𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 - A Davey Jacobs Story

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧: 𝐒𝐞𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲

Laces tapped her foot as she slumped against Davey's chest. He wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders as they tried to keep up a brave face. All of the newsies were standing around the circulation gates, waiting.

"Is anyone else comin'?" Davey questioned as Laces looked up at him.

"Don't got a clue," Jack admitted.

Race sighed, crossing his arms. "Well, you seen Spot Conlon, right?"

"Yeah, him and about twenty of his gang," Davey replied, pulling Laces closer to himself. She couldn't help but smile at his overprotectiveness. It wasn't necessary by any means—Jack had taught her to take care of herself—but it was nice to have another person looking out for her, especially if that person was Davey.

"And them Brooklyn boys is big," Les added with a small shiver.

Jack smiled and put a hand on Les' shoulder. "And I gotta say, Spot was very impressed. Wasn't he?"

"I'd say," Laces scoffed.

"So they're with us?" Race asked, hope shining in his eyes.

"That all depends on how you look at it," Davey explained, trying to beat around the bush. "If you look and see Brooklyn, then they're with us."

"They wanted proof we're not gonna fold at the first sight a' trouble," Jack said, cutting right to the point.

Finch shot Jack a questioning look. "Are we?"

"We are not!" Jack declared determinedly. "There's us and Harlem–"

"Not so fast, boss," Mush interrupted. "Harlem wants to know what Brooklyn's gonna do."

"How about Queens?" Jack asked.

"Queens will be right here backing us up..." Specs began.

Jack smiled triumphantly. "Ya see–"

"...as soon as they get the nod from Brooklyn," Specs finished.

"I got the same eye in midtown," Race admitted with a sigh.

The rest of the newsies looked down at their shoes and shoved their hands in their pockets. Laces drew herself closer to Davey as she started to realize that no one else was coming.

"Say, Oscar, looks like we got bum information about a strike happenin' here today," Morris taunted as he and his brother sauntered up to the newsies. "Not that I'm complainin'. My skull bustin' arm could use a day a' rest."

As the Delanceys walked away, Les looked up at his brother. "Are we doing the right thing?"

"Sure we are!" Davey reassured him, gently shaking his shoulder.

"Maybe we put this off a couple days?" Race suggested, timidly looking to his friends.

Laces shook her head as she straightened her posture. "No. We can't."

Davey turned desperately to Jack. "Say something. Tell them if we back off now, they will never listen to us again."

Sighing, Jack turned to his newsies. "We can't back down now. No matter who does or doesn't show. Like it or not, now is when we take a stand."

"How's about we just don't show for work? That'll send a message," Finch explained, getting a few nods of agreement.

"No, no! They'll just replace us. They need to see us stand our ground!" Jack was out of words, and he turned helplessly to Davey. "C'mon, Davey. Tell 'em."

Davey spluttered, "I can't–"

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked down, he saw Laces offering him a reassuring smile.