Daughter of the Refuge

Chapter Six

"For whatever reason, you've been at da Refuge for ages and know practically everything about it. We thought it was shut down."

"It was." Bria and Fall exchanged a look.

"Ruth, we need ta know what's happenin'. Dis is the third attack on the newsies in two weeks. Everyone's on edge, and no one has answers. We were really hoping dat you'd know something," Bria finally said. 

"And yous think I'd 'ave answers? I'm as confused as all of you."

"Is dere anything you know? Anything at all?" Samantha contemplated telling them about Snyder, but decided against it. She would tell them when she knew more.

"Is'll look into it, okay?"

"Thank you," Bria said. "Keep us in the loop, will ya?"

"I'll do my best. Dat all?" The girls nodded. "Then I'm gonna go. Is hope Ryder makes it."

"See ya." Samantha stood up and shook hands with both girls before heading back the way she came. 

Two attack in two weeks. Harlem, Queens, Manhattan. None of it made sense to Samantha. She knew that it had to have something to do with Snyder. Talk of the Refuge while attacking five newsies didn't seem like a coincident, but who were the people, and what did Snyder gain in attacking the newsies?

She thought over what Peter had told her about Snyder's new building. 

"It's got at least three floors, maybe more," he said, drawing a small sketch of the layout in the dirt. "Da ground floor and second floor are identical, two hallways with six rooms down each. The only thing I was able ta see of the top floor was Snyder's office which is at ta top of da stairs. Everything else was heavily guarded."

"What exactly is da purpose of the new building?" Jada, a friend of Peter's who had been helping them out, asked.

"Is 'ave no clue. Most of da rooms are vacant with maybe a few empty boxes in each. No one 'sides Caz and I were in dere."

"Could dey be waitin' for people ta come? Maybe he's opened a new Refuge?" Jada suggested.

"He has ta be making money out of it," Peter said. "Someone has to be paying him or he wouldn't be doing dis at all."

"Could da attack on Manhattan have anything ta do with it?" 

"To early ta tell. Sam, yous 'ave any ideas?"  

"Are ya sure dere's only three floors? No basement?"

"What? Yeah, Is checked everywhere, but there's no doors leading down and no windows at ground level."

"I don't have any ideas at dis point. I think wes should just wait it out, but keep a close eye on activity surrounding the building. Jada, can we trust yous with dat?" She gave a firm nod before standing. 

"Let me know if ya learn anything," she said.

"Yous too."

"None of dis makes sense," Samantha muttered, running a hand over her face. 

"None of what, sweetheart," a voice taunted. She spun around, glaring daggers at the two figures before her. The Delancey brothers.

"Ain't none of your business, dat's what."

"Well, ya see, dat's where we hit a problem. Snyder told us ta keep a close eye on his daughter, make sure she was keeping 'er pretty little nose out of trouble." Her blue eyes narrowed at the word daughter.