This chapter has a bit of Jack's point of view for the last...eh, third. It's kind of backtracking so you understand why Jack is now locked up with Oliver. So, yeah...enjoy! Well, as much as you can...it's pretty angsty...

The cane slammed down on Oliver, over and over again, and the boy was screaming as blood poured from his head, but then he was still…silent… and Crutchie was the one screaming…Snyder was approaching him with an evil grin…

Crutchie's eyes flew open. He was laying in a bed, drenched in sweat, a terrible pain pulsing through his head. How long had he been out? The last thing he remembered was Snyder dragging Oliver and Violet out the door, before the pain became too much and he blacked out…

Crutchie sat up a little, feeling all the blood rush to his head. He was alone in the room he shared with another Refuge worker. His pillow had a spot of blood on it; Crutchie touched the tender skin on his head where he'd been kicked. The sun seemed to be just rising outside, casting an eerie glow in the room.

Crutchie heard slow, uneven steps in the corridor, and his pace quickened. They drew nearer and nearer and then stopped. Crutchie gulped. The door creaked open and Snyder stepped inside, grinning wickedly. His cane was still in his hand. Crutchie gave a small groan.

Out of one nightmare, into another.

"I see you've awoken," Snyder hissed. "Good. We need you downstairs."

"What do you…?"

"Breakfast, you cripple! Or has your mind been muddled?"

Crutchie, very briefly, entertained the possibility of pretending he had lost his memory. For a fleeting moment, he strongly considered attempting to pull it off. But then he thought of everyone who needed his help—the children, who would be frightened…the workers, most of whom had never dealt with Snyder before…and not to mention Violet…and Oliver…and Les…

Crutchie swung his good leg over the side of the bed, pulling his bad one along after it, and scanned the room for his crutch.

"Looking for something?" Snyder asked silkily.

"Uh…yeah. My crutch."

"Broken," Snyder said triumphantly, chuckling at the horrified look on Crutchie's face. It was like he'd been waiting a long time for such a drastic event to happen to the cripple who'd booted him in jail. "Well, come on! I haven't got all day!"

Crutchie blinked. How could he walk without his crutch? It had been his constant companion since he was a very young boy. He hopped clumsily to the door, nearly falling a few times, as his bum leg threw him off balance. His head positively throbbed.

The stairs were even harder to descend than usual; on each step, Crutchie's bad leg dragged down with a dull thump. It was slow progress, not made any less stressful by Snyder breathing down his neck the whole way, occasionally prodding him in the back with his dreaded cane. Crutchie's eyes were narrowed in concentration at his feet, but he looked up when he heard someone call his name.

"Crutchie!" It was Jack, looking very beat up and nervous. "Oh, man…I thought you was…here, quick, we fixed it for you…" He ran over, holding—Crutchie's heart soared—the crutch, wrapped around the middle with a stiff-looking blanket that had been fastened into place to prevent the whole thing from snapping in half again. Crutchie sighed in relief and opened his mouth to thank Jack.

"You!" Snyder barked. "What are you doing?"

For having been beat nearly to death by this man the previous evening, Jack addressed Snyder with an unexpected swagger. "Who, me? Just giving Crutchie his crutch back. You see, he can't really walk without it."

"I didn't ask for your lip!" Snyder snarled, banging his cane on the bottom stair. "Mark my words, boy, you won't be returning home tonight!" He pushed Crutchie out of his way and Crutchie stumbled to the ground, but despite the ache in his head regained his feet quickly. Snyder was advancing towards Jack, who suddenly looked pale and fearful and was backing up quickly. Crutchie glimpsed the children of the Refuge sitting at the tables, completely quiet and watching the scene unfold with terrified expressions. A few had silent tears running down their cheeks. Crutchie limped as fast as he could over to them, stealing a glance into the next room where the orphan section of the Refuge was supposed to be eating. His heart sank. Not one of the orphans remained. All that were left were the jail-kids. The newsies must have made sure the others had escaped.

"You! Cripple!" Snyder's harsh voice rang out. Crutchie froze and slowly turned back around. "What are you doing?"

"Taking care of the—"

"They can take care of themselves. Can't you, children?" When no one responded, his tone turned dangerous. "Can't you, children?"

"Yes, Mister Snyder!" the children chorused faintly.

"Get over here!" It took a moment for Crutchie to realize Snyder was speaking to him again. "Now!" But Crutchie was frozen in his spot. Snyder crossed the room with a few long strides and seized him, knocking his crutch to the ground. The children scattered, knocking plates and silverware to the floor, backing up against the walls. Jack, who had been sprinting for the door as soon as Snyder's back was turned, stopped and stared with wide eyes. Snyder laughed. "That's right, Jack. Don't run away again."

"Again?" Jack asked with an attempt at confidence.

"Yes. Again. Or did you forget that you deserted your little cripple friend three nights ago?"

Jack's jaw dropped. He met Crutchie's eyes with a pleading look. "I had t-to…go home…Kath was worried…"

"Don't bother me with the trivial things of your life! Now see here, Jack. Who do you value more? Your family or your friend here?"

"He is my family!" Jack yelled fiercely.

"That's what I thought. Now, if you just come with me, the cripple won't get hurt. If you try to stop me again, though…the consequences will be harsh, for both you and him." With that, Snyder shoved Crutchie to the ground and kicked his crutch away. A young boy reached out and grabbed it as it slid across the floor, and the children silently passed it down, making sure it was as far away from Snyder as possible. Crutchie admired their quick thinking, but worried how he'd stand up. The kids had thought of this, though. The boy who ended up with the crutch crouched, his eyes on Crutchie, ready to dash over and give it to him when the time came. Crutchie managed a shaky smile.

Jack inched towards the door. "Don't hurt him," he pleaded.

"I won't, if you come with me."

Jack locked eyes with Crutchie. He raised his eyebrows ever so slightly. Crutchie gave the tiniest of nods. Jack gulped and glanced at Snyder, then widened his eyes at Crutchie. Are you sure? Crutchie nodded again. Snyder seemed unaware of their unspoken conversation.

Jack took a deep breath, then saluted to Snyder. "You gotta catch me first!" Crutchie had a fleeting vision of him saying the same thing, many years ago, to a certain Delancey, who was also trying to hurt Crutchie.

In telling Jack without words to run, Crutchie had hoped that Snyder would give up. He knew there was a huge chance that Snyder would beat him to a pulp, but he was willing to risk that for Jack's safety. But with mounting horror, he realized that Jack would never leave Crutchie in danger. Jack knew Snyder better than Crutchie did, and he knew that Snyder would never let him get away without a chase.

Snyder dashed out the door, and the children ran to the windows. The boy brought Crutchie's crutch over to him, which he took with a grateful smile.

He joined the children at the windows, where he saw Jack running in the distance and Snyder puffing after him. Both turned a corner, and with a sigh he turned away. His duty was here now, taking care of the children. Jack could take care of himself.

Jack was resting in a fire escape with a fervent hope that Snyder would run by him. But that was not the case.

"I'll make a deal with you, Kelly." The silky voice came from directly below him. Jack stood up, tension racing through his body, but Snyder made no action to pursue him on the fire escape. He was standing with both hands resting on his cane, looking as though they were in the middle of a pleasant conversation.

Jack was too exhausted to respond, so Snyder continued. "Right now, I've got that young Jacobs boy locked in an apartment basement. I'm sure his family is worried for him." Anger surged through Jack. Of course they were all worried for Les! It had been three days since they'd last seen him! He wondered vaguely if Crutchie knew how long he'd been blacked out…

"So I'll make a deal with you," Snyder repeated. "I'll let the youngest Jacobs boy go, in exchange for you."

"Me?" Jack burst out.

"You. It's a deal I've been pondering for days. It seems the most logical thing to do. And how could you live with yourself if you turned it down?"

Snyder was right. Jack couldn't live with himself if he turned it down. Les needed to escape, and if it was at Jack's own expense…well, he'd escaped from Snyder before, who was to say he couldn't do it again?

"I'll take it," he spat.

"Good, good."

After climbing down, he fell into step beside his worst enemy, who didn't hold onto him for some reason, probably trusting that Jack wouldn't try to run away. Jack thought of Katherine, and of their daughter. They would be worried when he didn't come home. He resolved to return to them as soon as he could. Though…he was giving up hope now…the cops were on Snyder's side…they wouldn't listen to him…if he ever did escape...

Jack was in a melancholy mood when Snyder led him to the basement of an old apartment, past the jeering Delancey brothers, and into a room which stank of body waste. Two boys were crouched in the corner, huddled on a single cot with their arms wrapped around each other. Snyder spoke harshly to them, but Jack wasn't paying attention.

The boys both flinched as he approached them, and Jack stood obediently right inside the doorway. Snyder tore Les away from the other boy, who whimpered. "Back to your family. This young man has agreed to take your place. Aren't you going to thank him?"

But Les seemed too stunned. He found his voice only when the door had slammed shut, locking Jack in with small Oliver. They both heard the desperate voice of Les as he was led away. "Jack, no!"

The deed was done, however. Jack was locked up, at the mercy of Snyder the Spider and the infamous Delancey brothers, and his only companion was a young boy who couldn't yet seem to tell right from wrong.

A warning: enjoy these daily updates while they last, because once I'm back in school I won't update quite as often. Don't forget to review!

-Sis21K