Breaking His Walls- [Spot Conlon love story]

Chapter 16- After Midnight

POV Ciara

Tonight, Blink, Mush, Racetrack, Davey, Les, Boots, and I are all going to rescue Jack from the Refuge. Spot has business with Harlem to take care of, so he didn't join me.

At 10:00, we all sneak out of the lodge house careful not to wake Kloppman and head to the refuge to bail out Jack. I have never been to the Refuge before but Davey went with Jack when they went to get Crutchie, so he knew the way.

We ran through the streets until we approached the awful building. It was dark out, but I could still see it. 

No wonder the boys called it jail for kids. All the sudden an officers whistle blows, and we sprint to take cover in a nearby alley so they won't see us.

"It's Jack. It's Jack!" Les shouts.

Davey pulls him back towards him and hushes him. But, Les was right. It was Jack. 

He was being escorted by the police into a carriage. I guess they aren't keeping him at the Refuge this time.

"Where are they takin him, Dave?" Mush whispers curiously.

"Guess there's only one way to find out." Davey suggests.

Oh god. No, this is not smart.

"Davey!" I whisper shout.

I pull his arm back hard before he can away.

"Don't get caught." I tell him.

He nods before he gives me a tight smile.

"I'll meet you guys at the square... Racetrack watch him." he says before running off after the carriage.

Real nice, Dave. Trust Racetrack out of all of us to watch your 10 year old brother.

Together, we take a hike back to newsie square. Even though it's been a crazy past two nights, something about tonight feels... strange? Off even.

"What do yous think is gonna happen ta Jack?" Boots asks the group.

"Ta be honest Boots, I's really don't know." Race shrugs.

"Race, I thought kids always go to the refuge when their bad? You know, like you said before, because Snyder wants to pocket the money." I ask.

"Gutsy, I's really don't know. It's always been straight ta da Refuge for kids like us." Race shrugs again.

We continue to walk through the unusually quiet streets until we reach newsie square. We all sit around the statue and wait for Davey. Race pulls out a deck of cards (per usual) and suggests we play some poker to pass time.

Les, who has probably never been up this late in his lifetime, looks exhausted. As he sits, curled up in a ball, nodding off, I pick him up and take him inside the lodge. I creep up the stairs and tuck him into my own bed.

Once he hits the pillow, he knocks out completely. I head back outside, and sit with the boys as they continue to play poker.

"So Gutsy, we's want details about yous and Spot's sleepover." Racetrack laughs.

The boys snicker and look at me eagerly. 

"Oh my gosh! Would you guys just quit it with that already? Race, I'm starting to wonder if you have a bigger crush on Spot then I do." I joke.

"Oooooooo!" Mush teases.

"Yeah, yeah real funny. We'll see who's laughin when yous leave us in a few minutes ta run back ta Spotty." Race smirks.

Well he had a point there. Well played Racetrack.

"Touché." I admit.

Race smiles smugly as if he just want won the award for comeback of the year. We wait about another 30 minutes, but still no sign of Davey or Jack.

It was getting closer and closer to midnight which only meant it was becoming more and more unsafe for me to walk to Brooklyn.

"Guys, I hate to bail, but I think I'm gonna make a run for it. I gotta get to Brooklyn before midnight." I say as I stand up.

"Ya know, no offense Gutsy, we's all knows ya tough, but do ya want some company on da way there?" Race asks.

"Yeah, actually, I would. Race- I think that's the smartest think you've said all day." I say.

He laughs and throws an empty box of matches at me.

Blink and Mush walk with me to the Brooklyn bridge. I guess Race and Boots were the only ones that were going to see Jack tonight.

Blink and Mush say goodnight right before the bridge ends. I rush off the bridge, through the docks, and into the lodge house. For some odd reason, the Brooklynites... are all still up?

You would never know its midnight around here. I walk up stairs, across the main bedroom, and up the staircase leading to Spot's bedroom.

I open up the door to his room and my mouth falls to the floor. There he is, laying half naked on his bed with some dark haired girl straddling him.

"What the hell is this? Last time I checked, this is so not what a business meeting is!" I yell.

I cannot believe I have been so stupid. Sneaking out and spending the night with some cocky king who lied to me and is now cheating on me.

The two jump off each other and Spot looks at me with a mortified expression. The dark hair girl sits awkwardly on the side of the bed, but stares at me with evil eyes.

"Ciara- it's not what is looks like. Let me explain-"

"Explain what? That you lied to me? I don't want to hear it. You know what Spot... don't ever talk to me again." I say rushing out of the room.

I sprint out of the lodge house with tears running down my face. I don't look back until I've finally crossed the bridge and am back in Manhattan territory.

I trudge down the misty streets. As of right now, I have no parents, no Jack, and no Spot.

Could this night get any worse?

I go to cross the street towards the Manhattan lodge house, when suddenly, a pair of hands yank me into a dark alley. One hand has a tight grasp on my wrists and the other is over my eyes.

I try my hardest to break free from the grip but it's no use, my kidnapper was too strong.

I was right, nothing good happens after midnight.