"Where the hell are they?" Tugger complained the next night, throwing a dart savagely. "Are we having that war council or not?"
Tumble glanced up from his game of solitaire, his gaze moving to Ricky who had his nose buried in a comic book, "They'll get here when they get here."
"Oh, screw that," Tugger said, aiming a dart above Tumble's head. "They shoulda been here ages ago and they know it as much as we do."
Tumble ducked, scowling at the other boy, "Watch it!"
Doc Cohen came out of the door leading to the basement of his drugstore, "Tugger, the dartboard is on the other wall. I would rather not have to patch more holes than necessary."
"Sure, Doc," Tugger said and rolled his eyes.
"What are you boys doing here at this hour anyhow?"
"A war council, Doc," Ricky answered.
"A what?" the older man turned to him in shock.
"War Council," Tugger huffed as if that was obvious, Macavity lounging back in one of the seats, smoking, and considering the others with a lidded expression.
"Why?" The older man prompted, wiping down the counter.
"Whatda you mean, why?" Tugger asked, nearly missing the dartboard in his shock. "For war!"
"They're on our turf," Macavity finally interjected.
Doc pinched the bridge of his nose before letting his glasses fall back into place, "You couldn't play basketball or something to sort this out?"
Macavit'y look was far from impressed as he took another drag of the cigarette. "No. This ain't the basketball game type."
"Why do you boys do this? Is the pavement really worth your blood? Your lives?"
"Don't start, Doc," Macavity growled. "I ain't seeing much else worth it."
"What are you going to be when you grow up, Macavity? Do you have a dream beyond tonight? Beyond this week?" Doc's natural Russian accent was growing the slightest bit more pronounced as he spoke.
Macavity scowled at him. "What the hell did I just say about not startin? What's it matter to you anyhow?"
The rest of the gang had fallen mostly silent, Tugger's hand still raised but not throwing darts as they listened. Doc and Mac's fights and debates were starting to be downright legendary.
"It matters because I have seen one too many of you throw your lives away for a patch of ground. Over what in the end amounts to very little! I have seen boys and men die on battlefields large and small and I do not want to have to dig your early grave as well," Doc snapped.
Macavity flicked a bit of the cigarette over the tray. "You make it sound like you fought all sorts of places."
"And you make it sound like I did not. I was fighting on these streets before the last war, and I patched up the unlucky and the unluckier in Europe. Do not talk to me of fighting, Macavity. I have seen it."
"Yeah, well, you don't know nothing about my generation," Macavaity said. "Always about kids these days, people my age. Act like you was better than we were and stand all high and mighty like."
"And you? You treat us as though we all treat you as that. Oy vey, will I never be heard? I expect no new holes in my walls, and no blood on my floors. You know my rules," with that Doc turned and disappeared downstairs again.
Macavity scowled after him, hunching his shoulders down and glaring.
Tumble looked toward the door and then toward Macavity. He turned over another card, "Think they're going to actually show?"
"They had better," he growled, smoking more impassionedly than he had before.
The door opened and Griddlebone stepped inside, her blue dress hugging all her curves just right. She gave Tugger a look, "Hold off on the darts for a minute, hot shot."
He rolled his eyes, dropping his arm obediently. "Fine, fine."
Tearing his eyes away from the door Doc had disappeared through, Macavity's eyes lit up at the sight of his girl. "Darling," he drawled.
She sauntered over to him, sitting down not quite on his lap but close, "Hello, Mac."
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he grinned. "You shouldn't be here, you know."
Leaning in she kissed his jaw, "Shouldn't I?"
"Well there's this whole war council thing going on," he all but purred, tilting his head to kiss her.
She pressed into the kiss, smirking against it before drawing back, "War council? Against the PRs?"
"Yeah," he said with a nod. "Remember? Thing we set up at the dance?" He paused to glance around. "Oi, I know there's been no sight of the PRs, but where the hell is Cor?" The thought really only had occurred to him that his second was neither there for the meet more work.
"I remember." She settled on his lap instead, "He works here, maybe he had to run an errand."
Rolling his eyes, he leaned into to kiss her, Tugger returning to darts rather abruptly.
Grids pulled back from the kiss, "I'll wait for you, even if it means talking Doc into letting me help him in the basement."
Macavity laughed and smirked. "Really now? All that to wait for me?"
She kissed him again, "And why not? I was thinking we could see where's open after the council. Which I'm still not sure I like..."
"Come on," he said, feeling like everyone was complaining. "You know what our territory means."
"I do, I just don't like you getting hurt."
"Won't get hurt," he assured, kissing her again. "Now, if you leave I'll be sure to find you later and see about tonight, hm?"
"Promise you won't start a fight tonight and then I'll see about leaving."
"No fights tonight," he said. "Promise. There should even be a truce until the rumble."
"Good. You show up bloody tonight and you get nothing," she warned, sliding off his lap and standing up. She paused for a moment before leaning down to kiss him again.
"Yeah yeah," he said, still grinning as he held her in place for the kiss.
"What're we hanging around dumb broads for anyway?" Tugger asked, gathering the darts up and starting another round.
Grids straightened, pulled away from Mac, and turned to look at Tugger, hand resting on her hip, "I've got more smarts in my little finger than you've got in your whole body, Tugger. Just cause you can't get some isn't the fault of the gals." She turned back to Macavity, "I'll see you later."
"See you tonight," he agreed, shooting Tugger a long look. "And you stop insulting my girl."
Grids strolled past Tugger, patting his shoulder on her way out, "Cool off, boy."
"She's right you know," Macavity said, watching Tugger's grimace. "You don't want them to see how you're feeling."
Ricky looked up from his comic, "And how are we supposed to not?"
"You don't show it," Mac said, as if it really should be that obvious. "Think about it. You show them how you're feeling and you are dead. You're making it obvious, showing weakness. Instead, you play it all cool."
"But the next creep that calls me a hoodlum-" Tugger started.
"You'll laugh!" Mac ordered.
"But we want to get even," Tumble protested.
"Get even cool," Macavity said, rising and moving to the center of the room.
"I wanna bust 'em!" Ricky said, closing his comic.
"Bust cool!" Macavity said, shaking his head. "Crazy boy, cool down. Take it slow, and maybe you can live it up and die in bed."
"That's what we all hope, but who's actually gonna see that?" Tumble muttered.
"Who knows?" Mac said with a shrug. "But you might as well get your chances as high as possible, right?" He laughed, shaking his head. "Playing it cool is all about keeping your weaknesses away from the others."
The younger teen considered that before nodding, "Makes sense...Doesn't change much, but makes sense."
"It's the small things, right?" he laughed again as the bell for the door rang again.
Munkustrap entered, his gang right behind him. Doc, having heard the bell, came upstairs again, pausing when he saw the two gangs.
"Coke all around, Doc," Mac said, not taking his eyes off Munkustrap.
Munkustrap shook his head at Doc to indicate otherwise, "Let's get down to business, Macavity."
Come now," Mac said, spreading his arms. "Just because you haven't learned the procedures of gracious living..."
"I do not like you. And you do not like me. I don't drink with people I don't like."
Macavity laughed in his face and shook his head. "Fine then. Must drink alone a lot then."
Munkustrap's eyes narrowed and his hands clenched, but he kept himself from retaliating against the laugh, "You are the one who called this council, it is only fair that you have the first words."
The rest of the Jets gathered from the store, falling in behind Mac. "We challenge you to a rumble. All out, once and for all. Accept?"
"What are the terms?"
Mac's shrugged was indifferent. "Whatever terms you're calling, buddy boy. You crossed the line once too often."
"You started it," came the sharp response.
"Who attacked Tumble yesterday?" Macavity demanded.
"Who attacked me the first day I came here?" Munkustrap snapped.
"Who asked you to move here?" Macavity responded.
"Who asked you?"
"Move back to where you came from!" Tugger taunted back.
Munkustrap smiled thinly, "After your parents do."
"Hey, at least we have them," Mac said, spreading his arms out.
Munkustrap's hand tensed again, "We accept your challenge."
Macavity smirked. "Time?"
"Three days, nightfall. There is a condition to the acceptance," Munkustrap hoped this would work.
"And what is that?" Macavity asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back.
"The losers lose the territory, but their families, and girls are to be untouched and left alone should they end up in the territory."
Macavity blinked at that, considering Grids as well. "Sure, why not?"
Munkustrap nodded once at that, "Where is it to be?"
"The river," Macavity offered.
"Under the highway," came the counter-offer.
Macavity held his hand out to be shaken. "Weapons?"
Munkustrap shook the offered hand, but hesitated, "Weapons..."
"You call," Macavity said, arms back over his chest.
"Your challenge," the Puerto Rican countered.
"Afraid to call?" Macavity returned.
There was a pause as Munkustrap considered whether or not the next word out of his mouth was a betrayal to anything he'd told Bomba earlier, "Sticks."
"Rocks," Macavity said.
"Poles."
"Cans," Mac returned, aware that this could spiral out of control very quickly.
"Bricks," Munkustrap snapped out, knowing he'd crossed a line somewhere and there was no retreat back to the safety that he had wanted for his family when he came to the American shores.
"Bats."
"Clubs."
"Bottles, knives, guns!" Coricopat's voice came from where he had entered unnoticed by either gang, "What a coop full of chickens!"
Macavity's head whipped around, the look he shot his second as murderous as he was sure Munkustrap's would be. Munkustrap's eyes narrowed at the new arrival, "Every dog knows his own."
"I'm calling all of you chicken," the Jets lieutenant responded. "The big tough gangs have to throw bricks, and stones! Afraid to get close in?" He strode nearer to the two leaders, "Afraid to slug it out? Afraid to use plain skin?"
"That ain't a rumble," Tugger muttered and Macavity leaned back, the line of his shoulders relaxing.
"A rumble can be clinched by a fair fight," Coricopat countered. "If you have the guts to risk that. Best man from each gang slugs it out."
Munkustrap sized up the other teen, "I think that is a decent risk. Okay, fair fight."
"What? No!" Tugger protested and Mac put a hand on his chest, silencing him.
"Commanders say yes or no," he admonished and held a hand out to Munkustrap. "Fair fight?"
The other leader shook his hand, "Fair fight." His gaze moved to Coricopat, "I look forward to this."
"Your best man against our best man," Macavity said, moving over to clap Admetus on the shoulder. "And we pick them."
Munkustrap gaped for a moment, "But I thought..."
"We shook on it," Mac shrugged.
"Si, I shook on it." His gaze moved to Coricopat, "All your high speech about chickens, and here you let him choose another to fight your battle for you."
He shrugged, "Mac's in charge. I don't want to fight you."
Munkustrap's lip curled, "No, you would rather kiss a boy you have never met at a public dance."
"I would have thought you'd have more respect talking about your brother," Coricopat said, eyes darkening slightly.
"And I would have thought you would have more respect for knowing where you should be, and what boundaries you should not cross. Rumor has it there was an American around our building last night. You wouldn't know about that would you?"
Macavity glanced at Coricopat, eyes smoldering in anger. "I'm sure he doesn't," he growled.
"Why do you not let him answer for himself? He has already proven he has a mouth on him," Munkustrap said, flicking a hand.
Coricopat shrugged, "Why would I have any idea?"
"Because no one else has a cause to be there." He looked at Macavity, "Unless there is some scouting going on that I do not know of, in which case this entire war council is a farce."
"No scouting," Macavity growled. "I keep my word." He was, however, going to be yelling an ear off once the PRs left.
"Good. Then we will meet for this rumble, until then there is to be no fighting. Yes?"
"No fighting until then," Macavity agreed.
Munkustrap nodded once, "Then we are done here, I think." He motioned to his gang, "Come on, Sharks."
Before they could leave a slight yelp came from Ricky who'd been watching the windows, "Deuteronomy and Growltiger, headed here."
Mac moved quickly, sitting down at the bar, the other Jets mingling with the Sharks to make it look all friendly like. Munkustrap perched next to Macavity, as Pouncival and Coricopat ended up jostled into a booth with each other. Deuteronomy opened the door, glancing around at the two gangs, he shook a cigarette out of the pack he carried, glancing at Doc, "You mind?"
"I have no mind," he glanced at Macavity momentarily. "I'm the village idiot." He'd heard the two gangs' council and was ready to strangle them all, but opted instead to going back to cleaning the counter.
Macavity gave Doc a long look at that as Tugger stepped forward. "Good evenin', Lieutenant Deuteronomy. Me and Cor was just closing up."
Deuteronomy arched an eyebrow at that, "Really now?"
"Oh yeah," Tugger said, nodding as Macavity leaned against the counter. "Well, we were goin' start in about five minutes but we were aiming at that sort of a goal."
The lieutenant lit his cigarette, "Gettin' set to close up with all these people here? That don't seem quite reasonable. Might be easier if you got the trash out first." His gaze darted to Munkustrap who tensed and looked about ready to go for him.
"Well, as I said, it was sorta the goal, right? People know it's closing time, they start leaving in an orderly manner."
"Have to get all our goodbyes out," Mac drawled.
"Well, I'm gonna cut it short. Clear out, Sharks," Deuteronomy jerked his thumb at the door.
Munkustrap frowned at that, "We got rights to be here, it's-"
"A free country? Yeah, that's true. It's also a country with laws, and I can find the one that'll let me kick you out. I got the badge, you got the skin. It's tough all over. Now beat it!"
The Puerto Rican didn't move for a long moment, glancing at Macavity and then at the two assembled gangs. Doc had looked up to protest, but had fallen silent.
Scowling, Mac smoothed his expression out, nodding instead to Munkustrap. "Sad the nights endin' so soon. But you gotta end sometime, right?"
Munkustrap offered him a long look, but nodded, "Yes, it is too bad. Buenas noches, mi amigo." He rose, nodding to the door and heading out, pointedly whistling "My Country Tis of Thee" on his way out, waiting outside for his gang to join him.
Mac tried to suppress a grin at that, ducking his head down.
Deuteronomy frowned after them before he cleared his expression, "Whatever they think... So, where's the rumble going to be?"
"Rumble?" Mac asked, face expression of innocence.
"Oh come on, I know regular Americans don't rub with gold-teeth otherwise. The river? The park?" Crossing his arms, Mac remained silent.
"Look, I'm for you. I want this beat cleaned up and you can do it for me. I'll even lend a hand if it gets rough. So where you gonna rumble? The playground? Sweeny's lot?" He growled at the silence that continued to greet him, "You think I'm a lousy stool pigeon? I wanna help you get rid of them PRs." Still nothing, "Fine. I catch any a ya anywhere near it and I'll drag you all in myself." He left, the door slamming shut behind him.
Mac let out a long breath, shaking his head. "Damn cop."
Doc sighed, keeping his mouth shut about what he'd seen and what he was thinking, for once, "He's got no legal grounds in my shop, I may have to remind him next time..."
"Yeah, Doc," Mac grinned. "That would be something I pay to see."
"Stick around, I might try it," the older man muttered.
"That's the plan, Doc," Mac replied.
"Means you gotta make it that long, Macavity."
"It's a one on one skin fight!" Mac protested, throwing his hands up. "You complain about digging my grave but it's your worrying that's gonna send you to that early grave, not me."
Doc looked at him over his glasses, "A one on one skin fight you're not supposed to be directly involved in. Here's hoping you stay intact from it."
"It'll be fine, Doc, stop worryin'," Mac said, lifting his shoulders and spreading his arms out.
That earned a sigh, "I can't stop worrying. I worry about all of you, cause someone has to."
"Well, take an early night tonight then, everything's gonna be fine."
Doc tapped the wood of his countertop at that, sending a quiet prayer heavenwards at the same time, "Right, yes, of course. Just...all of you, be careful."
"Sure thing," Mac said, sliding away from the counter. "Now, if you all don't mind, I think there's a lovely gal I'm supposed to meet, since we managed to not get into any violence tonight."
That earned a round of "good night's" from the gang, Coricopat joining in, though he was carefully trying to stay under Mac's radar for the rest of the night.
Mac paused, turning at that. "We," he said, pointing to his second. "Are not done talking."
The other teen flinched, "Aren't you due to meet Grids?"
"Yeah, which is why that conversation gets to happen tomorrow," he said, waving his hand and heading for the door.
Coricopat swore under his breath, but finally rose, "Alright, everybody else out too, Doc and I gotta close up shop."
Tugger muttered something, expression dark before he looped an arm around Tumble and strode out, the rest of the Jets following. Tumble startled slightly at that, but let himself be guided out. Doc looked at the remaining teen, "You are out of your mind if you think this will be a fair fight."
"Mac's planning on it, and Munkustrap won't risk losing and having the deal fall through. It'll be as fair as they can make it, short of having the two scrawniest guys fight it out."
"I hope you're right. What were you doing in the Sharks' territory?"
"I...well, Doc, I think I may be headed toward being in love," Coricopat said, not quite looking at the other.
The drug store owner just about dropped the case of coke bottles he was carrying, "You're what?"
"Maybe falling in love. With Munkustrap's brother."
"You all have death wishes!" Doc declared.
Coricopat blinked at him for a moment, "What?"
"Go home. I'll finish up here and earn myself a few more grey hairs at the same time. Get going."
The teen hesitated, but left after being told once more. As he stepped outside he was hailed by a figure in the shadows. Coricopat paused, turning in that direction, "Yeah?"
Pouncival stepped out of the alley next to Doc's shop, moving over, "What do you think you're doing with Mistoffelees?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"Kissing him. And then sneaking into our territory. Do you have a death wish? Are you trying to get him in trouble?"
That earned a frown, "I don't see that it's any of your business."
"I disagree. Misto is a good friend of mine. He was my date to that dance as well, by the way. You are looking to get him in trouble with his brother and I don't like it."
"I still don't think this is your business," Cori managed not to wince at the thought of being confronted by Mistoffelees' date.
"Well, I'm making it my business. Just because Misto apparently would rather run off with the first American he sees than anything else, doesn't mean I don't care about him. So here's how it's going to go. You hurt him, I let Munkustrap know it was you in our territory that night. You do anything to get him in more trouble with his brother and I come after you myself. You stay away from him where he could get in trouble for it." He paused and Coricopat cut in.
"To hear his brother tell it that's any and everywhere."
"Munkustrap still thinks that he can prevent you two. I don't. But I'm trying to be clear. I don't like you. I don't trust you. And I certainly don't want you around Misto. But he seems to, so I won't rat you out. But, if you get caught I won't stop Munkustrap from doing whatever he thinks is best short of shipping his brother back to Puerto Rico. Clear?"
"As crystal," the taller teen gritted out. "Anything else?"
"No. That's it. Keep it in mind, American," with those words, Pouncival slipped away, making his way back to the relative safety of Shark territory.
Here we are at the third chapter! Both your authors hope you're enjoying the story, especially since we're both so very in love with this chapter. It deals with Macavity quite a bit which was extremely enjoyable, as well as dealing with Doc Cohen, who you will probably be seeing a lot more.
We also bring you a rather exciting announcement! We're trying something new with this story, and if you head over to the live journal community (magical-note . livejournal . com without the spaces) you'll see an audio file under the tag "author commentary" (And hopefully more than one at this point) where your authors, Victoriousscarf and Meadowlark actually sat down and recorded commentary on the first chapter, and the next few chapters are coming. This was really an idea based off what film nerds we are, dealing with commentary on DVDs by people like the directors and the actors. So, we decided to work up some commentary on the story based off that idea. We really hope everyone enjoys listening to this as much as we enjoyed recording it! It was an experiment that I really hoped worked out. If this turns out to be popular at all, we're thinking of recording commentary on other stories.
That being said, thank you all who have read this chapter! We hope you enjoyed it, and please leave us a review on your way out. It means a lot to us to hear from our readers.
