Brooklyn, New York 1900

"What are ya doin' here Phantom?"

I turned my head slightly to meet his eyes; "I came ta play some poker" I smiled as I noticed his face frown in anger

"What are ya doin' back in da Bronx?" He tried again

I laughed, "Is that all ya wanted to know Spot? I'm their leader, and that will never change. Now if what you meant was why am I disturbing some previous terms then well it's just the way the dice rolled I guess."

Spot shook his head at me, "Ya think you couldn't continue to be a powerful leader with this new agreement in place. Well let me tell ya somethin' I still have my power, fear isn't the only key to holdin' power. And I thought you of all people would know that"

"Yeah well I'm just full of surprises." I turned my attention back to the river in front of us, hoping Spot would stop this heart to heart and we could play some poker. But luck wasn't on my side that night.

"Phantom, ya not like this, ya ain't one of the gangs around here that soak kids for no reason, who end up killin' for power. Ya ain't even in a war yet Phantom"

I held my head high and turned back to him, meetin his gaze head on. My eyes flickered and I held back my anger, but his eyes, usually they were unreadable but I saw hurt deep down.

"Well time changes people Conlon." He huffed and the hurt was replaced by anger.

I quickly stood up from the box, "Maybe we will continue this little chat of ours later, but I came to win some money" I started to turn around when I heard Spot talking behind me.

"I once knew a little girl that wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone kill a newsies for passing threw her territory." I turned back towards him, a frown covering my face.

"I guess ya didn't hear did ya, one of the kids ya soaked from Harlem died last night." I lost my frown and stared back into his eyes.

"I grew up with violence I'm not gonna change, and a fly ain't a person, we're different from them"

I walked away from the docks, but not to the poker games like I had planned. I fell into the shadows of Brooklyn like I had months before.

The darkness surrounded me as I walked through the silent streets on my way back towards the Bronx. My mind was elsewhere as I navigated the streets with ease, I didn't know why but what Spot had said hit me hard. Violence was something that I was used to, but I hadn't meant to kill the kid from Harlem, I sighed as I realized a war would be starting soon. The only problem was no one would be on the Bronx's side.

Maybe I shouldn't have come back to my throne, at least then everyone would be getting along. I kicked a box that was in the streets in anger, why did things have to be so complicated all the time. Since I was little I have seemed to find the complicated situations to surround myself with. Living on the streets was tough enough and then me leaving the newsies in the first place added to it.

I soon found myself back at the lodging house, but chose to sit on the steps instead of entering it. Lighting up my cigar I took it in my mouth in thought, thoughts of my next step and of my boys.

As the night wore on, I began to see shadows in the distance. My muscles tensed up and I stayed alert of my surroundings. As the shadows grew near I sighed in relief as I saw it was Haze and the others returning from Brooklyn.

I threw my cigar to the ground when Haze reached me, "Harlem ever show up tonight?" I asked before he could ask why I had left the poker games.

Haze stopped to talk to me as the others passed through the door to go to bed. "Nah I didn't seem them there, although I did feel Cowboy and Conlon starin' at us"

"Keep ya eyes out, I think we got a war comin'" With that said I headed into the warmth of the lodging house to await tomorrow.

Over the next week I inspected my territory numerous times throughout the day and night. I became almost paranoid of a war starting. The only problem was I didn't know who was going to strike first.

My unanswered question seemed to be revealed within the next few days. Even though it was winter, the air had warmed up some and the result was a rainstorm. The rain was enough to keep anyone inside at night, and especially us newsies, for we didn't have many clothes to keep us warm and dry. But as I sat on my bed playing a game of poker with Razor and a few others, I noticed Haze walk in from the storm. I was about to laugh at his soaked body when I noticed he had a nice shiner.

I raised my brow in confusion as he slightly limped towards me. "What happened Haze?"

"I was on my way back here when I got jumped," he paused and looked up at me motioning towards the hallway.

I nodded and threw my cards down scooping up my money so no one could take it.

"What is it Haze?" I asked when we were in the hallway

"They want a war Phantom; it was Harlem, sendin' a message to you. They said in two days to meet 'em at the park"

I sighed running my hand through my hair. "Well looks like we'll give 'em a war" I slapped Haze on the back and he nodded in understanding.

For the next day and half we prepared for a war. I wasn't sure if anyone was on Harlem's side for the fight, so I prepared for the worst. My boys knew to fight with knives, and since no ground rules had been set for no weapons I was counting on using them. One thing I knew how to win was a fight. Even as a girl I was always taught from the best boys around me, and now I taught my own boys to fight hard. On the outside I showed no fear but deep down I was worried about the scale of this fight, it could be everyone against us.

The night of the fight arrived and the Bronx set out in the dark. Knives and anything else useful tucked safely away. Our faces cold and ready, ready to show no mercy. As we approached the park, I stepped forward signaling for the boys to stop. Haze followed behind me as we moved through the unnatural fog. In the clearing I could see Twister and his second in command, Field standing by a tree. I scanned the park trying to get a count of who we were against.

I smirked when I only saw Harlem standing opposite us, for now that looked good. I came to a stop in front of Twister and nodded to him, "Twister"

"Phantom, I was afraid ya weren't gonna show" I laughed at his comment and shook my head, "The Bronx will always show, remember that."

"Well I came out here for one reason, and it wasn't to talk"

I was beginning to lose my patience; if they called me out I was ready to put some actions behind it. Twister stepped in front of my and swung, that was the only movement needed to send the two territories into a battle. I blocked his blow and quickly side stepped him, returning with a right hook to his face.

But Twister was taller than I was, and I knew he would be hard to put down, but I was willing to give it all I had. I spent my time locked in a battle with Twister. To me there was no one else around, just two leaders trying to settle a score. I had yet to use my knife, but as I got knocked down against the wall I realized it might be that time.

I quickly stood back up and threw an uppercut to his jaw. He swayed back a few steps, enough to let me move away from the wall. I circled him and put him between me and the wall, I saw his eyes search for an exit as I closed in on him. With the positions reversed I smirked and reached into my pocket pulling out my knife.

His eyes hardened as he saw the weapon, but he remained calm. I inched forward keeping the knife loose in my hand. He shook his head and launched forward. My knife grazed his arm drawing some blood, as he pushed me to the ground. I grunted and rolled out from under him.

I ended up on top of him, and slammed my fist into his nose. I heard the satisfying crack knowing I broke it. But somehow I kept the punches coming, letting my knife rest on the ground next to my left hand unused. But when I wasn't looking Twister grabbed my knife and raised it to my neck. I smiled down into his eyes, and battered face.

"No one uses my knife but me" I quickly brought my hand up to his and twisted it. He yelled and dropped the knife to the ground. I grabbed his throat with one hand and held the knife close by with the other.

"Now I'll give ya one chance to get outta here and never bother us again, understand?" I asked hoping he would agree. It wasn't like I hadn't killed before but I wasn't looking to kill a leader, that stirs up a lot more feelings.

Twister looked around and saw some of his boys and mine gathering around us. I could see him thinking it over, but since most of his boys where more injured than mine, I guess he felt he had no other option. I felt his head nod under my hand and I slowly released him from my grip. I watched as he picked himself up and with his head held high, walk back towards Harlem with his newsies following in suite.

I smiled and turned my attention back to my own newsies, most seemed to have minor cuts and injuries. But a few were in worse condition, and I soon walked through the park looking from Haze and Razor. I found them hunched over a body near a tree, the same tree we began this fight at. I sighed as I looked at the body in the grass, and lowered my head in mourning for the newsies Bolt, he was only 11 and new to the business and I couldn't help blaming myself for his loss.