Chapter 5

"Fury…. Fury wait up!" Spot cried, running after his friend as she stalked down the road, away from the Brooklyn lodging house. Isa screwed dis one up bad, the King was thinking over and over in his head. Now she'll never forgive me. "Where youse goin'?"

"Back to Queens!" was her reply, fierce and horrible sounding. "Rot in hell Spot Conlon!" Spot, who was now right behind Fury, reached out and grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and listen to him. Well, he tried to. Spot had no idea if it was sudden reflex or just plain anger that made Fury lash out like she did, but before he could do anything he found himself pinned up against the nearest wall Fury could find, silver dagger at his throat. "I thought we were friends Spot!" Fury growled a facade of emotionless just barely concealing the betrayal she felt. "But I guess I was wrong. Sending a detail out on a leader; you thought I wouldn't notice?"

Spot turned red but kept cool and pushed Fury off of him, then turned to face her. He knew that he only had so much time (or none at all) before she could clear her head and figure out that she could easily just withdraw her alliance with them and watch as Brooklyn fell. He couldn't let that happen; not without a fight at least. "Look Fury, Isa sorry, ok-?"

"Sorry doesn't cut it just faced with betrayal, you know that!" the Queen snarled meanly. "Would ya let me finish for once?" Spot snapped irritably. Fury looked pretty upset, but nevertheless she sheathed her knife and crossed her arms, tapping her booted foot on the ground impatiently. "Alright Conlon. You got two minutes before I rip your heart out." Spot took a deep breath. It wasn't a good enough time period, but he had to go with it. "Ok, Isa was curious about where youse was headed an' who youse were seeing, especially at night, an' with spies from Harlem everywhere Isa thought it'd be safer if Isa sent Hotshot ta keep an eye on youse, dat's it honest! Youse a dang good ally Fury, an' Isa be sent ta hell if Isa half ta loose youse in da midst 'o' a war."

Fury cocked her head, listening intently. When Spot had finished she set her jaw, pondering this. When she finally spoke, she chose her words carefully. "That doesn't excuse the fact that you went behind my back Spot," she muttered quietly. "Do you expect me to just let that go?" Spot chewed his bottom lip for a moment, silent. "How about dis; youse forgive me for sending a biord out ta spy on youse an' I'll be open with youse about everything from here on out? No more lies, Isa promise." He held out his hand for her to shake. Fury regarded him coolly, but sighed and took it. "Fine," she breathed. "But the moment you break that promise I'm gone, got it?"

"Clear."

"Good."

The two stayed silent for a moment, as if some understanding passed in between them, but then Spot hurriedly looked away. "Isa guess dat Isa gotta spill everything now, huh?" he asked guilty. Fury nodded, somewhat triumphant. "Pretty much." Spot groaned den promise dat youse won't get super mad at me aft' Isa admit dis?" he asked, blue eyes pleading. Fury chuckled. "Yeah sure, whatever. Now tell me; what else have you been doing?"

The King rubbed the back of his neck, nervous. "Three weeks ago Isa sent a detail out on ya second Spike. Dere was talk about him bein' all suspicious-like an' Isa told me biords ta keep me updated on his movements. Isa haven't called it off since." Fury nodded, as if she was expecting this, which surprised Spot. "I know about that already," she answered, flames dancing in her eyes. "I sent a couple of birds out on Spike as well. They said they kept on seeing your spies around when they would follow him- it wasn't too hard to put the pieces together."

Spot breathed a sigh of relief. "So, why'd youse send a detail out on ya own second? Ain't dat kinda like trust issues?" Fury laughed but then grew solemn again. "I guess you could say that. You came to the same conclusion I did; Spike's up to something. That's why I let him go, actually." Conlon's jaw dropped. "Fury, ya own friend? Why would youse do something like dat, ya known him forever!" The Queen of Queens looked away sadly. "It doesn't matter when your entire borough's safety is at stake. Face it Spot, Spike was too unreliable and he'd disappear too often. He could've had his hand in anything, especially anything illegal. I couldn't take that chance."

Spot smiled comfortingly and patted fury on the back reassuringly. "Ya did fine Fury. Anyone woulda done da same thing." "I've lost a friendship I spent years trying to build up in only one day," the raven haired beauty murmured, sulking. Spot lifted Fury's chin up so that he could look into her unique eyes. "Youse'll be fine. I promise." She smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks." Neither one was sure how long they help each other's gaze, but before they knew it a cry rang out from down the street. Spot whirled around, looking for the source of the noise and fury instinctively grabbed her knife, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice. It was only Hatter", but the bird was racing towards them with lightning speed shouting at them.

"Spot! Fury! Spot! Fury! Youse gotta get down dere quick! Harlem's attacking!"

The two leaders didn't need telling twice. They both went sprinting down the lane towards the LH, leaving a tired and out of breath Hatter in the dust.

$N$

When the three newsies got to the scene the battle was already underway outside the house, consisting of Harlem newsies vs. Queens, Brooklyn vs. Harlem and Queens/Brooklyn vs. Harlem. If the damage hadn't been so bad Spot would have complimented his boys on their good teamwork with Queens, and he reminded himself to thank them for their cooperation later. But now was not the time. It looked like both River and Giant had made an appearance at tonight's show, and both the borough leaders wasted no time diving into the fray to look for them. No sooner had they done so when Fury caught Spot's attention and pointed towards the middle of the chaos, where the two Harlem leaders were standing watching the fighting around them, virtually unopposed as everyone else was already dueling with one another.

"You think we can them?" Fury asked nervously, letting her true emotions show for the first time. Spot gulped but nodded nevertheless, even though he himself was rather intimidated by Giant's, well, giant appearance. "It's now or nova Fury," he told her. "We won't get a chance like dis again, an' Isa think dey mean for dis battle ta be da last." "You mean it's do or die?" Fury confirmed, swallowing hard and pulling out her blade. Spot nodded solemnly. "Dis is it."

"Then let's do this." The Queen of Queens and the King of Brooklyn stepped out in front of the Harlemers, poised to strike. River took one look at Conlon and sneered, but Giant just laughed darkly. "Well then, if it isn't the famous Spot Conlon! Personally I expected someone, well….. taller!" he chuckled, his English accent heavy and twisted. River forced a laugh as well, but his eyes fell on Fury and he grew mysteriously quiet. Noticing this, Fury glanced at Spot quickly before sliding her dagger in front of her body, ready to duel. "You got Giant, this traitor's all mine!" she hissed, the flames in her eyes roaring around like a furnace. They made her look beautiful yet terrible at the same time, another thing Spot loved about her. "Ya sure youse got him?" he muttered back. She nodded. "I'm sure." Then they lunged forward.

$N$

Fury struck first. Now, under the New York Newsboys Code one never, ever aimed to kill during a fight unless you absolutely had to, but River gave her no choice. Drawing a long hunting knife of his own, the former Queens leader and his successor went at it, slicing and thrusting, maneuvering around each other's swings and blocking jabs with ease and (in Fury's case) gracefulness. Sparks flew as their blades connected, stinging Fury's face and drawing out the Queen's inner demons. She roared and lunged at River again.

"I gotta tell youse Fury, ya got beta in da months Isa been gone," he commented cockily as they fought. "Isa nova thought it was possible." Fury glared at him with deep and unrelenting hatred. "Yeah, well, I learned from the best!" she spat in his face, twirling around in her black leather as elite as a ballerina but just as deadly as ever.

"Ya know," River said. "Isa also didn't anticipate youse sidin' with Brooklyn. Aft' all da hate youse had for em' for two da three years Isa didn't think it was possible!" He sliced at his former second again, drawing blood from her cheek, but Fury hardly felt anything. She was concentrating on the look in his eyes when he did so. There was pain, anger- and instant regret? "Things change River," she growled, ignoring the emotions swirling about in River's eyes. "People change, rules change, leaders change, I change." She nicked his wrist, making blood gush out as payback for his own wound he had inflicted. "Karma."

River hollered in pain and dropped his weapon to clutch his hand, giving Fury time to send a powerful roundhouse kick to his chest and topple him to the ground. River never saw any of it coming, and before either one of them knew it Fury had driven her silver dagger through his stomach. Harlem's second cried out as he felt the stabbing pain and grasped the hilt of the knife, desperate to pull it out but unsuccessful. Meanwhile Fury stood beside him, her sense dulling around her. She no longer could hear the battle cries of the newsies around her; feel the pain in her cheek or the blood dripping down it; she couldn't even see her surroundings anymore. It was just her and River now.

The Queen screamed, fully realizing what she'd done and dropped down at River's side. She expertly pulled out the dagger in his stomach and pushed down upon it, trying to stop the flow of blood. "I'm sorry!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't mean it River, honest! Please don't die, stay with me!" The former Queens newsie looked up at her pitifully, brown eyes filled with tears. "I'm goin' ta die, aren't I Fury?" he asked quietly, almost like a scared child. The raven haired girl violently shook her head, trying to reassure herself more than him. "No!" she shouted forcefully. "You're NOT going to die on me! You can't, alright? River, you are GOING to LIVE!"

But the newsboy shook his head. "Don't youse lie ta me Trinity," he told her, using her given name. "Isa always could tell when ya were lying." Fury bit her lip to keep from sobbing and looked down into River's eyes. "But you won't right?" she asked, sounding like a lost child more than a battle-hardened warrior. "Promise me River, promise!" But River shook his head again, and then reached up to stroke her cheek. "Ya fought wonderfully Fury," he whispered. "Isa want youse ta remember dat. Always. Isa was an idiot ta leave ya alone in Queens, an' for dat I'm sorry." Fury let out a cry and grasped his hand strongly. "No!"

"Yes!" River nodded, a single tear escaping his eyes and running down his cheek. "Youse'll take care 'o' our boys for us, ya hear?" he rasped. When Fury didn't reply his grip on her hand tightened. "
Promise!" The Queen looked at her mentor sorrowfully and nodded, shaking. "I will."

River sighed and fell back onto the ground, licking his cracked lips before whispering quietly, "Good." Then his eyes grew dim and he saw no more.

And right then and there Fury's world shattered.

$N$

Spot dove towards Giant, ready to fight to the finish. This guy had killed so many newsies and destroyed families; he deserved to die. Spot lashed out at Giant with his golden tipped cane, but the large boy just blocked it with his own, one made of silver with a fancy serpent on the handle. As the two leaders dueled Giant made conversation in mock politeness. "You know Conlon," he said. "I've always admired you and your work with Brooklyn. If you weren't so dedicated to your men I would have even considered recruiting you for our little revolution." He chuckled.

Spot disengaged, startled and eyed Giant warily. "Watt revolution?" he demanded. The Harlem leader laughed and swung at him again. "New York's getting too soft, Spot. You of all people should know that! Only our two select boroughs have still kept the old ways, the traditional ways of governing a colony, and it's about time they were revived around here. I had already planted a mole in Queens, the borough you would most certainly go to for help, and this one was quite reliable. He said Brooklyn would fall in a matter of months. He, unfortunately for you, overestimated your abilities. It will only take hours!"

Spot swerved around Giant's jab with his cane and blocked the second, catching them both in a deadlock. "Youse really think dat?" he asked, slightly concerned. Giant grinned maliciously, golden teeth gleaming in the impending darkness. "I do." "Den watt about da others?" Spot retorted, landing a punch in his enemy's shoulder. "Manhattan is almost as strong as us. If we fall den Jackie boy's definitely gonna rally up da rest 'o' da boroughs an' run youse outta New York! I'm sure 'o' it!" Giant just laughed harshly. "I have my ways," was his only reply.

The King landed a couple of kicks on Giant again (not that it did any good, the guy was as hard as rock) before being thrown into his back into the ground. Banging his head on the cobblestones, Conlon watched helplessly as Giant advanced and leered down over him, smiled victoriously. "Don't worry Conlon," he told him, raising a pistol towards Spot's forehead. "I'll promise to make your death sound heroic. How the great King of Brooklyn died protecting his borough and men while his superior towered over his bruised and battered body, when he was finally merciful enough to grant him death when he saw that the King was broken. Oh yes, that will make a great story, don't you think Spot?"

Struggling into an even less comfortable position, Spot glared up at Giant with cold blue eyes. "Youse'll nova break me!" he declared. But Giant just leaned down close to his face, so that it was just him and his captive. "But what about your girl Conlon? Can I break her?" Spot coughed up blood and stared hard into Giant's beady black eyes. "Isa don't gotta giorl, Giant," he lied through his teeth, all the while glanced back in the direction of stunning black-clad Fury. Giant followed his gaze, and then smirked when he saw who he was looking at. "Ah, the beautiful Fury Ramon, also known as Trinity so I've been told," he whispered evilly. "Well, I must say I'm not surprised. She isn't too bad on the eyes. Though I will admit Conlon, she will be tough to break. Do you know if she returns your affections?"

Conlon fell back on his back and shook his head. "Nova asked," he replied truthfully. Giant shrugged and cocked the gun, this time to kill. "Well then, I'll guess you'll never know will you?" "Wait! Ya forgot one thing!" Spot shouted, holding his hands up over his head. Giant stared down at him, pistol lowered and obviously perplexed. "And what might that be?" he asked, accent stronger than ever.

"This." With that Spot plunged his cane, still in his hands, right through Giant's throat. The Harlem leader was thrown back as he gasped and clutched his throat, choking on his own blood. Spot watched from his position on the ground, watching as the great leader swayed, spat in the air, then fell down, eyes rolling up into their sockets, dead. He breathed a sigh of relief and got up, collected his cane from off the ground, and went to find Fury.

All around him newsies were scattered across the street, some lying dead, others wounded, and some perfectly unscathed and helping others, from their own boroughs and Harlem alike. The war was over, it no longer mattered whose side who was on. Most Harlem newsies had been forced into service anyhow and where headed back to their own territory with their dead. The ones that had gone into it willingly were either rounded up or had already disappeared, never to return to Harlem or Brooklyn again.

Later Bowler, Shark, Hotshot, Dusty and Ink, who had taken charge of the birds during the final attack, found Spot and came up to him. "Spot, we've secured all da rough Harlem newsies an' rounded everyone else up from our own boroughs. Watt youse wants us ta do now?" Ink asked. Spot looked west-ward and stared into the distance. "Escort em' ta da edge 'o' da border. Tell em' ta get outta New York an' nova comes back." Bowler cocked his head slightly, confused. "Boss?" he questioned. "Ain't dat a little, I dunno, soft? Can't we soak em' first?"

Bowler's question hit a nerve with Spot, who was still hearing Giant's speech ringing in his ears. "Ya callin' me soft Bowler?" he growled, a little more meanly than he'd intended. Bowler stepped back, faintly surprised. "No Boss!" he said quickly. "Isa ain't sayin' it." "Good," The King finalized. "Because I and everyone else in dis town is Brooklyn. We're da toughest, strongest borough in dis city, ya hear me? Don't let anyone tell youse different." Shark crumpled up his nose in thought. "But ain't dat Queens?" he asked his older brother. All heads snapped in the bird's direction and Ink clamped his hand over Shark's mouth. "Shark!" he scolded, "Keep ya comments ta youseself little buddy!" Everyone laughed at that, then Spot turned and started to walk away.

"Hey Spot!" Dusty called out after his leader. "Where ya goin'?" Spot glanced back at the group of Brooklynites standing behind him. "Ta find Fury," was all he said. Dusty was about to say more, but Hotshot elbowed him in the ribs, shutting him up. "He said he was gonna go find Fury," he hissed. "Dat's all dat's need ta be said!" The small group let out a bunch of "Oh!"'s in acknowledgment and disbanded to go about their tasks of the evening.

Meanwhile Spot had run into Chip, Queens's head bird. "Hey Chip!" he exclaimed. "Youse know where Fury is?" The green-eyed girl went from all smiles to frowning deeply and sadly. She stared off into the darkness surrounding them and pointed towards the outskirts of the scene. "Dere," she whispered. "She don't look too good though. But Isa think youse know why." Spot stared at the petite young girl blankly. Chip shrugged before leaving him. "Den youse'll know soon enough, won't ya?"

Spot, more confused than ever, started to walk in Fury's direction, but stopped once he could make her figure. There the Queen was, kneeling next to the fallen body of River, cradling his head and rocking back and forth. Spot thought he heard something and strained to hear it. Fury was singing again, the same song she had sung on the Bridge. It had seemed like ages ago. Spot could make out the haunting sound through Fury's dry, racked sobs.

There is a way

There is a spark

There is a hope that you can hold onto

There is a lifeline

Come to the rescue

Just like a hand

That's waiting for you

And if you believe this it's my promise that you won't be alone

There is a way

The truth and the life and the way

When'd she'd finished Spot cautiously walked over to her and knelt down behind her. She didn't even look at him. "We'll have a proper funeral," she muttered dully. "A proper funeral back in Queens. River did a lot of good in that town, despite what happened later on. We all know it, and hopefully his good works will outweigh his sins in that regard. People will look at his grave and see a proud, strong leader instead of a rough and a traitor. I know it. It is the way of life in Queens."

Conlon stared at her disbelievingly. "Fury, ya can't be serious!" he protested. "Dis guy tried ta kill youse! His body should be thrown in da river with da others, not buried with full honors!" Fury looked up at Spot emotionlessly, not a hint or trance of the pain that had been there moments before. She was hiding her feelings, just like she had done when they'd first met. She was no longer a grieving child. She was a leader.

"You don't understand Spot," she replied in a hollow voice. "He regretted every bit of it as soon as I stepped out of that crowd to face him. He wasn't just my former leader and my mentor. River was Royce. River was my brother."

$N$

Ok, I got the chapter up! Yeah! Unfortunately, we're almost towards the end of the story! Boo! But there's still time to review folks, so please press the blue button at the bottom and tell me what you think! Bonus: a shout-out to anyone and everyone who can tell me the name of the song I got those lyrics from! (I know, they weren't from the 19th century era, but they were still somewhat fitting with the story.) You can use YouTube if you like.

But first-

To my three guest reviewers: thank you for your input! It is greatly appreciated and I would very much like to have been able to write a proper response using your names, that's how awesome you are!

Ealasaid Una: Thank you once again for your lovely review! You are one of my most devoted readers and I applaud you!

J.E Magic: Again, one of my most devoted readers! I love your nice long reviews, they make me feel loved!

-Rellimmes