A/N So I realized that when I posted this story on here I forgot the brief explanation of Weeping Angels I put in the Wattpad edition, oops! Also I have no idea how to work the reviews right, so I couldn't respond (if that is a thing) but thank you to the person who asked about them so I realized this! So, the Weeping Angels are a creature from Doctor Who.They appear as stone statues until you look away, and only when no one is looking can they move. They are so fast that they can cross a room just when the lights flicker, or when someone blinks. When they touch people, they can send them back in time, then feed off of the time energy this causes. Any statue could be a Weeping Angel, but they most commonly look like full sized angel statues. They are "weeping" because if they looked at each other, they would be permanently frozen, so they keep their eyes covered until they latch onto a victim, giving the appearance of weeping. Basically, they are the perfect way to send a character back in time and get them stuck there. I'll try to remember to post other summaries when I crossover with other things!

Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter 11: Up to Something

"I am a complete idiot. There's no other explanation. I'm insane. I'm crazy. I'm…"

"You're hoggin' da mirror is what you're doin'" Albert said, "Though I ain't disputin' the other stuff."

"Wow, a three-syllable word! I didn't know you had it in you!" I spun out from in front of the mirror and around Albert, poking my tongue out as I went.

"I don' think you'se an idiot." Said Buttons, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of his bunk. He ran his fingers through his hair, stretching it out to its fullest length in front of his eyes before tucking it back where it was supposed to go with a shrug.

"No, it's not that. It just only just hit me this morning that I have a date tomorrow night and I look like…" I gestured at my rumpled, dirty boy clothing, in addition to my still beat-up looking face and drab hair, "Not to mention the fact that I even have a date! I had literally nothing back home. This is nonsense."

No response. Not that I expected one. I had no clue what was going on, and they were boys, why should they care?

We got good reports about the new rally. With all of the newsies unionized, they kind of had to come, but they seemed eager, as did some of the other city children. Jack's cartoons were getting published too, which made him feel at least slightly better. Honestly, I wanted to go punch whatever stupid political editor it was that was keeping Jack from the proper, full-time position he had been offered. I also wondered a little why Jack didn't go himself, but I guess he was less willing to fight for his own interests than he was to fight for his friends. I worried about him some, because I knew he would burn himself out if he dedicated all his energy to the boys and none to himself. Still, if we could get Romeo out, and keep the rest of us safe, maybe Crutchie, Davey and I could get together and force Jack to practice self-care.

I avoided Oscar and Morris's eyes when I bought my papes. A good part of me wanted to glare them down, to show them I refused to let them intimidate me. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. When we got the papes we were all in for a surprise. Pulitzer himself wrote an editorial against the Refuge, denouncing Snyder. I guess he realized that if all of the kids on the street got arrested, no one could sell his papers. I always knew he had a good side somewhere, even if it was economically motivated.

Jack and Specs planned on sneaking up to the Refuge today, to try and check on Romeo and assess the situation. My heart clenched at the thought. I longed to just march on the place, storm the gates and demand the release of anyone trapped there; if only I had influence, and money, and such. Ugh.

They returned just after lunch. In whispers in the square, they confirmed our worst fears. The Refuge looked just as bad as before, if not worse. Although it was less crowded, it was filling up quick, the Delanceys weren't the only goons Snyder had in his pocket. Not to mention, with fewer boys there, Snyder and the guards were giving the boys more attention, and that didn't mean food and bedtime stories. Bars had been installed on all the windows, so there was no way for anyone to get in or out beside the front door. "I told Romeo 'bout da rally though, he told us good luck,"

"He actually seemed more interested in Vicky's date." Specs added.

"Of course he did." I said. I smiled, but a good part of me wanted to cry.

Another silence sunk in as we processed the news.

"Hey Vicky?" Crutchie said, "I'se needin' ta head back to da lodge, so can you'se sell with someone else?"

"Um…sure? Are you…?"

"I'se fine."

His expression looked strange; he wouldn't meet my eyes. I didn't believe him, but he looked fine, in fact he was smirking a little. Oh dear. And here I thought he was the innocent one.

/

This was officially the last day I ever sold with Race. Darkness had fallen a couple of hours ago, but he insisted on staying at the races until they were done, leaving me alone and bored in unfamiliar territory while he gambled all of his money away. Actually, he hadn't gambled it away, I think he actually earned some. Evidently, he had a talent, and not just because he knew some of the stable boys at the track. Of course, when the people who lost to him realized that he knew the stable boys, they accused him of cheating, and the two of us were forced to run most of the way back to the lodge.

"You know," I said, "If I weren't so WORN OUT from all this RUNNING I would STAB you," I panted, bending over with one hand on my knee and the other clutching a stitch in my side.

"Please, ya know ya love me," Race, somehow still having energy, ran around in a circle before trying flop down and lean on me, I dodged away and he tripped, scooting into some scrap metal piled nearby.

"That was your own fault!"

When we got back to the lodge, Les waited for us outside.

"Les? Shouldn't you be home by now?" I asked. I now regretting not letting Race lean on me earlier, now I wanted to flop on something or someone and he was the only available option at the moment.

"Nope! Davey's in there!" He pointed.

I inched toward Race, wondering if he would trip me if I tried to lean on him. He noticed and stepped away. I sighed, "Why don't we just go in then?"

"We can't!" He ran in front of me, blocking my way into the lodging house.

I crossed my arms, "And why not?"

"Cuz I left somethin' at the square this mornin' and I need someone to come get it with me."

"And none of the boys will take you?"
"They says its haunted at night."

I looked over at Race, eyebrows raised. He shrugged. No help.

"Please Vicky? It can't wait till mornin'"

I sighed. "Fiiiiine."

"Yippee!" Les grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction of the distribution center. Race did not accompany us, I peeked over my shoulder to notice him slipping inside when he thought we weren't looking. Hmmm. Something was going on here, the question was what.

Les and I reached the square. The gates, naturally, stood closed, sentinels barring us entrance to the main area. With the lingering wet from yesterday's rain, the gloom of the carved stone around, and the light rust sprinkling the steel bars, the place certainly looked like a ghost may lurk there. Les squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back.

"It's inside there…" Les pointed.
"Well kid, it looks like you'll have to wait until morning."

"Please, I can fit through those bars no problem." He broke out of my grip and flitted to the gate.

"Les wait! We don't know who else might be…" And he was already through the gate, creeping around the cobblestone interior, hunting for who knows what, if it even existed.

I didn't breathe until he slipped his way back through the bars, gripping something in his hand that he refused to let me see. Yeah, pretty sure he was faking. We walked back to the lodging house with no incident, something for which I was grateful, one would think a girl and a small boy, or two fairly young boys, would be easy targets for unsavory characters.

When we reached the lodge, Les tried to run up ahead of me, but I beat him to it and slung the door open, hard. Most of Manhattan's newsies huddled together in the center of the room, but when they saw me, they jumped back, like squirrels when a dog is let loose nearby.

"Hello boys!" I shouted, "And what are we up to this fine evening?"

"Nothin'!" Elmer half-shouted. Several other boys nodded in agreement. Some had backed up so far, they had reached the walls in the back of the building.

"Yeah, we was jus'….playin' a game is all!" Jojo said.

"Really?" I walked over to him and leaned forward, he scrambled back, refusing to meet my gaze. "What game?"

"I-I…"

"We cans't say…" Elmer said, "you wouldn' like it…"

"Oh?" I turned on Elmer, Jojo wiped his brow behind me. "And how would I know that until I tried it?"
"Cuz…cuz is not a, not a," Elmer looked wildly around for help. The other boys shrugged at him. "It's not a …nice game?" His entire face flushed. Davey pinched the bridge of his nose, done with everyone and everything. Same Davey. Maybe I should let them out of their misery.

"Weeeeeell," I spun around and nearly tripped, again, "I think I'll just go up to bed, wanna be well rested for tomorrow and all…"

"Really?!" Jojo shouted. Yeah, they definitely were keeping something from me. I saw Crutchie sat near the middle of the room, where all the boys had previously been gathered. He waved, grinning in a "Nope! No Secrets Here!" sort of way. Jack was nowhere in sight. I narrowed my eyebrows at Jojo, quirking my mouth to the side. He grinned wide, wider than usual with lots of teeth, but said nothing. I needed better interrogation skills.

"Goodnight boys!"