His Thing

Chapter 13

WARNING: violence, mostly

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"He what?!" Jack stood in front of Race and JoJo, his arms crossed as he mentally reviewed what he was just told. "What do you mean he-"

"Went lookin' for Elmer the other night at a police station?" JoJo sighed, frustrated. "Yeah, it ain't so hard to believe."

Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair as he paced. "And don't no one know where he is?"

"He just left a note sayin' he was gonna find Elmer", Race shrugged, trying to keep it together for their leader. If he and Jack started loosing their cool, the entire place would, not to mention this operation burning to the ground. "Seemed pretty sure about it."

Jack shook his head. How could Albert be so stupid? He knew there were officers who would happily arrest them for anything without so much as a bat of an eye then he goes out and pulls this? "He's an idiot!"

"Look, man, we'll find him", Race assured, trying to calm Jack down. "We'll find them. They can't be too far."

Jack stared at the blonde for a second, considering his words. There was no proof that they would find them, unscathed at least. There was no proof to anyone, especially not those kids locked up for no reason.

So, Jack walked away, leaving Race's words unaccepted.

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"We should hold a rally", Davey announces, a proud smile on his face. Sarah and Katherine stared at him blankly.

"For...what?"

"For motivation", Davey says with an obvious tone, his smile never faltering. He sat down on the couch. "We need to help those boys?"

Of course, the boys. Katherine and Sarah had heard about these boys. A bunch of kids they didn't even know, locked up in a cage they probably belonged in. Katherine and Sarah felt bad, sure. No one kid deserves to be caged, but these kids were thieves, scammers, and caused people to keep their head on a swivel. Naturally, they made themselves forget. "What boys?"

"The ones in jail", Davey scoffed, a confused look on his face. "The ones wrongfully imprisoned? How could you forget?"

Caught. "Oh, we just", Sarah bit her lips, glancing away from her brother's eyes. "We've been busy. With school."

A silence took over the room, leaving Davey skeptical. "Right."

"Anyway", Katherine smiles. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was hoping we could use the theater", Davey answers, his groove back. "But don't worry about that. I'll ask Jack and Miss Medda if it'll be alright, but I think they'd agree. They're in this just as much as I am."

Sarah and Katherine nodded, listening to his every word. They didn't like this. They didn't like it at all. Davey was investing so much of his time to these boys—to Jack, Katherine would rather specify—and for what? He wasn't any of them, he didn't belong.

But he believed he did, and that would prove to be the problem.

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Specs tries to avoid taking nightly strolls. It wasn't safe during the day let alone at night, but his family needed water to survive. Hell, he volunteered.

So he kept his head down yet on a swivel, listening to any noise made as he walked down the street, watching everyone who looked at him weirdly. So far, nothing happened, and seemed like it was going to happen. He liked to imagine thinking about his little sister and Romeo was like good luck, and it proved to be working.

He got to the convenience store unharmed, eager to grab two jugs of water and get out of there. He walked to the refrigerator without so much as a 'Hello' to Mr. Johnson, much to the older man's confusion.

"Sammy", he started, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Shouldn't you be at home? You know it's too late."

"I know, sir", Specs sighed, carrying the jugs with all of his strength to the check out counter. "But Mama asked for water because we needed some. You know Celine is tryin' out for the cheerleadin' team at her school."

Mr. Johnson chuckled, shaking his head. "She is gonna do just fine, ain't she?"

"You know she will", Specs says cooly, a proud smile on his face. "She'll light a fire under 'em."

Mr. Johnson laughed and rung on the items, trading them for the two dollars he was owed. "You get on home, kid. The streetlights is on."

"Yes, sir", Specs nodded, grabbing the water. "And you make sure to sleep in the back tonight. I'll be here with Romeo to fix your car tomorrow, okay?"

Without an answer, Specs walked out with one jug of water in each hand.

The gentle breeze whipped against his skin, sometimes faster than slower, depending on how it felt at that moment. It was already cool outside, and the wind didn't make Specs' regret to not bring a jacket better, but he'd be home soon. He was sure of it.

"Would you look at this?" Specs stopped his tracks at the sound of Oscar Delancey's voice. "It's Specs. All alone."

"A rather funny sight, huh, Oscar?" Specs turned around as Morris walked closer to him, a dangerous smile on his face.

"I-I don't want any trouble", Specs says, keeping his voice even despite the stutter. He remembered what the brothers had done in front of his sister and tried not to imagine what they would do not that he's alone. "I was just walkin' home."

"Yeah", Oscar nodded, cracking his knuckles as he and Morris inched closer. Specs held onto those jugs of water as tightly as he could, hoping they wouldn't slip against the sweat on his palms. "That ain't happenin'."

At the sight of one evil smirk, Specs felt the blow of a fist to his cheek, ramming itself into his flesh. The pain of it was unbearable, and got worse at every touch, but it was nothing compared to Morris kicking his stomach blue, black, and red.

He could feel all of this, every single blow. The way Oscar's punches were different from Morris, and how they switched, which he knew by the feel of Morris' cold brass knuckles. How Oscar's kicks didn't hurt as bad as Morris' did, probably from the pain that was already covering it.

He felt how every time he tried to get up and run away, one punch would knock him down, and he'd be back to square one. There was no getting out of this one. They weren't going to let him go.

Especially not when he's in a jail cell.

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I don't like it either, okay? But somebody had to go and drive the plot. I'm sorry if I upset you!

Luv ya bye!