Resignation

Like a ghost in the night, Thaddeus rolled into the tattoo shop again as though he'd never left. A trail of smoke drifted from his mouth and a lazy smile sat on his crocodile smile.

Behind the counter, Vance's instincts went off without even turning around. He'd returned to Finch after his last job and stuck to her like glue. Mary was pushing him to go to Spain, but he'd put her off at least three more days.

"Ge' out," Abby said, looking up from the bloke she was working on when the atmosphere in the shop turned dark.

Thaddeus dropped his cigarette and stubbed it on the counter.

"Lizzy's dead," Thad's deep voice said. "I've been.. cut off."

Vance's hand flipped, a slim knife shooting out of a triggered sheath (thanks to Jack). He had the point at the tall stranger's pulse point soundlessly.

"I could cut something off," Vance smirked. Finch put a hand on Vance's arm, curling closer to him.

"Lizzy's... dead?" Abby asked, biting her lip.

"Yeah, strung up like a warning," Thaddeus murmured. "Police have her now. Wasn't pretty."

I imagine it wasn't, Vance thought to himself.

"I'll wait my turn," Thaddeus said. "I need some new ink tonight, Abs. Maybe your new shop girl can entertain me."

"Not takin' customers," Abby replied before Finch could even object (and she seemed as though she wanted to). "I repeat m'self, get. out. I don't want you in here again."

"Abigail, you've got five minutes for an old friend," Thaddeus said darkly.

Vance was up and over the counter, hooking Thad's arm around his back.

"Ow!" Thaddeus cried out.

The bell rang at the door.

"Bad time?" Spencer said, brows raised.

"I will count to three, and I want everyone to clear the bloody fucking hell out!" Abby shouted, pushing at her customer to get off the table. "Including you, Finch. Get your ruddy arse of a boyfriend-"

"Oi!" Vance said. "Git the civvie out and I'll handle this dog and pony show."

The guy practically ran, dripping with ink and holding his shirt out the door. Spencer didn't flinch, but nobody else moved either.

Vance shoved Thaddeus forward.

"Arse in a chair," he barked.

"Easy, tiger," Thaddeus said, rubbing his shoulder. "Mean no harm." He held up pale hands.

"I'm texting the Boss," Finch said with a sigh, sliding her phone out of her pocket.

"Leave her out of this. I can handle a couple of washed up gang members," Vance whined.

"Erm, ex-gang members," Thaddeus said, politely.

Spencer's eye roved over the stranger. "Least two weeks on the street. Leaving its mark," he said, noting the unwashed denim and leather. "Hmph, he's got a hit out on him."

"Not from our side," Vance said, resheathing his knife. He looked to Abby, face calm. "I told you I'd plug the leak, bird. I had to follow the spray."

"You cannot handle them," Finch said, looking skeptical. She also looked a little disgruntled at Vance calling Abby a bird, even though she knew it wasn't... wasn't like a special word or anything. "Between Spencer's loose lips and you just callin' one of our customers a civvie, you've got no idea."

"Finch, shut up," Abby snapped.

"Leave the Boss out of this, Finch," Spencer said, slipping his hands into his own pocket. "Or can't you handle it anymore? This used to be child's play, huh. Leave the old folks at home. Scrawny creeper doesn't even have a weapon on him," he said. He grasped Thaddeus's wrist, turning it over to expose a black peace sign. "Pacifist," Spencer spat. Like it was a dirty word.

Thaddeus just rolled his bony shoulders.

"Well, clearly you've all got business under control, then," Finch said, her chin angled up defiantly. She looked too much like her mother. "I'll just do as the lady asks then and vanish. Later." She headed for the door.

"Let 'er go, we don't need 'er," Abby muttered. "Just get this piece of trash out of my damn shop."

Vance pulled Thaddeus from his chair, nearly toppling the guy over.

"Hey, I've got legs," he complained, letting himself be pushed and shoved. "Later, love! I'll see ya when yer no' busy with the babes!"

"Shut up," Vance snapped, pushing him again.

Abby sat back down on her medical stool, watching Vance kick the shit out of the pest. "If I catch ya back in 'ere I'll have Finch shoot you."

"I'd love it, darling!" Thaddeus said, before getting an elbow to the jaw on the way out the door.

Spencer hadn't really moved. He'd grown stiller since Brandon had returned. Watchful. If he'd been allowed to know of his late uncle, someone might have recalled a similarity in them - at least until it came time for action.

Spencer locked the door behind them.

"Noisy. It'll be that way if you keep Finch around," he said. "She's like Mum, draws people to her."

"She don't see it that way," Abby replied, her voice going croaky. She tried to clear her throat. "Everyone else left. Why haven't you?"

"Hard headed," Spencer said, keeping his hands in his pockets as he wandered over. "Plus, I just heard, your sister died. Sorry. Were you close?"

"Nah. Pain in the backside," Abby lied, looking down at her knuckles. "How'd you know she was m'sister?"

"Observation," Spencer said. "And I looked you up on the internet." He smiled.

"Stalker," the violet-haired girl replied. She started to clean up her station, not looking at him. "She couldn't just leave the old life alone, y'know? Some people, they don't ever get out."

"But you wanted to," he said, leaning on the counter. "Go clean, go straight. Mum's tried to do that for us. Speaking of, had my fourth case, first conviction. Had hoped Finch was up to working on real people by now."