A Dark World (old-please see new book)

37 Freedom

It's early. Crip opens his bedroom door, but for the first time in two weeks Victor isn't sitting there at the table.

Crip stares for a moment, then heads out. He wanted to go to the coffee shop this morning. Keep his body busy.
He felt so sore...and tired. He could sleep an entire week straight and still wake up tired. That was just one of the many perks of being Everett Grey Wilson.

He steps into the coffee shop and immediately sees Jake, who waves.
Jake: "Morning Everett."
Crip: "Morning Jake. I'd like a medium vanilla latte-"
Jake: "-light ice~"

Crip smiles.
Crip: "Yes, please."

Jake: "I uh, also wanted to ask if you'd like to hang out tonight..I know we don't really know each other outside the coffee shop, but I'd like to get to know you better."

Crip thinks for a moment.
If he agrees and something pops up it could make him upset. Though, it's not like he knows for a fact that he's gonna be busy.

Crip: "Tell you what, if I'm free I'll meet you here at seven."

Jake smiles happily: "Sounds good! I'll get right on that coffee for you."

Soon Crip is leaving the coffee shop and later entering the hideout.
Switch and Bear are out front, chit chatting, but they do greet him as he walks up.

Switch: "How was your time with the rival gang?"

Crip shrugs: "It was alright.."
He says lowly, and heads on in.
Charlie: "There you are. Might as well go on into the bosses office."

Crip shoots him a dirty look, one of pure hatred.

However he does head on into O'Rileys office. There, O'Riley lifts his head, eyeballing Crip as soon as he steps through the door.

O'Riley: "Charlie told me you had a tag-along one night. Care to explain?

Crip swallows, and talks real calmly.
Crip: "That was Victor..he was ordered to protect me from getting beat up by Reds gang, remember?"

O'Riley: "-and that's all?"
He sounds scary.
Crip: "I swear, I haven't slept with him..but, O'Riley..."
O'Riley: "Hm?"
Crip: "Red said you knew I'd get taken by him and his gang.."

O'Riley: "That's right."

Crip: "But...then why do you want me to not sleep with anyone over there, if you already knew that?"

O'Riley sighs, pinching the skin on the bridge of his nose.

O'Riley: "It's a rule."

Crip: "How can you expect me to follow that rule if you let them take me?"

Now Crip was the one sounding irritated.

Crip: "I don't understand."

O'Riley stands, and steps around his desk, pushing Crip back against the door.

O'Riley: "You think I wanna share you? You go over there for two weeks and now you think you can come into my place questioning me? Maybe you've forgotten who you belong to."

Crip doesn't speak.

O'Riley: "What? You don't belong to me anymore?"

Crip looks away, not wanting to answer that.

O'Riley: "Who do you belong to? Red?!"
He screamed, his voice raspy and harsh.
Crip: "N-no!"
O'Riley: "Then who?!"
Crip: "Vic-"
He stops dead in his tracks.
What was he saying? He owed O'Riley is life. Why is he suddenly acting like he's free?

O'Riley: "Vic?"
Crip looks up quickly, stuttering a bit.
Crip: "That's not what I- I mean..O'Riley, I owe you my life. I haven't forgotten that."

O'Riley backs off a bit, staring down at the little man before him.

O'Riley: "Very well. Get out of here before I take you."

Crip doesn't wait around. Oh no, he rushes out that door, quickly scurrying into the hideouts main rooms.

What has Victor done to him?