Fawkes watched Jack turn the corner and considered making a run for it. He trusted her too much. She couldn't do it. They needed Brooklyn. She knew this. She worried the more time she spent with Spot would result in him realizing who she was, if he hadn't already. Maybe she should try to explain it to him?

No.

He wouldn't believe her. He was from Brooklyn, after all. Loyalty first.

Fawkes took a deep breath and prepared to step inside the diner.

She pushed into the restaurant and saw Spot reclining in a booth not far from the door. A flickering candle on the table gave his face a golden glow.

Her step faltered when she saw him. She turned to look out the window. Was it too late to chase after Jack?

No, she had to honor this deal. They were going to need Brooklyn in this coming fight. They were going to need the solidarity and the muscle the borough could provide.

Why had Spot asked for her? Why was he always bothering her? Was it because she was a girl? Did he think she was weak?

She knew that wasn't true. She'd bested him in a fight. Were his constant intercessions part of his plan to get back at her? If that was his plan, why had he agreed to join Manhattan in their strike? He had done it after discussing something with Jack. Was the arrangement that she had to be out of the picture first? Surely Jack would never agree to that.

The thing she kept coming back to was that he knew. He had to know. Was he going to blackmail her? Was he going to drag her to Brooklyn? He was always so keen that she visit. They weren't terribly far from the line. Brookies wouldn't be considered suspicious if they were seen in this area of town.

"I noticed your escort," Spot said, standing. "Jack didn't want to leave you alone with me?" He was grinning.

"Does he have a reason not to?" Fawkes wasn't sure she wanted to sit. She had the height advantage here.

Spot sat back down, "Well, my intentions were mostly honorable."

Fawkes followed his lead, "It strikes me as odd that any part of you is."

Spot laughed, "That's what I like about you. Never afraid to speak your mind."

"That's what happens when you surround yourself with minions. They're too scared to voice their dissent. You should get out more often."

"Is that the reason you won't go back to Brooklyn?"

Play it cool, Fawkes told herself. She leaned back, "You tell me."

"That's what I've been trying to figure out," Spot admitted. "Everyone is afraid of Brooklyn. I don't think you are. You stood toe-to-toe with that seven foot man after he got the jump on Cowboy some days ago. You weren't afraid to stand up against those thugs when everyone else was considering making a run for it. It strikes me as odd that you've been telling me no, that you won't do me the honor of sharing a meal. I know you aren't afraid of me. You told me yourself that I couldn't use your desire for my newsies as leverage. You refused to be leaned on. Jacky-boy was a little more pliable."

Jack was going to grow up and make an excellent politician one day, Fawkes thought to herself. Even though she knew he'd made the deal, she couldn't hate him for it.

Fawkes closed her eyes as she tried to control her temper. Spot was the embodiment of what she hated about Brookies: they wouldn't stop at no. "I said no because me in Brooklyn is a bad idea. I said no because making sure this strike is successful is my priority. If you want to be friends, which is maybe why you suggested this dinner-because I make a valuable ally-listening when I said no would have done the trick. That's what I don't like about Brooklyn. They think the word 'no' doesn't apply to them."

"Brooklyn is a rough borough. Everyone tells us no. If we listened, we'd be starving in the streets. Instead, we take what we want. If I hadn't gone behind your back and got Jack to sign off on this-" he gestured to the table, "I wouldn't have known why you kept saying no. Now I do."

Fawkes let her jaw snap shut. He wasn't right. Why she didn't like Brooklyn wasn't any of his business. She was only telling him because he was a nuisance. If he'd been from any other burough, he would have given up by now. Brookies are drawn to what they can't have. Maybe she should have said yes earlier and gotten this over with.

No.

Brookies would take what they wanted whether you said yes or not. When you said yes, they thought they owned you because of it. If you said no, they never would, but they would try.

"I do what I want," Spot said. "Which is why I agreed to help you kids. The benefit is that I found a way to schedule time with you. The side effect is that my boys get to beat some folks up. It's one of their favorite hobbies, and they're good at it."

"Let's not talk about whether or not I fear Brooklyn," Fawkes said picking up her menu as a server headed in their direction. "We've established that I'm not afraid of you. That's what makes me stand out in a crowd."

The pair ordered and a silence fell. Fawkes desperately hoped that Spot wouldn't bring up Brooklyn again, but it was his burough. What else was he going to talk about?

Spot watched Fawkes carefully after the server left. Her copper hair was hidden underneath a tweed cap. His hat. Her pale eyes refused to look at him. He'd touched a nerve and he regretted it. He liked when she was feisty. He did not like this stony silence. Whatever her problem with Brooklyn was, he wasn't going to get it out of her. He just wanted to prove to her that Brooklyn wasn't as bad as all that. Something had scarred her there.

"Now that my boys are on board, what do you plan to do?" Spot wondered.

"Now that you're on board, everyone will follow. We'll probably hold a rally to show everyone how big our numbers are. That'll scare 'em. All the papers, all the buroughs on strike. That'll get someone's attention. Well, it ought to."

"Brooklyn joining isn't going to be such a huge deal once the rest of the buroughs find out what Manhattan's made of. You stood up against those thugs before you knew we were in the wings," Spot pointed out.

"I learned a long time ago that I couldn't count on anybody but me to save the day." She could see him itching to ask, "Did you learn that in Brooklyn?" The answer was yes, but being raised out west helped too. "Why did you decide to show up today?"

"I got a hot tip. I wanted to see what you guys were made of. I didn't want you guys getting all the glory."

Fawkes failed to stifle a grin. Boys always did care too much about their pride. "I noticed your boys on the docks the other day when I was looking for work. Did I think too much of myself when I accused you of being the reason for not getting a job?"

"Nope. See, I've got this thing called foresight. I hoped you kids would prove to us that you were serious, I had to be sure. I've got boys with families in my crew. They can't afford to go on strike. I made them pick up extra shifts down on the docks so they can survive while this is going on and support us at the same time."

Fawkes nodded.

"Did you end up finding work?"

"Yeah, me and Jack know this lady who owns a theater. She used to put us up on cold nights. She's letting me do some odds and ends and paying me for it."

Spot sent the girl a look, "Just how long have you known Jack?"

"I've been in and out of this city for five years now. I met Jack on my first trip. I was a fish out of water and he was just starting out. We relied on each other to survive. We're friends. More than that."

Fawkes didn't see Spot scowl. She was reminiscing. When she returned to Manhattan, she'd gotten a kick out of Race and Cowboy calling her Twin. Jack was the closest thing she had to family now. "He's like my brother," Fawkes grinned. Yeah, she liked the sound of that.

"You don't think he's after anything more?" Spot pushed.

Fawkes made a face, trying to figure out what he was implying. When she did, she laughed. "If he did, do you think he would have agreed to this?" What she'd experienced and what she'd seen from others was that men were a possessive lot. They didn't like to share their women.

"I didn't really give him a choice," Spot admitted. "I was surprised you showed at all since you seemed so dead set against it."

"I considered running. But I owe Jack and he really wants your guys on board. That's the only reason I'm here."

Their food arrived and the teens dug in. There were no words as they did all but lick their plates clean.

It was time for the check.

Fawkes eyed it dangerously, "Since you forced me into being here, I hope you don't expect me to pay."

"You're the one with a job still," Spot shot back.

"Pennies a day. You just quit," Fawkes pointed out.

Spot laughed, "I'll gladly pay. I didn't think you would let me."

Fawkes crossed her arms, "Why would you think that?"

Spot shrugged, "Something about your personality."

Fawkes couldn't decide if it was an insult. "I don't know what you do with your money, but I'm saving up what I can."

"Gonna go out west with Jacky-boy?" Spot guessed, laying out the money and standing.

"Already been there. I'm aiming to head east," Fawkes stood as well.

"There's nothing but trouble there," Spot noted. "Once you get past Brooklyn, it's all ocean."

"Did you know there's a continent across that ocean?"

"I've heard there's more than one," Spot remarked.

"Well, I'm aiming for one of those."

They exited the diner.

Not even thinking about it, Fawkes began marching into Manhattan. She had to get back to Medda's. After a few steps, she realized she had a tail.

Spot was ambling just behind her.

The girl turned on her heel, "Where do you think you're going?"

"With you."

"Why?"

"It seemed the gentlemanly thing to do. A lady walking out alone after dark…"

Fawkes stopped him by putting a hand on his chest, "What is it you think I need? Your protection?" She scoffed. "I'm not some helpless girl-" she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence, unable to look at Spot.

"What's going on here?" Jack slipped out of the shadows.

Fawkes turned toward the cowboy, "Spot's getting on my nerves."

Jack nodded like he wasn't surprised. "Looks like you both survived. She hasn't hit you yet, has she?" Jack asked Spot.

The youth looked puzzled.

"She threatened to," Jack explained.

"I haven't yet, but if he doesn't back off-" she threatened.

Jack grinned, "Let's give the lady some space. You know what they say about redheads and their tempers."

Fawkes glowered at the boy and strode past him, leading the way to Medda's.