The Experiment || Newsies AU

Chapter 71

Jack stood on the marker Ms. Medda placed on the stage and went through the tips Davey had given him before the protest for speaking in front of a crowd.

1.) Have all of your speech written out and have some extra parts written as well just in case.

Pulitzer had dictated the speech to Jack and gotten him to rewrite it multiple times until it sounded like it was his own words.

He had also drilled it into him and made sure that not a single message was changed.

2.) Remember to take a breath before starting the speech, the longer the better.

Jack had figured out at the protest that this helped greatly with calming him down and probably helped him more than he'd like to admit.

3.) Look at me, I'll always be there for you no matter what.

Jack couldn't bring himself to look at Davey, this made Davey worry.

Jack had promised that he would always look at him before his speeches, Davey even planned to do a funny face to cheer him up since he'd been unlike himself for the few days prior.

He dared to half peek though, barely for a second and when he saw the worried look in his eyes he wanted to run down and hug him till they grew old.

He unfortunately couldn't and forgot that he was on a time crunch.

Pulitzer made the speech to be no longer than two minutes if Jack did it like they had practiced.

And he made sure Jack would do it like they had practiced.

Jack turned around to point at the picture of his that he presumed Davey found about Pulitzer.

"Pulitzer," he started, contemplating grabbing his things and running out of there but he knew he couldn't do that again.

"Used us in an experiment without so much as a word to us and that was a lousy thing to do," Jack heard some of the Newsies saying words of agreement from around him.

He had forgotten that they had planned to move from the auditorium to stand in the stage once he started.

"So we got mad and we showed him that we aren't going to be pushed around," Jack looked out and noticed one of Pulitzer's 'advisors' walking in the back. "So we hold a protest. And then what happens?"

Davey and Crutchie share a look with only one thought in it.

That isn't Jack speaking.

"Well, Pulitzer releases his finding so we'll all go back to doing schooling," he, surprisingly, heard all of the Newsies cheering at this.

They might hate school with all their might but they'd rather that over being and experiment any day.

Jack raised his hand to get them all to stop cheering.

"And then a few weeks after that, he starts up the experiment again in secret, and don't think he won't." confused looks were passed around by the Newsies.

Most failed to notice the look of remorse on Jack's face but it was the first thing Davey noticed when he turned in his direction.

"So what do we do then? And what do we do when he decides to use us for more experiment again and again."

Jack sighed and looked out towards the press before looking back at the Newsies.

He noticed Davey starting to walk towards him.

"Fellas we've got to be realistic, if we don't get an education we won't get anywhere in the world," he turned around to face Davey who's eyes were full of heartbreak.

"How many days can you go with some low paying job. Because believe me, Pulitzer can go much longer with all of his money."

He heard the Newsies whispering in the background and turned so his back was away from them.

He couldn't face them.

"But I have spoken with Mr. Pulitzer and he- he has given me his word that if we stop the protest he will publish any results and any further results to come."

He heard the Newsie shouting at him in the background. "Now I say we take the deal. We go back to school, knowing our education is secure. All you have to do is vote 'No'."

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