Running Out of Bubbles, I See

Exhaustion was not a feeling that Flash liked very much, but it was one she had to get well acquainted with. From working, hanging out with the guys, waking up early, and her secret meetings with Sean, she was spent. Every fiber in her body ached and she wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. Normally a morning person, Flash found herself holding the blankets and prolonging her feet hitting the floor later and later each morning. This feeling coupled with the constant squealing of the factory girls she stayed with meant she almost always woke up with her head pounding and she wanted nothing more than to punch them square in their faces. That being said, today was no different.

One of the girls had spent the entire night sobbing quite loudly to everyone's displeasure. Flash had tossed and turned and shoved her head under a pillow, but nothing had drowned out the wailing. When everyone rose for the day, a small crowd gathered around the girl- Nellie if Flash had remembered correctly- to see what she had been whining about. Flash wasn't really close to many of the girls and it didn't feel right to join them, so she busied herself with making her bed, cocking her head ever-so-slightly to listen in.

"Nellie, calm down. I can't understand you when you cry like that. Deep breath. No, stop. Jesus Christ, stop your fucking blubbering!" Flash recognized the voice as belonging to Annette, a rather loud and obnoxious girl. "What is wrong with you?" Annette questioned.

Nellie looked at Annette and buried her face in her arm. "Sp-sp-Spot!" Nellie wailed.

All the girls around her bedside exchanged knowing looks before flocking to embrace her.

Nellie's crying eased up to a soft trickle and she started hiccupping. She rubbed at her eyes, smearing tears and snot all over her face before someone offered her a hanky. She took it and wiped her nose, trying to hand it back to the owner. Flash saw Mary Louise scrunch up her nose and shake her head. "No that's okay. You keep it."

"Th-thanks. Sp-Spot broke up with me yesterday."

"Can you call it breaking up if you were never official?" A voice asked through the crowd.

"We were official!" Nellie snapped. Her red-rimmed eyes began to fill with tears again and she took a shaky breath to calm herself. "At least I thought we were. Apparently, we were just having fun and he said it was time to move on. He didn't even seem sorry. He seemed completely unbothered. I don't understand..." she trailed off.

Annette let out a groan. "I told you this is what Spot does! He keeps you around for a few weeks, gets what he wants, then leaves without so much as a decent explanation." Annette looked around the crowd and pointed. "Lou Ellen, didn't he do that to you?"

Lou Ellen nodded grimly and looked down at the ground.

Annette found another face in the crowd. "Scamp, what about you? Emily? Tiny? Pip AND Squeak? For heaven's sake Nellie, he did it to the twins!"

Mary Louise interrupted her. "Wait, didn't he do the same to you, Annette?"

Annette gave her a cold look and didn't respond. "The point is, this is just Spot. We all warned you about him, remember?"

Nellie let out a small whimper. "I know but I thought... I was special."

There was a chorus of "Me too" and "Yeah right" that rang through the air.

Annette wrapped an arm around Nellie and pulled her in for a hug. "He's good at that, honey. Makes you feel important. Gives you attention and the occasional gift. All the while, going to the whore house at night to be with the shameless. But it gets better, I promise. We don't even care anymore, do we girls?"

Flash felt fabric brush up against her arm and saw a girl had come to stand beside her. The group had all started sharing their own Spot stories with each other, collectively getting angrier with each word uttered.

"Ya know, between you and me, I never knew what the whole fuss about Spot Conlon was anyways. He's really not all that appealing," the girl whispered in Flash's direction and she realized she was speaking to her.

The girl noticed the puzzled expression on Flash's face and let out a small giggle. "Sorry, I don't think we've met before. I'm Alice, but my friends call me Trigger. Triggy if they're trying to get under my skin." She stuck her hand out to shake and Flash took it.

"I'm Allie. But no one calls me that. I go by Flash."

"Flash," Trigger repeated. "Kinda funny, Flash and Trigger."

Flash smiled and gave her a half shrug. "I've never seen the elusive Spot Conlon, but I've heard some things about him that make me question why these girls would subject themselves to that kind of treatment."

Trigger side-eyed her and glanced back to the group of girls huddled around Nellie. "Looks and power are alluring to some. To the weak."

"Sums this lot up nicely if you ask me," Flash murmured.

"Spot and I go way back actually. Back to his pre-reign days. He used to not be the way he is now. Always charming though," Trigger told her. She clucked her tongue against her cheek. "I knew it wouldn't last with Nellie. He told me so. Said there was something else he had his sights set on, but he didn't give me too much detail."

Flash gave her a confused look. "You still talk to him?"

Trigger smirked. "'Course I do. I said I didn't find him appealing, not that I hated him. We're friends. That's why these girls don't really talk to me much. Think I have a thing for him or something. Don't have the heart to tell them I prefer skirts over pants if you catch my drift."

"You're very open, aren't you?" Flash snorted.

Trigger shrugged. "I'm not scared of these bitches. You shouldn't be either. I've watched you; you know. Never saying anything even when I can see you want to. What is that about?"

Flash was at a loss for words and fumbled through the best explanation she had. "I just don't want any trouble. It seems to follow me and I'm just trying to stay under the radar."

"Well doll, New York is not the place where trouble comes to die. This is the birthplace. I'd embrace it if I were you." Trigger gave Flash a pat on the shoulder before walking out the front door, leaving Flash standing there gaping like a fish.

Annette ran to the window and watched as Trigger trudged down the stairs and out of sight. "Okay, she's gone. I got some news that'll make you feel better Nellie."

"Wh-what is it?" Nellie stammered.

"We don't have any Spot Conlon fans in here, do we? Trigger was the only one?" Annette asked looking around. Her eyes fell on Flash. "You?" she pointed. "Do you like him?"

Flash shrugged her shoulders. "Don't even know him."

Her answer seemed to satisfy Annette and she continued. "Spot is gonna get what is coming to him soon. Fred told McNair who told Penny who heard from Slink that there is some kind of group forming to take over Brooklyn. Right from under Spot's nose. They've been recruiting for a while now and coming up with a plan. He'll pay for what he's done, maybe not by our hand, but by someone's. They're gonna take what he loves most in the world. And there is talk about taking reign from the other boroughs too. Change is happening, girls. Just you wait."

"Other than Spot suffering, what does that have to do with us?" Scamp asked unsure.

"Don't you see? Don't any of you know what this means?" Annette snapped. "We might get a say in what goes on around here for once. This change of leadership could benefit us in ways we haven't even imagined yet. Spot cares about Spot and his boys. We need someone looking out for us for a change. And with leadership changing everywhere, who is to say we won't get to run shit?"

Footsteps echoed through the keeper's hallway and everyone fell silent. Ms. Sav emerged dressed in her nightgown and cap. She looked irritated.

"What is going on here? You all should be working! Everyone out. Get a move on!" She turned and shuffled her way back into her room and closed the door.

"We'll talk more later. Better do what the old croon says," Annette sighed and they all dispersed to get ready.

Flash wasn't sure what to do with the news she had just heard. For one, it didn't really affect her in any way. She wasn't living here forever. She had no ties to Spot or obligation to warn him. But she knew Jack was friends with him. She knew Racetrack once was as well. And if Annette was right, their places as leader and right-hand were in jeopardy and she couldn't just keep this to herself. Her meeting with Sean could wait, she had to find them.

Racetrack was running late. He had been out for drinks with the guys and Flash the night before and he was definitely paying for it now. His head was pounding and frankly, he still felt a little drunk. He had overslept and when he awoke, he was surprised to see that the lodging house was empty and Kloppman was out for once. He knew that had Kloppman been there, he would not have let Race sleep as late as he did. Race just knew he wouldn't have time to make it to Sheepshead to sell the morning edition.

Racetrack stumbled his way out of the bed and walked to the washroom, grateful that no one was here to witness the train wreck that was himself. His hair stuck up in odd angles and he had dry vomit crusted to his shirt, despite not remembering actually hurling. His breath was hot and he could still smell faint traces of vodka when he breathed out and it made his stomach feel like it was doing barrel rolls.

Race picked up the nearest washrag and got to scrubbing, wiping away sweat and dirt from his face and back of his neck. He pumped water into the small metal trough next to the sinks and stripped, lowering himself into the tub. He could feel himself relax and he suddenly didn't mind so much that he wasn't going to make it to Sheepshead on time. He leaned back and closed his eyes, placing a wet washcloth over his face. He was enjoying the peace and quiet so much that he almost didn't hear the door to the lodging house open. He figured it was just Kloppman coming back from his errands.

"This is a side of you I've never seen before, Pony Boy. Running out of bubbles, I see," Flash jested, leaning up against the door jamb that led into the washroom.

Race shot up and removed the rag from his face and placed it down towards his groin. He let out a grunt of annoyance and glared at her. "What the hell, Flash. You almost gave me a damn heart attack! What are you doing? How'd you know I'd still be here?"

Flash shrugged and cocked her head to the side, resting her thumbs in her belt loops. "I didn't. I actually came here to leave a message with Kloppman for you and Jack, but I just so happened to walk in on you like... this," she said gesturing towards him.

Racetrack clutched the rag closer to himself and rolled his eyes. "Yeah well you guys got me pretty soused last night, didn't you? Was getting me sloppy your intention the whole time? Because it worked and now I have a killer hangover."

"I had just as much to drink as you and I feel fine," Flash told him nonchalantly, picking dirt out from under her fingernails.

"Bullshit," Race scoffed. "There is no way you had that much to drink."

"How would you know, Race? Bet you don't remember half of what happened last night." Flash looked down at his crumpled heap of clothes and pointed. "Like throwing up for instance," she said grinning. "You remember that, do you?"

Racetrack groaned and threw up one hand, swiveling it in a circular motion. "You mind turning around so I can get out?"

Flash rolled her eyes and obliged but Race could hear her mumble something along the lines of "not like I haven't seen one before" under her breath.

Racetrack got out quickly and wrapped a towel around himself, kicking his clothes across the floor to a dirty clothes pile before making his way to his bunk to grab a fresh outfit for the day. Once he put on his smalls, he cleared his throat and Flash turned back around to face him.

"You said something about a message. What was so important that it couldn't wait for you to tell us tonight during poker?" Race asked her tugging his shirt on over his head.

"Oh right, that. Sorry, seeing you bathing was a bit distracting. Yes, well it has something to do with your buddy Spot. And the rest of y'all." Flash said.

"He's not my buddy," Racetrack muttered. "But go on."

Flash folded and unfolded her hands, shifting her weight back and forth on each foot. "Okay so I overheard some stuff at the place I'm staying and well... I'm pretty sure there is a mutiny forming against Spot. Actually, I'm pretty sure there is a mutiny forming against all the leaders of New York. Every borough. Including this one."

Racetrack stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at her. "What did you say?"

Flash sighed. "I said that I'm pretty sure there is a mut-"

"No, I heard what you said," Racetrack snapped.

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Shut up. Why do you think that?" Racetrack questioned her.

Flash started ticking off reasons on her fingers. "Let's see, Spot broke the hearts of a lot of girls apparently. He has not only pissed them off, but he's pissed off other people too. They're recruiting people. Oh, and Annette used the term mutiny, so I think I'm pretty justified in assuming that's what it is."

Racetrack stood there speechless for a minute before shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. "And they specifically mentioned that they are recruiting people and going after everyone?"

"Yes, that's what I've been telling you," Flash groaned exasperated. "Or trying to at least." She sat down on one of the bunks and rubbed her temples. "I don't give a shit about what happens really, and I don't really give a shit about Spot. But I know that you guys do. And well... you guys are my friends and I thought I should give you a fair warning."

Race threw up his hands. "This explains a lot actually! We've noticed people disappearing and we didn't know why. They're probably out with this gang of bums planning their takeover. Shit, we have to tell Jack. We have to tell Spot!"

Flash held up her hands. "Hold up, we? No, you do. I did my part; my conscience is clean and I'll sleep okay knowing that I at least let someone know."

"You've at least got to come with me to tell Jack. He needs to know everything you heard, down to the last word."

"Okay, I guess that's fair," Flash said in defeat. "But you might want to put on some pants before we go."

"I was planning on it."