Corrupt

The narration returns to the present.

Rika speeds down the highway back to Thunder Bay while frantically calling her mother. She is unable to get reach anyone on the phone. Security called her an hour earlier to alert her about the fire. When she arrives at her house, she is devastated to see how much of it has burned down. She begins to try to run into the house, but Michael holds her back. She breaks past him and goes into her room. She looks for her prized possession—a box of various matchboxes her father gave her before his death—and is heartbroken to see that it has sustained water damage. Michael comes into the room, and Rika asks him where her mother is. He tells her they have to leave the building until the fire department has deemed it safe and says they’ll stay at his parents’ house that night.

They go to a diner, where Rika explains the importance of the box: It connects her to her father and the memories she associates with him. She becomes frustrated when Michael doesn’t understand why she’s so upset, so Rika goes to put some music on the jukebox. A former girlfriend of Michael’s comes to the table and begins flirting with him. Rika becomes jealous and is harsh with her when she returns to the table.

At the table, Rika asks Michael why he’s always teasing her, and he says it is because he finds it fun. They joke about music, and then Rika reveals her feelings for Michael. Rika then announces that she is tired and gets up to leave, knowing that Michael will follow her.

Rika reflects on the fact that the Crist house has always frightened her at night. Michael and Rika make a snack and then decide to watch Alien vs. Predator, which is one of Rika’s favorite movies. During the movie, Rika catches Michael watching her instead of the movie. When the movie is over, Michael asks Rika if she likes being scared because it’s her “kink” (237). He assumes that she used to be sexually aroused when the Four Horsemen wore their masks. Rika doesn’t answer. Michael tries to get Rika to admit it and begins kissing her. Mrs. Crist calls, and Rika answers while Michael begins to digitally penetrate her. Rika struggles to talk to Mrs. Crist and quickly hangs up. However, Michael stops digitally penetrating her before she orgasms and says he won’t let her orgasm until she admits she enjoys being scared. When she refuses, he orders her to go to bed.

In her bedroom, she is furious. As she considers the game she and Michael are playing, she notices that the power has gone out. She goes out into the hall and calls for Michael. Suddenly, a dark figure appears and picks her up. She recognizes Michael’s mask from three years ago. She feels fear wash over her, and she admits that it turns her on. They begin to kiss and have sex.

The narration switches to Michael’s point of view.

Michael feels that he has messed up by having sex with Rika, but enjoys it too much to stop. Michael asks Rika to put on her old school uniform and takes her to the cathedral. He takes her down into the catacombs. In the catacombs, he lights some candles and then binds Rika’s wrists. While Rika protests, he begins performing oral sex on her. They begin having intercourse.

The next day, Michael watches Rika sleep in his bed. He contemplates the fact that he’s never been with any woman who satisfied him the way Rika does, but he feels that they cannot be together because of his friends’ desire to ruin her life. As he looks at Rika, he sends Kai an ominous text that reads, “Finish it” (262).

The narration flashes back to three years earlier.

Michael drives up to the warehouse, thinking about how impressed he is with Rika. He reflects on the fact that he’s always watched her but assumed they could not be together.

As everyone gets out of the car, Will paints Rika’s face with shoe polish so that she has a mask as well. They go inside and begin to drink. Rika goes to dance with some of her friends, and the guys watch her from a booth. Rika leaves the dancefloor, and Michael follows her.

Upstairs, Rika thanks Michael for including her and admits that she feels “powerful” (271) after the night’s events. Unable to control himself, Michael begins kissing Rika. Rika asks to go to the car so that they can have sex, but Michael refuses. He tells her they need to wait until she is 18. Additionally, he insists that they don’t tell his family about their burgeoning relationship. Rika is hesitant because she doesn’t want to hide her feelings from anyone. Michael then tells her to stop sleeping at the Crist home when he’s not there, so Trevor won’t have easy access to her. Frustrated at all of his rules, Rika snaps at him, telling him his demands have made her feel “dirty” (278) and not like his equal. Angry and hurt, Michael calls her a “kid” (278) and begins squeezing her arms forcefully. He lets go when she complains, and he angrily tells her that she is not important to him and is only useful for sexual gratification. Michael leaves before he can see how badly he’s hurt Rika, telling his friends to make sure she gets home before he leaves the warehouse.

The narration returns to the present and to Rika’s point of view.

Following her night with Michael, Rika woke up alone and drove back to the city. She has not heard from Michael.

Several days later, she goes to a used bookstore. She runs into Alex, and they briefly talk. Rika finds some books and goes to buy them; however, her credit card is declined. She tries another card, which is also declined. The cashier directs her to an ATM, and when she puts in her PIN, she sees that her account has no money in it. All of her accounts are empty. She begins to panic and calls her accountant, but cannot reach him.

Back at home, Rika calls Mr. Crist’s office. When she tells his secretary what’s going on, she suggests Rika talk to Michael since he’s in charge of her estate now. Rika hangs up and screams in frustration. She learns that he’s at the gentleman’s club for dinner, and she rushes there.

At the club, she marches to Michael and his friends’ table and pulls the tablecloth and the dishes off the table. When she asks where her money is, each guy responds one by one that it’s in his account. As she tries to push back, Michael reminds her she has nothing and that her mother is not actually on vacation. He says she belongs to them now. Not wanting to draw any attention, Michael tells her to be at his parents’ house in Thunder Bay in an hour. Rika doesn’t want to go but realizes she has no choice, because no one can help her.