Partner in Crime || Newsies Fanfiction

Chapter 7 - "Where is Stage?"

Stage: Me - Cards: ac110807
- Chapter 7 - Cards Finding Stage -
Warning: Soaking, Abuse
Third Person POV

Cards was very out of breath.

She had just run around New York in a matter of three hours.

She couldn't find Stage, anywhere.

Cards had seen Stage leave Newsie Square like she had told her to, but couldn't find her after that.

She had finished the fight with the scabs, but had scattered with the other boys when the bulls came.

Then, Cards went looking for Stage, but she couldn't find Stage anywhere.

She knew Crutchie had gotten taken to the Refuge, which made her even more freaked out because of the fact she couldn't find Stage.

The Manhattan Newsies didn't know where Stage was, and she wasn't with their Newsies, or the Queens, Woodside, or Bronx Newsies.

Cards was torn. Where did Stage go?

She didn't even know if Stage was okay, and that worried her, since Stage couldn't protect herself.

Currently, she's walking down the dock in Brooklyn.

Many of the Brooklyn boys stopped what they were doing to wave, smile, or just watch Cards as she walked down the dock, but she was too panicked to care.

"Cards! Why do you look so glum?!" A Brooklyn Newsie, of which Cards did not know the name of, asks her.

"Mind your own business or I'll soak you into tomorrow!" Cards shouts. The Newsie puts their hands up in a surrendering motion.

"Geez Cards, what's up with you today?" Ace asks her. She turns her glare to him.

"Stage is missing! After the fight in the distribution center, of which I had told her to leave before that, I couldn't find her. I've been running around New York for three hours and I can't find her!" Cards exclaims. The boys step back, shocked.

They stand there in silence for a few minutes, Cards trying to catch her breath, and not to cry, and the boys just didn't know what to say. Stage was her best friend.

Suddenly, they hear footsteps pounding on the dock as the owner of the footsteps runs towards them. "Cards!"

Cards freezes, she knows that voice. "Yeah Specs?" She turns around to face him.

Specs looked out of breath and really sad. He was panting, hard. "We found Stage!"

"Where?!" Cards questions. She wanted to go see her best friend.

"She's in the Refuge" Specs answers. Everyone who was there freezes.

"What?!" Cards shouts, shocked. She panics, pacing a bit. "No. No. No! She was in the Refuge before. She begged me not to go back there. She can't be there!"

"Cards! I saw her! She was there. I went to go visit Crutchie," Specs shoots the Brooklyn boys a glare. "She was laying on him. Cards, she looks terrible. The Delanceys grabbed her when she left Newsie Square, soaked her, and brought her to the Refuge like they brought Crutchie there." Cards feels herself panicking as Specs continues. "Stage looked terrible. Her head was bleeding, so was her back, her arms, her legs. Currently, while she's asleep, they're trying their best to patch her up, but we're Newsies, we can't do much especially not with what they have in the Refuge. She's barely conscious when she is awake too."

"Specs, I promised her" Cards whispers. Specs gives her a hug.

After a few minutes, Cards shakes Specs off of her and turns to the Brooklyn Newsies, mainly Spot, Ace, and Hotshot.

"You weren't there! You guys are the reason Stage and Crutchie are both in the Refuge!" Cards exclaims, pointing at them. "I don't care if you have a 'reputation' cause your Brooklyn. Newsies stick together, even when things seem like they're going downhill. We fought, we showed we aren't gonna back down, now you- you are going to keep your part of the deal, or so help me, Conlon, I will hunt you down and soak you till you agree."

"Did she just threaten the King of Brooklyn?" Cards hears a Brooklyn Newsie ask.

She turns around to face the Newsie.
"Yes, and if you don't shut up, you might be the next."

The Newsie makes a motion like he surrendered, with his hands up. Cards rolls her eyes, turning back to face Spot.

"Now, are you gonna keep your promise, or do you want to deal with an angry little sister?" Cards questions. Spot stays silent for a minute.

"Bush! Shadow! Thunder! Lightning! Go tell the other boroughs that Brooklyn is joining the strike!" Spot shouts to his Newsies. They all nod, running off.

"Good choice." Cards snarls. Spot makes a surrendering motion. Cards turns to face Specs. "Come on Specs, we're going to save my sister."

Cards and Specs start walking away, when Spot's voice stops them. "Hey! We're gonna help you! It's our fault they're there, and we don't want to see them hurt either! Plus, we don't want to have you hurt!"

Cards and Specs turn around to face the Brooklynites.

"Less talking, more saving. Come on boys" Cards tells them. They nod, starting to leave Brooklyn.

On the Brooklyn Bridge, Smokes goes over to Cards.
"How long are you gonna stay mad at us?"

Cards let's out a deep sigh.
"I'm not mad at you, Smokes. Sure, I'm a little frustrated with Spot, but not you. I'm just- I need to get Stage out of the Refuge, and I need to do it quickly."

Smokes puts a hand on Cards' shoulder.
"I get it. It'll be okay. We'll get her out of there," Smokes motions to all of the boys following them. "Together."

"I'm sorry" Cards whispers, as Smokes engulfs her in a hug. He rubs her back.

"It'll be okay, Cards. We're gonna get her out of there, and win the strike. You can soak me if I'm wrong about the strike part, but I know we can do it" Smokes assures Cards, who nod.

Cards pulls away from Smokes, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, before continuing to walk to Manhattan.

She didn't know how, but she was gonna save Stage, and she was going to do it before the night was over even if she had to do it alone.

I promise, Stage, I will.

1034 Words