AN:
Before the chapter starts I wanna thank my reviewers mulzypops, Misery57, Chocolatepie277, DeadFicDude!

Music tip:
Imagine Dragons – Nothing Left To Say
youtube: watch?v=Q6zqH6qKaTU

Lovers of Freedom

Chapter 13:
Red

After his talk to Adam, Jerome had anticipated many things.

Murphy blackmailing Mitch with an old video, some old sins they had already forgotten.
Murphy blackmailing Mitch to do certain things, having an eye on the rest of the team or something similar…

But listening to the tearful voice of Mitch Jerome realized how bad the situation really was. Cold shaking hands were clutching his shirt tightly and the pale face of the Canadian was buried in the crook of his neck. Needless to say that the unusual sight was breaking his heart.
For as long as Jerome could remember, his best friend had not once given in to the constant pressure. With a raised head he had opposed his rivals, fought against the hate with a shattering smile on his face and dreamt of a bright and happy future.

Mitch's voice finally ceased in his explanation and Jerome looked slowly down onto the broken mess that was left of a once strong and seemingly unbreakable character. His grip around Mitch's upper body tightened and he compressed his lips to contain himself from screaming out loud.

Murphy was going to pay.

However, first things first - he had to calm down Mitch.
"Buddy?" he whispered, but the sobs continued together with the tears, wetting the black shirt on his shoulder. With a sigh Jerome put a hand on the back of Mitch's head and leaned his own on top of his.

"Please stop crying."
Mitch's shoulders tensed under his touch, but instead of replying he tried to gulp back the sobs unsuccessfully.

"It'll all be okay, I promise."
Before he had the chance to argue, Jerome continued. His expression hardened and his voice turned cold, as he stared out into the night without really seeing the dark facades of the neighboring buildings.
"He will never have the chance to say a single word to you again. Trust me, when I'm done with him, you won't have to worry about him anymore."

Mitch's whole frame stiffened, before he asked with a stuffed-up nose, "What do you mean?" His voice was rasp and his hands still clung to Jerome as if he was about to drown in his churning, conflicted emotions and self-doubts. For the fraction of a second Jerome had the lingering thought in his mind that all those doubts couldn't possibly come from Murphy alone, but he let it go as Mitch raised his voice again with a hint of suspicion.

"Jerome, please don't do anything stupid."

"I'm not, don't worry," he answered with a certain voice and considered for a moment, before he grabbed one of Mitch's cold hands in his own to press it reassuringly. "He will go down. Tomorrow morning he will be able to sip his coffee at a police station!"
Somehow his words were the wrong ones and with a loud "What?!" Mitch pulled back from the warm embrace, which had helped him to relax after his breakdown. Jerome got up from the ground without seeing the desperate look on the Canadian's face and replied, while walking back into the room, "Thankfully we haven't unpacked yet. At first-"

"Jerome, don't-"

"-we have to tell the others what's going on, then we'll go to the police."

"Hey, wait-"

"I would like to get to your parents afterwards, but I'm not so sure about that."

"Jerome-"

"Better a place where he can't find us, until everything is-"

"STOP!"

His body froze as he carefully looked up from Mitch's suitcase on the bed. He had already been in the middle of checking his belongings, completely ignoring the interruptions, because it was right what he was doing, there was no other way to keep Mitch save…
The red and bloodshot eyes were full of panic, as Mitch stood in the doorway to the balcony with a trembling stance, but his voice was low and firm.

"We are not doing anything like that, Jerome."

He waited for his best friend to continue and put the item in his hands back into the suitcase, before he walked around the bed to stand in front of Mitch with a questioning and worried expression on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Mitch took a deep breath and avoided Jerome's look, as he continued with the same tone in his voice.
"I'm not going to risk my family, Jerome. We are not going to tell anyone a word!" – "But he won't be able to do anything to them, Mitch, when we blow his cover and-"

"Don't you understand, Jerome?!"
Mitch's hoarse voice cut him short and his best friend was nearly screaming, as the panic finally took over. "He is not the only one! You signed the contracts yesterday and today there are flight tickets for all of us and a newly renovated house and garden?! He had to know about Microsoft buying Minecraft, so there had to be others involved, probably his bosses!"

For a second Jerome was speechless and mustered the upset boy in front of him with wide open eyes. He was exaggerating, wasn't he? Mitch couldn't be right, because if his suspicions were true…

"But how could they know that we would actually agree to all…"

He stopped himself and his eyes widened even further if possible, as he came to the same conclusion Mitch was telling him in the same moment, "Because of me." The resignation in Mitch's voice was like a stab through his heart and with a shaking voice Jerome continued, "That's the reason for Murphy blackmailing you. They knew you wouldn't go against your family and that somehow you would be able to convince us if necessary. Even though I can't see how this should have worked with Adam, because… you know."

Mitch lay down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Jerome followed immediately, sat down by his side and put a comforting hand onto his shoulder. It was a weak attempt at reassuring his best friend and at the moment he would do everything to hear his infectious laugh again, but the situation was too serious, too dire for a hopeless attempt to bring back his cheerful side.

"That's the reason why he was there together with me, before you guys arrived. Murphy wanted to convince him without the influence of the rest of the team, I guess. Dunno why I was invited to it though."
An untypical frown adorned his face and with a sigh Jerome lay down on his side and continued to watch him. A groan, then Mitch closed his eyes and put an arm over them to shut himself off the light. Jerome didn't even have to ask, a short poke to his arm was enough for Mitch to tell him what was up.

"Headache. What am I going to do now, without telling anyone else about this?"

"Wrong."
Mitch lifted his arm and stared at Jerome with a raised eyebrow.

"What are we going to do now? Don't you dare to even think that I could leave you alone in this mess! And first of all we really should inform the others, Mitch."
The Canadian shook his head and covered his eyes again, still certain about his earlier decision. "Under no circumstances! If they all know, Murphy will definitely find out, if he hasn't already." His voice was still rasp but a lot calmer than before, nonetheless his words and the unspoken ones made Mitch tense up again in the blink of an eye.

Jerome tightened his grip on the Canadian's shoulder.
"We'll find out who else is in on this and until we have an idea about how many of them are involved in this, I'll keep him away from you." The confident tone in his voice was far more reassuring than Jerome was at the moment, but what could a small group of people do against a corporation, which was so much more powerful than they could ever hope to be?

Jerome was afraid, concerned about Mitch and furious with the man, who had presented himself as a helpful and trustworthy person just the day before.
Nonetheless he couldn't show his raw, unbound emotions in front of his best friend. He needed him more than ever and like hell he would let Mitch get threatened any longer, no matter what!

"Promise."
Mitch's voice was so low that Jerome nearly had not heard him. Mitch slowly lifted his arm again and freed his eyes to stare at him with unconcealed, blank fear. "Promise me, Jerome." Never could he have denied it.
Letting go of Mitch's shoulder Jerome grabbed his free hand instead, giving it a tight squeeze. Not once did he let go of the hope in his eyes, which brought a thin smile onto his friend's face.

"I promise."
To never let you alone with him again.
To get you out of this mess.
To not tell anyone.

Words were not needed and with a for once peaceful expression on his face Mitch slowly closed his eyes.
Jerome still held his hand tightly in his own and watched over him, long after he had fallen asleep.

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