On Contract • Lashton AU

Part Fifty One

"I just bought us a little time..." Ashton mumbled, wincing as Luke dabbed the skin around the wound.
"Ashton... What did you do?..."
"It doesn't matter, but we have to go soon - neither of us can stay here. It's not safe at all..."
Luke didn't ask any more questions as he dug around in the first aid kit for a bandage. He found one eventually, reaching around Ashton's waist to tie it properly. He then applied a new pad underneath the bandage.
Ashton sat in silence, staring at the dried blood on his hands.
"Turn on the news," Ashton muttered, moving so he was sat properly on the coffee table.
"Ashton, you're scaring me, what happened?" Luke mumbled in return.
"Just turn it on, please," Ashton sighed, wiping the blood onto his jeans.
He hoped nothing had hit the news yet - it would give him just enough time.
Ashton's heart sank as Luke flicked on the TV. Already, there was a live studio report of the body of a man in his late twenties to early thirties being found - shot to death.
Ashton groaned and put his head in his hands, and Luke just stared at him, a little shaken by what he saw.
"We have to go... We've got to leave tonight, there's no chance of us being okay staying here..." Ashton muttered bitterly, standing up a little too quickly.
"Go upstairs, under the bed in your room there's a sports bag, get some clothes from the wardrobe. We need to leave as soon as we can.
Luke did. He wasn't going to argue with Ashton because he was right. Or he probably was. And Luke was still a little wary of pushing Ashton again.
Hemmings left the room first, at Ashton's request. And Ashton was heading into the hallway before he heard the woman presenting the news confirm something he already knew.
"Clifford was dead on police arrival with one gunshot to the head and four more to his body and abdomen."
Ashton turned away from the TV at that point, heading up the stairs to find basic essentials that he would need. He needn't worry about Luke, though.