Dash stood in the dark alley, waiting for Scatter to arrive. This was the night. Tonight they were going to change their lives. She shivered and stuck her hands in her pockets, brushing against something wrapped in thin paper.

"What the…" Dash murmured as she pulled out the tiny paper ball. Unwrapping it revealed half of a cookie that she had stolen the night before. Greedily, Dash devoured the tiny treat and sighed. Looks like I ain't gonna go too hungry t'night, she thought with a sarcastic laugh. Hours passed, leaving Dash still waiting in the alley. Scatter hadn't bothered to show up. Dash slowly began her walk back to the lodging house, her thoughts sprinkled with anger and bitterness.

"Heya doll, where ya been?" Race looked up from his poker game when Dash entered the room.

"Nowhere important…" Dash quickly ducked out of the room, hoping to avoid any more questions. She knew that Race wouldn't follow her to pursue the issue; he was too involved in his game to bother himself with Dash's problems. Not that I would tell him anyway, she thought smugly. No one knew of her plan. No one except Scatter, of course. Thinking about Scatter caused her feelings of rage to flare up again. Dash dropped herself onto her bunk and waited for her to come home.

When she woke the next morning, Dash noticed something was different. It didn't take long before she realized what it was. The familiar sag from Scatter's slumbering body in the bunk above her was missing. Scatter hadn't come home the night before. A wave of panic washed over Dash, as endless thoughts of what might have happened to Scatter filled her head. She jumped out of bed and bolted down the stairs, trampling everyone in her path. She had to get onto the streets and start searching for her friend.

"Dash McCullen! You watch where ya goin'! Ya gonna kill someone!" An angry voice called from her wake, causing her to come to a dead stop.

"Don't you use me full name, Scatta Sagen! Where da hell were ya last night?" Dash screamed.

"Oh Dash, I met the best guy eva! I went out wid him, and I guess we lost track of da time cuz da next t'ing I know, its five in da mornin' and we'se still up and about!" Scatter stopped gushing when she caught a glimpse of Dash's still angry face. "I'm real sorry I made ya worry, but it ain't like you'se me motha or nothin'… Besides, ya gotta meet him! And he's got dis friend, dat would be so poifect for ya!" Scatter's ignorant excitement was growing.

"Foist of all, I got a guy already. His name is Race, maybe you rememba him?" Dash's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Second," Dash dropped her tone to a low whisper, "you was supposed ta meet me last night. We was supposed to go t'rough wid our plan last night." Dash looked away abruptly.

"Oh shit, Dash, I'm so sorry. I forgot. It's just dat, I met Kevin, and well, I got carried away." Dash shook her head and walked away. She knew how Scatter got when there was a guy involved. Nothing else mattered, not even her best friend.