Chapter Twenty-eight
Three weeks later, Maire raced down to the Distribution Office. It was her seventh birthday, and when she was done selling papes, they were gonna have a party. –Presents!- She thought gleefully. Unfortunately, she wasn't watching where she was going, and ran into someone. Falling over, she looked at the person who had dared to get in her way. Maire looked up from where she sat on the ground. Up, up, up… -Jeez, how tall is this guy?- The boy she had run into was tall, well-built, and scowling at the pipsqueak who had dared to run into him. –SHIT!- Maire swore in her mind. –It's Crypt!- Crypt was the leader of the Bronx gang, the Bloods. –What the hell is he doin' here?-
"Where's da Lodgin' House." Crypt didn't ask, he stated.
"Why do ya wanna know?"
"Cause I'se lookin' fer me bruddah. And I don' appreciate nosy little shrimps like you'se askin' questions. Now wheah is it?"
"I ain't gonna tell ya. Why do you wanna find yer bruddah?" She was enjoying herself… She couldn't resist pushing his buttons, cause he was too stupid to realize the LH was a block away and he had passed it coming into Brooklyn. Besides, Daddy would kill him if he hurt her- and he couldn't hurt anyway. She was too fast, and she had her slingshot, knife, and miniature cane.
"Dat ain't none a ya business, is it little girl. Now," he bent down to be face to face with her, "Where. Is. Da. Lodgin'. House."
"I ain't gonna tell ya. If ya can't even tell me why ya wanna find yer bruddah, den I ain't gonna tell ya how."
"Why you liddle brat!" Crypt tried to grab her shirt and lift her up, but before he even got close, she hit him with her cane, turned, and ran towards the DO where Kieran would be waiting. She lost Crypt in the crowd.
***
"Daddy! Dad!" Maire ran up to where Kieran was getting his papes.
"What is it, Bit?"
"Daddy, Crypt is in Brooklyn and he wants to know where the lodging house is cause he's lookin' fer his brother and he tried to hit me!"
"Whoa, there Maire… Slow down. Crypt is in Brooklyn looking fer his brother? I didn't even know he had a brother."
"Well I guess he does cause he's lookin' fer him and he wouldn't tell me why or who he was and he tried to hit me when I asked. I hit him with my cane though!" Maire looked at Kieran for approval.
"Good job, Bit. Now who could Crypt's brother be? He'd have ta be new or Crypt would have come sooner." Kieran looked around, searching the crowd for a new face. He saw one boy- the one Maire had hit a few weeks ago- pale and shaking. He walked over to him. "Rake, right?" The boy nodded. "Is Crypt yer brother?" Again, the boy, Rake, nodded. "Why'd ya run away from him an' why does he want ya back?"
"Cause, Kieran, he beat me, and he killed someone, and I saw it… So I ran, and now he's comin' ta get me cause of it. Don' let him get me, please don' let him get me!"
"Calm down, kid. We ain't gonna let him get you, don' worry." He looked around. "Are we, guys?" The assembled group of newsies all answered no.
Rae stepped forward. "Kieran, maybe I'd better take Maire today, and you can take Rake. Keep 'em safe from Crypt." Kieran nodded.
"Aight den. Rake, yer comin' with me today, and Maire, go with Rae. Fellas, if ya see Crypt, don' let him near the LH. And don' tell him where Rake is. We protect our own, and he's one of us now." The newsies cheered in answer. "Rake, let's get you some papes."
***
Crypt, despite what Maire had thought, wasn't stupid. He had, after losing Maire in the crowd, looked around, and found the Lodging House. But because he was not stupid, he didn't go charging right in, demanding his brother. He knew that the newsies were out selling papes at this time of day, and so he waited for them to come home. After all, he reasoned, if that brat was so against telling him where the lodging house was, then his brother must be there. Of course, what he didn't realize was that she only didn't tell him because she was being stubborn, but after all, he wasn't a genius. He just wasn't stupid. He had also never been a seven-year-old girl.
***
Kieran was worried. Crypt was the leader of the most powerful gang in New York, and if he wanted his brother back, then it was too bad for any one who got in the way. As true as his little speech about Rake being one of their own, the boy hadn't even tried to make friends. And to be totally honest, he wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to risk his wife's, daughter's, and unborn child's and his newsies' lives for one boy no one even knew. However, he kept these thoughts to himself as he and Rake sold their papes.
"MURDER WITNESS TELLS ALL! YOUNG BOY SEEN RUNNING FROM SCENE OF CRIME!" Kieran yelled the headline, then something occurred to him. He looked at the story in question. The murder was three weeks ago, the day before Rake had shown up at the Lodging House. And it had taken place in the Bronx. –SHIT!- Kieran thought. –It wasn't Crypt that killed the person, it was Rake that killed them and Crypt saw him!- He looked at the paper again. The murdered person had been a girl named Glass.
–Glass… Glass… where do I know that name… SHIT! It's Crypt's girlfriend! No wonder he wants his brother back! He thinks Rake did it!- Rake hadn't been calling that headline, even though it was by far the best. Maybe he didn't want to think about it. –Nah, newsies get this stuff all the time.- Kieran decided to ask Rake more about what had happened, why he left his brother.
"Hey, Rake, tell me some more about why you ran away."
"Does it count as running away if there's nowhere to run from?" Rake fielded the question like an expert.
"Don't play games, kid. If you didn't tell me the truth yer putting everyone in Brooklyn in danger. Including yourself."
"Look, Kieran, I didn't lie to you about everything. Just a little thing. I didn't see Crypt kill anybody. I killed her… but I didn't murder her! I swear I didn't! She… she…" and here he broke down sobbing, eliciting strange looks from passersby, "she attacked me! Crypt wasn't spending enough time with her, cause he was busy wid me. And she hated me! She came after me in the alley, with a knife. She tried to kill me, and I got her instead. Now they all think I killed her on purpose! But I didn't, I swear I didn't!"
He looked up at Kieran, tears in his eyes. "I believe you. But did you tell him or just run?"
"I just ran… I was scared. Crypt ain't exactly the easiest person to get along with, and he really liked Glass."
"Aight, den. We'll just take you in the back way tonight. He's not stupid… He'll probably find the lodging house soon if he hasn't already."
"Thanks, Kieran. I owe you one big time."
***
That night, Maire was having her birthday party, and everyone was there. Race and Half-Pint, Rae and Snitch, Jack and Fast, all the other Manhattan newsies, and of course, all of Brooklyn. There was cake, gambling (out of Singah's watchful gaze), and of course, PRESENTS! Singah had gotten things from marbles for her slingshot to a news newsie cap. There had been no mention of Crypt since Kieran explained his and Rake's back-door entrance, and everyone was enjoying themselves. Maire had been gambling in the back room with Race, Kieran, and any other newsie brave enough to try. She had cleaned everyone out… she had inherited her father's gift for cards.
However, outside, there wasn't as much fun. Crypt still lurked in the shadows, waiting for Rake to get back. Finally, he decided that maybe Rake hadn't come to Brooklyn. He still wasn't stupid, but he still wasn't a genius either. If you want protection, you go to Brooklyn. Crypt turned and left for the Bronx. He would find out what really happened another day. Sides, his brother was probably happy there. And that was what mattered, even to a badass.
Three weeks later, Maire raced down to the Distribution Office. It was her seventh birthday, and when she was done selling papes, they were gonna have a party. –Presents!- She thought gleefully. Unfortunately, she wasn't watching where she was going, and ran into someone. Falling over, she looked at the person who had dared to get in her way. Maire looked up from where she sat on the ground. Up, up, up… -Jeez, how tall is this guy?- The boy she had run into was tall, well-built, and scowling at the pipsqueak who had dared to run into him. –SHIT!- Maire swore in her mind. –It's Crypt!- Crypt was the leader of the Bronx gang, the Bloods. –What the hell is he doin' here?-
"Where's da Lodgin' House." Crypt didn't ask, he stated.
"Why do ya wanna know?"
"Cause I'se lookin' fer me bruddah. And I don' appreciate nosy little shrimps like you'se askin' questions. Now wheah is it?"
"I ain't gonna tell ya. Why do you wanna find yer bruddah?" She was enjoying herself… She couldn't resist pushing his buttons, cause he was too stupid to realize the LH was a block away and he had passed it coming into Brooklyn. Besides, Daddy would kill him if he hurt her- and he couldn't hurt anyway. She was too fast, and she had her slingshot, knife, and miniature cane.
"Dat ain't none a ya business, is it little girl. Now," he bent down to be face to face with her, "Where. Is. Da. Lodgin'. House."
"I ain't gonna tell ya. If ya can't even tell me why ya wanna find yer bruddah, den I ain't gonna tell ya how."
"Why you liddle brat!" Crypt tried to grab her shirt and lift her up, but before he even got close, she hit him with her cane, turned, and ran towards the DO where Kieran would be waiting. She lost Crypt in the crowd.
***
"Daddy! Dad!" Maire ran up to where Kieran was getting his papes.
"What is it, Bit?"
"Daddy, Crypt is in Brooklyn and he wants to know where the lodging house is cause he's lookin' fer his brother and he tried to hit me!"
"Whoa, there Maire… Slow down. Crypt is in Brooklyn looking fer his brother? I didn't even know he had a brother."
"Well I guess he does cause he's lookin' fer him and he wouldn't tell me why or who he was and he tried to hit me when I asked. I hit him with my cane though!" Maire looked at Kieran for approval.
"Good job, Bit. Now who could Crypt's brother be? He'd have ta be new or Crypt would have come sooner." Kieran looked around, searching the crowd for a new face. He saw one boy- the one Maire had hit a few weeks ago- pale and shaking. He walked over to him. "Rake, right?" The boy nodded. "Is Crypt yer brother?" Again, the boy, Rake, nodded. "Why'd ya run away from him an' why does he want ya back?"
"Cause, Kieran, he beat me, and he killed someone, and I saw it… So I ran, and now he's comin' ta get me cause of it. Don' let him get me, please don' let him get me!"
"Calm down, kid. We ain't gonna let him get you, don' worry." He looked around. "Are we, guys?" The assembled group of newsies all answered no.
Rae stepped forward. "Kieran, maybe I'd better take Maire today, and you can take Rake. Keep 'em safe from Crypt." Kieran nodded.
"Aight den. Rake, yer comin' with me today, and Maire, go with Rae. Fellas, if ya see Crypt, don' let him near the LH. And don' tell him where Rake is. We protect our own, and he's one of us now." The newsies cheered in answer. "Rake, let's get you some papes."
***
Crypt, despite what Maire had thought, wasn't stupid. He had, after losing Maire in the crowd, looked around, and found the Lodging House. But because he was not stupid, he didn't go charging right in, demanding his brother. He knew that the newsies were out selling papes at this time of day, and so he waited for them to come home. After all, he reasoned, if that brat was so against telling him where the lodging house was, then his brother must be there. Of course, what he didn't realize was that she only didn't tell him because she was being stubborn, but after all, he wasn't a genius. He just wasn't stupid. He had also never been a seven-year-old girl.
***
Kieran was worried. Crypt was the leader of the most powerful gang in New York, and if he wanted his brother back, then it was too bad for any one who got in the way. As true as his little speech about Rake being one of their own, the boy hadn't even tried to make friends. And to be totally honest, he wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to risk his wife's, daughter's, and unborn child's and his newsies' lives for one boy no one even knew. However, he kept these thoughts to himself as he and Rake sold their papes.
"MURDER WITNESS TELLS ALL! YOUNG BOY SEEN RUNNING FROM SCENE OF CRIME!" Kieran yelled the headline, then something occurred to him. He looked at the story in question. The murder was three weeks ago, the day before Rake had shown up at the Lodging House. And it had taken place in the Bronx. –SHIT!- Kieran thought. –It wasn't Crypt that killed the person, it was Rake that killed them and Crypt saw him!- He looked at the paper again. The murdered person had been a girl named Glass.
–Glass… Glass… where do I know that name… SHIT! It's Crypt's girlfriend! No wonder he wants his brother back! He thinks Rake did it!- Rake hadn't been calling that headline, even though it was by far the best. Maybe he didn't want to think about it. –Nah, newsies get this stuff all the time.- Kieran decided to ask Rake more about what had happened, why he left his brother.
"Hey, Rake, tell me some more about why you ran away."
"Does it count as running away if there's nowhere to run from?" Rake fielded the question like an expert.
"Don't play games, kid. If you didn't tell me the truth yer putting everyone in Brooklyn in danger. Including yourself."
"Look, Kieran, I didn't lie to you about everything. Just a little thing. I didn't see Crypt kill anybody. I killed her… but I didn't murder her! I swear I didn't! She… she…" and here he broke down sobbing, eliciting strange looks from passersby, "she attacked me! Crypt wasn't spending enough time with her, cause he was busy wid me. And she hated me! She came after me in the alley, with a knife. She tried to kill me, and I got her instead. Now they all think I killed her on purpose! But I didn't, I swear I didn't!"
He looked up at Kieran, tears in his eyes. "I believe you. But did you tell him or just run?"
"I just ran… I was scared. Crypt ain't exactly the easiest person to get along with, and he really liked Glass."
"Aight, den. We'll just take you in the back way tonight. He's not stupid… He'll probably find the lodging house soon if he hasn't already."
"Thanks, Kieran. I owe you one big time."
***
That night, Maire was having her birthday party, and everyone was there. Race and Half-Pint, Rae and Snitch, Jack and Fast, all the other Manhattan newsies, and of course, all of Brooklyn. There was cake, gambling (out of Singah's watchful gaze), and of course, PRESENTS! Singah had gotten things from marbles for her slingshot to a news newsie cap. There had been no mention of Crypt since Kieran explained his and Rake's back-door entrance, and everyone was enjoying themselves. Maire had been gambling in the back room with Race, Kieran, and any other newsie brave enough to try. She had cleaned everyone out… she had inherited her father's gift for cards.
However, outside, there wasn't as much fun. Crypt still lurked in the shadows, waiting for Rake to get back. Finally, he decided that maybe Rake hadn't come to Brooklyn. He still wasn't stupid, but he still wasn't a genius either. If you want protection, you go to Brooklyn. Crypt turned and left for the Bronx. He would find out what really happened another day. Sides, his brother was probably happy there. And that was what mattered, even to a badass.