𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏
𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

Silence. That's what filled the field that people had gathered on to pay their respects for John Shelby. People say he was the good brother which, in some cases that would be correct. Obviously if you didn't count Finn.

Rory's ears rang during Tommy's speech. She didn't want to listen to what was being said. Having to stand before the wagon that held John's body was painful enough.

"We're like sitting ducks here if the wops come.." Finn whispered to his uncle Charlie. "Yeah, well Tommy said we should do it out in the open." Charlie spoke quietly.

"This is how John wanted to go. On the smoke, and the truth is, we died together once before. Arthur, me, Danny Whiz-Bang, Freddie Thorne, Jeremiah. And John" they diverted their attention back to Tommy. "We were cut off from the retreat, no bullets left, waiting for the Prussian cavalry to come finish us off. And while we waited, Jeremiah said we should sing in the bleak midwinter." Tommy gestured to Jeremiah Jesus. "But we were spared, the enemy never came. And we all agreed, that everything after that was extra. And when our time came we would all remember."

"You'd remember that God spared you. But what did you do with that extra time that he gave you, eh, Thomas?" Polly hissed bitterly.

She felt a reassuring hand on the side of her arm as Charlotte offered her a look of sympathy.

Finn's eyes were empty and glossy. He had lost his older brother — the one brother that seemed to pay him the most attention. Rory and Finn departed from their friends to place down flowers for John.

Aurora's lip trembled and she cupped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. Finn held her hand and she just stood there, staring at the decorated exterior of the wagon. "Goodnight John." She whispered, "I hope you sleep well away from this city." She said, kissing the tips of her fingers and pressing them against the wagon.

Finn nodded and they returned to where they had been stood.

Arthur was the one to pour the gasoline over the wood that sat underneath the wagon. Rory's chest stung and she felt a tear fall from her eye. She didn't attempt to stop it or wipe it away. She just let it fall.

"No—" She whispered when it set aflame. Finn kept her close to keep her from running forward or doing anything. She squeezed her eyes closed.

And then, suddenly, a shot fired. Screams of panic erupted from few people and everybody seemed to fall to their knees in hopes to avoid any sort of injury. Aurora looked around with hesitance and Tommy held a hand up. "At ease, at ease!" he shouted. "Do not return fire. I repeat, do not return fire. Stand down." He ordered.

Aurora looked at Finn who seemed just as confused as everybody else.

"The men doing the firing, are on our side. I took the trouble of getting an invitation to Aberama Gold." Tommy tried to explains

"Oh fuck, now it's begun—" Johnny Doggs whispered with a shake of his head.

"You put us out in the open on purpose. You bastard, you used Johns funeral as a fucking beacon!" Polly scolded her nephew with pure anger and annoyance. Aurora's lips parted and her arms fell to her sides with shock that Tommy would do such a thing.

"We were never in any danger, Pol." Arthur tried.

"You set a trap!" Polly continued.

"Finn. Go to the yard and light the fires." Tommy nodded to the boy who was going to refuse but Aurora had already taken his hand to begin walking away.

-

"I like your yard, Mr Strong. How much would you take for it?" Aberama Gold rounded the corner alongside his son, Bonnie, and two men. Rory turned her head to see who it was that had made such a bold statement toward Charlie. "It's not for sale.." Charlie stuttered slightly.

Rory turned her body fully and crossed her arms.

"It's not for sale?" Aberama asked.

"That is what he said." She confirmed.

Aberama nodded slowly. "Okay.." he began walking away. She looked to Charlie and offered him a sympathetic smile before following after the Gold man to join Tommy and the blinders.

"I just took a look round— I like this place. Fire for melting silver, canals to get it away. How much?" Aberama asked Tommy. Aurora shifted her weight from one foot to another. "He already said it isn't for sale." She tried not to sound too confrontational.

Aberama glanced at her for a moment and then turned back to Tommy. Finn and Isiah stood a distance away, keeping a close eye on the man.

"Nothing you see is for sale, Mr Gold." Tommy said lowly. "Oh everything is for sale, everything. You tell Mr Strong i'm going to buy his yard." Aberama said cockily. Aurora shook her head and scoffed quietly. "This yard has been in his family since they settled." Tommy told him.

"Well— i've decided to make it apart of our deal."

Silence settled for a few moments.

"Those hats look ridiculous." Aurora insulted quietly. The only one who seemed to hear her was Bonnie he looked at her for a brief moment, giving her a harmless once over but not saying anything.

"Charlie!" Tommy called out. "Charlie come here." Charlie joined them nervously. "We're going to spin a coin for your yard, Charlie." He said.

"You're going to what?" Charlie whispered.

"Tommy don't be ridiculous." Aurora shook her head again.

"If it's head, Abby here takes all of this with my blessing—" Tommy mocked. "Tommy." Charlie warned. "And if it's tales— I fuck your daughter Mr Gold." Tommy added. Both Arthur and Aurora burst into laughter. "You have three daughters I hear. Esmeralda is the oldest and also the prettiest so i'll have her. Let's make her part of the deal to spin against the yard."

"Tommy for fucks sake—" Charlie said again.

Bonnie looked toward Aurora and nudged his father. She shook her head. "No—" she pointed a finger of warning toward them both, seeing the look in their eyes that they were considering making her a part of the deal too. Finn pushed himself off the gate and approached her. "Don't even think about it." She said to them whilst Finn put an arm around her shoulder.

Bonnie looked down and Aberama looked back at Tommy.

"Here, toss the coin Mr Gold." Tommy threw the coin his way.

He played with it for a moment and hesitated. "No. Please don't believe this is a joke— the coin to us is sacred. Yes Arthur?" Tommy pointed a finger. "Sacred." Arthur agreed. "You toss that coin you take a bet before witnesses and if I win,"

"Then we insist that the terms of this agreement, wager are fulfilled." Arthur finished Tommys sentence.

"Toss the coin Mr Gold." Tommy repeated.

Aberama nodded slowly. "Tommy Shelby— O.B.E no wager today but with this penny I will buy a flower to put on your grave when the time comes." He said.

"And before that time please don't again disrespect my friends or their valued property. We missed Christmas— let's have it now. Peace and Earth, good will to all men." Tommy mumbled.

Aurora nodded in agreement and Aberama put the coin away. "Merry bloody Christmas." She whispered. Everybody sat and Arthur began pouring drinks. "A toast to my brother John. Raise your glasses all of you— raise em up." He spokes

Everyone did.

"John Shelby." Arthur nodded.

-

"So why exactly did you want me here?" Aurora questioned when standing beside Tommy's desk in his office. He flicked through paper work and hummed. "I've decided to get you and Finn a house. With you being pregnant and engaged a i thought it was about time." He sighed.

"You're being serious?" She asked.

"Why would I lie about something like that?" He chuckled to himself. Aurora glanced out of the window and ignored the door that opened. "Mr Shelby, this is Monsieur Pas from Paris." Tommys assistant introduced.

Both Tommy and Aurora looked toward the door to see a man walk in very slowly. Aurora's heart stopped and her eyes widened. It was Luca Changretta. "Tommy—" She whispered. He shook his head. "It's fine." He told her.

She stepped back slightly and Luca looked her directly in the eye. "I heard you had trouble." He looked to the side. "It's good of you to see me."

"You just came from Paris, eh?" Tommy questioned. Luca sat down. "You know Paris?" He asked with raised brows. Tommy nodded slowly. "I left Paris in a cattle truck. They said you were French" He said.

"No— I came here form Paris but that doesn't mean i'm French." Luca slowly leaned forward and Aurora reached into her pocket discretely, her fingers wrapping around the cold metal of her gun. "Guess where i'm from."

Tommy searched through his hung up jacket and took out cigarettes. "Well in my cattle truck, in Paris, there were American soldiers and we would play cards. They sound like you."

"Yeah? Did you win?" Luca asked.

"You didn't come on a train— your suit is pressed, your shoes are clean. Where do you get your suits made?" Tommy asked. Aurora didn't take her eyes from the man she believed to be her father. It seemed as though he was avoiding her eyes. "I'm a tailor, New York City." He showed, "look. Fenacci, Italian. He's my uncle. Makes suits in a basement on Mott Street. He is my uncle so every stitch, stitched with blood. I hear you dress well Mr Shelby but now I see not so well as me." Luca insulted.

Tommy scoffed. "You know I have uncles as well. But they're not the sort of men who would work in a basement with a needle and threat Mr Changretta." Tommy said coldly.

Luca grinned slightly and Aurora gripped her gun tightly.

"I am surprised how easily it was to get into a room with you." He hummed. Tommy pulled his gun from his pocket and cocked it but Luca had no reaction. "And now?" Tommy asked. Luca put his hands up. "Now.. and now you should know that during the trouble you had earlier on your factory floor I sent an accomplice into your office in overalls. He found your gun and unloaded it." Luca showed the golden bullets.

Tommy checked his gun.

Luca wasn't lying.

"Bastard.." Aurora breathed.

One bullet was placed. "Arthur Shelby.." then another, "Polly Gray," and another, "Michael Gray— John Shelby," he flicked it to the end of the table. Aurora's jaw tensed. "Spent." He whispered, "Ada Thorne and finally.. Tommy Shelby."

Tommy didn't speak another word.

Aurora finally pulled her gun out and pointed it directly at him, walking toward him quickly and pressing into Luca's forehead. Her hands were trembling as well as her lip and Tommy waited to see what she would do.

Luca looked up at her. "You wouldn't shoot your own father.." he whispered at her.

She swallowed hard and cocked it. "You ain't no father of mine." She said with teary eyes. She pointed toward Tommy with her free hand without moving and nodded slowly, "he's more of a father to me than you ever will be."

Tommy felt his chest tighten at her words and his lips parted.

Luca stood slowly and towered over her. She moved her gun to his chest. "Shoot me." He taunted. Aurora's hands were trembling still and she held the trigger, staring him directly in the eye. She shook her head slowly. "Your time will come— it isn't now. But your time will come sooner rather than later."

"None of you will survive." He looked back at Tommy. "Your level of security is pitiful. And we are an organisation of different demotion. I could've killed you both when I walked through the door but you see I want you to be the last. I want you to be alive after your entire family is dead because my mother says that is what will hurt you the most. You people have traditions of honour— as do we. Instead of sending you a Black Hand I could've had you killed in the night. Do you want to know why— I want you to know why. And I want to suggest to you that we fight this with honour."

"No civilians— no children." Tommy said.

"No police." Luca added.

"Welcome to Birmingham Mr Changretta." Tommy nodded.

Luca nodded and turned back to Aurora. "You look just like ya mother but you have the eyes of me, my girl. You are me. And that is something that will never change." He placed a hand on her shoulder and she squeezed her eyes closed, flinching. "One day you'll see who the bad guy is. And it ain't me, kid."

Aurora backed away from him and he nodded one last time before walking out.

Once the door closed, she gripped onto the chair closest to her and let out a breath of relief. She placed a hand to her forehead and breathed deeply.

Tommy took the gun from her hand and placed it in his pocket. "Alright.." he spoke, her pulling in.

"I could've fuckin killed him right then after what they did to John— I wish I would've." She said angrily.

Tommy said nothing.

"I am not like him— I don't want to be like him, Tommy. Tell me i'm not like him." She looked up at him. Tommy swallowed. "You're not like him Rory. You're not like any of us— we're worse than you'll ever be."

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