Hey ya'll! Got another story started. Don't worry, I'm not quitting any of the others. I'm actually hoping to update Party Boys tonight. :D Keep a look out!

Enjoy!

Pride of the Slums

"Max!"

The boy stifled a scream as the girl quickly pressed her hand over his mouth. Eyes wide, he glanced at her in fear.

"Don't move," she whispered, her mouth barely moving.

He barely nodded, his face grimy with dirt and perspiration. His blue eyes closed and he breathed slowly. He knew that when Maximum Martinez said "don't move", she meant don't move.

Moving as quietly as he could, the little boy slid to the ground. The alleyway was foggy and grotesque but he didn't make a sound. Listening, he heard two distinct voices mumbling and the whimpers of a little girl.

Pressing a finger to her lips, she pulled out a hand gun.

The little boy stared in shock. Where had she gotten a gun? Knives, yes; everyone had knives. But no one had a gun.

Swiftly, the girl turned the corner.

The little boy squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the shot.

None came.

"Put her down," he heard her order in a calm tone.

There was silence for a moment then a man boomed: "Ho, ho, ho, what do we have here, Cyrus?"

"It uh—it would appear, sir, that uh—it is a girl, sir." He swallowed. "With a gun, sir."

The boy dug his nails into his palms. He had heard of Max's adventures. Max's adventures were legend in London. But he had never been witness to them.

It was an entirely different situation.

"How interesting," the little boy heard the man muse.

"Put her down," Max repeated.

"And why would we do that, lass? Hmm? Are you going to shoot your little toy gun? Are you?"

"Depends if I decide whether you're worth the shot," she answered calmly. "But quite honestly, you could let her go and be on your merry way in two seconds flat. But where's the fun it that, right?"

"Listen, lass. What we do with this girl is none of your concern. She's under my charge, the little nit."

"So you say."

The man swore. "Why aren't you in an orphanage, girl? I'll have you whipped, ya hear?"

"Sure. Right after you drop the girl."

Her gun clicked.

The dreadfully silence lasted for seconds before the boy heard the girl drop to the ground.

"Well aren't you kind," Max said sarcastically. "Now get."

They didn't move.

"Well get, before I decide I like you better with a bullet hole."

They scrambled away, right passed the boy. Pressed against the wall, he opened one eye. Then the other. Then he peeked around the wall.

A girl, maybe eleven years of age was huddled on the ground; in pain or in fear, he didn't know.

He raced over and peeked down.

"Is she alright? Is she breathing?"

Max crouched down and checked her pulse. "Just a little knocked out, I think." Max scooped her up, shifting so the girl's head was on her shoulder. "Idiots," Max muttered. "Idiots, Gazzy, the lot of 'em. Stupid men think they can treat children anyway they choose. Come on, let's get to Mamsy's."

She started with long strides down the alley way and Gazzy hurried to catch up.

"Who is she, Max?"

"I don't know for sure."

"What were they doing to her?" He asked, jumping up to get a glimpse of her face.

"Unpleasant things."

"What kind of unpleasant things?"

He saw her take a deep breath and blushed. His mother was always complaining, saying he asked too many questions.

"Unpleasant things that we aren't going to talk about," she replied.

"Oh. Alright. Where'd ya get the gun?" He asked, stumbling over his own feet. "Huh, Max?"

Her eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. "Some unfortunate man who swore I couldn't handle five shots."

Gazzy nodded. He didn't really know what it meant but it sounded impressive.

"How'd you know she was in trouble?"

"Just passin' through. What about you, what were you doing out on the streets this late? Where's Angel?"

"With Scotty and the rest of them. Mama…Mama had to work late tonight. I was looking for some food when I spotted you."

Max nodded then gave him an amused smile. "Sounds like you'll have a story to share, huh?"

Gazzy looked up at her enthusiastically. He completely forgot the fear that had overcame him earlier. All he remembered now was that he saw Maximum Martinez threaten a huge man and she won, saving this little girl. And he saw it. Well, heard it anyway. Which was better than most boys could boast.

Reaching the dreary, rickety building, Gazzy opened the door. "Hiya, Mamsy!" He greeted the big woman at the stove. "Looky who me and Max found!"

Several peering eyes looked over at the visitors, their eyes widening when they saw Max.

Some of them gasped and rightly so. Max had been gone for two months.

She ignored their surprised. "Come and give me a hand, will you Scotty?" Max asked, stepping through the doorway more fully. "Clear a bed or something."

Scotty nodded sharply and rushed over to kick a young man, about sixteen out of a bed. "Hey, Loopy. Move it. Max is here."

He groaned and rolled over to his side. "What's got your knickers in a twist, huh, Scotty? Why would I give a—"

He opened one eye and saw Max looking down at him. "Well if isn't Miss Martinez herself." Scrambling out of bed, he gave her a wicked smile and thumped her on the back. "Where ya been, Maxie? Been missing you. No excitement when you're gone."

"Good to see ya too, Loopy," Max replied, placing the girl gently onto the straw cot. She looked about fourteen, now that they got a good look at her, with long brown hair and a ripped dress.

"Whoa ho ho, what have we got here?" Loopy asked, leaning over. "Huh," he said after a second. "Looks kinda old don't ya think?"

"I don't ask questions when I save someone's hide, Loopy," Max told him, lighting a cigar.

"Slave traders?"

"Nah. Black market, from what I heard."

Loopy nodded, disgusted. "Nasty piece of business."

Loopy himself had been kicked out of the home. At sixteen, he was the oldest, and second in charge when Max decided to hit the road and disappear for a couple months.

"What do you think you're doing, Martinez, coming in here and crashing my home?" Mamsy boomed, walking over to get a better look.

Max rolled her eyes. Mamsy was always giving her crap when she appeared out of nowhere. But everyone knew it was all in jest.

"Whoo-ee, girl, you found yourself a mess didn't you?" Mamsy said, wrinkling her nose. " Well, never mind. Nothing a bath can't fix. Why don't you see if you can wake her up, huh Gazzy? I'll get her some food."

Gazzy nodded and knelt by the bed. "Hello…" he said, softly, patting her cheek. "Girly…hello? Wakey, wakey," he whispered.

Loopy snorted and leaned over the bed. "How the hell is that supposed to wake her up?" he asked indignantly.

Gazzy gave him a look. "Well how do you suppose I do it, huh, Loopy? I'll scare the daylights out of her if I yell."

"Well at least she'd have daylights to scare," he replied hotly. Walking away briskly, he returned with a bucket of cold water.

Before Max, Gazzy or any of the on looking children could protest, Loopy poured it over the girl's head.

Gasping and coughing for air, the girl's eyes popped open.

"See? What'd I tell ya, huh? Daylights," he announced proudly, lighting a cigar.

Max gave him a look before spitting on her hand and sticking it out for the girl to shake. "Name's Max. Sorry about the water."

"What—what do you want?" the girl asked, still sputtering water. Ignoring Max's gesture, she looking wildly about the room.

"Well, nothing really," Max told her in a dry tone. "A name would be nice but everyone here knows that a name's a powerful thing."

"Where—where am I?" The girl asked.

Loopy laughed. "Hell, girl! You're on Westward Street, pride of the slums, enjoying the kind hospitality of the Legendary Street Rats."

Max smiled. She couldn't have said it better.

Hope you likey. LOOK UP FORGIVENESS Ft. LECRAE BY TOBYMAC! GAH! BEST SONG EVER!

Review plz. I want to know if I should continue this story.