The Assignment (18+)

The Tony POV

these chapters need to stop being so emotional. 

Chapter 39 

Tony

I am hyperventilating. Geo is gone. There's no joke or pun that can get me out of this one. There's no joke or pun that will soothe this pain. Twenty years of friendship gone in one hour. I should have gotten there sooner. I should have helped Asher, maybe he would still be alive. I put my hands on my head and take a lap down the hall and back. I can't stand this. Lavender will wake up to the love of her life gone. We all knew they were in love, it was clear as day. How does she move on from this? How could I move on if this happened to Nate? I don't think I would. No one understands me like Nate does. His dark curly hair and kind eyes are only half of the man he is. He laughs at my jokes, yet holds my hands through my panic attacks. He sees through my comedic wall I have built around myself. I love him for it.

I go back to where Nate is sitting and he sees the panic in my eyes. He takes my hand and pulls me into the chair next to him. My eyes are stinging and I really don't want to cry right now. I put my head in my hands and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to control my breathing. Nate rubs my back without a word. Sometimes the silent support is more than enough.

Kai and Tyler have Asher on the phone. He isn't doing well, I've never seen him like this. Not since his mother's death. When I joined the gang, Asher didn't talk to me, or anyone for that matter, for about a year. Geo was the only one he sometimes talked to, but he was also there before any of us joined. Asher was a mean, cruel kid. He wanted everyone to hate him. I think if he managed to push everyone away, they wouldn't see the kid who missed his mother. I saw past that shit, I never gave up on him. None of us did. We are brothers at heart, and always will be. I try to listen to what Asher is rambling about, try to focus on that.

That's when the screaming starts. I'm not even in the room and Lavender's scream will haunt my nightmares. I guess that's what happens when you wake up to the love of your life gone. After listening to a couple more minutes of utter despair, Vona bursts from the room. She is breathing hard and clenching her fists. I don't think I've ever seen her cry before, and even now there are no tears. She sees Asher on the phone and rips it from Kai's hands.

"Stop blowing up my phone, Asher." She says sharply into the phone.

"I want updates Vonnetta." Here we go, "You not answering won't calm my nerves. You are the one he's contacting, so you are the one I will be contacting." He replies with annoyance.

"Text me again before I contact you first and I will block you." She throws the phone at Kai and storms away. Kai watches her go with raised brows and blows out a whistle.

"You two really know how to pick the timing of your fights." I call over to the phone, I hear Asher chuckle.

"Vienna and I aren't going anywhere so she better get used to me." I hear him respond.

"We are going to find her Asher. She'll be back home soon." Kai says. Asher clears his throat.

"Yeah, she will."

The silence is thick. We all want her home. Yes, we started out as rival gangs, but that diminished a while ago and we all know it. We've become the group Jasper and Miss Reyes have always wanted us to be. Geo's death affects us all just like Vienna's absence does. I miss her, and I want her safe with us. I lean back and rest my head on Nate's shoulder when Vona comes back running.

"Vienna, where are you? Are you okay? Where are you?" She rushes over to Tyler, who already took his computer out, and is putting the phone on speaker.