Daughter of the Refuge

Chapter Twenty-Four

"You'se said dey tried tah kill you?" Someone inquired.

"A trained killer," Samantha said. "And I'm willing tah bet he was exactly like da ones Queens and Harlem were jumped by. Midtown is right, Snyder wouldn't go tah all dat trouble."

"But if dey wanted you'se dead, why go tah all dat trouble, Snyder or not?"

"Because dey wanted tah leave a message fah all you'se."

"But Snyder is still our enemy," the Bronx leader stated. "Dat much is clear by what happened tah Ryder."

"There's something else that makes it clear too. And I think it might be the key to finding out who our second enemy is," Katherine said. "Nine years ago, four children were kidnaped within weeks of each other. Disappeared without a trace and never heard from again." Tossing the file onto the table, she allowed them a moment to flip through the information, although they hadn't been able to find any information on Snyder's mention of the fourth child. "Snyder kidnaped them and has been holding them in another building that he owns for all this time. The same building that Caz was rescued from."

"Why?" The girl in question asked. "What is his motive fah kidnaping four kids?"

"We are hoping to learn that when we rescue the children."

"A rescue mission?" The East Side leader piqued up. "Are ya crazy?"

"Yes," Jack said, reentering the conversation. "If rescuin' three children who 'ave endured Snyder's abuses fah nine years deems us as crazy, then I must be insane. We need newsies willing tah be a part of da rescue, at least ten."

"It's a suicide mission!"

"It's worth it," the Manhattan leader stated, turning his back on the East Side leader and on the conversation. "Anyone willing tah go will be informed of da mission in a week's time."

"What were we called 'ere fah?" Spot asked. "I know it wasn't tah discuss savin' dese kids."

"No it wasn't," Katherine agreed. "It was to create a truce. An agreement between every borough in New York to fight together against this common enemy. If we are fighting against each other while facing someone who isn't afraid of killing innocent people, we will lose a lot more than any of us know."

"And what does dis truce entail?" The leader of Queens questioned.

"To fight fah every newsie no matter where dey come from," Samantha said. "To stand up against anyone dat dares ta threaten the security of da newsies. To become one with each other. You are da Newsies of New York City, not a Brooklyn, or Queens, or Lower Manhattan, or of da East Side. It's a truce tah start acting like what you claim tah be."

"Every leader willing to accept the terms will be asked to sign this paper," Katherine stated, holding up a sheet of paper.

"Dis isn't fah your sake, it's fah da sake of every newsie dat you have sworn yourselves tah protect," Jack added. "To win we 'ave tah stand together. It's about every boy and every girl who waved a newspaper in deir hands each day tah feed themselves. So don't make dis about you."

It was quiet as every leader thought through the proposal. Spot Conlon was the first to stand up.

"Give me da sheet," he demanded.

"Are you'se kiddin' me?" His second-in-command coughed. "We can handle 'em. We're Brooklyn, fah goodness sake."

Spot didn't hesitate before punching the boy senseless with one swift swing.

"Brooklyn or not, dis fight ain't about strength. And I think we all know dat Brooklyn is lackin' a good deal in da second area," he said, glaring at the boy who was currently nursing his now swollen lip. "Brooklyn is in. I'll send two guys fah the rescue mission." And with that, Spot grabbed his second by the arm and dragged him out of the room, glaring at everyone in his way, and never looking back once.