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Post by Kid Blink on Aug 8, 2009 19:44:02 GMT -5
Blink came hurrying into the lodging house, his hand closed firmly around Brook's wrist.
"C'mon, I think we beat Cowboy--"
Blink stopped short, seeing Jack had already gotten back to the lodging house. He winced, knowing he might be in for it, seeing how he went against his leader's direct instructions to stay with Racetrack.
"We couldn't find Brook!" Blink said quickly, holding up Brook's wrist as proof of her existence. "I figured I could find her hanging out around Tibby's, so I told Race to come on back with the others and I'd go get her and it'd only take me a few minutes and it's not like I could just leave her out there and I went right there and found her and we came straight back here I promise!"
He realized he was babbling like a frightened duckling, so very un-Blink-like, but when their search for the remaining Manhattan kids out on the streets hadn't produced Brook, Blink had gotten worried. He'd promised he'd look after her, and for a few minutes there, he thought maybe he'd let her down. Finding her calmly reading a paper at Tibby's had only relieved his tension a bit--he couldn't seem to shake the thoughts of what it would've meant for her if he had let her down.
Slightly embarrassed by his instantaneous supplication in the face of Jack Kelly, Blink swiped off his hat and scrubbed a hand through the hair at the back of his head, avoiding Jack's eyes as he looked to the floor.
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Post by Brook LaRue on Aug 8, 2009 20:09:19 GMT -5
Brook gave everyone a weak smile and looked at Blink, he'd been upset when he'd found her and she'd had no idea why. But now she kind of understood. She did something more bold then normal and wiggled her wrist free form his grip to take his hand. Maybe he'd calm down then? Just a little. She offered Jack a small smile as she saw Bumlets roll his eyes and pray for whatever it was he was thinking about. She rarely knew.
"Sorry, mon choux.." she murmured, looking every bit as sheepish as her compatriot. At least she was there now though right?
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Post by Racetrack Higgins on Aug 8, 2009 22:22:05 GMT -5
When Racetrack saw the kid come upstairs and start stammering all over himself, he knew what the kid was going to say before he could say it all the way. Jack was always sending people to do things for him. Jack liked messengers, for some reason, and Race wondered if he could have chosen someone other than this kid, who was so excited at the prospect of delivering a message from Jack he couldn't even get it out right. Race decided to take the kid out of his misery. "Jack wants all of us downstairs?" The kid nodded. "A'right, c'mon, everyone. Everyone," he echoed, with a glance toward Specs' bunk. Specs was unresponsive, and Racetrack set his teeth and walked over to the bunk.
"Hey, meathead!" He hit Specs on the arm twice, hard. "Get up. Downstairs." Specs groaned and turned over, apparently thinking Race was just messing with him. "Wake up, you dunce! After all the trouble you put me through tonight you better not put me though anymore nothin'." Race and Blink had to go through hell and back to find all the Manhattan newsies, and Race was uneasy (read as: quite concerned) that he had to return to the house without having found Specs. Of course, he was furious when he found Specs leaning against the railing with some floozy from Fifth Avenue. Specs was mad, of course, but Race matched him temper for temper.
Specs sighed and rose from bed. "Trouble? I didn't do nothin'. And I think you owe me a shot at a doll, too, don't forget..." Specs was always sore when he missed a chance at a girl.
"Now how the hell am I supposed to...ah, forget it. Downstairs, bonehead."
They reached the front desk just after Blink and Brook walked in. Bumlets was already there. "You two all squared away?" Race gave a nod to Blink and Brook. He then turned to Jack. "What's happenin', Cowboy?"
"That's what I'd like to know..." Specs mumbled. He'd been too pissed off to listen to what Race had to say about why all the kids were being rounded up, and he hadn't yet been filled in on much anything. Race shot him a death glare before returning his attention to Jack.
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Post by dutchy on Aug 9, 2009 0:31:00 GMT -5
Hearing all the commotion, Dutchy wandered in, with Don't Ask trailing behind looking a bit uneasy for being there since technically he wasn't a newsies, or part of the group. But Dutchy insisted and figured they could really use all the help they could get. Ajusting his hat and glancing back to see if Don't Ask came in or not, Dutchy moved further into the room. He nodded to Jack, speaking up to explain the new guy.
"Jack, this is Don't Ask. He's a friend. We could use everyone we can get, right?" He shrugged, hoping Jack wouldn't fit him with a glare and kick Don't Ask out.
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Post by Bumlets Russo on Aug 10, 2009 12:37:59 GMT -5
Bumlets looked Don't Ask over and raised a brow before he shook his head and looked over at Jack as everyone assembled. "Are we missing anyone other than the missing?" he asked aloud, leaning on his broomstick handle with a tilt to his head. He was ready for war at this stage and he nudged Specs with his elbow. That's what you get for sleeping mate.
"Well save for Mush but he probably met a girl.."
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Post by Don't Ask on Aug 10, 2009 14:00:48 GMT -5
Don't Ask followed Dutchy inside reluctantly. He really hated meeting new people, but Dutchy had insisted that he, as Dutchy's friend and a volunteer to lend a hand, would be welcome. And Don't Ask didn't want to ditch Dutchy just when things might get dicey.
He nodded to the other kids that had assembled in the room as they all gave him the standard once-over. He ran a nervous hand through his hair, roughing it up in the back, and crossed an arm over his bound chest, hanging close to Dutchy while trying not to make it obvious that he was trying to be invisible.
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Post by Kid Blink on Aug 11, 2009 22:51:36 GMT -5
Blink eyed the new guy warily. He was covered in soot smudges, all over his face and marring his white shirt, and he was fidgeting, crossing his arms, uncrossing them, shifting from one foot to the other, and clinging to Dutchy's shadow like a scared brat to his mama's apron. Something about him rubbed Blink the wrong way, and he frowned to himself, trying to place it.
He caught Bumlets giving the guy the once-over, too. Blink tried to catch Bumlets's eye, wondering if he was getting the same uneasy vibe off Don't Ask.
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Post by Brook LaRue on Aug 12, 2009 0:28:07 GMT -5
Brook looked at Blink and then back at the new guy? She tilted her head and looked right at Blink a look of confusion on her face. But if Dutchy trusted him they could right? Biting her lip she kept a good grip on Blink's hand as she looked away and to the floor, trying to make sense of all this.
She looked at Jack and waited for him to say something, she wasnt' sure if she was doing the right thing or not. But.. she wanted her friends back.
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Post by mush on Aug 12, 2009 3:23:51 GMT -5
Mush finally made his appearance coming in the front door whistling. He stopped when he saw everyone gathered around. He hadn't expected the meeting to be right in the front door. He stopped whistling. "Sorry all," he said getting quiet. Dang everyone was there, he was late. Oops.
He chuckled nervously and quickly found a place out of the line of sight to see what all the fuss was about.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Aug 12, 2009 18:24:28 GMT -5
When Mush came into the room, Jack knew everyone was present. He was proud of his kids for coming together so quickly. It would make a lot of things easier in the end, and now he knew that they were taking what he said seriously. Good. They would need to. Figuring he'd kept them waiting long enough, Jack shifted on the desk and stood up on top of it. He learned a while ago that if people had to look up to see you, they automatically listened better. Kloppman might be mad later, but it was necessary.
"Listen up," Jack said, but the room was already silent. "I don't gotta tell you what's been going on. Kids getting taken, who knows where. Not just from here...Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn. Can't ignore it. Cause any one of you might be next." He paused and surveyed the faces around him: boys and girls, young and mature, all united with the grime of the streets and the hardness of the stories they had to tell.
"Prince, Dodger, Spot and me all talked about what we could do. Truth is, it wasn't much. But what we did decide was that no kid--no matter how tough or how old--goes anywhere alone. Groups of two or more."
Racetrack spoke up. "What about sellin'?" Race didn't like the idea of having a selling partner. He'd had one when he was just starting out, as many newsies did, but found that sharing his profits to be next to painful.
Jack thought about this. He was almost sure they hadn't discussed this nuance at the leaders' meeting. "Selling partners. Most of us've had 'em before, we can stand it for a while longer." It was the best way, Jack thought, even though he didn't miss the crestfallen expression on Racetrack's face. Pairs had to be the new rule; Manhattan had lost enough. No matter how empty or busy the street, a kid could get snatched. Especially since...
"Jack," Race spoke again, sounding only slightly timid. "Ain't there somethin' else we could do? Sell on opposite ends of a street, in eyeshot, or somethin'? Think about it, some of us can't even rake in enough dough as it is. Now we gotta split what we earn?"
Jack raised a hand to silence him. "That ain't enough, Race." His voice was taut with tension and fervor. "A street rat like us gets snatched, and no one says a word. Everyone thinks they're just takin' us to the refuge or the orphanage." He turned his eyes to the crowd again. "Now listen good here, a'right? Lucky from Brooklyn almost got taken a few days back--"
"They tried to take Lucky?" Race cried, incredulous.
"That's some dumbass crook..." Specs snickered.
"The two'a'ya's, shut up!" Jack snapped. "The guy didn't expect Lucky to fight like she can. He must've beat it when she started throwin' down. But not before she could see it was a cop." Jack let this fact sink in. It needed to, and just in case, he repeated himself. "It was a cop. Newsies have never liked cops, but now it turns out we can't trust 'em." There was hardly anyone they could trust anymore. No one but each other. That was how it always would be--just a bunch of grimy street rats versus everyone else.
Jack wrapped things up. "Too many kids are gone from Manhattan already. And before we talk about bringin' 'em back, we gotta make sure no one else disappears. Never go anywhere alone, and that's everyone. I don't care how well you can fight. Selling partners. Suck it up. And avoid cops like the plague. Everyone got that?"
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Post by Bumlets Russo on Aug 12, 2009 23:28:18 GMT -5
He met Blink's look about this DA person and his brow went up a bit, well well that was something to think about. This person, felt awkward. He wasn't sure why Dutchy was with him but he'd ask later. After all Dutchy had pretty good taste in friends even if his taste in women wasn't that great. Though he was friends with Specs and he was even worse. Sighing he closed his eyes for a moment until Jack began to speak.
Bumlet's eyes widened at the mention of Lucky getting her ass handed to her and he leaned back against the wall to think about this. That was Bumlets for you, always thinking. Lucky, he'd never considered Brooklyn girls, girls at all really. They were like men with breasts. As he listened to Jack tell them they were supposed to stick together and go places in pairs. He looked over at Specs, they'd been selling partners before they could manage it again.
"So that's it?" he asked with a hiked brow. No information just more warnings? He shook his head and turned to head down the stairs. "Cops run this city Jack. Remember the strike? What are we supposed to do?" Us against the world.
Again.
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Post by dutchy on Aug 13, 2009 1:33:51 GMT -5
Dutchy's stomach twisted at the mention of cops. And Bumlets was right. If they were behind it, what the hell could a bunch of kids do? They couldn't expect the governor to magically show up again. No one had seen Denton for a while now.
Dutchy shared an uneasy look with Don't Ask. He was the only person Dutchy had told about running into the young cop at Stan's Bakery. Dobson had taken Dutchy fairly seriously. Dutchy thought he was all right, but what if he was wrong? What if that officer was behind it too? And if not, Dobson probably held as much credit as a bunch of scared kids with no money had, being young blood and all there.
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Post by Sweets on Aug 13, 2009 7:33:29 GMT -5
Sweets wandered into the lodging house through the open door but came upon a crowd that blocked her from further entrance. Though she couldn’t see over the backs that faced her it was clear the room was very full and intently listening to the solitary voice that was speaking, a voice she had never been happier to hear. When Bumlets replied she nearly grinned at the sound, though the words themselves were too elusive for her weak mind to grasp, but the overwhelming realization that she had finally made it left her acutely aware of her own exhaustion and suddenly unable to go any farther. Quietly leaning back against the wall she slid down until she sat, slumped on the dirty floor and feeling the conflicting sensations of excruciating fatigue and overwhelming euphoria. She was home.
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Post by Brook LaRue on Aug 13, 2009 14:39:04 GMT -5
It was Brook that was looking around trying to make sense of all this and it weighed on her heart. A shock of blond hair caught her eye and they widened, she dropped Blinks hand and shoved boys out of the way. "Let me through!" she about shouted before seeing Sweets. "Mon Chere!" she about sobbed as she dropped to her knees and gathered her beaten and warn friend in her arms. She wasn't sure if anyone else noticed her, but she leaned on the floor and brushed her friend's hair from her forehead.
She just relaxed, for the first time in a long time and looked up at the boys that were most likely gazing at them. She just looked relieved that at least Sweets was home. When Bumlets came over and hoisted Sweets out of her arms she was almost shocked that A) he would touch a girl and B) that he was that strong.
But Bumlets had Sweets in his arms in an instant, "Welcome home, kid." He could barely control is anger at seeing his friend so mangled but he did a damn good job of it. Other things could wait for a moment or two. Sweets needed them all now, she was home. She could tell them where the others were and how to get there.. and she would be safe. It was really all that Bumlets cared about at that moment.
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Post by Specs on Aug 13, 2009 14:46:48 GMT -5
"Let me through! Mon Chere!"
Heads turned. Jack's eyes flicked toward the door, and he barely suppressed a gasp. Sweets?! How...where had she been? "Sweets!" Jack jumped off the table, landed hard, and pushed his way through the crowd. A few of the newsies stood by, stunned. Others, namely Sweets' friends, were pushing to get through. Brook and Bumlets got there first, but Specs wasn't far behind.
"Heya, baby!" he cried joyfully, and glomped Sweets while Bumlets was still hugging her. His ecstacy was dampened when he saw her face. She looked as pretty as always, but she also looked awful.
Racetrack punched Specs in the arm. "Get offa her, you big lug," he hissed. His expression was grave, but his eyes expressed relief. "Sweets...hey, you all right? You look awful, you wanna siddown?"
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thanks admin!
