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The rally was in chaos. How they ended up running on to the stage in the chaos they weren’t sure. As for how they ran directly to where Snyder was, they were both pretty sure they could blame plain old bad luck.

David was resourceful and quick. He got on the swing. “PUSH ME!” he commanded, and Jack pushed him.

He kicked Snyder directly in the face. It caused the man some pain, but it wouldn’t stop him for long.

David hopped off the swing, turned around, and shoved Jack. “GET OUT OF HERE! GO!”

Jack didn’t want to leave David behind, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew he had to go. And David could handle himself, right?

So he ran. He ran and weaved through cops until he was out of the building. Then he kept on running.

Meanwhile, David grabbed the wooden part of the swing and held it up like a weapon. He was hoping other newsies would take notice of the situation and help him. None did. He was on his own.

Snyder moved forward. David knew what he had to do.

He swung the swing.

Snyder fell to the ground.

David felt a sudden pain in the back of his head, and everything went black.

Jack ran and hid for a while. About an hour, if he had to guess. Enough time for things over at the rally to sort themselves out, and for the police to get tired of looking. He could’ve headed straight to the lodge, but instead he decided to go to Davey’s apartment. Regroup with his partner after everything that’d happened.

He knocked on the window. Sarah opened it. That was a bit surprising. Jack expected everyone to be asleep by now. He thought he’d have to knock a couple times for them to get up and talk to him.

“Jack? Is David with you?” she asked.

What?

“No, I came here to talk to him.”

Sarah frowned and sighed. “I’m afraid he hasn’t come home yet. I’ve been so worried I haven’t been able to sleep. Did something go wrong at the rally?”

“The police showed up,” Jack said, leaving out the part about them being there to arrest him. “Davey told me to run, so I ran. I thought he’d head here after he got away.”

“Sounds like a disaster. I’m glad our parents didn’t let Les go.” Sarah’s frown deepened. “I hope David didn’t get arrested.”

“No way he did,” Jack said confidently, although he wasn’t sure. “He’s clever and fast on his feet. He could get away from ‘em, easy. And what would they even arrest him for?”

Aiding the escape of a wanted fugitive, his mind supplied. Kicking Snyder in the face. Really, even if he hadn’t done anything wrong, he was sure they would’ve thought of something to arrest him for. Anything to get someone so important to the strike in the Refuge.

But Davey couldn’t have been arrested. He just couldn’t have been. Because if he had been, then the strike would have to carry on without him, Jack would have to carry on without him, and there was no way that was possible.

Jack’s pretend confidence seemed to make Sarah relax just a little bit. “I hope you’re right. Do you want to stay here tonight? You look tired.”

He was tired. He was exhausted.

“I’ve got my own place, thanks. Speaking of, I outta be headin’ over there about now. I’ll see ya around.”

Sarah looked a bit sad to see him go. “Alright. Bye.”

When Jack got to the lodge, it was half empty. So many of the newsies had been arrested. He hoped they were all doing alright in their holding cells. He hoped they wouldn’t get sent to the Refuge. And most of all, he hoped that Davey wasn’t with them.

So maybe saying to stop soaking scabs and hitting a warden over the head with a swing during the same rally was a bit hypocritical, but it was a tense situation, alright? And Jack was in trouble.

Huh. When did Jack being in trouble start factoring into David’s decision making? Not too long ago he wouldn’t have minded much if Jack got arrested, but now he was doing crazy things to stop that from happening.

It wasn’t just for Jack himself, though. It was for all the newsies. Jack was their leader in this strike, even more than Spot Conlon. They could fall apart without him to lead them. They’d come too far for this strike to fall apart now.

These were the things David was thinking about as he slowly regained consciousness.

Eventually, he was conscious enough to realize someone had a hand on his shoulder and was shaking him. They were saying “Davey” over and over again too. David opened his eyes slightly to see who was doing it. It was Racetrack.

He swatted Racetrack’s hand away.

“Hey, he’s awake!” Racetrack announced. A couple of cheers sounded out around them.

David looked around and realized he was lying on a bench in a holding cell. A bunch of other newsies were crowded in the cell too. He didn’t recognize all of them, but he did see Racetrack, Boots, and Spot Conlon. Boots seemed to be busy talking with some other newsies, but Racetrack and Spot were both looking at him.

He sat up. As he did, the back of his head started to throb. “I got knocked out?”

Racetrack nodded. “Yeah.”

“But you knocked out Snyder first,” Spot said with a grin.

“Did Jack get away?”

“Well, Cowboy ain’t here, so I guess so,” Racetrack said.

“Good.”

“You feeling ok?” Racetrack asked. “They must’ve hit you pretty hard if you were out that long.”

“I’ve been better,” David admitted, “but I’ll manage.” He paused for a second as he realized something strange. “What are you all here for? I know I technically committed assault, but I don’t think any of you did anything wrong.”

“Apparently it’s a crime just to participate in a riot,” Racetrack said. “And you ain’t the only one who hurt some bulls. You just hurt an important one. And, well, none of the other bulls were knocked out.”

“You hit him hard,” Spot added, still looking amused. “I hear you hit him so hard the swing broke. I’m impressed, Davey. Didn’t think you had it in ya.”

David didn’t think he had it in him either, but here they were. “A riot? Seriously? I wouldn’t call what happened a riot.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Racetrack agreed, “but the cops would. And they’re blamin’ you and Jack for causing the whole thing.”

David’s jaw dropped. “What!? How was any of that my fault?” he asked indignantly.

“You organized the rally, didn’t ya?” Spot said.

“That’s not the same! It wasn’t supposed to end like that!”

Spot shrugged. “Tell that to the judge.”

David sighed. He knew the judge or police or whoever he pled his case to wouldn’t listen.

“You helped aid Jack’s escape too,” Racetrack added. “I don’t think Snyder’s too happy about that.”

Yeah, David had a feeling Snyder wasn’t too happy with him for several reasons. “So basically, I’m screwed,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say that. You’ve been runnin’ a revolution with two masters of breakin’ outta joints. We’ll get you outta there in no time,” Spot said.

“Wait, you’ve broken out of jail?”

Spot just laughed and did not elaborate.

“And what do you mean ‘running a revolution?’” David added. “I’m not running anything!”

Spot rolled his eyes. “Don’t give me that. You and I both know ya give ol’ Jacky boy half of his ideas. Why do ya think the bulls are being so hard on ya?”

“Because I hit Snyder over the head with a swing?”

“That too, but that ain’t what I’m talking about. I’m talking about how you’re important to the strike. They wanna get ya outta the way.”

David was taken aback by that. He knew he gave Jack some ideas, but being called important felt nice and, well, a bit terrifying under the circumstances.

“Ok, I’m not sure it is but for now let’s say all that is true,” David said. “How do the cops know about that? I’m not exactly as flashy as Jack is.”

“Jack’s plenty flashy for the both of ya,” Racetrack said. “He calls you his ‘partner’ and says we should all listen to you. Anyone paying attention can tell you’re helping him out here. And the people who work for Pulitzer, like Weasel, they pay attention.”

“I’m sure Snyder’ll be hearin’ about that too,” Spot chimed in. “And he’ll wanna know what you know about Jack.”

“Oh,” was all David could think to say in response to all of that.

“You look nervous,” Racetrack pointed out.

Did he? “I am nervous,” he said. He hadn’t realized it until it had been pointed out, but he was. He’d never been arrested before, and now he was being told that things were going to be extra rough for him. How could he not be?

“Well don’t be!” Racetrack said like it was that simple, and he said it with such confidence it made David start to feel like it was. “You’re tough, Davey. You can make it through this. And remember, you’re only gonna be in the refuge until we bust you outta there. You don’t gotta carry out the whole sentence.”

“What about my family?” David asked. “Will I be able to return to them if I’m a fugitive? How will they manage without me.”

Racetrack hesitated and frowned for a split second, like he hadn’t thought of that, before casually smiling again. “They’re tough too. It must run in the family or somethin’. I mean, have you met your little brother? That’s gotta be the toughest kid I ever met. They’ll manage.”

David knew Racetrack was just saying all that to comfort him, and he didn’t miss how he dodged the first question. But he allowed himself to be embraced by the false comfort for now. He knew panicking wasn’t helping.

“You’re right,” he said. “Thanks, Racetrack.”

“Don’t mention it, I don’t need no thanks for stating some facts.”

“I’m bored,” Spot announced. “Either of you got any stories to tell or games to play?”

David was about to say “no,” and “is now really the time,” but then he remembered a funny story from his childhood. “Well, there was this one time…”

Les wasn’t stupid. People liked to think that because he was young, he was stupid. But he wasn’t. When he woke up and found out that Davey hadn’t come home last night, he knew what had probably happened. Something had gone wrong at the rally and Davey was in a holding cell somewhere.

He wanted to hope that he wasn’t. He wanted to pretend Davey was ok and he’d be coming home soon. Les tried to reassure his parents by saying that he was. But he knew the truth. He knew it was most likely that Davey wasn’t ok.

He was just getting ready to leave for the day on his own despite his parents’ protests, when there was a knock on the door. Mom opened it. Denton was outside.

He told them all the news, that Davey had been arrested the night before. Les’s parents seemed upset, like their worst fears had been confirmed. Les didn’t need the confirmation. He had already been certain. But the confirmation still hurt a little bit.

“I’m going to the courthouse. I’ll see if I can pay his bail, and the bail for the other newsies too,” Denton told them. “But I can’t make promises. I don’t know how much it will cost.”

“I’m coming with you!” Les said.

Denton looked at him with pity. “Les, I’m not sure that’s a good ide—“

“He’s my brother, and the other newsies are like my brothers too!” Les protested. “I should get to know what’s happening to them!”

Denton sighed. It was clear he still didn’t want Les to go. “It’s not really up to me,” he said. “It’s up to your parents.”

Les’s heart sank. There was no way his parents would let him go. But he had to. He had to see Davey, see he was still real and breathing, even if he got sentenced to a sick place like the Refuge.

His parents both looked at each other, having a silent conversation, and then nodded. “He can go,” his dad said.

Both Les and Denton were shocked. “Really?” Les said excitedly.

His mom smiled tiredly. “It’s either this, or you sneak off to protest all by yourself. Besides, you’re right. You do have a right to know what’s going on.”

Denton sighed again, this time in a defeated way. “Alright then. Come on, Les. We’ve got to get there before they all get locked up for good.”

On their way to the courthouse, Les and Denton chatted about various things. They talked about the weather, the strike, what it’s like writing and selling papes. Les hadn’t actually gotten to talk to Denton very much before. It was nice. Denton was cool.

It was slightly awkward though. Denton was very clearly avoiding any discussion of Davey’s arrest or what had actually happened at the rally.

Les really wanted to hear the details of what had happened at the rally, but he decided not to ask about it. He didn’t want to make things more awkward.

They arrived at the courthouse just in time. They heard from outside of the courtroom the ridiculous fine the newsies were being asked to pay. They shoved their way into the room.

“Your honor, I’ll pay the fines,” Denton announced. “All of them.”

They walked up to the newsies. Les searched for him but he didn’t see Davey anywhere. “Where’s Davey?” he asked. No one answered him. He was getting increasingly annoyed with everyone’s refusal to explain what was happening. He had a right to know.

“We gotta meet at the restaurant. Everybody. We need to talk,” Denton said.

The judge banged his gavel on his desk. “Pay the clerk. Move it along.”

That was when Les saw Davey. He was being led into the courtroom by a police officer, all on his own. Denton walked over to pay the clerk, Les followed, and Davey stopped walking for a moment next to them.

“Davey!” Les said.

“Les! What are you doing here?” Davey asked. His concern was visible on his face.

“I came here with Denton. I came here to see you! Are you ok?”

Davey smiled tiredly. “Yeah. I’m fine, so don’t worry about me.”

Les wasn’t sure he believed him.

The police officer gave Davey a shove and he continued walking.

“Case of David Jacobs,” the clerk announced. “Inciting the riot, assault, resisting arrest, and aiding and abetting a wanted fugitive.”

Les was dumbfounded. Maybe Davey had aided Jack’s escape a couple times, but the assault charge was… well… not unbelievable, actually, depending on how bad things got at the rally. But starting a riot? Les didn’t know what had happened at the rally, but he was sure Davey would never start a riot.

Say something Davey, Les silently begged. You never shut up, so say something now. Defend yourself. At least try.

But Davey stayed silent. He looked resigned, like he knew how this was going to end, and it was going to end badly for him. He had no hope. And seeing Davey’s lack of hope killed what little hope Les had left.

“You’re the one that hurt warden Snyder, correct?” the judge said with contempt.

Les hadn’t heard anything about that. He looked at the other newsies to see if it was a lie, but none of them looked surprised.

Davey tried to look stoic, but it was clear this worried him more. “You heard about that?”

“Yes. Snyder is a friend of mine.”

“Oh…”

“I fine you 200 dollars, or two years in the house of refuge.”

Everyone gaped. Even Davey, who seemed to have been expecting something like this.

“I… I don’t have enough money,” Denton muttered.

Les had heard rumors of how terrible the Refuge was. He started to panic at the idea of his brother being taken there. But there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it.

The judge banged his gavel, and Davey began to be led away.

“NO!” Les didn’t process the scream that had escaped him until after he had said it. He reached out towards Davey. He wasn’t actually dumb enough to run after him, but Denton still put his hands on Les’s shoulders to hold him back.

Les felt his heart sink as he watched Davey be taken away. It took him a moment to realize he was crying.

Maybe this is why Denton didn’t want to take him. So he didn’t have to see this.

It was the morning after the rally, and Jack wasn’t sure where to go. He couldn’t go with the other non-arrested newsies to yell at scabs because the cops might be waiting there for him, and he couldn’t go to the courthouse to check on the arrested newsies for obvious reasons. But he didn’t want to just hang out at the lodge all day. He had to catch up on everything that’d happened. He had to find out where Davey was.

He decided to wait outside the restaurant they usually met Denton at. He figured he might find the man himself there, or at least some other newsies.

He had to wait there for a while, but eventually he saw a group of people on the horizon. It was Denton and the other newsies. He jogged up to them.

“Hey Denton. Fellas,” Jack greeted. His eyes immediately searched the group for Davey. But he didn’t see him anywhere. He did see Les, though. That was a bit concerning. “What are youse doin’ here?”

“We’se gonna chat about next steps,” Spot said. “We just got back from the courthouse. Denton paid our fines.”

Jack nodded. He didn’t want to seem desperate, but he knew he’d been unsubtly looking around so he might as well just ask. “Did Davey not get arrested?” he asked hopefully.

Everyone went quiet, except for Spot, who kept on talking. “I’m afraid he was.”

“Then where is he?”

Spot was about to answer again, but Les beat him to it. “His fine was too pricey. Denton couldn’t pay it. He’s serving two years in the Refuge.”

Jack immediately knelt down and hugged Les. He couldn’t imagine how hard this was for him. But the hug was for himself as much as it was for Les. Jack’s worst fears had just been confirmed. Davey was going to that awful place he hoped no one he knew would ever have to experience.

Denton put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”

Jack nodded slowly. He didn’t want to let go of Les, but he did anyways. After the hug ended Les reached out and grabbed Jack’s hand. Jack squeezed his hand back.

They went into the restaurant. Everyone was nearly silent. It was the quietest Jack had ever heard the newsies be. Everyone was waiting for Jack to say something, he knew it.

“So, I guess we made all the papes this time. How did my picture look?” Jack asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“None of the papers covered the rally, not even The Sun,” Denton answered.

The silence in the room broke as a round of complaints and confusion broke out throughout the restaurant.

“Why not?” Jack asked.

“Because it never happened,” Denton said.

This brought even more confusion and annoyance. “What do you mean it never happened? You were there!” Racetrack protested.

“If it’s not in the papers, it never happened. The owners decreed that it not be in the papers, therefore…” Denton stopped. He took a deep breath. “Anyway, I came to tell you fellas goodbye.”

The room went silent once more.

“Goodbye?” Jack said. “You get fired or somethin’?”

“No, I got reassigned to my old job as The Sun’s ace war correspondent,” Denton explained. “They want me to leave right away. The owner think I should only cover the really important stories, so…”

“I thought being in the papes was what made something important,” Jack said.

“Yeah, well, the owners decide what goes in the papers, so I guess they really make things important. And they’ve decided your strike isn’t going to be.”

Jack went quiet. He felt like the world was crumbling beneath his feet. First Davey goes to jail, and now they lose Denton too? They were two of the most important players in the strike. Could they really do this thing without them?

Denton was saying some stuff about how he had to have a job, and Jack barely processed any of it, but he got the basics of what he said. Jack wanted to blame Denton, but he found that he couldn’t. He would’ve done the same thing if he was in Denton’s place. That made him even more upset.

Jack snapped back to full attention when he heard the sound of paper crinkling. Denton was pulling a piece of paper from his jacket.

“This is the story I wrote about the rally. And… I want you to read it at least.” Denton held the paper out to him.

Jack took the paper and looked at it. He suddenly felt the pain inside him turn to anger. He would’ve torn the paper up right then and there, but Les was still holding his hand, and there was no way Jack was letting go. Instead he crumpled the paper, threw it on the floor, and stomped on it. Denton just nodded solemnly, like he understood. Like he had any fraction of an idea of the whirlwind of emotions Jack was experiencing. That made Jack even angrier.

Denton payed the bill and left. Jack wanted to cry, but he refused to. The newsies were all looking to him for guidance right now, and he couldn’t show weakness. He just couldn’t.

But despite his best efforts he must’ve shown some weakness, because Racetrack got up and put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Hey,” he said, “we’re gonna get Davey outta there, alright? We can go tonight if you wanna.”

There was a chorus of agreement from the other newsies.

“And where’s he gonna go?” Jack said, his voice far too quiet.

“What was that?” Mush asked.

Jack took a deep breath. “I ASKED WHERE HE’S GONNA GO!” he bellowed. The newsies all looked shocked by his change in demeanor. And all their attention was on him. Good.

Jack found the courage to let go of Les’s hand. He climbed onto the table. He stood more confidently than he felt and refused to let his voice waver as he spoke. “There’s a chance the bulls know where Davey lives. We can’t risk lettin’ him go home. So when we break him out, where’s he gonna go?”

“He could stay with us over at the lodge,” Kid Blink suggested.

“No, no, that’s the first place they’re gonna look! They’re gonna know we’se the ones who broke him out, so they’re gonna check the places we stay.” Jack put a finger to his head. “C’mon fellas, use those brains of yours! We gotta be smart about this. Like Davey would be.”

Everyone thought for a moment.

Spot broke the silence. “I might know a place.”

Jack looked at him.

“There’s a hideout in Brooklyn my boys like to stay at when they’re on the run. No bulls ever check ‘round there. And even if they did, I bet they wouldn’t be lookin’ for nobody from Manhattan.” Spot paused. “There’s a bit of a problem, though.”

Jack sighed. Of course it couldn’t be easy. “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

“Our boy Davey don’t like backin’ down. He’s not gonna be happy about hidin’ away while we carry on with the strike. I’m not sure we’ll be able to convince him to go.”

“Oh, he’s gonna go. I don’t care if he wants to or not, he’s gonna go, and I’ll make sure of it,” Jack promised. He wasn’t sure it was a promise he could keep, but after this he wasn’t letting Davey be in danger again without a fight.

Jack looked around. They were all trying to hide it, but it was pretty clear everyone was a bit shaken up after what had happened. They were losing hope. He needed to say something. Say something that would cheer them all up and make them believe they still had a fighting chance.

He wished Davey was there to tell him the right thing to say. For now, he’d just have to try something and hope it worked. But how to start?

Like any good article, he supposed. A headline and a hook. Something to catch your audience’s attention. Something to make them relate to what you’re saying, to make them curious, to make them want to hear more.

“Some of youse are thinking about giving up, ain’t ya?” Jack said. “Some of youse thinking we can’t do this.”

Nervous muttering began, and Jack knew he had hit the nail on the head.

He got off the table. He didn’t want to seem above them and commanding for this part. He wanted to seem like he was on the same level as them.

“Well guess what.” The newsies all got even more nervous and defensive waiting for what he would say next. “I’ve felt that way too.”

Everyone went quiet.

What else made a good article? Appealing to emotions, right? Tugging on heartstrings.

“When Crutchie got caught, I remember thinkin’ to myself ‘it’s only a matter of time before the rest of us end up like him. Before we’se all in the Refuge.’ But you wanna know what changed my mind?”

He had their attention now. It was time to get to the point.

Jack spread his arms open wide and gestured towards the table. “You boys did! Youse ‘Hattan fellas all convinced me to keep goin’. And then the next time we was in a tight spot, Spot over here and his newsies all came to the rescue. And I realized that we’d all be fine, as long as we had each other.”

Jack started to make eye contact with every newsie he could. He got their attention, but he had to keep it now. He wasn’t letting go of it for a second.

“So what if Denton left us? We don’t need anyone but us newsies! And us newsies stick together! They can throw us in the Refuge all they want, we’ll just break each other out again! They can knock us down but we’ll help each other get back up! It’s all for one and one for all, just like Davey’s always said.”

Now, for the final part of a good article. A strong conclusion.

“We’se breaking Davey out tonight! We’ll get him back, and we’ll stick together! We gotta trust each other, look out for one another. From now ‘til the end of this strike we’re friends and brothers and we fight for each other. We’ll make it through everything Pulitzer throws at us, and we’ll do it together!”

The newsies all cheered excitedly. Well, all of them except Spot, who just nodded at Jack approvingly. He wasn’t taken in by Jack’s theatrics but he respected the effects they had on the others.

Jack had done it. He’d given a speech to lift everyone’s spirits all by himself. They didn’t think it was too corny, or awkward, or anything. It had worked!

But he didn’t have time to bask in his success. He had an escape to organize.

“Racetrack, come here for a sec.” Jack did a beckoning gesture. Racetrack followed him. They went to a corner far away from the other newsies. More importantly, a corner away from Les.

“Listen up Race, I’ve got an important job for you,” Jack said quietly. “There’s no way we’re keepin’ Les completely outta this, that’s just a fact. Davey’s his brother. He’s gonna wanna help save his big brother. But we can’t risk him gettin’ hurt, Davey’d kill me. So I’m gonna put you and him on lookout. Youse gonna stand across the street and watch as we break Davey out. If you see anythin’ go wrong, you make sure Les gets outta there before you tell us, got it?”

Racetrack nodded. “I got it. Clever plan, Cowboy.”

“Thanks. Tell Spot and Les to meet up at the street left to the Refuge an hour after sundown. And make sure Les gets home safe. I’ve got places to be.”

He didn’t have places to be. He barely even had anywhere he could go. But he felt like he needed some time in the fresh air to clear his head.

He moved to leave the restaurant but something stopped him. He turned around to look at the rally article on the floor. He sighed. He didn’t want to take it, but he didn’t really want to leave it either. He picked it up and shoved in into his pocket. Then he left.

This time David was actually conscious when he was shoved into a police carriage. He wasn’t sure that was a good thing. He wasn’t claustrophobic, but knowing you’re completely trapped in a small space still isn’t a pleasant feeling.

As the carriage swayed and jostled he felt his mild headache flare up. That was honestly the worst part of it all.

They arrived at the Refuge. Two officers searched him, made him change his clothes, and then led him into a room full of other boys.

The boys were quiet when he entered but as soon as the guards left they started chatting.

David looked around. The boys there were all too thin, they were dirty, and some of them looked beat up. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to be a pleasant stay. He hoped the others would break him out quickly.

He saw a familiar face sitting down on a mattress. “Crutchie?” David had completely forgotten he was still here.

Crutchie looked up at him. He was definitely thinner and dirtier than he used to be. He looked surprised and then grinned. One of the other boys helped him stand up and he walked over to David.

“Dave! It’s great to see you!” Crutchie said excitedly. Then he paused. “I mean, it’s not great that you’re here, or that I’m here for that matter… but uh… anyways, hiya Dave!”

Despite everything, David found he was smiling. “Hi, Crutchie.”

“What’re you in here for?” Crutchie asked. “You don‘t strike me as the type to end up in a place like this.”

Crutchie didn’t strike David at the type to end up here either, but that didn’t really matter, did it? If Spot was right, they were arresting everyone they could to try to stop the strike.

“Well, me and Jack organized a rally for the strike. The cops showed up to arrest Jack and things got a little chaotic. They’re saying it was a riot, and I’m being blamed for starting it,” David explained. And then, more quietly he added, “and I may have hit Snyder over the head with a swing.”

Crutchie’s eyes went wide and he barked a laugh. “You’re the reason Snyder’s concussed!? I never would’ve guessed!”

“You knew he got injured?”

“Of course! It’s been the hottest gossip around here lately. They say someone hit him during a riot. Lots of people were claimin’ Jack did it, actually. I can’t believe it was really you! I tell ya, you’d be a celebrity if the other boys heard about this.”

“Maybe it’s best to keep it quiet then,” David said. “I don’t want everyone constantly reminding Snyder what I did to him.”

Crutchie nodded. “I hear ya. Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Youse should’ve been talking quieter, ‘cause it ain’t safe with me,” said a boy who had apparently been eavesdropping. “I’m tellin’ everyone.”

David sighed. Of course something like this would happen. Well, he supposed Snyder was going to be mad at him either way, so maybe it didn’t matter too much.

“Hey, look on the bright side!” Crutchie said. “The other boys are likely gonna be more nice to ya if they know.”

“Yeah, I guess.” David looked at Crutchie. “Jack really misses you, you know.”

Crutchie looked a bit sad at that. “Has he been getting my letters?”

David nodded. “I see him reading them sometimes.”

“That’s good.” Crutchie looked around and leaned in the whisper conspiratorially. It seemed he learned his lesson from speaking too loudly before. “Hey, if you get out of this place, tell him I miss him too, will ya?”

“Of course I will.”

“Thanks.” Crutchie stood up straighter again. “How about I show ya around now, and tell you how things work ‘round here?”

“I’d appreciate that. Thanks, Crutchie.”

“Hey, it’s no trouble. I just don’t want’cha to be lost like I was.”

And then Crutchie started showing him around. It was nice getting to talk to Crutchie again. He was a friendly guy, and David liked being around him. It was enough to almost make the things Crutchie was telling him about seem bearable. Almost.

Jack wandered the streets. Now that there was nothing to distract him, it was really starting to sink in that Davey was gone.

What if they failed to break him out tonight? What if Davey didn’t let them rescue him like Crutchie did? What would Jack do then?

He didn’t want Davey to suffer in the Refuge. He was sure Davey didn’t know what it was like to go hungry, and it wasn’t an experience he’d wish on anyone, least of all Davey. And what if the police or other boys hurt him?

Jack’s stomach started to turn. Snyder might still be angry about getting kicked. Snyder knew Davey had helped him escape. Would he be extra harsh towards Davey because of all that? Jack hoped not.

He found some comfort in knowing that Crutchie and Davey would be able to look out for each other. Still, he really wished neither of them were in there.

And even if Davey did get out, he’d be going to Brooklyn. Jack would have to keep running this strike without him. Jack wasn’t sure he could do that. Davey was the one who gave him ideas, he was the brains of the whole operation. How could Jack do this without Davey?

Jack hadn’t known Davey for long but it already felt so wrong without him. Davey was one of his best friends. Davey was always there for him, even when he was annoyed with him, which was a lot of the time. Meeting Davey was the best thing that had happened to Jack in a long time.

Davey didn’t deserve to be in the Refuge. Davey was a good person. He was smart, kind, and honest. Everything that Jack wasn’t. He was a good brother to Les and Sarah. He was a bit snarky, but in a charming way. He never shut up, but Jack found that he didn’t mind listening to Davey talk. He could listen to him talk for hours and hours and…

Oh no.

No. No way. This couldn’t be happening, it couldn’t be, but… it was, wasn’t it?

Jack was in love with Davey.

This was bad. This was very, very bad. Of course Jack always thought Davey was cute, that was part of why he offered to help him when they met, but the plan was never to fall in love with him!

Odds were Davey wasn’t like Jack. He probably liked girls and only girls. And even if he did like boys, why on earth would a guy like Davey love a boy like Jack?

He had to make sure Davey never found out. As long as Davey never knew Jack loved him, Jack wouldn’t have to deal with the heartbreak of his inevitable rejection. He had to escape to Santa Fe before Davey ever had the chance to learn the truth.

Although, being in Santa Fe seemed less appealing if he had to go without Davey. He didn’t want to leave the other newsies behind, either. But it’s not like any of them would care if he left.

It was better if he left them than if they left him.

Jack sighed and continued his wandering.

It wasn’t that David hadn’t been expecting it. It was more that he hadn’t been expecting it so soon. That’s why he was caught off guard. He’d only been there for a couple hours when a guard showed up and said Snyder wanted to see him.

Crutchie quietly wished him luck on his way out of the room.

Walking through the refuge felt ominous, but when David entered Snyder’s office it was anticlimactic. It just looked like a normal office. It was much nicer than the rest of the Refuge, but that was to be expected. The only thing in Snyder’s office that was remotely intimidating was the man himself sitting at his desk.

“Hello,” Snyder greeted. Snyder waited a moment, but when David said nothing, he continued. “You know Jack Kelly.”

It wasn’t a question. It didn’t need to be. They both knew it was true. They both knew why David was there.

“Why do you care?” David asked, although he already knew.

“I have reason to believe he is an escaped criminal from this Refuge.”

“Have you ever considered that maybe he escaped because of the unfair and miserable conditions you force these boys to live in?”

Snyder ignored him. “If you have any information that could help us find him, it would be greatly appreciated.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you,” David said.

All pretenses of politeness were dropped and Snyder glared at him. “Where does Jack live?”

“I don’t know,” David said, and was surprised to find he wasn’t lying. Jack said he had his own place, but he had a way of improving the truth. For all David knew, Jack could be sleeping on the streets.

“Then where else can we find him? You must have been meeting up somewhere, or maybe there’s somewhere you know he likes to go?”

“I don’t know,” David repeated. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Would it make a difference to know he’s been lying to you?” Snyder asked.

David wasn’t remotely surprised. Of course Jack had been lying to him about something. “What do you mean?”

“His real name is Francis Sullivan,” Snyder said. “I bet he told you he has a family. Well he doesn’t. His mother is dead and his father is in prison. That’s the real ‘Jack Kelly.’”

It did sting a little bit to hear the exact lies Jack had been telling. He hadn’t even told David his real name. Did he really trust him so little? But at the same time, David could understand why he would lie about those things.

“That changes nothing,” David said. “I get why he’d lie to me about that. Talking about his parents is probably hard for him. It’s no reason for me to tell you anything.”

Snyder was starting to look frustrated. “You really aren’t going to tell me anything?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re that dedicated to protecting a criminal?”

“You say that like I’m not a criminal too.”

“Come now David, we both know you’re better than him.”

What? What was Snyder getting at?

“No I’m not,” David said.

“Yes you are!” Snyder insisted. “You only committed those crimes because he manipulated you, like the low life he is.”

David felt himself start to get angry. “He didn’t manipulate me, I decided to join the strike and protect him of my own free will. The strike was my idea in the first place. And don’t talk about him like that.”

“Don’t talk about him like what?”

“Like he’s some pathetic crook! Like he’s a low life! He only stole because he was starving!”

“He told you that? And you believed him? After all the lies he’s told?”

For a second, David felt some doubt. Jack did lie all the time. Then he squashed that doubt. Jack wouldn’t lie about something like that. Besides, it made sense that he had to steal to eat given what David knew of his history.

He was angry at himself for feeling that doubt, but he was angrier at Snyder for planting the seed.

“You’re the liar! You’re the manipulator here!” David said, louder than he was intending to. “You’re trying to trick me into not believing him!”

“Maybe I am a liar,” Snyder admitted. “But I’m not lying when I say this one thing: Francis isn’t loved by anyone. He’s a worthless crook, and nothing more.”

That was the last straw. David lunged at Snyder. The guard in the room quickly grabbed him and restrained him. And Snyder smiled. He smiled like he had been planning this all along.

“Trying to attack me again? I think that should add another three months to your sentence, don’t you?”

So that was his angle. “You slimy little—“ The guard started pulling David out of the room. “Let go of me!“

“Goodbye, David,” Snyder said, still smiling. “We’ll talk again sometime.”

David was dragged out of the office and taken back to the room with the other boys.

The time to break Davey out arrived. Les met the others a street away from the Refuge like they’d discussed. It was there that he found out he was going to be on lookout. He was expecting something like this, but it still stung when he was told.

Les and Racetrack took their place across the street from the Refuge while the other two crouched next to it and went over the plan one last time.

“I know what you’re doing,” Les told Racetrack.

“Oh yeah?” Racetrack said. “What’re we doin’?”

“You’re giving me a job that’s out of the way so I don’t get hurt.”

Racetrack’s normal smug smile turned a bit more gentle. A bit more sympathetic. “Can ya blame us?”

“No,” Les admitted. “But I’m still upset about it. Is that stupid? To understand something and not blame anyone but still feel upset about it?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. Sometimes things are frustratin’ no matter how much you understand them. Feelings don’t care about logic, y’know?”

Les nodded. That was a bit reassuring at least. “I’m just tired of being treated like I don’t understand what’s going on, or what danger I’m in. I’m young but I’m not an idiot. And I’m sick of being treated like an idiot. I’m sick of being treated like a liability.”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re an idiot.”

Les was about to say that wasn’t true, but then he thought about it more. Racetrack had never been condescending to him. He’d always treated Les like a person, like a peer. He really didn’t think Les was an idiot.

“But do you think I’m a liability?” Les asked.

“Nah.”

“Then why are you treating me like one?”

Racetrack sighed. “It’s more complicated than that. You’ll understand—“

“DON’T. Don’t tell me I’ll understand when I’m older. I’m smart. I’ll understand now if you just explain.”

Racetrack nodded. He thought for a second. “It ain’t that you’re a liability. Liability implies that you’re useless, and you’re far from that. We’ve just gotta protect our young. We couldn’t live with ourselves if you got hurt. Besides, Davey would kill us.”

Les laughed a bit. “He would.”

“See? You get it.” Racetrack ruffled Les’s hair. “But it’s fine if you still ain’t happy about any of it. Bein’ as young as you can be frustratin’. I would know, I was your age once.”

“I think everyone older than me was my age once.”

“Ya don’t say? Well ain’t that somethin’.”

Les giggled again. “Thanks, Racetrack.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Jack and Spot were about to put their plan into action when the carriage rolled by. They both quickly crouched down and pressed up against the wall as much as they could, trying not to be seen.

Jack let out a sigh of relief when the driver didn’t notice them. Jack was going to just move on and ignore it. He didn’t care what the carriage was doing there. But apparently Spot found it strange, because he carefully peeked around the wall to see what was up.

“I think that’s Davey,” Spot whispered.

That got Jack’s attention. He looked around the wall too. Davey was being led by cops into the carriage.

“Where are they takin’ him?” Jack asked.

“How should I know?” Spot responded.

Davey got in the carriage. It started to leave. Jack couldn’t just stand by and watch as Davey was taken away to god-knows-where and their plan fell apart.

When he was sure no one was looking, Jack ran and hopped onto the back of the carriage.

The carriage moved for a while in the darkness of the night.

Eventually, it stopped in front of an extravagant mansion. Jack was confused. Why would they be taking Davey here? He would have to ask Davey about it once he was free.

Davey was led inside. Jack felt a bit anxious thinking about what could be awaiting him in there. But there was nothing he could do.

Jack snuck underneath the carriage and stole a screw from it. Then he hid and waited.

David didn’t know where he was going. When the cops came to get him, he thought Snyder wanted to see him again. He had been surprised it was so soon, but it seemed like the only thing that made sense. Then they had led him past Snyder’s office, out of the Refuge, and into a carriage.

He didn’t have any expectations about where he was going, and yet he definitely wasn’t expecting a mansion. He felt a sudden surge of fear as he was led inside. He didn’t know what could actually happen to him in there, but fear was always found in the unknown.

He was led through the mansion and into a room. A unnecessarily extravagant room that made David angry just to be in. Who was spending money on all this frivolous stuff?

David heard the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs. He looked up and saw Joseph Pulitzer. Ah. That explained some things. Although, admittedly, not a lot of things. It didn’t explain why Pulitzer wanted to see him, for example.

“Pulitzer,” David greeted. “What am I doing here?”

Pulitzer didn’t answer. “Sit,” he instructed.

“I’d rather stand.”

So it was a bit of a pointless and petty attempt at rebellion, but it made David feel better.

“I insist,” Pulitzer said.

Then again, it didn’t matter that much to David and it didn’t seem worth getting into a fight over. So he reluctantly sat down on the overly lavish chair next to him.

“You know what I was doing when I was your age, boy? I was in a war. The civil war.”

“What side were you on?” David asked. It wouldn’t surprise him if Pulitzer was pro-salvery.

Once again, Pulitzer didn’t answer. “People think that wars are about right or wrong. They’re not. They’re about power.”

“They should be about right or wrong. It’s a shame that they’re not.”

Pulitzer was really good at ignoring David, apparently. “Power of the press is the greatest power of them all. I tell this city how to think. I tell this city how to vote. I shape its future.”

“You don’t do anything. It’s the reporters and newsies who do all the work.”

For the first time, Pulitzer responded to his comment. “And who controls the reporters and newsies?”

“You don’t control anyone,” David spat. “You can’t control people. No one can.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Pulitzer said. “I control people’s futures, their careers, their wealth… that’s the same as controlling them. And I can control your future, too. I have the power to see that you stay locked in the Refuge, or I could see you released tomorrow free and clear with more money in your pockets than you could earn in…” Pulitzer thought for a second. “Three lifetimes.”

“Are you bribing me!?” David asked, disbelieving and disgusted.

“Well, no,” Pulitzer muttered.

“You are!” David stood up. He was offended and angry that Pulitzer thought he might accept. “You’re trying to bribe me! Well I’m not interested, so if that’s all, I think I should get going now. I’d wish you a good night, but I actually hope your night is terrible. Goodbye.”

David started to leave, but Pulitzer stopped him.

“Wait. You listen to me boy. Now, you just shut your mouth and listen to me.”

David wasn’t saying anything.

“You shut up and listen to me for once!”

David still wasn’t saying anything!

“It’s no game I’m playing,” Pulitzer promised. “You work for me until the strike is over. And it will end, make no mistake. You have a family, don’t you, boy?”

“Don’t you bring them into this!”

“How have they been holding up since you went on strike? Do they have enough money to eat every day? Any spare cash to spend?”

“They have enough,” David said defensively.

But in truth, Sarah’s factory job wouldn’t be enough to sustain them all for long. They were having to budget more and more, and sometimes they had to take money from their savings to get enough food. They certainly didn’t have money to spare, and David was starting to worry they wouldn’t be able to afford to send Les back to school if they kept using their savings.

“I will give you enough money to feed them until your father gets back to work, with extra to spend on whatever you like. Your family and you can live a comfortable life again, more financially stable than you were even before the accident.”

David felt cold. He felt angry. He felt scared. “How do you know so much about my family?”

Unsurprisingly, Pulitzer didn’t answer. “I offer you freedom and money just to work for me again!”

“Yeah, you’re desperate, I noticed.”

But why was he so desperate? What effect would him being a scab actually have on the newsies? Sure, he was willing to admit he was important to the strike now, but that didn’t mean most of the newsies cared about him. Him being a scab wouldn’t have a different effect than him being in jail. The only people who would really care would be Les and—

David’s eyes went wide. “You think if I become a scab it will break Jack.”

Pulitzer didn’t confirm or deny it. He just said, “Do you think I’ll be this kind to your friends? Your brother, Les was it? He’s a newsie too, isn’t he?”

“I told you to leave my family out of this!”

“What do you think the Refuge would do to him? And it would be you who put him there! You’re one of their leaders.”

David saw red. “You’re threatening me? You’re threatening my little brother?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it a threat—“

“OF COURSE YOU WOULDN’T!”

Maybe it was the concussion talking, but suddenly David had an epiphany. More being added to his sentence didn’t matter when his friends were busting him out anyway, did it? And all the cops were outside the room, which meant no one would be able to stop him in time.

David punched Pulitzer in the face.

Pulitzer grunted in pain. His hand reached up to his nose. “POLICE!” he screamed.

Immediately, the man who had guided him there came through the door and restrained David. He started dragging him out of the room.

“I’LL NEVER BETRAY THE NEWSIES! NEVER!” he screamed as he was pulled away.

Pulitzer pulled his hand away from his face. His nose was bleeding. David smiled in satisfaction.

David was led out of the building. Jack hopped out of his hiding place and yelled out to him.

“DAVE! COME ON! RUN!”

David pulled his arm away from the hand grabbing it. He slid down the railings of the stairs, jumped off, and booked it. Jack followed him.

“AFTER HIM!” someone yelled. The carriage tried to follow, but the horse wasn’t attached to it anymore and ran away.

They both ran. They ran and ran and ran until they couldn’t anymore. They ended up in some random alleyway. They both fell to the wall, breathing heavily.

Once he had mostly caught his breath, David said, “Thanks. Crutchie says he misses you, by the way.”

“Well ain’t that nice?” Jack responded. It meant a lot to him to hear that, but he’d never admit it aloud. David could see through his facade, though. He knew Jack cared more than he was letting on. David smiled.

“Listen, Davey,” Jack said, “we gotta get you outta here. There’s some newsies waitin’ nearby, they’re gonna take you to Brooklyn and—“

“What? Brooklyn? Why would they take me there?”

“Spot’s got a hideaway over there, somewhere the bulls won’t find you. You can wait there until this whole thing blows over.”

“You mean until the strike ends?”

Jack thought about lying, but knew he couldn’t get away with it. “Yeah. Maybe longer, dependin’.”

“Woah, woah, Jack I can’t just hid away while you all carry on with the strike. I helped start this thing, I have to see it through to the end.”

“No you don’t!” Jack snapped. “You’ve done a lot for this strike. You’re part of the reason it’s gotten as far as it has. You’ve done enough. This don’t have to be your responsibility no more. Let us handle it.”

“I can’t just do that,” Davey insisted. “Well, maybe I can, but I don’t want to. I know I can be more help to you, I want to be more help to you, so let me help!”

“Ya don’t get it!” Jack grabbed both of David’s shoulders. “You don’t get how bad the Refuge is. You wasn’t in there for long, but believe me, goin’ hungry every night? It ain’t fun. And it’s worse if you get on the other boys’ bad side. Or sick. You think they take care of you if you get sick? They don’t. Your family is freaked out knowin’ you’re in that place and so are the newsies. We’ll all feel better if you’re safe in Brooklyn, so just do us a favor and hide there, alright?”

David went quiet for a second, studying Jack’s face.

“What?” Jack asked. “What is it?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so scared before,” David said softly.

That’s because I love you, Jack thought. I love you so much and I can’t bare the thought of you suffering because you were protecting me.

“You’re one of my best friends, Dave,” Jack said. “I just… I don’t wanna see you get hurt.”

David smiled a bit. He reached his hand up to where Jack’s hand was on his shoulder and held it. Jack’s heart fluttered. “You’re my best friend too, Jack.”

Many emotions flooded through Jack. Happiness, heartbreak, giddiness, dread, fear, and more. Should he be happy to be David’s best friend? Or should he be sad he wasn’t more?

“Which is why I’m sorry,” David continued. “Sorry that I can’t ease your mind by hiding away. But I refuse to.”

Jack huffed in frustration. He took his hands off Davey’s shoulders and shoved them into his pockets.

There was a piece of paper in his pockets, one he had forgot about. Denton’s article. Suddenly, he smiled.

David was confused. “Why are you smiling?”

“‘Cause I just had an idea,” Jack said. “Tell ya what. I have a plan that can end this strike in no more than 48 hours, and I’m gonna need help to pull it off, so I’ll let you in on it. But if it fails, and the strike’s still goin’ after two days, you’ve gotta promise you’ll go to Brooklyn. Deal?”

David thought about it for a moment. He was worried it was some kind of trick. But he couldn’t think of any way it could be one.

“Deal.”

David held out his hand for a shake. Jack spat in his own hand and shook David’s. David didn’t pull away in disgust this time.

They started to discuss the plan.