The Conlon Twins

Chapter 4: Back to 'Hattan

The next day, Jess awoke to Spot shaking her awake.

"What's wrong wit' ya?!" she whisper-yelled at her idiot brother.

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find that it was still dark out.

"Shhh! You'll wake da boys!" he hissed.

"What do ya want?" Jess whispered.

"I thought about what we told Jack earlier, 'bout the strike. Well, how we gonna know they ain't gonna run away wit' there tails between their legs 'till it's too late? 'Till they get hurt?" Spot whispered back.

"Awww, my hard-headed bruddah does have a heart!" She said when he paused.

"Shut up. Anyway, it's 'bout midnight now, and I need ya ta go spy on them for a few days. You'll come back here every night. You'll report back to me any and all information you gather back ta me." he finished.

Jess thought about this for a moment. If she was spying, then she wouldn't be able to talk to her friends in Manhattan. Or could she? She could talk to them, as long as Spot never found out.

Grinning, she nodded her head vigorously before jumping from the top bunk.

Landing silently, she scrambled around and got ready.

She waved goodbye to her brother before racing down the stairs and out the door.

The cold night air greeted her and she smiled. She loved the night, but due to her hours of operation, she could rarely be out during the night.

•.•.•.•.•.•time lapse•.•.•.•.•.•

Dawn was just barely approaching when Jess stepped off of the bridge that served as the border of the two boroughs.

Taking her time in getting to the lodging house, she looked around at the quiet streets of Manhattan.

The sun had barely risen over the horizon when she got to her destination. Jess silently climbed over the gates of the distribution center, dropped to the ground, and sat on the steps of the boys's lodging house.

Before she knew it, she was asleep again.

•.•.•.•.•.•

Jess awoke to someone tugging on her ponytail. She quickly stood up and raised her fists.

She smiled though when she saw who it was.

"Easy tiger! I'm just here to tell ya dat you'se in the wrong borough, ya highness." the boy said adding a mock bow at the end.

"Shut it, Race." she said and messed with his hair under his hat.

Racetrack was one of her good friends. He always knew how to make her laugh.

"Hey!" he protested.

"What are ya doin' heah anyway?" he asked.

"I'm supposed to be spyin' on you guys, but I think I'll pass on hiding in shadows an' bushes all day. Long as Spot don't know, that is!" she explained.

Race nodded as he lit his cigar.

Boys began to pour through the doors of the lodging house. No one immediately noticed her, but she didn't really care.

Jess was curious as to what the boys would do, since they were on strike.

"Jacky-Boy!" she called over the noise.

Jack shoved his way through the crowd of boys until he saw who had called to him. Then he grinned and slipped back into the crowd, trying to make her chase him.