Disclaimer:  SaL owns Wolfgang and Mouse; Hotshot owns Hotshot and Candy, and, well the rest are owned by Disney.  The gift, wild magic and certain other aspects are borrowed from Tamora Pierce.  We do not own them; don't sue us.  The idea for this story is completely our own so don't go copying it.

Justify the Thrill

Chapter 4

Exempt From Sanity


        Spot was anxious; Race was an idiot. This much was obvious from the goings on in the small dungeon cell. Spot was pacing back and forth between the two walls, practically making a permanent track on the dirt floor. A scowl covered his face and his glazed eyes were focused on whatever was directly in front of him. He mumbled under his breath to an invisible source. "Where does he come up with these stupid ideas… what's wrong with him, we were going to get out of here… he's going to ruin everything… I swear I'll kill him."

        "Spot, shut up and sit down. You're making me dizzy." Mouse was sitting on one of the bunks against the far wall. A half empty pitcher of water and a glass sat on the table next to her. She idly created whirlpools that made the pitcher shake.

        Spot put his hand over the top of the pitcher forcing it to remain still. "No," he insisted, "I swear I'm going to kill him."

        Mouse rolled her eyes, "Just like last time? Or how about the thousand times before that?"

        Spot sat indignantly in the seat next to her, "I mean it this time."

        "Uh huh." She began to concentrate on the water again until he complained. "Sorry, so anyway, this is something that we can do right? I'd hate for you to drag us along for something like this and have it be impossible."

        "It'll be easy, easier than what we've been doing here. Think about it we'll have maps and the nobles to cover for us. We could do it so much easier if they didn't have to come but-"

        "Well we do, so stop complaining. You think I'm happy about my father's decision." Jack stood outside the cell, flocked by his entourage. "I honestly don't think we need you to do this but I respect my father's wishes."

        Spot and Mouse shared a look and Spot smirked. He stood and walked up to the door. "That's nice Jack, really it is. Let's just get this over with so we can split. Promise, when we get back you'll never have to see my face again."

        Jack stepped aside and David opened the door to the cell. He handed Mouse the knives that had lined the sued strap around her waist, her boots, and the cuffs of her sleeves until her capture. She looked each over quickly and flipped them into their rightful spots.

        Jack held out a dagger to Spot who took it and slid it into his boot, "Where's my cane?"

        Jack pulled it out of his belt and looked it over again, "I honestly don't see how this can be used as a weapon. Sure the wood is strong and the gold tip must be painful, but how on earth do you fight with it?"

        Spot took the cane and slid it into his belt, "Hopefully you'll never have to see me use it."

        They ascended from the dungeon and out of the palace through a side exit. Spot kept a sharp glance around. No guards were following the group but he still took it upon himself to watch out for trouble. Though the knights had dressed down a bit they were still noticeable when compared to most commoners. If the wrong people saw them it would mean trouble. The capital was a place many commoners dreamed of, for it was know for it's organization, security, justice, and respect. Now they had entered the poorest part of Tralee, filled with trouble and chaos, with people who world sell out their own brother to ensure survival. It was a city full of thieves, most lacking any morals whatsoever.

        Spot kept them to the alleys as much as possible, both for the nobles safety as well as his own. He didn't trust most people and had a reason not to as of late.

        The Avignon Tavern was not far from the palace and looked as normal as any other building in city of Tralee. It was known to all thieves for being named after a secret city of thieves. Only the best thieves knew of the city's location as well, and few had the courage to go there. Anyone else just saw it as a name, and never suspected that those who lived there were thieves, well, maybe they had their suspicions. They had heard talk of the underground city of Avignon and had passed it off as a legend, something the thieves used to strike fear into the hearts and minds of the county folk. Most just laughed it off assuming the tavern to be the so-called great city of thieves. Because the majority of folk had begun to believe in the 'thieves hoax' some of the lesser thieves had begun to believe in it as well. However this only made the city stronger, superior, it gave those who knew of it greater power and freedom like no other.

            Most of Spot and Mouse's friends had grown up around the tavern and had heard the stories. Spot himself had been there since he was seven and Mouse and Blink had arrived together when they were about nine. They'd formed their little band of thieves in their early teens. Some in the Rouge guild's early years had even been fortunate enough to enter the great city, Spot included.

            Spot turned to the nobles when they reached the front door. "There shouldn't really be anyone in there today so we can talk freely. Stay behind me and Mouse when we go in; I have a bone to pick with them before we get in to everything else."

            He slammed open the doors and marched in. Several other teens, mostly boys, were lounging around the numerous tables and stools at the bar talking. Their heads snapped up at the sudden intrusion.

            "Afternoon fellas," Spot greeted them. His face twisted into a smirk as he walked down to the head of the table, "Good to see you."

A tall boy with dark brown hair and soft gray eyes sitting at the bar stood. He wore dark brown leggings with matching leather boots. A teal poet shirt with drawstring keyhole was worn beneath a brown leather jerkin fully lined with leather laces and matching cuffs were tied to his sleeves. Standing against the bars corner, next to him, was a good-sized throwing spear with a bronze point and steel handles engraved with an unfamiliar crest.

            "Uh, Spot we were just uh… planning how we were going to get you and Mouse and Race out of that-"

            "Shut up." Spot snapped.

            "He got himself out Pie. Don't worry about it." The only girl in the place spoke from a table by the stairs. She was sitting across the table from a taller boy, a deck or cards between them.

            "Thanks for your concern Hotshot." Spot yelled across the room at her.  The two seemed to be old friends.

            "Welcome." She smirked in his direction.

            The girl who spoke appeared to be the same age as her companion Mouse, though there was something different about her. Hotshot, as the nobles had discovered she was called, was taller than any of the three captives and dressed in a mixture of boy's and women's clothing. She wore brown leggings much like her leader's, along with a three quarter length, white chemise blouse which she wore un-tucked. The blouse featured a keyhole with drawstring and was slightly ruffled at the sleeves. Over this she sported a forest green jerkin with padded suede shoulder rolls tailored to emphasize the shoulders. Her light brown hair was pulled back with a piece of rawhide and draped over one shoulder. The other was occupied by a sack filled with forest green feathered arrows and matching longbow. The daggers hanging from the black sued belt, at the girl's waist emphasized her ruggedness as her cool eyes dared the nobles to mess with her. Her boots were black thigh high suede leather rolled down to her calves. They held two hidden daggers that tied her look together. The party of nobles also took notice of the full length, twill brown cloak with forest green silk lining complete with a half-circle brass cloak pin draped across her chair.

            This girl, this 'Hotshot' as she was so lovingly referred, stumped them there was no question that she could hold her own, but even her companion wore a dress even if it wasn't as girlish as Candy's. Here was a girl who dressed as a boy but incorporated a bit of feminist. However strange she appeared to them, they didn't dare question her on it.
           

Her companion on the other hand was tall, lanky and wore a pair of pewter framed glasses. His brown hair spilled into his matching eyes as he leaned over his hand, eying the cards played on the table. He wore dark gray leggings accented by a light gray poet shirt fastened at the waist by a black leather belt with pewter buckle, and matching leather boots. The lace up front and ruffles at the neck and sleeves of the shirt were very understated, yet added just enough to pass as formal wear when meeting with the common class. A dark gray floppy hat lay on the table beside him along with a large silver topped staff finely decorated with rare Celtic markings.  His name was Specs.
 

Spot looked over the ranks and noticed missing faces. "Where is everyone?"
           

"Itey and Snitch are out, probably picking pockets or getting some food," A boy with wavy, dark brown hair that spilled into his deep brown eyes answered. He was known as Swifty and was clad in black breeches and a dark brown, muslin, long-sleeved, boat-necked, baggy shirt over this was a cape in brown velour, trimmed in gold and burgundy, which had the ability to be worn off shoulder or on. At the moment it was off the shoulder bringing attention to his Celtic spirit bottle. It was a small blue glass bottle on a gold cord wrapped in an antiqued gold Celtic knot adorned with the ancient Celtic Wolf. Like Hotshot, Swifty was armed with a sack filled with gold-feathered arrows along with coordinating longbow on his shoulder and crossbow hanging from a leather strap. He too wore black leather boots and cuffs. "You know them, even after a bust that's what they do. Blink went out with them. He's probably flirting with the ladies, but what do you expect."
           

"What about Race?" Mouse asked.
           

"Race," Pie Eater arched an eyebrow, "He was captured with the two of you. Did you hit your head or something?"
           

"But he escaped."
           

"He ain't been back here yet," Hotshot shrugged, "probably come around tonight though."
           

Specs glanced behind Spot warily, "Who're your friends?"
           

"Don't call 'em friends." The leader snapped. "They're more like… business associates." He motioned to the table at which Hotshot and Specs were seated. "Everyone grab a seat."
           

"Why do I suddenly not like the sound of that?" Swifty whined looking back and forth between Spot and his remaining friends, hoping one of them had an answer.

Mouse sighed and took a seat at one end of the table. The nobles had seated themselves on one end nearer the door while the thieves claimed the other; with Spot sitting somewhere in the middle. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the door swung ajar reveling three teens.
           

In bounced Snitch and Itey, their pockets looking considerably heavy. No doubt it had been a good day. Blink walked behind them with a grin on his face. Snitch it seemed was telling Blink about the finer points of how he'd stolen a well-adorned knife off of a man that morning. He stopped dead in his tracks at seeing the table. "Uh… hiya Spot."
           

Spot sent the three a bored look; "We escaped. Drop the worried look and take a seat."
           

The three obeyed, equaling out the two sides. Snitch unbeknownst to himself took a seat across from the prince and proceeded to empty his findings of the day upon the table. Meanwhile the other two did the same as the noble's eyes widened in abhorrence while the remainder of the thieves inspected the loot with keen eyes. There were eight nobles, eight thieves, with       Spot caught in the middle.

The latter cleared his throat. "So, Mouse, you wanna take a swing at explaining all of this?"
 

            "You dug your grave Conlon, now lie in it." She barely looked at him as she spoke from her end of the table, suddenly finding the amethyst tipped hilt of her silver shell guard dagger interesting. Their accomplices looked up form their new treasures as the three boys began to re-pocket them instantly sensing the tension between the two ex-captives and the strangers. All eyes were darting intensely at their leader and skeptically toward the outsiders across the table.

            "Okay," Spot paused, "First of all, there is no need to get up and run because you're in no danger of being arrested. In fact, it's more likely that I will hurt you in the chance that you run, because all of you need to hear this out. Now, this," he pointed to the boy at his immediate left, "is prince Jack of Tralee."

            He noticed that everyone except Mouse stiffened. Specs and Pie even started to stand as if to run, but caught themselves. The other knights also seemed to have expected an attack. There was a moment that he left silent, and the tension rose to be so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

            "And these other men are his knights and their squires. Now, can you all accept that and get over the fact that they are sitting here with us." They all nodded, and Spot turned to Jack, "And Jackie-boy, these here are the best thieves in all of Tralee." He turned back to his friends,  

            "Snitch," He motioned to the boy on his right dressed in sandstone colored breeches and matching tunic over a white poet shirt. He wore brown suede boots and a flail hung from the suede strap at his waist. "grew up in this here town and works wonders with a flail.

            "Next to him is Itey, our mace expert, who is also from Tralee." The boy who had recently entered in brown breeches and white poet shirt with drawstring keyhole, smiled proudly. He too wore suede boots and strap with a mace hanging from it. However he distinguished himself by wearing a brown floppy hat over his slightly curly black hair.

            Swifty, Pie Eater, and Hotshot came here from their various homes. Watch out for that one." He said pointing toward the Hotshot. "Beside her is Specs, he grew up hear as well as myself and Race. The last two are the only Cascadian's, Kid Blink and Mouse. They're specialty is with daggers but there's no one better with a rapier than Mouse and Blink's a master with a trident."

            Blink was the dirty blonde teen with a suede patch over his right eye, clad in kaki colored Sailor Pants that had a drawstring waistband and discrete, deep front pockets. A white three quarter length Ren shirt was worn beneath a dark purple Captain's Coat made of lush cotton corduroy with delicate gold and black trim. He wore it with comfort and authority. His black leather boots hid a set of daggers, much like Mouse's.  He also eyed a trident across the room, which was presumably his, as he watched the nobles.  It was decorated slightly with several pearls and shells. 

            "Now that we know everyone let's get started. Okay, now listen carefully to what I have to say because I'm only gonna explain this once. It is true that Race, Mouse and myself were captured during our last raid. We were interrogated and asked to give up our partners' names in order to have reduced sentences and we didn't, even when his highness here threatened us with death. The king had me brought to his chambers this morning. He has a deal to strike with us. If we accept and carry it out we will be generously compensated and released to do whatever we wish. That means we can all leave Tralee, or start over, with a clean slate. If not we'll be arrested. Now, the king wants to send us on a mission to Odessa…"

            Once he was finished with a rather lengthy explanation Spot let them all sit in an uneasy silence. He and Jack were the only ones who knew the entire plan as of yet and it had come as a shock to both the nobles and thieves. He rose and made his way up to the bar. Blue Warren, barkeeper and owner of Avignon Tavern, was standing behind the counter; he'd heard the entire thing.
 

            Blue had owned the tavern for only the past four or so years. He was only in his early twenties and barely six years Spot's senior. He'd inherited the tavern from his grandfather and in accepting it also accepted letting Spot and the others live and plot there. He actually rather enjoyed the excitement it brought, though he could not partake in the raids himself, they paid him well to let them stay there. He enjoyed misleading the guards who questioned him.

            "You think they'll bite?" he asked.

            Blue nodded, "You know they'd do anything to help you. It's fucking sickening how close the ten of you are. Just give them a few." He placed a tray of water on the counter, "Now bring this over there and get this to work. Make sure you talk to me if you're all going to leave."

            "Water," Spot offered setting the tray on the table several seconds later. Blink and Mouse all but lunged for a glass. Being nervous or worried made Cascadian's thirsty, actually a lot of fierce emotions made them thirsty. The others were all slower to take a glass, especially the nobles.

            Spot wasn't at all worried about the nobles. They had no choice in the matter of going with Jack. The knights would be ordered to and their squires would have to follow. His friends on the other hand might not accept. He knew some of them had certain qualms about nobles and about doing something for them. He knew also that at least Snitch and Itey had never even been outside of Tralee in their entire lives.

            "Well," he prompted.

            "I already told you I'd do it," Mouse said.

            "I'll come too then." Blink added automatically. He was almost a brother to Mouse, which meant t if one did something there was no doubt the other would too.

            "I'm in," Hotshot said, grinning, "Sounds like fun." Leave it to her to think of it that way.

            Specs nodded when Spot looked at him, "I guess."

            "It'll be easy," Pie Eater tried to reassure himself as he nodded. "Yeah, easy"

            Swifty sighed as he looked at Spot, "Well, if you're going through the woods you'll need me."

            Not to be left out Snitch and Itey exchanged a glance and Itey spoke for them, "Us too."

            Jack looked almost put out at not being able to arrest anyone, but managed a solemn nod. "They'll all have to come to the palace. We'll give them names and titles, weapons," He glanced at them in mild distaste, "new clothes."

            Though his words were meant to be scathing Jack looked at the thieves in wonder. From everything he'd heard about thieves he'd learned that they used other people and cared for no one but themselves. Spot and his friends were the exact opposite, closer even than Jack and his friends. Now if only that Racetrack boy would come back they could move ahead with things.

            At that particular moment the side door to the tavern opened and he marched in humming a happy tune. "Speak of the devil" Jack muttered.

            Race stopped dead as he caught sight of the table.

            "You are a dead man, Race." Spot spoke as he stood pulling a hidden dagger from his belt.

            "Uh… Spot! Fancy meeting you here. Hehe…" He managed to squeak out as he slowly backed away from the advancing Spot.

            "You…you imbecile! You 'tripped' you clumsy little shit! You tripped, you got us caught, and you, you are the reason we had to agree to this whole mess!" Spot hissed, rage erupting through him as he threw his dagger through the air, forcing Race to dive out of its path of destruction. "And how did you redeem yourself while your friends were suffering as a result of your idiotic mistakes? While we were rotting away in a prison cell, while Mouse was dehydrating, because of you! What did you do Race? You left us; you escaped leaving us to pay for your stupidity! And you had the nerve to waltz in hear humming like nothing happened!" By this time Race had fallen to the floor and was crawling backward into the wall. Spot towered over him, dagger raised high above his head ready to kill. "Die you traitorous bastard!" He exclaimed driving the dagger down upon his friend.

            "Spot!" Mouse exclaimed breaking the rest of the room's occupants out of their shock. Standing from her position between Blink and Mush she willed with all of her might to use that new mysterious power to stay her leader's weapon. After seeing that it had worked she swiftly approached Spot and promptly dope slapped him.

            "Ow!" Spot exclaimed dropping the dagger to rub the back of his head, "What was that for?"

            "You promised you wouldn't do anything brash."

            Race took this opportunity to stand and move toward the door. "Well seeing as how I'm not welcome here no more, I'd best be going."

            "Not so fast!" Hotshot warned as Specs, Blink and herself surrounded him weapons drawn. "Who ever said you weren't welcome here?"

            "But…Spot just…"

            "What that? That was nothing." She shrugged, as though attempts on Race's life were a daily occurrence.

            "Nothing! He almost killed me!"

            "He was just upset a bit, you know Spot." Specs entered the conversation excusing their leader's behavior. "He just over reacted a little is all."

"Think about it for a minute, Race," Swifty interjected, "Has Spot ever gone through with his threats to kill you?"

"Well, no but-"
           

"Besides," Blink added slinging an arm over his friend's shoulders, "we wouldn't let you get off that easy. If we have to go through with this you're coming too. It's only fair, no? I mean it is your fault after all."
           

Race looked around the room making eye contact with each of the thieves. His face was contorted in confusion and he regarded them as though they were crazy. "You honestly think Spot killing me is being let off easy?" The thieves merely shot glances between each other before staring at Race ignoring his question.

"So you in?" Spot questioned holding out a hand.

            Glancing at it uneasily Race nodded shaking on it. "Like I have a choice" he mumbled.

            "Glad ta hear it!" Spot smiled, patting him roughly on the back.

A/N: ok, so now that I had to throw my character in there we all know who this is.  It's Hotshot and SaL.  Well, we aren't any of the best-known authors in the newsies section but we decided this would be our summer project and created a new name.  Any mail or whatever can be sent to one of our e-mails as there isn't one posted for Exempt… 

Anyway, I know this isn't the longest of chapters and it's almost all descriptions but we figure that we need to get all of our characters out there.  The rest of the nobles will probably fit into the next few chapters, and things will start moving quicker after that as well.

Seeing as it is past midnight and I have things to do tomorrow I'm not going to do shout-outs.  If you enjoy reading this please review so we know you're reading.  And if you hate it, well… review anyway and tell us what we're doing wrong.

Forever,

Exempt From Sanity.