Blitz: A Newsies Story

Chapter 10: So Ordered

((Hey fansies! Here's the latest chapter! Please let me know what you think of it, because I love getting your feedback! Enjoy! -Wolf))

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Chapter 10: So Ordered

"All rise! Court is now in session! Judge E.A. Monehan presiding."

"Are any of you represented by counsel?" Judge Monehan asked, looking down from his massive desk at the assembled newsies. I watched from my special seat in the back as Race and Spot exchanged a look. Race had a real bad shiner on his left cheek, and his left eye was blackened.

"No? Good," said Monehan, "That will move things along considerably."

"Ey, Your Honor, I object!" Spot said suddenly, giving the Judge one of his signature stares.

"On what grounds?" questioned Monehan.

"On the grounds of Brooklyn," said Spot, looking mighty proud of himself. The boys all began to laugh, and Race ducked behind Spot as he laughed hysterically for a moment.

I rolled my eyes. "On the grounds of Brooklyn, foah god's sake Spot," I thought to myself.

"I fine each of you five dollars," the Judge announced, "Or two weeks confinement in the House of Refuge."

The boys began to mutter nervously among themselves. Not the Refuge.

"Woah, woah, woah," said Race, a dumbfounded look on his face. "Hey, we ain't got five bucks. We don't even got five cents. Hey, Your Honor, how 'bout I roll you for it," he then suggested, a smirk forming on his face, "Double or nothin'."

The newsies burst out laughing again as Monehan heaved a sigh and grumbled, "Alright, move it along, move it along."

At that moment, the door to the courtroom opened. "I'll pay the fines." It was Denton, and Davey was with him. "All of them," Denton added as he made his way up the aisle, neither him nor Davey noticing me in the back corner, my hands cuffed together. The Delancey brothers weren't far away, and I could feel their eyes on me as I watched the newsies get shuffled along as Denton paid the fines.

"You alright?" asked Davey, going up to the boys. Race shrugged. "Where's Jack?" Davey asked suddenly, noticing he was missing, "And where's Blitz?"

"Listen, guys, we gotta meet at the restaurant," said Denton, referring to Tibby's. "We have to talk." The boys nodded, slightly confused, and then they filed to the back of the courtroom as Monehan shouted, "Pay the clerk, move it along." They were now not that far from me though they still had yet to notice me.

It was then that they brought Jack out from a side door in the courtroom. His hands were cuffed behind his back, like mine were. "Hey fellas!" he called.

"Ey, Cowboy!" Race called back, which was echoed by Spot and the others. "Nice shiner!" he added.

"Pay the clerk, move it along!" Monehan shouted again, getting annoyed.

Jack smirked, and let the police men lead him up to the Judge's desk.

"Hey Denton, so I guess we made all the papes this time," said Jack, grinning at the reporter as he walked up to the clerk to pay the fines. "So, how'd my picture look?"

"None of the papers covered the rally," said Denton with a sigh.

"What?" I whispered, though no on but the Delanceys heard me, and they gave me identical, wicked smirks.

"Case of Jack Kelly!" the Clerk's voice broke through my thoughts as he began to speak. "Site of the riot; assault, resisting arrest."

"Judge Monehan, I'll speak for this young man, and for the young lady after him." Snyder stepped out of the shadows and walked up to Jack and Monehan. I froze. Snyder couldn't speak for Jack and I!

"You two know each other," commented Jack, his eyes darkening, "Ain't that nice."

"Just move it along," Monehan said, glancing down at his clock.

"This boy's real name is Francis Sullivan. His mother's deceased, his father's a convict in the state penitentiary. He's an escapee from the House of Refuge where his sentence of three months was extended to six months due to behavior," Snyder began.

"Only demanding that we eat the food you steal from us," Jack interrupted.

"Followed by an additional six months for an attempted escape," Snyder continued.

"Attempted?" Jack interrupted again. "Last time wasn't an attempt. Remember, Snyder? Remember me and Teddy Roosevelt? The carriage? Remember Roosevelt and the carriage?" asked Jack, his voice rising.

"I ask that he be returned to the House of Refuge," Snyder went on, but was yet again interrupted by Jack. "What, for my own good, right? Move it along? For my own good, and for what he kicks back to ya."

"I ask that you order his incarceration till the age of twenty one in hopes that we may yet lead him to a useful and productive life," Snyder finished.

"So ordered." Monehan banged his gavel down.

"No!" shouted Les.

"Next case!" shouted Monehan as Jack was lead away by the police.

The Clerk once again rose to his feet. "Case of Blitz." I froze, slightly surprised that they knew my new name. "Site of the riot; assault, resisting arrest." I felt hands on my arms, and then a moment later, Oscar and Morris were escorting me down the aisle. They shoved me in front of the Judge as Snyder stepped up to us.

"How's that shiner?" I growled at Snyder, seeing the still slightly bruised spot where I had hit him to knock him out. Snyder's lip curled in annoyance, but he didn't say anything to me. He just turned to the Judge. I glanced over my shoulder, and to my surprise, I saw that the newsies had now been escorted out of the courtroom. The boys had heard Jack's secrets, but they wouldn't hear mine.

"This girl's real name is Jamie Conlon," Snyder began. "Her brother is Spot Conlon, that silly newsboy that tried to object on the grounds of Brooklyn. Her father is a drunkard that is currently in prison, and her mother is deceased. She's an escapee from the House of Refuge, where she was sentenced to one year for theft."

"I was stealin' bread cause I was starvin'!" I snarled, glaring at Snyder.

Snyder went on. "I ask that she also be incarcerated until the age of twenty one so that we may attempt to lead her towards a useful and productive life."

"So ordered."

"No!" I growled, "You can't do that!"

"I just did," muttered Snyder in my ear as he walked swiftly past me and left the courtroom. I could feel eyes on me, and I turned in time to see Morris and Oscar as they each grabbed one of my arms and dragged me from the courtroom.

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