Shelby Sister

Danny Whizzbang

After her late night talk with Tommy, Riley felt slightly better about all the trouble with the inspector. She trusted that her brother would look out for the family as that was what he had always done. That morning Riley found herself taking a walk in the mainly Italian immigrant part of small heath whilst smoking a cigarette to calm her nerves. She found she enjoyed the smells of the shops and the Italian language everyone on the street spoke. She had skipped breakfast and left the house early hoping to catch the sunrise at the docks. Becoming bored Riley found herself wondering the streets observing how children played games around the drunken men passed out in the streets and women hung up their washing.

Hearing whimpering Riley noticed Danny Whizz Bang. He had served in the war with Tommy but had returned home with more than a few nightmares. He was known for episodes of random acts of aggression where he detroyed anything in his path only to awaken not remembering what he'd done.
"Got to go bang, got to go bang..." she could hear him mumbling clearly having one of his episodes. Riley had never really spoken to Danny, only knowing that he kept her brother safe during the war. Hoping she could calm him down she aprroached him.
"Hey Danny. You remember me?"
Danny turned looking at her with a wild and animalistic look in his eyes "got to go bang.." he repeats. Before she could intervene he clattered into a metal table and chairs outside a small closed Italian cafe. Danny curses the tables and chairs and untangles his feet. He stares like a mad man all around. He suddenly picks up a metal chair and hurls it in Riley's direction. Riley's eyes widen in fear as she barely manages to dodge the chair thrown. Shit how am I meant to calm him she thought frantically.
Almost immediately, a waiter appears from inside the cafe.
"Hey, what you do? We're closed." He says with an Italian accent. Trying to diffuse the situation Riley approached the waiter "Hey he's sorry. He's not himself at the moment. Just give him some space." The waiter ignored her and started to shout in Italian at Danny. Danny stares at him with wild eyes. He growls and turns over another metal table. The waiter becomes angry pulling a small knife from the back of his belt. "Go home crazy man."
Wide eyed Riley feels the situation slip through her control. Danny suddenly screamed "Fix bayonets!!!" As he hurled himself at the waiter and grabs the knife. Acting fast Riley tried to grab the knife, cutting her hand badly as she grips the sharp edge. "Danny stop! Danny!" She screamed hoping to get through to him. Instead Danny pushes her to the floor, plunging the knife into the waiter's chest. Horrified Riley found she couldn't look away as the waiters blood dripped out of his mouth and his body crashed to the floor. Riley felt sick as Danny came to, realising what he'd done. "Oh god what did I do... what did I do!" He cried. Riley stood with shaking legs knowing he didn't mean to do it. It wasn't his fault the war had ruined him more than it had others.
Feeling sorry for the man as she knew the Italians would come after him, Riley touched Danny's arm. Startled Danny turned to her breathless. "It's ok Danny, I know you didn't mean to. You remember Tommy right? Tommy Shelby? He's my brother." Familiarity flashed through his eyes "Yes. Yes. Your his little sister right? He calls you Ri." she smiled slightly. "Yeah his sister. You need to go Danny, quickly before the Italians come for you. I'll deal with this. You just go back to your family." Shaken Danny quickly nodded and ran off.

Riley hurried home after that. She felt ill after watching the life drain from that mans eyes. She had to talk to Tommy before the Italians. She knew they would send someone to him to tell him to kill Danny but she was determined to not let that happen. Barging into the betting den Riley made a beeline for Tommy's office. As she went to open the door, two Italian men did it for her as they left Tommy's office. Riley felt her face drain of colour. No she was too late she thought. Slipping past them, Riley slammed the door behind them. Tommy sat behind his desk smoking a cigarette and nursing a glass of whiskey, irritation clear on his face. "You can't kill Danny, Tommy! It wasn't his fault!"
Confused as to how she knew already about it he asked "And how do you know that?"
Hiding her still bleeding hand behind her back Riley tensed "I was there Tom. I saw it all. It wasn't Danny's fault he was having an episode and the waiter wouldn't leave him be"
"Are you alright? Danny didn't hurt you did he?" Ignoring her brother she asked "Are you going to kill Danny?"
Sighing Tommy decided to leave his concern for now.
"Well from what I heard he was like a rabid dog and rabid dogs need to be put down..."
Angry Riley went to interupt but Tommy spoke over her "Let me finish!"
Biting her tongue she waited for him to finish.
"But I'm not going to do that so stop your worrying"
Shocked Riley deflated "what do you mean?Won't they be angry?"
Smirking Tommy took a gulp of his whiskey. "Now why would I do what a bunch of scum Italian's tell me to do eh? I'm Tommy Fucking Shelby. I don't take orders from no one." Exhausted from the all the drama, Riley fell into the chair opposite Tommy's desk.
"I'm going to send Danny to London to do some work for me and make the Italians believe I shot him."
Glad that Tommy wasn't going to kill Danny Riley winced as she remembered her bloody hand. The cut looked deeper than she thought. Noticing his sisters pain Tommy grew concerned "What's wrong?"
Glancing at her brothers concerned face Riley meekly held up her injured hand "When Danny went to stab the Italian I grabbed the knife trying to stop him."
Shaking his head at her foolish bravery he stood and grabbed a hold of her hand, assessing the deep cut.
"Why didn't you say so sooner!?"
Knowing he wasn't expecting an answer Riley remained quiet. Tommy pulled her up "Right come on. You're going to need stitches."
Oh god no! she thought, they're so painful.
"No please. I don't need them. Please Tom-cat" she begged. Chuckling Tommy shook his head.
"You should of thought of that before trying to grab a knife. Now come on."