AUTHORS NOTE:

Please feel free to leave me comments and critiques on how you feel about the story and characters, as well as any requests you may have. Remember this is an AU so I have taken liberties with the storyline. I basically wanted to write a somewhat new story using the Peaky Blinders and its characters instead of another story that follows the tv shows storyline. This chapter is short but hopefully still enjoyable.

Chapter 2

Camden Town

Solomons Bakery

Dec. 10, 1919

Alfie POV

Alfie looked over the notes he'd made. He didn't know why he had agreed to setup this damn meeting for the Peaky Blinders. If Tommy fuckin Shelby cocked up his relationship with his fuckin shipper, he was going to let Tommy Fuckin Shelby have it!

Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck it! Six years he's had dealings with the Adelisa. Dealings that started before the damn war and continued through and after it. Thomas fuckin Shelby. He'd right make sure that Shelby knew the consequences if he mucked up his business. How the hell could a six year business arrangement grow so fuckin cold when all he'd done was ask if they would consider a new damn client. His conversations with the second one, Eirnin had always been cordial at the least. While he wasn't as up tight as the elder, nor was he as sociable as the younger, he was still always damn cordial. So why the fuck now was he like fuckin ice. Something was going on, onboard the Adelisa and fuck if it wasn't going to bleed over into his business, by bringing Shelby into the equation.

He picked up his phone and dialed Birmingham. All the damn thing did was fuckin ring! Where the hell was everyone, there were enough fuckin Shelby's that someone should've been there to pick up the damn ringer. He set the handset down on the desk allowing it to continue ringing while he placed his head in his hand and took deep breathes to try and maintain the calm he'd basically lost already. He slammed his fingers down on the disconnect and took another breath. Alright, alls good. If they ain't at the den at this time a day, then the Garrison would be the most likely place to find at least one of them.

"Garrison."

"Oi, Tommy Shelby there by any chance?"

"Who's askin?"

"Who's askin? Who's fuckin askin? If Shelby's there tell him Alfie fuckin Solomons is on the damn line, eh!"

"Alrigh, wait a moment."

That fuckin little shite, wait a moment, wait a fuckin moment? Alfie held the receiver in front of his face dangling from his fingers and thought about just hanging up. When he heard the deep gruff voice of Tommy come through the line.

"Aye, Alfie."

After a beat and another breath he put the phone back to his ear.

"Listen good Shelby, you're meetin' with one o' the twins, there'll be one other man there. Simple meet and greet, basic questions. Ya cock up my dealings with them in anyway and I'll be taken out my losses on your hide, ya understand? Ya won't get an answer about doin business right away, it's gotta be cleared by all o' them, right."

"...Aye."

"Hmmph... Two days time, they'll come ta ya and meet ya at the Garrison, four in the even'in."

"Two days, 4 at the Garrison."

"Now don't fuckin ask me for anything else."

Without waiting for a reply from the Shelby he hung up the phone.

"Alfie! You're needed out front."

"Aye, Ollie."

What the fuck is it now!

Birmingham - Small Heath

Garrison Pub

Tommy POV

Tommy set the receiver back down and handed the phone over to the new bar man Devlin. Something had Alfie in a damn mood, though he supposed it really didn't take much to stir up that volatile man. He tapped his fingers on the bar twice and his empty glass was quickly refilled. Taking his rum and moving back into the snug he closed the doors securely behind him.

They'd been having a family gathering of sorts so everyone with the last name Shelby who wasn't too young was there. He retook his seat at the end of the table and looked across at his brothers Arthur and John. He could tell Arthur had already had too much rum for one night and it was unlikely he'd be stoppin anytime soon. His dark brown hair was a right mess and rum still glistened off his mustache. John was sat back nursing his drink, knew he had kids to get back to soon. He was spending more time moving the matchstick between his lips from one side to the other than drinking any booze.

Now his little sister Ada, she was just looking bored as hell, probably wishing she could be snuck off with Freddie somewhere. Thinking that he didn't know anything about what she was doing or who she was doing it with. Polly sat smoking her cigarette and staring at the liquor in her glass, thoughts somewhere else at the moment. His cousin Michael had his head leaned back against the wall with his eyelids closed, like he was fucking tired or something.

Two men, meeting him on his turf, right fuckin affable they were being.

"John, you're with me when we meet with the shipper in two days."

John's baby blues swept up to his and he gave a quick nod to let him know he'd heard. Before he could say anything else Arthur started going off.

"What the hell Tommy, if you're meeting wit the shippers then ya need more people wit ya. We don't know 'em. We don't trust em', meeting strangers out in the open at some random location is a bad idea without the proper backup."

Tommy's voice stayed low and even and he spoke slowly continuing to take random drags from his cigarette, pausing every so often to tap the ashes into the tray on the table.

"Arthur, there's only two coming, and they set the meeting here...at the Garrison. Alfie's been doing business with these shippers since before the war. I'm willing ta meet with 'em with just John. Everyone else can make themselves scarce. I'm handling it."

Airship Adelisa Aiglentine

Aoife POV

Eirnin's voice boomed into the galley as most of the crew were sitting down to eat supper. Aoife and Aine were both just tucking into some stew, while Carrick was staring into his grog and Reilly was nearly finished with his whole meal. They all looked up and focused on the information that Eirnin was detailing to them.

"Well, we've got a meeting set up with Birmingham. Day we dock in London, so it's going to be hectic. Told Solomons that it'd be two of us meeting his man in Birmingham at some pub called the Garrison, 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Should give whoever we decide to send enough time to take the tramline up there from dockside."

Carrick's rough voice sounded off before anyone could say anything.

"Well then since this is Aoife's deal she can go. She can take one of the Merle brothers with her. The rest of us are needed here to unload and start getting setup for reloading."

No one said anything to refute Carrick's decision and Aoife didn't really care. Sure it would be a long day of ground traveling but she'd take it over being stuck with Carrick giving out orders aboard ship. He could be a right pain in the ass when he was in a mood and it hadn't changed any since they spoke about his special delivery.

She wouldn't make a decision without consulting her family about the details of Birminghams product but she would go see if it was even worth bringing to the table in the first place.

"Done. I'll have to dig out some cold weather ground clothes but otherwise it should be interesting. If it's a deal worth considering I'll call and we can put it to a vote, get the particulars squared away right quick should we need to. If not then I'll catch the first tram back and return to help with the unloading and loading."