*Chapter 29*

"How was Brooklyn?" Kid Blink asked Silver Fists the next day, a grin glued across his face. Silver looked up from her paper and shrugged.

"It was Brooklyn." She responded, with a hint of a smile. "I'se kinda worried 'bout Bottle Cap..." She began but shook her head knowing she couldn't exlain anything to Blink. "Naw, nevahmind. I'se just missin' 'er I guess."

"You find out anything 'bout dat guy?" Blink asked innocently, handing a newspaper to a young woman. His eye twinkled at the lovely girl, who sat on a crate.

"Not really." She shook her head. "Bottle Cap don't want anyone ta know 'bout 'er past...not even me." She frowned, wishing Bottle Cap had told her at least the jist of her fanfic so she knew what to look out for.

"She's not da only one runnin' from 'er past, Silvah." Blink reminded her, "None of us like tawkin' 'bout dat stuff."

"I know," She smiled up at him, "but what if we can help? What if we can make dis guy go away? We'll nevah know unless she tells us who he is. All I know is dat 'is name is Ben...Ben Goodbakah, I think."

"Goodbakah?" Race joined the conversation, he and Dragonfly had just finished selling and were walking by.

"What?" Dragonfly giggled, not knowing why he'd said that. She looked over and saw Silver Fists and Blink. "Oh, heya guys." She greeted with a sparkling smile.

"Hey Drag." Silver Fists smiled, the two other newsies joining her and Blink. "Done sellin'?"

"Yeah," Race answered, "but what are you'se tawkin' 'bout Goodbakah for?"

"You hoid of 'im, Race?" Blink asked, selling his last paper.

"Hoid of 'im?" Race exclaimed, "I idolize dat man!" Dragonfly shrugged, not having any idea what he was talking about. Race continued, seeing their blank faces, "Goodbakah's da guy dat da jockeys buy deah horses from. He owns a chunk a land just outside da city fa raisin' dem. I would give anythin' ta get one of 'is horses."

"Maybe..." Silver looked at Blink, "Do ya think he's de same guy?" Blink shook his head.

"Ain't shoah, but it's possible."

"What guy? What's possible?" Dragonfly asked, dying to know what was going on. "C'mon guys! Ya gotta tell me!"

*

Bottle Cap walked slowly along the dock, watching all the Brooklyn newsies swim and have fun. Flirt and Hades sat together on one dock, whispering about their boyfriends and such, while Cards, Abs, and Dibs took a nice swim with the other boys. Popper wasn't back from selling yet, or so Bottle Cap guessed, and Spot was talking with Cajun inside.

Yeah, you guessed it-boring. Bottle Cap's mind soared as she paced back and forth. She tried over and over to remember some description of Benjamin Goodbaker, but none surfaced the sea of thoughts. She twirled her hair incessantly, not realizing anyone was paying her mind.

"Somethin' botherin' ya?" Bottle Cap jumped nearly outside of her skin at the sound of the male voice. She spun around with wide eyes, half execting to meet Ben's. The boy smiled his bright smile at her and chuckled. "Sorry, I din't mean ta scare ya."

"Well, ya did." Bottle Cap replied, her heart still racing at a thousand miles an hour.

"Anything ya wanna tawk about? Ya looked a li'l preoccupied." Dibs smiled at her, causing the irritation in her voice to die and the adoration fly. She returned his smile and shook her head.

"No, I'm just thinking." She assured him, although thinking was a dangerous occurance for her. Before either of them could say another word, Spin bounded onto the dock, her hair flying behind her and her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"BC!" She exclaimed, "We gotta tawk, an' now!" She said, her smile never faultering. Dibs studied Bottle Cap's face, a bit surprised to see the sudden friendship between the two.

"Heya Spin." He laughed at her energetic visage. Spin waved briefly to him, and grabbed Bottle Cap's arm, pulling her to the side and then proceeded on giving her a huge hug.

"You'se da best sistah deah evah was!" She beamed. "Ya have no idea what happened da oddah night, do ya?"

"Um...no, I guess I don't." Bottle Cap giggled, finding it rather amusing to see the once cold, mean Spin Conlon totally pour her happiness on her, the rotten sister she never knew.

"Well, ya musta known something was bound ta happen!" She explained energetically. "Ya don't pair Spin Conlon wit' a Brooklyn boy, leave them alone, an' not expect somethin' ta happen, do ya?"

*

"Wanna join me at da races dis evenin'?" Racetrack asked Dragonfly, trying to sound like a gentleman. Dragonfly smirked at him and laughed.

"You kididn' me?"

"Hey, me an' Tip'll go." Davey offered, his girl plastered to his arm, giggling about something Illusion had said.

"Okay, woiks fa me." Race shrugged, leaving Dragonfly wide-eyed.

"What's dat s'posed ta mean? Ya don't need me ta come no moah?" She pouted shamelessly. Race smiled and wrapped his arms around her, his nose touching hers.

"I don't need ya, no." He replied, "But I want ya, always." Dragonfly melted into his arms as Illusion rolled her eyes.

"You'se two are disgustin'." Gypsy laughed, heading back to the Lodging House with True. Dragonfly didn't mind the teasing, as long as she was in Race's arms.

"Hey, Silvah," Blink looked over at Silver Fists, who seemed a bit out of it, "You wanna go? We can check out dis Goodbakah guy fa Bottle Cap." Silver's eyes shimmered.

"Poifect. Den we'll at least know wheah 'e is an' when." She nodded. The group started down the street, chatting about meaningless blather. Silver Fists was deep in her own thoughts and plans of stopping Ben, she hardly took notice when Kid Blink slung an arm around her and began to hum softly.