Jack Cage: Troubled Ones

SEVEN

Cage was on his knees. He was tired. He didn't want any more fights for the next few days. Just as he thought that however, Crimson came from behind him and twisted his arm. She then grabbed Cage by the neck and slammed him against the wall. She then kneed him and he fell to the floor.
"You think you're so overpowered?" She asked menacingly.
"Better than your men," Cage said in between breaths.
"I'm impressed Jack. Where did you learn to do that?"
"Why should you know? It's something I'll keep to myself."
    "You are definitely something Cage. I'll give you that."
    "Not so bad yourself."
    "You are gonna tell me what I want to hear."
    "Am I?"
"Damn right."
Cage got up and dusted himself. He stared hard at Crimson. But he decided against telling her.
"Looks like you'll have to kill me," Cage said before he walked off.
Crimson wanted to go after him, but something in her blood told her not to. She went to help treat the rest of her men, who weren't dead thankfully.
"We have a lot to discuss," Aaron said as she helped him up.
"Yeah, we sure do," Crimson said as she stared outside to see Cage board a bus.
*

Cage lay in his bed thinking of Crimson. He didn't tell her for specific reasons. Reasons which even he couldn't believe. He would be vulnerable if he revealed them, so he kept it to himself and replaced it with one reason: he doesn't trust her. But part of him knows that is not true. He felt like he had a connection to her. But he ignored it. Cage isn't supposed to feel this way. But oh well. He slept for 2 hours and then called Laurence to meet him.
*

"Sir, Cage just beat the hell out of the gangs teaming up to beat us," said a voice.
"Get ready. They are vulnerable. Let's get straight to the point. Kill them all, including Crimson. Effective immediately."
"Yes sir," the voice replied and the line went dead.
The man sat at the desk with his hands clasped together. It's gonna be a good day for The Forsaken. He then got up, grabbed his coat and started his car. It was time to end this, once and for all.
*

Cage went through the whole thing with Laurence. Laurence shook his head in disbelief and said, "Why didn't you just tell them and not break them? Goodness Cage do you just fight anyone you don't like?"
"I don't trust them, especially Crimson. Maybe I trusted her a bit before. But after she tried to kill me? No way. And I don't trust anyone in a mask," Cage said firmly.
"What are you doing that makes you different from them so they don't deserve the information you have?"
"For one. They are trying to get to The Forsaken not for justice, but for power. Whereas I am doing this cause they started a fight with me and I'll bloody end it. If I give them this information, it will be war of gangs and people could get hurt. So no. I'm not doing this."
Laurence stared hard into his eyes. Really hard. He said, "You're lying. That's not the only reason is it. You are feeling a certain way. Vulnerability. To who?"
"None of your business."
"That girl you asked me to run isn't it. You are worried she will get caught up in all this and she will get hurt. You don't want that. Because you..."
Cage looked away.
"You love her... don't you Cage."
"I'm gonna put an end to The Forsaken. So people don't get hurt," Cage said, ignoring what Laurence said. He then had to figure out how to get to The Forsaken. He thought hard, and took a turn back to his house, the neighbourhood in which the Changs ruled for a spell.
*

Crimson and the gangs were in deep discussion.
"I say we kill him," Aaron said and the rest agreed. Some were still being treated and almost all of them have casts for their broken bones.
"Screw the information. I'd rather team up with The Forsaken to get this son of a bitch. We now have one thing in common with The Forsaken. We all want Cage dead," Raven declared. The rest nodded in full agreement.
Crimson stayed silent.
"Crimson? What are you thinking about?" Merlyn asked.
"His last words were that we have to kill him," Crimson replied.
"There we go, even the tough guy said so. We have to kill him. Get your weapons ready and call whoever there is available. We are attacking Cage's house tonight," Aaron said.
"When were you the leader of The Serpents?" Crimson asked venomously.
"I'm not. But I'm saying this out of good will. Cage has to die. For the sake of our power, he has to. And you have followed him home before. You can take us to him," Aaron replied.
Crimson thought hard. Really hard. She then said, "Ok. I'll take you all there."
At that moment, the windows were blown, and bullets fired everywhere.