*Note from the Author* Sorry for the long delay guys! I very stupidly began like four stories at once! *blushes* Forgive me! I'm working as hard as I can! Thanx!
The Higgins children crept silently into their own home at 11:15, exhausted and somewhat satisfied with the night's events. Grabs especially was glad with what they had discovered. From what he could deduce from the events, there had already been an attempted shooting of his father, but because of them. At this thought, Grabs grimaced, thinking of the close call that his father had had. He had also figured that the two crooks intended to kill off one of the leaders of the districts of New York. "Dat narrows it down." Grabs muttered as he lay with his head on his hand beside his snoring brother Cowboy. There was only one way in his mind to prevent another murder. That was to send his boys and girls out to warn all the Newsie leaders of the districts. That would take a long time, perhaps a whole work day, but they would have to risk it. Unless. Unless the killers intended to strike early, before the children could get up. Grabs' tired brown eyes widened.
They could have done the murder already! Killed off another innocent. "I hafta go an' warn 'em." Grabs muttered, throwing the sheets off of his sweaty legs. But before he got up, he collapsed again. "I cain't. Dey won't try it yet, not yet. Maybe temorra evenin', but not yet, not now." The last word was muttered as Grabs' brown eyes closed in a peaceful sleep. The darkened room was now silent, save for the sounds of the snores of the four boys.
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Grabs got up earlier than usual the next morning and had forced his siblings to do the same. Grabs had grinned at his father's surprised face as he whipped through his breakfast and headed over to the distribution office before his father even got there. He had actually snuck out that morning and had found Craps. He told him to tell the others to meet him at the office early that morning, so that they could talk. He smiled with pleasure as he walked into the distribution office. Everyone was there. They were all talking and joking, but stopped when Grabs and his siblings, save Fairy, came.
"I know dat ya's don't know why I asked ya's ta meet me hea. But it's important. I know ya know what we told ya 'bout da two men we follaed last night." There was a murmur of affirmation. "So I gots a plan. Dey's gonna pick off one of da leadas of da districts. So we gots ta warn 'em! We's all gonna buy papes, undastand? But not many so dat we kin split! All of us is gonna hafta split up an' warn all of 'em! Ya undastand?" Grabs yelled. "But Grabs, dat'll take fereva!" Skittery's son Pete yelled. "Yeah! Might take longa dan a day." His brother Crawler concurred. "Papa'll wonda if we don't come back on time." Crawler's sister Cass said in a small voice.
"I know! But we gots ta try! Tink of it! Dey could be moiderin' someone right now! Jest ta prove dey're point dat dey're gonna take me Papa out! Ya undastand? Jack Kelly was jest da tip o'da iceburg so ta speak! Dey already said dat dey tried ta take out me fadda! An' I tink dat dem an' dey're cronies'll keep tryin' till dey do! So we gotta take some chances hea!" There was silence around the distribution office as the children looked at each other. "So who's wit' me?" Grabs yelled hopefully. There was silence for a moment more before a yell broke the silence. "We're witcha Grabs! All da way!" Craps yelled loudly. "Yeah! C'mon you guys!" Joy yelled. There was a general uproar of affirmations all round.
But they quickly broke off as they saw the short figure of Grabs father, Racetrack Higgins. He looked up at them in surprise, then he looked to his children. "Whatcha doin' hea so eaily?" He asked. "Nothin' Papa. Jest wanted ta get hea eaily so dat da bigga boys wouldn't push us around." Grabs said confidently. "We will anyway Grabs!" Fish said, arriving right after Racetrack and jokingly pushing into Grabs. Racetrack laughed and took his place inside the distribution office. Grabs was the first in line and he slapped his money down on the counter. "Jest twenty teday Papa." Racetrack nodded and counted out twenty papers and handed them to his son. "Grabs." Grabs stopped walking away and looked back at his father. His father's brown eyes were concerned and a somewhat worried expression was on his face. "Grabs, you sure dere's nothin' goin' on?" Grabs nodded. "Yeah, jest stay close inside da office teday alright Papa. Gotta go! Bye!" Grabs said quickly before his father could reply. Racetrack watched him and absentmindedly waved goodbye.
It didn't take long for Grabs and the others to sell their papers so they all met at the Greeley statue. When Grabs arrived, Craps was sitting on the ground with a bunch of the other kids playing craps. "Ha! I win again!" Craps yelled triumphantly. "Craps you play like crap!" Crawler muttered. "Why dank ya!" Craps said with a smile. "Hey Higgins. We're ready ta spread out." Craps said, standing as he noticed Grabs approach. "Well dats good. You all know where yer gonna head out?" Craps nodded. "We decided before ya came. Yer da last one." He said. "Is it okay if you take Queens?" Joy asked with friendly concern. "Dats fine. Jest fine. I don't mind. Jest so long as da udda districts is covaed." Grabs said, nodding. "Yeah everytin's covaed Higgins, so we should be done soon if we hurry." Craps said. Grabs nodded. "Alright, everyone meet back hea when yer done. Okay?" The group yelled an affirmative and the Newsies spread out, heading to their decided districts.
Grabs had only been to Queens once or twice. He fortunately knew who the leader was. He was a tough boy named Archer who had been the leader since he had been about fourteen. His followers respected him and trusted his judgements and never disputed his authority. In fact, Spot's wife Blue, Kid Blink's younger sister, had in fact lived in Queens. "Heh, before she got trown out." Grabs muttered with a chuckle. Blue had beat up a boy very badly after the boy had picked on her to the point of fighting. Archer wouldn't take it anymore and had sent her packing back to Manhattan to her brother. Grabs sighed. He just hoped that he could convince Archer that something could happen to him.
He reached the Queens boundaries and successfully passed the other Newsies watching out for boys who couldn't be in their territory. Grabs breathed a sigh of relief as he was lead by another Newsie to Archer. Archer was seated on the curb of a nearby street, his broad back up against the wall of a tall abandoned building. His eyes were closed in the morning sun and they didn't open as Grabs and the other Newsie approached. "What's da matta Quint?" He asked to Grabs surprise. Quint didn't react, but merely answered him. "Dis kid says he's from Manhattan. Says he wants ta see ya Archer. Says he's Racetrack an' Bright Eyes' kid. Name's Grabs." Archer slowly opened his eyes and Grabs gulped as the deep blue eyes scanned him. "I see da resemblance. Ya kin go Quint. I wanna tawk ta him alone." Quint nodded and left them.
Archer looked Grabs over again and stood up with a sigh, taking a few steps closer to Grabs. "So yer Racetrack's kid huh? I could kinda tell. You probably like ta gamble too?" Archer asked. Grabs nodded vigorously. "Yes sir! Yeah, I love ta gamble!" Archer nodded knowingly. "Yer fadda swindled me outta five bucks cash one night dat I'd been savin'. One night dat he actually got lucky. So whadya want?" Archer asked, lighting a cigarette. "Well ya see Mista Archer sir," Grabs started. "No mista's. Jest Archer. I ain't no different dan you kid." Archer butted in. "Okay, Archer. I'm guessin' dat ya heard how Jack Kelly got shot." Archer nodded. "Yup. Heaid he ain't doin' too good too." Archer said knowingly. Grabs bit his lip. He hadn't heard that bit of news and it worried him, but he continued.
"Well, me an' a bucha udda kids followed da guys dat did it. Twice actually. Once by meself and da udda time wit da uddas. One of 'ems name is Osca. An' anyway, we heaid 'em tawkin' how dey already tried ta kill me Papa." Archer's eyes widened and he gazed intently at Grabs as he blew smoke into the air. "An' den dey said dat dey was gonna prove to da Newsies dat dey wasn't playin' around ya know? An' dat dey was gonna send a message ta all da boys dat abused 'em. Dey was gonna kill one of da leadas of da districts!" Archer threw down his cigarette and he looked off in the distance, a thoughtful look on his face. "An' so me an' me pals are goin' ta all da districts ta warn da leadas ta watch dey're backs! We don't want no one ta git killed ya undastand." Grabs finished in a quick breath.
Archer nodded. "Well I see yer point. I'll be sure ta tell da boys. I'll tawk ta yer Papa lata an'," Archer started. "NO!" Grabs butted in. "Don't tell Papa. He cain't know. He don't know 'bout it." Grabs said, his words falling to the ground. Archer gazed knowingly at Grabs. "Well okay. I'll keep yer secret ya little rascal. Don't worry 'bout it." Grabs lifted his head and smiled. "Now git outta hea before ya git in more trouble." Grabs smiled and nodded. "Danks Archer." Archer nodded as Grabs began to walk away. Grabs turned but stopped in his tracks as he heard a curious sound. Two curious sounds. "Grabs." Grabs heart froze at the voice that spoke his name. It was hollow and wispy, frightening. Grabs slowly turned around and his face blanched.
Archer was no longer standing tall and proud. He was on his knees, his hands fallen at his sides. In his shirt was a bloody hole and blood was pouring out of it. Archer's blue eyes began to fade as he looked at Grabs. Grabs took a step backwards, then ran to him. Archer held up his hand to stop him, then weakly pointed upwards. His blue eyes became dead and lifeless and the Queens leader fell to the ground. Grabs' breath began to come in short wisps, he couldn't breath. He had just been talking to him, just a minute ago he had been alive and well as he could be. Now he was lying dead at his feet. Grabs looked up where the long finger had pointed, but he didn't see anything. He took a few steps backward from the body then heard the sound again and a ripping pain in his side.
He fell to the ground in surprise and as he did so he looked up again. On top of the building was the outline of a man, and a gun. It slunk back into the shadows. Grabs groaned and lifted his hand from his side. It wasn't as bad as it felt. The bullet had only grazed the skin, but it still hurt. He gasped as he tried to stand. He failed then tried again. He then ran as fast as he could, screaming at the top of his lungs. "QUINT! SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! ARCHER GOT SHOT!" Quint caught Grabs as he began to fall and his green eyes widened at the blood oozing from his side. "Ya gotta go back! Yer hoit! I'll tend ta Archer. It'll be okay! Jinx! Ya take care of Higgins' side undastand! Terry, Arrow, ya come wit' me." Quint said as he passed Grabs to the capable hands of the black boy he'd called Jinx. Jinx picked him up carefully in his strong hands and began to walk off. "Be careful! Dere's a guy ova dere wit' a gun!" Grabs yelled to the departing boys before a wave of pain, drove him into unconciousness.
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