"I said watch it O'Riley," Meilin growled. She noticed that Angel was not listening to a word she said, which just caused her to get more angry. She hissed under her breath and turned away from her incoherent friend with a stomp.
Rose looked to Specs. "Who is Angel starin' at?"
"Hey it's Skittery," Mush hollered. "Hey Ski-" Specs covered his mouth abruptly.
"Let Angel talk ta him, Mush. She needs ta," Specs replied.
Rose stared at the assembly. "Like that really answered my question," she replied rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.
Meanwhile, Angel stared at her old friend. He didn't look to much differant to her, they had been close. She told Skittery everything. He seemed much gloomier than he had been. Not a smile graced his tanned face.
Angel began to walk gracefully towards her old friend.
I wonder if everyone thought I was dead? she asked herself. She knew that she was sapposed to be dead, according to the taunts of the guards.
He didn't notice her which might have been a bad thing, if that hadn't been Angle's intent.
"Excuse me sir," she said as she approached, a slight Irish accent gracing her lips. "Do ya mind if I bought a papah from ya?"
Skittery turned. "Yeah, here's one, that would be a penny."
Angel fumbled in her coat pockets for a moment. "Damn," she grumbled in a way she was famous for. "I can't get the damn... "she let out a sigh and stared at him. "You know, You should smile a bit. I bet your pritty cute under all that doom and gloom you seem to be sporting."
Skittery looked at the young girl. She looked very familiar to him. When she smiled he knew exactly who it was.
"A-Angel? Is that.."
"Oh it's me alright," she broke in throwing her slender arms around his neck. "Missed ya lots Skit. I honestly missed you."
He hugged her back. "I missed you too. I honestly thought..."
"I was dead," Angel interrupted. "I heard."
He stared at her. "You grew," he said in slight awe.
Angel pondered for a moment. "Heard that too. You know what? I am so glad to be home, I almost forgot that I need to talk ta Jacky Boy."
Skittery nodded and slung his remaining paper under his arm. "Are you still going to buy my paper?" he asked a sliver of a smile gracing his face.
Angel laughed and slapped his cap. "Sure, but Kayle has all my money. It was a good thing Race taught me how to play poker so well."
Skittery laughed.
~*~*~*~*
Race finally found Jack. He was standing on a street corner with one paper left, in which he just happened to sell as Race approached.
"Heya Race," Jack replied with a smile.
"Hey uh Jack. I need to speak to ya for a moment." Race said motioning with his cigar.
Jack walked over and shrunk to Race's level (I know short puns are horrible, but I am short so it's okay).
"My cousin's back Jack," Race said quietly.
Jack looked at him with concern , and a little confusion. "Which one?" he asked.
"Angel," Race replied, and upon seeing the look on Jack's face added. "She ain't dead and she's on da run. She wanted me ta help her out, ya know. She wanted to go look for de other convicts that escaped wit her."
Jack nodded. "So youse tellin' me dat your cousin, is a convict?"
Race laughed. "Takes one to know one Jack."
Jack scowled.
"They ain't convicts. Dey ran away. From da Factory." he whispered the last as to not draw attention to himself.
Jack's eyes grew wide. He had heard The Factory was worse than the Refuge, the only boys that were found their were either in for hard time or the refuge couldn't hold them. And if Angel had been there Jack knew that he could find out more.
"Jack dey need help. Angel said dat she'd meet us at da Lodgin' House."
Jack nodded. "Lead da way Race."
They began to walk towards the lodging house.
~*~*~*~*~
"I'm hungry," Meilin complained.
"Aren't you always," Rose sighed as she shoved Meilin down the street.
"We can eat later." Angel said stopping the argument before it continued. "For now we need to get back the Lodging House and talk to Jack."
"Who is Jack?" Kayle asked as the turned the corner.
"Their leader," Angel replied motioning to the guys that walked a few steps behind.
"Oh," Kayle said not the least bit satisfied with the answer, but she knew that was all she would get out of Angel.
Angel stopped in front of the building. She sighed as she entered not really wanting to be bombarded with the questions that she knew she would get from all the boys. Well, she had known all of them for a long time and she knew they all thought she was dead.
Boy I feel so loved, she sighed to herself as she was shoved threw the doorway by an extremely agitated Meilin.
She walked over to Klopman's desk. "Kloppy can I go speak to the boys. We'll leave after were done if we have to."
Klopman nodded. "'Coarse you can."
Angel smiled and walked up to the bunk room. She knew most everybody would be their by now considering it was around five and most of the guys were getting ready to go eat.
Meilin began to walk up after her when Rose grabbed her arm.
"What?" Meilin asked her eyes confused.
"They live here," she motioned to their escorts. "They should go first."
Meilin sighed and let the boys go up the stairs before herself.
Angel opened the door to see alot of memories. Especially the one where she knocked Blink off of his bunk.
Blink, Angel thought with an evil grin.
The assembly realized that they had a guest and were stunned to see it was a girl.
The boy with the eye patch walked up to her. She grinned and slugged him in the jaw with a soft right hook, it didn't matter how soft she did it, it still would have hurt.
"What the-" he trailed off.
"That was for stealing my book. I still can't find it and I know it was you," Angel blurted out, trying hard to keep a straight face as she watched his face was twist with confusion.
The boy stopped. "No, I gotta be seein' things," he said as he shook his head with disbelief.
"Nope," Skittery said as he entered the room. "It's her."
The boy forgot her upper cut and embraced her in a bear hug. "Angie, It's really you."
"Yeah it's me, and don't call me Angie."
"It's her," Dutchy and Snipeshooter said in unison as they also rose and headed towards their friend.
The girls walked in as Angel was running around the room into the arms of boys that they had never seen befor. "Hey, Swifty, Pie Eater. I missed you guys." she would say as she approached two boys. She seemed to know them all which didn't surprise Rose nor Kayle, but Meilin was another story.
"Who are these guys, Ang? You seem to know them all," Meilin said placing her hands on her hips.
Angel laughed and motioned around her. "These are The Manhattan Newsies." she introduced. "You ask them their names. I don't plan on doing that for any of you."
Meilin humphed again and crossed her arms.
Two more boys entered the room, the taller one pushing past Meilin.
"What's da meanin of dis?" he asked staring straight at Angel. His eyes grew wide. "You didn't tell me dat it was you!" he cried placing his hand on his forehead.
Angel laughed. "Well, Jacky Boy, I told you my name. It just didn't click in that thick skull of yours."
A few boys began to chuckle and soon the whole room was laughing, including Jack.
"Well, since youse got all a our attention, You might as well explain," Jack said sitting on the nearest bunk.
Angel nodded and sat down as well, unknowingly next to Blink.
"Hello Blink," she said with a grin.
He just smiled at her.
Rose sat next to the only person in that room that she felt comfortable near, which happened to be Skittery. They had spoken to each other a couple of times, but she had taken a liking to him right away.
Meilin walked over to the boy whom had walked in with Jack. She thought he was kind of cute until she caught the look Angel was sending her way. Then after another look she realized it wasn't directed at her.
This must be her cousin, Meilin concluded to herself.
She sat down on a trunk near him and made herself comfortable.
Kayle didn't know what to do. Apparently Specs and Mush noticed her awkwardness and both sat beside her.
Angel continued to tell the assembly the whole story, some of which the girls had never heard befor, starting form when she was taken, to their escape.
"And then I came here. I knew that most of the people I trusted would still be here," she concluded. Blink patted her shoulder, trying to bring her comfort.
"Now dat is some story," Jack said.
Angel nodded. "We need your help."
"Well, we can't have you all togethah. Wese goin' ta hafta split youse all up."
Kayle gasped. She felt comfortable around her two friends and surprisingly, this Jack Kelly, seemed to bring her comfort as well.
"I'll go to Brooklyn." Angel concluded. "Although it might take some convincing. It would be better if these guys stay together. Who runs Brooklyn now?"
"Spot," Jack said.
Angel's eyes grew wide. "S-Spot runs Brooklyn?" Jack nodded. "Okay then I might not have much of a problem. If Spot is running the place." Angel sighed. "Oh, I might as well go to a hotel!"
Jack laughed. "Send two of your friends to go ta Brooklyn. It ain't a secret youse and Spot didn't part on good terms."
Angel sighed. "But we need to resolve it anyway. Your right Jack. I'll talk to Spot."
"He isn't da easiest to convince." Jack said with a sigh. "Nevah has been."
"I know," Angel said standing up. "But if I don't talk to him and we get found out, I'll never forgive myself."
Angel began walking towards the door.
"I'm coming too," Rose said rising from her seat and walked to Angel's side.
Blink, Mush and Race got up also.
"Where are youse tree goin'?" Jack asked them.
"They'll need an escort," Mush said walking out the door.
"My cousin, you know Family stuff." Race said as he slid out the door.
"I need ta tell Angel where her book is," Blink said taking off after Race.
Jack sighed deeply and looked at the assembled group. "Who's ready ta eat?"
"Yes!" Meilin yelled leaping to her feet.
That got a variety of stares.
