Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 5 - Telegrams and beatings

"This came from Camden town." Cass says plainly as Tommy enters his new office. "What does it say?" Tommy asks, closing the door. "Let's break bread together." Cassie reads. "Looks like it's worked then. Our message proved efficient." Tommy says with a nod as he sits down and pours them both a drink.

"Polly's not happy about this, though." Cass warns, sipping her whiskey. "Well, we knew she wouldn't be. This is going to work. She has to have faith." Tommy replies, almost sounding bored. "I'll talk her round." Cass says, prompting Tommy to stand once again. "Right, it's late. Come on. We'll take the car." He says, holding his hand out for her to take.

~

After locking up, the pair rush towards the garage where the car is parked, but Cass is on edge. She feels like they're being watched but tries her best to ignore it. Tommy can sense her nerves, but shrugs it off, soon regretting it when a man comes out from behind the car pointing a gun at his head.

"Cass, run." He says before attacking the man. She immediately turns to leave the garage, only to be pulled back by someone stronger than her. She tries to fight him off, but his hold is too tight as he forces her to watch Tommy attempt to fight off 5 men all at once.

It's not long before Tommy is on the floor taking all of the kicks and punches that are being thrown at him. "Stand him up." A deep Italian voice says loudly from the background. Cass watches in silent suspense as the figure walks closer. "Tommy Shelby." He spits in her brother's face. "Sabini." Tommy groans in reply to the 'greeting'. Cass's heart pounds even harder. If it was this easy for Sabini to find them, what the hell has he done to the rest of her family?

"It's a shame I missed you at my club. I was busy at the races. And don't you fucking dare speak my name. Franco, take my name out of his mouth." Sabini says menacingly. 'Franco' pulls out a small knife and starts to cut into Tommy's gums, making him choke. "While you're in there, go gold digging. It might be able to pay for the petrol since this filthy city is so fucking far away." Sabini then says, prompting Franco to quickly pull Tommy's gold tooth out of his mouth.

Cass gasps at the sight, prompting Sabini to turn his head sharply. He obviously wasn't expecting Tommy to have company. "Well, you're a pretty one. Were you in my club as well, sweetheart?" Sabini asks her as he slowly walks her way. Cass stays silent, knowing that he already has the answer to his question. "What? Cat got your tongue?" he asks to taunt her with a smirk before gesturing for one his men to come over.

Cass grunts in pain as she is punched in the face, catching her brother's eyeline as she recomposes herself. She is then suddenly thrown up against the nearest wall with a lot of force, knocking the wind out of her. She falls to the floor and gasps for as much air a possible before being kicked in the ribs. She can't move. She just has to lay there and watch as Sabini returns to Tommy's side.

"Make him look at me." Sabini orders his men. Tommy groans as his head is lifted, blood running down all alleys on his face. "You take up with the Jews. Yeah, you think that's what London's all about. Well it's fucking not. You can't just come down and pick a side, you fucking clown!" He then yells in Tommy's face.

"Now, because of these mistakes, your life is over. My face is the last thing you're ever going to see on Earth, and she's going to watch the life drain out of your eyes." Sabini then says, pointing over to Cass who is still struggling to stand from the floor. She watches as he stands back, letting Tommy's head drop since he's not strong enough to hold it up himself. "Finish him off and send the rest of them a message through her." Sabini then says, prompting his men to continue beating Tommy.

Only one man beats Cass, and she's sure that he's been told to hold back. She thinks back to the time Campbell tried to threaten her family in the same way and compared to that, this is nothing. She takes a few punches to the face and gut before they all leave as quick as they arrived.

The pair are left in the darkness. Cass tries to fight her pain to get to Tommy, but someone else arrives before she can. Her eyes start to droop from tiredness, she's too weak to fight it off. Her world is soon black, although she hopes whoever arrived saves Tommy's life.