Just in case anyone was wondering how Race knew to find Jack at Katherine's . . .
Standard disclaimers apply. I own only my computer, and even that is conditional.
There is nothing innocent about a horde of newsboys tiptoeing in a single-file line down the nearly empty, lamp-lit streets of New York City. The occasional passerby ignored the parade because that was simply easier than acknowledging whatever was be occurring. However, the boys in question couldn't help but feel that suspicious glares followed them everywhere on their journey.
"This is ridiculous," Specs whispers out of the corner of his mouth to the boys around him, shaking his head. "Since when did we resort to stalking to find out information? That's a reporter's job, not ours."
"We ain't stalking," Race mutters, scowling darkly at the bespectacled boy. "That makes it sound illegal, and I ain't breaking no law. We're just creeping."
Specs snorts in disbelief. "Yeah, okay. That sounds a lot less shady." He ducks to avoid Race's punch, which catches Mush instead. Henry drops the rock he'd been playing with to rush to Mush's aid, ending up tripping over a bench instead. Romeo shushes all of them before they can start hollering insults at one another.
"Do you want to get caught? Shut up!"
With a few murmured apologies, they stop bickering and continue down the sidewalk. The idea of being found out by the two subjects they're shadowing is more terrifying than anything else the newsboys can imagine. The glares would freeze hell over. The shouting would reach the heavens.
"Why are we doing this again?" Finch asks a few minutes later once the novelty of the threat has worn off. Specs shrugs hopelessly in front of him, but Race shoves him out of the way to take his place near the other newsboy.
"Cause Crutchie said Jack's been spending a lot of time there, an' who knows if we might need to find him one day?" he says seriously.
Specs snorts again. "Uh, how 'bout cause Race wants to know where a girl lives, even if it's just Katherine."
"I know where plenty of girls live." Race sounds grievously insulted.
"Any who ain't livin' in the factory houses?"
Race rolls his eyes and marches back to the front in stony silence. The others take that as a definite no.
"We still could've just asked Davey," Specs mutters, not at all impressed by the quest.
"He woulda just told Jack," Romeo retorts. "What's the fun in that? We's gotta be sneaky about it!"
Specs shrugs, not yet annoyed enough to take all the fun out of the adventure for the younger boy. Behind him, Mush and Henry have gotten into an argument about the best kind of cookie in the city, based purely on smell since they've tasted less than half a dozen. Finch is whistling Medda's latest song loudly and out of tune.
"Damn!" Race shouts suddenly, drawing alarmed looks from a few upper-class women passing on the other side of the street. "We lost 'em! They musta turned. Did anybody see which way they went?"
The boys look up and down the street frantically, trying to locate the head of curly hair and the newsboy cap that they hadn't lost sight of for over half an hour. They don't see them anywhere on the main road, and the few alleys in sight don't hide the pair from view, either. Specs shrugs and makes to turn back toward Newsie Square, only to be stopped by his co-conspirators. The rest of them aren't quite willing to give up yet.
Suddenly Romeo tugs on Race's sleeve, pointing sheepishly to the porch on a nearby apartment building. Standing on the steps are Jack and Katherine, arms crossed, staring down at their friends with matching exasperated expressions on their faces. Specs turns to Race with a smug look.
"Would now be an appropriate time to run rather than be caught creeping?"
Race nods, and the boys take off in the opposite direction.
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KnightNight7203