James looked at me. "What do you mean 'another Conlon'" He asked.

I rolled my eyes and asked dryly. "Let me guess, you have two older siblings named Gabriel and Ethel. They are 16 and 17, with brown hair and eyes, and you haven't seen them in since you were little?"

He blinked at me. "How on earth could you possibly know any of that?"

"Let's just say, I have a habit of associating with Talopeno kids."

"You know my brother and sister. Could you take me to see them?" James asked, looking at me.

I leaned back. "I would princeling, but as you can see by my current situation."

"Oh," He paused for a moment, looking around the shadowy room. "Why are you calling me princeling?"

I laughed, I hadn't thought about it. "Your brother's nickname is the 'King of Brooklyn,' guess that makes you prince."

He stared at me for a minute. "My brother is Spot Conlon?"

I nodded. "Your sister is Sage and runs The Bronx newsies. I run Queens."

"You're Crown Higgins?" He gasped.

I looked at him strangely. "You've heard of us."

"I keep up with the news, lots of kids come in and out of here. Aren't you guys in the middle of some turf war?" At my nod, he continued. "Why are you in here then? Aren't they others going to worry about you?"

I answered the second one first. "Probably. I can handle myself though. I'm in here because my brother was being threatened and I made an exchange."

"You came here to keep your sibling safe?" He nodded in approval and I rolled my eyes.

Later that night, I was still in the corner, and James seemed to have fallen asleep next to me when there was a tap on the window. I looked up and through the moonlight, I could see Lion tapping on the window. Quietly, I turned, and gently opened the window up a crack (that was as far as it could go) and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want?" I asked.

He sighed. "Look, I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but I'm here to get you out."

"And how do I know you won't take me to Thorn?"

"You don't."

"How did you even know I was in here?"

"News travels fast, Thorn was excited that it actually worked to get you in here, and he's headed for Queens in the morning. From what I've heard, nobody except Thorn is happy that you're in here." He told me.

I gave him a dry look. "Are you going to get me out of here?"

Lion chuckled, before slamming his elbow into the glass, shattering it everywhere. James snapped awake.

"Well, I could've done that," I stated. "Are you going to come Prince?"

He looked up at me, before looking back at the room. "Ya. I'm coming with you."

"Come on then." I gestured for him to follow me as I slipped out the window onto the fire escape.

The newly named Prince followed me out of the window.

"I can't believe we're breaking out of jail." Prince marveled at the situation. I laughed quietly, wondering how on earth Spot, Sage, and him were related.

"You get used to it," I whispered, climbing down the ladder. He looked at me wide-eyed.

"You're a convict?" Prince stared at me.

"When you put it that way, you are too." I looked at the boy. He blinked, before shaking his head and following me down the ladder.

We reached the ground and began walking. I leaned over to Lion, speaking quietly so Prince wouldn't overhear.

"What made you change your mind?" At his confused glance, I continued. "A couple of days ago you were beating me up, now here you are breaking me out of jail."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was angry and upset, and I wasn't really thinking things through. Thorn said I could help if I gave him secrets about Queens. But then Ladders was killed, and I wasn't really sure anymore."

"You never told Thorn I was a girl," I pointed out. "Or when I offered you didn't take Queens back."

He shrugged. "I wasn't aware that your gender was necessary information. I nearly did take Queens, but those boys respected you so much more, plus you had already been the leader for years."

The three of us made our way into Queens through the chilly night air. It was cold and the moon gleamed harshly on the pavement. I paused outside the lodging house, knowing Thorn had beat me there. I held up a hand to stop Prince and Lion, before raising my other hand and knocking on the door.

Thorn answered the door, and before he could say anything I slammed my fist into his face.

Thorn staggered backward, clutching his nose, which I had most likely broken. I stepped over the threshold and punched him again. He collapsed onto the ground. I went to stomp on him, but he held up a hand. "Wait, wait."

I paused and he smirked, grabbing my foot and pulling me down to the ground. Quickly I rolled out of his grasp. I knew I was hopelessly outnumbered. Thorn's allies hung back at the edge, allowing Thorn to beat me up.

I turned to Lion and Prince, who were still in the door. "Go get Brooklyn," I ordered, turning to slam my fist into Thorn's jaw as he stood back up. "GO!" I shouted.

Lion and Prince both turned and bolted. I stumbled backward as Thorn punched me.

"How did you get out of the jail? Why did you come back? You must have known it was hopeless." He tilted his head as he came towards me.

I ignored the first question and spat at him. "I came back because Queens is my turf, and I will get it back or die trying. It doesn't matter if it's hopeless, I still am going to fight for it."

Thorn crept steadily closer. "I'd almost say it was admirable if I didn't want to kill you so badly."

"Bring it on."

"Are you sure you don't want to wait for Brooklyn? Then they can all watch you die."

In response, I sprinted forwards and slammed my shoulder into his chest. He was caught off guard and nearly fell again. I slammed my fist into his stomach and quickly backed away.

Thorn snarled at me, before clenching his fists and running straight at me. I ducked and tried to slide around him, but he grabbed my arm and twisted it, punching me with his free hand.

I coughed, blood leaking out of my mouth and onto the ground. My head was spinning. "You're an evil worthless vile man."

"Oh darling, I already know that." He kicked my shin and I landed on the ground. He kicked me in the stomach and I curled up in a ball on the floor.

He kicked me once more and I gasped out of breath. Before he could hit me again, I rolled over and stood back up, limping away, clutching my aching stomach, which is most likely bleeding.

"If you leave now I will let you live."

I didn't respond, instead, I stumbled forwards and punched him again.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" He asked, pushing me so I fell back to the ground.

"Pick on someone your own size." Lion barked. He rushed forwards, stepping over me and slamming into Thorn.

I coughed up more blood, and someone's arms pulled me up, bundling me in a hug.

Racetrack was nearly in tears. "I swear Crown. If you ever do anything like that ever again." He didn't need to finish, instead just squeezing me tighter, ignoring the blood that was staining his shirt.

Lion had settled for beating up Thorn. I turned towards the door, looking as Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Manhattan boys flooded in, beating up the boys who had made the mistake to abandon their Manhattan safe haven. I noticed Prince slip in next to Blue and Raven.

Spot walked in the door, followed closely by Sage. As soon as he spotted me, Race let go, allowing Spot to come over and hug me. I smiled slightly into his shoulder.

"How dare you let me worry like that?" He hissed in my ear, and I laughed quietly.

"Okay, okay! I give up!" Thorn shouted. I turned to see he was laying on the floor, Lion holding him down. Seeing their leader give up, the boys still fighting froze.

"I'll leave the city. I'll go somewhere else. I don't want to die." He shrieked.

"Get out," I ordered. He looked at me, like a sorry puppy, before quickly standing up and rushing out, the few boys that were still loyal to him following him out.


I limped up the stairs to Pulitzer's office, Spot's arm linked around me, helping me with walking, Sage, and Jack walking in front of us. It turned out I had twisted my ankle, not badly, it would only take a couple days to heal, but I would limp for those few days. I had bandaged my bleeding forehead and stomach.

It was early dawn, but Pulitzer was here already. I had no doubt that he knew what was going on, but still, we marched up the stairs.

Jack reached out and knocked. The door was opened and Pulitzer was standing there.

"I figured you would be coming sooner or later, Thorn said he was leaving the city."

"Why did you do it?" Jack asked. "You knew we would win, yet for some reason you let him try to take over."

"I'll admit, I've lost far too many battles. So many that I've lost the war."


"Are you sure you want to do this?" Race asked, for what felt like the hundredth time.

I huffed and looked up at him. He held his hands up in surrender as I limped up the stairs. We knocked on the old wooden door and our father opened it.

"I just thought you should know, that if you ever come near us ever again, I will personally make sure you regret it." I threatened, his eyes widened as Race and I turned and walked away.


That night, Spot and I sat on the staircase in the Brooklyn lodging house as newsies from every turf played card games and bet on different things.

"You know, I should probably mention, I have a weird habit of associating with Conlon kids."

Spot raised an eyebrow at me.

I grinned. "Hey Prince, Sage, come here." The boy looked over at me and made his way over, followed by Sage.

"What's up?"

"I told you I'd introduce you to your siblings again." I addressed Prince.

Spot stared blankly at me. "Again? How?"

I shrugged as he stood up and walked down the stairs, closing his brother in a hug, followed by Sage.

"I found him while I was in that jail for a couple hours. In there for stealing or something." I stated, using the railing to stand up.

Spot turned and came back up the stairs to hug me. "I really do love you." He whispered, low enough so only I could hear it.

I flushed pink. "I really do love you too."