I was wrong again there are 3 more chapters. 8, 9 and 10 Jeepers. Anyway here is the long awaited chapter (I think).
Chapter 8
Blackmail
Oscar Delancey and Morris Delancey…. two of the most hated people on the Earth had to try to pretend that they were loving brothers of three struggling boys. Probable? No Impossible? Yes.
"C'mon you damn kids!" Oscar tried to yell quietly. This was his perception of an older brother's dialogue. Sure it was Oscar.
"Get off of me!" Snipe cried trying to kick Oscar in the groin, but just as he was about to Morris tugged his arm above his head. Snipe fell quite and continued following the two boys. How could anyone not notice this?
On the other hand Les and Boots were now being kicked every so often to make sure that they stayed in place. 'This is absolutely disgusting,' Snipe thought, but he couldn't do anything. 'Maybe once we get to Manhattan the older newsies will care enough to help us.' Snipe shook his head in the rain. 'There is no way they cared.'
Halfway home the tough guys stopped and looked back at them. "You little punks are going to go with Morris here." Oscar said motioning for his brother to grab them; which he did. "Now I'm go tell Jacky-boy and the others that you are nice and safe." Oscar headed off in the rain leaving Les, Snipe and Boots alone with Morris.
Over in Harlem Race was just awakening from his slumber. When he fully opened his eyes he fell off the couch where he was sleeping. "Where am I?" he cried out. Turning he noticed a girl in the corner and it all came back to him. The boys missing, him trying to find them and getting stuck here in Harlem with this girl.
"Well you're up bright and early Race." She said giggling softly coming towards him.
"What's your name again?" Race asked pulling himself off the ground.
"I'm Cakes." Giggling again she stood up to finish putting up her hair. "Anyway Race today is my day off so I'm going to go back to Manhattan with you." She then turned to face him. "Because I want to make sure you get there all right."
"That would be fine Cakes lets go." He unwrinkled his clothes the best he could and left the room.
David paced the bunkroom over and over talking to Scab. "Are you positive they said he was with the Delancey's?" he asked gesturing to where Mimic and Tears sat on the ground.
"Dave we have told you a million times, THEY have told you a million times he left with the Delancey's!" Scab answered frustrated that this had been going on for at least an hour. Spot on the other hand was leaning against a wall he didn't care where the kids were, what they were up to or where Race was.
"Listen it doesn't matter!" Spot interjected. "Look I have to get back to Brooklyn you munchkins can figure this out on your own." He pushed his foot off the wall and started down the stairs. Just as he reached the bottom there was a knock at the door. Spot frowned and opened it. 'Who knocked at the lodging house?' What he saw didn't surprise him in the least. Smiling he called back up the stairs, "Guys Race is back!" He paused and then turned back to Race. "So who's the girl?"
"Oh, this is Cakes." Race said pulling her in front of him.
"Hi." She said shyly. Spot nodded.
"I'll see you around Race, I have to get back to Brooklyn." Spot shook his hand nodded in Cakes direction and left the Lodging House.
"Well Cakes do you want to come and meet the boys?" Cakes stood there for a moment. "C'mon!" Cakes was pulled up the stairs into the bunkroom.
"Hey guys I'm BACK!" Race yelled when he was in the center of the room.
"Welcome back." Jack said walking over to race and shaking his hand.
"Thanks Jack." Cakes nudged him. "And this is Cakes." She curtsied.
"Hello." Jack took her hand and kissed it causing her to giggle.
"Yeah so that's Jack Kelly, over in the corner banging his head against the wall is David." Then laughed when David glared at him. "There over on the bed is Pie Eater, Mush is over there with the two small girls." He paused. "Jack who are the two small girls?"
"Oh, these are Scab's long lost sisters. The blond haired one is Mimic and the other one is Tears." At that Tears turned around and looked extremely offended at being called the other one, on cue she burst into silent tears.
"Jack what the hell!" Scab ran over to his sister and held her in his lap. While all this was going on Pie Eater had come over to Cakes.
"Hello Miss." He said taking her hand and kissing it. She curtsied.
"Hi." She gestured to the lobby down the stairs she really hated this lodging house. He nodded and followed her.
"Good now I can breathe." Pie walked over to her and stared into her light blue eyes. She was alarmed but met his gaze. "Well I better go…I, I have to get back to the bakery before my parents realize I'm gone." She turned to leave when Oscar Delancey strode through the door. Cakes jumped back running into Pie, "Sorry."
"Well aren't you two a cute couple now where is Jacky-Boy?" he demanded.
"Upstairs." Oscar left and went upstairs in search of Jack. "Hello Jacky-Boy."
Jack whipped around to see Oscar leaning on the wall. Oscar smirked as Jack frowned advancing on him. "You little ass!" Jack said running over and punching him in the gut.
"Look Kelly if you touch me again I'll have Morris kill the boys." Oscar wheezed. Jack stopped and just stared at him.
"So Oscar what do you want for the boys?"
"Manhattan Kelly. I want to own Manhattan." Jack's jaw dropped.
"You will never get Manhattan!" Race yelled through gritted teeth. The other newsies crowded around Oscar. Cakes not wanting to get in the way ran over to distract Mimic and Tears.
"He's right Oscar." Scab mentioned. "You will never get Manhattan."
"Then you will never get the boys." They looked at each other. Were they willing to give up Manhattan for three boys? "I'll give you until tomorrow at noon." Oscar mentioned getting up and bolting down the stairs before anyone could hit him again.
"Jack…" David stuttered. "We can't let them keep the boys! They can't keep Les…" Dave looked like he was about to cry.
"Davey we will not let them hurt the boys and definitely not hurt them. We need a plan to get the boys here safe and sound without giving up our home." He turned towards the older boys. "Do you have any ideas?"
Blink who had been silent this entire time spoke up. "I think we should create a diversion so someone could go in and grab them."
"Great idea, but we still need to find out where they are being kept." Jack looked around the room. "I believe we should leave that to the girls." Cakes, Mimic and Tears all looked up.
"Us?" Mimic asked. "Jack we can't we aren't that smart." Tears finished the sentence.
"That is why, Cakes is going with you." The color drained out of Cakes face.
"I have an idea Jack, but it might not work."
"What is it?"
"Well Mimic and Tears have told me their special powers we could use those to our advantage."
"That's a great idea!" Mush said enthusiastically going over and patting Cakes on the back, causing Pie to get considerably jealous.
"Thanks. Anyway we should get started to see where they are." Cakes got up took both girls hands in hers and started outside.
"Don't get hurt." Scab called out after his sisters. "You too Cakes." Race said he felt Cakes was his responsibility because he had drawn her into this.
"We won't promise." She said slipping out the front door and into the street.
"I hope she knows what she is doing." Race mentioned turning back to the other boys. "I can't believe we actually miss the little guys."
"I know what you mean, I thought we would want them out of our hair." Jack added sitting on a bed.
"Lets swear never to hurt them again, if we ever see them again." Race finished as he stared out the window.
