Defiance (Finn Shelby)

Part 31

Finn, Bunty and Arthur all walked to the area where the boxing match was being held. They got let through by Johnny Dogs without being searched like all of the men coming through. "This place is rather grand" Bunty commented as she took off her hat and pocketed it.

Finn hummed as he watched Johnny Dogs jump onto the boxing ring and told everyone to place a bet with him. At this time Arthur patted them both, making them follow him down under the stage and to the locker rooms.

They entered and saw Mr Gold and Bonnie, Bonnie had the fabric wraps around his fists and a silk robe on. When they entered he stood up.

"Bonnie, boy. Here we go, boy" Arthur said, grabbing a couple pills from a bottle, "bring out that fucking tiger, eh. Go on"

"Tiger is already out" he told Arthur after shaking his head.

"Fair enough" Arthur said, taking them hisself.

Mr Gold wrapped an arm around his son's shoulder, "Mr Shelby will give you a 20% cut if you put Goliath down in the fourth round"

"Been caged up too long, brother" Arthur said, "if the women are gonna have fun, so am I"

The Shelby brothers went to leave, Bunty went to follow but Bonnie held her back, Finn didn't realise that she stayed behind.

"You stand at the front, okay?" He told Bunty.

"Yeah, of course" she told him, painfully aware that his father was staring holes into the back of her head. "I know you'll win" she smiled before turning around, smiling politely to Mr Gold and then leaving the changing rooms and heading back up the stairs.

"Ah. There you are Bunty, you stay with the women, alright, stay with Lizzie, Pol, Ada and Linda, alright?"

"Yeah, of course" she agreed, spotting the women in the front row seats.

Bunty came down and sat by them, "ugh, you're wearing the uniform? Why don't you wear a pretty dress, impress your husband?" Polly said.

"I'm working" Bunty said, "gotta keep an eye on things"

"You can work in a dress" Ada pointed out.

Bunty was going to reply but Goliath came out with a wave of cheers as he stepped into the ring. Bonnie then walked out the the women all stood up, cheering loudly, other people's claps thundered around them. Bonnie's eyes met Bunty's and he winked. Ada looked at Bunty, "what was that about? Bonnie Gold, giving you the eye"

"He's not giving me the eye" Bunty denied, rolling her eyes.

"I know when someone is giving the eye and that was certainly an example of it"

The conversation was dropped when the match started, the women stayed for one round and then they all wandered to the bathroom, one by one. Bunty stayed behind and cheered him on, Bunty cheered him on loudly, but when she saw both Arthur and Tommy leave she got worried. "Pol, are you going to see what they're doing?" Bunty questioned and she nodded.

"Stay with these, get your gun ready" she told Bunty.

Bonnie won the fight, the crowds cheering, him celebrating. Bunty saw Tommy return looking solemn, she ran over to him and saw him with Finn. "Arthur's been killed" was all Tommy said before pushing her in the direction of Finn.

Bunty saw Isaiah and Finn both standing with their pistols looking at a man, "is this one of the bastards who killed Arthur?" Bunty questioned, coming over to him, "you helped kill my brother-in-law" Bunty told the man. "Do you know what we do to people who hurt our family?" Bunty said darkly with a scary smirk on her face.

They heard footsteps and saw Thomas walking towards them, "Tommy, we've got the other wop" Finn told his brother.

"Cunt had a wire in his pocket" Isaiah said, with it held in his hand.

Thomas came over and punched the man hard on his face, beating and kicking him. "Go on, Finn" Isaiah and Tommy told him.

He looked to Bunty, "just fucking punch him, Finn"

He then proceeded to punch the wop, Isaiah then placed an arm around the man's neck, holding him still. "Take his eyes, Finn" Thomas said, "do it for Arthur" Bunty saw the hesitation in his eyes and his body language, "take his fucking eyes!" Thomas shouted at his youngest brother.

Finn took off his hat and crouched down, jamming the razors into the wop's eyes, the man screaming and trying weakly to push him away. When he pushed the man away from him, Bunty placed a hand on his arm, kissing his cheek. "You did well, Finn" she told him, "Arthur would be proud" she told him.

Isaiah left the pair as he heard gunshots but Bunty and Finn stayed where the were, albeit moving slightly away from the wop who was either passed out or dead, Bunty couldn't tell.

"Are you all right, Finn?" Bunty asked him softly, pulling him through one of the doors leading to the changing rooms so that they could sit down.

"I don't know" He told her truthfully, "another one of my brothers are dead and I just blinded a man. When did you first blinded a man?"

"Sixteen, so a year after I joined. Tommy told Isaiah and I to go find a man they were looking for for awhile. We cornered him, beat him and Isaiah told me that it was "about fucking time"" Bunty mimicked his accent, "then I did, got blood everywhere, didn't kill him though, Tommy didn't want him dead, wanted him to live with the blindness"

"Wow" Finn said. "Did you know, John said when he was my age, well, he said this when I was fifteen, that he'd killed hundreds of men. And I'm here, eighteen and haven't killed anybody, unless that wop out there died"

"You aren't your brothers though, Finn. You have a kinder soul, you may not have killed a lot of people but you haven't got it on your conscience that you have. You've seen what it had done to Arthur, made him mad. Made Tommy mad too"

"That was the war, Bunty, that did that to them" he told her, leaning back against the lockers.

"But they killed hundreds of men there." Bunty said, "what's the difference between that war and the war we're having now, against the Italians?" Finn didn't answer, "come on" Bunty told him, pulling him so he was standing up, "let's go get a drink and then go to bed."

Finn allowed himself to be escorted by Bunty, they weren't allowed to leave since Tommy closed the door, he checked everyone making sure there weren't any other wops they didn't know about. But soon they left and Finn drowned his sadness in alcohol.

~:~:~:~:~:~

Arthur's funeral wagon went through town the next day, everyone sent their condolences to the family and placed flowers and letters on the wagon.

Finn told Bunty that he wasn't feeling well and that he was going home for a bit before going back on patrol. Bunty kissed his lips and told him to get better and that she'd go home soon.

She made her way towards the Shelby family house to speak to Tommy but Michael waddled out, using a cane to help him walk. "Michael, you're back" she beamed, rushing over to the man and hugging him. "Are you staying for good?" She asked hopefully.

"They're sending me to New York, train leaves in an hour and my boat is set to leave tomorrow" he told her sadly, she saw his eyes fill with irritation and slight anger.

"Why? Why the fuck are they sending you to America? They're putting you in danger" she huffed, "I'm going to tell Tommy what for!" She decided but Michael put out his arm, stopping her.

"Bunty, it's all right. I'm going to be fine. I'm just annoyed that I'm going. Especially since I'm going to miss Arthur's funeral tomorrow"

"Oh, shit." Bunty pulled him into a hug, "I never knew how much I was going to miss Arthur" she told him.

"Me neither" he said, "look, Bunty, I better go before I miss my train. I'll see you soon"

"I'll see you soon" she smiled, kissing his cheek. She watched him wobble down the street and out of sight. Bunty decided not to talk to Tommy and went back home instead.