Disclaimer: ibid (whoa dude, way too many research papers…)

A/N: Whoo!! School's out!

Chapter 6:

"How could they have escaped, John? You had a simple task. Lock the front door and then set the torch on it. One task and you failed completely."

"Blame the kid, Jacob. I was holding the door shut so the little varmints on the other side couldn't get out. They were pulling on that door something fierce."

"Peter, go and fetch the boy, will you?" Peter nodded at Jacob's command and dashed from the room. He was startled when he found Skittery just outside the door.

"Go in already," Peter pushed him into the room, and Skittery took his place next to Jacob.

"James. Thank you for coming with such haste. We have quite a predicament upon our shoulders at the moment so it is imperative that you do not lie to me. This man's fate rests in your hands."

Skittery looked from John to Peter to Jacob and then back again. "Whadda ya want me ta say?"

"Did you or did you not lock the front door of our cleansing site last night?"

"Did not."

"See! I told you!"

"It wasn't my job ta do it. I was settin' the torches just like everybody else."

"Liar!" John launched himself at Skittery, and Skittery, startled by the sudden attack, found himself lying on his back, with the older man hovering over him.

"Leave him alone, John," Jacob said gently. He reached down and lifted Skittery to his feet. "Make sure he stays put," Jacob ordered Peter. Peter stepped closer to Skittery, and even went so far as to place a hand on Skittery's shoulder. Skittery jerked free from the man's gesture, and stood, glaring at John with his arms folded across his chest, waiting to see what would happen.

"I'm afraid I have no choice but to cast you out," Jacob said. John's face grew pale and then a progression of pinks until it was bright red.

"You'll listen to a boy…an orphan no less, rather than one of your oldest and dearest councilors?"

"I cannot work with a man I don't trust, and I've been questioning your loyalty for some time now. Come John, you knew we'd find out eventually didn't you?" John's face went pale again and his jaw went slack.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

Jacob reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an envelope. Skittery stepped forward to get a better view, but felt a warning jerk on his vest. He wanted to punch Peter in the face more than anything, but for the sake of blowing his cover, he remained where he was.

"Where did you get that?" John demanded, reaching for the envelope.

"How many times have I told you, John? Trust no one but me." Jacob addressed his next statement at Peter. "Go tell the others we're ready for them."

Peter nodded and then disappeared. "John, I have for years spent my life studying the great book and its holy principles. The rules are the same for sinners as they are for us. We cleanse this great city of people contaminated by the evils of this sinful society, so that we can be lifted to heaven…am I right?"

John nodded. Skittery watched John's eyes grow wide with terror as just then, a group of men, the same ones from the cleansing the previous night stepped inside, adorned in their massive, black robes.

He watched in horror as they cuffed John and dragged him out of the room, his protests falling on deaf ears. His cries grew weaker as he was dragged down the hallway, and then they were silenced altogether when the front door slammed shut.

"Is he…?"

"A rule is a rule, James. I cannot hold my people to certain standards if my own councilors won't obey it, now can I?"

"This is all my fault…"

"Don't be foolish. John has had it coming for quite some time now. Last night only sealed our suspicions."

"What does the letter say?"

"Hmm? Oh! Yes, the letter. It's a short note from a good, respectable and trustworthy friend informing me that she saw John having drinks down at McKinley's bar not three blocks from here."

"That don't seem so bad…" Skittery mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothin'. I'm gonna go for a walk."

"Before you do, James. I have a matter to discuss with you."

Skittery gulped. He felt his heartbeat speed up.

"The annual school picnic is next Saturday. I want you to make sure Miss Nelson knows we're going to attend."

"Uh…yes, sir."

"Good. I look forward to hearing of your progress. Now go on your walk and don't be home too late."

Skittery nodded and then bolted from the room. He ran down the hallway, pulled open the front door, and took a deep breath in the fresh morning air. He'd gotten himself into a bigger mess than he had ever imagined possible, and more than ever, he wanted the help of his friends.

…

If Snoddy could have chosen anyone in the lodging to sneak around with, his last choice would have been Mush, and even then it would only have been in extreme circumstances.

Mush had the tendency to be clumsy.

"Oof!"

"Mush! Watch where you're goin' and keep quiet."

"It ain't my fault ya keep leadin' us into these alleys filled up to their tops in junk!"

Snoddy dove at Mush, placed a hand over his friend's mouth and watched intently as Jack turned around suddenly.

When their leader decided the coast was clear, he continued on his way, and Snoddy released Mush. "That was close," Mush said, breathing a sigh of relief. He stood up and brushed his clothes off and then trotted after Snoddy who was peering around the corner Jack had just disappeared behind.

"It was too close. No talking from here on out, got it?"

Mush grinned and nodded.

"Good. Follow me."

"I thought you said no talking…"

"No talking from you. Next time, I'm comin' alone."

Mush frowned but followed Snoddy in silence. A few minutes later their stalk-ee was standing outside the door of a large wooden shack, no doubt abandoned.

"Heya Chunks. Let me in ta se Spot." Jack said to the burly boy standing guard.

"Sure thing, Kelly."

Jack clapped the boy on the shoulder and then disappeared inside. The door shut loudly behind him.

"Well, oh great one, any good ideas?" Mush crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Snoddy's reply.

"We could always just ask 'im nicely. It worked for Jack."

"Yeah. That'd go over swell. Hey, kid, nice muscles, let us in, please?"

"You got a better idea?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Let's hear it then."

"I ain't s'posed ta talk, remember?"

"Yeah well, your mouth ain't been shut since we got here. What's the plan wise guy?"

"Follow me."

Snoddy watched warily for a second as Mush ducked behind a pile of broken wooden crates and crept back into the alley they had just exited.

"The goal is to get inside the building, Mush," Snoddy said quietly, still following the newsie in front of him.

"Trust me, Snoddy." Snoddy followed him through a maze of alleys and found himself disoriented by the time they emerged on the side of their goal, the guard oblivious to their presence.

"Good move, Mush."

Mush grinned and then reached up to yank down the fire escape ladder. It creaked loudly as it slid to the ground, and the two boys ducked back into the alley just as the guard peered around the corner to find out what had caused the ruckus.

When the guard had left, the boys came out and climbed the fire escape stealthily. Once on the upper balcony, they climbed onto the roof, and in through a sky light. The floor of the upper room creaked beneath their feet as they left footprints in the deep dust that covered it. They crept to the edge of the floor where the wood ended in a drop off. Snoddy lay down on his stomach, and Mush followed suit.

When they were settled, they listened to the conversation below them.

"So you got a place ta stay then?" Jack asked.

"You're standin' in it, Jacky boy. Nice, huh?"

"You need a maid or somethin' in here."

Spot cracked a grin and then leaned forward. "I ain't called ya here for idle chit-chat Jacky boy." He tapped his silver tipped cane on the table between the two boys. "This guy that calls himself a prophet wants us dead and you know it."

Jack nodded. "He got one of my guys already. Soaked him pretty bad."

"Then you see why we gotta stop him."

"What can we do? This ain't like the strike, Spot."

"It's exactly like the strike, Jacky boy. We gotta rally the boys together again. If this prophet wants war, lets give him a war."

"How?"

There was silence for a moment and then another smile from Spot. "We already got a guy on the inside. He can help us."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"I heard one of your boys walked out on ya, Jack. Went and joined up with ol' Loffstetter and his boys."

"So?"

"So, maybe he ain't walked out on ya after all."

"Spot, make a point."

"I have been following this "prophet" since he started burnin' tenements in the Bronx. He's bad news. Always kills his victims the same way. He calls it, 'baptism by fire'. No one has ever escaped from him because he attacks when you're most vulnerable. He attacks at night, when you're sleepin'. Locks the doors, boards up the windows, and before you know it, you're dead." Spot stood up then, tucked his cane beneath his arm and began to pace in front of what remained of the fireplace.

"What does all this hafta do with—"

"We walked out of the lodgin' house through the front door, Jack. Loffstetter don't make mistakes like that. He plans things to the smallest detail, and that why there ain't been any survivors 'til now…that door wasn't just overlooked, Jack…"

Jack stared straight ahead, thinking for a time, and then he stood up, spit in his hand and held it out to Spot. "Whaddaya say we go round up the fellas?"