How It All Ended

Chapter 38

 Tommy was wearing worn-out, black jeans and what looked like a black dress shirt with a gray denim vest over it. I noticed that his right forearm was wrapped in some fresh gauze from his wrist to his elbow.

"Whoa, what happened there?" I asked Tommy.

"Oh, this? I had to 'borrow' some gear from a group of people that didn't like sharing," Tommy answered me. I tried my best to not react to Tommy's response. I knew what he meant. I noticed that only a couple of Tommy's men were carrying rifles with them. I figured they were trying to conserve what ammo they had. Just like Rolie's group.

"I see your lackey Jordan made it back to you all safe and sound," Shauna remarked.

Tommy smiled and pulled Jordan in close, wrapping an arm around his neck. "Yeah, he did a great job," said Tommy rather proudly. Tommy then looked at the office building. "Nice place you have here."

"Thanks," Rolie said.

"And you are?"

"Rolston."

"I'm Tommy Ashton."

"Yeah, I know."

One of Tommy's men whispered something to Tommy. "Oh yeah. My associate here tells me that it was one of your guys that killed Borland."

"That was a mistake."

"Yeah, sure it was," Tommy scoffed. Two of Tommy's men dragged the injured lookout up to Tommy. "Was it this asshole that did it?"

"No."

"Then who did?"

"None of your damn business. As I said, it was an accident. I swear."

Rolie's lookout was in bad shape. It looked like the fall had broken his right ankle at the very least. Every time Tommy's men tried to let him go, the lookout couldn't stand on his own, and he would collapse to the ground. I took a few quick glances at the snipers Rolie had posted on the building next door to the office. Neither of them had a clear shot at Tommy.

"Can we have our lookout Tyler back? He needs help," Erin asked.

"Look at that fucked up ankle. I should just put Tyler out of his misery," Tommy said.

"Don't!" Rolie yelled.

"Okay. I'll make you assholes a deal then. I'll forget about you killing Borland, as I really didn't care for him anyway. And, I'll give you Tyler and your snipers back," Tommy said with a little grin. I looked up towards the snipers again, and a few of Tommy's guys had both of them. "What? You didn't think I knew about your little snipers? Anyways, all you have to do, Rolie, is hand over Shauna, Amber, and that prick, Dom. You do that, and I'll let Borland's death go. Hell, I'll even let you keep this nice little hideout of yours as an extra added bonus."

"Why can't you just move on, leave it be?" I asked Tommy. "For fuck's sake."

"Because, Dominik, my good buddy, this is my city now. My territory. And nobody fucks with me. Haven't you figured that out by now?"

"I figured out that you're an asshole, but that's about it."

"You're so damn funny, Dom. You really are. I'd love to have someone like you in my group. But, you need to be taught a lesson," Tommy said. He grabbed Rolie's lookout and pulled out his pistol, aiming the gun at Tyler's head.

"No! Don't!" Rolston pleaded with Tommy. "There's no need for any of this."

Tommy looked at Shauna, Amber, and then at me. "Hand those three over. We'll leave, and I won't splatter the contents of this guy's head all over the asphalt. And I won't have my guys chuck your snipers over the edge of that building."