Warning: Mentions of Abuse
Third Person POV

Jack sends Newsies in groups in different directions to go find Race.

They couldn't let him get to Queens.

Albert, JoJo, and Elmer run off in the direction that Jack had told them to.

They searched every alley that they came across, until they found him.

Race had his back pushed against a wall of an alley on the far side of lower Manhattan, near Brooklyn. His knees were pulled against his chest and his head was in his knees.

"Elmer," Albert starts quietly, inching towards Race slowly. "Go get Jack." He whispers.

Elmer nods, running off towards the Lodge.

Albert and JoJo share a look, before slowly walking up to Race.

Race notices them.

His eyes widen and he quickly gets up and tries to run off.

The two older boys catch the younger boy, holding him close to them in their arms.

With Race being in pain, tired, and smaller than JoJo and Albert, trying to get away from them didn't work, especially since they had him cornered.

While they walked to the Lodging House, JoJo tried to calm Race down, while Albert kept a grip on Race.

Race didn't calm down.

He was panicking.

He didn't want Spot to get hurt.

He had to go to Queens.

It was probably also the fact that he was tired, delusional, and in pain.

When they got back, Jack told Albert and JoJo to go find the other boys, and tell them that they found Race

Then, he brought Race upstairs, with Davey following.

Jack sat Race down, then he and Davey sat down upstairs, in the penthouse.

They stayed silent, like they're expecting me to break.

"Talk, Racer." Jack instructs him, his voice stern, but still concerned sounding.

"Fine." Race almost growls. "You know about my abusive father, well I have two brothers. They're twins and they are two years older than I am." He explains. "Their names were Carson and Caleb. I fled when I was 7, since I was the only one who got abused. I didn't think they were alive, nor did I think they wanted me back, but I don't want to go back." He tells them as quickly as he could.

"Race, breathe." Davey tells him. "You need oxygen to survive." He tries to calm him down.

"Sorry, Davey." Race mutters, looking at his hands, before wiping a few tears off of his face.

"Race, you're fine." Jack comforts him. "It's alright." He whispers.

Race felt tears sting his eyes again again. "I'm sorry. I never wanted this to happen. I didn't know they were alive. I don't want to see them again. If I hadn't gone to Queens this wouldn't have happened," Race rants, picking at his nails.

Jack sits down next to Race, taking his hands softly. "Hey, hey, you're okay." He gently wipes tears off of Race's face. "We're going to be okay." He offers him a small smile.

"I need some space Jack." Race whispers, getting up.

Jack stands up. "Stay here for a minute before you go downstairs." He tells Race.

Race nods, sitting down again, though it wasn't without a bit of confusion from him.

After watching Jack walk downstairs, Davey gets up and sits down next to Race.

"I'm sorry about your past Race, I wish I could do something." He tells him softly. "Though, I know something. If you go after them, it's only gonna end up worse, we have to plan and wait." He hugs him.

Race leans into his hug, giving in as tears stream down his face.

"Racer, don't cry." Davey's grip on Race tightened slightly.

"I'm sorry, Davey." Race whispers. "I'm sorry. I just, I feel like it's my fault." He chokes out a sob.

Davey rubs his back lightly. "It's not, please believe me. It's not your fault at all," he responds.

Davey heard footsteps.

He looks over to see Jack staring at them, his eyes sad.

Davey pulls away from Race.

Jack sits down with Race and hugs him.

The two boys ignore the fact that Davey looks like he's going to explode because of how "cute" they're being.

Jack and Race stay like this for a few minutes, before Race decides to go downstairs.

"Don't leave, Race!" Jack shouts to Race as he starts walking down the stairs.

Race nods.

He walks into the bunk room where Specs was writing with Crutchie and Albert was joking around with JoJo, Elmer, Henry, and Finch.

They invited Race to join them, but he passed and heads to his bed.

He couldn't help but think that something bad is gonna happen.

Queens Lodgin' House

Haste enters the room Bullet and Blade shared. "I gave them the letter," he informs the twins. "and Anthony got it."

Bullet looks up at him. "Anything happen?" He asks.

"When Anthony read it, he ran out of the Lodging house, and to somewhere in Manhattan. Jack and Davey read the letter, and found Race, plus I believe Jack set up guidelines so that he couldn't leave or be alone," Haste informs the twins.

The twins groan.

Thank god Jack is gonna protect Race. I love Jack's rules at times, and this is one of those times. Spot thinks to himself, smiling a tiny bit.

Spade scowls, annoyed. "Stupid Jack's rules." He mutters.

Why would he be annoyed? Spot thinks to himself.

"He was also hurt." Haste's voice was more concerned now. "He couldn't use his arms, and they, along with his back, were bandaged." He explains.

The twins immediately got concerned as well.

Spot saw Rock and Spade share a look out of the corner of his eye, both of them rolling their eyes.

He was gonna do something or question it, when Blade turned to face him.

"Do you know anything about this?" Bullet asks Spot.

"No." Spot lies.

He wasn't going to give them any information.

"Don't lie." Bullet scowls at him. "We just want to know so we don't hurt him," he tells Spot.

Spot bites his lip. He just wanted to keep Race safe.

Spot sighs after a moment. "I'm only telling you this so you don't hurt him." He tells them. "Race recently told us about his abusive father, and Davey forced Race to let him clean and bandage the burns, bruises, and bleeding."

He tried not to give too much information out, just enough to make sure Race didn't get hurt.

Blade and Bullet nod.

They had hated seeing their father beat Anthony, but they couldn't do anything about it.

"If he doesn't come tonight, we'll write another note," Rock decides.

The twins nod.

Jack, please don't let anything happen to Race. Please don't let him do anything stupid. Spot prays to Jack.

Haste turns to face the twins. "Got it, should I keep spying?" He questions.

Spade looks at Rock, who nods.

Spade faces Haste. "That's probably a good idea." He tells him.

Haste nods, leaving the room.

Spot saw him look at Spade and Rock in disgust, though the two Queens Newsies didn't notice it.

Spot's eyebrows furrow. Why are Spade and Rock making all of the decisions? Why not the twins? He questions.

He was gonna figure this out.

Third Person POV
Earlier in the day

Jack leaves Race in the penthouse with Davey.

He could hear, barely, him talking to Race about how it isn't his fault.

Jack frowns.

Race didn't doesn't any of this. Poor kid's crush just got kidnapped by his crazy brothers who are actually the leaders of the Queens Newsies.

I can't betray Race's trust, so I can't tell anyone about his past, but I can tell everyone to not let him leave.

Jack walks into the bunk room that he shared with all of the older boys.

They were all in there, looking worried.

Albert notices him first. "Jack," he starts, turning everyone's attention to him. "what just happened?" He asks.

"I can't tell you anything, only Race can tell you about his past, or I can with his permission, but I don't have that right now." Jack responds. "Race is in a very fragile state, and Spot was kidnapped. You can not leave him alone, or let him leave, especially alone. Got it?" He asks.

The boys nod.

Jack could see the worry on their face.

Race was their brother, their best friend.

He's mine too, and seeing him like this worries me.

He barely sleeps in general, now he's never gonna sleep.

He doesn't eat much either, I mean, we all don't eat a lot, but Race eats less than most of us.

I mean, Race weighs less than most of us.

It's worrying.

This whole situation is worrying.

We need to get Spot, and stop Bullet and Blade from doing anything else.

Can't be that hard, can it?

1476 Words