Warnings: Blood, manipulation, betrayal?
A/N I'm gonna warn everyone, the cliffhanger is bad. I'm debating posting a third chapter today, but I don't think that cliffhanger is better.
Third Person POV

Haste woke up to his head pounding.

Well, at least my plan worked. He thinks to himself. They could've been a little more careful. That hurts like heck.

"I see you're awake" A voice states. The boy's body was hidden in the shadows, but Haste knew that voice very well.

"You could've been a little nicer, Ace" Haste responds. He hears Ace scoff.

Ace walks into the light, and Haste could now see his face. "Yeah, like you were to Race? And to Spot?"

"Can I talk to Spot, please?" Haste questions. Ace nods, rolling his eyes a bit.

Ace and Haste used to be pretty good friends, but it changed very quickly when something happened between them.

Ace walks out of the room, leaving Haste alone.

Haste looked around.

He was in a room. There were bars on the windows, and the windows were high up and small anyway.

His hands were tied behind his back. Not surprising.

A few minutes later, Ace came back.

He brought Race, Spot, Hotshot, Smokes, and Red.

"Why were you in my room staring at Race last night, Haste?" Spot snaps. Haste cringes, cut right to the chase don't you?

"I need help" Haste starts. Spot scoffs.

"And we should help you why?" Spot questions. Haste clenches his fists.

"Listen to me and find out." Haste snaps, before calming himself down. "I was sent by Spade and Rock to kidnap Race since they're having a hard time finding his selling spot."

Smokes, Race, and Hotshot high-five Ace, who smirks. Haste smiles a bit.

"I figured it out," Spot panics. "Don't worry, I didn't tell them."

"Why not?" Smokes questions. Haste looks at the floor.

"I think you guys are the only ones who can help Bullet and Blade." Haste sighs. "Blade and I are secretly dating. Spade and Rock have been pretending to be their friends for years, so they could trust them. They're manipulative, Spade and Rock."

Race shares looks with a few other Newsies. "Haste, what did they do?"

Haste sighs. "They manipulated Bullet and Blade into doing everything they've done. They convinced them that what they were making them do to you was okay. The twins don't know any better, somehow. They were just never taught differently, because of your dad. Spade and Rock, when their plan works out, are gonna drop Bullet and Blade, and kill you, Race."

Race's eyes widen. "Why?"

Haste shrugs. "I don't know why. I just know that I need your help. You guys don't want Race to die, the twins don't either. Please just help me save my boyfriend, and then you can go back to ignoring us. You can go back to hating Queens for all I care!"

"Is that why you didn't fight yesterday?" Spot questions. "You didn't fight back, and were louder than any spy ever is because you knew we would help you, right?"

Haste nods. "You guys are my last hope. Rock and Spade are turning the twins against me, and Blade flips out anytime I try to get him to realize what they're doing."

"And if we help you, you'll leave us alone after this is over?" Spot questions. Haste nods.

"Please just help my boyfriend and his brothers!" Haste pleads. Race had never seen him like this.

"Fine, fine." Spot decides. "Let's wait till Jack gets here."

"I'll untie his hands" Smokes suggests. Spot nods.

Smokes unties Haste's hands, and Haste thanks him.

"Tell us everything you know" Spot tells Haste, who nods, and they all sit down.

For the next few hours, they talked about a plan and what Haste knew, plus, what a few other people knew.

Jack arrived an hour in, and he brought Davey, Albert, and Blink, leaving Crutchie, Specs, and JoJo in charge at the Lodge.

"So, you think that one of us, or even Race could talk some sense into them?" Jack questions. Haste nods.

"If Race and I talk to Blade, he'll believe us. He was only in this in the first place so he could find Race, he's been skeptical ever since." Haste explains. The boys nod. "As for Bullet, he's gonna need physical evidence that we aren't lying, but it's better if they both get physical evidence."

"And then all of this will be over?" Davey questions, trying to make sure no one else will get hurt.

Haste nods. "I'm hoping. I don't know what Rock and Spade will do when we do this and their plan backfires. We need to keep an eye on them. I have a feeling they already know that I am suspicious of them."

"Well, with you here, it's the perfect excuse." Blink starts. "You're alibi is that you got caught, hence why you are 'tied up, in the basement of the Brooklyn Lodging House'."

Haste nods. "You aren't actually gonna keep me tied up, right? Cause man that hurt."

The boys laugh. "No, no, we aren't. Just don't betray us."

"I won't," Haste promises. "I just want my boyfriend back and Queens to go back to the place it used to be; kind, smart, and pretty."

The boys nod. They knew how it felt to have someone you wanted back or to protect, and when you couldn't, it felt like you were failing them.

"So, we have to get Bullet and Blade out of Queens for a little, and then to listen to Rock and Spade talk about their plan" Hotshot states. The boys all nod.

"This is risky" Smokes points out. Ace hugs him.

"And everything else we do isn't?" Jack questions. "Look, when we signed up to be Newsies, this is not what we expected, I know, but we've done more dangerous stuff. If everything goes well, we will all be perfectly fine."

"Nothing ever goes well and according to plan" Albert mumbles. The boys throw him looks.

"Happy thoughts, Al. Maybe we can start a streak" Red responds. Albert nods, hoping that everything will go well and according to plan.

"Guys," Spot starts, looking around the group, worried. "Where did Race go?"

1046 Words