Chapter 11

"You boys didn't really think I left anything behind to help you escape did you?" Vinnie said as he smirked at the officers. Mark came in behind him, a smile ghosting across his lips.

Tom stood up to his full height, letting his arm drop from his ribs. "Well, can't blame us for trying now can you?"

Vinnie laughed as he made his way towards Hanson. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners boy?" He came to a stop in front of Hanson and the two stared each other down. Penhall made to move in closer, but was stopped by Mark pulling his gun on him. "Seems as though you haven't learned your lesson Tommy. Maybe it's time we get back to business." With that, Vinnie sent a quick uppercut into Tom's chin, sending him sprawling to the floor from the unexpected blow. Tom winced as he pushed himself up onto his elbow, his ribs grating against each other.

"My mother always told me I was stubborn." Tom said with a smile. He fought to get his breathing back under control and couldn't dodge the foot that struck him in the chest. He cried out in pain as stars floated in his vision. He could hear and feel the raspy breaths fighting from his lungs.

"You son of a bitch." Doug lunged towards the mob leader but stopped when he heard the sound of a gun being cocked and pointed at his partner.

"Take another step and he's dead." Vinnie said. He reached down and grabbed Hanson by the hair. "I think I need to finish this right now. Get up." He yanked Tom up and pushed him towards his partner. Tom was finding it more and more difficult to get a breath, but he wouldn't give Vinnie the satisfaction of seeing it. Doug reached out to steady his partner and noticed Tom's struggle to catch a breath. He was pale and his lips had a slight blue tinge to them. Before Doug could process what was happening, a shot rang out and Tom gasped in pain. Tom was falling and Doug had to struggle to hold onto him as he lowered him to the ground. Disbelief spread across Tom's face and then it quickly turned to pain as the fire raged in his abdomen. Doug saw the blood red seeping through his shirt and frantically pressed down on the wound, eliciting a cry of pain from his friend. "Tom! Tom, Hang on Hanson. Hang on!"

Tom grasped at Doug's hands weakly. "D…Doug?"

Vinnie loomed over the partners and laughed. "Told you I'd be back to finish you off Hanson." He motioned to Mark and watched him grab a hold of Penhall. Then he leaned down and pressed a finger into the gunshot wound on Hanson. "Remember what I said? Revenge is sweet Hanson, very sweet." He looked at Mark and said "Finish him as well. I'll meet you later on." And with that, Vinnie Carlton left the room.