Brooklyn's Girl (A Spot Conlon love story)

Chapter 11 - Traitor

I walked with Spot and the Brooklyn boys to the World building, keeping an eye out for David and Jack. After a while, I managed to spot David and Les, but for some reason, Jack wasn't there. I waved my stick over my head to alert David we were there, and began jogging over to him, smiling. 

When I reached him, The first words out of my mouth were; "Where's Jack?" David looked down at his feet. I felt the smile slip from my face. "D-david? Where's Jack?" Davey looked back up at me. 

"He didn't come with us."

I stared at him, trying to process what he'd just said. Jack wasn't here. He hadn't gotten out. He was still at the refuge, at the mercy of Snyder, a man who had no heart. 

I grabbed the collar of Davey's shirt. "David, Where is me brudda." He looked at me timidly before speaking. 

"H-he, he made me go without him. He kept going on about how I could go to jail for getting him out, and how my family would suffer if I was." I released his collar and took a step back.

"Sorry." I said quietly. "I just cant believe he didn't go with you." Spot slung an arm around my shoulder.

"Jacky boy's tough, he can get outah der if e' wants." Spot told me. I gave him a small smile. 

"Hey, guys, could you come help me?" David called out to us. I turned to the gates to see the boys fighting amongst themselves. I walked over and started helping Davey seperate the boys, using my stick to push them apart. 

"Hey, Jace, Get over here." I looked over to see Spot staring at the gates, looking slightly horrified. I rushed over to him , Race following me. 

"Tell me I'm seei'n things, here." He said to me. Confused I looked through the gates and...

"Jack?" I called out. He was dressed like a scabber, and had papes in his arms. "Jack!" I called again. He wouldn't look at me. David came up next to me, looking horrified. "Jack, what are you doing?" He asked. 

"This ain't happening. This can't be happening. What are you doin' Jack? Come on, what are you doin'?" Kid Blink yelled as Boots came up next to him. "Come on. What is this? Where'd you get them clothes?" He asked. 

Weasel walked up to Jack and put a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Pulitzer picked them out himself. A special gift to a special new employee." He said with a sick grin. I looked over at Spot. He looked outraged. 

"He sold us out!" He exclaimed, furiously. The other boys started yelling at Jack, while some were trying to hold Spot back. But I was frozen. Weasel looked over at me and Davey. 

"Aww. You wanna talk to him? Come on, come on. Sure. Got right ahead." Davey and I walked through the crowd and the gates right up to Jack. He wouldn't look at us.

"So, this is why you didn't escape last night. You're a liar! You lied about everything. You lied about your father being out west, 'cause he's not out west! You didn't even tell me your real name!" David was furious, but behind the anger, I could see the heartbreak in his eyes. Jack still wouldn't look at us. "So? What you wanna do about it Dave?" Jack replied. 

"I don't understand you." David replied quietly. Jack finally looked at us, but there was no emotion in his eyes. "Oh, so let me spell it out for ya. You see, I ain't got nobody tucking me in at night, like you. It's just me, I gotta look out for myself." David looked Shocked, and I finally spoke. 

"You have me."

Jack turned to me. "You mean a useless sista who's just anudda mouth ta feed? Yeah, like I want you." He spit out venomously.

I felt my heart shatter at his words. Jack was to only person I had left in this world, and he didn't even want me. I felt like I was about to start crying, and looking at David, he was too. 

Then I felt the sadness turn to anger. I gripped my stick, and handed it to David. He looked at me confused as he took it. I stepped closer to Jack, and he stared back at me. Then I punched him in the face. I heard David exclaim in surprise, but I didn't care. I just kept whaling on him, taking out my anger. But before I could get more than a few punches in, three police officers grabbed my arms and dragged me back, kicking and thrashing. 

I calmed down a few seconds later, knowing I wasn't going to be able to get free unless they let me. 

"For the first time in my life, I got money in my pockets. Real money. Money, you understand? I got more on the way and as soon as I collect, I'm gone, I'm away. Alright?" Jack told David. David glared at him, the heartbreak turning to anger just like mine had. "Well, that's good. That's good because we don't need you! We don't need you! All those words you said, those were mine, Mine and Jace's." Jack scoffed. "Yeah, but you never had the guts to put them across yourself, didja?"

David's face reflected pure fury, but his next words were calm. "I do now" David walked back to me, and I noticed that Spot had been let go and was doing the same. The three of us grabbed Les and took off for David's house, leaving the other boys to yell at Jack, calling him a traitor and a coward. 

.

.

.

Spot and I were sitting on the roof, waiting for David. He had wanted to explain to his sister Sarah what had happened, and hopefully get Les to stay inside with her. Les was sweet, but this was a serious conversation. 

Spot had his arm around my shoulders, and for once, I couldn't care less about how Jack would react to it. At least Spot was still here for me. I glanced over at him to see that he was openly staring at me. "What?" I asked him softly. "You alright?" He asked. 

I looked away, unsure how to respond. The obvious answer was no, but I didn't want to say it. Saying it would be admitting that the only person I loved was gone. Maybe he was still alive, but the Jack I knew never would have said those things to me. But he did. He had, and he didn't care. 

I turned back to Spot, who was still waiting for an answer. 

"I will be."

I turned to the ladder as David climbed up, looking angry again. "You okay Davey?" I asked him. He looked at me, and shook his head, the anger shifting to sadness once again. I moved Spot's arm off me, and walked over to him, wrapping my arms around him. I wasn't much of a hugger normally, but I could tell Davey needed it as I felt him hug back and and the shoulder his face was on start to dampen. 

I waited until his soft sobs became sniffles before pulling away, and looking at him. His face was red, especially around his eyes. He gave me a small smile.

"Thanks Joss." He said, using my real name for once. I was so used to being called Jace lately that I almost didn't realize he was talking to me. Maybe it would be better to go by Joss. After all, Jace was a name that Jack came up with. 

I turned around to look at Spot, who was leaning against the side of the ledge. I walked back over to him and sat down of the ledge, david Mimicking Spot. 

"So, what're we gon do." Spot asked. I shrugged. "Keep doing what we were I guess. No selling papes fer as long as we can. Find a way to meet with Pulitzer. Maybe commit murder." David looked at me, unfazed. I guess he was more used to me. 

"Who're we murderin exactly?" Spot asked me. "I dunno. Pulitzer, Weasel, Snyder, Jack. Pick one." I replied, pulling my stick from the belt loops of my borrowed pants, and fidgeting with it. 

David snorted, and Spot laughed. "Ise fine wid any o dem. Although Jacky boy's probably my first target afta what e did." 

I leapt down off the ledge. "How bout we meet here again tomorrow mornin to discuss it?" Ise need ta go to dah lodging house and see da boys." David nodded, and spit shook Spot's hand before climbing down the ladder again. I turned to Spot. 

"You goin' back to da Brooklyn house?" I asked him. He nodded. "Ise gon hafta talk to da boys about the plan." He put his hand on my cheek, looking me in the eyes. "See ya tomorrow." He whispered, before kissing my cheek, making my face heat up. I nodded, and he dropped his hand, walking away. 

I stayed there on the roof for a few more minutes before I began my walk back to the lodging house.