Pony's POV

I was at work with Soda and Steve. I was working hard and wondered when i get my first pay check. I want to give it to Darry. I was sitting on a chair. There werent many cars today. Steve walks over with soda.

"Hey Ponyboy." Steve grunted.

"Hey Pone!" Soda said cheerfully. How can he stand to be so cheery all the time.

"Hey..." I said dully.

"Pone, what's wrong?" Soda asked in a concerned voice.

"Nothing." I said trying to lift my voice a bit to not worry soda.

"There is something wrong. Now tell me."

"I just really don't want to get jumped." I lied. I wasn't upset about that. I was upset about Johnny. I was worried about what would happen to him. He doesn't seem like Johnny though. He's more like a lion instead of a puppy. He can fight. He will fight. He likes trouble. He never liked trouble. He slashed tires on a Soc's car. Johnny would have never done that. Maybe he toughened up.

"It'll be okay kid brother. I won't let anyone hurt you. And neither will Steve. He won't admit it but he would." Steve got up. "Yeah whatever you say honey." He left. I got up and went to help someone that had just pulled in. They got out and waited for me.

"Hello. Do y..." He cut me off with a hand over my mouth and me being tied up. I got thrown in the trunk. It was dark.

Soda's POV

I watched Pony go help another car. I walked in the back to find Steve working on a cars engine.

"Hey Steve."

"Hey buddy." He said concentrating.

"Do you like Pony?" I asked. I wanted to know. He hesitated and stood In front of me.

"Honestly, I don't. He's a kid that you drag around with us all the time. I can't stand him and neither can Dally." He said in a stern voice.

"Dally gets along just fine with him and you know it!" I almost yelled. He grunted and turned around and back to fixing the car. I heard a car speed away out in the front of the DX. I walked out to see what Pony did but he was no where to be found. I looked every where. I even walked down the street some but I couldn't find him. I ran to the back.

"Pony's gone." I looked straight at Steve with a face of terror. He shot up. Even though he doesn't like Pony, he stands up for his kind. We ran out closing the DX telling the boss that we couldn't find him. We ran down the street to the house and walked in. Darry had no idea what was going on. I ran to my room while Steve rummaged through the house looking every where. I opened the door to see a drunked two-bit passed out in the bed.

"ARG!" I ran back downstairs.

"Did you find him?" I asked Steve.

"No." He shook his head.

"Uggh!" I ran out the back door and looked around. Not here either.

Steve's POV

I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I ran with Soda. This kid needs to stay in one spot. Darry looked oblivious to what was happening. I ran through the house pulling everything out, up, sideways, and down. Looking in everything and under everything. I couldn't find the kid. Darry walked over to me.

"What's going on?" He asked me when I was rushing to the kitchen.

"Pony's missing." I said quickly and went into the kitchen. Soda ran down and out the back door. I ran with him. Darry went out the front door. We were so scared. Pony please come home so I don't have to look for you anymore...

Pony's POV

It was dark and I felt like I was sitting up. I couldn't move my arms. Mostly because they were tied up to a chair. I heard voices.

"Why do we have the youngest brother? We should have grabbed the middle child. He was the one to slash our tires."

"The other is probably worried sick about our little catch here. He'll die if we do anything to him."

"Yeah but it would have been easier if..."

"Shut up!" I heard footsteps coming toward me.

"Hey baby grease. What were you doing on our side of town?" A nasty voice asked. I couldn't say anything so I spit at him landing on his cheek.

"You really want to get a beaten huh grease." I was beyond mad.

"I work at the DX thank you very much!" I yelled. He cupped my mouth.

"Don't yell honey. Someone will hear you." I but his hand as hard as I could feeling blood seep through my teeth.

"Son of a bitch!" He yelled and took his hand back. He slapped me across my face.

"Now your gonna get it." He untied me and grabbed me by my neck.

"Say goodbye to your life grease." He and his friends slugged me a few times and kicked the air out of me. He let go. I landed on my feet. One of them grabbed me by the back of my shirt. The tall soc looked at me then he ran and kicked me in the stomach. I fell to the ground. I couldn't stand.

"Man he's had enough!" The shortest one said.

"I'll say when he's had enough. He hasn't until he's dead." They kept kicking me and slugging me. I couldn't breath. They cut me up too.

"Okay Dan! He's had enough! He can't even stand! He's had enough!" He slapped the soc across the face sending him flying into the wall. I got kicked in the head and went out cold.