"How's it feel to move up in da world?"

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face at Hotshot's question. Since I won the fight, Spot had decided to move me up on the totem pole and that meant I got more responsibility. I was able to go on more runs with some of the other newsies and do some of Spot's business for him.

Like scoping out the Manhattan borough to see exactly what was going on – where Hotshot and I were headed at the moment. Spot wanted to know how serious the Manhattan newsies were about going on strike, but he made no mention of what his next plans were or if he wanted us to join them. He just wanted us to get information from them without telling them about Spot's stance – even if he didn't quite have one.

"It feels…" I paused as I tapped a finger against my chin, walking along the Brooklyn bridge with Hotshot beside me. "Powerful. Like I can take on the world now."

Hotshot snorted at me as he kicked a small rock in front of us. "Don't get all high 'n mighty on me now, Nights. I'm still a step above ya."

I dodged the hand he sent in my direction to try and flip the cap off of my head, my tongue jutting out as a response to his attempt. He shook his head at me with a laugh as we reached the end of the bridge, both of us stopping to take in the busy street in front of us.

"Spot said to find Racetrack. Said he'll lead us in the right direction." I nodded at Hotshot as he shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes darting back and forth between multiple people walking around us. I smoothed out my black pants and fixed the suspenders hanging down around my hips before smoothing out the dark tresses that stuck out from my cap.

I took a breath in before I started walking out into the crowd. "Alright, here goes noth-"

"Hold up a minute!" I felt Hotshot's hand roughly grab the back of my dark red shirt and halt me in my tracks, pulling me slightly backwards as he walked into my line of vision. "What the hell are ya goin' to do? You don't even know what the guy looks like."

I pulled out of his grasp and then huffed, crossing my arms. "I was going to find someone dressed like a newsie to help. Easy peasy."

Hotshot took a strained breath in and glared at me. "No, not easy peasy. Ya can't just go out 'dere by yourself. What if someone tries to hurt ya?"

Hotshot threw his arms out to the sides as I rolled my eyes, my left hand moving to wave him off. "I'll be fine."

"Not to mention what Spot would do to me if ya got hurt." Hotshot rubbed a hand over his face as I cocked an eyebrow at him, sighing lightly. "Look, I was out there all by myself for most of my life and now everyone's going to act like I'm precious cargo?"

"But Spot-" Hotshot paused before shaking his head. "Forget it. I know ya can take care of yaself."

"Thank you," I shot a look at Hotshot before scanning the crowd in front of me once again, my eyes landing on a taller guy dressed in a newsboy uniform. "What about him?"

Hotshot followed my gaze and shrugged. "Maybe-"

I began walking towards the guy before Hotshot could finish, hearing a loud groan behind me. I ignored it as I walked up to him, noticing he wore an eyepatch over his left eye. "Excuse me?"

The guy turned around at the sound of my voice and lowered the paper he was holding in the air, his eyebrows raising at me. I watched as he scanned over what I was wearing before speaking. "Never seen a goil newsie around here. What can I help ya with?"

"We're looking for a guy named Racetrack." I smiled at him as he studied me, an eyebrow raising. "We?"

"Yep, we." Hotshot walked over to us and stood beside me, the guy in front of me turning his attention to him instead. I watched as his lips turned up into a smirk as he shook his head and brought his eyes down to the red shirt Hotshot donned. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing two from Brooklyn?"

"Just takin' the new recruit here out to see the sights." Hotshot shrugged as the guy nodded, not looking entirely convinced. "Alright then. I can bring you to him."

He brought his attention back to me and extended a hand, smiling widely. "Name's Kid Blink."

I smiled back at him and took his hand, giving it a shake. "Nightshade."

Kid Blink's eyes widened in response to my name. "Wait a minute. There were rumors flying around that Brooklyn got a new goil newsie."

I laughed and shrugged my shoulders at his surprise. "I guess that has to be me."

He smiled at me again before bringing his attention back to Hotshot. "That means you're…"

Blink trailed off as he thought, Hotshot finishing the sentence for him after a moment. "Hotshot."

"Right — right!" Blink snapped his fingers and then smiled at us again. "What an honor to see Spot's new goil and his second in command in Manhattan. Follow me."

Blink waved behind him as he walked out into the street, my gaze going over to Hotshot with an eyebrow raised. "His new girl?"

"Just a goil newsie. Don't worry about it." Hotshot waved a hand at me as he followed behind Blink, joined soon after by me taking the rear. We walked a few blocks to a large lodging house with a group of newsies loudly talking in a circle out front. Blink broke off from us to move into the circle, a few of the newsies making way for him as Hotshot and I walked a little closer to the circle.

"Hey, Race. I got two lookin' for ya." Blink shoved a thumb in the direction of Hotshot and I as a dark-haired boy looked up at him. He was sitting in front of an up-turned crate that had various cards sitting on top of it and an unlit cigar hung from his lips. He eyed Blink for a while as everyone else began to look where Blink was pointing, whispers igniting throughout the group.

"Oh really?" Racetrack raised an eyebrow at Blink before moving his body a bit to look around the newsies standing in front of him, his eyes narrowing when they landed on Hotshot and I. I watched him as he stood up from the crate he was sitting on, more newsies making way as he walked towards us. Hotshot and I looked at each other as Racetrack stopped in front of us, pulling the cigar out of his mouth and placing it in a pocket inside the jacket he wore. "Brooklyn came all this way to see lil' ol' me?"

Racetrack narrowed his eyes at us again as he circled around our forms, my head moving to follow him. "We got one word for that 'ere. It's called suspicious."

Racetrack stopped in front of us again and kept his gaze on Hotshot, crossing his arms. Hotshot sighed and took off his cap, running a hand through his hair. "Not suspicious. Spot just wanted me to take around the new recruit over 'ere. Show 'er the areas."

Racetrack's gaze finally left Hotshot to land on me, his face softening. He smiled and grabbed the right hand that I had wrapped around my left bicep, bringing it to his mouth for a light kiss to the back of it. "And who might you be?"

Hotshot rolled his eyes at the display as I just smiled. "Everyone calls me Nightshade."

"Got a real name, doll?" Racetrack raised an eyebrow at me as Hotshot tapped his foot impatiently. I looked over at Hotshot to see him shake his head 'no' at me before bringing my gaze back to Racetrack. I hesitated for a moment and then decided to trust Racetrack. "Ezra."

I heard Hotshot let out a long breath as Racetrack smiled again, nodding at me. "Heard 'a you. Rumor mill's been runnin', and youse been all ova it."

He paused for a moment as Hotshot continued to tap his foot on the sidewalk. "Didn't think you'd be so pretty, though."

I felt a blush creep to my cheeks as Racetrack fished for the cigar in his jacket pocket, grabbing it and placing it back between his lips before he looked at us again. "Lemme give ya the grand tour 'a the place."

Racetrack motioned a hand over his shoulder for us to follow him, his frame moving through the crowd of newsies standing around looking at us. Hotshot and I looked at each other before he nodded once in Racetrack's direction, following behind the Manhattan newsie with me in tow.

"So," Racetrack glanced back at us as we passed by a couple of large buildings with newsies hanging out in front of almost all of them. "Youse gonna tell me why you're really 'ere?"

I heard Hotshot take an annoyed breath in, his eyes staying focused on the tops of the buildings around us. "I told you-"

"Yeah, yeah. You wanna show the new goil around." Racetrack stopped abruptly in front of a newsboy lodging house, turning around to face us. "Cut the shit. I know Brooklyn don't come all this way for some sightseein'."

Hotshot glared at Racetrack as he crossed his arms, my eyes darting between the two men in front of me. "Look, Race-"

"We just can't tell you right now." Hotshot whipped his gaze to me, a look of surprise plastered on his features. I rubbed the black string positioned on my left wrist — a token of friendship from Myron — as Racetrack looked at me, his face remaining stoic. We all remained silent for a while, the only sounds around us coming from the environment of the city.

Racetrack was the first to make noise, sighing loudly as he shook his head. "I don't-"

"What's goin' on out 'ere?" All of our attention was pulled from Racetrack by a much taller man coming over to our group, a red bandanna tied around his neck. I could feel Hotshot tense next to me as the man looked between Hotshot and I, his eyebrows raising. "Brooklyn?"

I stared back at him, not sure of what to do as Hotshot brought his attention to him, his tone going flat.

"Hello, Jack."

This one took longer than I anticipated to get out, so a million apologies as always!

Please let me know what you think, and what you would like to see happen as Brooklyn finally meets Manhattan - or, well, Nightshade finally meets Manhattan. I appreciate any time taken to review or suggest your idea! :)