Title: High Times and Hard Times

Author: sabor ice

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but this story is mine. Thanks for past reviews. Please keep them coming.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The warehouse was just a small, rickety, old building on the outskirts of town. After a mysterious fire had claimed the upper half of it, it had been later determind that the owner, whom had some weeks earlier secretly filed for bankruptcy, had gone mad and set fire to his own building. Afterwards, the structure had been left to rot and had become home to many-a-thief that had crossed its path. Then, a terrible storm had ravaged the area, and the warehouse was left abandoned by everyone but the rats. It was the perfect place to meet where the police wouldn't even think to look. That point was also the downfall, and Letty had carefully contemplated it before she and the others had even arrived. Ultimately, the young woman knew she had to show. She had shook on it; she had made a deal. Breaking a deal was not an option for any newsie, specifically a leader. Besides, this was what Letty had wanted. If it was her grave she be digging, then so be it. At least she'd have gone down fighting.

The four finally reached their destination. It suddenly seemed to be much colder than before, and a tint of malice burdened the air. The warehouse was a disasterous sight to begin with, but combined with the eerieness that surrounded it, each of the newsies present was beginning to feel the pressure. Nods was unsurprisingly the first one to try to make a break and leave. Milo and Sleeper reached out for his coat and pulled him back to the spot they stood at before the other newsie could even make it a foot.

"Can't do it. Cannot do it," Nods stated worriedly, with furrowed brows.

"What'dya mean you can't do it?" Sleeper wondered. "Ain't nothin' even happenin' yet and you all ready turnin' to run. Stop bein' stupid, would'ya?"

"It doesn't make me stupid - it makes me smarts," Nods replied, still trying to break through the barricade of his comrades' arms. "Y'know, get to runin' 'fore someone fixes on killin' us?"

Milo scoffed, releasing his hold on the older newsie. He stood erect again and straightened out his coat. Sleeper blinked owlishly at Milo's reaction, but then reluctantly did the same thing and released Nods. The older newsie lost his balance for a moment, dropping down onto his side as he looked up at the others questionally.

"Just let de big baby go," Milo said, with a shrug of his shoulder and glanced over at Letty. "Don't know why ye bothered to bring 'em anyways. Yous know how he can get."

Nods defensively leaped to his feet and shoved the dark-blonde newsie. Sleeper tried to intercept, but his forwardness into a fight not his own immediately initiated a small scuffle between the boys. Letty just stood there and watched in disbelief. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and she rubbed a hand over her face wearily. There was no way she was in any mood to deal with three hormonel adolescent boys - she had enough to worry about as it was. Her head snapped up and her green eyes scanned the perimeter of the warehouse. There was no noise, no movement - at least none besides the three newsies wrestling about behind her. There was a specific odor in the dense air, though - an odor that spelled trouble. The scabbers were all ready inside; she was almost certain of it. Her slender fingers wrapped about the hilt of her cane as she silently re-assured herself of her decision. Finally, her feet prompted her to move forward, and the Brooklyn leader slowly began the short trek towards the side of the building to find a way inside.

"Hey!" Nods exclaimed from beneath the bodies of the other two boys. "She's really goin' in."

"No shit," Sleeper replied, untangling his limbs from beneath Milo's legs and rolling to the side and straight to his feet.

"Let's go," Milo chimed in, following the other newsie at the heels.

Nods just lay there stunned a few moments as he watched the other three walk away. He knew he could still run. He knew he could take off before any action arose and escape without a scratch. God knew that's exactly what he wished he could do, but his heart told of a different tale. He had to go aid his friends in anyway that he could. The dark-haired newsie climbed to his feet and immediately followed the others down the icy path that led to the building.

Letty located a hole that opened up an entire area of the eastern most wall of the building. Her palms pressed into the damaged wood as she peered inside. Broken wood, rubble, and fallen beams littered the area. There was no telling just how safe it would be to disturb the area, but from where she stood, the newsie could see no other visible way inside except for further up the wall, but there was nowhere to climb up and through. Sucking in a deep breath and releasing it again, Letty finally decided to climb through the hole and into the warehouse without further delay. She brought her hand to her mouth and nose, sneezing and coughing momentarily until the dust in the air began to clear. She stepped to the side as Milo began to climb through the wall opening behind her. He stretched, his hands reaching for the ground on the other side of the wall. His belted trousers made a scraping sound against the brick as he tumbled inside, landing on his hands and knees with a thud and a groan. Letty made a hushing sound at what a racket he had made just entering the building. Milo gave her a "what" look, and she just rolled her eyes in return. She motioned for the newsie to hurry and help her pull the other two through to try to avoid them making excess noise.

The group crept along carefully, minding a broken floor board here and piles of junk and rubble there. Letty narrowed her eyes suspiciously as they came upon the center of the building. Save for a few rats scurrying about, there was nobody else around. She felt the hairs on her neck stand on end. Could this have been some sort of trap? Why weren't the scabbers there? Her gaze shifted uneasily from her surroundings to her comrades walking as cautiously forward as she nearby. They held the same nervous expressions on their faces. It was too quiet. Letty motioned for them to spread out, but not to disperse in case it was a trap. Milo located a ladder that led to the second floor of the warehouse and ascended it while Nods kept watch from below. Letty and Sleeper had not wandered too far away, but something was slowly becoming quite clear to the young woman.

"They're not here," she noted, quietly.

"Nobody up here either!" Milo called down the ladder, before descending it again.

The three young men began to openly voice their complete dismay. Letty found a chair nearby, turned it upright, and took a seat on the edge of it. Her pensice expression hadn't lightened in the least; now she was more puzzled than ever. Sleeper was becoming impatient.

"Man!" Sleeper whined, kicking an old can with his foot. "Where are dem dirty, rotten scabbers? How comes dey ain't here?!"

"Maybe dey ain't plannin' on comin'?" Nods wondered, hands in his pockets as he leaned up against a broken beam.

"Just our luck," Milo chimed in, rubbing his fingers against his palms in anticipation, before adjusting his cap upon his head. "So, now what?"

"We wait," Letty said, resting her chin against her right fist. "Theys will come. Theys haveta."

And so, the newsies waited. A half hour passed, and then an hour, and still, the scabbers hadn't shown up. Letty, leaned back in her seat restlessly, glanced down at Nods with an arched eyebrow. The young man was sleeping on the ground just under her hitched up seat despite the dirt and dampness and rat droppings littered all over the ground. Milo and Sleeper were nearby shooting old, empty cans and bottles with their slingshots. Sleeper, who had since noticed the older newsie asleep on the ground, aimed his slingshot at the newsie's rear and shot him with a small rock, whipping back around and whistling innocently when the dark-haired young man howled and scrammed away from his self-made bed. Milo and Sleeper couldn't contain their laughter as Nods rubbed his sore rear and climbed to his feet half-asleep. The corner of Letty's lips twitched with mild amusement for a moment. She sighed heavily, and leaned forward in her seat until the creaky, wooden chair had all four legs on the ground again. Pressing her hands to her thighs, she stood; a hand went up to scratch the back of her head just under her cap.

"So, what gives?" Nods wondered.

"They ain't comin', that's what gives," Sleeper interjected irritably. He picked up a half broken bottle and tossed it across the room into a partially broken window.

"Dey stiffed us," Milo added. "So, what're we still doin' hangin' around here?"

Letty crossed her arms over her chest. The others were right - if the scabbers hadn't shown up by now, then they probably weren't going to. They had burned her words and her will by not following through on their deal, and that angered her. She wanted a fight. She wanted revenge. But, they weren't giving her anything. The only thing she didn't understand was why. Since when did scabbers pass up the opportunity to rumble? The green-eyed newsie broke away from her thoughts when movement came from the direction she and her comrades had entered the warehouse earlier. All three boys immediately took a defensive stance beside their leader and waited. Finally, a single figure came into view. Milo, Sleeper, and Nods exchanged confused glances, and Letty's eyes widened in disbelief once they finally recognized whom the person approaching them was.

"Racetrack?" Letty wondered, with furrowed brows.

Racetrack stuck his hands into the pockets of his checkered, dark gray slacks. His stoic expression made him unreadable.

"You an' me, Dreamer, we's need to talk," the gambler said.

The dark-haired girl's jaw tightened, her fists clenched, and her body stiffened. She hadn't wanted him to come. She hadn't wanted him involved anymore. Why was he there? More importantly, how did he know they would be there? Talking would only answer such questions. The newsie finally nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Wait outside for me," Letty said, the comment having been directed towards her comrades.

"But, Dreamer - " Nods began.

Letty's head snapped towards the Brooklynites, a glare in her eyes. She needn't repeat herself; the others had gotten her drift. Reluctantly, they filed out of the building the same way they had entered. Silence embraced Letty and Racetrack for many moments following the other newsies' departure. Neither of them moved nor spoke. The tenseness between them could've been cut with a blade. Finally, the Brooklynite raised her gaze to meet his dark eyes.

"What is dis, Race?" she asked. "Why are you here?"

"I's came to stop you," he replied, in the same painfully neutral voice as she. "You have to stop, Letty."

"I's can't," she answered. "You of all people should know dat I's can't. When dem scabbers show up - "

"Dey ain't comin'," Racetrack interjected, his gaze flickering from the floor back to her. "I's told the others and Denton. He went to de coppers on your behalf. Ain't no scabber brained enough to start a fight with so many coppers around."

"You had no right!" she exclaimed, stepping towards him angrily. "Dis was on me. Dem scabbers deserve what's comin' to 'em! Why are you fightin' dis?! What happened to 'yous jump, I's jump?!'"

"Startin' a war isn't gonna your pain stop!" Racetrack's voice boomed, echoing throughout the entire building, his hands on her shoulders.

A brief moment of silence.

"What would you know about my pain?!" Letty cried then, exasperated.

Racetrack's hands dropped to his side; his facial expression changed from angry to hurt. He tutted his tongue off the roof of his mouth, glancing at the ground and kicking the dirt there with his foot as he re-placed his hands into his pockets. He scoffed lightly, though the smirk on his face was not an amused one, but an unhappy one. She watched him intently, her intense green eyes searching his face for some kind of answer, some kind of understanding.

"Apparently nothin'," Racetrack answered quietly, with a slight shrug of his shoulder.

He turned and prepared to walk away, but before he did, he glanced back at her one last time.

"Yous jump dis time...I's can't follow..." he added, sadly. "I's won't watch you die...I love you."

Another stretch of silence. The young woman drew in a sharp, deep breath and released it.

"I's never wanna see yous again, Racetrack," she stated, in a loud whisper, head bowed. "You're dead to me."

Letty couldn't look him in the eye. She couldn't watch him as he walked away from her. His confession stung at her heart, but the hard outer shell that encased it couldn't allow it to be true. For his sake. For her sake. Slowly, she dropped to her knees, hands in her lap. Her body shook and her head stayed bowed. It was over. It was all over now.

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I know it's been awhile. I've decided that for once I'm actually going to stay determined and finish one of my many fanfics bouncing around out there. Thanks to those who still have been reading. Please review - it really does mean alot to me, and it drives me to continue writing. Thanks.