Gravel Roads
By: Holly Rose E.
Summary: He never thought he'd ever be so deceived. He was supposed to be untouchable, undefeatable. But with Harlem and the Bronx waging war, he was more at risk than he ever thought.
Rating: T, for now
Author's Note: First newsie fic in almost two years, I can only hope I'm better than I used to be lol
Disclaimer: Depressingly enough, I don't own newsies. I do, however, own any characters that do not look familiar.
Prologue
Spot Conlon was grinding his teeth.
"Knives is really upset with what your boys did, Jacky-boy," he said, "Can't you keep them under control?"
"They were new guys, just came to the lodging house not even a week before. They didn't know the rules."
"Doesn't matter! We're both already in hot water with them. Knives is getting together with Snow and they've been threatening us for months. My birdies keep telling me that they're trying to persuade Midtown to their side too..."
"Twitch won't go. I'll send Race there to talk to him. They're close; he's gotten Race out of trouble more than once."
Spot rubbed his temples, frustrated. Jack looked the worse for wear, with large bags under his eyes and his hair greasy and mussed. His clothes were rumpled and looked like they had been worn for days on end.
"Twitch and I have bad blood, though, Jack. I don't know if he'll be that eager to help us out if I'm involved."
Jack sighed and fidgeted with the bandana around his neck. "We're gonna have to get him together in a meeting."
"I ain't got no free time till this Saturday. I've got errands to run." Spot removed his cane and placed it firmly on the ground, hand clenching the gold-tip. "I'll want to see you at Medda's tomorrow night."
Jack quirked an eyebrow, "Did something happen?"
"Do you remember Cat?" Spot's eyes moved to look at Jack squarely. They had gone cold, hard. The grey in them had taken over.
"Yeah."
"She died. Two days ago."
Jack nodded at the news, guessing at what had happened. The crime rate among the newsies had recently shot up into frightening proportions. Fights were breaking out when one person looked at another the wrong way. Deaths were increasingly more popular, accidental or not.
Spot adjusted his cap, nodding at Jack quickly. "I got to get back soon; you never know what'll happen as soon as you leave the territory."
He smiled slightly, clutching Spot's shoulder in a caring, brotherly gesture. "Just be careful, Conlon."
Spot chuckled under his breath, "As if anyone would dare."
End Author's Note: I actually have something in store for this one, lol. Please leave reviews, I love them so. I hope I just didn't butcher them at all.