Brewin' in the Boroughs

Chapter 10

"Jack! There youse is!" Romeo exclaimed as Jack, Race, and Finch stepped through the door. "Ise saw youse leave, but ya never said where youse was goin'!"

"Where were you?" Henry asked.

"We was hangin' round Bronx, meeting their new leader, and let me tell ya," Race struck a match against his thumb nail, quickly lighting his cigar. "He's off his trolley!"

"What'd he do?" Albert asked, perking up.

"Do you mean before or after he threatened to kill us?" Race asked, leaning back in a chair next to Jojo.

"He threatened to kill you?" This time Buttons was looking up, shocked at the nonchalant attitude from Race.

"Five times, I counted," Finch added, holding up one hand, all fingers extended.

"Did ya tell him to leave us alone?" Tommy Boy asked from his seat next to Sniper.

"Youse bet I did," Jack said loudly. "I told him to stay outta 'Hattan or else!"

A cheer went up from the boys. Race shook his head as Jack put off telling the boys the bad news.

"So theyse gonna let us be?" Jojo asked excitedly, his eyes drifting to Mush, then Race.

"...Not exactly," Jack admitted.

"What do ya mean 'not exactly'?" Mike asked, stopping his celebration with Ike.

"Theyse ain't gonna leave us alone, unless we give 'em somthin' that I ain't willin' to give."

"What's so important that you ain't willin' to give it up?" Albert asked. "Your-"

"Manhattan." The boys all froze at this, Albert stopping mid-jab. "That good for nothin' filthy little-"

The boys watched, amused, as Jack gave Hook several new names.

"As much as I loves hearin' this, what was the point?" Elmer asked.

"He wants me to give him control of 'Hattan so he can ruin it, same he did Bronx."

"He didn't really ruin Bronx, there was never anything there to ruin in the first place!" Race grinned.

"Either way, he's got those boys out killin' kids who get on his bad side. I ain't gonna let none of youse work for him. So what do you guys think, do we let him waltz over here and push us around 'til he's got control of the place or is we gonna fight back?"

"Fight!" The boys shouted excitedly.

"Wese gonna soak 'em so bad, theyse gonna wish they was never born!" Albert yelled, receiving cheers of agreement. The boys were fired up and talking back and forth between each other. Jack took that as an opportunity to look around the room.

Albert, Elmer, and Finch were talking quickly, making fists and pretending to fight each other. Mike and Ike sat near Tommy Boy who had thrown something at Sniper's head. Race sat next to Buttons and across from Jojo, the boys laughing at whatever Race had just said. Finally his eyes landed on who he'd been looking for.

Crutchie stood at the edge of the room, staring at Jack with hurt in his eyes. Crutchie turned and limped out of the room, Jack following a few steps behind him.