Hey, this chapter is called "Hero of War" which is a song by Rise Against, it's really good. You can listen to it while reading, after reading, later, never, whenever. It's just a good song, and the tone of it is what seems to be in Hum's mind. Forgive my poor grammar! Happy Reading :D

"Jake! Jake!" I called getting out of line so that I could reach him more quickly. As he came closer I could see a small torrent of rusty colored blood dripping from his nose.

"Crutchy…said to get help! Jack! Tell Jack!" He shouted as he ran into me, slamming into my stomach which sent me back a bit, knocking the wind out of me, but I ignored this. Bending down I put my hands on his shoulders and looked into his wild eyes.

"Jake, take a second, breathe." I told him firmly, giving his shoulders a squeeze. He took a quick breath –not really what I had asked for but still- and turned to look at Jack, Kid Blink, and the other newsies that had come to see what had happened.

"Jack! I was with Crutchy like ya told me ta and den dese guys come 'round da bend, and dey go grabbin' me and pullin' Crutchy into some alley!" Jake ranted, still quite breathless, as he wiped a hand over his face to get the blood off, "And I start hollerin' and Crutchy goes and shouts for me ta find you! Ya gotta help him!"

At this I move away, letting Jack take my place in front of Jake as he asks very seriously and speedily. "Where were ya Jake?" When it takes him a moment to respond Jack repeats more loudly, "Where Jake?"

"Two blocks up," I can see Jake's mind spinning as he tries to recall where he had been tackled and where Crutchy could be laying dead. It's a lot to ask someone to remember after getting a blow to the face. "To the left!"

With a nod Jack got up and dashed out of the gates as he called out for Mush, Blink, and Skittery. They all darted out behind him. Well there was no way I was going to let them go without me; I wanted to get my hands on these guys who attacked my friends. And besides, who knew how many guys there were?

They might need a fifth pair of fists. I thought as I pushed Jake over to stand with Race and Blitz, quickly slipping out of Race's grasp. As I rounded the corner I could hear him saying, "Hum, stay back!"

But I was already gone. And I wasn't thinking very straight either. If I had been I would have realized Race never would have told me not to go out and help with a fight unless something really bad might happen. Race wasn't a very cautious person.

I told you something was wrong.

But, again, I wasn't really thinking in that moment.

As I got down the second street, narrowly avoiding colliding with several people, I saw Skittery fall out of an alley, hitting the ground for only seconds before springing back. My chest hurt a bit from sprinting as fast as I was, but being a newsie meant ignoring little pains like that.

Once I got into the alley, there was little to be noted. There were four boys I didn't know there. One guy leaning heavily on one of the surrounding stone walls. Another was holding his hands up in surrender as Mush threatened to kick him, Jack putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him from going through with the blow. At the same time Skittery pulled a big, dark skinned boy off Blink.

And there in the corner, behind the rest of the fight, I saw a large brutish teen headed in the direction of a fallen friend. Crutchy.

No way in hell was I letting him get away with hurting a cripple unnoticed.

"Hey!" I shouted, diving straight through the fists and kicks of the other boys, and slamming my shoulder into the creep going after Crutchy.

I'm not very big at all. I'm actually very, very short. But in my years I have learned that speed + the element of surprise + anger fueled adrenaline = the ability to throw even the largest guys off balance. He stumbled a few steps away from Crutchy, turning his thick head to look at me.

"Ah!" He shouted as he came at me, like I said, newsies treat each other the same whether they are male or female. I dodged out of the way, or nearly, but he grabbed my shoulder and jerked me back. His grasp tightening as he got hold of my opposite arm as well.

Green eyes flashing, he looked down at me and then…I bent my arms and dug my nails into the meaty flesh of his neck. God, this boy must eat well to be so large as a newsie! He howled and swung me to the ground, near where Crutchy was laying.

If this guy came after me, even if I was able to put up a decent fight with the element of surprise and agility on him, I wouldn't last very long. You can't beat physics, no matter how hard you try.

Luckily the fight was mostly over and Mush and Blink came running over, slamming the guy into a corner, I could hear him groan as he got slugged a few times, but my attention was on Crutchy.

"Heya Crutchy," I said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder to see if he was conscious. At first I didn't get a reaction but then he let out a moan of pain before turning his head to face me.

"Heya…Hum." And he gave a half smile. God, Crutchy. He had blood between his teeth so they looked pinkish and wrecked, a cut on the head adding to the flow on his face.

I smiled back as kindly as I could, gently turning him over so that he could rest in my lap. "Where are ya hurt?" I asked. He just stared at me for a bit, skin as pale as ever, legs bent in angles that were more odd than usual.

"Ya look really pretty wit ya hair down Hummin'bird." He told me sleepily. At this I noticed my hat had fallen off when Brutish Teen tossed me to the ground. I pushed the dark strands out of my eyes as I shushed him.

"You're looking pretty good yourself mister." I whispered sarcastically, giving him another smile to try and make him feel better than he looked. Jack and Skittery were crouched next to us now, Jack looking worried and angry.

"Who?" I asked as I tried to wipe some of the blood off of Crutchy.

"Harlem…and Queens."

That shocked me. Queens had never liked us, but I knew Harlem had nothing against Manhattan. Sure they were upset when Jack went…well scabber on us during the strike. But that's the only time I remember them having much discontent. We weren't allies but I knew we weren't enemies…

"What the hell-"

Jack cut off my question saying, "What the hell were ya doin' here. Dats da question." His voice was stern like any leader punishing someone who failed them. "I woulda called for ya if I though you was needed!"

"I couldn't just sit there!" I said back, looking from his face to Skittery's, who also looked a bit annoyed with me. "Oh, come on! I practically saved Crutchy when you were all fighting."

It was true, they would have gotten to him eventually but I had just made it easier for them.

Jack gave me a look as if to say that he was disappointed but would talk to me later, since there were more important things going on. Like Queens and Harlem coming into our territory and teaming up against a kid and a cripple of ours.

But apparently they didn't want me involved in the conversation since Jack gave me a half push away, which I unhappily took as my cue to move. "Heya Crutch, I need ta know what ya remember 'bout dis." His voice was soft and alluring in his Jack Kelly way.

"Oh…oh right cause o' what happened wit Brass and Hot Shot-"

"Hum would ya go check on Jake foah me o' somethin' like dat?" Jack said sharply, as if he didn't want me to hear what was going on. I was just in a fight with him! That gave me every right to know what he and everyone else knew too! But I didn't say that…because I knew it would just make things more stressful.

I cast a glance at Blink who had his hand over his already injured eye; he must have been hit through his patch, and Mush, who shrugged at me sympathetically. I appreciated his sympathy but right now I wanted answers not sympathetic gestures.

Grumbling quietly to myself I bent down and picked up my hat, clutching it in my hand as I marched out of the alley. Trying to figure out what was going on. Queens and Harlem were teaming up against…us. Brass –one of our birds, a spy on other boroughs- had been jumped a little while ago, and Hot Shot had turned up earlier this week after being missing for a few days. His arm seemed basically broken, but we splinted it up as best we could. I knew for a fact that he had been caught by some guys in Queens.

I was so caught up in my thoughts; I didn't notice a large figure coming up behind me. A hand grabbed a fistful of my hair, which hurt like crazy, and wrapped an arm around my upper body. I would have kicked him, but even the slightest movement was excruciating. Curse long hair…

I screamed without meaning to as he swung me around to face Jack and the gang.

"Let da goil go, Smirks, we got ya beat four ta one." Jack said calmly and confidently. Manhattaners could fight like anyone else, but we were really good at using our mouths to get out of trouble. Unlike in Brooklyn where it's a physical game, it's really mental with us Manhattanites.

Smirks, the guy holding me gave me a rough shake to show he meant business, and I tried my best not to make any noise. Because that would just make me seem more vulnerable and him more in control of this. It was the least I could do to help Jack if he was getting me out of this.

But unfortunately a little, high pitched, "agh" slipped out. Mush moved to charge at him, but Blink quickly stopped the action, knowing it would make my situation worse. I tried not to stare as his bad eye was showing…and it looked as bad as you can imagine the word "bad" meaning.

"Ah, ah, ah." Smirks growled, the arm around me slipping up to my neck, resting the hand attached to it on me. This was so bad. "Come any closer and da goily heah get's it. Ya got me?"

They all looked to Jack for guidance, and he looked a bit stricken, but only I could tell from the look in his eyes. I'm known for being good at reading people like they're papes, that's all. My eyes were watering slightly as Smirks' grip on my hair tightened.

"Da only reason we'se is listenin' to ya is cause I know it ain't above ya ta kill goils." Kill? Things were obviously a lot worse with Queens than I had been lead to believe…

"Dat's right Cowboy," His rancid breath filling my nostrils, it was disgusting. "Now youse is gonna let me and me boys go, okay? Hokey, Jumper, Flighty, come on!"

The boys he called dragged themselves behind Smirks, all looking relatively pleased with the change of the upper hand. Blink looked darkly at them all, Skittery holding Crutchy up, as they watched. Jack kept his eyes on Smirks the whole time.

"Ya got ya friends." Jack said stonily. A new tone for him. "Now let da goil go."

Smirks seemed to think for a minute, which was odd for a guy like him, who normally wouldn't seem to think about anything. Then he said, "You've got plenty o' goils here in 'Hattan, don't ya Kelly." It was a statement not a question. "Wanna know who I like? Dat bold red head, what's her name…Blitzy? Hmmm…"

"No!" I shouted trying to elbow him but only managing to make my skull scream at me for the retaliation. Do you know what happens to girls like Blitz and I in New York when someone wants to get you? Bad, bad stuff. And I'm not too proud to admit that it is dangerous with some of the Newsies around the city.

I closed my eyes tight as he pulled me closer; Blink yelled something like, "Just let her go already!" I wasn't afraid for myself, in that moment. I was afraid for Blitz and Dolly and Marquee and the other girls. I was afraid for Jack and Crutchy and my friends who could be attacked right now just because I was too stupid to be paying attention to my surroundings instead of thinking about why I was being sent away.

"Youse a pretty little t'ing too." Smirks rasped into my nose making my skin crawl. His breath warm on my neck, hand sliding down over my arms and-

Despite his steady grip on my hair I tried to fling him away from me. I'm not one for being violated, in any way at all.

"Get off o' her!" Jack called, taking a charge toward us. My arm connected with his stomach and he loosened his grip slightly, just enough for me to almost escape. But he pulled me back with a force that I didn't anticipate, his boys ready to fight again.

"Damn it!" Smirks shouted, his gut hurting, "You'll pay foah dat." He growled. "You want to stand up foah ya friends?" He laughed in a way that was anything but comical. "Here!"

He shoved me into the ground, which met me quickly and painfully. Not a good day. I was tired, sore, and now someone was threatening to soak me, or worse…

"Hum? Hummingbird?" Mush asked resting his arm on my shoulder in the rough way boys tended to, even when they meant to be gentle. I could see Jack and Blink trying to catch up with the other newsies but they were too far away by now. God damn it, this was my fault. "Ya alright?"

Rubbing the back of my head I looked up at him and nodded, "Yeah I'm fine, we gotta help Crutchy though-"

"Ya hands." Mush noted, taking hold of one and showing it to me. When I had tried to stop my fall my palms had slid across the ground, resulting in some torn skin.

"It's nothing, God, I'm sorry-"At that moment Jack and Blink came back.

"They got away." Blink said angrily, his eye still showing. One blue and one totally white and scarred, looked down at me, "You're okay, right Hum?"

I knew Blink wasn't mad at me, he was mad at the guys who had gotten away and hurt Jake and Crutchy. Jack came around the bend staring at me as Mush went back to help get Crutchy up so they could take him back to the Lodging house. "Yeah I'm fine, listen I'm really sorry I should have been paying more-"

"Why are you sorry?" Blink asked with exasperation, "Jesus Hum, this is exactly why you're too nice."

"I-"

"No excuses! Blink is completely right, I told ya so. " Jack said from behind us, "Hum, what'd Smirks say ta ya?"

I didn't even consider lying to him. Jack was my leader, even if his time as a newsie was probably coming to an end soon, since he was nineteen and really getting involved with Sarah now. He would have to go start a real life soon. New job, new home. "He told me he was going ta get me. But I'm sure that was an empty threat."

But when Jack shook his head and Skittery looked startled, I realized that like everything else I'd found out today, this threat probably had a lot more to it than I knew.

"What?" I asked a bit frustrated, "What's going on? Why are Queens and Harlem teaming up? Are we in a war or…" As my question flood came to an end it occurred to me that that could be what the case here was. There hadn't been an all out borough war since I was little; it ended right around the time I joined up.

Jack didn't give anything away, but the grim look on Mush's face gave enough away. "We are aren't we?" I asked. Surprised that I had really just found out what was going on. "Were you planning on not telling us? Letting the little kids walk around selling and-"

"Why do ya think I've been makin' sure Jake and Dolly were with selling partners all mornin'? Why do ya think the boys have been hangin' around in pairs more often?" Jack demanded, "Give me a little credit."

Jesus. Was I that dull? It was right in front of me and I hadn't caught on. I had been so busy this week, I had agreed to buy Chips some dinner a few times that week when she had been having trouble selling for some reason, so I had been distracted by trying to make extra. Then there was Dolly, Jake, Kit-Kat, and the twins, who I somehow wound up looking after. I looked after a lot of people actually. They didn't have to ask, I just helped.

Maybe it's because whenever it is that I should need help, I'd rather someone just give it to me than make me ask. I don't like asking.

"So it's actually happening? Queens and Harlem against us…and who, Brooklyn?" I wasn't sure if they'd help us; their leader always wanted us to prove they should. And we stilled owed them big time since the strike. "We are in a war."

A thousand thoughts flew through my mind. Were the kids alright? How about Blitz? Was Race watching out for her as closely as she should? How many more people would get hurt like Crutchy? How many people would we have to hurt to win?

Jack gave me a small smile and said, "Not yet." But behind his eyes I could see that his sentence wasn't finished. But soon.

Jesus.