𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃
chapter 42

There was a horrid feeling that lingered over the Shelby house as everybody gathered around the table. Micheal walked in, clutching a walking stick that helped him stay upright.

"Hello brother," Florence said as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Tommy i've been trying to think of words." Micheal began. "Don't—" Polly stopped him. "Words don't work. Micheal we're in a grave situation, Tommy has a plan."

"Instead of going to Australia, you're going to New York." They told him.

"Really, Mum?" Florence raised her voice. "When the fuck did we agree on sending my brother off to America?" she asked, her mouth parting. They all ignored her. "Why?" Micheal asked. "Because the company has business to attend in America." Ada spoke.

"Will i be coming back?"

"Train leaves in an hour, Micheal. You made a choice, you knew i was going to be shot and you chose not to tell me."

"An hour? Are you being serious?" Florence shouted.

"I chose my mum." Micheal whispered "When all this business is over, we'll all be free to make our own choices." Polly said.

"So is that it?" he asked.

"You get the train to Liverpool then the SS to Monroe," Tommy cleared his throat. "Boat sails tomorrow." Micheal looked over at Florence. Tommy handed him an envelope. "Now you can go."Micheal looked at her once more and she pulled him into a hug. "What happened to never leaving me, eh?" she asked, leaning on his shoulder. "I'm sorry i thought they told you."

-

Florence watched as Charlie and Curly threw gasoline underneath the wood. She bit her lip which had began trembling, keeping a tight hold on Isiah's hand.
A woman approached with a white flag.

"Tommy!" Johnny shouted. "It's alright, let her come." he said, walking toward her. "Please, once we're all finished." he said. She said nothing so he turned away.

"Audrey fucking Changretta." she hissed, walking forward to the woman but being pushed back by Tommy.

-

"Your note talked about making terms for peace." Audrey Changretta, said to Tommy. "But my son says there are no terms. You took my husband and my son, we took two of your brothers."

"The vendetta is won." Tommy says. "We say when the Vendetta is won." she scowled.
"We will take everything you have," Audrey said. "All your businesses, signed over to us. You agree to this. Or my son will kill you all. One by one."

"I should have shot you when he had the chance," Florence whispered quiet enough for her not to hear.

"The vendetta is won." Tommy repeated. "That's it. No more killing."

"Who do you think you were, Mr Shelby?" she hissed. He stared at her blankly.

-

Tommy watched as Luca and his men walked into the room where Tommy made his gin, guns in their hands. Finn stood behind him, beside Florence who stood tall, and Polly.

"Look at them," he spoke in Italian. "All that's left of the Peaky fucking Blinders." He stepped in front of Tommy, clicking his fingers and the man behind him placing a briefcase onto the table.

"I've had my lawyer draw up these papers." he said. "Cover ever enterprise in your possession. Bars, restaurants, warehouses. Every fucking thing that you have taken all that years to gather together. You will sign them all over to my family. Or you're gonna die. Right here. And if it's not you who i kill first, it'll be the pretty one behind you, just like you said." he pointed at Florence, keeping eye contact with Tommy.

"I would've buried you all. But my mother, she knows you, she said, it'll be worse for you if i let you live. And take away everything that you have."

"Search them," he instructed the tiger men as he pulled a gun from Tommys jacket.
"Especially don't trust this bitch." he insulted Polly.

The men walked forward, one aggressively grabbing Florence. She hissed in anger, looking away as he searched her. The men stepped back.

"So," Luca began, holding up a pen. "Sign. Every fucking one of them." Tommy looked down at the pen. "You can sign them in your knees." Luca taunted. "On the floor," he wiped the papers off the table. Tommy did nothing. Luca flipped the table, growing angry.

"Get on your fucking knees and sign!" he shouted. A grin appeared on Tommys face. "A friend of mine once said," he began, picking up the paper. "Big fucks small. So i had to find someone bigger than you. Now you may know there are two families in Brooklyn, who want to take over your monopoly on the import of liquor into New York." he said.

"But if they move against you in New York, they'll start a war between the families" Polly spoke.

"But if you were to die in a vendetta, with some fucking bookmaker in Birmingham, they could take over your business without a war." Tommy nodded. "We also contacted a businessman in Chicago. He's also interested in moving into the liquor business in New York." Polly added.

"His name is Alphonse Capone." Tommy said.

"You been talking to that fat fuck?" Luca asked.

"You see all the blood relatives you've brought with you from New York, Mr Changretta, they're all dead. And these men here" he pointed behind him. "They work for money for the highest bidder, they now have new orders."

"Is that right?" Luca asked. He turned around, looking at his men. "Is that right?" he repeated.

The men stood down. "And you, Matteo?"

He stayed silent.

"Hey..very fucking—" Luca pulled the gun from his pocket and Tommy knocked it out of his hand, grabbing him and fighting with him. The door opened and more men walked in.

Florence looked over, shivers going up her body when she saw Arthur. Finn gasped.

-
The night Arthur 'Died'

"Arthur's been injured, Pol, but he's all right, we need to make them believe that he's dead. To everyone but you me and Linda, Arthur Shelby is dead. I've got it all worked out, we can use his death to win this war."

He grabbed Florence's arm as she walked away from everyone. "Calm down—" he whispered. She scoffed. "Arthur's okay, but we need to make everyone believe he's not, make them believe he's dead. We need to do this to win this fucking war!" he whispered. Her eyes widened.

-

Luca looked at Arthur with wide eyes, Arthur pointed his gun, sending a bullet through his head. He fell to the floor.
Florence ran for Arthur, practically jumping to his arms.

"Tell your people in Chicago, that Micheal Gray will sign the import license to New York—" Tommy pointed at the men. "Three hundred barrels of English dry gin a month."

Arthur held Florence tightly, sighing.

"Leave." Arthur said to them, letting go of the girl. "Tell your boss what you saw here today and tell him you don't fuck with the Peaky Blinders."