Okay so here's another one. Hope you like it. Only one more to go... As always... well you known who owns what by now.

Chapter eight: The rescue

I stood nervously pacing the length of the distribution centre where I was waiting for the boy they told me was coming. Snitch had come back about ten minutes ago telling me that a kid wanted to talk to me. I didn't have time to wait until Ricky finally found the kid and brought him here. I needed to know what he wanted now.

"Here they come." Fire said standing taller.

I waited as the small Italian kid walked up to me right behind Rick. The poor kid looked scared out of his mind. I didn't blame him, the Brooklyn boys can be very intimidating at first. It was their job and they did it with an enthusiasm that worried me.

"I'm lookin' for Cap." The kid said nervously when he finally came up to me.

"Talk." I ordered irritably.

There was no need to pretend today. I was tired, moody and more than a little worried about Spot. I hated to admit it but I really was worried about Spot. I wasn't cut out for this whole leader business, even if Spot had practically left me in charge before my birthday and that was bad enough. I really missed him.

"A kid named Knuckles said that I have to come get you. He knows where Spot is and he wanted me to come get you." The kid rambled.

"Robin, Fire get the boys and end a runner to Queens. Ricky come with me we're goin wit' the kid. I'll send Ricky back here to show you where Spot is." I ordered as I grabbed the slingshot Spot had given me a week after I took the job as a Brooklyn Newsie.

I sighed with relief as soon as they did what I asked. They wanted Spot back just as much as I did. It had been a miracle that we had been able to pretend that Spot was sick for the past three days. I can't imagine doing that for much longer. I already had to post watch outside Spot's room to make sure that Jack didn't just go in like he did sometimes. In fact he had very nearly realized that the pillows she had used as 'sick Spot' was just pillows.

"Let's go kid." I said little less hostile and the little kid started walking in the direction he had come.

He led us down to the very same warehouse near the docks where I had been kept that time but he turned away to another office building not too far from it and pointed out Knuckles who was leaning against a building trying to look like he belonged there. From the look of it he was doing a great job so far.

I casually made my way over to him acting as though I belonged there. It was easier than I thought and I was more than grateful for it but there was no way I was going to let my guard down any time soon. I knew better than that. Letting your guard down was the worst thing you could do, especially in Brooklyn.

"Where is he?" I asked as soon as I reached him, I didn't even bother with disguising my voice this time.

"Over there. They got him in the basement. They haven't moved him yet." He replied pointing at an old building not too far from us.

"Get the boys." I said simply and Ricky ran off as fast as she could.

~*0*~

Spot's POV:

Everything hurt when I woke up again. The plan had not exactly worked out like I had hoped but at least Knuckles got out. With any luck he was already at my lodging house talking to Lacey. I just hope that she sent the boys to help. I didn't want her here. Not with those idiots around here.

"Where is he?!" An all too familiar voice called from somewhere in the building and I nearly had a heart attack right there.

I could hear the muffled arguments coming from the door that kept me from Lacey. She was here and she was in danger and that was not acceptable. I just wanted her to be safe, and arguing with Red was not safe, that idiot had a few screws loose in his head. He wasn't above hurting a girl just because she got in his way.

"Hey bruises, ready to get outta here?" Robin asked with a smirk as soon as he'd finished breaking the window.

"What the hell are ya doin' here and who's with Cap?" I asked nervously.

"I'm here to get you out and Knuckles and Fire's with her and most of Brooklyn and Queens is waiting for the signal. Now let's get outta here." He replied as he pried the window all the way open. That kid could pick anything and what he didn't pick he broke.

I climbed out as fast as my protesting muscles allowed and followed Robin to where a few of my boys were waiting. As soon as Ricky saw us she used the slingshot I had made for Cap to shoot a marble through a nearby window and a few moments later a small boy came running out of the building and then all hell broke loose.

Apparently the little boy was the signal they were waiting for because the second he was clear the two Boroughs stormed the building and I was right there with them. It was chaos as a few of the boys who were helping Red tried to stand their ground but they were outnumbered and from the look of it Brooklyn and Queens was working together just fine.

In the end we got them all rounded up and to my surprise a few bulls showed up and arrested them. Knuckles seemed fine with talking to them and from the questions they were asking I was almost sure that the boy had gone to fetch them.

"So what do you want me to tell my mother?" A bull asked Knuckles with a grin.

"Tell her we're fine but we ain't coming home. Not yet." He replied and the bull nodded and left.

"Are you okay?" Lacey asked as she walked over to me.

"I am now." I told her with a mile of my own.

It only took me a second to build up the courage to kiss her and I did, much to the amusement of everyone around us. The boys whistled and hollered but I ignored them. I had planned this out differently. I was going to tell her how I feel back at the party, in one of the private boxes Medda had set up for me but this was just fine too.