Jack walked up to the bunkroom. He scanned the bunkroom for the newest member of the Manhattan Lodging House. Jack found her sitting at the card table with Race, Blink, and Mush. He noticed that she wasn't playing cards. Jack figured it would be a good time to talk to her. Jack walked over to her, "Heya Spit Fiah can I'se tawk wid you'se?" He said more then asked.
Spit Fire looked up at him, "You aren't going to kick me out are you?" She asked standing up and walking over to him. She feared that her little episode with Spot earlier would affect her being able to stay.
"Nah I ain't gonna kick yah out." Jack said with a little laugh. He slung his arm around her, "Jus' wanna fin' out about me newes' newsie."
"Oh…" Spit Fire shoved her hands into her pockets. Reilly sat on the fire escape and looked in. He watched as Spit Fire removed her cabbie hat allowing a mess of red curly hair spill to her shoulders, "What do you want to know?" She asked him.
"Well why didja take Spot's key?" He asked her pulling two chairs so they were facing each other, "I mean yah had tah have a reason fer takin' it."
Spit Fire slowly sat down in the chair across from him; keeping her eyes on him at all times. Reilly leaned forward so he could hear what Spit Fire was going to say. 'She better not tell them anything that could be hazardous to her health.' He thought to himself.
"Because…" She drew out the word thinking of what to say to Jack. Spit Fire bit her lower lip. Jack looked at her, there was something about his look that said that she could tell him anything, "I took it because Reilly told me to take it."
"Okay…" Jack raised an eyebrow, "And who's Reilly, yer boss or somethin'?" Jack leaned back in his chair crossing his arms, "Don' lie tah me Fire."
"Reilly is some guy from The Bronx who can't get it through his thick skull that we were never going out and never will." Spit Fire said with a small attitude. She realized this and quickly changed her tone, "It was either steal the key or let him rape me again."
Jack looked at her. He wasn't sure if she was telling him the truth or not, but he didn't have any reason not to believe her. It was Spot's word against her's. Spot wasn't one for telling the truth, "This Reilly guy, he raped you?"
"That's what I said." She looked down at the ground. It was a bad habit of hers. She couldn't look people in the face when she talked to people, "The guys in The Bronx just take what they want from the girls there. They don't care for us, we're just objects." Spit Fire thought of her best friend Random and hoped that she would get out of there as soon as she could. Fire finally looked up at them, "So I left. Um….I think that Reilly might come and look for me."
"Well whad does he look like. I'se can let dah guys know an' then d'ey can keep an eye out for him." Jack said uncrossing his arms now paying full attention to her.
"He has sandy blonde hair and blue gray eyes, really tall and well built." Spit Fire closed her eyes trying to describe him the best she could. A few of the guys in the bunkroom had stopped what they were doing to listen to what Spit Fire was saying, "I'm not afraid of him or anything. Just that if I could get the key he wouldn't make me have sex with him."
"I'se don' think you'se afraid of anythin' 'speacialy since what I saw down stairs." Jack said to her, "I mean half of me guys don' have the guts tah stan' up tah Spot like d'at."
Whispers went through the bunkroom hearing about Spit Fire standing up to Spot. Spit Fire felt a small cocky smirk crawl across her lips. Jack let out a little laugh, "Yah wanna tell me anything else?" He asked her.
Spit Fire thought for a few seconds, "Rage and Reilly are friends and will probably work together. My best friend is still in The Bronx-"
Jack cut her off, "Yer frien's still d'ere?" Jack shook his head, "Well d'at won't do. Give me a few days tah think about it and I will fin' away tah get her outta there. Also let me find out whad's goin' tah be goin' on wid Reilly."
Reilly sat on the fire escape listening he had heard every word and began to plot what he was going to do to Spit Fire. Reilly slowly stood up trying not to make noise. He walked down the fire escape. Only he wasn't going to return to The Bronx just yet.
"Well this is yer bunk heah." Jack said standing up and pointing to one that was near the window. Spit Fire turned to look at the bunk. She saw the outline of a person leaving the fire escape and froze, "Yah need something let me know…." He paused, "Fire you ever need any one to talk to let me know."
Spit Fire shook her thoughts and turned towards Jack, "Huh….oh yeah…thanks." She said walking towards the bunk her eyes fixed on the window waiting for Reilly to jump through it any minute, but that did happen.
The lights had been turned out. Spit Fire lay awake thinking of how her life was going to be different from now on. Only she had this feeling in her stomach that wasn't right. Something was going to happen, but she wasn't sure what. Finally she drifted off into a light sleep.
Jack sat awake for a while watching every one in the bunkroom. He thought about what Spot had told him and how the Ripper's were headed their way. Jack was going to need Spot's help. They were a strong gang in New York and they didn't care about anything, but what they wanted. No one knew why the Rippers had a grudge against the newsies. They had never done anything to them. He ran his had through his hair laying down now. Jack was afraid that he would lose some of his guys and that was the last thing he wanted. He was going to have a busy day tomorrow. First thing was to find out about Reilly and Rage, then to see how long he had until the Rippers showed up in his territory. Jack concluded into a restless sleep.
Author's note: At the end this time. Well this isn't one of my best chapters. It is just one to fill you in on who some of the characters are. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I have started work on chapter six while I was writing this one. It will have more action in it. Spot and Reilly will hold major rolls in the next chapter. I hope to have it up tonight 3/4/02.