This chapter is dedicated to Hakunaaaa Matataaaa, who has been very supportive.

Three months. That's how long has passed since the strike. Mid-October. The weather in New York City was getting cooler. Soon Winter would approach and would leave us shivering, but for now I was determined to enjoy the weather. It was sunny out, and several of the people had poked their noses out of the office to head down the street for a cheerful walk.

Papers were flying out of my hands. Everyone wanted to know what was going on in the world. It was great. I only had a couple left when Blue came running up to me. He seemed excited and frantic. The little boy had just turned ten, and I could tell he carried news.

"Crown! Crown!"

"What's up buddy?"

His bright blue eyes were gleaming. "There's a newsie on our territory."

"Did you talk to him?" I asked. He shook his head at me.

"Who's with the newsie right now?"

"Lion. He sent me to get you." Lion, when he got out of the refuge, even though I had offered, refused to take back the leadership of Queens.

I nodded. "Can you take me to him?"

Blue nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me through the streets. I shoved my papers back into the bag that were distributed at the gates and jogged back to the place where Blue had come from.

Lion stood leaning against a wall, watching the kid from under the rim of his cap. The kid was scrawny, with dark coffee coloured skin and brown eyes. He shouted out headlines as people skidded around him.

I hadn't seen him around Queens before, or at the gates of The World this morning. So where'd he get the papers?

I quickly checked to make sure my hair was still in my hat, then gestured for Blue and Lion to follow me. We made our way over to the boy and stood waiting.

"Can I help you boys?" He asked, innocence in his gaze.

Lion stepped forwards. I quickly put a hand on his chest, stopping him from walking forward. "Care to explain what you're doing on my territory?"

He smirked and stepped forwards. "Selling papes."

"Ya. I noticed. This isn't your ground. Scram."

"And what are you gonna do if I don't?"

I smirked. "I'll have a bunch of well-armed newsies afta you."

His eyes flashed slightly in fear. "Fine. I'm leaving." He turned tail and walked away heading back in the direction he came. Towards The Bronx.

I frowned in concentration. What was The Bronx up to now? The Bronx had always been sneaky, poking their noses where they didn't belong. I'd have to let the others know.

But, then again, it could be nothing. If one of the other groups says something, then I'll know The Bronx is up to something. I'll just leave it for now. I decided.


It kept happening for two weeks. Sometimes even two or three Bronx newsies all the way in the middle of Woodside. It was getting increasingly harder to get them out of Queens. The boys were getting bigger too. First they were scrawny under-fed boys, but now they were larger, well-muscled boys. I was starting to get mad. Bronx wasn't going just take Queens.

I expressed my worries to Spot one evening after selling. We were walking along the border between Queens and Brooklyn, enjoying a quiet pleasant evening, when he mentioned The Bronx.

"You know. I found a newsie I didn't know in Brooklyn today. At first I thought he was just from Manhattan or Queens. But I got closer, and he wasn't acting right. It was like he knew he wasn't supposed to be there. I asked him where he came from and he ran off, shouting the Bronx." Spot told me.

"So it isn't just me. I've had boys from the Bronx coming on and off Queens for the past two weeks. They are coming in groups now. Selling their papers in Queens, forcing some of the younger boys to relocate until some of the older ones come along and deal with it. The little ones aren't allowed to speak to them. I don't want them getting hurt." I bit my lip, deep in thought.

Spot smiled at me and slung an arm around my shoulder. "It's cute how much you care for the boys."

"They were the ones who helped me. Now it's my turn." I offered as explanation. He nodded and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"You remind me of my sister, you and her would've got on well. Her name was Ethel."

"As well as you and my brother?" I teased. He laughed.

"I gotta head home. See you later doll." Spot replied. "We'll figure out the Bronx issue later."

I nodded, pressed a quick kiss to his lips and turned jogging back to Queens. I entered Queens and slowed to a walk, enjoying the cool breeze as I walked, a skip in my step as I walked quietly back to the lodging house, whistling a low tune.

I raised my hands above my head and twisted, adjusting my bindings, which had shifted into an uncomfortable position during the day. I winced in pain, sure that it was going to leave a bruise on my ribs.

I was down the street from the lodging house, when it occured to me how strange it was that I hadn't seen any newsies on my way home. Maybe we got lucky and everyone sold out early, but that was incrediably unusual. I picked up my pace a bit and opened the door to the lodging house.

It was dark inside. I walked over to the light switch and flicked it, turning on the over head lighting.

"Ladders! Clothspin! Blue! You guys here?" I shouted. No response. Where was everyone?

I jogged up the stairs into the bedroom. "Hello? Anyone here?" I knew that the caretaker had gone home early to his wife, so he wasn't here, but Ladders and the rest lived here. Where could they have gone?

The door banged open again downstairs and I froze. Quickly, I snatched up my slingshot and loaded it. I crept quietly out of the room, wincing as the floorboards creaked underneath my feet. I got to the top of the stairs and glanced over the balcony, my fear turning to ice-cold shock.

I quickly stood up and rushed down the stairs, dropping my slingshot on the stairs and running over to the boys. Ladders was carrying Raven and the rest of the boys crowded around nervously.

"What happened?" I demanded, quickly picking Raven up out of Ladders arm and laying him on the couch, ignoring the blood on my hands and shirt. Raven groaned half-heartedly. I walked over to the caretakers desk and opened the bottom drawer, grabbing the first-aid kit out.

"We found him like this." Clothespin stated, pulling his hat off and running a hand through his thick black hair. "He was laying in the middle of the street bleeding. A couple of guys bolted when we came."

Raven's black hair was matted against his forehead with blood. Blood was leaking out of a wound in his lower stomach, several cuts and bruises littered his face and arms, and he groaned in pain.

I scowled and tugged off Raven's hat, handing it to Ladders. I pulled his suspenders down, then unbuttoned his shirt and opened the first aid kit, grabbing a roll of bandage. A large gash ran across part of his stomach. I pulled out gauze and laid it on the wound, mopping up some of the blood. I pulled off a strip of bandage and laid it across, sticking it to his skin, pressing it down with my fingers.

"Poor kid." Cheery murmured, his usual smile lacking. Raven groaned again.

I sighed. "Poor kid." I repeated.


Racetrack and I, late one night a couple of days later, sat with our backs leaning against the Williamsburg Bridge. His blonde curls, so simaliar to my own, were shoved messily under his hat, and he was twirling the cigar he always carried with him.

I leaned with my head on his shoulder, sitting with my back against his arm, my legs stretched out in front of me.

"So hows you and Edith doing?" I asked, letting out a gentle sigh.

He chuckled. "As well as a street-kid and Pulitzer's daughter can do." He kissed the top of my head. "Hows about you and Spot?"

"Fine, everything's fine." I smiled.

"Then what's up? You're playing with your hands again." Race stated, gesturing to my hands, where indeed I was playing with my fingers, wringing them so much that they had turned red. It was a habit I had shared with him since I was able to talk.

"You know Raven?" He nodded. "He was beat up by some Bronx boys. Bleeding. Who would beat up a ten year old?"

"Bad people. Somethings always been wrong with the Bronx, maybe just a bad show of leadership." He smirked. "I don't see your boys, or even Spot's boys, going around beating up boys."

I smiled. "You are remarkably good at encouragement for an older brother."

"And you're remarkably good at listening for a younger sister."

We stood up and hugged and I walked back to the lodging house.

I got inside, shut the door behind me and locked it. Caretaker had gone home long ago. Everyone was upstairs in bed sleeping except for Ladders, who sat quietly on the couch. He waved when I walked in and I smiled back. I made my way up the stairs. I quietly got changed and brushed my hair out, before checking on a sleeping Raven and heading into bed.