Piper of Manhattan (Spot Conlon Love Story)

CHAPTER 18-THE WORLD WILL KNOW

Piper's POV:

We all began walking to Manhattan, Robin, Spot, and I in front. Spot walked beside me with his arm around my shoulders. I kissed his cheek and told him I'd run ahead to make sure the Bulls hadn't gotten there yet.

I ran ahead to the Horace Greeley statue where the Manhattan boys were and slumped against the statue, out of breath. I frowned when I looked around. No one else was there.

"So when the others comin', kid?" Mush asked Kid Blink.

"They ain't comin'," Jack responded, "Ain't gonna be nobody but us."

"Come on, Jack," Snitch said.

"Have hope, Jack," Specs added.

Les looked at the Distribution center and sang,

"When the circulation bell starts ringing,

will we hear it?"

"Nah," Race said before singing,

"What if the Delanceys come out swinging,

Will we hear it?"

"No!" Les shouted.

"Atta boy," Racetrack said, ruffling Les's hair.

Suddenly we heard the faint sound of a million people singing,

"When you've got a million voices singing

Who can hear a lousy whistle blow?

And the World will know!"

Work kids flooded into the square from every direction and street. I looked to my left and saw Spot leading in the Brooklyn kids.

"Brooklyn!" He shouted and I laughed.

Every kid in the square began singing.

"And the World will feel the fire and Finally Know!"

All of us began chanting, shouting at the top of our lungs.

"STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!"

I stood beside Jack and David when Race leaned over and said, "Dear me, what have we here?"

All three of us looked and saw Seitz and a few cops in front of the World doors. Seitz saw Jack, David, and I and motioned for us to come inside. I looked at Jack who just shrugged and walked in. I sighed and followed with David following me.

David, Jack, and I walked into Pulitzer's office as another worker of his was coming out and stopped Seitz.

"It's awful. Everyone's calling. Mr. Hearst, and Mr. Bennett, and the mayor in such awful language," the guy said to Seitz in a hushed voice. "The city's at a stand still and they all blame the chief. It's like the end of the World, only I didn't say that."

I smirked, looking at Jack who looked mighty pleased with himself. Jack walked over to Pulitzer's desk and pulled out our pape.

"Extra, Extra, Joe," he said, putting the pape on the table. "Read all about it."

Pulitzer looked at the pape for a moment before looking at Jack.

"I promised that if you defied me," Pulitzer began, "I'd break you. I'll keep that promise, boy. Now, I gave you a chance to be free. I don't understand. Anyone who doesn't act in their own self interest is a fool."

"So what does that make you?" David asked.

"What?" Pulitzer asked, looking up.

"Oh, this is our pal, Davey," Jack said, gently bringing David forward before Pulitzer.

"The walkin' mouth," I added, quoting Spot.

"You talk about self interest, but since the strike, your circulation's been down 70%," David said, "Everyday you're losing thousands of dollars just to beat us out of one lousy tenth of a cent. Why?"

Pulitzer seemed mildly impressed with David's brains and Jack smirked.

"You see, it ain't about the money, Dave. If Joe gives in to nobodies like us, it means we got the power. And he can't do that, no matter what it costs. Am I right, Joe?" I asked, smirking smugly.

"I sent for the police," Pulitzer said, "They must be here by now. Send them in, Seitz."

I groaned and put my hands on my head. David threw his hands up in frustration and Jack just walked towards the windows.

"I ain't going back to jail, Joe," Jack said. "Look out here, right here is where the power is!"

Jack flung open the window and the room was filled with the noise of the millions of kids shouting outside. Pulitzer put his fingers in his ears and ran to the windows.

"Shut the windows!" He shouted over the noise before turning to the kids outside below the window. "Go home! Go home! Go home!"

"I can't hear you, Joe!" Jack shouted.

"Go home! Go home to your mothers and fathers! Go home!" Pulitzer shouted at the kids before going inside again.

"They don't hear ya!" I shouted smugly.

Pulitzer turned to Jack and shouted.

"Now you listen to me!"

"Maybe you should listen!" Jack shouted back.

"No, No! You listen!"

"No you listen!"

"Shut the window and shut up!"

"There's a lot of people out there and they ain't just gonna go away," Jack shouted and Pulitzer sat at his desk, his fingers still firmly in his ears. "They got voices now and they're gonna be listen to. Putting them in jail is not going to stop them! That's the power of the press, Joe!"

With that I shut the windows with a slam and Pulitzer unplugged his ears. I went over to the other side of his desk and smirked.

"So thanks for teaching us about it," I said.

"Those kids put out a pretty good paper there, Chief," Sietz said.

Pulitzer picked up our pape and began reading it.

"I ordered a printing ban on all strike matters. Now, who defied it?" Pulitzer asked. "Who's press did you use to print this on? Who's? Who's?"

I shrugged.

"Well, we only use the best, Joe," I told him.

"So I just wanted to say, thanks again," Jack said with a grin.

Pulitzer looked awestruck.

"So here are our demands," I began, "You put the price back where it was and whatever papes we don't sell you buy back."

"That'd bankrupt me, you'd just buy a bunch of paper for free money," Pulitzer said.

"No Newsie is gonna carry Papes he don't plan on sellin'," I told him. "But if he knows they'll be bought back 'e might buy a few extra. And 'e might sell 'em, increasing your profits."

Pulitzer considered it for a moment or two before looking at Seitz who nodded.

"Alright," Pulitzer said, "But if you are trying to rob me I will change it right back to how it was."

I grinned and Jack and David looked at me approvingly before nodding and the three of us replying,

"Deal."