WARNING: Darkish chapter ahead!!!! Sorry! (Not really).
***
Sniper and Tommy Boy were seated at the top of the stairs as they listened in on the older boys' conversation. They were discussing the fact that Manhattan was back in a war with Bronx, and the two younger boys hadn't been invited.
"You think that Hook's gonna give us more trouble?" Henry asked in a hushed voice.
"Of course he will, stupid! Where have you been?" Albert said.
"What are we gonna do about it?" Buttons asked.
"I don't know," Specs replied.
"Well I do!" Albert declared. "I don't care what Jack says. If I see a kid from the Bronx, I'm gonna soak 'im!"
"You could get hurt again!" Finch hissed.
"I think we should wait until they go after Brooklyn again. Then we'll have them and Richmond, we won't be so outnumbered."
"Elmer, you actually said somethin' smart for once!" Romeo teased.
"Look Al, Elmer's right. Waitin' is our best option."
"Youse kidding! Finch, we need to show Hook that we ain't scared of his boys! We won't go out alone! Just as a group. We'll all be careful!"
Receiving no support from the boys, Albert huffed. "You heard what they did to Brooklyn, didn't you?"
"Yeah, that's why I don't want to do anything!"
"C'mon Henry, you do want to help people out don't ya? If we get even a couple of guys too hurt to fight, that's less that we'll have to deal with! It'll just make things easier for us!"
"Unless one of use gets somethin' broken and gets laid up in bed for the next few weeks."
"You worry too much," Albert scoffed, rolling his eyes at Romeo.
"I think he's worrying just enough," Specs argued. "In case you've forgotten, Ise been takin' care of all of you these past few months, and I'm gettin' pretty sick of sittin' in that room."
Seeing that he wasn't going to convince anyone, Albert groaned and dropped into a chair. "Wese missin' a chance to be heroes! But if that's what you guys want, go ahead, all of you'll be apologizin' to me when Brooklyn's callin' you yellow!"
None of the boys were moved by Albert's last ditch effort and they rolled their eyes, ignoring the bitter boy. Meanwhile, Tommy Boy and Sniper were looking at each other with wide eyes and open mouths.
"Did you hear him Tommy? Heroes?"
"If we did something and was heroic, they'd have no choice but to take us seriously! They couldn't treat us like kids no more!"
Sniper grinned and got up, racing Tommy Boy down the stairs. They skidded to a stop in front of Albert, immediately bursting into excited chatter.
"Woah! Slow down there, I can't hear neither of you!"
"We'll go with you! We'll help you fight someone!" Sniper chirped.
"Just let me get my coat and we can leave!" Tommy Boy added.
Albert stared at them for a second before bursting into laughter, quickly followed by the other boys. Sniper and Tommy glanced at each other in confusion.
"What's so funny?" Tommy asked.
"You think that wese gonna let you go fight guys on the streets!" Romeo crowed.
"We are," Sniper insisted, causing the older newsies to laugh even harder.
"You're too young," Specs said, trying to be comforting as he held back his chuckles.
"No we ain't!"
"You'd get killed!" Henry agreed.
"Youse just little kids!" Albert added. "You wouldn't be no good to us, you'd just get yourselves hurt. Now go play one of your kiddie games, yeah?"
Tommy glared at Albert, straightening up in an attempt to look taller. "I guess Snipes and me will just have to head to Brooklyn and talk to Spot. He's sure to let us join!"
"Yeah!" Sniper agreed. "He gets it! He knows that he needs all the help he can get."
"You guys go to Spot Conlon? You don't even go near Brooklyn without one of us!" Albert said skeptically.
"Pigs'll be flyin' 'round the city 'fore I believes that!" Elmer exclaimed, drawing more laughs from the boys.
Tommy and Sniper glared at them before turning towards the door.
"We'll show you!" Sniper said as he and Tommy left.
Buttons paused, looking at the door that had slammed shut behind the two boys. "You don't think theyse actually gonna do it, do you?"
"Course not!" Henry reassured. "Theyse probably goin' out to play Ringer or somethin'!"
***
It seemed that Tommy Boy and Sniper were not just going out to play Ringer, as they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. They hadn't realized how late it was when they left and wished they had waited for the next morning.
The walk had also taken quite a bit longer than they'd hoped for and it was getting very dark. The streets were empty, excluding the occasional passer-by, and they had half a mind to turn around and go back to Manhattan and their lodging house. After arriving at the Brooklyn lodge and learning that Spot wasn't there and they'd have to go find him, they wanted to go home even more. That, however, wasn't an option, as Tommy Boy pointed out.
"If we go back now, they'll never let us live it down! 'Specially Albert!" Tommy said after Sniper voiced his concerns.
"You're right," Sniper reluctantly admitted.
"Of course I am! Now come on, Spot's always at the docks, that's what Race told me, and I know a shortcut," Tommy Boy said, taking a sharp left. "This'll get us to the docks real quick!"
A few minutes of walking and Sniper could hear water again. Tommy was right, they must've been getting closer! They kept walking, keeping a hand on the grimy walls of buildings they passed as they hurried through the alleyway.
"Well, would ya look at that. Do I see what Ise think Ise sees?" A tall boy stepped out of the shadows in front of Sniper and Tommy Boy with a large sneer on his face. The two boys whirled around, only to be greeted by another boy coming up behind them.
"It looks like two little newsies out past their bedtime."
The only two exits from the street were being blocked. Sniper grabbed onto Tommy Boy's wrist fearfully, his shoulders shaking.
"I think youse right. What should we do with them?" The boys began walking down the alley, coming closer to Sniper and Tommy Boy.
Sniper let out a quiet whimper and Tommy Boy wriggled his wrist free, slipping his hand around his friend's and giving it a small squeeze.
"Theyse out here to have fun, ain't they? So let's show them some fun."
The older boys shared menacing grins before lunging forward and grabbing Sniper and Tommy Boy. Sniper struggled, wriggling as much as he could, but it did little to hinder the older boy.
Tommy Boy stomped on his captor's foot, and the boy stumbled, but didn't loosen his grip. Instead he reached up and hit Tommy Boy as hard as he could in the side of his head.
Tommy Boy cried out, a hand flying up to his ear, which started ringing immediately.
"C'mon, we're going to the docks."
***
It was late, but Spot was still patrolling the streets of Brooklyn, keeping an eye out for trouble. With the Bronx now out of control and having killed several people, all measures had to be taken to protect his boys. If that meant staying out until two in the morning to check the streets, then so be it.
Spot yawned as he walked and knew that he'd have to head back soon. Glancing around, he decided to check at the dock one more time before heading back to the lodge.
As he drew closer he thought he saw figures standing on the dock. Spot squinted and stopped, listening carefully. Though he was feared throughout New York, these past few weeks had taught him that even he needed to be cautious while out alone at night.
Spot was mildly surprised when he heard splashes coming from the dock, it was too late for a swim. He paused for a second before heading toward the figures.
***
"So which one of youse wants to go first?" The boy who held Sniper was talking as they walked onto the dock.
"Mine has been givin' me trouble, I say we get rid of him first."
Sniper's eyes widened and he tried to pull his arms out of their hold. "Help!" He screamed. "Someone!"
A hand clamped over his mouth and he bit at the dirty fingers.
"Ouch!" The boy behind him hissed, pulling his arm back. "Yours can wait. This kid's gonna get it first!"
Sniper was forced onto his knees, facing the water, and a hand gripped his hair tightly.
"What are you doing to him?" Tommy Boy asked, voice shaky.
"Wese teachin' both of you what happens when you mess with us, that's what."
With that, Sniper's face was shoved forward into the water. After a few seconds he was let back up for a breath of air, then he was held back under.
Tommy Boy was screaming for help, but his mouth had been covered, and his voice was muffled.
The Bronx boys were laughing, and only growing more entertained every time Sniper gasped for air. They had been at it for several minutes before the boy holding Tommy Boy grew bored.
"Alright, let's finish this now."
"You're goin' to let him go?" Tommy Boy asked, hopefully. Maybe there was a chance they would make it out after all.
The two boys laughed and Sniper's head was shove back under the water, except after a few seconds, they didn't let him back up.
Sniper began to panic. His hands reached up, trying to grab ahold of something, and making contact with his captor's hand. His fingernails dug into the boy's hand, leaving long scratches.
Sniper was almost free, he could nearly taste the air, but a blow to the the back of the head had him gasping at the pain, successfully breathing in water.
He was feeling lightheaded and his muscles wouldn't move, wouldn't fight. Somewhere in his mind he knew that Tommy would be next.
"God, please help Tommy, get him free. Please let him go!" He was able to think as everything else went black.
***
Spot began sprinting when he heard a scream. The sobbing voice sounded familiar and he knew that something was very wrong.
"Hey! What are you guys doin'?" He shouted, gaining the attention of the three boys.
The crying boy relaxes the slightest bit on seeing him, and a closer look revealed him to be Tommy Boy.
"Tommy?"
The boy nodded frantically and got a hand free long enough to point at the water where one of the bigger boys was crouched. A quick glance revealed that he was holding something under the water... No, not something, someone.
"Let him go!" Spot ordered, stepping closer to the boy.
"Okay," the boy agreed with a smirk. He let go of the boy he'd been holding, but the boy completely sunk under the water. No head popped up gasping for air and Tommy Boy let out another cry.
"Both of them!" Spot growled, trying to keep an eye on both boys.
"Go ahead, let 'im go. The other one's dead by now anyway," the first boy shrugged.
The boy did as told and, as soon as he was free, Tommy ran to the edge of the dock. He scanned the dark water for a second before jumping in.
"You seem to be on our turf," the tallest boy said, smirking down at Spot. "Now we can handle this the easy way or the-"
Spot lunged at the boy, fists flying. The boy couldn't land a blow, too busy trying to block the punches that Spot was throwing.
"How dare you come onto my turf and start causin' trouble? That might be okay in the Bronx, but is sure as hell ain't okay here!"
The boy actually looked scared, but suddenly his eyes grew relieved as they glanced over Spot's shoulder. He realized too late what was happening.
Spot spun around as a hand wrapped around his neck. The boy was strong, and with his air supply cut off, Spot couldn't get him off. The grip grew stronger and Spot began to choke, gasping for air.
He knew what he had to do.
His hand fumbled for the knife he'd taken to keeping in his pocket, the one
for emergencies, and he quickly acted.
The boy never even saw it coming.
His eyes widened and his hands flew to his stomach. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.
"Get outta here," Spot hissed.
The other boy glanced at his friend, who's eyelids were starting to flutter, and gulped before turning on his heel and dashing away.
Spot's eyes dropped to the boy. He'd stopped moving. Upon realizing that the boy was no longer breathing, Spot paled and the knife dropped from his hand.
Sometime during the scuffle Tommy Boy had found Sniper and dragged him onto the dock. Sniper had woken up, though he spent a good minute throwing up all the water. Tommy was now staring wide-eyed at Spot as Sniper finished ridding himself of the extra water.
Another look at the dead boy and Spot was overcome with guilt. He might have been the King of Brooklyn, but he had never killed anyone before.
"Let's go," Spot said hoarsely.
"W-what?" Tommy Boy stammered.
"I'm takin' you to Manhattan right now. Get up."
Tommy Boy nodded and stood up, helping Sniper to his feet as well. The young boy was shivering so badly that he could barely stand, his teeth chattering loudly.
Tommy Boy rubbed his friend's arms, trying to warm him up, as they started their journey back to their lodge. Spot noticed Sniper's blue-tinged lips and sighed.
"You need to take that shirt off right now."
Sniper shook his head. "I-I c-can't."
"You'll freeze to death if you keeps it on!" Spot replied.
"I can't t-take it o-off. Wese in public! All I got-t underneath is m-my union suit! What if a l-lady sees m-me?"
"What kind of respectable lady is out at this time of night?" Spot questioned.
"I don't know," Sniper admitted. "What if a b-bull sees me?"
Spot sighed and pulled his work shirt over his head, leaving him only in his red and black striped undershirt. "Put this on."
Sniper glanced around the streets and, sure that nobody was out, pulled his soaked shirt over his head, slipping on the older boy's instead.
"Ain't you cold?" Tommy boy whispered as they crossed Brooklyn Bridge.
Spot shrugged. "I'll live. Now hurry up."
***
"You did what?" Jack exclaimed, staring in shock and anger at the two youngest newsies.
As soon as they'd walked in the door Crutchie had sent the other boys about gathering extra clothes and blankets. Tommy Boy and Sniper were huddled together, trying to warm up in their new, dry clothes.
All the boys had chipped in, partly out of guilt. Romeo had even given Sniper his favorite pair of socks, though his gift became significantly less impressive when you accounted for the fact that he only had two pairs.
Then all the boys had gathered around to listen to their story. They didn't get much. The boys were still so shaken up that they could barely speak a sentence about what had happened, so Spot had filled it in to the best of his ability.
Most of the boys felt guilty, they hadn't believed their younger brothers and didn't protect them either. Sniper had almost been killed! If Spot hadn't shown up, both of the boys would've been dead!
Jack, however, was furious. He wasn't quite sure at whom, probably a bit of everyone in the world who'd ever made contact with the boys, but right now it was coming out against Tommy Boy and Sniper.
"Kelly, leave 'em alone!" Spot groaned, rubbing his face. "Theyse tired and probably gettin' sick. I wanna get back to Brooklyn sometime before the sun comes up. Can't we have this little discussion some other time?"
Noticing that Tommy and Sniper were still shivering and starting to sneeze, Jack agreed. He immediately sent the two up to bed, the rest of the boys following closely behind.
Spot made a move for the door but Jack stopped him, a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks Spot."
"Shut up," Spot said, rolling his eyes.
"I mean it," Jack insisted, though he was annoyed at the comment. "You saved 'em."
Spot shifted uncomfortably, unused to this kind of conversation.
"I owe you," Jack admitted.
"Yup, the debts just keep stackin' up," Spot agreed as he grabbed the door knob.
Jack groaned and turned to head up the stairs, but Spot stopped Jack in his tracks right as he headed out the door, leaving him shaking his head with a surprised smile.
"You're welcome Jack."
***
Hey guys! I'm so sorry about the long wait! I mentioned a while ago on my spam that we bought a new house, and this past week we've been moving in! I haven't had much time to write because of it.
I know, excuses, excuses! But I'm back now!
I plan to have this book done in the next two weeks. That's my goal. There's like, three chapters left!
I hope y'all liked this one(even though it's almost completely unedited, sorry!)
As always,
-Anna