ɬῳıʂɬɛɖ - ɬ.ʂɧɛƖცყ

11

Iduna is cleaning in the bar when there's a loud banging on the door. Her head snaps up and she opens the door to reveal Tommy.

"Leave that open" Tommy says as Iduna goes to shut the doors. Iduna begins to pour him a glass of rum but Tommy stops her.

"Are you expecting trouble?" Iduna asks.

"Yeah," Tommy says.

"At this hour?" Iduna asks, looking at the clock.

"Midnight is as good an hour as any," Tommy says. Tommy places a gun on the counter after checking it's loaded.

"What the hell is going on?" Iduna asks.

"When the St. Andrew's bell strikes midnight," Tommy says. "Two IRA me are gonna come through that door. When they have what they want, they plan to kill me. It's your job to stop that happening"

"You could've given me some more warning," Iduna says.

"I just got the message myself," Tommy says. "They want to meet here alone"

"Barmaids don't count?" Iduna asks.

"No barmaids don't count" Tommy replies. "Now you're gonna be in that back room. I'm going to be sitting there. When I make a toast, you're gonna come out with that thing raised. You don't shoot. You just point. I'll do the rest."

"Will you kill them?" Iduna asks, taking the gun.

"No, the police want them alive," Tommy says.

"The police know about this?"

"Look," Tommy says. "Just hold it up" Tommy stands behind her as he lifts her arm. "Just point. Right?" Iduna nods and the bell chimes. Tommy's head snaps up. "Alright, go. Go on. Go!"

Iduna runs into the back room and presses herself against the wall. Iduna hears the doors open and she inhales, clutching the gun. Listening.

"Lost your thirst?" Tommy says.

"Just show us where," One of the men say.

"Give me the cash," Tommy says. "You're going to need a shovel"

Iduna hears a man chuckle.

"You thick fucking tinker. Did you think we'd let you live?"

"Make your peace, Mr Shelby" Iduna cocks the gun, slowly and quietly.

"I will make my peace my own way," Tommy says. "To barmaids who don't count"

Iduna walks out and fires the gun twice hitting one of the men. Iduna points her gun towards Tommy and the man who were fighting but she couldn't get a clear shot. But then the Irish man pistol whips her, causing her to crash to the ground with a pained grunt. Iduna pushes herself back once Tommy begins bashing the man's head with a spittoon. Tommy walks over and helps Iduna up. He places his hand on the back of her head.

"Why did you shoot?" He asks. "Why did you shoot, Iduna?"

"I didn't know I had it in me like that," Iduna says tearfully, looking at the man's body that was slumped in the chair.

"Now you've seen me," Tommy says.

"And you've seen me," Iduna says. "I'm sorry"

Tommy pulls her in for a hug after a few seconds the police walk in and Tommy pulls away.

"You were supposed to be here on the sixth chime," Tommy says as Iduna presses her hand to her forehead and pulls it away to reveal blood. "You were supposed to come on the fucking sixth chime. They refused to surrender." Iduna wraps a hand around her stomach, trying to push down the wave of nausea. "They fought well. They were brave men"