CHAPTER TWENTY: Taking Down Kimber
THOMAS AND TABITHA RUSHED FROM THE GARRISON TO THE SHELBY BETTING SHOP. THEY WENT INTO THE LIVING ROOM WHERE ADA AND POLLY WERE SITTING, ADA WAS ASLEEP IN A CHAIR.
"Ada, wake up," Thomas said to his sister. "You and the baby, get into the Bull Ring where there's lots of people."
"What's going on?" Polly asked.
"We've been fucking betrayed," Tabitha said, helping Ada out of the chair.
"Somebody let slip, Kimber's men are on their way here," Thomas continued.
"Yeah, but you can handle them, Tommy," Polly said.
"It's just us. All the Lees are on their way to Worcester. We're outnumbered," Tabitha replied.
"Fuck!" Thomas yelled, slamming his hands on the table.
"You said you kept it a secret. Who else did you tell?" Polly questioned.
That's when it clicked in Tabitha's mind, there's was someone outside the families that she trusted. She didn't want to admit it was her, that her friend betrayed her. A soft gasp left her lips, causing everyone's eyes on her as she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Grace..." Tabitha whispered, making everyone's eyes widen.
It was Grace, the blonde barmaid at the Garrison who betrayed the Peaky Blinders. Tabitha trusted her with the secret of taking down Kimber and Grace betrayed her. A part of her thought the reason behind it was Grace's jealousy over Tabitha being in love with Thomas instead of her. Grace betrayed Tabitha, and it hurt her.
"The barmaid?" Polly asked.
"She was my friend and I trusted her. I told her about today two days ago," she started, her voice still soft, laced with guilt. "This is all my fault."
"No, no it isn't," Thomas said, putting his hands on Tabitha's shoulders. He was still in shock. "You trusted her and she destroyed that trust. This isn't your fault."
"I will deal with Grace," Polly said to Thomas and Tabitha "If you set eyes on her again, you might kill her."
Tabitha then turned to Thomas was a serious look on her face. An idea was quickly forming in her hand. It was time to call the ones who promised to be there door her if anything happened.
"Gather your brothers and all of your other men," Tabitha started. "Meet near the Garrison and I'll meet you there."
She gave him a kiss on the cheek and rushed towards the front door.
"Where are you going?" Thomas questioned, shouting so she heard him. "Tab?"
"You'll see," she shouted back before leaving the Shelby home.
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THOMAS DID AS TABITHA SAID AND GATHERED ALL OF THE PEAKY BLINDERS NEAR THE GARRISON.
Tabitha still wasn't there amongst the crowd of Blinders, but she told Thomas to get started without her because she was going to be a little late. He stood up on top of haystack and began addressing his men.
"Alright, men. You were mostly in the war so you know that battle plans and get fucked. Well, here it is," Thomas started. "Things have changed. We fight them here. Today. Now they're gonna come for the pub. They're gonna try and break us up for good. And we'll have no help from the law today."
He pointed at the Garrison.
"That pub is called the Garrison. Well, now it really it is one. And it belongs to us, right?"
"Right!" The Blinders shouted
"How many are there?" Arthur asked.
"Jeremiah says two Riley vans. So I reckon we're outnumbered three to one," Thomas replied.
"Aw, fuck!"
"It's us, boys. It's us. The Small Heath rifles. We never lost a fight yet, did we?"
"No!" Everyone shouted.
"Alright, Jeremiah," Thomas said to Jeremiah. "I know you vowed to God to never pick up a weapon again. Can you ask him from me if you can help us today?"
"God says he don't deal with Small Heath, sir," Jeremiah replied.
"Good man," he said. "Arthur, Scudboat. You'll take the flanks. Just like at St. Marie. Curly, if any Shelby man dies here today, you bury us side by side."
Thomas and the Blinders swore the heard the ground rumble, and John turned around to see who was coming down the street. Thomas' eyes widened to see Tabitha with a crowd mixed of men and women hold rifles while Tabitha had a fun in her hand. Finneas Hearn was right by her side as well as Uncle Rooster. The Blinders mumbled as Thomas was taken backing shock. A smirk formed on Tabitha's lips seeing their faces twist into that shock.
"Sorry, we're late," Tabitha said. "But we're all here."
"Holy shit, it's the Hearn's," John said.
"How the bloody fuck did they get here so quick?" Arthur asked in surprise.
"All it takes is one call," Tabitha answered.
A smile formed on Thomas' lips, in disbelief that she was able to muster up that many people. When Tabitha walked down the street with an entire army behind her, she looked like the goddess of war.
"So this was what you were doing?" Thomas asked as Tabitha made her way to the front with him.
"I had a good idea and I acted on it. Plus, it's a good way to see my family after so long," Tabitha answered as Thomas helped her up on the sacks to stand beside him. "The job is simple, we're going to take down Kimber and his men to keep Small Heath standing," Tabitha spoke up to her family. "You will be following Tommy's orders."
"Finneas, glad we can be on the same side again," Thomas spoke up to the Hearn leader.
"You're lucky my daughter is fond of you or else I would say you're on your own," Finneas answered, a rifle resting on his right shoulder.
"Thank God for Tabitha," Arthur smiled , the men around him nodding in agreement.
"Alright. We have about ten minutes," Thomas spoke up again. "Make your peace with whoever."
Thomas got down from the sacks, then helping Tabitha back down, brightly smiling as he look at her. She raised a brow, a smirk on her face.
"What's got you smiling?" Tabitha asked as they walked towards the Garrison. "We've got a serious battle ahead."
"Just when I thought you've already surprised me, you go and do this," Thomas said.
"This my home too, Tommy, my family. And we're going to protect it."
Tabitha and Thomas spent their ten minutes at the Garrison, having a drink and a smoke, enjoying each other's company. Harry had come in and talked to them for a bit before they left to lead the battle against Kimber. Right before they left the Garrison, Tabitha grabbed Thomas' wrist and pulled him in for a spontaneous kiss.
"Tommy, I'm still going to feel like this is all my fault," Tabitha said with a frown. "I told Grace and she ratted us out and I know-"
"None of this is your fault, Tab, I already told you," 'Thomas assured. "She took advantage of your trust. And honestly I never trusted her at all."
"And you were right," she mumbled. "Now Kimber's coming here, and we are possibly going to die-"
"We are not going to die, none of us are." He cut her off again with assurance, putting his hands on her shoulders. "We're going to get through this."
"You don't know that! I lost my brother to war and I can't lose you too. I don't know what I'll do it you got hurt."
"Everything's going to be okay," Thomas whispered.
He tenderly placed his lips on Tabitha's, wrapping his arms around her waist. Relief washed through Tabitha's body as she kissed back before he pulled away. Their foreheads touched as well as their noses, both heavily as their eyes connected.
"I love you, Tommy," Tabitha whispered.
"I love you too, Tab," Thomas whispered back, the obvious love in his eyes.
They have each other one final kiss before walking out of the pub. The Peaky Blinders walked behind them as Tabitha stood beside Thomas. Tabitha's family were behind the Blinders, and her cousins were hiding at the top of the buildings. Kimber's men came walking down the streets with Kimber hanging out of a Riley van. Eventually the van stopped and Kimber made his way to the front of the crowd as his boys readied their weapons.
"Shoot if the She-Devil moves," Kimber ordered, pointing at Tabitha.
"Aw, I'm flattered you remember me, Kimber," Tabitha replied sarcastically. She was going to enjoy watching that pervert die.
"All guns and no balls, right, Billy boy?" John teased.
"So what do we do now?" Arthur questioned Thomas. "Just give the order."
"It doesn't have to be like this, Kimber," Thomas spoke up.
Kimber scoffed, "too late for all that. You bit off more than you can chew, you little toe rag. And now I'm gonna take over this shithole."
"Well..." Thomas started. "If we have to use guns, let's use proper guns."
Danny Whiz-Bang and Freddie Thorne came out from a building behind the Blinders with bigger guns. A smile formed on Tabitha's face when she snapped her fingers and her sniper cousins popped out from the top of the buildings surrounding them and Kimber.
"Sergeant Thorne reporting for duty sir," Freddie, Ada's husband said, standing beside Tabitha.
"You were saying something about being outgunned?" Thomas questioned, holding his arms out as everyone raised their guns.
Tabitha's finger was on the trigger, aimed at Kimber if he tried to hurt Thomas.
"Move!" Ada yelled.
She walked in front of both the Blinders and Kimber's men with baby Karl in a stroller, wearing all black.
"What are you doing?" Freddie shouted at Ada.
"I believe you boys call this no man's land," Ada said.
"Ada!"
"Shut up and listen," Ada replied.
"Have you two lost your mind?!" Freddie continued yelling.
"She said shut up!" Tabitha yelled back at Freddie, letting Ada continue.
"Now, most of you were in France. So you all know what happens next," Ada started. "I've got brothers and a husband here, and Tabitha has a husband and brother in-laws. Her father, uncles, and cousins as well. I am wearing black in preparation."
Ada looked between the Blinders and Kimber.
"I want you to look at me! Look at me, look at Tabitha! Who will be wearing black for you? Think about them," Ada continued. "Think about them right now. And fight of you want to, but that baby ain't moving anywhere...and neither am I."
Everyone was dead silent, but both Tabitha and Thomas' hearts were pounding, scared Ada and the baby were possibly going to get hurt.
"She's right you know. Why should all you men die?" Kimber spoke to his men. "It should just be them who caused it."
In a flash, a gunshot ring in the air...and Thomas felt a pain in his left shoulder. Kimber's next bullet landed in Danny Whiz-Bang's chest, and that's what took Tabitha back to France, the voices around her going mute. The screams of men, the horses, the explosions, the gunshots, they all filled her ears. Then only thing that she thought about was the sun peaking through curtains and and laying in bed in top of Thomas as the tenderly brushed his fingers against her cheek. She wasn't going to lose Thomas, even if it meant she had to die.
Thomas had his gun was aimed at Kimber's head, but someone's bullet made it first. Kimber's lifeless body dropped to the ground, and everyone turned to the one who took the shot. Her breath was shaky, her gun stop held up, and Thomas' eyes widened in shock. It was Tabitha who fired the gun, she was the one who killed Kimber. With her gun still raised, she deeply exhaled looking at Kimber's men.
"It's over," Tabitha spoke up as the Blinders held their guns. "Go home to your families. No more men need to die today."
Kimber's men listened to her words, and began to leave. Two of them grabbed Kimber's body, dragging him down along with them.
"Scudboat, Curly, pick him up," Thomas said, looking down at Danny's lifeless body. Tabitha put her gun in the back of her trousers as he walked over to her. Thomas out his hand behind her neck, making their foreheads touch.
"If you're upset about me taking the shot, I won't apologize," Tabitha said.
"I don't want you to," Thomas replied. "I'm shocked you did, yes...but I've never been more proud of you then in this moment."
Both of them smiled, giving a short chuckle. Thomas pulled his forehead away to tenderly kiss hers, and they stayed in that embrace for awhile longer.