In the hood there are two kinds of street chicks: side hoes and gangster chicks. If known as the latter that meant you could ‘hold your own’ and be independent, which fit Ally’s guise perfectly. Ally smiled softly as she turned her head to look at the man beside her. Xavier. He was passed out from the exercise she put him through. She quickly looked away and glanced at the clock atop the bed side table. For the last thirty minutes she had been focusing on the clock hands as they moved from number to number in anticipation of what might the future hold.

How quickly it became one ‘o clock from midnight was impressive. All Ally could hear now was the dramatic ‘DING DONG’ and it startled Xavier. His shrilling screams made Ally roll her eyes. Xavier acted on instinct and immediately lifted up his pillow searching for his handgun, droplets of sweat forming on his forehead from all the stress he was putting himself through. Unable to find his weapon that he always kept on him, he became suspicious. Weird. It was always at his side.

But when he realized what was going on, it was already too late.

“Where the fuck is it, Xav.” The cold metal pressed against his skull. An intruder stood beside the bed standing at Xavier’s side. Ally knew where the gun was. He had made her put in the dresser next to her, and he probably forgot that he did that. Ally wasn’t going to just grab it right now though unless she really wanted to die first. This situation was between Xav and that intruder.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about man!” Xavier put up both his hands in defense looking dumbfounded or pretending to be. Ally didn’t know what kind of fucking shit that man did on the side these days. The intruder’s face was red now. Ally got the feeling that she wasn’t gonna like what he going to say next. “Mate unless you want me to fucking bury a bullet through your skull, you’re gonna tell me where the cash is at.”

Lo and behold, that seemed to turn on a switch in Xavier’s mind, it’s as if the rage in the intruder’s voice alerted him to think really hard. “Shit man uh… money ain’t here. It’s somewhere else.”

“You fucking with me right now! I bet you can’t even tell me the specific location, huh?” The stranger said in horrifying disbelief. He pressed the gun harder into the side of Xavier’s temple, probably going to leave a mark there soon.

“Mate I’m fucking serious. I don’t keep any cash here. Trash the place and try look for it. Aint here.” Xav shrugged his shoulders. Damn, Ally thought. This motherfucker was a good liar. Ally only moved an INCH and the intruder noticed before firing a bullet above her head. “Where the FUCK do you think you’re going, huh?”

Ally turned her head slightly to look him more in the eyes. “Look, I’m gonna save you from wasting your time and just give you want you’ve been wanting alright?” Xavier widened his eyes. A cloud of anger flooded his mind. She knew he probably wanted to really kill her right now. “Right, take me to it.” The hoodlum responded.

“Yeah, follow me.” She got off the bed and walked out of the room down the hallway, all the while that gun was pressed against her back. She walked into a closet in another room where the shoebox with all the money was. “You grab it for me,” he said in a cold tone. As instructed, Ally rummaged in the closet, making a mess of all the clothes that were neatly folded. There was a brick of cocaine and a hunnid grand in the shoebox. She lifted up the lid, but proceeded to reach over for the gun in the corner with her other hand that she always kept in there for emergencies like this.

As quickly as she was pushed into the life of crime, she got back up in a swift move and fired two bullets into his chest, making him fall down to the ground. “You came to the wrong fucking house,” Ally kicked her boot into the side of his face. It was no use though. She was beating a dead horse.

Xavier was still in the bedroom. He shouted from there saying, “Ally what happened?” Oh. Ally groaned. Might as well kill him too while she’s at it. He was probably going to go to his boss and blame everything on her to save his fucking life. She knew that Xavier was already in deep shit for this. “Yeah!” She yelled back. Ally walked down the hallway back to the bedroom, her boots making stomping sounds. She hid her hand with the gun behind her, the other hand holding on the doorknob and casually leaning against the door. Xavier stretched out his arms, yawning a bit. “You killed him?” He sounded relieved. Not for long though.

Ally smiled sweetly and nodded before walking over to him and pressing a warm kiss against his neck. She unveiled her gun and pointed it towards the side of his head.

BANG!

Ally stood over him and watched as the blood drizzled down all over the sheets.

Two days later

The night that she killed the intruder and her boyfriend of four years was…. Unexpected. To say the least. She didn’t talk to anyone the next day. She was expecting a whole mob to knock on her door the next morning though to kill her. Nothing happened though. Yeah, Ally knew she was in biiiiig trouble. No one had found out YET, but the moment it gets revealed that she was the killer, a huge bounty would be put on her head. And so the next day after that she decided to unintentionally drag someone into her mess.

Dressed neatly and without a speck of bloody evidence on her, she knocked on the door of a good friend. She sighed in frustration. 

“Rom, I did something bad. Really bad.”

"Oh you got to be kidding, really? What would that be?"

Rom welcomed her inside, already heading over to his cabinet and pulling out a decanter of bourbon, along with two glasses. Pouring himself a hefty glass as he noticed that AllyGarcia seemed, well, skittish. He knew her very well, very few things got her that way and it was always something along the lines of stealing, cash or beating some down, either it was all three or she was just here for a joking visit and considering that she had said she did something bad, well that left the former. 

"Go on, what is it that you have to tell me?"

He waited, moments like this made him realize that he did care for his friends. His nature or reputation was something that had almost been dragged through the mud, his life as a basketball player had been tarnished now. All he could do now was embraced the reputation, if they wished to paint him as the monster of their lives, he would let them paint him anyhow they wished, he cared not, for he knew the truth.

"Just....remember, I can only help you so much and that's something that even I can't promise. So, what's the news on your bad, bad thing?"

With this, he allowed a playful smirk to twitch at his lips. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that it was wrong to do so in such a situation, it wasn't like she had murdered anyone, Ally? C'mon, that just wasn't possible, at best, she lost her temper and beat someone down but kill? That was just....only now he looked at her, the way she had run to him, the way that he had never even heard from her in days up till now...

Oh, fuck no. Gulping, he downed the bourbon and poured himself another glass. He just hoped that it was an unknown, something that they could bury, or he hoped that it was money, for the love of god, he hoped it was money. He could help with that, he had tons of it, his life had taken a turn for the worst but money was never a problem. 

"I'm going to help you, whatever way I can and in the best way that I can. I promise you that, always."

With that, he met her eyes and made sure that she knew he meant his words. This wasn't something which flew over her head, no, he helped his friends, and he didn't leave them to...cover up their own business.

Ally was welcomed inside and immediately invited to a drink. She smiled ever so sweetly before she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. “Thanks, Rom. I won’t drink too much though. Got something on later tonight. So how’ve you been?” As she continued to chat with him and catch up, Ally then proceeded to answer his later question.

“You know that I trust you. As a friend talking to another good friend, I ask that you don’t share this information to anyone else,” Ally took a deep breath as she readied herself to tell the events that occurred two nights ago. She wasn’t afraid to tell the truth though, she owed him that much after what he’d done for her in the past. She truly believed that she had a rock-solid friendship with him.

“I shot Xavier. My boyfriend of fuckin’ four years. But when I stood over his dead body, I… felt nothing. My heart felt so cold and for the first time in my life I felt so fucking terrified of MYSELF, of what I’m capable of.” There was a brief moment of silence before she continued to tell the second half of the story. She looked into Rom’s eyes for some sort of comfort or validation. She also noticed though that the sneaky smirk he had on previously had faded into an expression of terror. In Ally’s mind, the situation had turned out just as she had imagined it in her head prior to coming to his humble abode.

Because like, she wasn’t really known for being… a killer. Maybe a beater or a stealer. Not so much of a killer though. Ally knew how to work a gun of course, but she never really took much interest in shooting bullets through people’s brains. Until two nights ago though, apparently.

“And to make this situation I guess, even MORE worse, is that on the same night I killed an intruder that came in when I was laid up with Xav. Honestly, I don’t have a fucking clue who he is but he stomped in and demanded cash. Xav tried to lie and say that it wasn’t there, but I knew.” Ally didn’t know why she was sounding proud to say it, but in reality she was just fed up over idiots who should’ve known better than to intrude her and her now dead AND ex boyfriend’s privacy.

Ally continued, talking more slowly now to let Rom imagine the scene.

“Led the intruder right to the stash, before I killed him with a handgun that I had in the closet. Turns out he was coming for the one hundred grand, as well as the um… brick of cocaine. Or should I say bricks. Never knew Xav was fucking stacked like that.” Her mind went back to the events. She was looking in the closet standing before AT LEAST ten bricks of cocaine. Her eyes grew so wide that she thought they were going to pop out.

Ally pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed in annoyance. She took another sip of her drink. Then looked at Rom with a sort of pouty-looking face. Pfft. Rom probably thinks I’m really fucking dead now, Ally thought to herself. There was really only so much a friend could do. But she came to Rom for a reason. He seemed to always find a way for something, no matter how… bloody it was.

“I know, I know. Hey don’t look at me like that. I mean yeah, this is pretty fucking bad. Xav never really told me what kind of jobs he had been taking up, but I imagine now he owes A LOT of money to a few mobs. He’s really connected like that. But now that he’s dead, who else are they going to ask for the money? Yeah. Me. Who knows how much fucking money he owes. Fuck sake!” Ally accidentally knocked over her glass as she went into a rage. She widened her eyes in horror when she realized what she had done. “Shit, shit! I am so sorry Rom. Look, I’ll clean it up. Where’s your-…” She got up and quickly searched for some towels under his sink. Nothing. A roll of paper towel was available though and she used it to soak up the bourbon.

Then Ally started to tear up in the corners of her eyes. “Fuck, fuck.” When she started to cry, it just turned into a flood. The most negative thoughts entered her mind and she couldn’t help but bring Rom closer to her as she pulled his shirt towards her and rested her head on his shoulder. He said a few words, yet it made the biggest impact on her in that moment.

“Thank you. So much.”

Once Ally had got done with her crying fiasco, she helped clean up the rest of the cracked glass. She turned around after putting everything in the bin. Casually leaning against his sink, she pursed her lips nervously. “I have a plan. I still need to touch it up later. I was thinking… since I probably have so much compensation and debt money that I’m going to have to pay back, maybe we could go back to how we were before. Going on multiple jobs, getting the best thrills from all the organized crimes we’d do together. Remember that time we stole that huge ass expensive painting from that museum?  The payout was incredible. The money I got didn’t last long, but anyways that’s besides the point.” Ally shrugged.

“I’m really just thinking out loud here. We work tell together.”

Ally figured that in a matter of a few weeks, after doing some big jobs with Rom, she would be able to get the money she needed to pay back the people who desperately wanted her killed.

Rom sat back as he took this all in, he didn't know how to take it exactly. She had been his closest friend, an ally at times and now here she was. She came to him for help, something that many people often did. Only that was for drug money debts, to assist him with the holding off of petty dealers, he never truly desired something like this to come to him. Where a friend was in trouble with the mob, yet he remembered, he had been in trouble this one time, Rom had climbed onto his knees and became a distribution of the drug game.

Something like this, well, it was truly different for the both of them. Sure, Rom possibly had a little money to help the both of them, Ally was a friend. Someone that didn't hold him back for anything, here she was, wishing for his help. Crying and being a bit hysterical, he could make a few calls and all of this could have been, but he had little pull. Newt and Gimp were involved in his business, yet that was a given, he was barely made, and he had given them something on a silver platter that turned out to be a gold mine.

"Ally, calm down, I'll figure this out, alright? We have a lot of business to do here, we have a lot we can to do help you. When I say we, I mean you and I, obviously. Just calm down, no need to cry. Chances are, Xander is one of the many that owed them some substantial monies. Now, was he in any way involved with the production in Detroit? Because, that would be my problem, considering things."

His voice did not turn soft, in fact, it went deeper as if contemplating where the drugs were in this situation. From what he had seen, Ally never even came in with the ten bricks of cocaine. If he had competition, that would need to be sorted before his suppliers decided that Detroit was going to be grounds for a new brewing Cartel war in the streets. Scoffing, he calmed himself down as he stood to his, pouring himself another glass of bourbon. 

"Chances are, you need to be worried about the intruder, more so than that of your dead lover. If he knew about the money, chances are, he knew about the drugs. You have to consider the possibility that maybe he was sent, you got in the way and were soon taken captive as you said. Chances are, he was a hired gunman and maybe an associate of an outside mob."

Taking a cautious sip of his bourbon, he could see that Ally continued to be a little well out there. She was skittish, more than necessary, and he found himself smirking for the moment that he knew she was fine. This could easily be sorted out, he had the money to pay them but it all depended on one single thing, if it was his drugs or not. 

"We do work well together but currently, I don't have the well, chances to go out on a Sunday evening and rob a jewellery store like the old days, lass. We can do a lot right now, which is keeping you safe and making sure we figure out where the drugs came from, along with whom you're ex-lover was working with, you get that lass?"

He didn't like the unknown, it left too much to chance and with Fate and Chance, he found those two all too willing to have their way with him. Chuckling, bitterly, he looked at Ally and could see that he wasn't exactly doing his best in comforting his friend right now. Rom shook his head, he sometimes forgot, as people loved to point out, he was a friend first. 

"Hey, don't you worry though, regardless of the drugs and the possible retaliation. You'd be seen as an unknown, they wouldn't know whether you knew about his debt, chances are, they will come to you still. I'm going to take care of that, right now though, I need you to tell me, did you take the drugs?"

Stepping closer, he could see that she was almost hiding herself away. Yet the way she spoke about their moments of organized crime, the art gallery, the moments where life had seemed a bit more...simpler. Shaking his head, she was getting that thrill from life, ones where you experienced it once and you needed another hit, one more, and then another...it was a high that never did end. 

"@AllyGracia, besides the drugs, besides of all that. That's kind of small-time, I have something that could secure you compensation, debt money, and more. As I said, I'm involved in a high-risk business, one that involves...wheeling and dealing, being the charismatic son of a gun that I am. I'm willing to get you on board with that."

With that, a grin played at his lips, he downed the rest of the bourbon. His eyes glinting at the possibility of working with her again, she was something else, she knew how to talk, she knew when to play the game. The life that he was in, he knew that it had changed over the course of the past year, yet here he was, ready to get back to making sure she was well off.

Sliding up next to her, he sent her a wink. Deciding that she could handle it, if she so chose to do so, this was the one chance. Drugs was a serious game and so was running numbers, as well as running the product itself, she had to be ready. 

"If we can find out who Xander worked with, how much debt he owed and to whom, along with those drugs. I'd want to make you a partner in a firm of mine, something that you would not forget, ever. Think about it, we can move from here, Als."

Ally was hoping that Rom might be able to relate to her situation. Kinda. She remembered one time when he had been in a difficult predicament as well. Ally knew that she was definitely asking for too much all at once though. Time was money, and it was a problem when Ally was pretty much lacking in both of those departments. Ally’s tears had dried by the time he spoke again. She pursed her lips in thought. “Um… well I know Xav had inside scoop on what was going on in Detroit’s cocaine production and distribution centers. I also know that he had to report back to someone. Think his name was Douglas Brooks, something like that. They were making a plan to buy out another cocaine warehouse in Corktown.”

Ally had known that much about Xav’s operations. But that was as much as she could remember. She understood that this was now Rom’s problem too, considering that he was literally working for a mob in Corktown. Assuming that he knew about the tensions between the cocaine factories in Chicago and Detroit, Ally now felt like the initial problem at hand was worse than she thought. And now that Rom had told her to take extra caution because of the intruder, she felt helpless. But at least she still had a few leads to work from. “I can always work backwards, right? Xav had been staying with me for a while and he always left something at mine either because he forgot or because he trusted me with it. I’ll see if I can dig up any information.”

A look of worry was plastered on her face. Ally didn’t want to worry, but reminding herself to not worry made her worry even MORE. She locked eyes with Rom, feeling grateful as ever to have him as a friend after all this time they had known each other. “Yeah, you’re right. I might not be the first person they suspect, and as far as I know Xav and I agreed to keep our relationship secret. But they will find out eventually. And I hope to not be at the end of a gun when that happens.” Ally shook her head. “The drugs are in the boot of my car,” she said matter-of-factly as she gestured her thumb behind her. It was bizarre saying that.

Ally was down for whatever Rom wanted to do in order to settle the situation. When she heard about his business partner offer, it took her just a little amount of time to accept it. “What business are we going into together?”

She then asked Rom if he wanted to go back to the house with her and look for any information about Xav’s work. “Is it narcotics?” Ally tilted her head when she was seated in the driver’s seat. She wasn't deeply invested in the industry, but if an opportunity like that arised she would take it. Narcotics had been getting a lot of investors lately because of how filthy fucking rich one can get from dealing crack and other illegal drugs. And that kind of business also came with violence.

Before the exact arrival at her house, she noticed two black cars parked on the lawn of the house across from her. That didn’t make things any less obvious because two men dressed in expensive looking suits seemed to be walking towards her door. They looked furious and started to bang against her door. Ally quickly grabbed a cap that was sitting in her back seat and placed it tightly around her head. She was still on her street but she continued driving past her house, keeping her head turned away so that she wouldn’t be seen by them. In the rearview mirror, she could now see them kicking the door down. She continued to drive on.

“We are mightily fucked,” a little laugh erupted from her throat. “I’m glad that I took the drugs and money before I got to you. Pretty sure though I’ve got a fucking framed picture of Xav and I on my bedside table. Hey, it’s fine right? Maybe we can go to the strip club that he would frequent some nights. I of course knew he wasn’t going there to gawk at butts. I know for a fact that was his place of contact with other people connected to his line of work. Bet you never would’ve guessed that we’d visit some strippers today, eh Rommy?” She glanced at him quickly and smiled sheepishly at his reaction.

Ally pushed her foot on the acceleration and the car zoomed. Given that it was still the middle of the day, when Ally arrived she noticed that there weren’t many cars parked out front. But she decided to park somewhere a bit far so no one would suspect. Who knows, someone might have been following her in that very moment. She leaned over to turn off the car’s engine and stepped out. “If things go to shit, I’ve got your back,” she whispered as she flashed him the gun holster strapped to her thigh.

“He knows most of the bartenders that work here. If Johnny is on shift right now, he’ll know something. They’re tight. Now let’s interrogate these sons of bitches.”

Standing on the streets, looking left and right, he didn't know whether that this was a good move. Learning that there was competition inside Detroit was another matter, one thing at a time and for right now, he needed to help his friend. With little information and the fact that he could get her involved with his organization something that he knew was the truth of things. A sly smirk plastered on his lips, he looked at her, noticing the piece and could not but chuckle, whilst shaking his head. 

"You'd think you would be hesitant to even hold that piece lass, nah you're not one of those. All guns blazing then? Last resort, that's how I do business, mostly. If I see no alternative, I have to do it a certain way that I know how it will work. We'll talk to this Johnny as you called him, see what he's up to and if he knows anything, aye?"

Thinking back to the car, he gave her a small look. It depended on what she thought, she was already tuning up. It was not something that someone stepped into with ease, this kind of style, kind of life, was not for the faint of heart. Yet here she was, standing by his side, letting him go through with this. She had changed, yet he was here for it, ready to back her up as well. Of course, his piece was neatly somewhere else. 

"We're here, aren't we? I seem to remember that you drove us here and it's hardly the time to be thinking of such things. I prefer the social clubs, strip clubs...aren't my scene."

A pink-red hue almost played at his cheeks before he turned his head in a rushing fashion, looking at her with a silly smile that had him chuckling. He could never get that as well, he shrugged his shoulders, trying to move forward but the thought still lingered in the back of his mind. He wondered why for a second.

Well that was certainly true, he never had a vested interest in them, nor had he ever thought to move his product through this kind of place. It seemed like one of the more difficult parts of the life, people always did what they had to do to get by. This was one of those right there, with a sigh, he started walking up the street, hoping to make it to this joint from where AllyGarcia parked the car. 

"You have the drugs and the money? Good, it's yours, keep it. There ain't no way in hell that you're returning anything to these guys, they can get fuck all. Think about it though, you've earned this kind of money and it's not something that would be easily forgotten that you've done this. Maybe you have the chance, more than that actually, to be someone."

He meant that and kept walking as he bowed his head, they had finally come across the fucking joint. Finally, he had got tired of walking. Looking back at Ally, he gave her a soft grin while raising his brow. As if to ask her why she parked this far, yet he knew, they both did. She was worried about her life still, not that she needed to be, this was going to be sorted and soon. All he needed was to find out some stuff from Johnny, and he could move forward from there.

Ally still looked at bit skittish, she parked her car far, she held a piece on her and ran to him at the first sign of things. She knew who to go too, for a moment, he would have felt something for her, a protective quality that hadn't quite come forth in a while besides the moments when his people were in danger. 

She was one of his people, regardless if she worked for him or not, regardless if they had not talked for many months or years. She was one of the people that stuck by him, sometimes, he did not repay that debt. Now, he intended to make sure that she would be protected for many moments to come. 

Giving her that look once more, he sighed, deciding now she would need to know his business. Not everyone did, yet she knew that he was far from the noble and badass basketball player a year ago. That life and story had changed, here he was, in a few suits and looking like he had walked out of a modelling shoot.

"The business I'm involved in, I never told you what it was, though you were right. It is narcotics, one that I am involved and head the distribution for in Detroit. I have partners in all the districts of Detroit, your ex-lover dealing here is a problem. We thought that we got rid of all the petty dealers, making sure that we were the only dealer in town. Seems that we were wrong, you've helped us out here. You know what that means?"

Giving her a sly grin, he stepped into the strip club. Looking round, it wasn't much, but he was looking for the bar, and he had found it. None of this shit was escaping his eye, with a smirk on his lips, he walked up to the bar. Looking at the man, he motioned for a glass of scotch, knowing that he wasn't going to be for a while. 

He was going to try and enjoy some good stuff, yet here came the problem, a woman clad in black lingerie walked up to himself. Hugging his bicep, Rom rolled his eyes, shaking her off and sending her on her way. He could see the look that Johnny was giving, wondering how the fuck he did that?

"Johnny! We need to talk about your friend, Xander, Xavier, whatever the fuck with an X is called...you do this for me, I promise, you'll be rewarded, greatly."

Rom knew his words had a honeyed drawl, as if an invitation sweet on the outside but held more than one intention if he were to take it...

Before entering the strip club, Ally mirrored the grin Rom had displayed on his face. She felt far more relieved to know that her car wasn’t clearly visible from anyone else entering. She also wasn’t sure if she could trust herself to keep the drugs and money. Knowing herself, she might use up the supply, but that’s another story entirely. “Oh, yeah,” she said in response to the petty dealing problem at hand. “So when we find out who Xav is working with then we pretty much have hit the fucking jackpot.”

As her feet led her inside, she started to feel weirdly out of place. She wasn’t dressed like any of the strippers on stage, it was a big difference from her normal everyday black slacks and plain t shirt. Her hair was down in effortless waves, unlike the strippers whose hair was doused in hairspray. It made her realise how far she had come. Probably not the best example, but it made Ally sentimental for a little bit. She watched as Rom chat to the bartender. Ally gave him a look and signalled to him with a hand that she was going to head to the ladies room. As she approached the toilets, a woman dressed in provocative clothing flirtatiously raised a hand in greeting. “Excuse me,” Ally moved beside her to get past but was stopped in her tracks once again.

Ally rested a hand on her hip. “Can I help you?” She looked back to see that Rom had been interrupted by some woman who probably held intentions that were irrelevant to what they were dealing with. Ally scoffed. Turning back to face the woman, she was greeted with a cunning smile. “I know why you’re here. Aren’t you Xav’s girl?” Her tone was passive aggressive. Ally hated everything that was happening in that moment and she started to get furious. She thought NO ONE knew about her and Xav’s relationship. “Who’s asking?” She spat back. She wasn’t going to give answers to just any stranger, especially one who was dressed in a little piece of fabric not enough to cover her tatas.

“Someone came here earlier this morning looking for some girl, kind of short in stature and Asian. You fit the glass shoe perfectly, hun. They said to tell you that they want their stuff back.” As Ally took in the information, it started to make perfect sense why she saw those two guys from before knocking furiously on her door. Too bad, they should’ve waited around at the club for a little bit more. “Know their names?” Ally rubbed her right shoulder, which started to hurt pretty badly. A painkiller sounds pretty good right now, Ally thought to herself. “I don’t know. Jack and Jill. Tom and Jerry? Fuck if I know. Just two bald guys, roughly the same height but I guess the thing that stood out to me was that they had these gold bar badges displayed on their suit jackets. It had the initials GD. Pretty hard to miss.” The woman had introduced herself as Leanne, and that she wasn’t on anyone’s side. “Look, I just wanted to tell you this because, well, I’m not supposed to tell anyone but they trashed the fucking place and they also hit one of my girls so fuck them.”

Ally didn’t want to believe this woman too fast, but given that she had known of her and Xav’s relationship, which she thought NO ONE knew, she felt inclined to trust her. She stepped away, before going over to Rom who seemed to be in conversation with Johnny. He hadn’t noticed her immediately, of course not, Ally had never come here. But if that Leanne woman knew then Xav had probably opened up his big mouth once or twice before. “Rom, we have to go. The guys Xav works with came by here earlier, and they might come back later if word gets out that we’re here. Also does GD sound familiar to you?”

The GD hadn’t been so familiar sounding before, but when Ally hopped into the car with Rom she started to go deep in thought. Ally couldn’t help but to keep repeating it in her head. “GD… GD… Wait. Oh fuck…” Of course it was them. Ally hadn’t been hearing about them for a while, but she always wondered if they went out of business. “Rom, remember this pharmaceutical company called Gonzales Distributors that went bankrupt few years ago? After that they were snitched on by an employee and the police raided all their stuff. Could it be…?” Her eyes narrowed on the road, moving as fast as she could, but didn’t really know where they should be heading. If she could just know the address of the warehouse… but it’s been ages. Maybe they didn’t operate in the same place anymore.

Ally didn’t really know much about them, but she was hoping that Rom would have a little more knowledge about the business. How is it possible though they could still be in business? Maybe a private investor? Another company brought them out and took over? A million possibilities, and Ally didn’t know where to start. After a while of driving mindlessly and when there were no cars behind her, she decided to pull over where there was a phone booth. She clicked off her seatbelt and told Rom she would make a call to her boss. “I’ve got to inform my family about this. I’ll tell them that is my mess, and my mess only. I don’t want to get them involved because I handle this myself,” Ally said through clenched teeth. She was never given anything on a silver platter when she was younger. It’s still the same story now. She had to hold herself accountable and fix her own mistakes. But even after the incident two nights ago, she didn’t have any mercy for what she did.

Life was always about survival to her, and it was time to bust out the big guns.

Rom didn't know what to think, talking with Johnny had yielded bits of information but nothing that would have been THAT useful to him, at least he thought. Maybe he needed to rethink his plan, turning to look at Ally, he wondered if she would feel about all of this. She had bolted out of that club before they had time to even talk, leaning back into his seat, he shook his head and moved his hand into the waistband of his trousers and felt his pistol. 

Gonzalez Distribution, those guys, well they were people that he had been warned about and now his mind was heading back to the sleepless nights in Mexico. Times when he had gone back to simply be involved with a deal for the Cordelia's, turning his head to look out the window, he watched Ally for a moment, he knew them alright. Yet they were not as big in Mexico as they were over here, they had a new backer, and they were switching their style. It was a moment of renaissance for them.

Holding her shoulder, he knew that he needed to do this. She was someone that he was close to, he wanted to protect her from this. Just before she could step out, he had a way he could help her but this could turn out to be something that neither of them would be ready for. There was one thing about Xavier being a petty dealer in a world that he knew next to nothing about, yet this? This was bigger than just a bout of money and drugs, this was something that could affect his business as a whole. 

"Don't do this Ally, I understand, trust me I do. Yet Gonzalez Distribution are not the same people you think they were before, a long time ago I went to Mexico, I was there on business. I didn't sleep longer than two hours because we were always moving, the Gonzalez Brothers or distribution, whatever you wish to call them, they started a war with my supplier. They wanted to bring out their business to the states, so it started a territorial war. It seems that Xavier would have been working for them. Fuck!"

He shook his head, looking at her with narrowed eyes for a moment, leaning away. Did she know? The thoughts that were driving in his mind, she was his friend. She wouldn't wish to set him up, and she didn't even know that he was involved in this life. No one from his past had known, only her. 

"Ally, this is not a single mission or one kill type of thing. The suppliers that the GD have, are not going to let this go. The drugs in your car, well, it's going to start something and I need to be able to protect you. Cause right now, this is bigger than us, alright? This is not something you can weather alone, alright!? I need you to understand that...please, you have to let me take care of this. I know you, I see that look in your eye...yet I am telling, imploring you, to let me handle this. Let me make the call."

He meant that now, she was in trouble, he knew that he could handle himself. Yet that soft spot for her, the one that still looked at her with the soft grin, how he remembered the countless moments of being silly, laughing, and enjoying booze to no end as if the world owed it to them for being in such a state.

Pulling out his gun, he placed it on his lap. His hands twitching to hold it, just for the feeling of that protection, he continued looking at her. Hoping for all that this was she would let him handle this one. All he knew was that this was going to be something else, something that didn't end in a single moment, things like this were never slow and steady. 

"You haven't even let me tell you what Johnny gave me, something big and that makes me realize that Xavier was a dead man walking. He stole drugs....it's why the intruder came, they wanted it back and now you're in their crosshairs. This is not going to be smooth, you can't always rely on yourself. And that's not even it, trust me, it all makes sense now."

Shaking his head, the cartels were treading on ground that was beginning to slowly splinter the way Rom managed his own style of product from now. He needed to protect Ally, while making sure that the Cordelia's or the others did not get wind of what the fuck was happening here. Rom was getting a headache, and he was sure that this was not going to be the end of it, only the beginning. 

"So tell me what you really want to do? How you really want to go about this? Because if you're- If we're going down the line of a bloody trail. I need to make the calls. I need to make sure that after this, you're not going to be left in the dust. Alright? So no, it's not going to be you by yourself. Make the call if you need to but know that I'm behind you in this AllyGarcia."

Finally, Rom sat back now, heading out of the car for a smoke. Shaking his head, Ally would need to think. His piece now tucked into the waistband of his trousers as he leaned against the car, looking out at the sun setting. They were going to be doing for a while, they weren't running, far from that. Rom knew that Ally needed the protection, all he needed was a single call, and she would be just that, protected.

Taking a puff, he looked at her, the soft look in his eyes for a moment before turning away finally. His eyes on the road, looking ahead, yet he saw nothing, as if it reflected his own situation. He knew not was going to happen next, only that he needed to be ready.

The look of immense caution on his face was enough for Ally to give second thoughts to calling her family. Her eyes narrowed. Maybe she shouldn’t tell them at all, and that it would be best if they didn’t know anything. Ignorance was bliss. Ally ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath, wanting to get a hold of herself. “Right, okay. You’re right,” Ally gave a nod. She felt like she was underestimating the situation and now as she walked back around to her side of the car, she began to really understand the pressure of it on Rom. Her eyes flitted with recognition when she saw the gun resting in his hands. Good thing they didn’t have to use it back at the club.

As Ally weighed the risks of the problem she was in, she leaned against the car deep in thought. A cloud of smoke came her way from Rom’s lit cigarette. Whatever fear she had before was all gone and now she had to make a decision, on either letting it consume her or actually fucking do something about it. There were ominous dark clouds above her, as if to signal that something bad was coming their way. She walked back around the car and leaned against it besides Rom so that he could hear her better. “This… war on drugs. What does it REALLY take to end everything? You know what I think?” A piece of bark floating in the wind caught her attention and she focused on it, before looking back to Rom.

“I think the Gonzales brothers whoever the fuck they are, are going out of business REAL soon. They’ve been brought down before, why wouldn’t that happen a second time? They had a reputation for going broke in the past, and pretty sure it’s hard to come back from losing billions of dollars. All this trouble is going to put even more heat on them, if anything. The people invested in their business will start to see how much trouble they cause. They’re done. They’re OUT.” Her fists clenched. She knew she was right, and she had seen far too many drug dealers go down for their own wrongdoings and not what someone else did to them. Ally could accept being wrong though, if there was some other explanation.

“Now we could pay them back for what my ex-boyfriend stole, but I can give you a much better solution than that one.” She glanced over her shoulders to make sure no one else was around. The tone in her voice was demanding. “To kill the Gonzales brothers themselves…? Or be killed by their scum bag drug dealers?” And just like that, the whole game changed. She waited for his response, which somehow felt like forever, or maybe she was just getting more and more impatient with each second passing. Ally wanted this all over and done with, and what better way to settle it than to kill the one who is getting in the way of the Cordelia’s success? She only wanted the best for Rom, and without a doubt she was on his side.

Ally stared deeply into his eyes. “Rom, we can do this. I know we can. Now, I know it’s far from anything we’ve worked on together in the past but… we NEVER back down right? That used to be our motto.” It was sentimental to look back to the past, and Ally closed her eyes for one brief second and a flood of memories came back to her. When she slapped herself back to reality, she was already making her way back inside the car. She had hoped that when Rom was done with his call that he’d be able to find out the exact location of the Gonzales brothers. Hah. Probably sitting around in their big fucking mansion snorting lines of their own supply. “Fucking pigs,” Ally snickered to herself before she put the key into the ignition.

“So, did you get something. And what do you think of my plan?” Ally had her lips in a half-smile, but there was really nothing to be smiling about. The sky was already getting dark. An imaginary timer was going off in her head. “We’ll make it so that they don’t suspect a THING.” And with that, Ally started to discuss an assassination plan on the Gonzales brothers, as well as an exit strategy, though it was discovered that they were not very much equipped with guards as well as Rom’s supplier. She decided to drive back to the house as well, to get much needed weapons as well as bandit masks to conceal identity. It was crucial to their exit plan, and if they wanted to make it out alive. “Do we need this?” Ally held up a bullet vest in her arm in Rom’s direction. “I’ve got two. Here.” Ally threw it to him anyway. She wasn’t taking any chances. If she was going into battle, she wanted to have all the right gear.

A frown suddenly appeared on Ally’s face when she walked out of the house. “Hey… Rom,” she spoke softly. “Just like what you said before, we can’t do this alone. I didn’t ask how the rest of that call went. Did you end up getting a few people to help us on this? We need eyes on us too to be on the lookout for people coming to kill us while WE’RE trying to kill the Gonzales brothers,” Ally said as her grip tightened on the guns. She was aware that from an outside perspective looking at Ally and Rom, they looked like crazies holding guns on the sidewalk. It made her smile a little bit. There was just too many crazies out there.

“By the way, I know this is all just too much to handle, but I’m really looking forward to getting fucking PISSED at the bar when all this is over,” Ally threw her head back and laughed like a maniac. The car windows were rolled down and her hair was flying behind her as she said that. As she continued to drive in the darkness that now filled the sky, she thought about what she’ll say to the Gonzales brothers right before she and Rom would kill them.  

To kill the opposition, he knew that they had the power to back themselves up here. This would be a move to secure the city of Detroit, one that would be supported by various people, including Angel the little prick. He needed this time, he needed something to give and this was it, Ally had proven to be a boon, either sent by fate or fortune, he did not know, but he was willing to take her up on these ideas as she drove on her way. This was going to be one of the toughest fights that he had ever been witness to...like he said, it didn't end with a single shot, it would end with multiple dead bodies strewn about their compound. 

Thinking back to the call, a few of his people had answered the call. His security team were already on the way there, though they had asked him if it was for the cartel, in one way, it most certainly was. This was going to be one heck of a battle, the GD organization may have been a far cry from what they were years ago but it did not mean that they held no sway, people had thought the same about him, yet here he was, geared up and about to face down one of the most dangerous fuckers to ever walk the streets…

"I was going to say that the supplier might be here from what I heard, if that's true and I do mean it, we take them out too. We create a power vacuum for my people to swoop in and take the Mexican drug trade, it leaves me with more to distribute and much more to the others in line with time. We can do something special here Ally, I know, I may be getting ahead of myself but this is not like the usual kind of thing I do…earn money, kick it up...this is...a thrill."

And yet he knew why he had been willing to do this, it was as he said, a thrill, a daring adventure into the unknown. The Gonzalez, they were a bunch of fools, they were people who had been downgraded in the eyes of the society. More so the Cartel's, it was not unknown for them to be the bitches nowadays, yet if they were to be decimated by the likes of Rom and Ally, it would certainly be the end of them in the states forever...

Checking his pistol, he cocked it, reloading it and such. He wished to make sure that nothing was going to be wrong here. Everything he wished to do, how he played this game and how he had reached the moments up to now. Where he had gained enough noticeable desire to kill his opposite and the supplier of their opposition, if this happened....he would be cemented and much more would come, he didn't know what yet but the fact a shiver ran down his spine did not go unnoticed to the young man. 

"Ally, when are you not looking forward to getting hammered at the bars? I'm the one that used to drag you out on occasion, I was the sober one....or are those nights a little too hazy for you, eh?"

He chuckled, noticing the way she seemingly blushed in embarrassment, he turned his head, leaving her at that moment. They needed their fun and while poking a little of fun was always a good way to do it, sometimes, it didn't help. Like right now, the moments with Ally flashed before his eyes, the times when she had been the one to introduce him into the organizational shite, at first glance...it was nothing more than a little push.

"Your plan is sound but if the supplier is there, we kill them all. Don't care if I have to blow that compound up itself. No one and I mean it, Ally, no one is escaping that building alive. Do you understand me?"

His voice had gone grave, he met her eyes and for a moment, Rom looked like a different person. The way his hair seemingly framed his face, the look in his eyes, it was like staring into the face of the grim reaper himself. Cause that look, the one he sent Ally then, he was definitely not sparing anyone in that compound over another year....

Rom didn't know how to feel about this, he felt the excitement and the rush, as if he was back on the court planning his moves, looking forward to shooting that chance of a three. Yet he could go for the drive, the determined finish of removing all the obstacles in his way and go for the dunk. Which would make him much more of a legend, something that brought him into the true category of being someone in this life.

The desire to look at Ally and say that this was it, seemingly it was all that mattered as finally, she pulled up to the compound, a few blocks away. It was visible, guards had been all around the place, this was not going to be easy and the guns would either start firing before long or they would find a way to stealth this...he didn't want that though, as he continued the mantra in his head, the fight, the seeking, the thrill.

"Ally, wait. There's something else, my guys are coming. We're going in there, twelve people all armed to the teeth ready to show these fucks that we can rock this business, alright? This is us, keeping you safe, keeping you healthy, in our way, with our means. We do this and there is no going but you know that, don't you?"

The boyish cheeky grin that played at his lips as he watched her for a moment, he stepped out of the car as two more cars pulled up behind them. Gerry and his guys had arrived, this was it, ten more bodies, and they were set, this was going to be over soon enough. They weren't ready, they were not prepared! These GD fucks, they didn't know what world they had stepped into, they threatened his friend, they had decided that she was to die, well, look at the turn of events, eh?

"AllyGarcia, are you ready for this, finally? The guys are all here, we have the guns, why don't we go in and say hello, eh?"

For a moment, she stared at him baffled by his daunting words. It was crazy to think about how much he had changed over the years, just in the way he spoke and presented himself. It wasn’t a bad thing of course, it seemed as though Rom had toughened himself up even more than before. If he had continued his basketball career, things would be so different. Him on the court, Ally probably slumped in an office chair slaving her life away for minimum wage. Go figure. “Clear as crystal,” Ally managed to say with a gleam in her eyes. They were close to the location now, and Ally’s heart was beating harder than usual. A LOT of blood was going to be spilled that day.

The drive to the compound was easier than Ally had expected, and despite how guarded the place looked, she was still set on succeeding. Even more so now that Rom had sussed out his guys. The guards were the least of her worries now as she thought to herself… what if the Gonzales brothers had skipped town? Even if they hadn’t known that she and Rom were planning on killing them, maybe they were out on a business trip. As she strapped herself up with a gun, she tried to erase the thought away.

Even if they wanted to leave, they can’t. Running away from your problems only made them worse. The Gonzales brothers HAVE to be home. If they weren’t, she was probably going to flip her shit.

She looked up at Rom after she finished loading up her gun with bullets to find a smile that made its way on his face. It looked much too joyous, especially in that moment. Loosen up a bit, Ally thought to herself. Having a little fun doesn’t hurt anybody. The corners of her mouth slowly lifted, and soon enough she was smiling like a kid who just got told by their mother that they were going to the candy store.

Few of the other guys that Rom mentioned showed up just in time, and not long after that finally everyone was ready and equipped. She gave a nod to Rom, and walked with him ahead of the guys who were on the lookout for any passerbys. The guards at the gate were too accompanied with what they were talking about to even realise that Ally had been pointing her gun in their direction the whole time, but a sudden bullet was fired, shooting one of the guys behind her and ALL hell broke loose. The guards immediately lifted up their guns and prepared themselves to shoot, hitting another one of the guys in the leg, causing a horrific scream to fill the streets. But a bullet targeted into his chest had soon ended his life as swift revenge.

Ally had no time to waste. She gave a hand signal to Rom which gestured towards the front doors. Then she sprinted past the guards who were too busy trying to fight off the other attackers, her guns all out of their holsters now. No one was around though when she came in, and weirdly enough, she couldn’t hear anyone either. Maybe they really had skipped town. She scratched her head, continuing to walk down a long hallway which seemed to lead into the master bedroom. Still, nothing. Something on the study table near the window, however, had caught her eye and her nosy self couldn’t help but bring herself to see what it was. Two plane tickets to Cuba. One way.

A sharp sound vibrated the floors, which caused her to instantly drop the tickets and run back down the stairs. Rom was nowhere to be seen, but she could hear loud bickering outside. She followed the sounds and witnessed what looked to be buckets of blood that had surrounded a body. One of the Gonzales brothers down? His arms and legs were outstretched, like a starfish. And in this case, he was swimming with the fishes now. Her pupils then fixed on Rom. She pictured how his bullets would have exploded from the gun barrel, hitting his body until he became lifeless. And just like that, everything he had worked for in his life was gone.

Suddenly a gloved hand had covered her mouth and she was pulled back into someone’s hard chest. Ally tried to hit back with her arms, but it was no use. He was persistent, and he didn’t let her go. He held his gun to her head. She could sense Rom’s panicked movements, but she shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “Don’t,” she mouthed. Ally always hated her tiny build as it did give her a disadvantage against stronger attackers, but self-defence classes had served her well, and she bit down hard on his wrist, giving her enough time to escape his grasp. The guy dropped his weapon and then she tried her best to kick him in the balls hard enough that he’d fall to the floor. He let out a long, loud yell. Fury entered his veins, like cocaine.

She noticed the familiar gold badge on his when she stood over him, kicking his gun far away from his reach. “Dibs on the other brother.” Ally batted her eyelashes as she bent down to be in direct contact with the guy, her own gun was up against his throat now. “I’m not going to give you the satisfaction of ending your life right away because we’re not finished here yet. Give us the password to the safe as well as access to all your bank accounts.” She looked up at Rom and smiled. They hadn’t properly discussed what they’d specifically do with all their money, but she had a pretty good idea of how much they’d be getting, and she hoped that he was on the same page with her on that. Meanwhile, the guy started to laugh, and it caused something inside her to rip, all the suppressed feelings that she had built up over the years slipped through the cracks.

“Had my brother listened to my ongoing suspicions, this situation would be different eh? I’d be standing over you instead, with my gun held to your throat. He was always far too… nice in this drug cartel business. I always knew something like this would happen. But you’re a day late honey because all the money, or what little of it we had left, is gone.”

Everything had moved so fast, for a moment, he wasn't even sure that he was doing everything right. Yet, it all came hammering back to him, the moment like this, a plan to take out the Gonzalez Brothers, one that had given them a big thrill and after that, it all went uphill. He had killed Felipe, the younger brother, the one that didn't believe this was going to be happening. Yet it did and as Rom watched the life leave his eyes, he felt nothing. He was supposed to feel remorse or something that made him feel like he had done wrong, only nothing had come back to him at that moment.

The moment lasted a while as finally the man had left, yet that was not the only thing which caught his eye, minutes, it could have been hours, he was so lost within what he was doing, he had seen and heard the struggle. Yet he knew that the only person who had a bone to pick with this lot was Ally, his guys were out there, mopping up the other low-level bastards. This had been cared for, no one was coming to save the eldest brother.

So when she finally had that moment, he was not going to lie that it was crazy. Ally seemed to have been in her element, yet the way her body seemed stir with an unknown amount of anger, the way that her hair shielded her face from view as if concealing the true emotions, it made something ran through Rom's body, and he was sure for a moment that it was not fear. He admired it, the way Ally had decided that it was enough, she was going to sly her demons.

Stepping forward, to the side and watching as he noticed that the eldest brother had met his eyes. Yet what Rom saw in them told it all, he was not scared, he knew this day was going to come. Only there it was, he did not know it was going to be him and Ally here, there always something about Fate, you'd never test it. You'd play your role and somehow, it'd end up screwing with you along the way as well. 

"Ally, be done with it, alright? You need not waste time on such a cretin, look at him, he can...be as calm and insane as he wants but most people fear death, why should we not arrange that meeting?"

His voice was low, his accent at the moment was more prominent than his features as his eyebrow furrowed, meeting Ally's eyes as he crouched down to hold her gaze. He wondered what she was thinking, how she wished to end the man? How she simply want money? He didn't know but maybe his was something he could help with, eventually.

Rom sighed, almost reaching out to remove a piece of stray hair from Ally's face, yet he stopped himself, there wasn't a time for that. He could worry later, when the job was not the more important thing. He looked back down, eying the man known as Carlos Gonzalez, for a while, Rom didn't worry about his future. He enjoyed the moment. 

"Carlos, we've been at this, either you have the money or you're playing a game or you already gave it to Carida? One of those is true, you wanted protection, didn't you? The way you're not even moving for anything, as if to claw for an advantage, the way your eyes keep flittering to the outside....you're waiting for someone to save you like a guardian angel...."

And like that, Rom walked away from the scene of Ally and Carlos, wandering around as he listened, for a moment, everything seemed quiet, too quiet. He thought that it was his a little quiet...yet then he heard it, the soft rushing steps of someone, and he was met with Gerry...his bodyguard, his friend and for a moment, he broke, Rom could see that Gerry was filled with bullets....

A broken laugh escaped him, it sounded like the nails scratching down a chalkboard. Rom laughed, it was broken, but he had gripped Gerry as the man fell to the floor, one final moment with his ever faithful bodyguard. Rom didn't know what to do, his eyes wide and his lips quivering as a such a potent rage wished to hammer into him, no....he needed to save it. 

"I thought it wouldn't take much to break you....while you and Ally were...handling that business, I answered my call."

In his grief, his rage, his ears did not pick up what or better yet, who was in front of him. It was Santo Carida, one of the big three out in Mexico as he smirked at Rom, the man did not hide his pleasure at such a thing but Rom was ready to kill the man. Yet he turned his head, noticing Ally, noticing that they really needed to leave...now. This was over, he had lost a dear friend, he would not lose another....

"That's a good idea, Rom. I'll be seeing you, you've started this, you know. All for her, one has to wonder...."

Rom growled, he wasn't going to be the man's entertainment and twice, he fired bullets into the ground, narrowly missing Gerry's body. Rom walked back over to Ally, he met her eyes, shaking his head as she now stood over the dead body of Carlos Gonzalez, he cared not for now as to how she did it, time to leave. 

"Let's go, Ally...now."

His tone, grave and low, he was holding himself back as he looked into Ally's eyes, he didn't smile. Not right now, much more was coming and yet Santo was sparing them, Rom knew at the snap of his fingers, his people would enter....they had surrounded them more than likely. Yet for the sake of all of this, for the sake of being a powerful boss, Santo ALLOWED them to live. As if it was to speak of his mercy....

He started walking out, barely giving her anytime to even say anything. Right now, AllyGarcia had won her battle, but he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, his was just beginning.

Ally hadn’t even processed the whole situation yet once Rom started to walk out, but she slapped herself out of reality and started jogging up towards him until she reached the car. A police siren could be heard heading their way, and she wasn’t going to stay much longer just to get caught. She hopped into the driver’s seat, looking at Rom with a pouty face. Then she started driving. Rom didn’t seem to be much of a talker for the drive to the lookout, where she decided to go.

“My crib or yours probably not the best place to go back to right now. I have this favourite lookout that I go to though. I want to show you,” Ally finally managed to say after a complete twenty-minute silence. During that time, she wondered just what was running through Rom’s mind.

When she saw Gerry collapse to the floor, it was like her whole life flashed before her eyes. Even though Ally had accomplished what she planned with Rom, she felt terrible for what happened to Gerry. He was Rom’s bodyguard, right hand man… and to see someone you’ve been close with for so long just die like that… it really hit you bad.

When Ally stopped the car at the lookout, she started talking, more to herself though as Rom seemed to be inside his head. “Moon Lake Lookout. Isn’t it beautiful?” Ally said softly, and when she turned her head to look at Rom she was expecting to see him give her some kind of reaction. As she looked into his eyes, the trees swayed in a graceful manner and the city lights in the distance illuminated the atmosphere. And for the first time since the shots they fired at the Gonzales estate, she asked him, “what’s the plan now?” Ally thought about this. Her situation was settled now, but obviously for Rom he is now thrown into this chaotic whirlpool of disaster. She felt sadness in her heart for him, but not pity. Never pity. Ally knew Rom as the type of guy to never back down no matter the cause. She looked down to pick out a weed from the ground. She played with it mindlessly before throwing it into the lake.

“What else do you know about this Santo Carida guy? Maybe I can get some people to-.. Please, Rom. I want to help you just like you helped me.  Let me.”

Then Ally stood up, brushed dirt off of her knees and started walking back to the car. While walking back she said out loud and twisted her head around to catch Rom’s attention, “we’re in this together, Rom. I promise.” She wasn’t really expecting him to answer back, though she was desperately searching inside his soul for that reassuring smile of his.

"I do not think we're in anything any more Ally, we've done what you wished to do. I helped, as is my way, always helping. I have to wonder if more people will pay that price for me, doing this, all of this. Just for the one moment, all of this, up to this point, I guess it was my fault."

Rom sounded...monotone, as if life had lost all its colour and his grey eyes reflected that. They were blank, gone was the fire where he had wished to put a bullet into Santos, the man had done well. Crippling him, making sure that he would have no one right now. Yet, as the man had said, all for her. Turning, he met her eyes, she promised him that. 

He, too, had promised her, Rom given her his word that she was going to survive this. Get out of this, it was not something he had forgotten. They had done it, they had delivered on the promise, at the expense of his closest team. The people that did not forget him, nothing else had been left and he found himself alone.

"I know that he does not forgive, nor does he forget. I don't think this will be the last time we hear from him, he did this to fuck with me. Make something of me, to belittle my status as a leader of men and that he did. It was easy from there, he won the first battle, even if we struck a blow to him. He probably had tens of people ready to reignite the distribution out here..."

And that is what hurt most, the Gonzalez Brothers had meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. They did him a favour, yet for face, for nothing more than kicks as well, Santos had given his men death. Heh, brutal, yet effective and Rom had to think about this life. Was it worth it? All of this? Had it brought him much in the way of friends, love, desire, friendship? For a short while. What also came had been death, paranoia, fear, and murder.

AllyGarcia had survived her ordeal, she had made herself get vengeance. All in the name of her survival, did he wish to be this way as well? No. Yet the only way he had to go now, it was something that he would have found himself doing with no means to go. And that is what he wished to do right now. 

"The plan? The plan!? There is no plan Ally, only survival, and right now, I want to make sure that I can get back to my business in peace. Only that is one heck of a fantasy! I am a marked man, one that might be dead soon, I need to be able to secure something for....us."

And like that, there seemed to be a shift in his words, as if slowly his mind was slowly getting back to what it was. Only the way his lips curled up into a nasty smirk, as if playing a game with her, one that was much more self-serving.

"If you'll let me, I'll make sure to help you, alright Ally?"

It was with that Rom turned his smirk into that of his kind smile, only he knew his plans and what would come with them. He walked up to her, winking as he stepped into the car, soon they left...

One of them knowing what was next, the other? Well, that would remain to be seen....

“Okay… Okay Rommy. I’ll let you.”

When Ally saw him walking back to the car, she smiled sweetly to herself. She really thought that something exciting was going to come her way, but little did she know... it was only the beginning of a disaster. Everything from that point on was akin to a ticking time bomb, and all Ally wanted was to make a name for herself while trying to survive the obstacles of life. That night as they drove in silence, she decided that it was time go back home for what would be a new day in the morning. “I’ll drop you home,” Ally insisted few minutes later. She smiled up at him before driving some more. When she thought about what he said about Santo Carida back at the lookout, she felt the anxiety pumping in her veins. He really had NO MERCY.

But… the same could be said for Ally and Rom.

She finally parked the car in front of his house, before turning around to make sure no one had been following them. As she looked into his captivating eyes, she started to feel slightly upset about parting ways with him. After all they had been through together up until this point, every single time that they had to go their separate ways, she would start to get teary eyed a bit. Ally pouted when she heard the click of the car door getting shut. As she rolled down the window and smiled, she looked past him and admired his house for a little bit. She was going to miss seeing that. But she had told him during the drive that it would be best to not see each other for a while to let things cool down from what happened with the Gonzales brothers.

“Don’t be a stranger, alright?” She laughed bitterly. “I’ll be in touch!” She continued. Ally made sure that he safely entered his house before driving away.

Upon arrival at home, she sat in the driveway for a while. In complete silence. She started to think… what if someone’s in my house right now? Waiting to kill me and slice me in pieces?  She suddenly reached for her gun instinctively, before she began to laugh at herself. “Chill out Ally. No one’s here.” The day had been complete insanity. However, she begged to differ. Insanity is giving up in fear, losing a battle that you know have the ability to fight in. THAT’S insanity.

When the next morning came, she was up early and she headed to the HQ. The situation with Rom was still lying in the back of her head, but her focus had switched when she was informed of another planned OC needing more people. She was all in, of course.

Few days later, she gets word that a war has struck and that her long time friend, Rommy, had moved to Las Vegas. She widened her eyes at the news, but not much surprised by the fact that he was residing in a city also called ‘Sin City’. Hah. 

Ally had been on many business trips in the past, but she couldn’t recall going to Las Vegas before. Well then… looked like it was time for Ally to book a plane ticket for herself.