Warnings: Betrayal, kidnapping
A/N Sorry guys...
Third Person POV

Race walks out of the Brooklyn Lodge.

He needed to go for a walk.

Being cooped up, monitored, and hearing that stuff about his biological brothers, even if he didn't really care about them, made his head spin.

He wanted everything to stop and go back to normal, and he had to get out.

Just for a few minutes.

Race slips past Snitch, the daytime guard for Brooklyn.

If Snitch saw him, he'd have another Newsie or five (he's not joking) keep Race from leaving, and he would go get Spot.

And then Race would get scolded.

And he did not need that right now.

Once Race was out of Snitch's line of vision, he started running.

He had to just get away for a few minutes.

While running, he stopped every so often, to just quickly catch his breath.

Race felt conflicted.

He loves his biological brothers, even if there were points where he wanted so badly to hate them.

Something in him felt connected to them, and he couldn't hate them.

It was kinda like his connection with the Newsies. They were all family, too.

How am I supposed to do anything? Race ponders. I mean, I'm not even supposed to be out of Spot's sight, let alone out of Brooklyn alone, right now.

I'm kinda an idiot.

But not too much...

Oh no, I'm definitely a huge idiot.

Race smacks his head with his hands. Why is the World so confusing? Can you make everything less confusing, please God?

My cigar isn't here...

Race smacks his head again. Gosh darn it, Race.

A little part of him expected someone to jump out, grab his hands to stop him from hurting himself, and scold him for multiple reasons, including hurting himself.

But it didn't happen.

That's when it dawned on him that he wasn't in Brooklyn anymore.

He wasn't even in Manhattan.

He wasn't sure where he was, but he knew he wasn't there.

And that is definitely a problem...

For being a Newsie, Race had a very small sense of direction and actually knowing his way around New York.

He'd only ever really been in certain parts of Brooklyn, all of Manhattan, and a little bit of Midtown and Queens.

So now, he could be anywhere, and he has no clue.

Heck, he could be in enemy territory!

Oh, I am so dead when I get back to Brooklyn or Manhattan, Race smacks his head again.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Racer!

"Why so physical, Racer?" A voice from behind him asks, scaring him a tiny bit. "You might hurt yourself doing that."

Race barely knew the voice. It sounded sinister; like someone you shouldn't trust.

Race turns around. He hadn't realized that he had entered an alley, never mind gone to the far end of it.

That's not a good idea, Race thinks. Bad memories come from alleys.

"Are you a friend or a foe?" Race questions, warily staring at the shadows where the voice came from.

Timber steps into the light. "What's with the perfect grammar and big words there, Racer?"

"Davey and Kath are a good influence on us, me especially." Race shrugs. Timber laughs, sending shivers down Race's spine. "Also, don't call me Racer. Only my family calls me that, and last I checked, you tried to throw me to Queens."

"You don't let your brothers call you that" Timber points out. Race rolls his eyes.

He deadpans at Timber. "The Newsies are my family."

Timber nods. "I apologize for my actions during the meeting. I was not in the right mindset, and my second and third reminded me what happened."

"And you talk about correct grammar from me." Race mumbles. Timber laughs. "I guess I forgive you?"

Timber spits in his hand, holding it out for Race to shake.

Race hesitates. He was horrible at the meeting, but he seems okay now. Do I forgive him?

Memories from the meeting flash through Race's mind.

"Why is Race here? Why don't you send him home, Kelly?"

"Why don't we just give him back to his brothers? I mean, they're blood related. He'll be fine."

"They're his brothers!"

Timber's words flashed through his mind. "Why should I trust you, Timber? What's to stop you from betraying me and taking me to Queens?"

Timber sighs. "If I wanted to take you to Queens, I would've brought more Newsies for backup for help and I would've done it by now."

Race nods. "Fair, fair."

Race spits in his hand and shakes hands with Timber.

Timber wipes his hand off on his pants. "So, why are you in East Side?"

Race's eyes widen. "I'm in East Side? How far did I run?"

"You ran here? Do you know how far you are from Manhattan and Brooklyn?" Timber questions, a bit shocked. (Pretend East Side is far from lower Manhattan (the borough) and not actually in Manhattan lol)

"I ran- I ran because I needed space. I couldn't be watched over anymore like I'm some little kid, because I'm not, and I needed space to process everything. I didn't know I ran here, I was so trapped in thought. I got- I got lost" Race panics, pacing back and forth.

His hands were pulling at his hair, and because of his panic, he didn't realize Timber's little smirk, which came and disappeared all within a second.

"I need to get back to Manhattan, Timber." Race states, turning to Timber. "Davey, Jack, and Spot, and probably others are gonna kill me, and then bring me back so they can scold me for running off, never mind coming here on accident. Plus, I really don't want to run into anyone who is from Queens or working for Queens."

Race could barely process what was happening when Timber pulled him into a hug, helping him steady his breathing. "It's okay. Calm down because stressing out won't help anyone."

Race nods, taking a few deep breathes.

"Take a few deep breaths. You're gonna be fine" Timber tells Race, faking sympathy in his voice, but Race couldn't tell.

Race takes a few deep breathes, just leaning against Timber.

Before he knew it, Timber had flipped him so that his back was against Timber's chest, and put a cloth over his mouth and nose.

Immediately when Race smelt the cloth and felt it on his face, he started struggling.

He tried screaming, but the cloth muffled his screams, and Timber was so much stronger than he was.

"Just breathe, Racer. It'll all be over soon" Timber tells Race, who shakes his head.

No- no- no! I can't go through this again! Race panics. Please let me go... Please Timber, please don't let me go through this again...

I should've never left Spot. I should've at least stayed in Brooklyn, at the dock.

I should've never trusted Timber. I knew he was bad. I knew he was working with Queens.

Race felt his attempts at getting out of Timber's grip growing weaker after a few minutes.

"That's it, just calm down. Take deep breaths" Timber comforts Race, though it wasn't very comforting.

Race felt his eyes growing heavy, and his vision was blurring.

It was not only because of the chloroform, but because tears stung his eyes as well.

As Race struggled to stay awake, he saw two people walk into the alleyway, towards him and Timber.

Rock and Spade...

Adrenaline and shock gave Race a tiny bit of strength to push a little more.

Timber sighs, throwing Rock and Spade a silent look. 'He's so stubborn, he keeps pushing to stay awake.'

Rock just threw him a look saying, 'Just keep the cloth on him. He's not gonna last much longer.'

Timber had seen Race, and sent the Newsie he had been with to go get Rock and Spade, while he gained his trust.

That had been Timber's plan.

Race's struggles went almost unnoticed as they got weaker and weaker.

He stared at Rock and Spade, panicking.

He was scared, and he knew that they could see it.

Spade just stood there, looking him in the eyes while he smirked.

Race felt sick.

Spots (not the character) covered his vision, covering everything except for Spade, who stood out as what he was mainly focused on.

He heard Timber whispering to him. "Just breathe, and let your eyes close. It'll all be over soon."

Race's eyes closed without his consent, but he forced them open again.

Spade rolled his eyes. "Race, make this easier for all of us, and just give up. You aren't getting out of this."

"Just give up"  The words echoed through Race's mind.

He felt his eyes close without his consent again, but this time they didn't open.

'Please help me, Spot.' Was Race's last thought before he finally gave into the darkness.

Race fell limp in Timber's arms. "The kid's stubborn, he also weighs nothing and he's pretty weak."

Spade nods, slipping an arm under Race's legs and one behind his back, then picking him up. "He's smart, when he's actually thinking, he knows how to get out of situations, and even if he's not strong, he does know how to fight."

Timber and Rock nod.

Rock traces sleeping Race's face. "He looks so much like his brothers, just a younger version. I've never seen three siblings who look so alike."

"Let's go, we have to get to Queens before anyone spots him with us" Spade states. Timber and Rock nod.

And they start the walk to Queens, New York City, with Race again.

1602 Words