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Chapter 17: WE WON

"Oh alright. But be quick about it."
"Thank you Mr. Bunsen!" I turned to the guys "Well, get a move on, let's go, we've gotta stop Jack from causing too much trouble."

We started up the stairs and as soon as we were out of earshot from Bunsen and the others Davie let out a "How?"

"How what?"
"How da hell didja do that?" Spot asked.

I shrugged "I've been here before, I know some of the people."
"Still..." Davie trailed.

"It's not a big deal."
"'Not a big deal' you just tricked him inta lettin us in!" Spot exclaimed.

"All I did was lie."
Davie snorted "And play with your hair while you batted your eyelashes."

I shrugged as we started down the hall "I figured if it works on Spottie here it'd work on Mr. Bunsen."

"Wh- ya- you-" Spot sputtered.
Davie laughed.
"It does not!" Spot managed.

"Yeah it does."
"No it doesn't!"
Davie shushed us "We all already know your whipped Spot."

"No I ain't-"
"Shhhhh. Come on." He pushed open the door to Mr. Pulitzers office and stepped inside.

"Written by my daughter and that other reporter no doubt." Mr. Pulitzer was saying.

"Oh yeah I would sign the two a them before anyone else gets the chance." Jack said.
"I demand to know who defied my ban on printing strike materials!"

"Oh, we're ya loyal employees we would neva take our business elsewhere."

Someone snapped their fingers "That old printing press in the cellar." I think that was Mr. Seitz.

"I gave you the offer of a lifetime! Anyone who does not act in their own self interest is a fool!"

"Then what does that make you?" I asked, fully stepping into the room.

I heard Hannah gasp a little.
"Miss Falto-" He stared.

I held up a hand cutting him off.
"No. You talk about self interest. This all started because you wanted to sell more papers. But since the strike started your circulation has been down 70%. You are losing thousands of dollars just to beat these boys out one lousy tenth of a cent."

The boys came and stood on either side of me "Why didn't you just come talk to us?" Davie asked.

"It's cause guys like Joe don't talk to nobody's like us. But as some very wise kids once told me bein boss don't mean ya got all da answers just the smarts enough to listen to the right ones when you hear them."

Blue led me over to the window with the rest where we could hear the people chanting and singing.

"Take a look out dere Mr. Pulitzer. If ya ain't figured it out, wes got ya surrounded." Spot said proudly.

"New York is closed for business." I grinned.
"Paralyzed even, you can't get a paper or a shoeshine. You can't send a message, ride an elevator, or cross da brooklyn bridge. Hell, you can;t even get out of your own office. So what's your next move?" Jack sounded so smug.

"I'd like to speak with you. Alone please."
"Speakin to me alone ain't gonna change anythin Joe."

That just made Pulitzer angry "Everybody out except you Kelly."
"Davie's stayin too." Jack said.

The older man started to protest.
"He stays or we don't talk."
"Fine, out with the rest of you."
Spot took my hand again and we started out of the office along with Hannah and Mr. Seitz.
"You tricked Bunsen into letting you in didn't you?" Hannah asked.