The Coming Storm
Incomplete. If anyone shows any interest, I'll continue (:
It was an almost eerily nice day, for New York City at least. After all, most New Yorkers don't look up at the sky and say..."Oh look, it's blue', let alone lookup and say 'wow, it's really nice out!' Yet, today people did. A light breeze was blowing in off the ocean, and it was unseasonably warm for early March. Winter seemed to have shrugged off a little early this year, and Spring was blossoming into life with a day like this. People walked down the busy streets smiling at each other. Vendors hawked their merchandise, newsboys called from the corners, and the constant thunder of carriages filled the roads. People seemed, almost eerily, happy and invigorated by the wonderful weather.
All except for the girl on the corner.
Her expression could best be described as 'ironic', 'darkly sarcastic', or maybe 'downright disgruntled', but nevertheless, she did not seem invigorated by the weather. She was about fifteen or sixteen, with long tawny hair that sort of flipped up at the ends, hazel eyes, dark eyebrows, and a somewhat snubbed nose. She was probably about five two, and she wore dark knickers, black boots to the knee, and a plaid button-downed shirt over a white, sleeveless top. Her suspenders were twisted into a belt that held her pants up. Her arms were crossed, and she kept glancing at the watch in her pocket.
"Damnit Tyler, hurry up." She sighed to herself. Her brother, Tyler, if nothing else, was punctual, and he had said to be there at ten exactly. It was now ten forty-five.
"Lily!" a voice called. Lily looked up to see a boy running across the street, and had to laugh when he almost got ran over by an ice cart. He held his cap, waving it above his head wildly, and Lily rolled her eyes in embarrassment.
"Well, well, well, so you decided to come." Lily sneered sarcastically.
"Hey." He smirked as he slid to a halt and approached her walking casually, trying to look dignified.
"Do you always have to be so...attention grabbing, Tyler?" Lily demanded as she looked at the eyes of the people passing them. They were all giving Tyler confused, amused, or somewhat insulted expressions.
"I guess I deserve that." Tyler smirked, flipping his hand absently. Tyler was about sixteen, with almost perfectly clear green eyes, dark blonde hair, and a willing, natural smile. He was about five six, and of medium build.
"Yes, you do." Lily nodded. Tyler smirked, and shrugged. It was then Lily noticed the bruise snaking up the side of her brother's neck. She frowned, and met his almost colorless eyes.
"Where did you get that?" Lily demanded, though she already knew the answer.
"Do I really have to tell you?" Tyler replied, as if reading her mind.
"Yes." She insisted.
"Where do you think?" Tyler asked, his eyebrow cocked. Lily recognized the bluff, and called it immediately. She had known Tyler too long to be fooled by his mock bravado and humor. Tyler could never say things straight out. He always had to put up some sort of front, which drove his sister crazy.
"Staten Island." Lily replied stonily.
"Who told you?" Tyler smirked darkly. Lily did not smirk back.
"Grace wanted me to ask you if Sticks got her message, and since you mysteriously disappeared last night, I figured you went to Staten. Did you?" Lily. asked, her eyes flaming in anger. Tyler knew better than to lie at this point.
"Fine, I was in Staten. And I did give Sticks Grace's damned message." Tyler sighed.
"Smart Tyler...why were you there!? What were you doing!? Who hit you!?" Lily demanded angrily.
"Wow, do I get a choice which question to answer first!?" Tyler squealed in mock eagerness. Lily didn't dignify him with a response.
"It wasn't Storm, it was Tux. I got stuck there after dark, and Tux and his boys found me. Sticks was with them, of course...Sticks and Boss. Sticks kept shooting me these guilt-ridden looks, but I didn't even look back. Tell me, if Sticks Ackerman is on our side, why the hell doesn't he ever do anything to show it!?" Tyler ranted.
"Look, Tyler, Sticks Ackerman is not the issue right now. So...Tux hit you?" Lily summarized and motioned for him to go on.
"Yeah...Tux hit me, but I got away." Tyler explained, and Lily frowned at her brother's imprudence.
"Tyler, how many times do you have to get hit to realize that you should be careful!?" She cried.
"Hey, look, it's not like I ran up to Storm and screamed, 'why don't you kill me!' or something!" Tyler cried back, and Lily motioned for him to keep his voice down.
Too late.
Two boys across the street from Tyler and Lily had heard the last part of the conversation.
"'Dat boy don't look familiar, do 'e?" the first one, a somewhat short boy of around sixteen with an Italian complexion and glossy black hair asked.
"Nope. He shoah ain't a newsie." The other, slightly taller with mussed-up brown hair and a bandana around his neck observed, watching the boy and the girl. Even though the girl was dressed like a man, she was clean and well-groomed, as was the boy. They looked middle-class, probably. Definitely not newsies.
"'Den how would 'e know about Storm?" the first boy frowned.
"Ya...and from what I hoid, he got in ta some trouble wit 'em." The second noted.
"Ya think we should check it out?" the first suggested.
"Maybe. Ya don't mess wit Storm...even I know dat." The second agreed, smiling a little, and they carefully and discreetly made their way across the busy street, newspapers in hand.
"Well, we should get going." Tyler shrugged, and Lily nodded, still eyeing him angrily.
"I swear I'll explain it all later." Tyler promised.
"I can't wait." Lily remarked dryly.
"Look, just because Storm Murphy has..." but Tyler stopped when he noticed the two boys coming towards them, carrying newspapers. He gave Lily a fearful looked, and Lily bit her lip, trying not to display any nervousness. She and Tyler had often met in Manhattan because of its, for lack of a better word, neutrality, but she didn't know these boys. Yet, one of them did look somewhat familiar. She waited, tensely.
"Sorry if we scared ya, I know its kinda rude ta just walk up ta ya and all, but we's just gotta question." The slightly familiar boy stated as a greeting.
"Who are you?" Tyler demanded, standing over Lily protectively. Lily gave him an exaggerated huffing sigh, and stepped up beside Tyler.
"Me name's Jack Kelly, an dis is me friend Racetrack." The boy introduced.
"Jack Kelly...oh, the strike boy, I remember you." Lily sighed with relief.
"Ya know about dat?" he frowned.
"So I'm guessing you don't remember me." Lily stated, shaking her hair out of her eyes. Jack squinted at her, and then his face lit up.
"Lily! I know ya now. Ya're Lily Adams!" Jack exclaimed. Racetrack gave Jack a confused look.
"Yes, that's me." Lily nodded.
"An' ya must be her brudda...Tyler, right?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Tyler nodded, and the two boys shook hands amicably, though Tyler did keep glancing hurriedly at his watch. Race gave Jack another confused look, and Jack remembered his manners.
"Race, dese are a coulpa old friends...Lily Adams an Tyler Adams." Jack introduced.
"Pleased to meet you." The brother and sister nodded in greeting. Race nodded, and smiled congenially.
"So, how's Storm?" Jack asked conversationally.
Lily and Tyler looked at him, their eyes suddenly dark, Lily's skin a little white, and their jaws clenched. In anger, the siblings looked quite alike, though Tyler was far more outspoken.
"We don't know. We haven't spoken to him for awhile." He stated coldly and meaningfully. Jack didn't get the meaning.
"Ya, but last time I saw ya, before da strike, you and Storm was..." Jack trailed off, seeing the murderous look on Lily's face. He realized, though a little too late, his mistake. Race remained silent, confused. What a boy, not even a newsie, and his sister would have to do with Storm Murphy? And why were they so mad now?
"We're late. We have to meet someone. Nice seeing you again." Lily stated coldly. Tyler nodded in affirmation. Jack nodded, embarrassed, and watched them walk off, their steps echoing their poorly concealed rage.
"What was dat all about?" Race questioned.
"Da goil...Lily...she's Storm's goil. Or used ta be I guess. Somethin' musta 'appened. Always knew it would. She's a nice goil, but it looks like she's gotten 'erself in ta somethin'." Jack sighed, watching them walk away.
Race shuddered, because he knew what kind of trouble people could get into with Storm Murphy.
***
"Gawd, what's takin' dem so long?" Spot Conlon sighed impatiently, tossing a rock into the murky waters of the East River. Spot had never been known for his patience.
"Calm down, Spot, ya know dey'll come. Dey's just always kinda late. " Stephen 'Check' Syzmanski comforted, adjusting his blue-plaid cap. Check was always adjusting his cap. It was a habit that annoyed the hell out of Spot, but Spot rarely commented. The two had been friends for over four years, and were used to each other's irregularities. Check was taller than Spot by a few inches, with a natural, laughing smile, blue eyes, and blonde hair. Check was funny, kind and understanding. He had been raised in orphanages, and had gotten to know people; the way they acted, and how to act around them.
"Ya...I wanna see Lily's face when she finds out Tyler's been in Staten." Spot smirked to himself.
"Oh, I can betcha we'll 'ear about it." Check joked.
As if one cue, Tyler and Lily came walking down the pier, their faces tight with anger, and Lily whispering something fervently to Tyler.
"Gawd." Check sighed.
"'Bout time!" Spot called. Lily and Tyler looked up, and Lily smiled a little. She and her brother walked up to Spot and Check, waving to a few of the boys they knew on the docks.
"Ya two're always late." Spot complained.
"We love to keep you waiting." Tyler smirked, cocking an eyebrow. Spot rolled his eyes in annoyance, but smiled and shook Tyler's hand good-naturedly.
"What's a matta?" Check asked, shaking hands with Tyler and waving to Lily.
"Oh, we just ran into someone." Lily sighed.
Check and Spot's eyes went wide.
"Not that kind of someone. Jack Kelly, over in Manhattan." Tyler explained.
"Why would dat make ya mad?" Spot frowned.
"He kind of mentioned something which I care not to discuss." Lily growled.
"Oh." Spot nodded
."C'mon, Lily, 'e doesn't know. 'E's not in dis like we are. Ya can't blame em." Check shrugged, logically.
"Yes, I guess." Lily shrugged.
"Well..." Tyler initiated, ready for a subject change. Tyler didn't like Jack Kelly, despite all he had done for the Newsies during the strike. The Cowboy had refused to help his sister when she had needed it, and Tyler could not forgive him. Oh, he would be cordial to the Manhattan leader, but he couldn't bring himself to like the boy.
"Oh yes, the small matter of why in God's name you were in Staten Island last night. Well Tyler? Where's the explanation you promised?" Lily asked, turning to her brother.
"Gawd, I's been waitin' fer dis all day." Spot smirked.
"Shut up Spot. Did you know too?" Lily frowned at him, never taking her eyes from Tyler, who was beginning to squirm a bit.
"No, I dunno. Dat's why I's been waitin'." Spot replied flippantly, and Check rolled his eyes, adjusting his cap.
"Well?" Lily motioned.
"Ok, ok, a few days ago Grace received a message from Sticks saying that four of Storm's newsboys could help us. They wanted to go up against Storm as much as we did, but they had no way of doing it on their own. Well, I was told to meet them in Staten Island last night. So I went." Tyler explained.
"So how did Tux find you then?" Lily persisted,
"I had finished meeting with the four, and Tux was coming out of a bar with Sticks and Boss. Boss saw me, and he started chasing me. Sticks and Tux followed. I tripped, and they caught up with me. That's about it." Tyler replied.
"So, who're da newsies who wanna help?" Check asked.
"Uh...their names are Sugar Amaral, Keet Edwards, Rocky Carson, and Notes Connelly." Tyler informed.
"Are dey close wit Storm? How can dey help us?" Spot persisted.
"Well, they seem to know what's going on, so I guess they talk with Storm enough. I told them to meet us here tonight at twelve." Tyler replied.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because then you would want to come." Tyler replied.
"So?" Lily countered.
"You can yell at me for going to Staten at night, but it's all right for you to go?" Tyler argued.
"Point taken." Lily shrugged.
"Hey! How dare you start anything without me!" A voice exclaimed, and Lily smiled, turning around.
"God Gloves, if you could actually be on time for something we wouldn't have to!" she shot back. Lawrence 'Gloves' Budden a tall, dark haired, tanned skinned, brown eyed newsboy walked up, with his casual gait and amused smile. Gloves had the best sense of humor of all of them, and the greatest ability to laugh at himself, but the gloves were a constant reminder of a darker side to his personality. Gloves' family had been killed in a house fire, and his hands had been badly scarred, so he was always seen with a pair of black gloves.
"Hey all." He greeted, and shook hands with Spot, Check, and Tyler. Gloves didn't speak with an accent, as he had gone to school for most of his life, up until the fire.
"Well look who decided to show up." Lily frowned, and Gloves rolled his eyes. They smiled at each other, and Tyler, Spot, and Check gave each other knowing looks.
"Yeah, I had to listen to CJ warn me about the dangers of venturing outside of Harlem." Gloves sighed dramatically. CJ, whose real name was Caleb Meehan, was Gloves' best friend, and the one who had helped Gloves become the leader of the Harlem Newsboys.
"I love how you assert yourself. Really makes you out to be a strong character." Tyler sneered, but his eyes were sparkling with good humor. Gloves rolled his eyes, but smiled as well.
"So, what's new?" Gloves asked good-naturedly.
"Aw, now I have to repeat it!?" Tyler exclaimed angrily.
Gloves, Check, Spot and Lily raised their eyebrows at him, and Tyler sighed, launching into the story again.
***
"For the last time, NO!" Michael 'Blue Eyes' Swartz stated angrily. Craig 'Boss' Stawicki smiled to himself, an arrogant smile that drove Blue insane.
"Why Michael, I didn't even say anything yet!" Boss argued innocently, that darkly arrogant and sarcastic smile still playing on his face. Blue could have killed him. Blue Eyes was the leader of the Queens newsboys, but you wouldn't know by looking him. He was small for his age, sixteen, with wide, innocent blue eyes, and a somewhat poignant expression. He wasn't physically strong, but he was extremely intelligent, convincing, and a good person. He had been the son of a rich factory owner, but his father beat him, and he had runaway. The Queens newsboys looked up to him for his intelligence, and overlooked his lack of strength.
"You're becoming predictable." Blue remarked dryly. Boss smirked. Boss was seventeen, tall, and good-looking, with an arrogant gleam in his eyes. He was conniving and opportunistic. He really didn't even like Storm and Tux, but they had the power, and Boss wanted to be where the power was. Boss was almost as intelligent as Blue, and used his intelligence to manipulate and put himself in control. He let no one know of his past.
"Oh am I? I must then say the same about you, Michael." Boss countered.
"If you think you can shock or threaten me into giving Storm any information, then you would be wrong." Blue informed imperiously.
"Why withhold? What are the two of them to you?" Boss shrugged, his eyebrows furrowing in a mockery of contemplation.
"Friends." Blue replied simply.
"Friends? Lily Adams is a traitorous whore...you know it as well as I do, and her brother is a lying jackass. What can you hope to gain from hiding them besides two very powerful enemies?" Boss argued, crossing his arms and waiting for Blue's reply.
"Lily is anything but a whore, or a traitor. And I can gain something you'll never understand, Boss. Something called self-satisfaction in doing a good thing." Blue argued.
"Haughty virtues." Boss huffed.
"Anything but." Blue replied darkly.
"I repeat...haughty virtues. A good thing? You, Gloves Budden, Spot Conlon...what do you have to do with this? She's burdening you with problems SHE created for herself..." Boss trailed off.
"What do you have to do with this?" Blue asked quietly.
"Everything friend." Boss smirked.
"No...you can't accuse me of being burdened by someone else's problems...what does Staten Island have to do with Storm Murphy's insane obsessions?" Blue demanded, his voice rising steadily.
"What, Michael, still won't say his name?" Boss asked, his turn to be quiet. He met Blue's eyes, a sinister gleam in his. Blue stared back, not saying anything, not trusting himself to.
"Michael, grudges are not a good thing....as you would say. Don't you're 'virtues' demand you apologize to Tux? You two were so close..." Boss smirked in syrupy mock preaching tone.
"That is my affair." Blue said after a moment, his voice taut.
"No, it is Tux's affair, which makes it my affair." Boss corrected, smiling broadly. Blue said nothing.
"Well?" Boss asked after a moment.
"Leave." Blue demanded.
Boss laughed.
"Leave." Blue repeated.
"All this anger Michael! Why, you and Tux...I mean, you and Brendan were such good friends...why throw that away just because of..." Boss stopped suddenly when Blue hauled back and punched him in the jaw. Boss' eyes filled with rage, and he drew himself to his full height of about six feet.
"You meddlesome, imperious brat." Boss murmured, and started to rush Blue, when someone grabbed the back of his collar.
"Hey Boss...is dere a problem 'ere?" Court." Boss recognized. Roger 'Court' Sansavere stared at Boss icily, his green eyes burrowing into Boss' brown ones. Court was tall and well-built, about seventeen, and fiercely protective of Blue.
"Yeah...is dere a problem? Somethin' ya should tell me, Boss?" Court asked sarcastically.
"No problem." Boss stated smoothly.
"Good...den ya'll be leavin'?" Court asked, still calmly. Blue watched, his mouth drawn into a firm line, his fists clenched.
"Yes. Yes of course. Good to see you again Blue...I'll give Tux your regards? Good-bye." Boss slinked away, laughing silently to himself.
"Thank you." Blue said to Court once Boss had left.
"A' course." Court shrugged.
"I...I just got a bit carried away. He can do that to me." Blue proceeded to explain.
"I t'ink Boss can do dat ta anyone." Court smiled.
"Yeah. You're right." Blue nodded.
"If...if ya don't mind me askin', why da ya get so mad when 'e mentions Tux Keffner?" Court asked slowly. Blue turned to Court, a flicker of pain in his vibrant eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. He shook his head, and Court understood. Court was fair, kind, and knowing, and he had helped Blue become the leader of Queens. He respected him deeply, and protected him in any way he could.
"It was a while ago...Boss is right...I-I should...well..."Blue trailed off.
"Tyler wants us ta meet 'em tonight." Court stated after a moment.
"All right." Blue nodded.
The two smiled at each other, and walked to the Queens distribution center.
***
Nick 'Sugar' Amaral sold the last of his papers and shoved the money into the pocket of his knickers. He smiled to himself, and waited for Notes. Sugar was sixteen, sort of short, with sharp brown eyes and an eager smile. He had lived in New Hampshire most of his life, but had run away to New York four years ago. He loved excitement, and was a born adventurer. He despised complacency, and found the life of a newsboy a grand change from his previous middle-class existence, despite the prevalent poverty. But now real excitement had finally come to him...here he was, getting involved with a hunted group of people, going up against the most dangerous newsboy in New York City, and risking his very life.
He loved it!
"Hey! Sugar! Are you done?" a voice called out.
"Yeah Notes. Over here." Sugar called back, and John 'Notes' Connelly ran over. Notes was sixteen, like Sugar. Notes lived with his father in a tenement in the Bronx, and though he sold papers, Notes' real passion was music. He played trumpet very well, and his dream was to become a professional."
Well, did you...er...make the arrangements?" Notes asked, his voice dropping.
"Yeah." Sugar nodded.
"All right...what's the plan then?" Notes persisted.
"Tonight at midnight...we meet them in Brooklyn, by the docks." Sugar whispered.
"This is kind of exciting." Notes admitted. Notes was often called straight-laced, hoity-toity, things like that by the other newsboys, but Sugar new that was the way he had been raised, and Sugar respected Notes for that.
"Definitely. It's about time something happened. Now, where are Keet and Rocky?" Sugar asked.
"Uh...Keet's selling a few blocks down and I don't know where Rocky is." Notes replied.
"Ok...we better tell them." Sugar smirked.
"Yeah, come on." Notes agreed, and they walked off, Sugar smiling contentedly in spite of himself."
***
Caleb 'CJ' Meehan and Joe 'Fox' Hess were giving Gloves 'the look' again. The same look he got every time he mentioned Lily.
"Guys." Gloves shrugged.
"Gloves." Fox shrugged, imitating his tone.
"Listen, buddy, we just don't want ya getting' hoit." CJ explained.
"Yeah, if anythin' happened ta ya, CJ would have ta be da leader of Harlem, an' we don't want dat." Fox added, and CJ hit Fox with his hat.
"Ow!" Fox complained.
"Serves ya right." CJ sniffed.
"I appreciate you guys' concern, but this is something I have to do." Gloves laughed at the two.
"Well, if it's somethin' ya have ta do, then it's somethin' we have ta do." CJ argued.
"Yeah, we're comin' dis time." Fox added.
"Guys..." Gloves started to protest.
"Ya may be leader of Harlem, but dat don't give ya no special privileges wit us." CJ pointed out.
"Lily's gonna kill me!" Gloves whined.
"I wanna see dat!" Fox cried, smiling.
"Ok, ok, let's go. I wanna be early for once." Gloves suggested, and the three newsboys left the Harlem Lodging House. The streets were dark and empty, and shadows reached from the alleys.
Gloves was glad Fox and CJ were there.
***
Later that night, four boys wandered, seemingly aimlessly, through the darkened streets of Manhattan
"Guys, we're lost." Notes pointed out dismally.
"No, we're just not where we need to be!" Sugar contradicted sternly.
"Which pretty much means we're lost." Rocky Acosta summarized, and Sugar sighed dramatically. Keet Edwards just shook his head.
"Let's ask someone." Notes suggested.
"Yeah, that's bright. Everyone knows that we're supposedly working for Storm Murphy, and we're trying to get to Brooklyn to talk to Spot Conlon and most of his other hated enemies. We'd look pretty good." Rocky argued.
"Well, we won't ask a newsie." Notes replied, slightly hurt.
"Name one person who's ever talked to a newsie who wasn't a newsie themselves. Now, do you have any idea where we are?" Rocky asked, turning to Sugar.
"Uh, I think we might be in Manhattan." Sugar replied, but he sounded doubtful.
"Manhattan!" Rocky and Notes screamed. Keet gave Sugar an urgent look.
Keet Edwards rarely spoke. Not that he was stupid or anything, he just didn't talk. No one knew why, but it was assumed he had been abused when younger, and was still suffering from it. The only one he really did talk to was Notes. No one knew where Keet had come from, or why he had become a newsboy, but he was a kind and thoughtful person.
"Yes, Manhattan. Right across the bridge from Brooklyn." Sugar replied arching a superior eyebrow.
"Well, one more question, Great Leader...WHERE'S THE BRIDGE!?" Rocky cried, causing Notes to jump in surprise.
"I...I don't rightly know...but it's around here...somewhere." Sugar stammered, looking around.
"This is GREAT! Just perfect. I know Silver noticed we were gone. Silver hates me, and looks for me each night. Silver'll tell Storm, and we'll be dead. Dead, as in no longer living. This...I can't believe I let myself get talked into this." Notes sighed.
"So, ya from da Bronx?" a voice asked, startling the four.
"Den ya'll be doin' some explainin'." Another voice added, and Rocky felt an arm around his neck, dragging him backwards into the dark alleyway.
***
"Dis is great. Gloves is actually early fer once, an' da people we's waitin' fer are late." Spot complained, kicking a board with his boot.
"Stop complain'." Check sighed.
"Yeah, but are ya sure we can trust dese guys?" Fox asked.
When Gloves had come with Fox and CJ, everyone but Lily Ann was relieved. The two of them had the reputation of being the most cautious newsboys in New York, as well as the most understanding. Lily had, of course, protested to involving more people in her problem, but she didn't go on about it. By five to twelve, she, Tyler, Gloves, Fox, CJ, Spot, Check, Blue, and Court were standing around on the dock,
waiting. Lily checked her watch again.
"I dunno. There's really no choice, is there?" Tyler replied.
"'E's right." Check agreed.
"What'd they say?" Blue asked. Blue had been strangely quiet all night, and Lily figured he had had another run-in with Boss Stawicki. Whenever that happened, Blue got like this. Court's eyes told her she was right.
"Well, Grace gave me the message, and they told me they were disgusted by Storm. The leader, Sugar, seemed to want a change of scene, some action. They seemed trustworthy. The one boy had no common sense at all, and another didn't even say a word." Tyler informed.
"How much did you tell them?" Gloves asked.
"Not everything. I left out personal details. I just told them basically what happened." Tyler replied.
"Did you say who was involved?" Blue asked.
Looking around at the people gathered, Tyler had to laugh as a thought stuck him. Lily looked at him oddly, and motioned for him to continue.
"Most of the whole damned city." Tyler laughed.
The others looked at him for a second, and started laughing too.
***
"Now, what are ya doin' 'ere again?" the boy asked.
Sugar swallowed hard, and thought. He knew who the boy was, and was afraid. Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly had a reputation almost as impressive as Storm's. Jack had been the newsboy who had started the strike and had stood up to Pulitzer himself. That had been last year, and Sugar had really admired him. Now, Sugar wasn't sure if Jack was as inclined to violence as Storm.
"We're tryin' ta get ta Brooklyn." Sugar replied, trying his best to sound like a native to the streets of New York, and thereby showing the Cowboy he wasn't as...vulnerable. But his voice still had that damn New England sound to it. Sugar waited, looking around at the other boys in the Lodging House. One had an eye patch and was the only one smiling. One was a short boy with a big cigar and black hair, one had curly hair, one was a little black boy, and so on.
"Why?" the boy with the cigar asked suspiciously.
"Yeah, we 'eard ya say ya was from da Bronx. Why would Storm Murphy have anythin' ta do wit Spot Conlon?" Jack persisted.
"We should just..." Rocky gestured.
"Yeah...might as well." Notes nodded.
"Might as well what?" Cigar boy asked.
"Tell ya why we're here. Do you know Lily Ann Carson?" Sugar asked.
Jack's face went pure white.
"Yeah...a little." He stammered.
"Jack, what's wrong?" the boy with the eye patch asked, his voice concerned. Sugar raised an eyebrow. The fearless strike leader, the famous 'Cowboy' looked like he was going to be physically ill.
"Nothin'...uh, can I talk ta dese guys alone...if ya don't mind?" he asked the other boys in the bunkroom. They all looked at Jack oddly.
"Ya sure dere's nothin' wrong?" the boy with the cigar asked.
"No...nothin'. I'll be right back." Jack excused himself, and the four Bronx Newsboys followed him.
Once outside, Jack grabbed Sugar by the collar and punched him across the face. Sugar cried out in pain and stumbled backwards. Jack punched him again, and his nose started bleeding.
"What the hell are you doing?" Rocky asked, trying to get Sugar away from Jack. Jack just pushed him into the wall.
"How dare ya scabs come lookin' fer her 'ere!" Jack cried.
The three boys looked at Jack oddly
"I told dem all I wanted nothin' ta do wit dis!" Jack exclaimed, enraged, and punched Sugar again
Notes got it first.
"No! No, no, you're wrong! We're only looking for her because we want to help her! We're AGAINST Storm!" Notes explained desperately, and Jack whirled around, looking at Notes.
"Ya sure?" he asked.
"Yeah! We don't even want to be in Manhattan!" Rocky added.
"Oh Gawd, I'm sorry." Jack sighed, and helped Sugar up. He was bleeding from the nose and his eye was already swollen.
"It's ok..." Sugar nodded, wiping his nose.
"Well, I'll take ya ta Brooklyn...ta make up fer it." Jack suggested. The four rebel newsies looked at each other indecisively. Sugar shrugged.
"Sure, yeah, thanks." Rocky nodded.
The five set off.
***
"Silver!" Storm called, his booming baritone voice filling the room.
Sam 'Silver' Messina walked in.
Silver commanded fear wherever he went. His eyes were arrogant and dangerous, and his expression suggested the total absence of fear or remorse. Though not too tall for seventeen, he was muscular and confident. Silver was a fighter from day one, and no one in their right mind challenged him. Silver always carried his collection of 'silverware', knives or the occasional pistol, and that's how he earned his name and reputation.
"Yeah?" Silver asked.
"Where's Notes Connelly? He hasn't paid me tonight." Storm replied. Silver Messina commanded fear; Edmond 'Storm' Murphy embodied it. Storm was fear, and Storm enjoyed it. At six foot five, he was huge, muscular, and without mercy. Storm saw what he wanted and took it. From his newsboys, from other people, from anyone he wished, he took. Storm was eighteen, and his cold blue eyes scared everyone. He encouraged his newsboys to pay him for using the Lodging House, and the boys were too afraid not to. Looking at him it was obvious; Storm had it all.
Except for the one thing he wanted the most.
"I didn't see 'em." Silver informed. Silver didn't waste words.
"Find him." Storm commanded, and Silver walked out.
Storm turned around and waited. A few minutes later, Travis 'Arizona' Caufield, Craig 'Boss' Stawicki, Chris 'Sticks' Ackerman and Brendan 'Tux' Keffner walked in. Storm turned to face them.
"Find anything?" Storm asked.
"I talked to Blue Eyes Swartz. Still stubborn. He feels the two are his responsibility or whatever." Boss replied.
"Good...Tux, next time you talk to Blue Eyes." Storm informed.
"Why?" Tux asked.
"The sight of your may loosen his tongue." Storm replied.
"I don't think I should..." Tux started, but Storm frowned at him.
"You'll do as I tell you." Storm warned. Tux tried not to let his anger show. Anything said now would prompt Storm's rage.
"Fine, but I can't be held responsible." Tux shrugged finally. Tux was the same age as Storm, eighteen, and though he wasn't as physically threatening, Tux scared people just the same. He knew people. He knew exactly how to scare them, and what to say to make them lose hope. Though not his true nature, he was ruthless, merciless, and cruel. He had been forced to be when he had started hanging around with Storm. Though not the selfish opportunist Boss was, Tux knew he wanted to stay alive, so he stayed with Storm.
"Tux, if you want to act out your grudge, do so on your own time, please." Storm requested.
"Sure." Tux nodded.
"Oh, by the way, have any of you seen Notes Connelly?" Storm asked.
"Uh, yeah, 'e was...uh, goin' outside ta smoke or somethin'." Arizona replied in his strange accent; a mixture between his Arizona twang and the New York City street accent. Arizona had been born out West, and had moved East when his mother died. His father had left him, and Arizona had gone to Storm. Arizona was kind, and eager to please, and didn't see Storm for what he really was. Arizona was about sixteen, had fluffy light-brown hair and smiling blue eyes.
"Oh...whatever. Now, you know what we're here about. The same thing we've been doing for the past three years. But...someone in this room knows where she is. You wanna know how I know?" Storm's eyes searched the eyes of the four others in the room.
"How?" Boss asked.
"Because of this." Storm grabbed the letter out of his pocket.
Sticks Ackerman's eyes widened.
***
"I hate it when they're out this late." Rachel Parsons remarked. Rachel was twenty-two, and she owned a dress shop in Brooklyn. Three years ago, she had agreed to let two kids stay in he extra room above the shop where she kept some supplies. The two kids had looked down on their luck, and Rachel had felt bad for them. Then she had found out what these kids were running for. What danger anyone who associated with them was in. Ever since then, Rachel Parsons had done everything in her power to hide Lily Ann and Tyler Carson. Even though Lily Ann desperately wanted Rachel to stay out of it, Rachel had been brought up to believe that helping others is important, and no one needed more helping than the brother and sister had. Rachel was a kind person in general, and always was there for her friends. She had long black-brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
"They can take care of themselves." Grace Williams, Rachel's cousin and co-owner of the shop reassured. Grace also did everything in her power to help Lily Ann and Tyler, though she wasn't as generally kind as Rachel. Grace had been born tough, and she could make people afraid of her, even though she was a girl. Grace and Lily both understood the need to mask emotions, and had formed a close friendship.
"I know, I know, but it's so dangerous with that boy...that monster Storm Murphy." Rachel argued, and tried to concentrate on her sewing.
"Yeah, it is, but they've survived three years of midnight meetings, and nothing's happened yet." Grace pointed out.
"It's still frightening." Rachel shrugged.
"Yeah, you're right." Grace agreed finally.
"Speaking of dangerous, it's also unsafe with you and Sticks." Rachel added critically, and Grace dropped her eyes. This had been a topic of arguments for the past one and a half years, ever since he and Grace had started going together. They had met when Grace had to pick up some fabric from a store in Staten Island. Sticks and Grace had hit it off immediately, and though she felt what he did was wrong, he had never hurt either Lily or Tyler, and had always tried to dissuade Tux from associating with Storm. Over the year, the others had gotten a lot of reliable information from Sticks. And though it wasn't exactly safe, Sticks and Grace carried on a written correspondence.
"Sticks would never tell Storm anything." Grace cried defensively. He hadn't so far.
"Maybe not intentionally." Rachel contradicted quietly. "Maybe Storm could overhear something, or Boss or Tux. Then where would we all be?"
"What! Sticks is more cautious than that. It's not like Storm's going to find one of our notes." Grace sighed, and Rachel returned to her sewing.
***
"I found one of your notes." Storm told Sticks quietly.
When Storm was quiet, he was at his most dangerous.
"It's...it's not what it seems. Me an' dat goil jus' met. I 'ad no clue who she was talkin' 'bout." Sticks protested.
"Well, let's just see. 'Dear Sticks how are you? I'm ok. Thanks for telling me about the four. Tyler appreciates it. Stay safe, please. Love, Grace." Storm read, and slammed it down on the table.
Sticks Ackerman, a tall, black-haired boy tried to stop himself from shaking. He was Tux's friend, and the voice of reason in Staten Island. He mistrusted Storm, and wanted Tux to stay away, but couldn't bring that up. He had started seeing Grace Williams, the girl who helped Lily and Tyler, a year and a half ago, and since then had acted as sort of a spy.
Tux bit his lip and looked at Sticks, his eyes unreadable.
"Tyler." Storm repeated, and the other four saw the burning rage that ignited in his eyes every time the name of the boy who had taken away Lily Ann came up. Storm walked up closer to Sticks.
"I dunno who she means. I jus' got 'er some fabric yesterday...she woiks at a dress shop in Brooklyn. 'Dats all...nothin' more Storm, I swear." Sticks rambled, his hands cold and a film of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and waited.
The room was silent.
Suddenly, Storm hauled back and punched Sticks in the face. Sticks cried out, and almost fell on top of Arizona. Arizona helped Sticks to his feet.
"Arizona! Get the hell away from him!" Storm ordered.
"But, I's jus' helpin' 'em up." Arizona replied.
"Do you want the same thing to happen to you!" Storm roared, and Arizona backed up, letting Sticks fall to the floor. Storm walked over to Sticks, held him up, and punched him again. Storm's strength was legendary, and Sticks was receiving the brunt of it right now. Storm went on punching him until Sticks was bleeding from his nose and mouth. Tux couldn't stand seeing one of his best friends attacked like this, Storm Murphy or not.
"Storm! Get the hell off him!" Tux called out, without thinking.
Storm turned slowly to Tux, and started to say something when Silver came walking in, his face a mask of anger.
"What!?" Storm demanded.
"Notes Connelly's gone. So's Rocky Carson, Sugar Amaral an' dat boy who never talks...da Edwards boy. Dey're not 'ere." Silver replied.
"Are you sure?" Storm asked.
Silver nodded in confirmation.
"Wait...Storm, the four. In the letter it says thanks for telling me about the four, Tyler appreciates it. And four of your boys are missing. Mean anything?" Boss suggested, and for a minute, Tux hated that arrogant voice. Hated that his closest friend was knocked out on the ground. Hated Storm! What the hell am I doing here? Tux thought to himself, but shook his head and tried not to look at Sticks, who had been dropped on the ground, and was curled up in pain.
"Hmm...that makes sense." Storm nodded thoughtfully.
Storm looked at Silver, Boss, Tux, and Arizona.
"Go to Brooklyn. Find them." Storm demanded.
"How do we know they're in Brooklyn?" Boss asked.
"That's where the supposed 'dress shop' is." Storm shrugged.
"What about Spot Conlon?" Tux asked.
Storm sneered.
"Spot Conlon is nothing without his boys. Spot's a child...you can take him if you get him alone. Plus, his newsboys won't touch you, Tux. They're too afraid." Storm replied logically.
"Ok." Silver agreed.
"Just stay out of Manhattan." Storm warned. "We have no nothing with them or against them, and I want it to stay that way."
Boss, Silver, and Arizona walked out. Tux lingered, looking at Sticks. Storm met Tux's eyes, and frowned. Tux bit his lip, and walked out, hearing another cry of pain as he walked out.
***
About five minutes after Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly showed up with Sugar, Rocky, Keet, and Notes, Tyler was still staring at the Manhattan newsboy with shocked surprise and anger.
"Jacky-boy, maybe ya betta leave." Spot suggested.
"Why? So's I don't gotta face 'im? I 'ad a perfectly good reason fer not getin' involved." Jack defended.
"Yeah, your good reason was to save your own ass! You came to the Bronx, you saw what he was doing to her, and you ignored it. She was practically dying! And you ran away! But the others didn't, so that give you no excuse!" Tyler argued. Lily turned to Tyler and gave him a look.
"Tyler, drop it." She whispered.
"Yeah, Tyler, please." Gloves added.
Blue didn't say anything. He felt Jack Kelly deserved everything Tyler gave him.
"I'm not gonna get into dis." Jack cried, getting up. "I told ya before...getin' involved wit Storm Murphy's not gonna help anythin'. I dunno why da rest a you are helpin', but at least I got brains."
"Jack..." Spot started, not wanting to anger his friend, but agreeing with Tyler for once.
"You damn well better leave! It's not like your gonna help anyway!" Tyler screamed as Jack started walking away.
"This is not my problem!" Jack called back.
"Wait...Jacky, it's late...ya betta stay fer a while." Spot suggested, changing his mind. Whether Tyler was right or not made no difference. Spot didn't want Jack on the street alone at night.
"No...I don't get involved, remember?" Jack replied snidely.
That was all Tyler could stand. He jumped to his feet and attacked Jack, getting him on the ground and hitting him in the face.
"TYLER!" Lily called, but he didn't listen.
"We'll get 'em." CJ volunteered. He, Fox, and Court jumped to their feet and went after Tyler.
"Is this a bad time?" Notes asked.
"No, it's a good time." Sugar replied sarcastically.
"Don't you guys start fighting...we need you." Gloves admonished.
"Sorry...we're like this all the time." Rocky smiled, and Gloves laughed.
Court had managed to tear Tyler off of Jack, and CJ and Fox were holding him back. Blue had had about enough.
"STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!" he screamed.
Everyone stopped and looked at him.
"Look, Cowboy, it's not like we have a damned choice in this! Storm is ready to kill all of us, and just because you feel guilty for not jumping to her defense like you usually do is no reason to make us look like idiots!" Blue cried, and everyone's jaws dropped. Blue was usually quiet and fair; though most of them knew of his hatred for Jack. It had happened during the strike, when Jack had insinuated that 'the Queens boys won't be any help. After all, Blue Eyes Swartz is leading them.' Jack did consider Blue a weakling, and thought he didn't deserve to lead Queens.
"Well, Blue, we sure know where's ya comin' from." Jack shrugged.
Spot, Check, Lily, Tyler, Gloves, CJ, Fox, and Court sighed.
Sugar, Notes, Rocky, and Keet waited uneasily.
***
"Well, we're in Brooklyn. Where's Spot usually?" Arizona asked.
"Da docks." Silver replied.
"Guys...maybe this is a bad idea. There's four of us, and who knows how many Spot has." Tux pointed out.
"I can take care a anyone." Silver said unemotionally, pulling a knife out of his pocket. The same knife Silver had used to injure those who got in his way. Silver scared Tux. He had no sense of mercy or remorse, and wasn't afraid.
"Yeah." Tux swallowed.
"What's a matter, Brendan?" Boss asked, and Tux winced at his voice.
"N-nothing. Let's go. If Blue's there, he's mine." Tux declared, and they set off in the direction of the docks.
Arizona pulled on Tux's arm, and Tux looked at him.
"What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Arizona gave him a calm look in response, and appeared to be thinking hard about the most tactful way to ask Tux what he wanted to ask him.
"I saw you...get angry. Why'd he hit 'em like dat?" Arizona finally came up.
"Because he did something Storm didn't like. Don't you know that? Storm..." Tux trailed off. Silver had stopped, and had turned back to the two of them, his eyes dark and glaring. Tux raised his head ever-so-slightly and motioned to Arizona to keep his mouth closed.
"C'mon." Silver demanded.
"We don't have all night. And besides, I wanna get at that imperious brat Michael." Boss added angrily, grinding his fist into his hand.
"Michael is mine." Tux reminded Boss.
"Oh yeah, of course, sorry Brendan." Boss smiled in his easy, arrogant way. At that moment, Tux would have been just as happy to punch Boss right in the face. For a crazy moment, Tux had no idea why he had even let Boss get close to him. He hated him. More than anyone...even more than Michael.
But the moment passed, and Tux went back to hating Blue Eyes Swartz.
"Yeah. Look...there's the Brooklyn Lodging House. We're close." Tux acknowledged, trying to keep his voice steady and mean. Silver gave a sneering smile and nodded, walking forward with an apparently eager Boss. Tux and Arizona followed.
***
"Look, guys...it's gettin' late. Why don't we turn in, an' we can continue dis tomorra." Check suggested diplomatically, trying to break the tension in the air. Spot sighed and nodded, and Jack stood unceremoniously, still glaring at Blue Eyes. Blue didn't glare back, but he stood as well and walked down to the edge of the dock. Court frowned, but didn't follow him.
Lily regarded Court, raising her eyebrow.
"Ya, Boss was 'ere today." Court nodded. Lily looked down. If Boss had spoken to Blue, Lily knew he had brought up Tux. Lily hated Boss, sometimes more than she hated Storm. And the fact that he knew...well, she didn't Blue for snapping on Cowboy.
"The four of ya can stay 'ere tonight, if ya want." Spot offered to Sugar, Keet, Notes, and Rocky.
"Thanks." Sugar nodded, accepting for the four. Spot smiled slightly.
"I'm gonna go home, Spot. I t'ink I've cause enough trouble 'ere." Jack remarked snidely. Tyler looked about to reply to that, but Gloves caught his arm and shook his head. Spot nodded to Jack, and the Cowboy walked off.
"I should be going too. Come on CJ, Fox...back to Harlem" Gloves motioned.
"Gloves, maybe we should stay somwheres...I mean, it ain't 'xactly safe, goin' off at night." CJ warned, and Fox nodded in agreement. Gloves rolled his eyes, smiling a bit at his cautionary friends.
"What...are ya waitin' fer an invitation too?" Spot snorted, and Gloves shrugged.
"Nah, I thought maybe I'd go stay in Manhattan." He kidded.
"God, don't even bring that up...this afternoon, I had forgotten what a jerk he could be. How dare he..." Tyler trailed off, to angry to finish.
"Come on, Tyler, leave him alone." Lily defended.
"Lily, how can you stick up for him!?" Tyler demanded.
"Look, Ty, I know he can be sorta...well, you know. But he's gotta look out fer 'is boys...I mean, I 'ad somethin' with Storm before this. Ya know that. An', Blue, he an' Staten..." Spot looked over at Court, who sighed. "An' Gloves...well, Cowboy's the only one of us who Storm didn't 'ave anythin' against. Ya can't expect 'im to jus' jump in." Spot explained carefully.
"He saw what was happening." Tyler murmured to himself, but he didn't argue.
"C'mon then...before we get any madder. I'm tired." Check smiled benignly, and he, Spot, Sugar, Keet, Rocky, Notes, Gloves, CJ, and Fox headed for the Lodging House, waving to Tyler, Lily, Court, and Blue, though Blue was too distracted.
"Will he be ok?" Lily asked Court softly.
"Yeah. Boss...Boss gets t' 'im. I dunno why...'e never told me...but somethin' 'bout Tux." Court explained, shrugging a bit.
Lily nodded sadly.
***
Jack walked slowly through the darkness, not really afraid to be out at night. He had been wandering the city by night for so many years now, it was second nature to him, almost. He sighed to himself.
"Don't beat y'self up ovah 'dis." Jack told himself sternly. He knew, of course, that he probably should have helped the girl. The poor thing had had no idea what she had been getting into when she had first started going with Storm. Then again...none of them had really known how dangerous Storm was in the beginning. But they had learned--first Spot, then Gloves Budden, and Blue Eyes Swartz (though, to Jack's reasoning, anyone was dangerous to Blue Eyes. And besides that, again, Blue Eyes had been in trouble with Staten Island from the beginning).
Suddenly, Jack heard whispered voices. He frowned--wondering if they were Spot's boys, or...
His thought was cut off when they came into his line of sight. They--there were four of them--stopped, regarding Jack. He couldn't discern who they were, but they looked to be Newsies.
"Who's 'dat?" One of them called. The voice sounded vaguely familiar.
"Who're you?" Jack challenged.
"Cowboy? Cowboy Kelly?" Another one recognized, and walked forward. Jack cringed in annoyance...it was Boss Stawicki. Jack hated Boss...didn't know anyone but Tux Keffner who could stand the boy. During the strike, Boss had tried to convince Tux not to go in with the Manhattan boys, all because they were allowing Queens to help them. Tux, of course, as much as he hated Blue Eyes, had gone in anyway.
"Heya Boss." Jack replied tensely.
The four boys approached, and Jack frowned in confusion. Tux Keffner was there...which was odd, knowing Storm Murphy's aversion to Brooklyn, and considering Staten Island was only an extension of the Bronx nowadays...and another boy Jack didn't know. The fourth boy was Silver Messina, which confused Jack even more...and even disturbed him a little. Silver was Storm's right-hand man, and one of the most dangerous Newsies in New York, aside from Storm himself.
"So...what'cha doin' in Brooklyn so late?" Jack asked, a little challenge in his voice. Jack didn't want to get involved with Storm...but he also was friends with Spot, and Jack was pretty sure Spot hadn't asked the four boys into Brooklyn.
"A little business fer Storm." Silver replied brusquely, moving closer to Jack.
"Spot Conlon know about 'dis business?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"This isn't your affair, Cowboy, so please leave us alone." Boss demanded imperiously.
"Well, if ya 'ave an 'affair' wit' Spot, ya 'ave one wit' me." Jack turned to the leader of the Staten Island Newsies "What is 'dis about, Tux?"
"Who's 'dat, Tux?" the unfamiliar boy asked before Tux could respond to Jack's demanded.
"Arizona, you should know. This is Jack "Cowboy" Kelly, the great strike leader. Well, for once, your reputation doesn't precede you." Boss smirked.
"I t'ink I was talkin' to Tux, Boss. Not you. An'...Arizona, I s'pose, if ya wanna know who I am, ya can ask me." Jack challenged.
"Cowboy, just leave us alone. This isn't your problem." Tux pleaded in a tired sounding voice.
"All right, 'dat's enough." Silver pronounced, sounding irritated. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his knife. Jack watch him calmly, trying not to show his nervousness, as Silver brought the knife to Jack's throat. Jack had been a Newsie long enough to know that the worst thing you could do was show fear. The metal was cold against his skin, and Silver's unfocused eyes were boring directly into Jack's own.
"Will ya let us go, or do I have t' use 'dis?" Silver whispered menacingly.
"Silver! Remember what Storm said about involving Manhattan!" Tux snapped sharply.
"Well, Manhattan is involvin' 'iself right now, Tux...an' I'm gonna make sure 'e learns never t' involve 'imself again." Silver replied tersely, pressing the knife harder into Jack's throat. Arizona gave Tux a nervous look, and Tux shook his head at the boy. Arizona hadn't actually expected something like this to happen.
Boss laughed eagerly. This was why he had come!
Incomplete. If anyone shows any interest, I'll continue (:
It was an almost eerily nice day, for New York City at least. After all, most New Yorkers don't look up at the sky and say..."Oh look, it's blue', let alone lookup and say 'wow, it's really nice out!' Yet, today people did. A light breeze was blowing in off the ocean, and it was unseasonably warm for early March. Winter seemed to have shrugged off a little early this year, and Spring was blossoming into life with a day like this. People walked down the busy streets smiling at each other. Vendors hawked their merchandise, newsboys called from the corners, and the constant thunder of carriages filled the roads. People seemed, almost eerily, happy and invigorated by the wonderful weather.
All except for the girl on the corner.
Her expression could best be described as 'ironic', 'darkly sarcastic', or maybe 'downright disgruntled', but nevertheless, she did not seem invigorated by the weather. She was about fifteen or sixteen, with long tawny hair that sort of flipped up at the ends, hazel eyes, dark eyebrows, and a somewhat snubbed nose. She was probably about five two, and she wore dark knickers, black boots to the knee, and a plaid button-downed shirt over a white, sleeveless top. Her suspenders were twisted into a belt that held her pants up. Her arms were crossed, and she kept glancing at the watch in her pocket.
"Damnit Tyler, hurry up." She sighed to herself. Her brother, Tyler, if nothing else, was punctual, and he had said to be there at ten exactly. It was now ten forty-five.
"Lily!" a voice called. Lily looked up to see a boy running across the street, and had to laugh when he almost got ran over by an ice cart. He held his cap, waving it above his head wildly, and Lily rolled her eyes in embarrassment.
"Well, well, well, so you decided to come." Lily sneered sarcastically.
"Hey." He smirked as he slid to a halt and approached her walking casually, trying to look dignified.
"Do you always have to be so...attention grabbing, Tyler?" Lily demanded as she looked at the eyes of the people passing them. They were all giving Tyler confused, amused, or somewhat insulted expressions.
"I guess I deserve that." Tyler smirked, flipping his hand absently. Tyler was about sixteen, with almost perfectly clear green eyes, dark blonde hair, and a willing, natural smile. He was about five six, and of medium build.
"Yes, you do." Lily nodded. Tyler smirked, and shrugged. It was then Lily noticed the bruise snaking up the side of her brother's neck. She frowned, and met his almost colorless eyes.
"Where did you get that?" Lily demanded, though she already knew the answer.
"Do I really have to tell you?" Tyler replied, as if reading her mind.
"Yes." She insisted.
"Where do you think?" Tyler asked, his eyebrow cocked. Lily recognized the bluff, and called it immediately. She had known Tyler too long to be fooled by his mock bravado and humor. Tyler could never say things straight out. He always had to put up some sort of front, which drove his sister crazy.
"Staten Island." Lily replied stonily.
"Who told you?" Tyler smirked darkly. Lily did not smirk back.
"Grace wanted me to ask you if Sticks got her message, and since you mysteriously disappeared last night, I figured you went to Staten. Did you?" Lily. asked, her eyes flaming in anger. Tyler knew better than to lie at this point.
"Fine, I was in Staten. And I did give Sticks Grace's damned message." Tyler sighed.
"Smart Tyler...why were you there!? What were you doing!? Who hit you!?" Lily demanded angrily.
"Wow, do I get a choice which question to answer first!?" Tyler squealed in mock eagerness. Lily didn't dignify him with a response.
"It wasn't Storm, it was Tux. I got stuck there after dark, and Tux and his boys found me. Sticks was with them, of course...Sticks and Boss. Sticks kept shooting me these guilt-ridden looks, but I didn't even look back. Tell me, if Sticks Ackerman is on our side, why the hell doesn't he ever do anything to show it!?" Tyler ranted.
"Look, Tyler, Sticks Ackerman is not the issue right now. So...Tux hit you?" Lily summarized and motioned for him to go on.
"Yeah...Tux hit me, but I got away." Tyler explained, and Lily frowned at her brother's imprudence.
"Tyler, how many times do you have to get hit to realize that you should be careful!?" She cried.
"Hey, look, it's not like I ran up to Storm and screamed, 'why don't you kill me!' or something!" Tyler cried back, and Lily motioned for him to keep his voice down.
Too late.
Two boys across the street from Tyler and Lily had heard the last part of the conversation.
"'Dat boy don't look familiar, do 'e?" the first one, a somewhat short boy of around sixteen with an Italian complexion and glossy black hair asked.
"Nope. He shoah ain't a newsie." The other, slightly taller with mussed-up brown hair and a bandana around his neck observed, watching the boy and the girl. Even though the girl was dressed like a man, she was clean and well-groomed, as was the boy. They looked middle-class, probably. Definitely not newsies.
"'Den how would 'e know about Storm?" the first boy frowned.
"Ya...and from what I hoid, he got in ta some trouble wit 'em." The second noted.
"Ya think we should check it out?" the first suggested.
"Maybe. Ya don't mess wit Storm...even I know dat." The second agreed, smiling a little, and they carefully and discreetly made their way across the busy street, newspapers in hand.
"Well, we should get going." Tyler shrugged, and Lily nodded, still eyeing him angrily.
"I swear I'll explain it all later." Tyler promised.
"I can't wait." Lily remarked dryly.
"Look, just because Storm Murphy has..." but Tyler stopped when he noticed the two boys coming towards them, carrying newspapers. He gave Lily a fearful looked, and Lily bit her lip, trying not to display any nervousness. She and Tyler had often met in Manhattan because of its, for lack of a better word, neutrality, but she didn't know these boys. Yet, one of them did look somewhat familiar. She waited, tensely.
"Sorry if we scared ya, I know its kinda rude ta just walk up ta ya and all, but we's just gotta question." The slightly familiar boy stated as a greeting.
"Who are you?" Tyler demanded, standing over Lily protectively. Lily gave him an exaggerated huffing sigh, and stepped up beside Tyler.
"Me name's Jack Kelly, an dis is me friend Racetrack." The boy introduced.
"Jack Kelly...oh, the strike boy, I remember you." Lily sighed with relief.
"Ya know about dat?" he frowned.
"So I'm guessing you don't remember me." Lily stated, shaking her hair out of her eyes. Jack squinted at her, and then his face lit up.
"Lily! I know ya now. Ya're Lily Adams!" Jack exclaimed. Racetrack gave Jack a confused look.
"Yes, that's me." Lily nodded.
"An' ya must be her brudda...Tyler, right?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Tyler nodded, and the two boys shook hands amicably, though Tyler did keep glancing hurriedly at his watch. Race gave Jack another confused look, and Jack remembered his manners.
"Race, dese are a coulpa old friends...Lily Adams an Tyler Adams." Jack introduced.
"Pleased to meet you." The brother and sister nodded in greeting. Race nodded, and smiled congenially.
"So, how's Storm?" Jack asked conversationally.
Lily and Tyler looked at him, their eyes suddenly dark, Lily's skin a little white, and their jaws clenched. In anger, the siblings looked quite alike, though Tyler was far more outspoken.
"We don't know. We haven't spoken to him for awhile." He stated coldly and meaningfully. Jack didn't get the meaning.
"Ya, but last time I saw ya, before da strike, you and Storm was..." Jack trailed off, seeing the murderous look on Lily's face. He realized, though a little too late, his mistake. Race remained silent, confused. What a boy, not even a newsie, and his sister would have to do with Storm Murphy? And why were they so mad now?
"We're late. We have to meet someone. Nice seeing you again." Lily stated coldly. Tyler nodded in affirmation. Jack nodded, embarrassed, and watched them walk off, their steps echoing their poorly concealed rage.
"What was dat all about?" Race questioned.
"Da goil...Lily...she's Storm's goil. Or used ta be I guess. Somethin' musta 'appened. Always knew it would. She's a nice goil, but it looks like she's gotten 'erself in ta somethin'." Jack sighed, watching them walk away.
Race shuddered, because he knew what kind of trouble people could get into with Storm Murphy.
***
"Gawd, what's takin' dem so long?" Spot Conlon sighed impatiently, tossing a rock into the murky waters of the East River. Spot had never been known for his patience.
"Calm down, Spot, ya know dey'll come. Dey's just always kinda late. " Stephen 'Check' Syzmanski comforted, adjusting his blue-plaid cap. Check was always adjusting his cap. It was a habit that annoyed the hell out of Spot, but Spot rarely commented. The two had been friends for over four years, and were used to each other's irregularities. Check was taller than Spot by a few inches, with a natural, laughing smile, blue eyes, and blonde hair. Check was funny, kind and understanding. He had been raised in orphanages, and had gotten to know people; the way they acted, and how to act around them.
"Ya...I wanna see Lily's face when she finds out Tyler's been in Staten." Spot smirked to himself.
"Oh, I can betcha we'll 'ear about it." Check joked.
As if one cue, Tyler and Lily came walking down the pier, their faces tight with anger, and Lily whispering something fervently to Tyler.
"Gawd." Check sighed.
"'Bout time!" Spot called. Lily and Tyler looked up, and Lily smiled a little. She and her brother walked up to Spot and Check, waving to a few of the boys they knew on the docks.
"Ya two're always late." Spot complained.
"We love to keep you waiting." Tyler smirked, cocking an eyebrow. Spot rolled his eyes in annoyance, but smiled and shook Tyler's hand good-naturedly.
"What's a matta?" Check asked, shaking hands with Tyler and waving to Lily.
"Oh, we just ran into someone." Lily sighed.
Check and Spot's eyes went wide.
"Not that kind of someone. Jack Kelly, over in Manhattan." Tyler explained.
"Why would dat make ya mad?" Spot frowned.
"He kind of mentioned something which I care not to discuss." Lily growled.
"Oh." Spot nodded
."C'mon, Lily, 'e doesn't know. 'E's not in dis like we are. Ya can't blame em." Check shrugged, logically.
"Yes, I guess." Lily shrugged.
"Well..." Tyler initiated, ready for a subject change. Tyler didn't like Jack Kelly, despite all he had done for the Newsies during the strike. The Cowboy had refused to help his sister when she had needed it, and Tyler could not forgive him. Oh, he would be cordial to the Manhattan leader, but he couldn't bring himself to like the boy.
"Oh yes, the small matter of why in God's name you were in Staten Island last night. Well Tyler? Where's the explanation you promised?" Lily asked, turning to her brother.
"Gawd, I's been waitin' fer dis all day." Spot smirked.
"Shut up Spot. Did you know too?" Lily frowned at him, never taking her eyes from Tyler, who was beginning to squirm a bit.
"No, I dunno. Dat's why I's been waitin'." Spot replied flippantly, and Check rolled his eyes, adjusting his cap.
"Well?" Lily motioned.
"Ok, ok, a few days ago Grace received a message from Sticks saying that four of Storm's newsboys could help us. They wanted to go up against Storm as much as we did, but they had no way of doing it on their own. Well, I was told to meet them in Staten Island last night. So I went." Tyler explained.
"So how did Tux find you then?" Lily persisted,
"I had finished meeting with the four, and Tux was coming out of a bar with Sticks and Boss. Boss saw me, and he started chasing me. Sticks and Tux followed. I tripped, and they caught up with me. That's about it." Tyler replied.
"So, who're da newsies who wanna help?" Check asked.
"Uh...their names are Sugar Amaral, Keet Edwards, Rocky Carson, and Notes Connelly." Tyler informed.
"Are dey close wit Storm? How can dey help us?" Spot persisted.
"Well, they seem to know what's going on, so I guess they talk with Storm enough. I told them to meet us here tonight at twelve." Tyler replied.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because then you would want to come." Tyler replied.
"So?" Lily countered.
"You can yell at me for going to Staten at night, but it's all right for you to go?" Tyler argued.
"Point taken." Lily shrugged.
"Hey! How dare you start anything without me!" A voice exclaimed, and Lily smiled, turning around.
"God Gloves, if you could actually be on time for something we wouldn't have to!" she shot back. Lawrence 'Gloves' Budden a tall, dark haired, tanned skinned, brown eyed newsboy walked up, with his casual gait and amused smile. Gloves had the best sense of humor of all of them, and the greatest ability to laugh at himself, but the gloves were a constant reminder of a darker side to his personality. Gloves' family had been killed in a house fire, and his hands had been badly scarred, so he was always seen with a pair of black gloves.
"Hey all." He greeted, and shook hands with Spot, Check, and Tyler. Gloves didn't speak with an accent, as he had gone to school for most of his life, up until the fire.
"Well look who decided to show up." Lily frowned, and Gloves rolled his eyes. They smiled at each other, and Tyler, Spot, and Check gave each other knowing looks.
"Yeah, I had to listen to CJ warn me about the dangers of venturing outside of Harlem." Gloves sighed dramatically. CJ, whose real name was Caleb Meehan, was Gloves' best friend, and the one who had helped Gloves become the leader of the Harlem Newsboys.
"I love how you assert yourself. Really makes you out to be a strong character." Tyler sneered, but his eyes were sparkling with good humor. Gloves rolled his eyes, but smiled as well.
"So, what's new?" Gloves asked good-naturedly.
"Aw, now I have to repeat it!?" Tyler exclaimed angrily.
Gloves, Check, Spot and Lily raised their eyebrows at him, and Tyler sighed, launching into the story again.
***
"For the last time, NO!" Michael 'Blue Eyes' Swartz stated angrily. Craig 'Boss' Stawicki smiled to himself, an arrogant smile that drove Blue insane.
"Why Michael, I didn't even say anything yet!" Boss argued innocently, that darkly arrogant and sarcastic smile still playing on his face. Blue could have killed him. Blue Eyes was the leader of the Queens newsboys, but you wouldn't know by looking him. He was small for his age, sixteen, with wide, innocent blue eyes, and a somewhat poignant expression. He wasn't physically strong, but he was extremely intelligent, convincing, and a good person. He had been the son of a rich factory owner, but his father beat him, and he had runaway. The Queens newsboys looked up to him for his intelligence, and overlooked his lack of strength.
"You're becoming predictable." Blue remarked dryly. Boss smirked. Boss was seventeen, tall, and good-looking, with an arrogant gleam in his eyes. He was conniving and opportunistic. He really didn't even like Storm and Tux, but they had the power, and Boss wanted to be where the power was. Boss was almost as intelligent as Blue, and used his intelligence to manipulate and put himself in control. He let no one know of his past.
"Oh am I? I must then say the same about you, Michael." Boss countered.
"If you think you can shock or threaten me into giving Storm any information, then you would be wrong." Blue informed imperiously.
"Why withhold? What are the two of them to you?" Boss shrugged, his eyebrows furrowing in a mockery of contemplation.
"Friends." Blue replied simply.
"Friends? Lily Adams is a traitorous whore...you know it as well as I do, and her brother is a lying jackass. What can you hope to gain from hiding them besides two very powerful enemies?" Boss argued, crossing his arms and waiting for Blue's reply.
"Lily is anything but a whore, or a traitor. And I can gain something you'll never understand, Boss. Something called self-satisfaction in doing a good thing." Blue argued.
"Haughty virtues." Boss huffed.
"Anything but." Blue replied darkly.
"I repeat...haughty virtues. A good thing? You, Gloves Budden, Spot Conlon...what do you have to do with this? She's burdening you with problems SHE created for herself..." Boss trailed off.
"What do you have to do with this?" Blue asked quietly.
"Everything friend." Boss smirked.
"No...you can't accuse me of being burdened by someone else's problems...what does Staten Island have to do with Storm Murphy's insane obsessions?" Blue demanded, his voice rising steadily.
"What, Michael, still won't say his name?" Boss asked, his turn to be quiet. He met Blue's eyes, a sinister gleam in his. Blue stared back, not saying anything, not trusting himself to.
"Michael, grudges are not a good thing....as you would say. Don't you're 'virtues' demand you apologize to Tux? You two were so close..." Boss smirked in syrupy mock preaching tone.
"That is my affair." Blue said after a moment, his voice taut.
"No, it is Tux's affair, which makes it my affair." Boss corrected, smiling broadly. Blue said nothing.
"Well?" Boss asked after a moment.
"Leave." Blue demanded.
Boss laughed.
"Leave." Blue repeated.
"All this anger Michael! Why, you and Tux...I mean, you and Brendan were such good friends...why throw that away just because of..." Boss stopped suddenly when Blue hauled back and punched him in the jaw. Boss' eyes filled with rage, and he drew himself to his full height of about six feet.
"You meddlesome, imperious brat." Boss murmured, and started to rush Blue, when someone grabbed the back of his collar.
"Hey Boss...is dere a problem 'ere?" Court." Boss recognized. Roger 'Court' Sansavere stared at Boss icily, his green eyes burrowing into Boss' brown ones. Court was tall and well-built, about seventeen, and fiercely protective of Blue.
"Yeah...is dere a problem? Somethin' ya should tell me, Boss?" Court asked sarcastically.
"No problem." Boss stated smoothly.
"Good...den ya'll be leavin'?" Court asked, still calmly. Blue watched, his mouth drawn into a firm line, his fists clenched.
"Yes. Yes of course. Good to see you again Blue...I'll give Tux your regards? Good-bye." Boss slinked away, laughing silently to himself.
"Thank you." Blue said to Court once Boss had left.
"A' course." Court shrugged.
"I...I just got a bit carried away. He can do that to me." Blue proceeded to explain.
"I t'ink Boss can do dat ta anyone." Court smiled.
"Yeah. You're right." Blue nodded.
"If...if ya don't mind me askin', why da ya get so mad when 'e mentions Tux Keffner?" Court asked slowly. Blue turned to Court, a flicker of pain in his vibrant eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. He shook his head, and Court understood. Court was fair, kind, and knowing, and he had helped Blue become the leader of Queens. He respected him deeply, and protected him in any way he could.
"It was a while ago...Boss is right...I-I should...well..."Blue trailed off.
"Tyler wants us ta meet 'em tonight." Court stated after a moment.
"All right." Blue nodded.
The two smiled at each other, and walked to the Queens distribution center.
***
Nick 'Sugar' Amaral sold the last of his papers and shoved the money into the pocket of his knickers. He smiled to himself, and waited for Notes. Sugar was sixteen, sort of short, with sharp brown eyes and an eager smile. He had lived in New Hampshire most of his life, but had run away to New York four years ago. He loved excitement, and was a born adventurer. He despised complacency, and found the life of a newsboy a grand change from his previous middle-class existence, despite the prevalent poverty. But now real excitement had finally come to him...here he was, getting involved with a hunted group of people, going up against the most dangerous newsboy in New York City, and risking his very life.
He loved it!
"Hey! Sugar! Are you done?" a voice called out.
"Yeah Notes. Over here." Sugar called back, and John 'Notes' Connelly ran over. Notes was sixteen, like Sugar. Notes lived with his father in a tenement in the Bronx, and though he sold papers, Notes' real passion was music. He played trumpet very well, and his dream was to become a professional."
Well, did you...er...make the arrangements?" Notes asked, his voice dropping.
"Yeah." Sugar nodded.
"All right...what's the plan then?" Notes persisted.
"Tonight at midnight...we meet them in Brooklyn, by the docks." Sugar whispered.
"This is kind of exciting." Notes admitted. Notes was often called straight-laced, hoity-toity, things like that by the other newsboys, but Sugar new that was the way he had been raised, and Sugar respected Notes for that.
"Definitely. It's about time something happened. Now, where are Keet and Rocky?" Sugar asked.
"Uh...Keet's selling a few blocks down and I don't know where Rocky is." Notes replied.
"Ok...we better tell them." Sugar smirked.
"Yeah, come on." Notes agreed, and they walked off, Sugar smiling contentedly in spite of himself."
***
Caleb 'CJ' Meehan and Joe 'Fox' Hess were giving Gloves 'the look' again. The same look he got every time he mentioned Lily.
"Guys." Gloves shrugged.
"Gloves." Fox shrugged, imitating his tone.
"Listen, buddy, we just don't want ya getting' hoit." CJ explained.
"Yeah, if anythin' happened ta ya, CJ would have ta be da leader of Harlem, an' we don't want dat." Fox added, and CJ hit Fox with his hat.
"Ow!" Fox complained.
"Serves ya right." CJ sniffed.
"I appreciate you guys' concern, but this is something I have to do." Gloves laughed at the two.
"Well, if it's somethin' ya have ta do, then it's somethin' we have ta do." CJ argued.
"Yeah, we're comin' dis time." Fox added.
"Guys..." Gloves started to protest.
"Ya may be leader of Harlem, but dat don't give ya no special privileges wit us." CJ pointed out.
"Lily's gonna kill me!" Gloves whined.
"I wanna see dat!" Fox cried, smiling.
"Ok, ok, let's go. I wanna be early for once." Gloves suggested, and the three newsboys left the Harlem Lodging House. The streets were dark and empty, and shadows reached from the alleys.
Gloves was glad Fox and CJ were there.
***
Later that night, four boys wandered, seemingly aimlessly, through the darkened streets of Manhattan
"Guys, we're lost." Notes pointed out dismally.
"No, we're just not where we need to be!" Sugar contradicted sternly.
"Which pretty much means we're lost." Rocky Acosta summarized, and Sugar sighed dramatically. Keet Edwards just shook his head.
"Let's ask someone." Notes suggested.
"Yeah, that's bright. Everyone knows that we're supposedly working for Storm Murphy, and we're trying to get to Brooklyn to talk to Spot Conlon and most of his other hated enemies. We'd look pretty good." Rocky argued.
"Well, we won't ask a newsie." Notes replied, slightly hurt.
"Name one person who's ever talked to a newsie who wasn't a newsie themselves. Now, do you have any idea where we are?" Rocky asked, turning to Sugar.
"Uh, I think we might be in Manhattan." Sugar replied, but he sounded doubtful.
"Manhattan!" Rocky and Notes screamed. Keet gave Sugar an urgent look.
Keet Edwards rarely spoke. Not that he was stupid or anything, he just didn't talk. No one knew why, but it was assumed he had been abused when younger, and was still suffering from it. The only one he really did talk to was Notes. No one knew where Keet had come from, or why he had become a newsboy, but he was a kind and thoughtful person.
"Yes, Manhattan. Right across the bridge from Brooklyn." Sugar replied arching a superior eyebrow.
"Well, one more question, Great Leader...WHERE'S THE BRIDGE!?" Rocky cried, causing Notes to jump in surprise.
"I...I don't rightly know...but it's around here...somewhere." Sugar stammered, looking around.
"This is GREAT! Just perfect. I know Silver noticed we were gone. Silver hates me, and looks for me each night. Silver'll tell Storm, and we'll be dead. Dead, as in no longer living. This...I can't believe I let myself get talked into this." Notes sighed.
"So, ya from da Bronx?" a voice asked, startling the four.
"Den ya'll be doin' some explainin'." Another voice added, and Rocky felt an arm around his neck, dragging him backwards into the dark alleyway.
***
"Dis is great. Gloves is actually early fer once, an' da people we's waitin' fer are late." Spot complained, kicking a board with his boot.
"Stop complain'." Check sighed.
"Yeah, but are ya sure we can trust dese guys?" Fox asked.
When Gloves had come with Fox and CJ, everyone but Lily Ann was relieved. The two of them had the reputation of being the most cautious newsboys in New York, as well as the most understanding. Lily had, of course, protested to involving more people in her problem, but she didn't go on about it. By five to twelve, she, Tyler, Gloves, Fox, CJ, Spot, Check, Blue, and Court were standing around on the dock,
waiting. Lily checked her watch again.
"I dunno. There's really no choice, is there?" Tyler replied.
"'E's right." Check agreed.
"What'd they say?" Blue asked. Blue had been strangely quiet all night, and Lily figured he had had another run-in with Boss Stawicki. Whenever that happened, Blue got like this. Court's eyes told her she was right.
"Well, Grace gave me the message, and they told me they were disgusted by Storm. The leader, Sugar, seemed to want a change of scene, some action. They seemed trustworthy. The one boy had no common sense at all, and another didn't even say a word." Tyler informed.
"How much did you tell them?" Gloves asked.
"Not everything. I left out personal details. I just told them basically what happened." Tyler replied.
"Did you say who was involved?" Blue asked.
Looking around at the people gathered, Tyler had to laugh as a thought stuck him. Lily looked at him oddly, and motioned for him to continue.
"Most of the whole damned city." Tyler laughed.
The others looked at him for a second, and started laughing too.
***
"Now, what are ya doin' 'ere again?" the boy asked.
Sugar swallowed hard, and thought. He knew who the boy was, and was afraid. Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly had a reputation almost as impressive as Storm's. Jack had been the newsboy who had started the strike and had stood up to Pulitzer himself. That had been last year, and Sugar had really admired him. Now, Sugar wasn't sure if Jack was as inclined to violence as Storm.
"We're tryin' ta get ta Brooklyn." Sugar replied, trying his best to sound like a native to the streets of New York, and thereby showing the Cowboy he wasn't as...vulnerable. But his voice still had that damn New England sound to it. Sugar waited, looking around at the other boys in the Lodging House. One had an eye patch and was the only one smiling. One was a short boy with a big cigar and black hair, one had curly hair, one was a little black boy, and so on.
"Why?" the boy with the cigar asked suspiciously.
"Yeah, we 'eard ya say ya was from da Bronx. Why would Storm Murphy have anythin' ta do wit Spot Conlon?" Jack persisted.
"We should just..." Rocky gestured.
"Yeah...might as well." Notes nodded.
"Might as well what?" Cigar boy asked.
"Tell ya why we're here. Do you know Lily Ann Carson?" Sugar asked.
Jack's face went pure white.
"Yeah...a little." He stammered.
"Jack, what's wrong?" the boy with the eye patch asked, his voice concerned. Sugar raised an eyebrow. The fearless strike leader, the famous 'Cowboy' looked like he was going to be physically ill.
"Nothin'...uh, can I talk ta dese guys alone...if ya don't mind?" he asked the other boys in the bunkroom. They all looked at Jack oddly.
"Ya sure dere's nothin' wrong?" the boy with the cigar asked.
"No...nothin'. I'll be right back." Jack excused himself, and the four Bronx Newsboys followed him.
Once outside, Jack grabbed Sugar by the collar and punched him across the face. Sugar cried out in pain and stumbled backwards. Jack punched him again, and his nose started bleeding.
"What the hell are you doing?" Rocky asked, trying to get Sugar away from Jack. Jack just pushed him into the wall.
"How dare ya scabs come lookin' fer her 'ere!" Jack cried.
The three boys looked at Jack oddly
"I told dem all I wanted nothin' ta do wit dis!" Jack exclaimed, enraged, and punched Sugar again
Notes got it first.
"No! No, no, you're wrong! We're only looking for her because we want to help her! We're AGAINST Storm!" Notes explained desperately, and Jack whirled around, looking at Notes.
"Ya sure?" he asked.
"Yeah! We don't even want to be in Manhattan!" Rocky added.
"Oh Gawd, I'm sorry." Jack sighed, and helped Sugar up. He was bleeding from the nose and his eye was already swollen.
"It's ok..." Sugar nodded, wiping his nose.
"Well, I'll take ya ta Brooklyn...ta make up fer it." Jack suggested. The four rebel newsies looked at each other indecisively. Sugar shrugged.
"Sure, yeah, thanks." Rocky nodded.
The five set off.
***
"Silver!" Storm called, his booming baritone voice filling the room.
Sam 'Silver' Messina walked in.
Silver commanded fear wherever he went. His eyes were arrogant and dangerous, and his expression suggested the total absence of fear or remorse. Though not too tall for seventeen, he was muscular and confident. Silver was a fighter from day one, and no one in their right mind challenged him. Silver always carried his collection of 'silverware', knives or the occasional pistol, and that's how he earned his name and reputation.
"Yeah?" Silver asked.
"Where's Notes Connelly? He hasn't paid me tonight." Storm replied. Silver Messina commanded fear; Edmond 'Storm' Murphy embodied it. Storm was fear, and Storm enjoyed it. At six foot five, he was huge, muscular, and without mercy. Storm saw what he wanted and took it. From his newsboys, from other people, from anyone he wished, he took. Storm was eighteen, and his cold blue eyes scared everyone. He encouraged his newsboys to pay him for using the Lodging House, and the boys were too afraid not to. Looking at him it was obvious; Storm had it all.
Except for the one thing he wanted the most.
"I didn't see 'em." Silver informed. Silver didn't waste words.
"Find him." Storm commanded, and Silver walked out.
Storm turned around and waited. A few minutes later, Travis 'Arizona' Caufield, Craig 'Boss' Stawicki, Chris 'Sticks' Ackerman and Brendan 'Tux' Keffner walked in. Storm turned to face them.
"Find anything?" Storm asked.
"I talked to Blue Eyes Swartz. Still stubborn. He feels the two are his responsibility or whatever." Boss replied.
"Good...Tux, next time you talk to Blue Eyes." Storm informed.
"Why?" Tux asked.
"The sight of your may loosen his tongue." Storm replied.
"I don't think I should..." Tux started, but Storm frowned at him.
"You'll do as I tell you." Storm warned. Tux tried not to let his anger show. Anything said now would prompt Storm's rage.
"Fine, but I can't be held responsible." Tux shrugged finally. Tux was the same age as Storm, eighteen, and though he wasn't as physically threatening, Tux scared people just the same. He knew people. He knew exactly how to scare them, and what to say to make them lose hope. Though not his true nature, he was ruthless, merciless, and cruel. He had been forced to be when he had started hanging around with Storm. Though not the selfish opportunist Boss was, Tux knew he wanted to stay alive, so he stayed with Storm.
"Tux, if you want to act out your grudge, do so on your own time, please." Storm requested.
"Sure." Tux nodded.
"Oh, by the way, have any of you seen Notes Connelly?" Storm asked.
"Uh, yeah, 'e was...uh, goin' outside ta smoke or somethin'." Arizona replied in his strange accent; a mixture between his Arizona twang and the New York City street accent. Arizona had been born out West, and had moved East when his mother died. His father had left him, and Arizona had gone to Storm. Arizona was kind, and eager to please, and didn't see Storm for what he really was. Arizona was about sixteen, had fluffy light-brown hair and smiling blue eyes.
"Oh...whatever. Now, you know what we're here about. The same thing we've been doing for the past three years. But...someone in this room knows where she is. You wanna know how I know?" Storm's eyes searched the eyes of the four others in the room.
"How?" Boss asked.
"Because of this." Storm grabbed the letter out of his pocket.
Sticks Ackerman's eyes widened.
***
"I hate it when they're out this late." Rachel Parsons remarked. Rachel was twenty-two, and she owned a dress shop in Brooklyn. Three years ago, she had agreed to let two kids stay in he extra room above the shop where she kept some supplies. The two kids had looked down on their luck, and Rachel had felt bad for them. Then she had found out what these kids were running for. What danger anyone who associated with them was in. Ever since then, Rachel Parsons had done everything in her power to hide Lily Ann and Tyler Carson. Even though Lily Ann desperately wanted Rachel to stay out of it, Rachel had been brought up to believe that helping others is important, and no one needed more helping than the brother and sister had. Rachel was a kind person in general, and always was there for her friends. She had long black-brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
"They can take care of themselves." Grace Williams, Rachel's cousin and co-owner of the shop reassured. Grace also did everything in her power to help Lily Ann and Tyler, though she wasn't as generally kind as Rachel. Grace had been born tough, and she could make people afraid of her, even though she was a girl. Grace and Lily both understood the need to mask emotions, and had formed a close friendship.
"I know, I know, but it's so dangerous with that boy...that monster Storm Murphy." Rachel argued, and tried to concentrate on her sewing.
"Yeah, it is, but they've survived three years of midnight meetings, and nothing's happened yet." Grace pointed out.
"It's still frightening." Rachel shrugged.
"Yeah, you're right." Grace agreed finally.
"Speaking of dangerous, it's also unsafe with you and Sticks." Rachel added critically, and Grace dropped her eyes. This had been a topic of arguments for the past one and a half years, ever since he and Grace had started going together. They had met when Grace had to pick up some fabric from a store in Staten Island. Sticks and Grace had hit it off immediately, and though she felt what he did was wrong, he had never hurt either Lily or Tyler, and had always tried to dissuade Tux from associating with Storm. Over the year, the others had gotten a lot of reliable information from Sticks. And though it wasn't exactly safe, Sticks and Grace carried on a written correspondence.
"Sticks would never tell Storm anything." Grace cried defensively. He hadn't so far.
"Maybe not intentionally." Rachel contradicted quietly. "Maybe Storm could overhear something, or Boss or Tux. Then where would we all be?"
"What! Sticks is more cautious than that. It's not like Storm's going to find one of our notes." Grace sighed, and Rachel returned to her sewing.
***
"I found one of your notes." Storm told Sticks quietly.
When Storm was quiet, he was at his most dangerous.
"It's...it's not what it seems. Me an' dat goil jus' met. I 'ad no clue who she was talkin' 'bout." Sticks protested.
"Well, let's just see. 'Dear Sticks how are you? I'm ok. Thanks for telling me about the four. Tyler appreciates it. Stay safe, please. Love, Grace." Storm read, and slammed it down on the table.
Sticks Ackerman, a tall, black-haired boy tried to stop himself from shaking. He was Tux's friend, and the voice of reason in Staten Island. He mistrusted Storm, and wanted Tux to stay away, but couldn't bring that up. He had started seeing Grace Williams, the girl who helped Lily and Tyler, a year and a half ago, and since then had acted as sort of a spy.
Tux bit his lip and looked at Sticks, his eyes unreadable.
"Tyler." Storm repeated, and the other four saw the burning rage that ignited in his eyes every time the name of the boy who had taken away Lily Ann came up. Storm walked up closer to Sticks.
"I dunno who she means. I jus' got 'er some fabric yesterday...she woiks at a dress shop in Brooklyn. 'Dats all...nothin' more Storm, I swear." Sticks rambled, his hands cold and a film of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and waited.
The room was silent.
Suddenly, Storm hauled back and punched Sticks in the face. Sticks cried out, and almost fell on top of Arizona. Arizona helped Sticks to his feet.
"Arizona! Get the hell away from him!" Storm ordered.
"But, I's jus' helpin' 'em up." Arizona replied.
"Do you want the same thing to happen to you!" Storm roared, and Arizona backed up, letting Sticks fall to the floor. Storm walked over to Sticks, held him up, and punched him again. Storm's strength was legendary, and Sticks was receiving the brunt of it right now. Storm went on punching him until Sticks was bleeding from his nose and mouth. Tux couldn't stand seeing one of his best friends attacked like this, Storm Murphy or not.
"Storm! Get the hell off him!" Tux called out, without thinking.
Storm turned slowly to Tux, and started to say something when Silver came walking in, his face a mask of anger.
"What!?" Storm demanded.
"Notes Connelly's gone. So's Rocky Carson, Sugar Amaral an' dat boy who never talks...da Edwards boy. Dey're not 'ere." Silver replied.
"Are you sure?" Storm asked.
Silver nodded in confirmation.
"Wait...Storm, the four. In the letter it says thanks for telling me about the four, Tyler appreciates it. And four of your boys are missing. Mean anything?" Boss suggested, and for a minute, Tux hated that arrogant voice. Hated that his closest friend was knocked out on the ground. Hated Storm! What the hell am I doing here? Tux thought to himself, but shook his head and tried not to look at Sticks, who had been dropped on the ground, and was curled up in pain.
"Hmm...that makes sense." Storm nodded thoughtfully.
Storm looked at Silver, Boss, Tux, and Arizona.
"Go to Brooklyn. Find them." Storm demanded.
"How do we know they're in Brooklyn?" Boss asked.
"That's where the supposed 'dress shop' is." Storm shrugged.
"What about Spot Conlon?" Tux asked.
Storm sneered.
"Spot Conlon is nothing without his boys. Spot's a child...you can take him if you get him alone. Plus, his newsboys won't touch you, Tux. They're too afraid." Storm replied logically.
"Ok." Silver agreed.
"Just stay out of Manhattan." Storm warned. "We have no nothing with them or against them, and I want it to stay that way."
Boss, Silver, and Arizona walked out. Tux lingered, looking at Sticks. Storm met Tux's eyes, and frowned. Tux bit his lip, and walked out, hearing another cry of pain as he walked out.
***
About five minutes after Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly showed up with Sugar, Rocky, Keet, and Notes, Tyler was still staring at the Manhattan newsboy with shocked surprise and anger.
"Jacky-boy, maybe ya betta leave." Spot suggested.
"Why? So's I don't gotta face 'im? I 'ad a perfectly good reason fer not getin' involved." Jack defended.
"Yeah, your good reason was to save your own ass! You came to the Bronx, you saw what he was doing to her, and you ignored it. She was practically dying! And you ran away! But the others didn't, so that give you no excuse!" Tyler argued. Lily turned to Tyler and gave him a look.
"Tyler, drop it." She whispered.
"Yeah, Tyler, please." Gloves added.
Blue didn't say anything. He felt Jack Kelly deserved everything Tyler gave him.
"I'm not gonna get into dis." Jack cried, getting up. "I told ya before...getin' involved wit Storm Murphy's not gonna help anythin'. I dunno why da rest a you are helpin', but at least I got brains."
"Jack..." Spot started, not wanting to anger his friend, but agreeing with Tyler for once.
"You damn well better leave! It's not like your gonna help anyway!" Tyler screamed as Jack started walking away.
"This is not my problem!" Jack called back.
"Wait...Jacky, it's late...ya betta stay fer a while." Spot suggested, changing his mind. Whether Tyler was right or not made no difference. Spot didn't want Jack on the street alone at night.
"No...I don't get involved, remember?" Jack replied snidely.
That was all Tyler could stand. He jumped to his feet and attacked Jack, getting him on the ground and hitting him in the face.
"TYLER!" Lily called, but he didn't listen.
"We'll get 'em." CJ volunteered. He, Fox, and Court jumped to their feet and went after Tyler.
"Is this a bad time?" Notes asked.
"No, it's a good time." Sugar replied sarcastically.
"Don't you guys start fighting...we need you." Gloves admonished.
"Sorry...we're like this all the time." Rocky smiled, and Gloves laughed.
Court had managed to tear Tyler off of Jack, and CJ and Fox were holding him back. Blue had had about enough.
"STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!" he screamed.
Everyone stopped and looked at him.
"Look, Cowboy, it's not like we have a damned choice in this! Storm is ready to kill all of us, and just because you feel guilty for not jumping to her defense like you usually do is no reason to make us look like idiots!" Blue cried, and everyone's jaws dropped. Blue was usually quiet and fair; though most of them knew of his hatred for Jack. It had happened during the strike, when Jack had insinuated that 'the Queens boys won't be any help. After all, Blue Eyes Swartz is leading them.' Jack did consider Blue a weakling, and thought he didn't deserve to lead Queens.
"Well, Blue, we sure know where's ya comin' from." Jack shrugged.
Spot, Check, Lily, Tyler, Gloves, CJ, Fox, and Court sighed.
Sugar, Notes, Rocky, and Keet waited uneasily.
***
"Well, we're in Brooklyn. Where's Spot usually?" Arizona asked.
"Da docks." Silver replied.
"Guys...maybe this is a bad idea. There's four of us, and who knows how many Spot has." Tux pointed out.
"I can take care a anyone." Silver said unemotionally, pulling a knife out of his pocket. The same knife Silver had used to injure those who got in his way. Silver scared Tux. He had no sense of mercy or remorse, and wasn't afraid.
"Yeah." Tux swallowed.
"What's a matter, Brendan?" Boss asked, and Tux winced at his voice.
"N-nothing. Let's go. If Blue's there, he's mine." Tux declared, and they set off in the direction of the docks.
Arizona pulled on Tux's arm, and Tux looked at him.
"What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Arizona gave him a calm look in response, and appeared to be thinking hard about the most tactful way to ask Tux what he wanted to ask him.
"I saw you...get angry. Why'd he hit 'em like dat?" Arizona finally came up.
"Because he did something Storm didn't like. Don't you know that? Storm..." Tux trailed off. Silver had stopped, and had turned back to the two of them, his eyes dark and glaring. Tux raised his head ever-so-slightly and motioned to Arizona to keep his mouth closed.
"C'mon." Silver demanded.
"We don't have all night. And besides, I wanna get at that imperious brat Michael." Boss added angrily, grinding his fist into his hand.
"Michael is mine." Tux reminded Boss.
"Oh yeah, of course, sorry Brendan." Boss smiled in his easy, arrogant way. At that moment, Tux would have been just as happy to punch Boss right in the face. For a crazy moment, Tux had no idea why he had even let Boss get close to him. He hated him. More than anyone...even more than Michael.
But the moment passed, and Tux went back to hating Blue Eyes Swartz.
"Yeah. Look...there's the Brooklyn Lodging House. We're close." Tux acknowledged, trying to keep his voice steady and mean. Silver gave a sneering smile and nodded, walking forward with an apparently eager Boss. Tux and Arizona followed.
***
"Look, guys...it's gettin' late. Why don't we turn in, an' we can continue dis tomorra." Check suggested diplomatically, trying to break the tension in the air. Spot sighed and nodded, and Jack stood unceremoniously, still glaring at Blue Eyes. Blue didn't glare back, but he stood as well and walked down to the edge of the dock. Court frowned, but didn't follow him.
Lily regarded Court, raising her eyebrow.
"Ya, Boss was 'ere today." Court nodded. Lily looked down. If Boss had spoken to Blue, Lily knew he had brought up Tux. Lily hated Boss, sometimes more than she hated Storm. And the fact that he knew...well, she didn't Blue for snapping on Cowboy.
"The four of ya can stay 'ere tonight, if ya want." Spot offered to Sugar, Keet, Notes, and Rocky.
"Thanks." Sugar nodded, accepting for the four. Spot smiled slightly.
"I'm gonna go home, Spot. I t'ink I've cause enough trouble 'ere." Jack remarked snidely. Tyler looked about to reply to that, but Gloves caught his arm and shook his head. Spot nodded to Jack, and the Cowboy walked off.
"I should be going too. Come on CJ, Fox...back to Harlem" Gloves motioned.
"Gloves, maybe we should stay somwheres...I mean, it ain't 'xactly safe, goin' off at night." CJ warned, and Fox nodded in agreement. Gloves rolled his eyes, smiling a bit at his cautionary friends.
"What...are ya waitin' fer an invitation too?" Spot snorted, and Gloves shrugged.
"Nah, I thought maybe I'd go stay in Manhattan." He kidded.
"God, don't even bring that up...this afternoon, I had forgotten what a jerk he could be. How dare he..." Tyler trailed off, to angry to finish.
"Come on, Tyler, leave him alone." Lily defended.
"Lily, how can you stick up for him!?" Tyler demanded.
"Look, Ty, I know he can be sorta...well, you know. But he's gotta look out fer 'is boys...I mean, I 'ad somethin' with Storm before this. Ya know that. An', Blue, he an' Staten..." Spot looked over at Court, who sighed. "An' Gloves...well, Cowboy's the only one of us who Storm didn't 'ave anythin' against. Ya can't expect 'im to jus' jump in." Spot explained carefully.
"He saw what was happening." Tyler murmured to himself, but he didn't argue.
"C'mon then...before we get any madder. I'm tired." Check smiled benignly, and he, Spot, Sugar, Keet, Rocky, Notes, Gloves, CJ, and Fox headed for the Lodging House, waving to Tyler, Lily, Court, and Blue, though Blue was too distracted.
"Will he be ok?" Lily asked Court softly.
"Yeah. Boss...Boss gets t' 'im. I dunno why...'e never told me...but somethin' 'bout Tux." Court explained, shrugging a bit.
Lily nodded sadly.
***
Jack walked slowly through the darkness, not really afraid to be out at night. He had been wandering the city by night for so many years now, it was second nature to him, almost. He sighed to himself.
"Don't beat y'self up ovah 'dis." Jack told himself sternly. He knew, of course, that he probably should have helped the girl. The poor thing had had no idea what she had been getting into when she had first started going with Storm. Then again...none of them had really known how dangerous Storm was in the beginning. But they had learned--first Spot, then Gloves Budden, and Blue Eyes Swartz (though, to Jack's reasoning, anyone was dangerous to Blue Eyes. And besides that, again, Blue Eyes had been in trouble with Staten Island from the beginning).
Suddenly, Jack heard whispered voices. He frowned--wondering if they were Spot's boys, or...
His thought was cut off when they came into his line of sight. They--there were four of them--stopped, regarding Jack. He couldn't discern who they were, but they looked to be Newsies.
"Who's 'dat?" One of them called. The voice sounded vaguely familiar.
"Who're you?" Jack challenged.
"Cowboy? Cowboy Kelly?" Another one recognized, and walked forward. Jack cringed in annoyance...it was Boss Stawicki. Jack hated Boss...didn't know anyone but Tux Keffner who could stand the boy. During the strike, Boss had tried to convince Tux not to go in with the Manhattan boys, all because they were allowing Queens to help them. Tux, of course, as much as he hated Blue Eyes, had gone in anyway.
"Heya Boss." Jack replied tensely.
The four boys approached, and Jack frowned in confusion. Tux Keffner was there...which was odd, knowing Storm Murphy's aversion to Brooklyn, and considering Staten Island was only an extension of the Bronx nowadays...and another boy Jack didn't know. The fourth boy was Silver Messina, which confused Jack even more...and even disturbed him a little. Silver was Storm's right-hand man, and one of the most dangerous Newsies in New York, aside from Storm himself.
"So...what'cha doin' in Brooklyn so late?" Jack asked, a little challenge in his voice. Jack didn't want to get involved with Storm...but he also was friends with Spot, and Jack was pretty sure Spot hadn't asked the four boys into Brooklyn.
"A little business fer Storm." Silver replied brusquely, moving closer to Jack.
"Spot Conlon know about 'dis business?" Jack raised an eyebrow.
"This isn't your affair, Cowboy, so please leave us alone." Boss demanded imperiously.
"Well, if ya 'ave an 'affair' wit' Spot, ya 'ave one wit' me." Jack turned to the leader of the Staten Island Newsies "What is 'dis about, Tux?"
"Who's 'dat, Tux?" the unfamiliar boy asked before Tux could respond to Jack's demanded.
"Arizona, you should know. This is Jack "Cowboy" Kelly, the great strike leader. Well, for once, your reputation doesn't precede you." Boss smirked.
"I t'ink I was talkin' to Tux, Boss. Not you. An'...Arizona, I s'pose, if ya wanna know who I am, ya can ask me." Jack challenged.
"Cowboy, just leave us alone. This isn't your problem." Tux pleaded in a tired sounding voice.
"All right, 'dat's enough." Silver pronounced, sounding irritated. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his knife. Jack watch him calmly, trying not to show his nervousness, as Silver brought the knife to Jack's throat. Jack had been a Newsie long enough to know that the worst thing you could do was show fear. The metal was cold against his skin, and Silver's unfocused eyes were boring directly into Jack's own.
"Will ya let us go, or do I have t' use 'dis?" Silver whispered menacingly.
"Silver! Remember what Storm said about involving Manhattan!" Tux snapped sharply.
"Well, Manhattan is involvin' 'iself right now, Tux...an' I'm gonna make sure 'e learns never t' involve 'imself again." Silver replied tersely, pressing the knife harder into Jack's throat. Arizona gave Tux a nervous look, and Tux shook his head at the boy. Arizona hadn't actually expected something like this to happen.
Boss laughed eagerly. This was why he had come!