MANHATTAN – AUGUST 1899

Later that evening, all was strangely quiet. Forget about sleep that night. No one could believe what happened.

Grim stood with Jack inside a deserted corridor at Irving Hall, sharing a cigarette.

"You saw what they did to Colleen," Jack said in a much more subdued voice. "Surprised they didn't just kill Muggs or Alexei."

Grim took a drag from the cigarette. "Maybe that was just a taster," he said. "Maybe they'll kill them still."

"You're talking about them as if you know them," Jack said, glaring into the dark theater.

Grim put out the cigarette. "No," he replied. "But someone does. Hey, I should get Henry something to eat. I'm sure he's starving by now."

"He's a sweet kid," Jack said with a nod.

"Will you be okay?" Grim asked, patting Jack's shoulder.

"Yeah." Jack stretched, walking Grim out. "I think I'll crash here tonight."

Grim gave him one last look before heading to the door.

Jack stood there a couple more minutes. He leaned against the wall and then slid down it to the ground, bringing his face in his hands. A part of him felt relieved, and the guilt of relief overtook him.

He was relieved it was Colleen, not Sophie. And that felt like a wicked thought. But he couldn't help it.

Now the girl was asleep in her bed, looking to be in better shape thanks to Doc. The glow of the gas lamps overhead made her bruised and battered body look even more ghastly.

Jack stared at her through the doorway, looking like he might pass out from exhaustion, too. He turned away to see Bella, Leah, and Sophie, sitting outside the room – as if too afraid to go in and wake her.

He paced, waiting for news. Behind him, Sarah came up the stairs, immediately locking eyes on him. She threw her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

Jack didn't want to let go. He'd never felt more secure in his life.

"Thanks for coming," Jack said into the hug.

Sarah nodded. "Of course. I brought some food," she said, producing a small basket of freshly baked bread.

Jack gave a half-smile. "She bakes, too. Aren't I lucky?"

Alexei climbed the stairs, looking more lucid than earlier.

"Alexei," Jack said, nodding to him.

Alexei flashed him a look and then smiled at Sarah. "Hey, Sarah."

Sarah returned the smile before glancing back at Jack. "I'll offer these to the girls," she said and then headed off.

Jack watched her go.

"It'll be painful, but it'll be okay," Alexei said to him.

"It's gonna be okay?" Jack asked, unsure. "You talked to Muggs?"

"When I told him, he wanted them all dead," Alexei said.

"Who?"

"Weasel, his goons, Draper, half a dozen others. But we compromised. You don't need to know about it."

Jack stared at Alexei's unreadable expression. "Compromise?" Jack repeated.

"Two of Weasel's nephews took a soaking, I'm not gonna lie to ya," Alexei said. "We're fairly sure they're responsible for Colleen. Them two was always eyeing her like she was a meal."

Jack nodded slightly. "You didn't kill them?"

"I left after I got a few good licks in. Didn't stick around to see if Muggs finished them off."

Alexei clapped him on the shoulder as he walked away. Jack stood there, unmoving. Were the Delancey brothers dead?

Jack stepped out of the theater for some air. It was raining. Puddles formed on the pavement.

He heard coughing from down the alley, followed by a series of familiar curses. Jack continued down the dark alleyway until he got to the tall shadowy figure.

"I'm all out of the damn stuff," Muggs muttered, trying to scrape the remaining bits of white powder from his small tin. He was sniffing it like a madman, as if it were keeping him alive.

He met Jack's broken gaze.

"They had no right," Muggs said, wiping his nose as the last grains of cocaine were huffed. "She had nothin' to do with this."

"They had no right," Jack echoed quietly. And then, with another thought, he added, "What took you so long to get here?"

"I got 'em, Jack. I killed 'em," Muggs replied.

"You killed them?"

Muggs strained a low chuckle. "That's right."

Jack nodded and didn't speak for a second. Then he took a step closer and lowered his voice to a murmur. "What did you do with their bodies?"

"You don't need to know," Muggs answered.

"You get rid of the weapon?" Jack asked.

Muggs sniffled. "Not much chance of that." He noted Jack's confusion. "Strangled 'em. No worries."

"Muggs, you get caught and the state will strangle you, too. With a noose," Jack said in an urgent voice. "Or you'll get the chair. No worries, huh?"

Muggs stared into his empty tin. "I'm all out," he said in disgust, slamming the lid closed. "How the fuck am I supposed to make it through the night?"

"Muggs, you'll be the number one suspect. I'm sure Weasel will come after you. Don't be stupid," Jack said in warning. "Stay at the lodging house for a few weeks."

Muggs considered this and then shook his head. "I ain't hiding. Not like it'll go away."

They were quiet for a few moments.

"You know we had to kill them, right?" Muggs asked, his eyes growing colder. "You know I couldn't let 'em get away with it. You can judge me all you want. I don't give a shit."

The lack of sleep crawled into his voice, making it sound crackly and broken. "I did this to her, Jack," he said, a sinister smile on his face. It threw Jack off for a moment, but he reasoned it was in reaction to a tense situation. "I fucked up."

Jack didn't know what to do. He thought about hugging Muggs, but he didn't want to risk it.

"You wanna see her?" Jack asked with a sigh, giving Muggs an honest look.

Muggs didn't respond. He simply nodded a bit, slowly following Jack inside the theater.

He dragged his feet up the stairs as he walked behind Jack, as if delaying the inevitable. He had no idea what to expect. His eyes were murderous. His mannerisms were erratic.

Muggs paused in the doorway of the girls' room, almost as if he were struck by an invisible barrier. He eyed Doc sitting beside her bed, passed out in a chair. The position looked rather uncomfortable.

Colleen was freshly bathed and tucked in her bed with the blankets pulled up to her waist. Her damp blonde hair was draped around her pillow. She sniffled in her sleep, rolling over sharply.

The sudden movement woke up Doc with a jump. He squinted, rubbing his eyes to find Muggs and Jack in the doorway.

"She's been asking for you," Doc said to Muggs, his voice gravely.

Muggs moved toward the bed. He peered down at Colleen's pale, battered face. Hesitantly, Muggs reached out and stroked the fallen strands of her hair back.

"How long has she been sleeping?" Muggs asked.

Doc shrugged. "An hour or so."

"I'll be out here," Jack said, closing the door behind him as he stepped into the hall.

"She took quite a beating," Doc said quietly, just above a whisper. "In addition to the forced intercourse."

Muggs looked from Doc to his sleeping sister. "Jesus, child," he mumbled down to her, his breath catching in the back of his throat.

With a slight panicked look, though he quickly masked it, Muggs asked, "What should I do? Should I look? I can't look at her cu…I can't." He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I can't afford no doctor to do it. I…fuck me, I guess I have to look at her."

He was rambling in dread, clearly horrified at the notion.

Doc shook his head. "I examined her," he said. "A few abrasions. Bruising. She'll heal."

"But…" Muggs didn't want to ask. There's no way Doc would know the answer to this question, as he wasn't there, but something compelled him to start asking. "Did they…Is she pregnant?"

Doc paused. "I don't know yet. We won't worry about that for now," he said.

Muggs nodded in silence.

"I'm going to get her some more water," Doc said, taking the empty glass from the bedside table. "Meantime, look after her. I won't be long."

Muggs didn't even have time to argue with him. Doc had crossed the floor in a matter of seconds.

Colleen opened her eyes a little, staring up at Muggs in surprise.

"Matthew?" She asked, her voice hoarse. He looked like an apparition, and she wasn't entirely sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. The laudanum Doc had given her might've played a hand.

"Yeah, Leeny, it's me," Muggs whispered down to her, sitting on the bed. "You've looked better."

Colleen swallowed back a sob. "I want Jesse," she cried, calling out for their older brother.

Me too, Muggs wanted to say. Jesse Tracey wouldn't have let this happen. He was far more of a human than Muggs. Maybe if he'd lived a little longer, they'd all be better off.

"Bring him back," she mumbled, her mind swimming from the spoonful of liquid sleep.

As she closed her eyes again, drifting off, Muggs picked up her hand. He ran his thumb over her palm and brought it to his lips, gently kissing the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry, sweet girl," he whispered, though she was no longer awake. "But I don't know how."