"I'se getting worried Jack, Lucky still ain't back."

"Kay Mush, who else's goin?'

Rounds of "me"s went through the bunkroom and most of the newsies got up to search for their missing companion. Kloppman shook his head as the boys filed out of the Lodging House, wondering what they were up to. Night was falling and it was not a good time to be out in the city, who knows what you might run into, especially if you're a young girl.

"Blink and Skittery, you'se goin' to take the west side along with me. Itey, Bumlets, Swifty and Boots, you'se goin' that way. Snitch, Race, David and Les is heading thata way,"

That continued until all the newsies that wanted to go were divided amongst areas of Manhattan. At Jack's "Let's go," everyone headed off into the city.

Hihihihihih

Blink and Skittery and Jack walked through the streets and allyways, finding nothing that could help find Lucky. It had started to drizzle as they walked on and that made the night seem very gloomy. Streetlights shone softly on the streets and slightly illuminated their way. People had mostly all gone to bed and turned off their lights and locked their doors; the only ones out, it seemed, were the three boys.

"Where's you thinkin' she is?"

The other two newsies shrugged and Blink looked about with his good eye, "Dunno. You tink we'll find her soon?"

"Dunno"

The boys kept walking silently as the light rain fell on them and made small puddles on the ground.

Nononono

Mush, Crutchy, who had insisted to come along, Snipeshooter, and Snoddy had take the Northeastern area of Manhattan and were so far having as much luck as the other boys. They too were getting rain and glanced up at the sky glumly when they started getting wet.

"Greeaat!" Mush exclaimed sarcasticly, "das just what we need!"

"Well, maybe it'll let up soon," someone suggested. Just as the misguided boy said those words it started raining harder.

"Augh!"

"Good goin'"

"Wonderful idea there!"

Someone slapped him upside the head and he glared at them for a minute before agreeing, "I'se an idiot!"

"Uh huh!"

"Well…"

"You'se jus' noticin'?"

Gugugugugugu

Jake had somehow gotten to go by himself to the Eastern side, near where Bronx, Queens and Manhattan come close together. He was pretty lonely and decided to hum to himself as he watched the streets for the missing girl. Making it to his destination, he waved politely to a couple of ladies, who were running from the rain and paid him no mind.

"Ok, den"

He saw a couple scabbers and considered soaking them but remembered he was on a mission of sorts. He trudged through the semi muddy and soaked ground of Manhattan's streets, wishing the rain would let up soon, and tried to find someone to help him. Seeing some officers on horseback up ahead, Jake decided to give it a shot; he hadn't done anything really wrong recently, so why would they arrest him?

"Scuse me, officers?"

The officers turned around on their horses to look down at the wet boy in front of them. They glanced at each other before giving him their full attention. They knew that newsboys stayed as far from them as possible unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Yes, son?" one of them asked, "What do you need?"

"My friend, sir; she's missing. Could you help me find her?"

The officers looked shocked; a girl was missing? They had no idea that newsboys befriended girls. Their understanding was that newsboys hung out with newsboys; that was it. Wait, maybe they sold papers to a girl and talked with her… yeah, that had to be it.

"Well, son, what does she look like?" The officer got out a pad of paper to write information down, and Jake told him.

Cicicicicici

"Ungh"

Lucky blearily opened her eyes to find herself seemingly alone in the ally. She winced as she moved to get up; those guys sure play rough. It seems deserted she thought and wondered where they went after they attacked her. Probably back to Bronx, she rolled her eyes despite the pain, it's probably best to get out of here now, huh? With the knowledge they might come back, she forced herself up and started walking back to where she thought the LH was. I'se goin' to get lost, I'll bet. You jus' wait and see! Wait, who am I talkin' to? Great, Lucky rolled her eyes once more, I'se goin' crazy or somethin'. Ain't that jus' wonderful!

Lucky kept trying to make her vision focus but it wouldn't seem to cooperate with her; it would be clear for a second then blurry and swaying the next. She was also pretty sure she wasn't walking quite straight either. Lucky stumbled and fell onto the cobblestone streets, splashing a puddle of water all over her and the street. She grimaced when she realized she skinned one knee and the other had gotten cut on the stone street. Keeps on getting' better an' better.

Tetetetetetet

Jake had left the officers after they got all the information they needed and continued walking through the city. The rain had lightened to a drizzle again and it made a mist in the light of the streetlights, and the wind had become cool and soft. Jake saw a shadowy figure in front of him, a little ways away, and tried to make out who or what it was. From his point of view it looked like a bum who had a little too much to drink that night. They were stumbling and fell once or twice as they got nearer to him. That's too small to be a guy, he realized, unless it's from some country were the guys are short. Maybe… Jake started running to catch up to the person and just as he came up, the person stumbled once more and fell over a hole in the road.

"Crud"

"Hey, Jake"

Jake knelt down next to Lucky and looked her over; she was bleeding and cut in quite a few places, bruised in more and from the looks of it, she had a concussion. She looked about ready to pass out as she lay on the ground next to him. He picked her up bridal style and headed back to the Lodging House.

"What… where d'you come from?" Jake asked as he walked quickly down the streets.

Lucky pointed the direction they came from, "little dat way"

They passed the officers who gave them a small wave and offered to take them to wherever they need to go. Jake agreed and handed the now unconscious Lucky to the taller officer and got on the horse of the shorter one. They rode in silence for most of the way before one of the officers asked, "What happened?"

Jake shook his head in reply, "Dunno"

Vovovovov

At the Lodging House, most of the boys had gathered after finding no Lucky. They were surprised, relived and worried when Jake showed up with two officers and an unconscious Lucky.

"Thanks misters!" The officers waved and headed off on the horses.

"What happened?"

"We need to get 'er on the couch"

"She's bleedin'!"

"Really?"

"Dat hadda hurt!"

"You'se dummies, ya know dat?"

"Move you idiots!"

The boys helped Kloppman clean her off and let her sleep on the couch by the fireplace in one of the downstairs rooms. The two newest newsies, Pup and Tips hung around and helped where needed, seeing that Kloppman and the other boys had it mostly figured out. They later gathered in the bunkroom to talk about what happened and why.

"She basically said she was near Bronx when I found 'er"

The guys thought for a moment and someone said, "Why's she goin' there?" Murmurs of "Yeah…" and "Don't know" filled the room momentarily. Jack stood up and everyone turned their attention to him, "I'se tinkin we go to Bronx tomorrow and ask 'em 'bout it! Who's with me?" As the room filled with sounds of agreement, they all failed to notice one person watching and smirking from the shadows.