"Roe! Roe!" Kite ran up the stairs of the fire escape to the roof where Brooklyn's second was pacing. He broke off his pacing instantly as he saw the other newsie approach.
"What is it, Knots?"
"'S Kite," Kite said exasperated at being mistaken for his twin yet again, then he remembered the gravity of the situation and the fact that seriousness was more often seen on Knots' face than his own. "Bronx heah t' see ya."
"Whadda those scabbahs want now," Roe wondered, but he had a sinking feeling in his gut. No, it ain't happenin'. He kin more'n look out for hisself.
"Won't say," Kite said as they walked down the fire escape.
Bronx's representatives were big strapping lads, but Roe was no willow himself and with Kite, Knots and Malloy with him, they could more than take the representatives. "Whaddya want?" Roe snapped.
"Ain't dat friendly!" the biggest of the representatives said with a smirk and lit his much battered cigar. "Look youse. We'se got summat t' show ya." He slung a canvas sack off his shoulder and took something out of it. It was a hat, a bluish, greyish one.
Roe felt the sinking feeling more sharply now. "So ya got a hat. Clever," he said disparagingly. "Is it for yer new brain?"
The newsie growled, but one of his cronies prodded him and his unpleasant grin spread across his face again. "Dat ain't all," the Bronx newsie said triumphantly and tossed two things on the ground. All four newsies knew what they were. The first object was a key, a heavy old-fashioned silver looking key on a bit of unbroken string. The second was a thick handled slingshot with the initials SC carved into it.
"Still don't prove nuffin," Kite maintained, folding his arms across his chest and looking threatening. His twin was not taking things so calmly though. With a snarl, Knots lunged at the biggest representative, knocked him over and they continued the fight on the ground.
"Call off yer dog!" one of the Bronx newsies shouted.
With difficulty, Malloy and Roe pried Knots off the Bronx newsie. They both looked worse for the wear.
"He'll pay for it!" the Bronx newsie shouted, wiping blood from his mouth on his sleeve. "Garn, I'll make him pay for what you done!"
For a moment, it was all Malloy and Roe could do to keep Knots from attacking, but then the aggressive newsie ceased to struggle. Suspecting a trick, neither let go. "Whaddya want for him?" Roe asked, trying hard to keep how he felt out of his voice.
"Well, we're feelin' generous," one of the newsies said. "You gives us about a fourth, an' we'll let him go."
"A fourth?" Roe repeated. A fourth of Brooklyn land to Bronx!
"Or fifteen dollars by Friday."
Fifteen dollars! A king's ransom! Brooklyn's treasury currently consisted of about five dollars. "Even iffin he meant summat to us, doesn't mean we've got fifteen," Roe said.
"Then a fourth," the newsie Knots had begun to bust up said. "Or else we'll land Conlon in a world of hurt an' bring him back t' Brooklyn. Bit by bit."
"Get outta heah!" Malloy shouted, then began cursing in an awkward mix of Gaelic and English. He moved towards the representatives who held their ground for a little while, then decided absence was in order and ran for their lives. Malloy did not pursue them.
Roe picked up the hat, slingshot and key.
"So what do we do now?" Kite asked quietly.
"I dunno," Roe admitted.
"We're finished," Knots said harshly.
"No we ain't," Malloy said, glaring at him.
"Malloy's right. Have a little faith, Knots," Roe said. "I'm beginnin' t' get a plan. We break him out."
"Awright. How?"
"We break him out." Roe wasn't sure how yet. "Let's talk t' Manhattan. Kite, yer with me. Malloy, Knots, hold things here."
AN: REEEVIEW!!
ANN: If the Brooklyn newsie names are similar to those in 'Promise' by Naeth, I admit, I have freely stolen them from my cousin who is currently trying to catch up on schoolwork and told me to tell any and all interested parties that 'Promise' will not be finished for quite some time.