Shout Outs~
Sparkles: XD ::pets:: We're sorry. X.x;;; Can you believe that it is STILL NOT DONE?!
Slick: Ahhh! Newspaper! ::hides::
Megan: Probably.
Sphinx: o_O Well…the 1st chapter's not angst…
****
"Stupid, miserable little jerk. I'll show what it's like to be us. Who does he think he is, storming out like that and tearing out Stage's heart? Of course, he had to tromp all over it first!" ToT muttered under her breath as she walked quickly down the street. Not watching where she was going, she crashed right into somebody else.
"Where's da foire?" Spot asked her.
"I'm looking for Specs. Seen him?"
"Lately, no."
"Damn it."
"Where's Stage?"
"With Sparkles, back at the bunkhouse."
"Well, dere goes Sparkles…" Spot pointed as a form tore around the corner, running frantically down the street. "Looks as t'ough she's lost somet'ing."
"Or someone." ToT added. She seized Spot by the arm and began pulling him along as she sprinted down the street. "Come on, let's follow her."
The two dashed down the street after the blonde newsie, also finding that she was much faster than they were. It had to be something to do with the size. Whatever it was that caused them to be slower, it happened to have 'perfect timing' for another head-on collision.
"Ow! Why don't you watch where you're going?!" ToT demanded angrily, holding a hand to her bumped head. She looked up to see who she had collided with and jumped backwards. "D-Darius…"
"Hallo, Veronique." Darius smirked. "Have you been well?"
"Who da hell are youse?" Spot asked, folding his arms across his chest. Darius looked down at Spot and laughed. "What're you laughin' at, ya big oaf?"
"Who is this? Is this some kind of joke? Should I feel threatened?"
"I's Brooklyn, ya bum. Ya should be bendin' down on one knee ta me." Spot answered, drawing himself up to his full height. ToT held out an arm to hold him back, never taking her eyes from Darius.
"What do you want, Darius?" She asked.
"The bounty on your head, my dear." He answered, still smirking. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Manslaughter, smuggling, and resisting arrest. You indeed are a lady with appalling behavior, Veronique."
"What about you? You're charged with five different kinds of abuse, homicide, smuggling, accepting bribes, giving bribes, conning innocent people out of their life savings, black market, drug abuse, selling illegal drugs on the streets, getting children hooked on opium so you could sell more…the list goes on and on. Do you want me to continue?"
"But that's only in Europe. And I haven't been caught."
"You will be!"
"What are you going to do? Go to the police?"
"I could." Spot cut in.
"Don't get involved." ToT hissed.
"Well, it's too late for that, isn't it? Just because he hangs around you, he's charged with association in criminal acts and is assumed to be your accomplice."
"Spot, get out of here."
"Not on your loife, ToT."
"He'll kill you!"
"I ain't afraid."
"Aw, what a knight in shining armor." Darius sneered. He pulled a gun from the holster underneath his arm and aimed it at both of them. "Here's the deal, Veronique. Either I kill your Brooklyn Baby or you come with me."
****
Stage shuffled down the street, head down, and unsure of where she was going. Wherever her feet took her was where. She had just really wanted to get out of that bunkroom where she was being watched as though she might sprout another head at any moment. Stage sighed as she turned a corner and yelped when a hand grabbed her wrist and jerked her around. She found herself staring into a pair of eyes she thought she'd never have to look at again.
"Well, well, well…Sylvia Vecchi. What're you doing on this side of the world?" He asked her. Stage ripped her wrist from his grip and put as much space as possible between them.
"Sylvia Vecchi is dead, Aldo."
"You look pretty alive for a dead person."
"I'm no longer Sylvia Vecchi! I've started over!"
"Really?"
"Go find yourself some other whore to get your kicks from, I'm out of that business." Stage said in disgust, turning and starting to depart.
"You're never out of that business." He replied, grabbing her by the shoulder.
"Too bad!" Stage snapped. "Take your hands off me!"
Around the corner, Specs overheard every word of the conversation and guessed that it was probably his cue to intervene. He turned the corner and pulled Stage back and away from the huge man. Stage looked surprised to see him but very guilty.
"What's this? Already taken for the night?"
"For every night." Specs replied, pushing Stage behind him. "And you bettah back awff if youse knows what good foir ya, mistah."
"If I know what's good for me?" Aldo laughed. "What're you going to do to me? Call your mommy?"
"Not even if I had one!" Specs fumed, his face contorted with utmost hatred.
****
"Stupid, stupid, stupid." Sparkles muttered, banging her head against a wall. "You just had to go to sleep, idiot. She'll probably jump off the Brooklyn bridge and you'll have no one to blame but yourself. Well, maybe Specs…"
She stopped her self-abuse and walked away from the wall. Sparkles made her way towards the bridge and, upon arriving, went to the middle of the bridge and looked down. She didn't know what she was expecting to find…but hey, it gave her something to do.
"…Sandra?"
Sparkles jumped at the voice and whirled around. Before her stood a towering—especially towering, considering her size—blonde Swedish man. She swore under her breath and looked for an escape.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Santa Fe, my dear daughter?"
"Sandra ain't here."
" 'Ain't'? I believe you had a better upbringing than that. I didn't spend all that money on education so you could run around Manhattan dirt-poor and saying 'ain't'. Especially in boy's clothing. Where is your decency?"
"Where's yours?"
"Whatever could you mean?"
"You have some nerve to come back!"
"I'm your father."
"Some father, you set me up!"
"I did it for your own good."
"Bullshit," Sparkles snapped. "You had me sent to penitentiaries for 'my own good'? I can't count the times that I nearly got raped on all of my fingers and toes!"
"A learning experience."
"On how scum-bagish men can be."
"Now, now, Sandra. Don't be bitter."
"Fuck you."
"Watch your language, young lady."
"I'll do whatever I damn well please!"
"I'll teach you to be insubordinate." He snarled, raising his hand to hit her.
****