I'll Always Look Out For You

25 | Sixty Cents | July 17, 1899

But Spot doesn't treat him like that.

"I mean, apologizing does sound nice, but you don't have to. Sometimes ya gotta let your anger out, and there ain't no reason to say you'se sorry for being rightfully mad."

That was exactly what Race needed to hear. He looks up again at Spot, and smiles. Spot smiles back.

What Race doesn't know is that it wasn't even three minutes after he took off that everything fell apart.

"What should we do?" Tumbler asks. "Should we get our papes and go?"

"We're gonna figure this out," Skittery tells him.

"They ain't never gonna lower their prices again," Snipeshooter says glumly.

Jack still doesn't know what to do. He's thinking, but everyone is talking at once. Well, everyone except David, who is trying to figure things out silently.

"Hey! World employees on this side of the gate only!" Weasel shouts at them.

They all start shouting angrily back.

"Hey Jack, do you see Race anywhere?" Crutchy asks after a few moments.

Jack looks around. "Oh no. Race!" he calls out.

"Jack, he probably just went to Sheepshead," Mush points out.

"I hope he didn't shut down somewhere," Blink adds worriedly. "It'll take forever to find him that way."

"I'm going to find him," Jack decides. "I'm gonna check Brooklyn. Blink, Mush, if you want, search nearby. Maybe he didn't go that far." he turns back to David. "Davey, I'll be right back, I promise."

"Why does this Race person need to be here for the decisions?" David asks curiously.

Right. David didn't really meet Race yesterday. None of the newsies are going to say anything. There's just too much to explain about Race at once. 

Jack is already walking away. "Because I ain't doin' anything without my younger brother beside me."

In the time that it takes Jack to head to Brooklyn, Race has gone into Sheepshead. Spot told him that maybe gambling will take his mind off of everything. And so, he decided to listen.

Jack doesn't see Race around. But he does see Spot.

He smirks at seeing Spot perched up high. "Seems you moved up in the world, Spot."

Spot smirks back when he sees Jack. "If it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick." He jumps down. They spit into their hands and shake. "So what brings you to Brooklyn, Jackie boy?"

"I was wonderin' if you've seen Race," Jack answers.

"Yeah, he's been at Sheepshead for what, a half hour, an hour at most, by now. If ya want him, go find him."

"Did he say anything about how the prices got jacked up?"

"Yeah. He was pretty mad about that. I mean, rightfully so."

"Did it seem like a different kind of mad, though?"

"What are you trying to get at?"

Jack sighs. "He ain't like everyone else, Spot. Race is different. He's special."

"Dang right he is."

"Hm?"

"Ah, nothing. 'Sides, I already knew he was special. Have you ever tried talkin' to him? Or just...being around him?"