Chapter 8 - Part Eight

 Chapter Fifteen: Broken Alliance

“Mushi!”

The syllables of her name, were the only sound that passed through the man''s ears as he looked at the young girl in front him. Everything else around him was silence; everything else around him no longer existed. He was alone in the dark and the only thing he could see was her. Her big brown eyes were wide with surprise as she stared at the one who had shot her, but amazingly enough trust was still evident as the moon shined into the alleyway were they both stood.

The sound of footsteps entered into his world next, louder and louder they grew until they suddenly stopped. “Mushi!” Came the sound of the name again as another rushed into his view. “What did you do!” she screamed. “Wally, what the hell did you do?”

Wally only blinked as he saw the young girl, Mushi, fall into her sister''s arms. She was covered in a dull red liquid as she held herself tightly. Wally tried to look away only to find that he too was covered in his strange red water. He then licked his lips nervously, but frowned. Once his lips had tasted of his girlfriend''s mango flavored lip gloss, but now as he tasted metallic, realizing it was blood, he new mango would never taste the same again. The taste would forever be tainted for him. Wally then looked to his hand, a cold silver weapon resided there and he immediately dropped to the ground as he finally realized what he had just done.

More footsteps could be heard from behind, more than one set this time. Faster they traveled than the last, heavy breathing could be heard from one before Wally softly heard, “No. Please, God, no.” A young boy stepped into his vision before falling to his knees beside Kuki and Mushi. “Keep your eyes open, baby,” the young man gathered Mushi''s bloody body in his arms. “Just keep them open,” he tried to keep his voice calm, but it shook despite his best efforts. His eyes then grew wide as hers slowly slid shut. “Hoagie!” screamed the younger boy calling to his brother. “She needs help!” he told him as Kuki ripped apart of her own dress to apply pressure to Mushi''s wound.

“We got to get out of here and now!” she demanded. “Come on, Mushi,” she pleaded through her oncoming tears. “Just hang in there.” Then all of sudden Kuki''s ears perked up, followed by her head. She looked around and realized her entire group was within her eye sight. “Get down!” she yelled as her torso turned before she made a dive for Wally''s discarded gun. “Tom!” she cried before the boy covered his body over Mushi''s.

The moment he did bullets ranged out from all directions. “Down!” Wally heard Gavin shout out as his hands along with Hoagie''s grabbed onto him and forced him to the ground. Wally couldn''t tell how many surrounded them as his cousin and Hoagie returned fired along with Kuki.

Then as quickly as it had started, it was silent, silent that is except for the sound of panting from the small group. “Is everyone okay?” Kuki asked, checking her gun. They all nodded as they began to stand careful.

Kuki walked over to Wally and dug in his coat pocket as she allowed the empty mag to fall from her gun and replace with it a new one. She did this all without directly looking at him. “Kuki, I-”

“Let''s get out of here,” she interrupted him and then she turned around and began walking. “I''ll go on ahead. We need to get my sister to a hospital,” she told them before disappearing down the alley.

Tommy tired to lift Mushi up off the ground, but the tears he shared had made him weak and he struggled. He then felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his brother. Tommy rose and Hoagie took his place before lifting Mushi into his arms and the three disappeared down the alley after Kuki.

Then there was only Gavin and Wally. Wally looked to his cousin. “I didn''t mean it,” he finally whispered. “I swear, I didn''t mean it. I didn''t know she had fallen behind, I thought she was with you guys. I never meant-”

“I know, W.B.,” Gavin reassured him. “I know.”
OoOoO

Wally sighed as he laid in his hospital bed. The alliance between the Lawrence and the Senthos family, had once been strong, but it was still very new at the time, only three months into it actually, and so they often went out as a group to get to know each other and to strengthen their trust, but everything had changed after that night.

They had all gone out to dinner to celebrate Mushi''s fifteen birthday, and everything was going fine. Wally and Hoagie discovered that night, that they were both into Yipper Trading Cards, when they were younger, and were making plans to meet up and play a few hands. While they did that, Gavin was making fun of Kuki and her Rainbow Monkey collection, telling her she was too old for such a thing. While Mushi and Tommy, who had been dating before the alliance was established, were the reason that both families came together.

Kuki had then turned from Gavin and asked Hoagie if he had a girlfriend, he had told her that he did, but she was away on her senior trip since she had just graduated from high school. Before Kuki could ask anything more about her, a window was broken behind them and a fire arose in the restaurant. Shots then flew into the building, causing panic and confusion among the people inside. As they stood up to leave, they noticed the members from a a rival family entering into the restaurant. That''s when Wally and his group had taken for the back door. Wally had been sure he was the last one out among them. He knew he was, so how Mushi had fallen behind was still a mystery to him.

After she died, Tommy blamed her death on Wally, and so both families severed all ties with each other. And though Kuki, told him she knew it was an accident, their relationship was on shaky ground. They were fighting all the time and when they weren''t doing that they were ignoring each other. So Wally, finally having enough, had gone to Gavin, telling him he just needed to get away for a little while. He just need some space from her. He needed to breathe, because it wasn''t helping Wally that the Sanban sisters looked so much like. So Gavin gave in to him and let him go on out of town trips to handle the legal parts of the family business. This left Gavin to deal with the lonely Kuki, who found comfort within him, which eventually led to their own affair.

The night Wally had lost control after learning about their affair, wasn''t only because he was heartbroken, but because he knew everything was his fault. He was the one that had led them all on this train of events. He was the reason, he and Kuki were always at odds, he was the reason the alliance was broken, he was the reason, he and his cousin, though they loved each other, would never truly trust each other again, and lastly, he was the reason, the Senthos had taken Abby. He just couldn''t just sit still anymore.

“What are you doing?” Gavin asked as he watched Wally pull out the I.V. in his hand and detach the other devices stuck to his body. His heart monitor flat lined.

“Getting out of here,” he told Gavin as several nurses rushed in to the door and asked him the same question as one went and turned off the monitor.

“Please, Mr. Beatles, you aren''t in any condition to go anywhere. Please just get back in bed,” one nurse urged him.

“Just listen to her W.B.,” Gavin agreed with her.

“Where''s my doctor?” he ignored them. “I''m checking out,” he insisted as he gently pushed the nurse off of him. “Gavin, my clothes.”

“Boy, you''re being reckless. Get back in bed before you hurt yourself!” Gavin demanded.

Wally looked him straight in the eye. “I''m sorry about the affair. I''m sorry, I hurt you, I am,” he said him truthfully. “But understand, I-” he exhale before he hung his head and closed his eyes. There was no way around it. He could lie to himself, but knew he''d lied to Gavin for far too long. Wally then looked at his cousin once again. “But I love her, and I''m going after her Gavin, with or without you.” A mixture of concern and fear filled his eyes as he asked softly. “Are you with me?”

Gavin was quiet for a moment as he looked at his now fragile looking little cousin. His thoughts ran back to the other day, when he had thought he had lost him. He remembered praying, and telling God he would do anything, anything, if he would just let Wally wake up, if he would just let him live. And He had been kind to him and answered his small little pray, that meant so much. Gavin, knew he would never forgive himself if he allowed something to happen to Wally or the rest of his family at that matter. He would fulfill his part of his bargain with God. “You''ve always stood behind me, W.B., even when you didn''t want to.” He walked over to him and placed his hand on Wally''s shoulder. “Now it''s my turn to stand behind you.”

Wally placed his hand on top of the one resting on his shoulder. He avoided eye contact. “You''re not angry?” he asked.

“I was,” Gavin declared as he sighed. “But a person can''t make someone else love them, no matter how much they try, I see that now. But don''t get me wrong, I still love that bird, but her heart doesn''t belong to me and I don''t think it ever has and I''m man enough to admit that.”

Wally then finally made eye contact. “Thank you,” he told him before taking a step into him and hugging him.

“Nurse,” Gavin called out as he embraced his cousin. “Please, go find the doctor for us, he''s checking out.”

“Of course,” she replied as the other nurses followed her out the room.

“Gavin?” Wally pulled away from him and sat back down on the bed. His eyes were different from before, Gavin noted. “Remember when I asked you to hold that key for me back when-” he pressed his lips together for a moment. “Back after Mushi died?”

Gavin shook his head from side to side. “No, Wally, don''t push yourself,” he warned him.

“I want the key,” he told him.

“After the other week. . . are you sure you''re ready?” Gavin asked him.

“I''ll only know then,” Wally told him truthfully.

Gavin nodded. “It''s at the house. We''ll go and get it.”

Wally picked up his phone. “She called me,” he began. “In the middle of the night. You were sleeping.”

“What?” Gavin looked surprised. “Why didn''t you tell me sooner?”

He shrugged. “I''m telling you now. I''m also telling you. . . she sounded scared.” Wally nervously played with his phone. “I tried to call the number back, but all it does is ring. I won''t lose her again, Gavin.”

Gavin nodded his head, as he understood, but then looked to Wally curiously. “What do you mean again?” he asked.

“What?” Wally looked up with a blank expression.

“You said, ''I won''t lose her again'',” he told him.

Wally just shook his head before pressing his fingers against his temple. “I feel a headache coming on. Could you go get me something for it?” he asked him.

Gavin was quiet for a moment as he studied Wally. “Sure,” he told him at last before heading towards the door. In the doorway he paused and turned around “W.B.?” he began, there was something he had to know. Wally turned his body towards him to listen. “Where did you meet Abigail?”

“At the acad-” he stop himself and once again looked confused. “No uh, the arcade?” he answered, but didn''t seem sure. “Yeah,” he finally convinced himself. “At an arcade convention.”

“Alright, just sit tight,” was all Gavin said, before going to find a nurse.
Chapter Sixteen: Through All Truths

“You''re what?” Kris couldn''t believe what she had just been told. So surprised by the news alone she had to sit down and was thankful the couch was nearby as she plopped down.

“Hoagie and I are back together,” Abby repeated herself to her friend.

Kris shook her head from side to side as she tried to understand. “Then why don''t you sound too excited about it?” she wondered. “Besides, I thought you and Gavin were still going strong. What happened with him?”

“Things just didn''t work out between us,” she explained. “Oh, and I have more good news,” Kris could hear the false cheeriness in her voice already, “Hoagie asked me to marry him. We''re planning on setting a date for next year.”

Kris gave a tired little sigh. “Are you sure you want to do that, Abby? I mean, don''t you remember last time-”

“It''s different now.” Abby interrupted her. “Can''t- can''t you just be happy for me?”

“How can I?” Kris asked. “When I know, that is a matter of weeks, you''ll be crying on my shoulder because of something Hoagie did to upset you, yet, not tell me what it is?” Kris stood up and paced around her living room. “Do you really want to go through that again? I mean, you were doing so good, Abby. You''re almost done with school and Gavin was-”

“I don''t need a lecture, Kris!” Abby stated, anger growing in her voice. “I need a friend.”

There was a moment of silence between them before Kris spoke again. “Fine,” she finally responded. She then apologized. “Look how about you come over and we hang out for a little while, huh?” she suggested. “I mean, I''ve barely seen you this summer. Home girl is starting to feel neglected.”

“I wish I could, but. . .” Abby trailed off.

“But what?”

Abby answered her in a small voice. “I''m not allowed to leave yet.”

Kris'' brow furrowed. “Allowed?” she repeated the word. “What do you mean not allowed? You''re a grown damn woman.” There came no response to her comment. “Abby?” she called curiously. “Abby?” she said a little louder.

“Kris! Listen to me quickly,” Abby spoke hurriedly. “Do you remember that Christmas party you attended with me two years ago – near the lake?” She didn''t give her time to answer. “That''s where I am. I can''t leave yet, so you have to contact Gavin for me. You have to tell him-”

“What the hell are you doing!” Kris suddenly heard the almost familiar, voice of an angry man, which made her stop her pacing completely. “Who are you talking to?” he demanded to know.

“No one!” was Abby''s immediate response. “Just my roommate from school, I swear!” There was panic all in her words.

“Who is this?” Kris heard herself being addressed.

“Who am I?” Kris asked, wondering where he had gotten the nerve to speak to her like that. “Who the frack are you?” She then said quickly, “Wait a minute – I don''t care. Put Abby back on the phone!” she ordered, but she was ignored.

“I told you no calls!” he shouted.

“I''m sorry!” Abby cried back.

"Sorry? I show you sorry." Kris than heard the phone slammed back onto the hook. She pulled the phone away from her ear at the harsh sound.

“Abby?” she called when she put it back to ear, not knowing why, as she already knew it was too late. Kris than threw the house phone on the couch before grabbing her purse and running out the door. She didn''t know how, but she had to find Gavin. . .

“Well?” Tommy probed, leaning back up after slamming the phone back on the hook. “How was I?” he asked as he looked down at Abby sitting on the bed.

Abby nodded her head approvingly up at him. “Pretty good, though you did go just a little over the top.” She indicated by lifting her hand and making a small space between her thumb and index fingers.

He rolled his eyes. “I''m a little out of practice with my acting skills,” he explained. “But I liked that shiver you had in your voice as you went, ''I''m sorry!''” he told her with a playful manner, which seemed to be rare these days.

“Wasn''t too hard to fake,” she look stubbornly at him. “Considering the way you treated me the other day.”

Tommy opened his month to speak, but just sucked on his teeth as if in thought. “I didn''t know if you could still be trusted.”

“And now?” she wondered.

“Ask me again, when the bug is dead,” he told her before he turned around and headed towards the door. “Get ready. It should only be a matter of time before Lawrence and Beatles find out about the lake house. We need to get there before they do.”

“Alright,” she agreed without protest as she stood up, slightly shaking.

“It''ll be your first kill, won''t it?” Tommy stopped where he stood and asked with his back to her.

“Don''t ask questions you already know the answers to, Tom,” she told him as she looked down at her hands and balled them up into a fist, trying to stop their shaking.

“You know,” Abby turned to him curiously as his voice as grown soft. “I wish you could have met Mushi.” Abby lowered her gaze at the name of the girl Tommy had cared for so much. “Even when you do wrong toward this family, there is still a loyalty in you that ties you to us. And I know that it has to do with my brother. I can only wish, if Mushi had lived, that she would have shown me half the dedication and the love you have shown to Hoagie.”

Abby smiled sadly. “And here I was thinking you didn''t like me.”

Tommy whipped his head around quickly. “I don''t,” he made clear. “But when you''ve given my brother his wedding gift and your hands are as stained as ours,” he thought out his words. “I will treat you as you are – wife of the future head of this family and with it you will have my unquestioning loyalty. But make no mistake because you won''t have it a moment before.”

“Understandable.”

“Good,” was his response before he started to continued towards the door, but before Tommy reached the doorway Hoagie had appeared in front of him. Abby gasped loudly as she covered her mouth with her hand as she watch Hoagie backhand his little brother across the face with a resounding smack. Tommy, caught off guard, stumbled back before falling to the floor, face down.

The younger Senthos slowly turned his torso to look up at his big brother from the ground. Abby witnessed, Tommy''s nothing less than hardcore expression regress to that of a small child who had displeased their most admire sibling. “Wh- what did I do?” Tommy stuttered as his hand went to rest on the now stinging flesh of his cheek.

Hoagie squatted down beside Tommy and removed his hand from his cheek, as if telling him to take the punishment like the man he so much tried to be. “I have eyes all around me, little brother," Hoagie began darkly. "Now tell me, what could you have possibly done to piss me off at you, at you!” he stressed the last two words as it was rare for Hoagie to show anger towards Tommy in such a physical manner.

Tommy looked to be pondering over his brother''s question. He then slightly lifted his head as his eyes came into contact with Abby''s for just a moment too long. He then looked back to Hoagie. “I don''t know,” was his answer, which was not the answer Hoagie wanted to hear and so smacked him again with a force that was sure to leave a bruise. Tommy immediately hit the floor once again. He bared his teeth as he felt the blood run from his nose and drip onto the carpet. He breathed heavily as he picked himself back up.

“Hoagie!” Abby stepped forward, she couldn''t watch this. “Hoagie, stop. You''re going to hurt him. Please, don''t do anything you know you''ll regret later. Please stop,” she asked him.

“It wo- it won''t happen again. . . I swear,” Tommy promised, not looking at Hoagie. “I''m sorry. I am.”

Hoagie''s face soften as he sighed after hearing his brother''s apology. What''s gotten into me? he asked himself before putting his hand on Tommy''s shoulder. “I know,” he reassured him gently. “Come on.” He then helped the other up off the floor. “Did you make that call?” he addressed towards Abby.

“Yes, just a few minutes ago,” she informed him calmly.

“Good, every thing is on schedule then. Carlos is going to drive you to the lake house, alright? He''s down the hall. Tom and I will be right behind you. The two of us have a few things to discuss,” Hoagie instructed her.

“Alright,” she replied and picked up her purse before leaving Hoagie and Tommy in the bedroom. As she got to the end of the hall she recognized the guy who had driven her and Tommy the night she was brought back to Hoagie. “You''re Carlos?” she asked.

“Yes, ma''am.” He nodded his head.

“Well then, come on, we don''t have all day,” she walked ahead of him towards the front door. “Oh and Carlos,” she began. “Just so you know, when I am Mrs. Senthos, you and I are going to have a little talk about about a few things.” She turned her head to him and smiled. “Okay?” Carlos only nodded at her sweet expression.

Abby had realized exactly what Hoagie was talking about the moment Tommy had looked into her eyes from his position on the floor. The way he had treated her that night she had been taken away from Wally, she knew was something he shouldn''t have done, but to tell Hoagie was her choice and her choice alone.

Though she had thought about it that first night, she later on decided Hoagie did not need to know, for Tommy had thought he had had his brother''s best interest at heart, as he had not fully been debriefed on the plan, and so she realized she could not blame him for that. So Carlos giving Hoagie information that looked as if Tommy was anything, but loyal to his brother, was something Abby would not condone.
OoOoO

Gavin slowly pulled up in front of his home. Wally sat on the passenger side as he held his torso slightly. Gavin turned to his cousin, he had been silent since they had checked out of the hospital. "W.B.-"

"I don''t want to talk. I just want the damn key," his eyes were closed as he spoke.

"Don''t be so hotheaded," Gavin told him. "When we don''t even know where to start looking.” He then added, “We need a plan, plain and simple. We just can''t go charging into anything head first," he explained.

"You want a plan?" Wally finally turned to the other blonde headed boy. "Fine. We''ll search all their properties and make Senthos'' people talk."

Gavin turned off the engine as he groaned. "We don''t know all of their territories!" He was getting tired of Wally''s foolishness. "We never had a chance to learn them because of your inability to stop and think!" he yelled as he pointed towards his head to emphasis his point.

Wally frowned. "Well, why don''t you just tell me how you really feel?" he said sarcastically. He then slowly shook his head from side to side. "Dammit, it''s been years, Gavin. So why don''t you just finally grow the balls and say it." They stared at each other for a long time before Wally turned his head away before he nodded slightly. "I know you blame me," he began quietly. "For Mushi, the failed alliance, for Abby. . . right?” he asked slowly. Silence then passed between the two. “You know,” he breathed, “your silence has always said more to me, then words ever could.” Wally opened up the door and stepped out before heading towards the empty house.

“Yes!” Wally heard Gavin yell as he was half way up to the house. “Is that what you want to hear!” Wally turned around to see Gavin slam the car door before walking around the vehicle towards him. “I blame you! For everything!” he made clear. “With the alliance, with Senthos, we would have been set. We would have had a force, none of the other families could have penetrated or would have dared to tired, but instead what are we force to do? Fight those who should have been our people!”

Gavin slightly pushed Wally. “You''re nothing more than a royal jackass! You had the love of a good woman. A woman who fully forgave you even after you murdered her little sister!” Gavin looked at him in disbelief. “And what did she get for that?” He looked at his cousin as if expecting him to answer. “Nothing, she got nothing. Because you let your own guilt for Mushi consume you without any regard for her. She was on the verge of suicide because of you!”

Wally looked at him in shock. “Suicide?” He had never known that.

“Yeah,” Gavin confirmed softly as he nodded his head, closing his eyes as he recovered a painful memory. “I found her that night trying to eat a gun. If I had been just a moment later. . .” he trailed off before once again looking at Wally. “You left. . . expecting me to pick up the pieces and when I did-”

“Bullshoot!” Wally yelled at Gavin''s words. “You did nothing, but stab me in the back and sleep with Kuki!”

“And you beat her for it!” Gavin shot back. “A pregnant woman, W.B., who still fracking loved you afterwards.” Gavin took a step back and spread his arms out as he lick his lips and said calmly, “Yet, you left me untouched.” He then asked, “What''s wrong? Forgot that it takes two to make a baby?" He cocked his head to one side. "Or do you still think two plus two equals California?”

Wally took a step towards his cousin, pointed a finger at him. He opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing as he just lowered his hand and turned around. “We don''t have time for this,” he made clear. “Abby needs us.”

“I was happy, you know,” Gavin informated him out of the blue.

“What?” Wally slightly turned around.

“With Abigail,” he clarified. “But I guess if you''re miserable, everyone else around you has to be too, huh?” Wally only looked at him. “You destroy everything you touch,” he breathed.

“You may have been happy, but the real question is, was she, Gavin?” Wally asked before he turned back around and headed towards the house, his question still lingering in his cousin''s ears.

 
Transmission Interrupted. . .

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