Defiance (Finn Shelby)

Part 22

Tommy began by admitting a mistake and apologising to everyone, "Arthur, you warned me against getting involved in Russian business. And you were right. I doubted your wife. For that, I'm sorry. Linda, I've added £3000 here in the hopes that you'll forgive me."

Linda stood up and took the money, "apology accepted" and then she sat down again.

"Esme, I doubted you as well."

"Now John's got innocent lives on his conscience. Ordinary working men.."

"Yeah alright, Esme. Got it" John grumbled.

"No, she's right," Thomas told his brother, "and you and Arthur are gonna have to share that burden. But I hope the house you can buy with this can become a place of contemplation. Perhaps redemption." John took his money. "Charlie, for lost tools, dangerous goods and Curlys wise words." He threw a roll of money at Charlie, "Johnny, for board and lodging" the threw the money at him, "Lizzie" he placed a roll on the table for her but she didn't take it.

When it got to giving money to Michael, Polly said "no" and then Thomas went on a mad rant, Bunty paid barely any attention because she wasn't feeling too great, she started to feel tense, like something was going to happen.

Bunty snapped out of it when Michael stood up and took his money. "That's right," he said, but Bunty didn't know what he was agreeing to.

"That's right, Pol," Thomas said. "That's fucking right"

"Tommy," Polly started, "you've had a bad time. We understand. So at an alternative time, when we have all recovered," Polly said taking the money back off of Michael, "I would like to put before the family an alternative view of the future of the Shelby Company Limited. A more hopeful view."

"Which I, for one, would quite like to hear" Ada commented.

"As would I," Esme said, standing up and rocking her baby.

"As would I" Lizzie also commented. 

"Come on Arthur, the train for the dock leaves in one hour. Then we get the boat to New York and it'll all be in the past." Linda told her husband. Polly went over and hugged Arthur, all the Shelby brothers looked solemn.

"I'll be off then, Tom. I'll see you then eh?" Arthur told his brother, standing behind the desk. "I'll see you, brother"

Arthur started saying his goodbyes. As he was doing this Bunty started feeling worse, "Finn" she whispered to him, "somethings not right" she told him.

"What do you-"

"You can go, but you won't get far, Arthur" Thomas commented, causing everyone to look at him in confusion.

"Uh... All right Tom" he told him, not getting it.

"I spoke to Moss last night. He told me the chief constable of Birmingham has issued a warrant for your arrest. Murder, sedition, conspiracy to cause an explosion. John, they're coming for you as well. Murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion. Michael.."

"What the fuck?" Arthur said questionably. Bunty held onto Finn's arm, him holding her close for protection.

"...for the murder of Hughes. Polly-"

"Wait a minute, what the fuck are you talking about?" Arthur exclaimed.

"... The murder of chief inspector Chester Campbell." Everyone at once exclaimed their questions and outrage but Tommy shut everyone up, "the people that we betrayed last night, they want to bring us down. Yet control the police, they control the judges, they control the juries, they control the jails."

A police whistle pierced the air, "but they do not control the elected government"

"What the fuck!" Someone exclaimed.

"Why didn't you tell us before?" John shouted at his brother.

"Listen to me!" Thomas told them.

"You are my brother!" Arthur yelled at him.

"Listen to me" he repeated, "so I've made a deal-"

"They'll hang us!" Arthur shouted.

"-in return for giving evidence against them"

"Well fucking hang!"

"It's all taken care of" Thomas tried to reassure them. "Lizzie collect up the money and bring it to the cellar. You will all get your money in due course. When the police get in, do not resist. You go with them, you do not say anything."

Finn grabbed Bunty and held her hand as they made their way out of the office with Isaiah, they tried to make their way out but the police came in, pushing everyone up against the wall, holding their batons to their necks.

Everyone was escorted outside and got pushed into the vehicles, all crammed into the back. Everyone went to the police station and were questioned, nobody said a word.

Bunty and Finn got released, saying that there were no charges against them. They weren't going to ask how there weren't any charges against them but didn't question it as they really didn't want to go to jail.

Everyone was only questioned and released apart from Arthur, John, Polly and Michael. They all were imprisoned.