When Angel, Bailey, and I were walking through the rally crowd to find seats there was more hooting and hollering that I knew wasn't just for Medda. We sat down next to Kid Blink, Mush, Boots, Crutchey, Snipeshooter, Frit, Pie Eater, and many others of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Newsies.
"De ye have a sista?" Blink said to me as I sat down and I laughed.
"Hey ya neva know dese days do ya?" I said raising my eyebrow at him.
"Yea I mean look id me an Ang," Bailey agreed, "we didn't all know fer awhile dat we was twins."
"Yea Blink ye missed out on dat one didntcha?" Mush elbowed him jokin around.
Blink sighed, "Yea tell me about id, I guess I was off me game dat day." He said grudgingly.
"Heyy Jacky-boy beatcha fair an square wid dat perty goil," Crutchey chimed in motioning at Bailey.
The three of us laughed, "Whudd is dis some sorta game ye boys play?" Angel asked jokingly.
"Hey, ids easier den poka when yer friends wid Race," Blink shrugged.
"Oh tell all de goils yer tryin te get wid dat, I'm sura dat'll make em come runnin te be wid ya," I said pretending to be offended but really was amused.
"Alright, alright," Blink said to me, but then turning to the boys he said, "Whudd de ye reckon about de danca on de right? I bet ya double or nuthin fer me goin out wid her afta de rally."
"Yer on," said Boots, "She looks like shes ten yeas olda den ye at least!"
Angel, Bailey, and I turned away from them and towards the stage shaking our heads.
Medda as always, was great on the stage and captivating to the audience, many of which had never seen one of her shows or anything like it. I always loved watching her as well. She had a beautiful voice and I loved to see the way she toyed with all the boys in the crowd.
She was in the middle of a show ballad number when I realized that the guys had been gone for quite some time. I looked around to Bailey or Angel to ask them if I should go take a look around for them and see what was up, but they had gone over to talk to Scott and Kevin who I hadn't even noticed were there before. They looked like they were engrossed in their conversation and they hardly ever got to see their brothers so I didn't want to interrupt.
Deciding to just go on my own I got up and wound my way in between newsies to get out of the crowd. Most were too engrossed by the stage to even notice that I had passed. I made it to the doors, out of them and into the entrance area of the hall. My first thought was to go check the upstairs rooms because those would be private and the way that Spot had held Jack and Race back it seemed like he had wanted to talk to them about something. I grabbed a lantern on my way up because the hall and stairs were dark. I looked in each of the many rooms off of the landing but they were all dark, they weren't in there. After I finished looking I went back down and decided to check out front. I opened the doors and Medda's guards that I had seen earlier in the day were still standing there.
"Hello little lady did ya need sumthin," One of the men said in a kindly manner.
"By any chance did ya see Jack, Spot or Race around hea?" I asked them.
"Well dey came out hea te check te see dat everythin was goin alright awhile ago. And I think dey were goin te check de back door, so mebe dats where dey went." The other man answered me.
"Oh ok, I'll check back dere den," I said, "Thanks." I went back inside and made my way to the back entrance behind the stage.
"Crap," I thought to myself as I was navigating the dark hallway. I had left the lantern up at the front on the floor of the hallway when I had come down from looking upstairs and went outside to talk to the guards. I thought about going back for it but I decided that I had already come too far and might as well just go check with the guards at the back door and head back to the show.
They were still no where to be seen as I reached the hall to the back door and because I was nervous being in the very dark area alone I reached for the my mothers necklace I always wore underneath my clothes and played with it between my fingers. When I got to the door I stuck the necklace back into my dress and pushed it open.
At first I saw no one, but the ally was very dark and I stepped some what farther out of the doorway. Then I saw a man I didn't recognize leaning against the wall behind the door. I just figured that I hadn't seen this guard earlier and I kind of just wanted to ask if they had come this way then be back on my way.
"Excuse me, I was wonderin if…" and I trailed off and a pang of dread shot through my heart. Lying on the ground a few feet away by a dumpster were the two guards I did recognize from earlier. Without a word I shot to the door which had closed behind me but the man was quicker and got in my way.
"Think yer goin somewhere perty goil?" and he grabbed my arm.
I pulled away from him and ran towards the opening of the ally but I couldn't tell if he was running after me. I thought if I could only get back to the front entrance I would be safe and be able to warn the others that something was happening. But as I got to the entrance I pulled to a quick stop and my heart pounded even harder than it had before.There in theopening that led onto a side street off the main road and the entrance to Irving Hall, stood Shadow. And by the looks of it he was flanked by the entire deadly group that was the Crypts.