Love never dies! {Thomas Shelby}

Chapter 27- the game

"What?"
We all get up as fast as our bodies would let us and follow Finn out of the garrisons and back home to Watery Lane. Scudboat was sat with a hand over his swollen eye as Arthur did the honours of pouring him a whiskey. It was deadly silent as we all try to control our tempers but John let his rise and decides to kick a littered box while cursing under his breath.
"What the bloody hell happened here?"
Scudboat took a deep breath before looking up at Arthur and recalling what had happened.
"The Lees. All of them. Cousins, nephews, even their bastards..."
Tommy walks in with his usual poker face on and as usual, placing a cigarette in his mouth. Me and Polly look at each other before she gives me a reassuring nod.
"They've taken everything they can lay their hands on."
I glance at Polly as we all walk over to the table scudboat is sat at.
"Four cash boxes gone."
"They left these."
A silence one again falls over us as Tommy holds up something that he had picked up. It seems to be wire cutters. Why the bloody hell are they leaving wire cutters around?
"Wire cutters? Why would they leave that?"
"Nobody move."
All the boys start looking around the room being careful not to move while me and Polly glance at each other in confusion. Tommy notices and starts to sigh.
"I think our friends are playing the game."
I watch Tommy in confusion before stepping forwards. The room had been trashed, furniture tipped over, paperwork scattered on the floor, all sorts but no one still had explained what the fuck was going on.
"What game?"
Pol starts to walk over towards John but he started to panic and grabs her arm to keep her in place.
"Aunt Pol. Do not touch anything."
"Erasmus Lee was in France."
"Shit..."
Scudboat slowly got up as Arthur and John started to look around panicked but Tommy just stayed still watching me. I was so confused as to what was going on and it was clear so Tommy started to explain.
"Whenever we gave up ground to the Germans, we'd leave behind booby traps, set up with wires. We'd leave wire cutters as part of the joke."
I feel my mouth drop as I start to realise what the hell is going on. I watch Tommy as he runs a hand through his hair and then John starts to talk which catches my attention.
"Somewhere in here is a hand grenade."
Polly starts to look around, a new sense of panic etches on her face before she puts her hand over her mouth.
"Holy Jesus."
Arthur starts to slowly walk around before he takes over with the what seems like telephonic speech.
"Attached to a wire. Don't move any chairs or open any doors. Go easy, John boy. Go easy."
As if we were spies on a mission we start to move slowly around. But instantly stop when Tommy opens his mouth.
"No. Boys, no. It's not in here. If it was in here it would have blown by now. It was my name on that bullet Erasmus sent. He set up a trap alright but he set it up just for me."
We all share glances as Tommy turns around and starts to think of where and then it clicked and he started to leave but I caught up with him. Taking his hand, I walk out with him despite his protests and we end up at his car where Finn had take great pleasure in sitting.
"Finn!"
We come to a halt as we watch the young boy turning the wheel on the car. Panicky, Tommy puts his hand up and slowly walks towards the car.
"Finn stay exactly where you are."
"I was pretending I was you."
I slam my hand over my mouth as I watch this all unfold. Poor Finn has no idea what he's got himself into and how dangerous this situation is.
"Which door did you open to come in? Tell Tommy."
"I didn't. I climbed in."
Tommy walks over to the side of the door as I nervously wait over in the street. The part of the street where Tommy's car is parked was shady and had hardly any sunlight shining through but you could tell that there was a bit of panic in his actions.
"I want you to climb out the exactly the same way you climbed in, okay?"
Finn starts to laugh before he opens the door and throws himself out of the car. Panic. I felt it causing through my veins as I quickly, without a care, launched myself at Finn. Tommys shouts end up being barely audible because of how fast my heart was pounding.
"Finn! No!"
Finn and I fall to the ground as I shield him from everything. Out of the corner of my eye I watch Tommy grab the grenade with one swift movement and chuck it at the wall behind us.
"Clear!"
Loud shouts start to boom around the air as working men jump out of the way from the grenade. With not a second to spare, the grenade burst shooting reds, yellows and oranges in the air. And Tommy rapidly covers me, his strong muscular arms wrapping around me.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah."
"That could of killed us!"
Frightened men have short conversations before slowly getting up and leaving the scene, their faces now covered in dirt and their hands now embedded with rocks or pebbles.
We take a minute to catch our breath before pulling apart and checking over each other in panic of any of us being hurt. Luckily none of us had got hurt. Then me and Tommy grab one of Finns hands each and start making our way to the open street but after seeing everyone fine we turn to Finn.
Tommy puts his hands on both of Finns cheeks while crouching down so that they are eye level.
"That's why you should never pretend to be me, okay?"
Finn rapidly nods while still being a bit shaken up by the situation as Tommy pulls him into a hug. Watching them warmed my heart. Tommy will be an amazing dad one day and I hope that it's to my children.
"We should go and make sure the others know we are all safe."
They both turn to me with a nod and suddenly pull me into a hug. I tightly wrap my arms around them out of fear of losing either of them before I pull away and kiss Finn on the head.
"I am so glad your okay Finn!"
Finn looks up at me with a smile before taking my hand and pulling me along back to Polly. Thomas watches us with a small smile as he walks behind us.
Now all we have to do is explain to Polly what had happened and why there was a bang. But how bad could that be? Right?