks the guy with furious eyes. These guys were Greens! Fucking drug gangers. What ever this was about now, he should stay calm. Talk his way out of this. Fighting back would be useless, just making his situation worse.

After a short drive the car stops and two of the guys drag him out. They move him inside this big carage looking hall, finally pushing him down on the floor.

It took a while Free to get a hold of his aching body. He leans his hands on the floor and turns his look up. There stood this dark haired man with a short trimmed beard, looking down at him.

"Is this him?" man asks in Spanish, not moving his eyes.

"Si," Free could hear Alfs voice and turns his look toward him. Young man was standing further. There were others too. Many others. Tens of guys around them.

"So you are 'Free'?" the main man keeps. "Our young ones tales you being a robin. Doing some nasty jobs for cops."

"They tale shit!" Free yells instantly back in English, getting his head pushed back down by the man behind him.

"I have heard what you are, 'Free'," man takes a step closer. They pull Frees head back up form his hair, making him look the guy in front of him. "You are the famous Blue eyed brat who runs around the city dealing in his own pocket. Working cheap. Fairly. They pay you and you do what people ask. Very humble.

You have your good reputation, that I can admit. But as a noob somehow you always seem to have very big amounts of money to buy and sell. Is this the way you get your money? Working for everyone? Even for cops?"

"Fuck you!" Free tsihs out loud, showing the disgust through his eyes. He has never work for cops!

"We can do this the hard way if you want," man raises his look behind Free and nods. Men take him on their grip and put iron chains on him. The sound of some machine starting. Free gets pulled up from the chains, forcing him to move his legs and stand up. Finally his whole body was hanging in the air slightly above the floor.

"I will ask this once and if you cherish your life you answer nicely," man in front of him casually lights his cigarette, smiling widely. "How much you have told them?"

"I haven't -!"

Suddenly someone hit Free in his back with the thin rope. Making him let out this excruciating cry.

- - - -

An hour later Free was still hanging from his wrists. The whole hall was quiet. Members who were watching the beating all remain silent now, watching this unconscious young man in the middle of the carage hall.

Kid hasn't confess anything. He stick to his words. Repeating he hasn't done anything. All the way to the point he lost his consciousness because of the pain. The second time.

The chain and the rope beaters have used lie on the floor, bloody.

"I wonder does he even know anything..," finally one man breaks the silence. He was standing behind the Leader who was sitting on the pile of pallets, moving his leg frustrated.

"OH REALLY!" the main man yells out and curses. "Either he is made nerves of steel or he speaks the truth."

"When he wakes up should we continue?"

"No. If we keep going he might die for real."

Men around laughs. "Who cares. No one misses him," guy smirks.

"Use your brains! You know how hard it is to dis the body?!" Leader clears out, angrily.

The loud voices wake Free up, making him try to move his numb legs. Coughing, he finally could open his teary eyes. Staring in front of him, remembering once again where he was, he lets a cry out. "Daaaamn.. It huuurts..," he whispers. He couldn't feel his legs anymore. Nor his wrists. People around him kept staring at him when he starts to laugh. Then cry some more. "I am gonna kill you all..," Free breathes out loudly, crying. "Youuu piece of shits.. Youu fucking.."

Even the torturers here couldn't stand of seeing him like that. "Take him down. We are done," Leader says and stands up. He turns his look to Alf who stood further. "You should learn from him. He seems to have more balls than you WILL EVER HAVE!" The sharped last words echo around the area, making them even more daunting. Man throws his beer on the floor. "We were wasting time on him! He has nothing!"

Then the silence. The Leader calmly leaves the carage area, waving his hand to give an order to clean this mess here.

Men take Free down and drags him mercilessly away.

- - - -

Tim and Dino were sitting in front of the Main House. It was a warm and sunny day. But the kids don't feel to play. The atmosphere around the area was cold and charged. Everyone was on their toes.

Yesterday, they found Free collapsed from the floor of their lobby. Young man had woken up dumped to the alley, figured out where he was and with the small energy he still had left he drag himself all the way to the Main House just with bare willpower. After getting in he lost his consciousness.

His back and feet were all black and bloody. It took Leon and Kain over an hour to cut Frees shirt off him and clean the area the best they could. Parts of the skin were so attacked to the shirt that it came off with it. Because these injures looked incredible bad, Kain and Leon were so close to call someone, but in the end they didn't. Why would anyone help someone from the streets? As always, they need to survive alone. This time Free couldn't help them either. He couldn't tell them what to do.

Kain went out himself. Because he was a runaway, he's been avoiding going out ever since the cameras came along. But the fear of someone recognizing him felt very secondary at the moment. He had to find help for Free. Talk to people. But in the end all he could pile together was some illegal painkillers and towels.

Free finally woke up this morning. Feeling nauseous. He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. Until Kain made him eat what he called 'a medicine'. Free didn't want to know. He just took it. What ever it was it help him deal the pain.

Now he was up. Sitting in the living area, staring the fire in the heading oven with dark circles under his red eyes. No one dare to speak anything. They were hiding what have happened from their landlord. Blue didn't usually move around the hostel anyway. If she hears about Frees condition, the storm would probably raise.

Free was no use while wounded.

Don appeares to the area again. Parking the car in its usual spot. Tim, who was sitting outside with Dino, stares his car a while, then after irritated enough he finally gets determinedly up. "Hey, Tim..," Dino calls him while watching Tim walking closer the car. Suddenly kid takes a rock from the ground and throws it toward the car.

Dino stands up. "Tim! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Kain was up first and looking out the window. Tim was throwing somethings toward the car. "That idiot!" he tsihs and moves.

"I go," Free says. Slowly, he gets up to stand.

"You can't go out! Have you any idea how bad you look?" Kain yells back, growing so angry he was seriously thinking just to hit Free to put some sense in his head. "I will -"

"He will do shit," Free states, turning his calm eyes to look Kain. "It's my fault he keeps coming here. I will chase him away. Step a side." His voice was very cold, impassive. Clearing what ever Kain would say, there was no effect on him.

Waiting calmly a while, Don finally sighs out and steps out of the car, eyeing the kid who was still showing this angry glance toward him.

"I'm pissed! It's all his fault!" Tim cries and throws more rocks. "You are the worst!"

"Tim!" Frees angry voice could be heard, yelling from the distance. Free walks slowly out from the house, eyeing Tims back enraged. "You have money to cover what you break?"

Tim doesn't say anything. But hearing Frees voice has made him stop. Dino walks next to him, carefully looking Don who was still standing in front of his car, looking Tim, then moving his eyes to look at the approaching older guy behind them.

"Then don't be stupid and think before you act. Go inside! Now!" Free says loudly when he get closer.

Tim curses and walks past Free, Dino slowly following behind him, looking Free, apologising. "I- I tried t-" "It's okay," Free smiles to him and pets his hair to calm the kid. "Go." He stops and watchs the two boys heading back to the house. "Sorry about that. I will talk to him," young man apologises quietly.

"What is my fault? Something happened?" Don asks straight. It was very clear something was going on. Young man was not his usual self either.

"Some gangsters just scared them a little. I took care of it already," Free says and finally turns his tired look toward Don, smiling. "Didn't I tell you I'm done with you, man. If you ain't gonna arrest me because of the car then why you are still here?"

Don was eyeing Free carefully. He could easily see everything was not okay. This kid was a mess.

"I'm not a fan still, you know. Kissing cops asses really is the worst to do here. I got lucky once, you know."

"..."

"But if you keep coming back here..," Free has to cut his words. His mind didn't keep up with his words. Or was it the other way around. He has to raise his hand to keep his aching head a while. Suddenly he felt like throwing up.

"Are you high?" Don asks, looking Frees pupils. The stare from the young man was glassy. Dark circles. Kid looked like he hasn't slept in days. He could barely stand up without waving.

Smiling, Free raises his face again, staring Don. "I am. So fucking high I can't feel a fucking thing," he calmly states and holds his hands front, showing his wrists. "Here. Arrest me for that, Mr Drug Detective." He wasn't going to hide. Since this fucking cop wouldn't do anything about it. 'Cause he was not after small fishs like Free was. In front of Don he was a nobody. No value what so ever.

Don was just calmly staring back. Keeping his silence.

"Thought so," Free lows his hands and closes his eyes. Then he sighs, was gonna say more but let it be. He looks at Don once more and then turns, starts walking away. "Goodbye, Mr Palenne. Get lost."

Older watchs him vanishing inside the building. But man doesn't leave just yet. Instead he turns his eyes on one of the cameras. Thinking.

Then searching his phone.

- - - -

Night has fallen. Free was sitting inside his room, staring the wall in front of him with empty mind. Breathing hardly, like not even getting enough air through his lungs.

Was this all his fault? If he hasn't been so cocky and played around, the Greens wouldn't have turn against him. No, he didn't do a thing. It was couple of kids who need someone to blame. And they pick him. Free has prove himself to be clean, that he seriously had nothing to do with what they first accuse him from. But that usually meant someone else receive the hate. And that might turn right back at him. They still had to be careful around Greens.

Shadows were moving around the Main House. Running.

Free swear he heard something. Like someone dropping a bottle. Slowly, he sits up, listening. Was he imaginating things? His mind was a mess because of the drugs anyway. He might have imagined it.

Since nothing else could be heard after, Free lets himself calm down again. He should find something better than fuzzy drugs from now on to deal all this pain. Sure he couldn't feel anything but he couldn't really think straight either. Feeling like a zombie, that wasn't good either..

Thinking how long it would take him to heal from this.. How the hell he would even deal this all? He was the one who kept everything rolling here. Everyone was relying on him..

Suddenly this random noise from out drag Free back from his thoughts. Someone was clearly yelling downstairs. Leon? Now, without a doubt something being seriously wrong, Free jumps up and was going to open the door, until something explodes loudly behind it, shaking the whole building. Lights went off. They lost their electricity. Free could see this flashing light coming under the door. It came from the flames eating the floor.

Adrenaline went through his body. Free opens the window and throws his bag out. Then he jumps out himself, walks now on the roof while throwing the bag away toward the alley behind the building. Staying on the roof, looking around, he trys to figure out what was going on.

"Aki! It's on fire! It's on fire!" that was all Lady Blue could yell. She was standing outside the building with Dino, pointing the building.

Free runs through the roof and breaks one of the windows on the front side, to get himself into the second hallway. There was a little smoke but not fire yet. The area in front of his own room was on fire.

"Is there still anyone!?" Free yells as loud as he could.

"Free! Here!"

Hearing Kains voice Free immediately jumps in and runs down to the second living area. Kain has a flashlight and was there with Leon who was laying on the floor unconscious, with a nasty, bleeding wound on his head.

"Help me carry him," Kain says coughing. Free takes Leons hand behind his neck and together they hoist Leon up. The same moment Free loosens his hold and throws up. Dropping on his knees.

"Free?!"

"I'm okay," Free tsihs, coughs and holds Leon against himself again, forcing himself up. "Just go! Move!" The pressure was just too much. That's all. They carry Leon to the window where Free had came in, pushing the young man out. Since the middle floor was full of smoke, they had to move through the roof.

"I heard Leon yelling to someone. Then everything went black. And kabom!" Kain explains, actually shaking while they were carrying Leon down. They drop down to the lower level of roof and from there down on the terrace, moviung fastly Leon to the spot where Dino and Blue were already standing.

"Everyone here? Where is Tim?" Free asks calmly. The main thing he was thinking was to get everyone out and safe before anything. Looking around he could see everyone else but Tim. There were even people from the other buildings standing closer the side walk. People watching from their windows.

"I can't see him..," Kain says with a shaking voice.

"I still have time. I go get him. I think he is still in his room," after saying so Free was about to run back.

"Hey!" Kain yells after him." You can't go back! What if -!?"

Free turns around again. "Kain. You stay here and take charge when the cops and firetrucks come. You have to tell them what happened," Free speaks with calming, but commanding voice. Kain turns to look Lady Blue and Dino. Blue act hysteric. Dino was just staring the burning building, stiffen from shock. Kain himself was kind of in shock too. Couldn't really process what was going on in front of his eyes. But Free act calm. So his strong words stuck in Kain and because of that he could stay calm himself too. Free moves again. "We are all good, okay. I'll be right back with Tim!"

After making sure Kain stays still, Free run. Tims room was next to his. So he went through the roof and opens Tims window by kicking it hardly. "Tim!"

"Free?" Tim was crying in the corner of the room, reaising his look up to the figure who has appeared in the window.

"Come! You can't be too scared now. Okay? We have to move now," Free jumps in and walks toward Tim. Young boy was shaking his head, arms around his knees, hiding his face.

"I can't.. I.."

Free has to calm down Tim fast. There should be some time left before this floor would become a real danger zone. There was some smoke but fire hasn't spread here yet.

"Tim. Come on. I got you, buddy. Just follow me and we will jump out the window. Everyone else are out. You will get to see real fire trucks on action, okay? Wouldn't that be cool?" Free smiles to him, reaching his arm.

Just when Free gets a hold of Tims arm, the loud noise could be heard. Everything went black in Frees sight. The floor collapses. They fall down all the way to the lowest floor.

Then nothing. No sound. No light. Piece of woods were dropping down. Free finds himself lying on the ground, opening his eyes, trying to see. Everything was fuzzy, but after a while when his sight get better he could see flames on the room above him. The whole area was full of smoke. More from the dust than from the fire.

He starts coughing, repeatedly. Trying to breathe. Slowly taking a hold of reality and realizing what just happened. Then the reality hit. He was in to get Tim with him. "Tim! Are you okay?" he could still feel Tims arm. But it felt too light. "Tim?!"

What he was staring now was something his brains couldn't process.

Denial. Disbelief. Then instant nausea.

There was nothing. Just the arm. He was strongly holding the half of this small arm..

Free quickly turns his look away before even realizing what he just saw.

'D- don't panic. You saw nothing. Come on. It's.. Please don't watch. Have to.. get out..,' that was all Free trys to force himself to think. He started to hyperventilate. Breathing became very hard.

He loses the arm. The strong pressure was growing into his chest. He wanted to yell. Cry. Anything. Just to get out of this feeling he didn't know how to deal. So to avoid this sudden coming panic he pushs it aside. Ignore it all.

Free turns his look up. He needs to get out. Move. He stands up. Takes a hold his body. Yelling his feelings out.

"Tim!" Free tries. Couldn't dare to look around. He only want to hear the voice speaking back. "Tim! Are you..!"

No answer. Free couldn't speak anymore. He trys to shut his feelings in and just focus to survive, looking up, searching the way. Tears were falling down on his cheeks. He was alone now. 'Think later. Get out'. That was what he should focus on.

He was able to climb toward the window and get out. He was suddenly on the alley. Shaking. Walking. The adrenaline wave was keeping all the pain away. Mentally he tried to avoid what he has just seen. He needs to go. He needs to walk. He couldn't let himself break here. He can't panic now.

He needs to walk. Just walk. Away.