Hey! How many of you have an Instagram? How many of you love to write? If you answered yes to both, then follow my writing page! It is writers_we_allare Thanks!

Here you go! Chapter 5! Review and Read On!

- Emily

The trio traveled across Brooklyn Bridge. Maia didn't know how her brother did this everyday, one slip and bam! You smack the water and that's the end of you.

"What's the matter there, Flame?" Jack asked. Her face was pale and she was walking cautiously.

"N-nothing." She stuttered.

"I think we found somethin' Flame is afraid of. Heights!" Mush said.

"Shove off! Like you ain't afraid of anythin'!" She said. The boys laughed.

"Mush! Let's show 'im what we do every time on 'here!" Jack said. They walked over to the ledge, leaned over, and screamed.

"Come on! It's fun!" Mush told her.

"Your crazy! One slip and you both are dead!"

"Ah, baby. Come on, Conlon's waiting." Jack laughed.

Great. She thought. Her head was practically spinning, and not just because she was up high. She couldn't stop fretting about her brother. What if he recognized her? No, she had to trust that even if he did figure it out, he would know to keep it secret.

They stepped off of the bridge and onto a pier. Below, boys were swimming, splashing, and dunking each other. Maia noticed her brother wasn't there. She wasn't surprised. He never seemed to have fun.

"Well, well. What is Jacky-boy doin' 'ere?" Asked a Newsie, who just got out of the water.

'Where's Conlon?" Jack asked, his voice full of authority. Maia was impressed.

"You tell me." The Newsie smirked, and Maia realized he was lying.

"Liar. Where is he?" Maia asked. The boy laughed.

"Why do I have to tell you? Who are you anyway?"

"They call me Flame. Who are you? Clueless? Now where is Conlon?" Her voice turned deadly. The blood drained from the boy's face and he stepped aside, pointing to a lumber yard behind him. At the top of what looked like a Crow's Nest, stood the one and only Spot Conlon.

"Thanks." She said. Jack and Mush walked past him, and Maia followed. However, not before pushing the Newsie into the water.

"What was that for?" Mush asked, falling back beside her. She shrugged.

"I hate it when people don't give straight answers. It's annoying." She said. Mush only chuckled.

"Well, if it isn't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick." Spot said. He hopped out of the Crow's Nest and walked slowly up to them, eyeing Maia.

"Who is dis, Jacky-boy? Ya' gotta new recruit?" Spot asked.

"Yeah. This here is Flame. Flame, this is Spot, leader of the Brooklyn clan." Jack said, grasping Maia on the shoulder and forcing her forward.

"Flame? Kid looks like he wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Oh yeah? Why don't you ask your buddies by the pier what just happened. Maybe that will change ya' mind." Spot thought for a minute, then smiled.

"Welcome." He spit on his hand and held it out. Maia did the same and they shook.

"Now, I've got ears around Manhattan. Andrew, on of my Newsies from those parts, tells me ya' is goin' on strike? Yeah, been chirping' in my ear all day long. Hold on. Andrew!" Spot called out. He motioned to one of the kids in the crowd and Maia prayed that he meant a different Andrew. Nope.

Her brother popped of of the crowd and stopped, staring at Maia. A puzzled look crossed his face, but he quickly snapped out of it. He walked up to Spot.

"Yeah, man?" he asked.

"Tell Jacky-boy and his friends here what ya' saw dis mornin'."

"Ok. Well, first I saw th billboard. It said that they had jacked up the prices. then I saw Jack stand up on this big statue and started yelling into the air, pumpin' his boys up. They started chantin' strike, and to me it seemed like dis one was the brain of it all." Andrew pointed to Maia.

"What? Not really. All I did ws tell him what a strike was." Maia said. A few Newsies laughed at that.

"No. Flame, ya' gotta take a little credit. Now, Spot. I came 'ere ta ask ya to join our fight. We need back up. Plus, if you join, then other kids will join as well, cause you know everyone follows you." Jack said.

"True, people do seem to follow me. But why should I join your fight? How do I know you won't run the first time a thug comes at ya'? How do I know you'll fight?" Spot asked, fiddling with his sling shot.

"Cause I'm tellin' 'ya."

"That ain't good enough Jacky-boy. Ya' gotta show me." They stared at each other for a few minutes.

"Come on, let's go." Jack said, turning to leave. Maia saw Andrew still watching her, but she refused to meet his eye.

The boys were scattered around the statue. Some were playing marbles, some were pretending to be soldiers, and some were just talking. When they spotted the three, they stopped and ran to them.

"How did it go?"

"Will they fight?

"What happened!" Everyone started shouting out questions. Maia felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around. It was Race.

"You ok? You seemed pretty upset when you left for Brooklyn." He said.

"Yeah. I'm fine. i just wasn't excited about that bridge." She replied. It wasn't a total lie!

"Don't like heights?" He asked. Maia shook her head no.

"That's cool. We all is afraid of somethin'." Race said. He went back to the group.

"-so yeah." Jack said, finishing the story.

"Well, we's been thinkin'. Maybe we should just forget about this strike. I mean, without Brooklyn, what chance do we have?" Kid Blink said. Jack was taken aback.

"Give up? Boys! That's exactly what Brooklyn said we would do! We can't give up now!" Jack said. Maia glanced at the sky. The sun was setting.

Ah man, I gotta go! I'm late! She thought. Quietly, she slipped into the alley and made a dash for it.

Once she changed and cleaned up, she climbed back through the window. Sitting on her bed, was Andrew.

"And where were you?" He asked.

"Um..." Maia started. She knew she was trapped.

"Maia, they strangest thing happened today! Jack, Mush and this new kid came to Brooklyn today askin' us to join the strike they started. And that new kid? He looked like you."

"I don't know what your talking about." Maia said, walking over to the dresser and fixing her hair.

"Really? So your not going behind dad's back, dressing up like a boy, and sellin' papes?" Maia groaned.

"Fine. I'm Flame. But you cannot tell anyone! Understand?" She said, pointing a deadly finger at him. He laughed.

"Yeah, I get it. Your secret is safe with me. I know you can stand your ground. Besides, even if I tried to stop you, could I really?" Maia smiled.

"Thank you." She hugged him.

"No problem, Flame. How did you get that name, anyway?" He asked. Maia bit her lip.

"I beat up the Delancy's yesterday." She confessed.

"Why?" Andrew sighed.

"Well, they were talkin' about a kid they had beat up, callin' him weak."

"So you stood up for me?" Maia nodded. This time, it was Andrew who hugged her.

"Thank you."

All nervousness in her stomach left and was replaced with relief.

Wow that sucked. I hate this chapter with a burning passion, just saying. But what did you guys think? Please leave constructive criticism in the reviews. I want to know what I can improve on! Thanks!

- Emily