"William Higgins wants his Anthony back, and Jennifer in the new juvenile jail. Pulitzer wants a price raise. I want Queens. If I'm to give up Manhattan. I want Queens instead."
I stopped hearing it after the first sentence. I angrily stomped up and grabbed his collar. "How do you know those names?" I asked, ignoring the two guys who stepped forwards.
"I pick things up. What can I say, everyone wants my help." He smirked at me. I pulled my hand back and swung. I could feel the pain shoot through my hand, and I knew that my hand was going to be bruised as he fell to the ground.
I looked up at Jack, ignoring Thorn on the ground. "Where's Racetrack?"
Jack shook his head. "Last I saw him he was heading to the Sheepshead races with Albert."
I silently thought. When I left my father, we used to live near the Sheepshead. "Oh no," I looked up at the other three. "I-I have to run."
Quickly, without another thought, I turned and ran off, towards the races. I had to find my brother. I couldn't let my father get him.
I skidded around the corner and bolted, sprinting along the street, grabbing my hat as it flew off my head, summoned by a burst of wind, my hair following in pursuit. I jumped over the fence that enclosed the Sheepshead, and rushed through the crowd, looking around for my brother. I spotted Albert over on the side of the tracks.
"Albert! Albert!" I shouted.
He turned and looked over at me. "Crown? What's wrong?" He asked, looking at me with concern.
"Where's Racetrack?" I asked, praying that he knew.
"Left a couple of minutes ago, said he wasn't feeling great and he was going back to Queens." He stated. "Why? What's wrong?"
Crap, I thought. "I have to run Albert, thank you."
Back in Queens, I burst into the lodging house, and the few boys sitting around looked up at me in confusion.
"Where's my brother?" I asked.
"Haven't seen him since he left this morning," Crutchie stated. "Is everything okay?"
"Fine. Just fine." I exited the lodging house and began pacing the streets. I couldn't help but worry. I knew Racetrack was older and able to defend himself, but my father was insane, and he wanted me in the new jail.
As I paced the streets I formed a plan in my head. I needed to go to Manhattan. I had no clue if my father would still be there, but it was a lead. I needed to find Racetrack before any harm could come to him.
Quietly I walked back into Manhattan. I knew Spot was going to worry about me, but I needed to do this. I made it back to my old housing development, the old brick apartments. I could feel the fear in my blood, a living breathing thing. My hands were shaking. I didn't want to go back.
No Crown, I told myself. You have to do this, your brother is in there. You have to.
I pushed open the door and walked up the several flights of stairs until I was standing in front of the door where my worst nightmares had happened. I turned the handle, surprised to find it unlocked. I walked in and froze. Racetrack was sitting tied to a chair, his mouth gagged. His eyes widened when I entered and he shrieked, warning me, but it was too late.
Something hit me on the back of my head and I gasped, hitting the floor as I blacked out.
I woke up tied to a chair and gagged like Racetrack. I struggled for a moment before Racetrack noticed my being awake, He nudged me and gave me a look saying he had already tried that. I glanced outside, it was beginning to get dark.
Calming myself down, I began fiddling with the knot, feeling for any loose strings I could pull.
"Long time no see my dears," My father walked into the room, looking at us with his hands clasped behind him. "I'd ask how you are but I don't care."
I felt a loose string by my hands and I began to tug on it, pulling harder, the string began to unravel.
"All I wanted to do is talk, I want to strike a deal. Anthony, I want to take you back in and raise you to be a proper young man. To be honest Jennifer, I don't really care what happens to you, so you can go and do something, probably the jail."
I chuckled silently, favoritism much. He probably didn't realize that I had been in the refuge before, at ten none the less.
"It's crazy how much people are willing to listen to you when you have a little bit of knowledge. Mr. Pulitzer jumped at the chance to earn more money, and Thorn was ecstatic for the chance to take over and have more selling space," He rolled his neck, I continued pulling. "Maybe I am a genius."
"I suppose I should probably untie you Jennifer, and allow you to leave." My father turned his back, making a mistake. Racetrack looked at me, he was nearly in tears. I guess it wasn't just my worst nightmares coming true too. He stared at me as if begging me not to leave. I bite the gag, and gave the rope one last tug, feeling it fall away. I quickly untied my legs, while his back was still turned, and yanked the gag out, ignoring Race's muffled noise.
My father turned around to invest agate the noise, and I took two quick steps and slammed my fist into his jaw. He fell to the ground. "Now you might be willing to listen to me," I stated, crouching down so I was face to face.
"If I were to go to this jail, would you consider letting my brother go?" I asked.
He snarled at me from his position on the floor. "You'd be willing to go to jail and allow him to walk free. Honorable. I might consider it."
"Good, because it's your only option," I stated. I got up and walked over to Race, untying his hands and legs, he pulled the gag out himself.
"What the hell do you think you're doing Crown?" He demanded.
"Saving your neck."
"No. We are both leaving. Come on." He grabbed my arm and tried to tug me away.
I stood fast. "No. I'm not going anywhere. He will just come after us again. At least this way, he will leave us alone. It will keep all of you safe. I can't let Thorn kill anyone else."
"But what about all the Queens boys? What about Jack and Sage? What about Spot? You can't just leave them." He asked, looking at me in confusion.
"You think I want to do this?" I argued. "It will keep you all safe. That's what I want."
"But-"
"No. Go Racetrack. Now."
He blinked at me. I could tell by the look he was giving me that he was going to tell everyone, but he still turned and left the apartment, casting one last glance my way, and then disappearing. I was going to have a bunch of angry newsies when I got out.
"You know. If you weren't a girl in pants, I might consider raising you instead." My father commented.
"Shut up," I snapped. "Well, are you taking me to the jail or what?"
"Eager are we?" He stood up and grabbed my elbow, pulling me out of the room. Together we walked down the stairs and out of the building. The jail was only a little while away from the apartment.
He shoved me into the evil-looking building and up to the secretary. "I have caught someone loitering and stealing. I want to put them in here."
"Fine." He spoke, walking up to the door and unlocking it. My father shoved me in, and I could hear the lock clicking behind me before footsteps receded and I was left alone in the room with twenty or so boys.
They all stared at me for a second before going back to laying on the five beds or the floor. Quietly, I walked over to the corner and plopped down, tucking my hat lower on my face and covering most of my eyes.
I was alone for a little while, until a young boy, about eleven, I didn't know came and sat next to me.
"So what are you in for?"
I rolled my eyes. "Making bad deals. You?"
"Stealing. I'm James."
I rolled my eyes. "Crown."
"Interesting name."
"I'm an interesting person," I replied, half-heartily.
He nodded, moving shaggy brown curls out of his eyes. I froze. I only knew two other people with brown curls like those, and eyes that shade.
"Kid?" I asked. He looked up at me. "You got a last name?"
He nodded. "Talopeno."
I facepalmed. Of course. It was just my luck. "How come every time I leave my home to protect another I meet a Conlon?" I asked rhetorically.
