A Thousand Blows

I am looking for Lao.

Very easy for me to pin both the stolen silver

and this murder on you and your girls.

We're gonna hang for it and that's if the Elephant Boys don't get to us first.

- Fuck. - Indigo Jeremy's gonna be fuckin' furious.

Why don't you take the lead, because you crave it so much?

No, the world won't forget what you did, but I won't let them take you either.

Why do you fight for people who are nothing to ya?

Lao Lam, I'm so pleased to finally meet you.

Take him.

Buster Williams, world championship bout, that's what you're proposing?

Yes.

It's opportunities like dis we used to dream 'bout for real now.

There's been a whole change of plan with the you versus Hezekiah thing.

Oi!

Lunatic!

I've angered the Elephant gang.

But you'd have my total protection

- if you marry me. - No.

For the crime of betraying his brother,

Treacle Goodson will be barred from this pub!

You're angry at me for taking your place,

well, Hezekiah's taken it all, and you just let him.

And as for Mary, no wonder she's not interested in ya.

Esme, where is Alec?

I'm so sorry.

Hezekiah Moscow?

Who the fuck waan fi know?

This is a gift to you from the Elephant Boys.

Alec!

Alec!

You remember Dead Yard?

All the people, the food...

...the song.

Me would ramp and run around until Daddy would say,

"It's not a party, it's a time for respect."

And you would always ask, "Why it tek so long?"

And his answer would be,

"Because that's how long a spirit needs.

Nine nights, that's the length of the journey."

But this is just where it begins.

When your soul leave me...

Brother...

what now?

O eternal God and Father,

you are not the God of the dead but of the living.

Cover us with your mercy,

dear Father, protect us from fearing the sting of death

and lead us, Father, to your son,

who is the way, the truth...

- - ...and the life.

- We commend unto thy hand... - You have to be strong.

It don't make no sense.

Alec never troubled nobody. Who would do this?

You can't let it haunt you.

...ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

And we beseech thine infinite goodness to give us grace

to live in thy fear and love and to die in thy favour.

I see he decided against coming.

It's a shame. It might lift his spirits.

It might be a while before Hezekiah does anything that makes sense.

Why are you here?

Indigo.

The bodies are piling, Mary.

And they'll continue to pile until you respect order.

Your precious boxer had a near miss.

Don't let your luck run out.

I want you at Elephant and Castle where I can see ya.

Well, Hezekiah's taken it all, and you just let him.

All you've got left is this dump of a pub.

And as for Mary... Yeah, fuck it. I'll say it.

No wonder she's not interested in ya.

- -

- What have you done? What have you done? - Stop it, Marianne!

Sugar? What did you do?

Where's Treacle?

- Did you kill him? - Uncle, what have you done?

Sugar?

Uncle Sugar?

Punch told me I might find you here.

I thought you should know...

my father's awake.

That's the last one.

Don't just stand there with your mouths open. Carry on.

Was this the plan all along?

Rally the troops, scurry out of here like rats, no warning?

And if we told you, what would it change?

I might remind you of your duties.

What about the duties to our own fucking necks, Mary?

You just keep inching closer and closer to the fire

with no signs of stopping.

You're being hysterical, Eliza.

I rely on you to be steady.

No, you relied on me to betray my instincts.

Not again. We're going back to Jane's.

Indigo's warning, would we have even known without Jane?

If I rang a bell every time a man issued a fucking threat,

- nothing would get done. - Open your fucking eyes, Mary.

It's not just a threat. Alec's dead.

We're out of options. Face it.

Is this it?

Is it?

We were in this for life,

but you're not leading us to a place we understand.

It's time to go.

You won't have long.

Sorry I didn't come sooner.

Hey. You are here now.

- I tried to stop it. - Hezekiah.

- I wanted to protect you. - Hey.

No, no, no. Lao, you shouldn't be in here like this.

Hezekiah.

In a matter of days I'll be handed over to the Chinese government to die.

And we can grieve about what things could have been

but that won't change the facts.

A better use of our time would be to face what is haunting you.

Alec, um...

Alec gone.

He was killed.

It's me bring him here and him gone.

And now...

Now I have a fight like never before.

But why should I fight? Hmm?

How will it change?

I step inside the ring now, and I'm lost.

Alec teach me things I never knew I could do.

And after all him show me... ...and we come here,

I fight and win.

And not once did I ask if him happy.

I never knew if him happy.

Together this was your dream.

You know what you have to do.

- You did it as a boy. -

You lost the world, and look at the man you are today.

You hold that pain in both your hands,

and you focus it.

Your story is just beginning.

Hezekiah.

Fight if yuh gwan fight.

Why am I here, Mary?

I see something in you.

- That's why I'm keeping you close. - Really?

Because from what I hear you don't have much choice.

I don't need anyone by my side who don't want to be here.

That thing we discussed, that's pressing.

Head to the infirmary,

tell Charlie Mitchell we want one of his corpses.

And then what, Mary? Stuff it in a satchel?

The rest will be revealed.

You know, so far I've gone along with this, no questions asked.

But you're gonna need to give me a little more than that.

I'll give you this, I am fucking tired.

No matter what I do in this place, everything turns to shit.

I'm going away.

New York, fresh start.

There's a man over there who might help me.

- A man? - My father.

But before I go, there are things to set straight.

Why are you telling me all of this?

'Cause you won't stop me.

Despite both our misgivings, we're the only ones not ruled by fear.

Now get me that body.

Mr Moscow, statement for the Herald ?

A statement for the press, ahead of the fight, Mr Moscow?

Mr Moscow is feeling just fine.

Gentlemen, I think you might want to hear me.

I think I have more to say, I think I can answer all your questions.

Follow my lead.

Come along with me, gentlemen.

One for you later on, sir.

- Have you ever fought a world champion? - All your answers lie within.

He'll be here any minute, Hez.

- Keep focused. -

Hear ye, hear ye.

All the way from New York City, Buster Williams!

That's the Gentleman for you, boys.

Subtlety was never a strong suit for the Americans.

- Mr Moscow? - That's him.

Only one day to the big fight. Are you ready?

Mr Moscow, just a moment of your time.

Mr Williams is a highly regarded man in this sport.

Many are describing your contest as ill-matched.

Any concerns?

- Mr Bettinson? - Yes?

Any more on your decision to weigh the opponents

before the event here tomorrow night?

Well, why not?

Adds balance to the competition.

Nothing great was ever spoiled by structure. Write that.

And Lord Lonsdale, what's your response to those cynics who say

this is just another hobby?

A contest at this level in nature...

is rare.

In 1810,

we had Molineaux versus Cribb.

Now, all that did was stir up questions

about British skill versus ancestral advantage.

No, no, no, no, no.

I say let 'em fight before our eyes.