Chapter 8

David and the girls hadn't been off the steps for more than a moment before a man came up to them and started speaking, "Hey, what is this strike? What's happening?"

"We're bringing our demands to Pulitzer," David answered.

"What demands?"
"The newsies demands. We're on strike."

"I'm with The New York Sun, Bryan Denton. You seem like the kid in charge. What's your name?"
"David."
"David? As in David and Goliath? And who are you three?"
"Heather."

"Daisy."

"Delilah."

"We're newsies too," Heather told him.

"Girl newsies?" Denton questioned.

"Yep. Us three are actually some of the best in the Lodge House. Daisy's actually the best with Jack."

"And is this Jack the boy that just went inside?"
"He's actually the real one in charge," David clarified. "I just give him help with what to say. But the strike was all his idea."

"You really think old man Pulitzer is going to listen to your demands?"
"He has to."

At that moment, the doors to the building burst open and Jack and Les came flying out. Jack turned to the man at the door and started yelling at him, "Oh yeah? Well so's your old lady! You tell Pulitzer that he needs an appointment with me!"

"Yeah!" Les tried backing him up.

Jack tried to lunge at the man, but Daisy ran up to him and held him back. "Easy Jack. One wrong move and this'll be over before it starts."

He took a breath and ran a hand through his hair, nodding. Daisy took his hand and led him back to the group.

"You're Jack, right?" Denton asked.

"Depends on who's askin'," he replied.

"Jack, this is Bryan Denton from The New York Sun," David told him, trying to assure him that this was one of the good guys. Denton extended his hand to shake, but Jack was still hesitant. He looked to Daisy.

"He's good Jack," she promised him. Looking back at the reporter, he shook his hand.

"Look, I don't want to discuss this in the street," Denton said. "Why don't we all go to lunch, my treat, and we can talk about this strike business."

"Oh, we can't let you pay lunch for all of us," Heather thanked him, but tried to refuse it.

"Uh, yes we can," Delilah countered.

Denton chuckled. "It's really no problem." Heather gave him an uneasy, but convincing, smile, and followed after the group.

At Tibby's, after they ordered and their food came, Denton started his questioning.

"So, Jack, give me the scoop on what happened inside The World building."

"Well Les and me," he started, "walked in and right up ta dis boy at a desk outside Pulitzah's office. And I says dat I need to talk ta da man. Den, dis snooty mug says ta me, 'You can't see Mr. Pulitzah. No one sees Mr. Pulitzah.' Real hoity-toity, ya know da type?"

"Real hoity-toity," Les added.

"So dat's when I says ta 'im, 'Listen, I ain't in da 'abit of transactin' no business wid no office boy. Just tell 'im Jack Kelly's ere ta see 'im now!'"

"That's when he threw us out," Les finished.

"Does he scare you?" Denton asked. "You're going up against the most powerful man in New York City."

"Yeah looks at us, we're trembling," Daisy responded.

"You girls are pretty tough."

"You gotta be when you do what we do. You can't let people walk all over you," Delilah told him.

"Is it hard to do what you do and be together at the same time?" he asked, directing it to Jack and Daisy.

"Both of us bein' such aggressive poisenalities can be a bit of a problem sometimes, but dat's de only thing dat's tough," Jack explained.

"What about you two," he now directed to Heather and David.

Heather nearly spit out her water and David just turned bright red.

"Oh, um...we're-we're not..." Heather stuttered.

"We're-we're just friends. Good friends, but...friends," David added.

"Oh, my apologies. I just assumed because...never mind." Heather looked across the table at the girls who were trying with all their might to not bust up laughing. She just glared at them. Then, Denton stood up, preparing to leave. "Keep me informed on strike news. I want to know everything that's going on." He handed David his card.

"Are we really an important story?" David wondered, his normal color again.

"Well, what's important? Last year I covered the war in Cuba. Charged up San Juan Hill with Col. Teddy Roosevelt. That was an important story. So, is the newsies strike important? That all depends on you."

"So my name's really gonna be in da papahs?" Jack asked.

"Any objections?"
"Not as long as you get it right. It's Kelly. Jack Kelly. Oh and Denton? No pictuahs."

"I second that," Heather said.

"Sure," Denton chuckled, and then walked out.

"So, what's our game plan?"

"We go ta Brooklyn and 'ope 'gainst 'ope dat Spot listens ta us and agrees ta join. I mean, widout Brooklyn, I dunno 'bout da rest of da boroughs," Jack explained.

"Then let's get to Brooklyn," Delilah said, moving to get out of the booth.

"A little anxious to get to Brooklyn there, aren't you?" Daisy teased.
"I-I just wanna get this over with. The quicker Conlon is out of my sight, the better," she covered, trying not to blush. They all followed her out, and headed to Brooklyn.

The walk to the other city was not very eventful. Jack and Daisy took the lead, holding hands, and David and Heather were walking together and quietly talking. Delilah couldn't help but be jealous of her friends. One had a boyfriend and the other would probably end up with one soon. She thought many times about calling a truce with Spot and try her best at getting him to like her, but then she quickly changed her mind when she realized how far out of her league he was. She and Blink went on one date earlier during their time there, but they realized that they were better off as friends. And since then, none of the other newsies had shown an interest in her. It wasn't like her to be too insecure, but she was starting to wonder if she would ever find someone. For now, she just had her friends and her fighting with Spot.

Before long, they were on the Brooklyn Bridge.

"I've never been to Brooklyn before," David spoke up. "Have you?" he asked everyone, but said it to Heather.

"A few times for borough meetings and parties," she answered.

"I mean, Heather is quite the party girl," Daisy said over her shoulder in a sarcastic tone. Heather just stuck her tongue out at her.

"So, is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" David asked, a little nervous.

"HA!" Delilah exclaimed. "Dangerous my ass."

"Don't listen ta Spunk. He ain't da type'a guy ta mess around wid. He might not seem like much but he can pack a punch," Jack warned. "Spunk 'ere just 'as bad beef wid 'im."

"What happened?" David wondered.
"We just never got along, right from the start," she explained. Heather and Daisy just exchanged looks that would say otherwise.

Soon, the group arrived at the pier that the Brooklyns hung out at. The newsies were all lounging or swimming. But their being busy didn't stop the hollers and cat calls being directed at the girls. Jack just gripped daisy's hand tighter as one newsie climbed out of the water and blocked the way.

"You goin' somewhere Kelly?" the newsie questioned them threateningly, giving disgusting looks to the three girls.

Jack led the group past him, with David putting a protective arm around Heather and pulling her away. As Delilah walked past the newsie, she nudged him with her shoulder.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't Jack be nimble Jack be quick," came Spot's voice from a little ways above them. They looked up and saw him sitting on a crate.

"I see ya moved up in da woild Spot. Got a river view and everythin'," Jack said to him. Spot jumped down and was facing Jack. The two spit shook.

"Heya Cherry," he greeted Jack's girl. Then his eyes landed on Delilah and his gaze turned into a glare. "You."

"What? You're not glad to see me? Shocker," Delilah responded and rolled her eyes.

His glare softened when he noticed Heather and David. "What's dis? Lace got 'erself a fella?" The two blushed and David pulled his arm off her, not realizing it had still been around her.

"We're not together Spot," Heather told him, mumbling. "But apparently you're not the first to think so."

"I can see dat. So jacky-boy, I've been hearin' things from little boids. Things from Harlen, Queens, all ovah. Dey been choipin' in my ear dat Jacky-boy's newsies is playin' like dey're goin' on strike."

"Yeah, well we are," jack told him.

"And we're not playing. We are going on strike," David spoke up. Spot got right in his face.

"Oh yeah? Yeah?" Heather pulled David back a little, seeing that he was nervous. Not taking his eyes off the new comer, Spot went on, "What's dis Jacky-boy? Some kinda walkin' mouth?"

"Yeah it's a mouth," Delilah cut Jack off. "A mouth wid a brain. And if you have half of one, even though I'm pretty sure you don't, you'll listen to what he's gotta say."

"You don't tell me what ta do around 'ere Spunk. Dis is my territory."

"You wanna say that again? Cause I'm not afraid of you Conlon. I'll hurt you and you know I can."

"Yeah, I'd like ta see ya try."

"Spot!" Jack snapped him back. "Can we focus 'ere?"

Spot, still looking through slits at Delilah took a deep breath and sat down on a crate, ready to listen to David. David took his place in front of Spot and started talking.

"Well, we started the strike, but we can't do it alone. So, we're talking to newsies all around the city."
"Yeah, so dey told me. But what'd dey tell you?"
"They're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most repsected and famous newsie in all of New York, and probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they join and we'll be unstoppable. So, you gotta join. I mean, you gotta." Heather couldn't help but smile at David's words. It was different than seeing him transform on a TV screen. It was so much more real seeing him actually take on Spot. She bot her lip to keep her smile down so no one would notice.

"You got brains," Spot told him when he was done. "But I got brains too, and more den just half 'a one. How do I know you punks won't run da foist time some goon comes at ya wid a club? How do I know ya got what it takes to win?"
"Because I'm tellin' ya Spot," Jack said very seriously.

"dat ain't good enough Jacky-boy. Ya gotta show me."

"But Spot-" daisy started to argue.

"I'm sorry Cherry, but I gotta protect me boys. And dat means not getting' involved 'til I know it's for real."

The group headed back to Manhattan, nervous about not having a Plan B,

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