Tyler and Lily left Blue Eyes and Court as the two newsies made their way to the Queens boundary lines. The dress shop they stayed in was not far, and they were not particularly worried about being alone, at night, in Brooklyn. Spot Conlon's newsies were reputed to be some of the toughest in the city, and only a fool would provoke them.
Storm, no matter how much of a monster he was, was no fool.
"Lily…you never answered my question. How can you stand up for Cowboy like you do?" Tyler suddenly questioned his sister.
Lily stopped walking and regarded Tyler.
"Well…he did so much. You know, he really helped the newsies. I can see how brave and dedicated he is. And Spot is right. This is our problem. Not his." Lily explained carefully.
"Well…I don't know…I guess because you're my sister and all…" Tyler stopped, looking uncomfortable.
"Tyler, stop trying to sound noble. It doesn't become you." Lily winked, and Tyler laughed.
Suddenly, Lily frowned.
"What?" Tyler asked.
"Shh…I hear something…" Lily hissed, and started forward. Tyler followed, confused at first, but then most definitely alarmed. He heard voices as well, and noted five figures standing directly ahead of them.
Five very familiar figures.
Lily clutched Tyler's shoulder, digging her nails into his shirt. Tyler didn't have to look at his sister to know that her eyes had gone wide in fear. Ahead of them stood Tux Keffner, Boss Stawicki, Arizona Caulfield, Silver Messina, and Jack Kelly.
And Silver was holding a knife against Jack's throat!
None of the five noticed Lily and Tyler. They were too wrapped up in their own 'business'.
"Oh my God…" Tyler whispered.
"He has a knife." Lily realized in a low voice.
"Go hide. I'm going to take care of this." Tyler instructed after a moment. He knew as well as Lily did that Silver was unpredictable and merciless. Despite his dislike of Jack, Tyler didn't want Silver to actually hurt the boy.
"Are you crazy?" Lily whispered.
"No." Tyler shook his head, and pushed his sister to the side before she could protest. Tyler started forward then intently, more than eager to exact some sort of revenge against Tux for hitting him last night.
"So Silver! I see your letting Manhattan into our little game! I doubt Storm would approve!" Tyler called when he was a few feet away from the five.
Silver looked up in surprise, as did Tux, Arizona, Boss, and Jack.
"Well hello there, Tyler." Boss smirked, and started forward.
"Ah, and look! It's the opportunistic lackey as well. So Boss, whose boots were you licking tonight? I bet Storm's are awfully clean." Tyler heckled as Boss met him, face-to-face. Tyler was not afraid of Boss. He knew that, in essence, Boss was a simpering coward who's inflated sense of self-worth only stemmed from the company he kept. Tyler was also not afraid of Tux or Arizona, both of whom he knew would not do much to him. At least when they were not in the presence of Storm.
But he was afraid of Silver. Tyler kept one eye on him, even as Boss was inches away from him. As soon as Silver had heard Tyler's voice, he had pushed aside Jack and started forward behind Boss. To Tyler's surprise, the Cowboy had not bolted. He was, instead, wavering a bit uncertainly, watching the proceedings.
"I would say the same of your sister's, Tyler." Boss sneered.
"At least hers would be clean." Tyler returned.
Boss simply laughed.
"All right, Tyler, where is she?" Tux demanded, standing next to Boss. Silver stood on the other side, wielding his knife dangerously. Arizona hung back.
"Who?" Tyler smirked.
"You know damn well who. Enough of these games, Tyler. It's four against one right now, and I know very well you're unarmed. Just give her up, and you can walk out of this." Tux challenged, sounding tired and somewhat…wounded. That struck Tyler as odd. Tux usually was just as self-assured as Boss, but tonight he sounded…almost defeated.
"You really think I would give up my own sister? And especially to that monster you've allowed to control you?" Tyler spat, incredulously.
"Enough a 'dis. If he won't tell us where she is, den I's just gonna have ta force it outta 'im." Silver snarled, and pushed the others out of the way, lunging at Tyler.
"NO!" Lily cried, popping up from behind the crates Tyler had shoved her into.
Everyone stopped dead. A triumphant smile crossed over Boss and Silver's faces.
"Lily you idiot! Run!" Tyler screamed.
Lily seemed to suddenly realize the position she had put herself in, and she bolted. Boss and Silver took off after her, leaving Tyler to deal with Tux and Arizona, who were still nearly frozen in disbelief. They had been searching for Lily for the last three years, and here she had popped right up in front of their very eyes.
Tyler turned, about to run after her sister's pursuers when Tux seemed to return from his stunned state and grabbed Tyler around the neck, throwing him down. Tyler cried out in pain and desperation
"Cowboy! For the love of God, HELP HER!" he cried out, not sure if Jack was even still there, or if he would heed, but it was his only chance. Then, to his immense relief, he saw Jack start after Silver and Boss.
Tux hit Tyler hard in the face, and Tyler punched him back, throwing him off. He struggled to his feet, but Tux socked him solidly in the stomach, and Tyler's breath flew from him and his vision clouded.
"Should we help da oddas?" Arizona asked, when Tux stood.
Tux cast a look down at Tyler, who was gasping like a fish dragged from the river.
"No. Let's go home." Tux shook his head.
"But I thought ya wanted a chance at Blue Eyes?" Arizona queried.
"Not now. Not like this. What I have with him isn't like this at all. And…and I wanna see if Sticks is all right." Tux explained, his voice dropping a bit. He then turned and started off in the opposite direction.
Confused, Arizona followed him.
Tyler sat up, in pain and deeply confused. Tux had had the perfect opportunity! And he had given it up…
But then he realized that Lily was still being tailed by Silver and Boss. He tucked his confusion away and started off after them.
Storm, no matter how much of a monster he was, was no fool.
"Lily…you never answered my question. How can you stand up for Cowboy like you do?" Tyler suddenly questioned his sister.
Lily stopped walking and regarded Tyler.
"Well…he did so much. You know, he really helped the newsies. I can see how brave and dedicated he is. And Spot is right. This is our problem. Not his." Lily explained carefully.
"Well…I don't know…I guess because you're my sister and all…" Tyler stopped, looking uncomfortable.
"Tyler, stop trying to sound noble. It doesn't become you." Lily winked, and Tyler laughed.
Suddenly, Lily frowned.
"What?" Tyler asked.
"Shh…I hear something…" Lily hissed, and started forward. Tyler followed, confused at first, but then most definitely alarmed. He heard voices as well, and noted five figures standing directly ahead of them.
Five very familiar figures.
Lily clutched Tyler's shoulder, digging her nails into his shirt. Tyler didn't have to look at his sister to know that her eyes had gone wide in fear. Ahead of them stood Tux Keffner, Boss Stawicki, Arizona Caulfield, Silver Messina, and Jack Kelly.
And Silver was holding a knife against Jack's throat!
None of the five noticed Lily and Tyler. They were too wrapped up in their own 'business'.
"Oh my God…" Tyler whispered.
"He has a knife." Lily realized in a low voice.
"Go hide. I'm going to take care of this." Tyler instructed after a moment. He knew as well as Lily did that Silver was unpredictable and merciless. Despite his dislike of Jack, Tyler didn't want Silver to actually hurt the boy.
"Are you crazy?" Lily whispered.
"No." Tyler shook his head, and pushed his sister to the side before she could protest. Tyler started forward then intently, more than eager to exact some sort of revenge against Tux for hitting him last night.
"So Silver! I see your letting Manhattan into our little game! I doubt Storm would approve!" Tyler called when he was a few feet away from the five.
Silver looked up in surprise, as did Tux, Arizona, Boss, and Jack.
"Well hello there, Tyler." Boss smirked, and started forward.
"Ah, and look! It's the opportunistic lackey as well. So Boss, whose boots were you licking tonight? I bet Storm's are awfully clean." Tyler heckled as Boss met him, face-to-face. Tyler was not afraid of Boss. He knew that, in essence, Boss was a simpering coward who's inflated sense of self-worth only stemmed from the company he kept. Tyler was also not afraid of Tux or Arizona, both of whom he knew would not do much to him. At least when they were not in the presence of Storm.
But he was afraid of Silver. Tyler kept one eye on him, even as Boss was inches away from him. As soon as Silver had heard Tyler's voice, he had pushed aside Jack and started forward behind Boss. To Tyler's surprise, the Cowboy had not bolted. He was, instead, wavering a bit uncertainly, watching the proceedings.
"I would say the same of your sister's, Tyler." Boss sneered.
"At least hers would be clean." Tyler returned.
Boss simply laughed.
"All right, Tyler, where is she?" Tux demanded, standing next to Boss. Silver stood on the other side, wielding his knife dangerously. Arizona hung back.
"Who?" Tyler smirked.
"You know damn well who. Enough of these games, Tyler. It's four against one right now, and I know very well you're unarmed. Just give her up, and you can walk out of this." Tux challenged, sounding tired and somewhat…wounded. That struck Tyler as odd. Tux usually was just as self-assured as Boss, but tonight he sounded…almost defeated.
"You really think I would give up my own sister? And especially to that monster you've allowed to control you?" Tyler spat, incredulously.
"Enough a 'dis. If he won't tell us where she is, den I's just gonna have ta force it outta 'im." Silver snarled, and pushed the others out of the way, lunging at Tyler.
"NO!" Lily cried, popping up from behind the crates Tyler had shoved her into.
Everyone stopped dead. A triumphant smile crossed over Boss and Silver's faces.
"Lily you idiot! Run!" Tyler screamed.
Lily seemed to suddenly realize the position she had put herself in, and she bolted. Boss and Silver took off after her, leaving Tyler to deal with Tux and Arizona, who were still nearly frozen in disbelief. They had been searching for Lily for the last three years, and here she had popped right up in front of their very eyes.
Tyler turned, about to run after her sister's pursuers when Tux seemed to return from his stunned state and grabbed Tyler around the neck, throwing him down. Tyler cried out in pain and desperation
"Cowboy! For the love of God, HELP HER!" he cried out, not sure if Jack was even still there, or if he would heed, but it was his only chance. Then, to his immense relief, he saw Jack start after Silver and Boss.
Tux hit Tyler hard in the face, and Tyler punched him back, throwing him off. He struggled to his feet, but Tux socked him solidly in the stomach, and Tyler's breath flew from him and his vision clouded.
"Should we help da oddas?" Arizona asked, when Tux stood.
Tux cast a look down at Tyler, who was gasping like a fish dragged from the river.
"No. Let's go home." Tux shook his head.
"But I thought ya wanted a chance at Blue Eyes?" Arizona queried.
"Not now. Not like this. What I have with him isn't like this at all. And…and I wanna see if Sticks is all right." Tux explained, his voice dropping a bit. He then turned and started off in the opposite direction.
Confused, Arizona followed him.
Tyler sat up, in pain and deeply confused. Tux had had the perfect opportunity! And he had given it up…
But then he realized that Lily was still being tailed by Silver and Boss. He tucked his confusion away and started off after them.