A figure crept up to the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging house late that night. He deftly climbed the fire escape and ran his hands over the building, as if looking for something. He found what he was looking for- a loose brick. The person moved the brick and stuck his hand into the whole. His hand went in much farther than it should. He pulled out a crow bar and stuck it under the window. The window gave way silently. He replaced the crowbar and brick. He crept in, turned around, and closed the window. There was no light on but he could here the sound of breathing. The breathing was of many people, and it was the deep, slow kind of people in deep sleep. The figure stood in its spot for a second and looked around the room. Even in the pitch-blackness her knew where everything was- from the washrooms to the towel rack. He made his way out of the room and down the stairs. He stepped over one that he knew would creek and continued downwards. He knocked on the wall. It slid open and he entered.

Spot slid the door closed and turned to address the guest.

"And who are you?" he asked, as he could not see the face of the person for the ski mask he was wearing.

"That hurts, Spot, it really does." The person said, removing his hat.

"Blink!" Spot's voice sounded as he gave his old friend a hug. The tow men stood back and surveyed each other. Blink hadn't changed much- he still had the same dirty blonde hair and easy smile. The only thing that was different was his chin- he had grown a chin beard. He spit shook with Jack and down. He surveyed the rest of the people that had assembled. He recognized Ryan but he didn't' recognize the girl. He held out his hand to the girl.

"Me name's Kid Blink, but most people just call me Blink"

"Lenora, but most people call me Sunshine" she answered, returning the hand shake.

"Who else is comin' Jack?" he asked their fearless leader.

"Da' usual suspects" Blink nodded. A minute later another knock sounded at the wall. This one was far away from the door. Jack opened it this time and a figure came in.

"Hiya, Race" Blink said happily, getting up to greet his friend. There were more spit-shakes and a hug shared by Spot and Racetrack.

"It's been way too long, Spot. Ya need to visit more often" Racetrack said, the last part jokingly.

"Actually, you're gonna see a lot more a me from now on. I'm moving back." This was an unexpected but welcomed surprise for Race and Blink. After half an hour of waiting, all the newsies were assembled in the small room. They took their seats and prepared to get down to business. Spot and Jack were sitting next to each other, with Ryan and Sunshine on Jack's left. Mush sat on Spot's right, with Blink of his right. Sunshine had Boots on her left with Skittery on his left. To conclude the circle was Racetrack, the ninth and final person. The original four: Spot, Ryan, Jack, and Lenora relayed the story, filling in the gaps in each other's stories. They got ot the end and there was a stunned silence in the room. The other five newsies stared shocked a the four. Racetrack was the first to speak.

"I don't get how the paper and the Twins attack on Sunny mean anything." Lenora spoke up.

"Well, the paper said that the bank was held up but nothing stolen, and all the lock boxes were searched. Gabrielli probably thought that Dad would put in the safest bank when they found out that he had come here. As for the Twins, they're lowlifes. They'll do anyone's dirty work if it means money, and I KNOW they were talking about the ring. Gabrielli thought that my mom stole it from him. I don't' know why, but that's what my mom told me." Racetrack nodded in understanding, and asked another question

"Well, how do we keep it from 'im. I mean, how's a bunch of former pickpockets gonna play keep away wit' a bunch a goons?". Spot and Jack looked at each other and sprouted identical evil smiles

"Easy" Spot said.

"You're gonna pick pockets" Jack finished.



The plan was simple. The newsies would use their skills as pickpockets to move the ring from one and other. Spot would start with it, and Race would pick his pocket without being seen. After a while, or if someone figured it out, Blink would pick Race's pocket, and so on down the line until Sunshine took it from Ryan. This would keep the Gabrielli goons from getting the person with the ring. There would be so many of them it would be impossible to pinpoint which one if they figured out their plan. If they captured one of them then others would come to help. The plan was simple, but they didn't know how long they would have to keep it up. It would start early the next day, with Spot's trip to the deli.