- Chapter 88 - Oooooh, "fun" leader-borough meetings lol -
Warnings: mentions of illness, betrayal, injuries, burns/burning, abuse, jokes about abuse, hitting people with hats, wars, fighting, insults
Third Person POV
"One of my boys is extremely injured and Race was taken over a week ago," Spot explained.
The other leaders looked at each other.
"This needs to end today," Spot told them, looking around the circle. "Newsies can't keep getting injured because of this. I need your help."
"We need your help," Jack spoke up.
Spot looked at him. He nodded.
"Why didn't you tell us when Race was first taken?" Match questioned, looking confused.
"Because Revenge set it up to make it look like Race angered the drunks that typically play poker in the back alleys in Brooklyn," Spot explained. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And the Newsie that Race had been with when he was taken turned out to be a traitor, who's working with Revenge, so he played into this trick," he informed them.
Pack frowned, crossing his arms. "How bad is your Newsie injured? And how badly do you think Race is injured?" he asked. "Midtown can bring medical supplies. We have plenty."
Spot nodded gratefully. "Bandit, my injured Newsie, is going to be okay physically, we hope," he informed him. "He's being taken care of right now."
Pack nodded.
"Race... I honestly don't know." Spot sighed, rubbing the temples of his forehead. "I think we just need to hope for the best and prepare for the worst... which... I don't know what the worst is, but I'm hoping it's not bad," he said.
Pack nodded again. He looked at Spot, silent for a second as he debated whether or not to ask what they were all thinking. "You don't think he's...?"
"No," Spot answered almost instantly. "Something in my heart knows he's not. My only question is how much did he anger them with his big mouth?" He tried to crack a playful smile, but it was clear he was still very worried.
"Probably a lot." Craft smiled, patting Spot's shoulder.
Spot nodded, shaking his head. "Crazy child." He looked over at Jack. "It's your fault."
Jack rolled his eyes, his arms crossed. "Nah, I'm pretty sure that comes from his "half Brooklyn" side," he responded.
"Or maybe, just maybe, it was both of you." Arrow gasped at his comment, his hands over his mouth. "What a weird idea. Woah." He did jazz hands.
Jack and Spot both rolled their eyes.
"Either way," Jack turned to Craft, "how is your borough?"
Craft smiled a bit. "We're okay." She nodded. "The Bowery," she nodded to Diamond, "has been helping us recover since the attack. It, thankfully, wasn't as bad as it could've been."
Jack nodded. "Good."
Match looked around at all of the leaders. "What are all of your plans when we go to confront Revenge?" he asked them, crossing his arms. "For myself, I'm only bringing my oldest Newsies; none younger than fourteen, and Pack is bringing his medics because Midtown isn't known for their fighting skills." He chuckled, looking at his boyfriend.
Pack rolled his eyes. "At least I don't have two left feet," he muttered grumpily.
Match gasped in offense. "Packie! You know you love me and my balance issues!" He put his hands on his heart.
Pack shook his head and rolled his eyes fondly. "Weirdo." He smiled as he looked away.
Match saw his smile, despite the fact that he was trying to hide it, and grinned
"I'm bringing my oldest as well," Spot answered, getting them back on topic. "No one younger than thirteen. A few of my boys will stay with Bandit and the littles at the lodge, probably accompanied by the few Manhattan littles," he informed them.
Match nodded.
"I have a lot of littles," Craft spoke up, sounding a bit worried.
Diamond looked over at her. "I'll leave a few of my older Newsies — along with my littles — to stay with your littles," he told her. "They'll make sure they stay safe."
Craft smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Diamond." She turned back to Match. "I'll bring some of my older Newsies, but I can't promise to be much help in the event of a fight myself. I've never been skilled with a blade," she informed them, laughing lightly.
Diamond smiled a bit.
Jack noticed.
Diamond was a very private and stoic leader. He often stayed to himself.
However, it was no secret that he had a soft spot for the Woodside leader. She reminded him of his younger sister, and as such, he viewed her as one.
Jack smiled.
Match nodded. "Brady?"
Brady looked up, having been silent for most of the meeting. "A lot of my borough is sick, specifically the little ones," he informed them. "It's a bad time. It's getting colder and illness is spreading."
Pack nodded understandingly. "If Bronx can't come, that's okay," he assured him. "We have plenty of Newsies already."
Brady shook his head. "No, some of us will be there. But I wanted to warn you in case it's a small number," he explained. "My brother is not great right now, but he keeps insisting he'll come."
Pack smiled. "He's always had a big heart."
"And a big head," Brady muttered, rolling his eyes fondly.
Arrow chuckled. "Runs in the family, huh?"
A few of the leaders laughed as Brady rolled his eyes. "Are we related then?" he asked, gesturing to him and Arrow.
Arrow rolled his eyes.
"Almost all of Manhattan will be fighting alongside Brooklyn," Jack informed them. "We just want our brother back."
Match nodded. "We'll get him back, we promise," he assured him. He reached out and squeezed Jack's hand.
Jack nodded, grateful for them.
"Robin couldn't be here today, but he said Flushing will be with us as well," Diamond informed the group, his deep voice almost echoing through the alley they were in. "He had an issue with one of his new kids."
All of the leaders nodded. They had all been there before.
Suddenly, Craft tensed. "Guys," she mumbled, gesturing to someone.
All of the leaders turned to look at what she was pointing to.
Barter, accompanied by a smug smirk on his face and a few other East Side Newsies, was walking over to the group. There was a letter in his hand.
Spot gritted his teeth. "Why are you here?" he questioned.
Barter looked at him. "Don't you want an update on your stupid toy?" he asked, holding up the letter. "Or should I just burn this?" He paused. "Or burn him? That sounds fun. Maybe then he'd regret opening his mouth." His eyes met Spot's again. An almost evil gleam shined in his eyes.
Spot clenched his fists. "Give it to me." He held his hand out.
Barter rolled his eyes. He handed it to him. "See you soon, King of Brooklyn." He sniggered and walked off, his Newsies following him.
Spot watched him walk off, before he quickly opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside it.
Kelly and Conlon -
I'm sure by now you know that Sling is on my side, and that we have Racetrack.
If you want to get rid of him, I wouldn't blame you. Just let us know and I'll be happy to do that for you.
If you want your precious principe back, meet us in Central Park by the East Side and Harlem border at Noon.
Don't bring any weapons. We don't want a fight. We just want—what do you call it?—to have a debate.
- Revenge
Spot clenched his fists.
Jack read the letter over his shoulder. His jaw clenched. "The fact that he implies we wouldn't want Race back... I want to kill him." He scowled.
Spot ripped the letter up. "Tomorrow at Noon," he informed the other leaders. "In Central Park by the East Side and Harlem border."
Arrow's eyebrows furrowed. "The Harlem border?"
Jack paused, realizing what borough that was. "Wait..."
"Is Harlem in on this?" Brady questioned, looking confused. "I thought they stayed out of this stuff."
"They usually do..." Pack muttered, looking at Jack and Spot.
Jack looked to Spot.
Spot stayed silent for a moment. "Well, if they are, they'll regret it," he stated.
Match nodded. "A bad first thing to participate in with the boroughs," he commented.
Spot nodded.
"Let's just hope they aren't," Pack told them.
"Either way, we're winning this war." Spot cracked his knuckles, looking off into the distance.
Silly bonus blooper (as if it were a movie)
"Spot?" Jack's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you doing?"
Spot turned to him, his chest puffed out as if to look intimidating. "I dunno. It was in the script." He gestures to his script. "I guess it's to look cool or something."
"Well, it's not working," Arrow commented.
Spot rolled his eyes and smacked him with his hat.
"Hey! I'm just saying!" Arrow stepped back, cradling his shoulder where Spot smacked him. "My precious arm didn't deserve that. This is Arrow abuse."
"Arrow abuse, Sparrow abuse." Spot rolled his eyes. "I don't care either way."
"Please don't abuse me!" Sparrow shouted from elsewhere on set. "I get enough of that from my boyfriend."
Sparks rolled his eyes. "Tough love."
"Abuse."
"Crazy person."
"The crazy person of which you chose to marry."
Sparks pursed his lips. He shrugged. "You're kinda cute," he mumbled, his cheeks red.
Sparrow chuckled. "Thank you. So are you."
Sparks blushed.
1610 Words
Disclaimer, this isn't a movie lol, so the last part has nothing to do with the story haha. It's just a silly little bonus lol