Ragged Army

Summary: Reports of young children going missing has swept through New York City. No clues, no leads to where they are being taken and if they're still alive. Only one girl seems to be attuned to the voices of the missing children…the problem? Everyone thinks she's insane…

A/N: This story was previously titled the Story of Asylum, but I completely re-vamped it. And since it's about more than just Asylum, I re-named it and changed the summary. Enjoy, darlings!

Chapter 1

Manhattan, New York City, August 19th, 1900

*The dark of the alley would cover him from the ones following; at least that's what he hoped. The only noise was the skittering of rats and mice, and the occasional drip from the fire escapes as the rain that had plagued New York for the last week rolled down the metal and fell to the cobblestone ground.

He kept his feet light as he dodged passed garbage and piles of old newspapers. He wasn't sure how they had found him so quickly, but he knew one sound would lead them to him and he'd be put back into the place he'd managed to escape from.

'I won't go back.' He promised to silently, 'I can't. I'd rather die.'

Towards the end of the alley was freedom. There, in the light of the street lamp glowed the building that was known to help runaways like him. That is until a figure stepped into the alley, blocking his escape; his salvation.

"No!" He exclaimed, for his escape was thoroughly cut off from him. He knew this was the end. The end of the alley, the end of the night; for now he could see the light of the sun rising out of the darkness, and possibly the end of his life. At least how he knew it.

"Don't worry, Johnny. We can't accept rebels back, anyway." The voice was harsh, and it sent ice down Johnny's back.

The figure raised the night stick high, and brought it down on Johnny's head with a sickening crunch. The building, his one hope, loomed before him; 'Newsboys Lodging House,' and then the world faded to black and with it the light from the rising sun, like a sudden eclipse...

Asylum Perry sat up in bed. Sweat soaked her sheets and clothes as the last remnants of the dream continued to haunt her sleep muddled brain. She could remember the longing and hope Johnny had felt at the sight of the Lodging House. The very place she resided in at this moment. She could faintly feel the spot on the back of her head throb where the night stick had connected with Johnny's head.

Climbing out of her bed and going over to the attic window, she looked down at the alley across the street.

A figure emerged, glanced around, and headed down the street. Asylum gasped as she noticed the night stick in his left hand. Moving back, she nearly stumbled over her boots.

Regaining her balance, she moved to get dressed and then made her way down the stairs to wake up the boys, the nightmare still in the back of her mind. The fear that curled like smoke in her stomach was the only thing keeping her from running out of the Lodging House and to the alley across the street. She was too much of a coward to face what she knew, deep down, was there.

'And what if your dream is real?' She thought angrily to herself, 'Then you really will be crazy.'

"Wake up, boys!" She called. She went along, shaking each in turn, "Wake up, Boots. Skittery, time to sell papes. Fang, Race, time to get up. Quarrel, Snipeshooter, wake up. Bumlets, Mush, you too. Itey, Pie Eater, Dutchy time for work. Blink, I don't care if you went to sleep late, get up. Cowboy, I know you're dreaming of Santa Fe but those papes won't sell themselves."

"Wrong." Jack said, rolling over to meet Asylum's blue-gold eyes. "Ise was dreamin' 'bout somethin' else."

Asylum quirked an eyebrow, "Ahh, dreaming of the lovely Sarah Jacobs?"

Jack reluctantly rolled out of bed, and gave Asylum a look, "It's none of youse business, Perry."

Laughing, she replied, "Of course not, Kelly."

The hustle and bustle of the boys getting up and getting dressed made Asylum smile as she made her way down the stairs to wait in the lobby. It had been almost a year since she had come to the LH, and she was very glad she did. Of course, she had missed the infamous strike but she was very content at being with her boys. Her family.

"Lookin' all dreamy-eyed dere, 'Sy." The familiar Italian accent made her smile.

Turning to glance up the stairs, she met the eyes of her favorite newsie, and her best friend. "Mornin', Racetrack. Sleep well?"

"Great! 'Specially aftah Ise won all of Mush's money!" Racetrack replied as Mush came down the stairs.

Mush glared at him, "Not next time, ya don't! Cheatah!"

Race's eyes narrowed, "How many times Ise gotta tell ya Ise don't cheat? Ise got da powah of luck on my side!"

Asylum giggled, "Sure, Race. Let's go before you two start fighting." She grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door and towards the Distribution Office.

"Y'know, 'Sy, Ise don't t'ink youse really believe me on da whole 'not cheatin' thing.'" Race began, lighting a cigar. "Ise mean, youse nevah agree with me when Ise ask ya ta back me up. Dat last time when Ise kept tellin Skittery Ise ain't cheat and Ise told ya ta tell him, youse said dat we should just stop da game and go ta bed."

Asylum gave him a crooked smile, "That's because I don't know you're not cheating."

Race gave her a wounded look, "But, Ise ya best friend. Ya don't trust dat ya best friend would cheat ta get money off his othah friends?"

"Don't give me that guilt trip, Race." Asylum told him seriously.

"Ha! Youse shoulda seen da look on ya face. Youse looked really worried dere foah a minute!" Race laughed and nearly choked on the smoke from his cigar.

"Nice. That's what you get." She muttered, moving ahead of him to buy her papers. "Fifty papes." She told the guy, putting down her money.

"'Sy! 'Sy! Can Ise sell wit youse?" A voice called out as she gathered her papes.

Asylum turned around to see Fang running up to her. Smiling she took some of her papes and handed them to him, "Sure, Fang. Did you sleep well?"

He nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, but Ise didn't get ta bed till late cuz Quarrel's snores kept me up."

Quarrel was walking by as Fang said this, and stuck his tongue out. Asylum laughed, "Well, I'll see about getting you some bees wax to put in your ear so you can sleep."

Fang smiled his green eyes bright as they headed towards the barber shop Asylum sold in front of. Asylum ruffled his black hair, and then glanced at the front page for a good headline.

"Dere's nothin' good in dere." Race said, jogging up from behind her.

She looked over and smiled. "No racetrack today?" She asked.

Race shook his head, "Nah, Jacky-boy said dat some of da othah burrahs been reporting newsies goin' missin'. Didn't want ya all by yaself."

"I have Fang." She replied, watching the boy as he skipped ahead a bit.

Race snorted, sticking a cigar in his mouth and continued to talk around it, "Fang? Psh, dat kids lucky if he's eleven. Not ta mention if its big goons, da two of youse tagethah are about equal ta David."

Asylum shook her head at the irony only she saw but replied, "That's not nice, Race." The smile belied her words.*

A/N: Tell me what you think of the new direction the story is taking in a review! Also, I apologize for it being short. The other chapters are definitely longer!

Truly,

Joker is Poker with a J~