I snuck into Pulitzer's cellar with Jack and Katherine, and once we flipped on the lights, more newsies flooded in through the windows. "You sure we got enough guys to keep us covered?" I asked Davey, and he nodded.
"We could hold a hoe-down in here and no one would be the wiser." The tall boy smirked, and Jack put a hand on his shoulder.
"Good job." He said, preparing to turn back to Katherine, when Dave spoke.
"It's good to have you back again." My brother wasn't usually one for sentiment, but the 'shut up' he threw back at Davey held an apology in it's own way. Katherine and I ripped the sheet off the printing press.
"Here she is, boys! Just think, while my father snores blissfully in his bed, we will be using his own printing press to destroy him." She smirked, and I grinned widely at the redheaded girl.
"You're evil. I like you." I told her, turning to Jack. "Jackie, I like this one." She and I laughed while Jack just pushed my shoulder with a grin.
"Is this what they print the papes on?" Race asked us, joining me at my side. Two unfamiliar men approached us next, taking a look at the press.
"I can see why they tossed this old girl down to the cellar, but I think she will do the job." One of them spoke, nodding towards Katherine.
"Kellys, meet Darcy. He knows everything there is to know about printing." She introduced, and the man shook hands with Jack and I.
"You work for one'a the papes?" I asked the well-dressed man, and he shook his head.
"My father owns the Trib." Darcy shrugged, and Jack looked at me, his eyes gleaming. He was impressed.
"And this is Bill. He'll be typesetting the article for us." Katherine grinned.
"Bill? Let me guess, youse the son'a William Randolph Hearst?" Jack teased, and Bill beamed with pride.
"And proud to be part of your revolution!" He exclaimed. Now it was my turn for my eyes to grow wide.
"Ain't that somethin'?" I whispered in awe. I couldn't believe this was happening. We had three of New York's biggest papes in our control. This was amazing. Davey ran up to us hurriedly, explaining the plan once more.
"All right. Here's how it'll work: as we print the papes, Race, you'll let the fellas in and they'll spread them to every workin' kid in New York. After that...?"
"After that it's up to them." Jack nodded, and I grabbed his hand.
"There's change comin' once and for all. You make the front page, and man, you is major news." He joined me, and Davey chimed in, the three of us leading everyone.
"Tomorrow, they'll see what we are," Katherine and Les joined us, Les beaming up at me proudly. "And sure as a star, we ain't come this far..... to lose!"
"Here they come!" Race cried, signaling the arrival of the rest of the newsies, who all joined us, our voices forming together.
"This is the story we needed to write as we're kept out of sight, well no more. In a few hours by dawns early light we'll be ready to fight us a war. This time we're in it to stay, talk about seizing the day!"
"Write it in blood or in ink, it's the same either way." Jack demanded, and I picked up.
"They're gonna damn well pay!" I spat.
"See old man Pulitzer snug in his bed, he don't care if we're dead or alive. Three satin pillows are under his head, while we's begging for bread to survive... Joe, you can stop counting sheep, we're gonna sing ya to sleep! You've got your thugs with their stick and their slugs, yeah, But we got a promise to keep!"
"Once and for all, if they don't mind their manners, we'll bleed 'em!"
"Bleed 'em!" The newsies echoed Jack.
"Once and for all, we won't carry no banners that don't spell freedom!" Race and I encouraged, him patting my back before turning to join the others.
"Finally we's raising the stakes, this time whatever it takes! This time the union awakes, once and for all!"
"'In the words of union leaders Jack and Y/N Kelly, 'We will work with you. We will even work for you. But we will be paid and treated as valuable members of your organizations.'' Riveting stuff, huh?" Katherine asked us, pulling a pape off the press. I nodded eagerly, ready to get the word out.
"Get going. You've got a very important man to see." Jack urged, and Katherine rushed out the door, clutching the pape and some of Jack's drawings from the Refuge.
"This is for kids shining shoes on the street with no shoes on their feet everyday. This is for guys sweating blood in the shops while their bosses and cops look away. I'm seeing kids standing tall, glaring and raring a brawl! All of these guys who are sick of the lies getting ready to rise to the call! Once and for all they'll be blood on the wall if they doubt us! They think they're running this town, but this town will shut down without us! Ten thousand kids in the square,"
"Ten thousand kids in the square," another group echoed.
"Ten thousand fists in the air,"
"Ten thousand fists!"
"Joe you is gonna play fair, once and for all! Once and for all... once and for all... once and for all! There's change coming once and for all, you're getting too old, too weak to keep holding on! A new world is coming for you, and Joe, we is too, til once and for all you're gone!"
"Once and for all!" Davey stepped forward triumphantly, staring up at Pulitzer's huge building.
"Once and for all!" Jack was next.
"Once and for all!" Then it was me and Race.
"Once and for all!"
YOU ARE READING
The Boy Who Loved Cigars
Fanfiction"Oh whatever. You could do betta than me, anyway." Race told me. It looked like he was only half joking. "Higgins, don't you dare say that. I can only think of one guy better than you. It's my brudda, and I have to think he's the best guy alive. I o...
