The World Will Know (Newsies)

3: Take A Stand

The twins found Katherine stopped right outside of Jacobi's Deli, glancing through the window at a group of newsies sitting around some tables. The newsies' eyes were fixed on none other than Jack Kelly, the boy who had flirted with the girls the day before, and the boy who had drawn Katherine that portrait of herself that night.

Elizabeth stopped at Katherine's side, looking in the window as well at the group of boys. "This is your plan? Writing about the newsies strike?" she asked her friend.

"If they'll let me, which I'm pretty sure they will," Katherine responded, then started towards the door. The twins stayed in their place at first, though, and the other girl noticed it. "You two can come, you know. You could help me get some information from the other boys, maybe."

"Wouldn't we just slow you down? We don't know the first thing about reporting," Elizabeth pointed out, shifting slightly on her heels as she stood on the sidewalk.

"Yeah, you make it look so easy, but I doubt it really is. There's probably tons of rules and things that you know that we don't, so we'd just mess you up, wouldn't we?" Rebecca added. "Maybe it'd be better if we stayed out here."

"Nonsense!" Katherine exclaimed, going back over to her friends and wrapping an arm around each of them. "You have nothing to worry about. Just get the facts, some testimonies, and put it into a story. Interview some newsies and get their stories. I'll handle the rest, okay?" The twins hesitated, considering this, but Katherine kept speaking, trying her hardest to convince them. "Come on. I know you two would be great. And we'd get to work together on a project for the first time in forever. Maybe you'd realize you want to be reporters too, and you can work with me for real. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

After a little bit more hesitation, Rebecca spoke up for herself and her sister. "Alright, fine. But only because you're our friend."

Katherine grinned, squeezing their shoulders. "Great! Then let's go!" she exclaimed before she guided the other two girls to the door, excited to get started.

Inside, Jack was ordering the boys around to various neighborhoods as the girls entered, but nobody noticed the door open and close. He was clearly the leader of this group, just by how he was able to direct everybody with such ease. Nobody questioned him as he directed, "Specs, you take Queens. Tommy Boy, you take the East Side. And who wants Brooklyn?" he asked. Now, everybody didn't question him, but that didn't stop other newsies from not seeming very enthused at all about the suggestion of going to Brooklyn. In fact, all of them looked away from Jack instead, hoping that by not meeting his gaze, they wouldn't be volunteered for the task. "C'mon, Brooklyn. Spot Conlon's turf. Hey, Finch, you're tellin' me you're scared of Brooklyn."

Finch, a dark-haired kid who was probably around the same age as Jack and many of the others, spoke up, trying to seem confident with his words. "I ain't scared a' no turf," he declared. Then, his face fell and he ran a hand through his hair, not meeting Jack's eyes. "Just...y'know, Spot Conlon makes me a little jittery."

The rest of the newsies nodded in agreement, and Jack sighed before nodding. "Fine, me and Davey'll take Brooklyn."

A boy in a white shirt and tie lifted his head, surprised to hear his name called. His appearance was a striking contrast to the rest of the newsies, as his clothes and body looked as if they were regularly cleaned. That wasn't something that could have been said of most, likely all of the other newsies. "Me?" Davey asked, pointing towards his chest. When Jack nodded, he spoke up. "No, I-," he began, but was cut off by Rebecca's comments as she made her, and the other girls', presence known.

"Why is everyone so scared of Brooklyn?" Rebecca asked, strolling forward into the room and taking a seat in an empty chair at a nearby table. "What's the problem with that place? It's just part of the city."