I think this goes without saying -
Content Warning!: Violence, Language, Disturbing Imagery.
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Stan listened to the rain pounding on the overhang above them. It was nice to be out in the open. The alley was completely covered, yet open enough to see everything going on around them. He watched Eddie come out of the darkness and walk up to Trent.
Stan could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He watched Eddie whisper something to Trent. The leader's body relaxed and he tapped Eddie's shoulder with his hand. Stan could hear the satisfaction in his voice and he wondered what had just went down.
Worry gnawed at the strings of his heart. He wondered where Ashley was. Maybe this had something to do with her well-being. He sure as hell hoped not. He fidgeted in his position on the large garbage can. He tried to keep his focus on other things, but seeing Eddie walk away and sprawl out on a worn out bench to clean his gun disturbed him. The fact that he was taking the time to clean his weapon alerted Stan to foul play. The only reason he'd take the time was to get rid of possible gun residue that would have scattered all over the gun from being fired was because it had been used.
He resisted the urge to question the fellow brother. It put a target on his head. Waiting things out would be better. He looked over at some of the other guys that had joined them in the alley. Chase and Vic both had relaxed, but also looked curious. However, neither of them breathed a word or question. Stan guessed that they also knew better than to ask questions.
He put his focus back to twiddling at a piece of wood. It was quiet tonight. There wasn't anything to be collected and there was no need to protect their territory. Things were silent except for the rain that poured down.
"Is that you, Ash?" Trent's voice rang out, catching Stan's attention.
His gaze pulled up from his knife as he looked at a figure walking in the rain toward them. It was definitely a woman. Her long hair was dripping water off the ends. Her hoodie was unzipped and barely staying on her shoulders. A large stain was smeared across her thin, white camisole. A gun hung by her side. Stan guessed that it was a Gloc, based on the size and compactness. It clearly wasn't Ashley's gun. Her cargo pants were ripped at the knees and blood stains had etched their way into the fabric.
Stan could feel the tension in the air. He wanted to jump off of the trash bin and see if she was alright. He resisted the urge and focused on feeling out the situation. He could now make out her expression. It looked like she had been crying. He figured that it was something that Trent had done, but he couldn't be sure. The pain that he could sometimes see in her eyes had been replaced by anger. A fury that could turn anyone into dust or make them evaporate into nothing. She didn't make eye contact with him, but stopped not far from his perch.
She was close enough for Stan to make out the blood on her shirt now. He once again resisted the urge to jump up and see if she was okay. He just wanted to make sure that she wasn't hurt. He couldn't help but be curious about the thoughts running through her mind. They weren't good, he could see that. "Is everything alright, Ash?" He questioned her, but didn't get a response. Her full attention was on Trent.
Her eyes more dangerous than he thought could be possible. They shouted out that everything was far from okay. Something had pushed her over the edge.
"Why'd you do it?" Her voice was ragged. Definitely a sign that she had been crying, but she was standing stronger now then ever.
Stan looked over at Trent. He was sure that this had something to do with Eddie's sudden need to clean his gun. Something had went down and Ashley had been there. No doubt about it. The question was what.
"You know why." He said simply. "Things don't need to get out of order around here because you're talking to someone that you shouldn't be. It was either you or him. I figured you'd be alright with staying alive another night." He drawled out casually, like whatever had happened didn't change a damn thing. A slight humor lightened his normally dark expression.
"Change?" Her brows furrowed with an anger that was far from easing up. "You thought that he'd change things around here? Like hell you'd let him!" Her voice was raising. The obvious bitterness was rearing its ugly self up in a coolness that could chill the world around her.
"Watch your tone, girl." Trent said simply. He eyed her up with a new flame that was echoing in his gaze. "Remember who you're speaking to."
A movement caught Stan's attention. He watched Eddie hold onto his gun tighter, ready to use it at a sudden command. Things were getting ugly fast. Stan inched his hand behind to the small of his back. He wanted to be ready to grab his gun if necessary. He wondered if Eddie had made a move on Dom. If that were the case though, he guessed that Trent would have been a lot harder on Ash. He would have seen the relationship as a threat and a betrayal. Consequences wouldn't be this mild. He swallowed hard, trying not to think of the possible other mark that would have Ash this upset.
"I'm speaking to a pig that has no reason to be a leader. I'm speaking to someone who doesn't know how to create trust among his people. I'm speaking to a coward that can't do his own damn dirty work." She kept her calm, but Stan could see her fighting not to scream at the leader. He had very clearly been taken back by what she had said.
Trent had apparently thought the same thing. He was dumbfounded by her words, but was quick to rebound. He got up from his perch and began walking toward her. His walk was mean and far from being anything less than determined. He rolled up the sleeves on his tight, black shirt as if he was preparing for a fight.
Stan watched Ashley raise up the gun. There was no hesitation. No nervous blinking or shaking hands. "Stay right the hell there." She said calmly. She worked rapidly when Eddie pulled his gun on her to put her down. She twisted the gun in his direction and put a bullet in his chest. "Call off your dogs." She spewed out as the other two jumped up ready to gun her down. Her focus went back on Trent.
Stan white knuckled his own gun. He wasn't going to move until he had to. He needed to know what was going on before he acted or blew his cover. He'd stop Ash when he had to. If only to protect her.
Trent didn't say anything, but a cruel laugh left his mouth. His eyes were on fire as he watched her. "You gonna shoot me, Ash?"
"I can think of so many reasons to, Trent. You've made that easy." She spit out. Hatred laced her voice intensely. "He was innocent. You didn't have to kill him."
"Oh, but I did. Anyone who tries to steal away my girl will get just what's coming to him. You weren't going to get out of here, Ash." He smiled at her. "You're stupid to think that you were."
Stan could see Ashley trying to hide her emotions. She didn't blink. He guessed that she was afraid to take an eye off of the cruel leader.
"Once more you're stupid to pull out a gun on me." He inched his way closer. The distance between them was closing quickly.
Ashley's face steeled up. "Stop or I'll drop you." Her eyes had already shaped into narrow slits and her voice held an instant threat that proved how crazy she was. She'd do it without a question.
Trent snorted. "You wouldn't dare." His arrogance was aggravating. He stopped though. Fidgeting with the idea that maybe she would follow through and shoot him.
Stan knew that he had heard the same threat in Ashley's voice. He had seen her just shoot one of the others and the idea that she might not stop to think about shooting him was anything but a fake reality.
"Ash, what are you doing?" Stan quietly chimed in. He could see her fighting the onset of shaking that was beginning to set in. Maybe from the cold. Maybe from shock. Maybe even from anger. He didn't know, but that would either make her jumpy enough to shoot sooner or make her risk missing her target.
"He killed him, Stan. He killed the cop." The words left her mouth with a broken reality.
Stan's world began to spin. There was no way. Tom was always so careful. "What do you mean he killed him?"
"He was walking from the grocery store to his car and Eddie shot him. I watched him bleed out." The words were frantic. She couldn't hold the pain back in them.
Stan met her eyes when she chanced a look over at him. An apology was lingering in them. "I tried to save him."
The breath was sucked out from inside him. He couldn't let his guard waver. He couldn't. He had to be strong. He had a job to do.
That sudden break in her focus was enough for Trent to pull his gun out. Within a second though, Ashley dropped him. She had had Tom's gun right in the place where it needed to be, but without a second thought she had grabbed her 38 and used it instead. Using Tom's gun had been a way of ensuring that his death was avenged, using her gun had been her way to her own personal freedom. One shot and the leader had dropped. It was enough for Vic and Chase to pull out their guns and aim.
Stan took no time in hesitating. He drew his weapon and dropped Chase, but not before he got off a shot. Ashley was still standing up fine so he assumed that the fellow member hadn't had a chance to aim at anyone. He could see that Ash had her sights on Vic.
"I don't want to shoot you." She whispered, but he acted as though he didn't care and she put a bullet in him. Her eyes met Stan's again. "I'm sorry."
Stan jumped up from his spot on the garbage can and walked over to Chase. He didn't meet her gaze. "This one's still alive."
Ashley walked over to Vic. He was as dead as they came. She moved over to Trent. Anxiety inched through her as she knelt down by him.
"Is he dead?" Stan asked slowly. Ash made eye contact with him briefly. It was enough time for Trent's dying body to raise his gun. It went off the same time that Stan laid a bullet in him.
Ashley fell back on her hands. Her breathing was elevated and her eyes wide with surprise. She watched the life be drained from the man's eyes. Without a second though, she chucked his gun away from his body.
"You okay?" Stan asked as he put pressure on Chase's wound. His eyes flashed his worry.
Ashley nodded. Her lips stayed in a thin line as she got up from the ground and walked over to Eddie. She kicked him over on his back and knelt down by his wheezed breathing. Her eyes showed no emotion toward him. "Why'd you do it?"
Eddie laughed. He showed no surprise in his expression. "Because I was following orders."
"Not good enough, Eddie. Why'd Trent really want him dead?" Ashley's eyes narrowed as she let more of her focus remain on him. She let her body sink down on her knees more.
He coughed hard, revealing blood sliding from the side of his mouth. "Why the hell would I tell you?"
"Because I asked you to and you owe it to me!" She snapped at him. Her voice was a little weaker than she would have wanted.
"Owe it to you?" He echoed, buying his time to reveal anything that he didn't want to.
"Yes. Owe it to me. You killed my friend. You owe me a reason why you were told to do so." She said clearly. Her hand subconsciously reached over to her side and clenched it tightly.
Eddie followed her grip. He eyed up the new, fresh blood seeping over her already bloody fingers. A small smile etched into his face. "Looks like you're going to be joining us in hell, Ash."
Stan was listening to everything while keeping a tight grip on Chase's wound. He looked over in time to see Ashley shift her weight to her hip and prop herself up with her hand. She had laid Tom's gun on the ground and had put hers back in the small of her back, giving her the free hands that she needed. "Ash?" He asked her quickly.
"You were shot?" Eddie asked. His smile still evident.
Ashley didn't answer either of them. "Tell me why?" There was a little bit more desperation in her voice.
Eddie's smile faded as he watched her for a moment. "Because he knew that he was losing you. Just like he had told you." He spoke quietly. Using every ounce of strength that he could muster. "He knew that the only reason why you'd be giving the cop so much of your damn time was because you were trying to strike some kind of a deal. I told him just to put a bullet in you, but he wanted to break you instead."
"By killing one of my only ways out." Ashley felt woozy and weak. It all made sense. Trent wanted power. What better way of achieving that then by breaking her down enough where she'd give him her everything? Not that that would have ever happened. He had gambled on her and lost.
Eddie nodded slowly before breathing his last breath. Ashley had hit him close enough to his heart to make him bleed out quickly. It had been more of a merciful death than he had deserved.
She wiped away the tears filling her eyes. Not for him, but for the thought of why Tom had been killed. She picked up Tom's gun and pulled her weakened body up. She barely was able to stumble over to Stan.
He was quick to jump up and grab her. Gently, he laid her next to Chase and lifted up her shirt enough to reveal the fresh wound billowing blood from her side. He swallowed hard and put pressure on it. "Why didn't you say you were shot?" His voice was irritated because of the gravity of the situation.
Ashley choked out a laugh. "Because I didn't know." She said calmly.
"How the hell didn't you know?" He pulled off his shirt and ripped it. Carefully splitting the fabric between both injured people. He swallowed as Ashley winced painfully. This was far from being ideal. It was a bloody mess and hell of a way for things to go down.
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Wow...
There's too much going on here to say anything.
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