The King of Brooklyn // Spot Conlon

Welcome To Brooklyn

Sun's POV

  Jack, Davey, and Les decide to go out with the reporter, Mr. Denton, for lunch. I decline the offer and instead search for some other newsies. I told Jack that I would find out what the others are saying about the strike and report back to him when we head to Brooklyn.

  I'm almost to Queens when I bump into Bumlets, Specs, and Skittery. "Hey fellas, back so soon?" I ask them, I don't see how they could have gotten an answer already. "You wouldn't believe it Sun, the word has travelled so fast that they knew before we even got there!" Specs tells me. "So are they in or not?" I ask. "They said if Brooklyn comes then they will too." Skittery tells me. "Alright, well you guys head back to the lodging house then. There's no use in staying out if we can't sell, might as well take the opportunity to relax." I suggest.  The boys voice their agreement before heading in that direction. 

  I decide that since I'm almost to Queens already, I might as well stop by and see Dice. Who knows, maybe I'll get some more details on why they won't join. 

  As I approach the entrance of the Queens newsie's lodging house, one of their birds approaches me. "You're from Hatten right?" He asks me. "Yeah, why?" I ask. "We already talked to some of your newsies, gave 'em an answer." He tells me. He straightens his back in an attempt to look taller, but he's still shorter then me. He does look pretty young though, so I won't hold it against him. "Yeah I know, I'm just here to see Dice." I tell him. "Oh, yeah you can come in I guess." He looks relieved that I didn't argue with him about the strike, and I wonder if the boys gave him a hard time earlier. 

  As I walk in I immediately spot Dice sitting on a table counting coins. "Hey Dice, how's it rollin?" I joke sitting down next to him. He rolls his eyes at me before responding, "Hey Sun, what are you doin in Queens at this time of day?" Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. "What, I can't come to visit my good friend Dice?" I ask. "If this is about the strike I really don't know much Sun, I just heard most people ain't gonna join unless Brooklyn does." He tells me. "Yeah I know, I just don't get it I guess." I sigh. "Look at it this way, Brooklyn has more newsies than any of us, they're more organized, and they have a strong leader. Getting them on your side would really give you a fighting chance." He tells me. I think it over for awhile before agreeing. 

  After a bit of chatting I decide I should head back and meet up with Jack, he'll be pissed if I'm late. I say goodbye to Dice before going out, time to meet the King of Brooklyn.

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】

  Once we all meet up we start our journey across the bridge. "I've never been to Brooklyn, have you?" Davey asks us. I shake my head no and Boots responds, "I spent a month there one night". I'm not sure what he means by that, but nobody seems to question it. "Hey watch this," Jack tells us. He climbs up on the railing and we climb up next to him. He yells and we do the same, causing our shouts to echo back at us. "So... is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" Davey asks nervously. Jack and Boots laugh at his nerves and we keep walking. 

  "Hey Sun, when we get there I want you in the shadows a bit. See if you hear anyone talkin about the strike, and keep an eye out if someone tries to pull something. Plus maybe you can grab somethin new." Jack tells me. I agree, after all pickpocketing was already the plan.

  We finally arrive to a dock swarming with boys, they're all swimming and laughing. One of them steps up to of Jack, "Going somewhere Kelly?" He asks. Jack just steps past him, last thing we need is a fight breaking out. Suddenly a voice calls out from the top of a stack of crates.

  "Well, if it ain't Jack be nimble Jack be quick." He says. I look up and realize that it must be Spot Conlon. I don't think he's seen me yet, so I take the opportunity to slip behind his throne of crates so Jack can still see me but Spot can't. "So you moved up in the world spot, got a river view and everything." Jack replies. He nods at me, acknowledging my hiding place before focusing back on Spot.

  Spot hops off his throne and goes to stand in front of Jack, they each spit in their hand and shake. It's then I notice what he's holding, it's some kind of fancy cane. It's even got a gold handle. It's really cool, and I want it. "Hey Boots how's it rollin?" He says, putting the cane in his belt loop. Perfect. "I got a couple of real good shooters." Boots tells him, holding out some marbles. Spot takes them and looks them over for a minute. While he's doing that I take my chance. 

  I creep forward slowly, and grab the top of the cane. I slowly start to pull it out, and he doesn't notice. I almost have it when I hear Davey. "Sun no, put it back." He whispers, looking at me like I'm crazy. Spot must have heard him though since he whips around to see what Davey is looking at, which allows me to grab the cane fully. Looking at the boys I realize that maybe stealing from the King of Brooklyn wasn't my best idea. Jack looks like he wants to kill me, and Boots looks frightened for me. 

  "Sorry. bad habit." I say slipping it back in his belt loop. I step over to Jack hoping that Spot isn't about to soak me. Then for the first time I look at Spot's face, and he's looking at me with what looks like a mix between confusion and interest. "And who is this Jackie Boy?" He says nodding towards me. "This is Sun. Don't mind her, she's just messin around." Jack says, trying his best to play off how annoyed he is at me. Yeah okay stealing from the guy we need on our side definitely isn't good, that's on me.

  Spot looks at me for a second like he's considering something, then he just shrugs and picks up one of the marbles Boots gave him. Once he's focused on his slingshot Jack smacks me upside the head, before pulling me into a side hug to show that he isn't really that mad. 

  "So Jackie Boy, I've been hearing things from little birds" Spot says loading a marble into his sling shot. As he pulls back and aims Davey takes a fearful step back. "Things in Harlem, Queens,-" He pauses to shoot, and hits a bottle dead on. "-all over. They're chirpin in my ear, Jackie Boy's newsies is playin like they going on strike." He finishes. "Yeah well we are." Jack tells him. "But we're not playing, we are going on strike." Davey says. I'm almost proud that he found some courage, but I can tell that he's still really nervous. 

  "Oh yeah, yeah? What is this Jackie Boy, some kind of walking mouth?" Spot asks. Yikes. Davey looks to Jack for help so he speaks up. "Yeah it's a mouth, a mouth with a brain. And if you got half of one you'll listen to what he's gotta say." Jack defends Davey. Spot nods and sits down, waiting to hear what Davey has to say. I see some of the Brooklyn newsies gathered in the back watching, waiting to hear too. 

  "Well we started the strike but ah, we can't do it alone so we've been talking to other newsies all around the city." Davey explains. "Yeah, so they told me. But what did they tell you?" Spot asks. "They're waiting to see what Spot Conlon is doing, that you're the key. That Spot Conlon is the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York. And probably everywhere else. And if Spot Conlon joins the strike, then they'll join." Davey says, it's an obvious attempt to feed Spot's ego, and I almost think it's gonna work. 

  "Well you're right Jack, brains. But I got brains too, and not just half of one." Spot says pulling his cane out from his belt loop. "How do I know you punks won't run the first time some goon comes at you with a club? How do I know you got what it takes to win?" He questions us, and damn I didn't think about that. "Cause I'm tellin you Spot." Jack counters. At this point more Brooklyn newsies have become interested in the conversation, they're standing around listening. "That ain't good enough Jackie Boy, you gotta show me." He tells him. 

  Jack stands up and we follow him to leave, but someone catches my arm. I turn around and see Spot is the one holding it. Normally I wouldn't be scared, but he's got a tight grip on my arm and is both taller and more built than me. Maybe he's still mad about earlier? I know I won't win if he tries to fight me, and I'm about to yell for Jack when he says something to me quietly. "You should come back sometime Sunshine." He let's go of my arm and gives me a devious smile before walking away in the other direction. I jog to catch up with the boys, but decide to keep that interaction to myself.

  Who knows? I might just have to stop in later and see what Brooklyn is like after dark.