Ragged Army

Summary: Reports of young children going missing has swept through New York City. No clues, no leads to where they are being taken and if they're still alive. Only one girl seems to be attuned to the voices of the missing children…the problem? Everyone thinks she's insane…

A/N: Just FYI, Denailing is a form of torture where they rip off your nails one by one. Yeah, pretty gruesome, I know. Well, enjoy!

Chapter 14

*"Get inside." Spot ordered Race, wrapping the blanket tighter around Asylum. He then hustled the girl back into the lodging house, "Ya stayin' in Brooklyn where you can be protected."

Asylum stopped him from pushing her any farther than the lobby and wiped the tears away on the blanket, "No, Spot. I have to go back."

Spot snorted, "Over my dead body. It's not safe, he knows where ya are."

The girl's spine stiffened, "Everyone there is in trouble, Spot, and it's my fault. I have to go back and protect them. What if he kidnaps Fang next? Or Quarrel? What about the other boys?"

"Jack can take care of them." He told her obstinately.

She shook her head, just as stubborn, "No, Spot. This is my problem and I'm going to deal with it. Race and I will stay here tonight, but we're going back to Manhattan in the morning." With that said she turned before Spot could argue and walked into the room she had fallen asleep in and shut the door.

Spot ran his hand through his hair and turned to Race, "Ya just gonna let her go back? Go right where she can be found at the lodging house?"

Race shrugged, "She's a softie but she's stubborn. Most I can do is protect her when we go back."

Jaw clenching, Spot headed up the stairs to the bunkroom, "Well, I'm comin' with ya two whethah ya like it or not. Come on, I'll give ya a bunk ta sleep on."

Race shrugged, the fight long forgotten and followed him up the stairs

Asylum lay in the bed, inhaling the smell of whoever usually slept in this bed. It was a wonderful smell, she had to admit and it did take her mind off of the problems at hand. She refused to sleep because she didn't want to see Snipeshooter hurt anymore. Denailing had been one of Blake's favorite forms of torture and she glanced down at her right hand where a few of the nails had grown back deformed. She knew the pain that entailed. At the same time she wanted to sleep, if only to see if she could look out a window and see a street sign that would lead her to the place of these children's capture.

Heaving a sigh, she buried her nose into the pillow. It smelled of warm newspapers with a spicy kick that had to be the boy's own scent. It soothed her and she relaxed slightly, pondering what she should do next. Should she sleep, or stay awake? When they got back to Manhattan should she tell Jack all that she knew? Should she have the younger boys brought here to Brooklyn to be protected?

A soft tap on the door made her pause and she stared at it as it opened a crack, "Mina?" She knew before he even spoke her name it was Spot and she found herself sitting up as he slipped in, shut the door and walked quietly over. "Ya alright?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

She felt herself shrug, "I just don't want to go to sleep."

"Well, ya gonna have ta get some sleep." He told her sternly, "And though I still don't t'ink its right foah youse ta go ta Manhattan, I'm going with ya if ya gonna be stubborn about it."

"I don't know, Spot, if you get mixed up in all of this and he finds out you're Two he'll kill you." Asylum told him, her chest tightening at the thought of him dead.

"If I get a hold of him, I'll be da one killin' him." Spot's voice was darker than she'd ever heard it.

"Ryan?" She asked, suddenly feeling tired again even though it scared her to fall asleep.

"Yes, Mina?" As suddenly has his tone had gone dark it was soft again.

She bit her lip anxiously. Asylum knew in her heart their time as friends, or whatever they were, was soon to be up. They couldn't be the people they had once been and the people they were now would never work. He was too strong, the King of Brooklyn with women at his beck and call, not to mention boys to lead and take care of. She was just a girl who had had a rough past and all she wanted out of life was happiness, except the only person who made her truly happy was this man in front of her. The brunette would have to give him up, soon, before he realized she wasn't who he wanted and left her.

Too many times she had been left. First by her father, who had left them willingly and then by her mother who had died of pneumonia. Ryan had already left her once and if he did it again, she didn't think she could survive. It was easier to leave than to be left behind.

"Mina?" Her Ryan asked her softly, moving closer on the bed, "What is it?"

Their faces were inches apart and she yearned to lean in closer and close the distance. For a moment she held back, knowing that would be silly after she had just made up her mind that she had to end things with him, but then some other part of her brain took over and she leaned forward. Her head tilted to the right and her eyes fluttered shut.

He didn't hesitate to meet her halfway, his lips pressed softly to hers so unlike the night he had confronted her. Had that been just the night before? His hands settled on her waist and he pulled her close and all thoughts flew from her mind.

For a minute the kiss was soft and gentle but in a second it turned more passionate than either had felt. Her arms struggled out of the blanket so she could wrap one around his neck while the other hand tangled into his hair. One of his hands on her waist moved to cup the back of her neck as his tongue slipped out and traced along her bottom lip.

She moaned in the back of her throat at the pleasure and softly parted her lips, thankful they were not standing because she didn't think her knees would have kept her up. His tongue slipped through and they battled for a minute until they broke off the kiss abruptly to catch their breaths. She shivered as he pressed his lips to her neck. Letting her head fall back slightly, she felt herself sigh, "Ryan."

He groaned as she said his name, but pulled his lips from her neck, "As much as I love dis," He told her, "We both need ta get some sleep."

"Where are you going to sleep?" She asked only half paying attention as she ran a hand through his light brown hair, loving the way it slid between her fingers.

He had been running his hand up and down her arm but when she asked that an arrogant smirk started on the left side of his lips as his eyes met hers, "I was thinkin' here since this is my bed and all."

Her head tilted, "This is your bed?" Her gaze slid to the pillow, "No wonder it smelled so good."

"I smell good, huh?" Spot asked, cockily as he moved her over so she was in the inside of the bed between him and the wall.

"Yeah." She murmured as he crawled under the blanket and pulled her into his arms, "Should we be sleeping like this? Won't Race and your boys get the wrong idea?"

Spot's body vibrated with his chuckle, "We're not doin' anythin'. Just sleepin'. And if anyone wantsta question ya honah, I'll soak 'em. Awright?"

Smiling, she buried her face in the crook of his neck as he kissed her on top of her head. Inhaling the wonderful scent that was him, she closed her eyes and felt herself drift off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When her eyes opened again they met a sight that sent longing straight to the depths of her soul. They were lying face to face, his eyes were open and he just stared back as a smile entered his sky blues and stretched across his face, "Moinin'." She decided he had the most wonderful smile she'd ever seen and he didn't do it nearly enough.

A blush crept up her cheeks, "Good morning." She smiled back until she noticed some things that hadn't been there the other night. Moving her hand up, she brushed his cheek lightly and then traced under his right eye, "Where did you get the bruise and black eye?" Her brows furrowed in confusion because they definitely hadn't been there before she fell asleep the first time and the second time it had been too dark to tell…

Something flashed in his eyes, "Uh, it was nothin'. Just a little scuffle last night with some of my boys."

Still confused, she accepted his explanation and yawned, "Guess we should get up, huh? Got to get to Manhattan."

Moving to crawl over him, she let out a squeal as he grabbed her around the waist and rolled her over so she was under him. Laughing, she pushed at his shoulders, "Ryan Perry." She told him mock-sternly, "Let me up. We have to start heading back."

He only smirked that insufferable smirk and dipped his head down to capture her lips. Asylum let out a sigh and arched into the kiss, as her hands ran up and down his back. Why could she not get enough of this boy? She had never wanted to throw herself into someone's arms, or kiss or fall asleep to anyone like she wanted to be with this person. Just being in his arms made her forget the past, forget the nightmares and the pain. She felt so whole, so bright. How could one person illicit such feelings? They had been apart for nearly six years but even though they had changed, he was still the person she felt the most comfortable around. At least, when she wasn't keeping a secret from him, she thought chagrined as he pulled back from her and gazed down into her eyes.

"Awright, now we can leave." He said, moving to get off her.

She let out an indignant 'humph' and wrapped her arms around his neck before he could move and pulled him down for a second kiss. It was shorter than the previous one but just as sweet. Breaking it, she rolled out from under him quickly and stood up as he groaned. "Ya a tease, Mina."

Smiling sweetly, she turned to a small looking glass on the wall and ran a hand through her hair and smoothed out her wrinkled shirt and trousers before slipping on her boots and heading for the door.

"Hang on." Spot said, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going out the door. He turned to grab his cane, slipped his slingshot in his front pocket and grabbed his grey cabby hat. "Awright." Opening the door, he peered up and down the hallway, and then waved her out.

"Worried about my reputation?" She asked, giving him a smirk of her own.

Queue cocky grin, "Maybe." Was his reply, until he turned stern, "Stay here. I gotta wake up me boys and I'll send Race down."

She nodded and took a seat in a chair off to the side and waited for her boys like she would at the Manhattan lodging house. Crossing her legs, she sat back and gazed around. The Brooklyn lodging house was actually in better condition than the Manhattan counter-part.

Glancing out the dirty front window, she listened as Spot roused his boys and they began to file into their washroom. They were similar in sounds to that of Manhattan and she smiled at the easy going of things, trying to think positively about the future. Footsteps on the stairs brought her gaze back around to see Racetrack coming down, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"G'moinin', 'Sy." He murmured as he stopped in front of her.

Asylum didn't reply because she had caught sight of his face and the bruises on his chin, cheek and a black eye to match Spot's. Not to mention Race's bottom lip was slightly swollen with just a bit of dry blood flaked in the corner of his mouth.

"What happened?" She asked darkly, standing up to brush a finger across the large bruise on his cheek. Anger began to thrum through her veins as she surveyed his face.

Race looked confused for a second and then embarrassed, "Ahh, it's nothin', 'Sy. Few of the boys were throwin' some friendly fists."

Her eyes turned ice cold, "I know when you're lying, Race. What the hell happened?"

Her friend's eyes widened at her language and the anger in her voice. He scratched the back of his head, "Spot and I just got into a little fight. It's no big deal–"

Asylum didn't hear the rest because she was already charging up the stairs in the direction the Brooklyn Leader had headed only a few minutes earlier.*

A/N: Spot's in trouble! Lol, thank you to all who reviewed! I figured I'd update because I'll be gone most of the weekend. Tell me what you thought and what you think Asylum's going to do to Spot in a review!

Truly,

Joker is Poker with a J~