Chapter 12
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Storm smiled as she heard the round of cheers as she finished singing. Coins clanged together as people tossed money into the hat at her feet. Smiling, Magic counted the money as it fell in. Nodding, she looked up to Storm.
"Tanks a bundle folks," Storm said as Magic gathered the money, "but one's all I'se kin give ya tanight."
Grumbles were heard as Magic handed the boys their money and leaded back to Brooklyn with Storm.
"Hey mista!" Storm called to a passer-by. The man looked up. "Got da time?"
"Quarter to five," he said as he walked by, his face in a paper, mumbling about a "non existing headlines" and "lying boys."
"Shit," Storm swore softly.
"I'se suggest youse run," Magic said.
"Ya t'ink?" Storm said as she started running as fast as she could to The Griffin.
She passed many boys who were still selling. She passed the docks and the people there. She ran by the bakery and the flower shop. And finally she stopped outside The Griffin. Smiling slightly to herself, Storm opened the door and walked inside. The pub was clouded with smoke and the scent of beer.
"What'll it be Storm?" the bartender asked as Storm walked in.
"Ain't sure yet, but I'se'll let ya know, Sam," she said as she made her way through the almost empty room.
"Youse late," a voice accused from the shadows.
"I'se needed ta git some money," she explained as she sat down at Spot's table.
"Dat explains absolutely nuttin," Spot said.
"It explains eve'yt'ing," Storm growled as she grabbed Spot's drink and took a swig.
"Strom," Spot started.
"Look Conlon, youse ain't got no right ta give me the third degree 'cuz I'se a few minutes later," Storm hissed.
"Nah, it ain't dat," Spot said looking behind her.
Storm followed his eyes and saw a richly dressed man looking around the bar.
"Damnit!" she whispered harshly.
"Who is he?" Spot asked.
"Spot kin ya git me outta 'ere?" Storm asked pleadingly.
Spot nodded and grabbed her hand. The stood and slowly made their way out the back door and into the alleyway.
"Who is he?" Spot asked again as they headed back to the LH.
"Conlon-" she started but Spot's icy glare silenced her.
"Look I'se da leadah 'ere, if I'se find out dat guy's lookin' for ya and youse got one o' me newsies killed, youse'll deal wid da streets," he said slowly. "Now tell me who he is."
"Dat was me bruddah, Deacon," Storm whispered.
"And he's lookin' for youse cuz.?" Spot asked.
"Cuz I'se ran off 'bout a year ago. I'se hated 'im and me faddah, and knowin' daddy-dearest," she spat, "Deacon was sent afta me."
"Youse really pissed 'em off, huh?" Spot asked, amusement filling his eyes.
"Conlon," Storm said as they stopped outside the LH. "If dey find me, dey'll kill me."
"Dey'd risk murdah ovah youse?" he asked suddenly very serious. "What is da name o' hell did ya do?"
"I'se don't wanna tell ya Conlon, at least not yet," Strom said casting her eyes to the clear sky as the sun started to set. "Dere'll be a storm soon," she added in a whisper, "and it won't rain water."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
Storm smiled as she heard the round of cheers as she finished singing. Coins clanged together as people tossed money into the hat at her feet. Smiling, Magic counted the money as it fell in. Nodding, she looked up to Storm.
"Tanks a bundle folks," Storm said as Magic gathered the money, "but one's all I'se kin give ya tanight."
Grumbles were heard as Magic handed the boys their money and leaded back to Brooklyn with Storm.
"Hey mista!" Storm called to a passer-by. The man looked up. "Got da time?"
"Quarter to five," he said as he walked by, his face in a paper, mumbling about a "non existing headlines" and "lying boys."
"Shit," Storm swore softly.
"I'se suggest youse run," Magic said.
"Ya t'ink?" Storm said as she started running as fast as she could to The Griffin.
She passed many boys who were still selling. She passed the docks and the people there. She ran by the bakery and the flower shop. And finally she stopped outside The Griffin. Smiling slightly to herself, Storm opened the door and walked inside. The pub was clouded with smoke and the scent of beer.
"What'll it be Storm?" the bartender asked as Storm walked in.
"Ain't sure yet, but I'se'll let ya know, Sam," she said as she made her way through the almost empty room.
"Youse late," a voice accused from the shadows.
"I'se needed ta git some money," she explained as she sat down at Spot's table.
"Dat explains absolutely nuttin," Spot said.
"It explains eve'yt'ing," Storm growled as she grabbed Spot's drink and took a swig.
"Strom," Spot started.
"Look Conlon, youse ain't got no right ta give me the third degree 'cuz I'se a few minutes later," Storm hissed.
"Nah, it ain't dat," Spot said looking behind her.
Storm followed his eyes and saw a richly dressed man looking around the bar.
"Damnit!" she whispered harshly.
"Who is he?" Spot asked.
"Spot kin ya git me outta 'ere?" Storm asked pleadingly.
Spot nodded and grabbed her hand. The stood and slowly made their way out the back door and into the alleyway.
"Who is he?" Spot asked again as they headed back to the LH.
"Conlon-" she started but Spot's icy glare silenced her.
"Look I'se da leadah 'ere, if I'se find out dat guy's lookin' for ya and youse got one o' me newsies killed, youse'll deal wid da streets," he said slowly. "Now tell me who he is."
"Dat was me bruddah, Deacon," Storm whispered.
"And he's lookin' for youse cuz.?" Spot asked.
"Cuz I'se ran off 'bout a year ago. I'se hated 'im and me faddah, and knowin' daddy-dearest," she spat, "Deacon was sent afta me."
"Youse really pissed 'em off, huh?" Spot asked, amusement filling his eyes.
"Conlon," Storm said as they stopped outside the LH. "If dey find me, dey'll kill me."
"Dey'd risk murdah ovah youse?" he asked suddenly very serious. "What is da name o' hell did ya do?"
"I'se don't wanna tell ya Conlon, at least not yet," Strom said casting her eyes to the clear sky as the sun started to set. "Dere'll be a storm soon," she added in a whisper, "and it won't rain water."