Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

98.

Ailbhe was nervous. She didn't like to think about why, whether it was good sense or overthinking. She tried not to think too hard about it when Alfie's men arrived, gathering weapons from Charlie's assortment and geared up. Arthur was bouncing on his feet, more energy than he knew what to do with whereas Ailbhe stood back with Charlie and Liam, watching as Curly handed out crowbars like they were gift bags.
 
"You've got that face" Charlie muttered, watching Ailbhe's brow furrow and how she folded her arms across her chest.
 
"What face?" 

"That face where you look like you're gonna burst a blood vessel from thinking too hard" Charlie warned her, putting his cigarette back between his lips and heading over to where Curly was struggling with a crate.
 
"He's right, Alv" Liam warned her, nudging her with his elbow.
 
But her face didn't change. She was nervous and she couldn't hide it.
 
"I've got a bad feeling about it" She muttered, looking at each and every one of Solomon's men, trying to memorise their faces so she'd be able to identify them later and know when it was going to happen.
 
She wanted to be ready, for whatever might happen.
 
Liam heard her. He took her feelings and her intuitions seriously, having always been right in the past.
 
"We've got a plan, if we stick to it... we should be fine" Liam promised her. 

He almost even sounded convincing.
 
"There's a lot of variables in this plan, Liam" She reminded him, the most glaring problems standing out to her.
 
What if Barney missed? What if Barney hit someone else in the crowd or Tommy even? What if the Jewish men didn't get past McCavern's men? What if Mosley figured out their plan? What if Charlie and Liam got caught moving the opium?
 
There were too many what if questions to even think of them all.

And then there was the worry about what came next. If everything went perfectly, they still had a family civil war to come home to.
 
"What's the worst that can happen, Alv?" Liam asked, shrugging his shoulders and looking back at her with tired eyes that still had that little glint of energy in them in spite of it all.
 
"Tommy gets shot, Mosley gets all of us arrested, I'm hanged for treason and the rest of you rot in prison while Michael takes over the company"
 
She answered quickly, not missing a beat and looking back at her brother who almost started laughing. How they had gotten to this stage, where they were involved in a plot that Winston Churchill himself condoned to kill an MP who threatened international peace treaties, they would never understand.
 
"Could be worse..." Liam shrugged, passing his cigarette to her with humour in his tone as she started shaking her head at him. Liam had always had a carefree attitude, even if it wasn't applicable. 

Tommy had often said that Liam's 'so, what?' attitude had gotten them through the War. Every time Liam, Tommy, Danny and Freddy were about to be sent back down the tunnels he would have one last cigarette, wink at the men he would give his life for and promise to see the rest for tea time later. 

"You spoken to Ada since?" She asked him, knowing she was on his mind at the best of times but even more so since he had asked her that all important question.
 
"She telephoned last night... I'll go up to London tomorrow to see her" He nodded, taking the cigarette back as she stood back on her feet.
 
"Good" She murmured, checking the men behind her shoulder.
 
"And if I get caught moving the opium and arrested, well I'll never have to face the awkward conversation where she turns me down, it's a win win"
 
Liam shrugged, cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he pulled down another crate and wrenching it open.
 
Liam was going to be moving the opium overnight while the rest of them were at Mosley's rally. Charlie had protested, promising to do it himself with Curly or on his own but Liam had insisted. He didn't want Charlie going to meet the Chinese alone, especially not when Liam didn't trust them and when it was a cargo that big. He never could turn down a chance to play with fire.
 
"I better go, I'm meeting Tommy first, Arthur's gonna drive you and Finn, once this is sorted here, alright?"
 
He checked with her, throwing aside the finished cigarette and squeezing her elbow comfortingly.
 
"Alright" She nodded, watching him head off towards Tommy's office where he would be waiting for him.
 
"Be careful!" She called after him, feeling a flutter of nerves and worry as her brother looked over his shoulder at her as he walked away.
 
"Always am, Alv. See you in the morning for a cup of tea" He called over his shoulder, winking at his sister before disappearing around the corner with the promise that they'd both live to see the morning. She just wished it felt true.
 
Ailbhe went straight back to the betting shop, knowing Finn would be there but her mind busy as she walked. Niall had told her to wait there until they were leaving for Ringley Hall but she couldn't concentrate on anything, finding herself at the door of Finn's office before she knew it.
 
"Finn, it's me!" She called out as she knocked on the door, pushing it open and surprised to find it wasn't just Finn inside.
 
Billy Grade was standing up at the blackboard, a glass of whiskey in one hand and a piece of chalk in the other. They were deep in conversation when Ailbhe appeared at the door, drawing both of their attention.
 
"I've gotta go, Billy" Finn told him, putting some money down on the desk between them.
 
"Alright, Ailbhe?" Billy greeted her, with much less respect than she deserved. They weren't friends, she didn't like him, trust him or know him. She wasn't Ailbhe to him. She was Miss Kennedy, or nothing. She'd rather be nothing to him. She didn't like him and she certainly didn't like the way he was desperate to impress her brothers.
 
From the way her eyebrows dropped low over her eyes and Finn did a double take, he knew he'd overstepped but they didn't have time to get into it. Not now. Not when the plan was timed down to the last second and they had to leave.
 
"Go into town, get some drink and some girl, I don't fucking care. Just stay close to a radio" Finn told him, slamming a wad of cash in front of him and grabbing his jacket that Ailbhe tossed to him from the coat rack.
 
But she never took her eyes off Billy, his dark glassy eyes and how they froze, listening and waiting. She didn't like him, that she was now sure of.
 
"Come on" Finn said, putting a cigarette between his lips and his hand out and gripping Ailbhe's, tugging her slightly to come with him but she was slow to move, her intense eyes watching Billy and making him start to feel nervous again, start to feel his collar dampen and his hands fidget.
 
Billy understood the attraction to her, of course he did but he didn't know how Finn could be around her and not get nervous, have her look at him and not feel like she was climbing inside his head and poking around. Then again, it was easy for Finn. He had nothing to hide from her. But from the way Billy watched her, she got the feeling he might.