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Post by Rip on Dec 25, 2017 18:41:04 GMT -5
”This is my borough, Rip, I believe I have a right ta know what’s goin’ on.”
Rip scowled. “Jus’ passin’ through. That good enough for ya, Kelly.”
He had his knife hidden from Jack’s view. He wouldn’t throw it unless necessary, but it felt good to know it was there all the same. Just keep it out of sight.
”I believe the better question is what do you want?”
There was a slight twinkle in Rip’s eye. A plan was forming. He could use this situation very nicely if he made the right move.
“It’s a free country now, ain’t it? I can go as I please. However,” he smirked slightly and lightly patted Firecracker’s shoulder. “I believe you owe me one for keepin’ your sister here safe from the gangs in Queens.”
“Mathias...what’s going on...? Are we not supposed to be here...?”
He glanced down at Firecracker. “Naw, jus’ your brother here runs a tight ship.” He nodded at Jack. “Ain’t that right, Kelly?”
”What have you been talkin' ta my sister about?"
Rip shrugged. “Oh not much. Just looking for her brother and finding her way back to a safer side of New York.” He smirked. “And looks like I’ve found him.”
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Post by Jack Kelly on Dec 25, 2017 18:45:41 GMT -5
“Jus’ passin’ through. That good enough for ya, Kelly.”
Jack narrowed his eyes. He didn't trust Rip at all, and this whole situation just seemed too strange for him to not take things a bit more seriously than before.
“It’s a free country now, ain’t it? I can go as I please."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Fine, but keep your hands away from my sister."
"However, I believe you owe me one for keepin’ your sister here safe from the gangs in Queens.”
Jack nearly choked on air, staring incredulously at his sister. "You were in Queens?"
Worse yet, now it sounded like Rip wanted something from him. Narrowing his eyes, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Depends on what ya want."
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Post by Firecracker on Dec 25, 2017 18:46:27 GMT -5
What have you been talkin' ta my sister about?
She twisted her face in confusion. This wasn’t like Francis...was she missing something...?
Jus’ passin’ through. That good enough for ya, Kelly
“Why ya keep calling him Kelly...?” Firecracker asked as she looked up at Mathias.
It’s a free country now, ain’t it? I can go as I please. However, I believe you owe me one for keepin’ your sister here safe from the gangs in Queens.
Firecracker looked between Francis and Mathias. What was going on? Why was Mathias acting different? “What’s going on...?” She asked softly looking between the two older boys hoping for an answer.
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Post by Rip on Dec 25, 2017 18:56:36 GMT -5
”Fine, but keep your hands away from my sister.”
Rip rolled his eyes and took two steps away from Firecracker. He raised his hands in the air but not before putting his knife out of sight. “That better, Kelly?”
”Why ya keep calling him Kelly...?”
He made a slight face. “Name he goes by. Like Sherlock.”
”What’s going on...?”
“Nothin’ ya need ta worry about,” he assured. “Jus’ strictly business between me an’ your brother.”
”What do you want?”
”Oh a lot of things, Kelly.” He lowered his arms, but he kept his distance away from Firecracker. “I won’t say anythin’ just yet. But just remember, you owe me.”
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Post by Jack Kelly on Dec 25, 2017 19:00:45 GMT -5
"Why ya keep calling him Kelly...?"
"Just leave it alone, Roxanne, it ain't nothin' ta worry about. But Rip's not who ya think he is..." Jack insisted, desperate to not allow Roxanne to be brainwashed by Rip into helping Queens out.
"That better, Kelly?"
Jack nodded slowly, satisfied with the heightened space between his sister and Rip.
"What's going on...?"
He didn't want her to find out his life like this. He had planned everything out, how he was gonna tell her about everything when he saw her again, how they would meet up in Santa Fe and work on a ranch together... Everything. This was all wrong.
“Oh a lot of things, Kelly. I won’t say anythin’ just yet. But just remember, you owe me.”
Jack growled, glaring at Rip. "Fine. But again, depends on the favor."
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Post by Firecracker on Dec 25, 2017 19:13:39 GMT -5
That better, Kelly?
Firecracker looked back at Mathias as he stepped away. She was very confused. Why were they both so weird...?
Name he goes by. Like Sherlock.
She nodded a bit as she looked back at Mathias.
Nothin’ ya need ta worry about, Jus’ strictly business between me an’ your brother.
Business? What kind of business? “Mathias what’s going on...?”
Oh a lot of things, Kelly. I won’t say anythin’ just yet. But just remember, you owe me.”
Fine. But again, depends on the favor.
Why was she being used to exploit things from her brother? What was going on...? Firecracker looked at Mathias not sure if she was hurt that she was being used this way or if she was more upset that no one was giving her a straight answer. She watched Mathias not sure of her feelings. Only knowing she was hurt.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Dec 25, 2017 19:35:18 GMT -5
“Mathias what’s going on...?”
"C'mon, Rox... We don't need ta be here. I'll walk ya ta the goil's lodge." He gestured with his head, shooting one last warning glare at Rip before turning his attention back to his sister.
If Rip tried anything with her, Jack would kill him.
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Post by Rip on Dec 25, 2017 19:38:37 GMT -5
”Just leave it alone, Roxanne. It ain’t nothin’ ta worry about. But Rip’s not who ya think he is...”
Rip snorted. “Could say the same about you,” he muttered under his breath.
”Fine. But again, depends on the favor.”
He smirked once more. Nothing might have happened yet, but he did have a handicap for Jack at the moment. “Sounds like a deal. I’ll let ya know at a better time.”
”Matthias what’s going on...?”
He sighed inwardly. “Look, Firecracker. It ain’t easy ta explain, an’ I doubt Kelly here wants ya ta hear it from me.”
"C'mon, Rox... We don't need ta be here. I'll walk ya ta the goil's lodge."
Rip nodded at Firecracker. “Listen ta your brother.” He glared at Jack. “Better remember... you owe me one.”
He gave Firecracker a slight nod of goodbye before slipping into the shadows and heading back towards Queens. He shivered slightly due to the loss of his shirt, but it was better that Firecracker had something to keep her warm. Though... he wasn’t too sure Jack would care for her having his shirt. Heh, well it wasn’t like he was going to take it back. They could do what they wanted with it. He had plenty of extra shirts back at his lodge anyways.
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Post by Jack Kelly on Dec 25, 2017 19:41:53 GMT -5
"Could say the same about you."
Jack had to bite back the urge to snarl at Rip. Why was he still in Manhattan? He would take care of his sister. Rip had no real reason to be there anymore.
“Sounds like a deal. I’ll let ya know at a better time.”
He hated this. He would have to make sure to tell Spot that he owed Rip a favor now. This could be dangerous.
“Look, Firecracker. It ain’t easy ta explain, an’ I doubt Kelly here wants ya ta hear it from me.”
"This ain't somethin' that she needs ta hear from anybody right now. I just got my sister back, leave us in peace. You ain't welcome here."
“Better remember... you owe me one.”
Jack had to bite back an insult. He had to let it go this time. If he fought back too much, Roxanne could be in danger... And that was a risk that he wasn't willing to take.
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Post by Rip on Dec 25, 2017 20:15:38 GMT -5
”This ain’t somethin’ that she needs ta hear from anybody right now. I just got my sister back, leave us in peace. You ain’t welcome here.”
Rip tensed up quite a bit as he glared at the Manhattan leader. “Don’t worry... I’ll leave. I don’t split families like Spot does,” he spat out angrily.
Jack Kelly knew nothing about what really happened. He just ate up whatever Spot gave him. Rip supposed he forgot about the help Queens gave backing up Manhattan when Brooklyn almost didn’t show up for the strike. But that was past matters. However, he had a sweet deal now. Jack owed him now and that made things better.
“Later, Kelly. I’ll see you in a couple of days. Don’t forget. I’ll send a boid for a meetin’ place out of ‘Hattan and Queens.”
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Post by Jack Kelly on Dec 25, 2017 20:21:35 GMT -5
“Don’t worry... I’ll leave. I don’t split families like Spot does.”
Jack nearly lost his composure at that. How dare Rip just come in and speak to him that way about his friend in his own borough? Jack just wanted Rip gone. He was causing too many problems.
“Later, Kelly. I’ll see you in a couple of days. Don’t forget. I’ll send a boid for a meetin’ place out of ‘Hattan and Queens.”
As much as he hated to admit it, there was a faint hint of fear in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't exactly get out of giving Rip something that he wanted, but if he did, he would be betraying Spot. There had to be some way to get out of this.
"Remember it depends on the favor." Jack growled back.
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Post by Rip on Dec 25, 2017 20:30:59 GMT -5
”Remember it depends on the favor.”
Rip gave him a slight wave to let him know he heard. He knew there would be a catch, but it was just good to know he had a hand behind Jack’s back. Manhattan might not be as strong as Brooklyn, but it was a great ally. Rip knew if he could keep Jack back somehow, it would be that easier to get to Spot. Kelly was always willing to help Conlon. But now, he could keep that from happening if he played his cards right.
This late night walk hadn’t quite turned out like he expected, but it did give him some better plans on the future. Now if only his bruises would feel better and the walk home be quicker.
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Post by Firecracker on Dec 25, 2017 21:10:04 GMT -5
Firecracker wasn’t sure what happened. She didn’t know if she should be mad or if she should go after Mathias. She just didn’t understand. Before she knew it Mathias was gone and she still had ahold of his shirt. He had disappeared without taking it back. She looked up at her big brother. Confused and not sure what had happened and what she wasn’t being told. “Francis...what happened...?”
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Post by Jack Kelly on Dec 25, 2017 23:06:38 GMT -5
"Francis... What happened...?"
Jack had to keep himself from wincing. No one called him Francis anymore.
"It... It's too complicated for me ta tell ya tanight, Rox... I just..." He sighed. Nothing that he was saying seemed to sound good enough. "Let me buy ya lunch tamorrow. I'll tell ya more about what's happenin' then, alright? It's late. Ya should be sleepin'." He insisted. He was, after all, her brother above all else.
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Post by Firecracker on Dec 25, 2017 23:20:48 GMT -5
It... It's too complicated for me ta tell ya tanight, Rox... I just...Let me buy ya lunch tamorrow. I'll tell ya more about what's happenin' then, alright? It's late. Ya should be sleepin'.
“I ain’t stupid Francis. It can’t be that bad...” she sighed. Of course she should be in bed but that wasn’t going to happen. “I ain’t been sleepin lot. Been too busy lookin for you ta get sleep.” She teases lightly though She was still very confused what happened with Mathias and Francis.
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