Sinbound

(19) Showdown on Garrison Lane

Alex hasn't seen Tommy in a day. It's been 22 hours since she saw him at the pub last night. And tonight, standing where he had been, was Chief Inspector Campbell. His eyes were bearing into her across the room, causing the pub inhabitants to look her way aswell.

Amari turns to Alex, who was staring right back at Campbell. There was a minuscule twitch to her mouth. Alex was amused by this. Amari had managed to start interpreting the small body actions that Alex displayed.

Alex shrugs, turning back towards the bar, and lighting a cigarette. She heard his slow gait as he approaches the bar where she was stood.

"How's life been treating you?"

"A whole lot better than it has treated you," Alex responds, gesturing to the prominent wrinkles on his face.

"Where is your brother, Miss Shelby?" Campbell asks, placing a gun against the bar counter, all eyes on the weapon.

"Which brother?" Alex replies.

"I'm not here to play games, Miss Shelby, tell me the location of Thomas Shelby or be prepared to face the consequences stated by the Criminal Law Amendment act of 1885," Campbell threatens.

Alex takes a final drag from her cigarette, before stubbing it out.

"What shall it be?" Campbell says.

"You clearly haven't done enough research if you even think I've got to make a choice here," Alex states, looking to Inspector Moss, and outstretching her arms, so he could put the cuffs on.

"Lex," Amari says.

"Not now, Amari," Alex warns.

-

"What are you doing here?" Polly asks, ushering Tommy into the house, "the search has been called off, deemed less important now they've got the guns and ammunition."

Amari had ran from the pub, all the way to Watery Lane, knocking on the door.

"You're sure?" Polly says, going to the door, "who is it?"

"Amari, please, they've taken Alex."

Polly opens the door, "what?"

"They came to the pub and they've arrested Lex," Amari states.

"Why?" Tommy asks.

"Criminal Amendment Act of 1885, he tried to make a deal, she walks if she gives up your location, and if she didn't, she goes to jail for acts of homosexuality," Amari says.

"You just said the search was off," Polly states, turning to her nephew, "I got told they called it off this afternoon," Tommy confirms.

"So what? They just wanted Alex to give herself up?" Amari questions, "gave her an ultimatum so she could willingly hand herself over?"

"It's a trap," Polly gasps, "someone's forcing or paying Campbell."

"Let's not jump to conclusions, for all we know, they have started implementing the act, and it isn't targeted," Tommy says, "in which case, getting her out will be easy."

"No," Polly states, "they would've just arrested her if it was that. They wouldn't have made it seem like a decision. They wanted her to feel like she was in control."

"You think someone is out to get Alex?" Tommy questions.

-

"I won't tell you where he is," Alex states, as Campbell orders an officer to hit her.

"We don't need you to, this isn't about Thomas, his arrest is no longer warranted," Campbell replies, gesturing for the officer to do it again.

"You're being transferred... tomorrow morning," Campbell tells her, "HMP Lincoln. Consider it your last night in Birmingham."