Infiltration // T.S

ten

Pearl had lived the past week in utter darkness. She had no reason to watch the Blinders anymore - Tommy gave her insignificant pieces of information to pass on to Grenfeld's men to keep their suspicions at bay. Other than that all she had to do was wait until Tommy had finished his business with Campbell.

Unfortunately, Pearl had no friends in Birmingham - besides Myrtle - now that the Shelby family had completely iced her out. She wasn't surprised Tommy had told them, not that she knew exactly what he'd told them. But it must have been enough because Arthur no longer spoke to her in The Garrison and when she happened to come across Polly, Pearl would only receive an earth shattering glare.

So Pearl found herself wandering the streets of Small Heath, her biggest worry being not to slip on the slushy snow piled up on the sides of roads. She was returning home from the bakery with a few loaves for Myrtle and she looked up to the sky which was a swirling grey just as it had been ever since Pearl had arrived.

She thought about her sister and how desperately she missed her. She wondered if Grenfeld had moved her out of that hole yet, as she'd asked. It wouldn't shock her if he hadn't, he wasn't exactly revered for his upstanding morals.

Just as she thought that, someone with morals as grey as the sky turned the corner onto the street ahead of her.

Her stomach knotted at the sight of Inspector Campbell. In turn, his face soured at the sight of her, yet he carried on forward stopping right in front of Pearl.

"Miss Moore"

Oh god. She really hadn't missed his voice.

"Back in Birmingham?" he seethed.

"I only left for a few days, I hardly thought you'd noticed" Pearl defensively crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, well, considering the nature of our last encounter I thought it wise that we keep a closer eye on you"

Pearl practically laughed, "Our last encoun- You mean when you shot me?"

Campbell's eyes widened and his head flicked from side to side, scanning the street, clearly agitated that anyone could have overheard. He swiftly grabbed Pearl by the wrist and pulled her a few steps to the side so they were tucked in the entrance to a dim alley.

"That was a misunderstanding. You weren't complying to the rules of your detainment" he spat in a hushed whisper.

Pearl grimaced and wiped away a small spray of his spit that splattered on to her cheek, "Because your methods were beyond barbaric! And you had unlawfully detained me. You were in the wrong, not me. Besides if I ever went to the papers-"

"We agreed you wouldn't do that. I have the power to unmask you"

"No need. You underestimate Thomas Shelby, Inspector. He worked out who I am with no help from you"

Campbell was taken aback as the surprise washed over him and Pearl took the opportunity to rip her wrist out of his grasp. Campbell opened and closed his mouth a few times as he thought of what to say but faltered each time.

"Yeah... I thought you might have that reaction" Pearl sighed.

"How are you still here- alive even?" Campbell bumbled, still clearly tripping over his own thoughts.

She shrugged, "I don't pretend to know what's going on in Thomas Shelby's head"

Campbell stilled for a moment before slowly turning to her, a horrified look of realisation marking the creases of his face and unsettling Pearl.

"You've united the gangs" he whispered.

Now it was Pearl's turn to be left baffled, "What?"

"That's the only possible explanation to why you haven't been mutilated and thrown in the Cut. You've united Silver Fang and the Peaky Blinders"