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Post by Astrid on Aug 4, 2016 11:52:23 GMT -5
Walking back to Queens wasn't as easy and painless as walking to Brooklyn with Jasper. Half way back into Queens and some of the boys from the lodge started chasing her. She slipped into the dark cemetery hoping the boys would move past her. Astrid stayed quiet as she hid behind a tombstone.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 4, 2016 20:25:01 GMT -5
Blondie had managed to stay out of sight for the most part. The Queens weren't really noticing him since he had come from the Manhattan area. If he had come from Brooklyn, he knew he would be in trouble. Even so, he knew he needed to be careful. He was already sporting a few bruises from a small scuffle. Sand was going to have his hide if she saw his face. He knew it didn't look pretty even though it wasn't that bad. He stayed in the shadows as he got a little darker. The cemetery seemed like a good place to hide out for now. The boys didn't seem too fond of the place so it was perfect. Well, it was until someone bumped into the tombstone he was crouched behind.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 5, 2016 15:11:02 GMT -5
Astrid cursed under her breathe as she didn't see the person behind the tombstone. She got to her feet quickly and ran. Looking over her shoulder she quickly ducked behind the wall. She wasn't going to get caught. Not when she was almost home. Why was someone else in here though? That's what didn't make sense to her.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 6, 2016 20:18:53 GMT -5
Blondie winced at the slight impact the person made before scurrying off. He rubbed his arm gingerly before sneezing. The dirt on the tombstone had went up his nose. This really hadn't been the best day, though he knew it could have been alot worse. He was just thankful it had been just a little scuffle between him and a Queens' newsie. He probably would have been dead meat if there had been more than one newsie. He had been extremely luck in that aspect. Just not in the cemetery apparently. Though, it looked as if whoever it was didn't plan on sticking around.
He managed to hold back another sneeze that threatened to give away his position. He could almost barely see the tops of boys passing by the wall of the cemetery. It almost looked like they were making rounds or patrolling or something like that. It looked like he was going to have to spend the night here. It would be too risky for him to try sneaking out now. He wouldn't be so lucky.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 6, 2016 20:32:45 GMT -5
Astrid sighed as the boys continued to circle like vultures. Sleeping in a cemetery wasn't the best plan but it was if she didn't want to get caught. Astrid sighed a bit and slouched against the wall trying her best to hide.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 6, 2016 20:43:25 GMT -5
Blondie peeked over the tombstone he was hiding behind. The boys weren't close to the cemetery anymore, thank goodness, but he still couldn't let his guard down. The boys could pass by at any moment. But, for the time being, he could stretch his legs some and get comfortable before the boys came back towards the cemetery.
As he carefully stood up and moved to a more comfortable hiding place, he spotted the person he had bumped into earlier. He stayed as still as possible, hoping the person hadn't spotted him. It would be bad if this was a spy or bird or something. Though, the logical side of Blondie told him that if this person was bird or spy, he would have already alerted the other boys and he would be soaked right then and there. This person seemed to be hiding too. Maybe this was a bird from one of the other boroughs? If so, maybe he could get better news for Sand.
He carefully made his way over to Astrid. Once he got close to her, he tapped her on the shoulder and covered her mouth quickly before she screamed or yelled. His hands were a bit shaky since he hadn't expected the person to be a girl.
"Shhh... not going to hurt you," he whispered. "Just wanted to be sure you wouldn't give away my location."
He slowly let go of her as soon as he was sure she wasn't going to try anything funny. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Name's Blondie. I'm from Bronx."
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Post by Astrid on Aug 7, 2016 14:35:50 GMT -5
Shhh... not going to hurt you, Just wanted to be sure you wouldn't give away my location.
Astrid was two seconds away from fighting who had come over to her. She looked up at him then glanced around the cemetery. She didn't want to be caught. Not this close to the lodge. Who was this kid? Not from Queens clearly. His hands were shaking pretty bad. A Queens boy wouldn't be surprised to see a girl. Astrid raised a brow as he said he didn't want her to give away their location. When he pulled his hand away she gave it a swatt. "I ain't stupid...not gunna have them catch me..."
Name's Blondie. I'm from Bronx.
Astrid looked confused. "Why is Bronx snooping around?" She asked before pulling Blondie down spotting some boys skulking. "Astrid.." She whispered.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 7, 2016 17:53:19 GMT -5
"I ain't stupid... not gunna have them catch me..."
Blondie raised his hands in defense and shrugged. He kept his voice low. "I didn't say you were stupid." He furrowed his brow slightly at her mention of them catching her. "I didn't know you were hiding from them too."
"Why is Bronx snooping around?"
He snorted softly, wincing a bit at her tugging him down. He was certainly going to feel that tomorrow! "Bronx isn't snooping... not exactly." He sneezed into his sleeve. The dirt on the tombstones was really bothering his nose. "It's just me. Heard that something was up in Queens, and I wanted to investigate," he explained.
He wanted to tell her enough for her to trust him, especially since she didn't seem to be on the same side as the boys trying to soak him. But at the same time, he didn't want to give too much away. Besides, he had offered to go to Queens for Sand when he wasn't even a bird. So technically, he wasn't lying one bit. He was doing this all on his own.
"Astrid.."
He nodded politely. "Nice to meet you. Wish it was under better circumstances though," he chuckled quietly.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 7, 2016 19:57:59 GMT -5
I didn't say you were stupid. I didn't know you were hiding from them too.
Astrid let out a soft scoff. "You really aren't from round here." She said softly. "Most anyone coming from anywhere gets soaked if they're caught."
Bronx isn't snooping... not exactly. It's just me. Heard that something was up in Queens, and I wanted to investigate,
She raised a brow. Sure...just him. No one in their right mind came to Queens unless they have reason too. She'd let him spin his web if he wanted. Astrid just wasn't going to be fooled by that. Bronx was snooping. Making sure the facts were true or to see what was going on. Maybe just maybe he knew something that was going to happen. Maybe she could make sure Jasper wasn't apart of Rip's plan. "Alright...you find anything interesting?" Astrid asked with a quizzical brow.
Nice to meet you. Wish it was under better circumstances though,
Astrid gave a soft shrug. "Best time ta meet someone is when ya least expect it." Looking around carefully she hushed their conversation. The boys were circling a little too close for her liking. She held up a hand to silently tell Blondie to be quiet. They needed to be patient. Astrid knew these boys and they'd head off to look for them elsewhere just to make sure they hadn't gotten away.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 7, 2016 20:26:26 GMT -5
"You really aren't from around here."
Blondie gave her a rather cocky smile. "That obvious, huh?"
He knew it was. There was no way he could fool a true blue Queens newsie. He was not a true newsie... but he liked to pretend. He loved this life. It made him feel alive.
"Most anyone coming from anywhere gets soaked if they're caught."
He nodded. "So I've heard..." He pursed his lips slightly and cocked his head. "Guess that means you were slipping in from Brooklyn."
He would have known if she came from Bronx. He knew almost everyone who lived there and popped in and out. He had never seen her before. She had to have come from Brooklyn. He would recognize someone who frequented Harlem or Manhattan.
"Alright... you find anything interesting?"
Blondie could tell she wasn't buying his story, but that wasn't bothering him. She at least seemed to show interest him. She might be able to provide information. Only thing was that he didn't want her to connect him with Sand. He didn't want his leader to get into any trouble on his account. He hoped that fact that he wasn't a bird would be in his favor.
"Depends on what you call interesting, I suppose," he shrugged.
"Best time ta meet someone is when ya least expect it."
He smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah, I can agree with that."
He immediately silenced as Astrid raised her hand. He knew it was dangerous around here especially at night. He could handle this. He could be more silent and still than these graves. He had more experience at these things than Sand could imagine.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 8, 2016 23:30:00 GMT -5
That obvious, huh?
Astrid smiled slightly. "Yeah. Ya stick out worse then a sore thumb."
So I've heard...Guess that means you were slipping in from Brooklyn.
Astrid nodded a bit. "Waited a bit too long ta come home...now...well let's say work won't be as easy as it should be in the mornin." She whispered rubbing her eyes some. Sleeping. In a graveyard wasn't the most ideal. It was better then not going into work from a soaking.
Depends on what you call interesting, I suppose,
She raised a brow. Astrid wasn't sure she liked his tone. "Interesting has anything ta do with my home I don't know about. So what don't I know?" She asked keeping a close eye on him.
Yeah, I can agree with that.
Showing a small smile again, she stayed as still as possible to make sure to not draw more attention to them. Time was passing slower then she would have liked. The boys hung around the graveyard for about half an hour. Stark silence between the two as Astrid eyed the boys making sure they stayed clear of their hiding place.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 9, 2016 13:06:36 GMT -5
"Yeah. Ya stick out worse then a sore thumb."
Blondie chuckled softly at her comment, but to be honest, it worried him. He knew he wasn't anything like a Queens newsie, so he wasn't really surprised to be found out so soon. What worried him was if this girl could tell he really wasn't newsie material. If she knew... well, that meant alot of people back in Bronx probably had already figured that out and were just biding their time until they pounced him. He didn't want them to find out ever. He loved this life. He was free and had never felt more alive.
"Waited a bit too long ta come home...now...well let's say work won't be as easy as it should be in the mornin."
He nodded some. He had probably waited too long himself to head back to Bronx, but he felt like he didn't have enough info just yet. Though, he had caught an interesting tip of sorts that could prove to be useful. Apparently, there was news of Rip having a friend. He wondered if Astrid had heard about it.
"Interesting has anything ta do with my home I don't know about. So what don't I know?"
He cocked his eyebrow right back at her. "Can't say. I don't know what you don't know," he answered honestly.
She was a Queens newsie so she probably already knew about everything he had managed to get together here and there.
Blondie remained almost dead still as the boys stuck around the cemetery. He was barely even breathing. It was almost agony to be that still, but it made him feel that much more alive. These sort of risks thrilled him.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 12:12:02 GMT -5
Can't say. I don't know what you don't know,
Astrid was watching him closely. He had seemed a bit worried. She wasn't sure she could trust him but he had answers and she wanted to know what he knew. "How about you just tell me what ya know? Make things easier." Astrid said watching him closely.
She stayed quiet and still watching the boys circle like vultures. It seemed like ages before they even seemed to think of leaving the cemetery. Still even longer after they had stopped their circling they were hanging around looking for movement in the cemetery. Astrid knew it wouldn't be much longer. They'd go soon. Almost as she thought that they made their way towards a different location to search for them. Astrid let out a soft sigh of relief after she was sure they were gone.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 14, 2016 13:03:40 GMT -5
"How about you just tell me what ya know? Make things easier."
Blondie raised his eyebrow slightly, studying her as he noticed her watching him closely. She didn't seem to be on the same side as the boys circling around them, but he wasn't sure exactly whose side she was on. He had to be careful if he wanted to play it safe for himself and also for his borough.
"Well," he began carefully. "I just heard something about your leader." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he continued, "Something about a key and a friend..."
He knew Key was actually a person, but he didn't want to reveal too much about what he knew. It wouldn't be good for him if she knew he had frequented Queens before. Those trips to Queens in the past had been when he was still a rich kid. Those trips had actually gotten him alot of information about the Queens' newsies not that it had meant much at the time, but it was on one of those trips to the library he had seen Rip and a little kid with him named Key. But... Astrid most definitely did not need to know that he knew about Key. It could ruin him. He did have some trust in her, but not for something like that.
Blondie relaxed ever so slightly as the boys left. His breathing was a bit shaky, but he'd be fine. He was actually giddy with excitement not fear. It was crazy that he was even doing this, but he was going to make it after all. He would live another day to tell this tale.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 13:45:36 GMT -5
I just heard something about your leader. Something about a key and a friend..
Key...? The kid that hung around Rip back in the day. What did Key have to do with this? He'd been dead for years...was Rip still upset about it? Hard to say with Rip...
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Post by Blondie on Aug 14, 2016 13:55:45 GMT -5
Blondie watched her closely and carefully. It looked like she knew something about Key. It could be important if she knew something... It was a risk, but one he was willing to take.
"It seemed really important to him," he added softly. "Said something about talking to a friend or something before making his final plans about the key in Brooklyn."
Again, he wasn't telling her exactly what he heard. He didn't want to give up too much information until he was sure she was quite safe and no harm would come to Sand and his borough.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 15:39:53 GMT -5
It seemed really important to him, Said something about talking to a friend or something before making his final plans about the key in Brooklyn.
Astrid looked over him. He had to be getting information for Bronx. She didn't mind really. Hiding it was good in these parts. Being cautious was probably the smartest thing he's said. "Key was his friend. Just followed him around mostly. Heard the kid was good making keys. But it doesn't make sense. Key's been dead years...since before Rip went after Spot the first time." She scrunched up her face some. "Rip doesn't have real friends after Key so maybe talking ta his grave?" She questioned quietly.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 14, 2016 15:54:53 GMT -5
"Key was his friend. Just followed him around mostly. Heard the kid was good making keys."
Blondie nodded some. Seems like his memory served him correctly. The little kid he had seen with Rip had been Key.
"But it doesn't make sense. Key's been dead years...since before Rip went after Spot the first time."
He shrugged lightly. "That's what I heard." He bit his tongue to keep from adding to that comment. He needed to be patient.
"Rip doesn't have real friends after Key so maybe talking ta his grave?"
Blondie quickly shook his head. "No, he wasn't talking to his grave. I saw him talking to some guy. They seemed pretty close... and I don't think that guy was from Queens."
He could be wrong of course, but he had seen the two by the corner borders of Manhattan, Harlem, and Queens when he was about to slip into Queens. He had managed to catch a good bit of their conversation despite his heart beating in his ears. It had been close, but he was sure he had gotten some very good information. He just had to find out what information would be important for him and his borough.
He cocked his head slightly as he remembered something. "But I did see him here awhile back." He frowned slightly. "It wasn't a boy's grave though. It was some girl named Sadie."
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Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 16:55:13 GMT -5
That's what I heard.
Was he holding something back? What did he know? She tried not to look to curious. He wanted to play? Well she was up for that. "What else did you hear?"
No, he wasn't talking to his grave. I saw him talking to some guy. They seemed pretty close... and I don't think that guy was from Queens.
Astrid raised a brow. A guy outside of Queens? Who was it? "Did ya get a name?" She asked quietly. Astrid wasn't much on having all these secret plans Rip made up.
But I did see him here awhile back. It wasn't a boy's grave though. It was some girl named Sadie.
She was even more confused. Sadie? Who was Sadie? What did it have to do with Key or Rip's plans?
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Post by Blondie on Aug 14, 2016 17:06:24 GMT -5
"What else did you hear?"
Blondie pursed his lips. To tell or not to tell, that was the question. He did need to see how accurate his assumptions were on the information he got, so it looked like it was best to risk and tell her.
He swallowed slowly. "Well, it sounded like Rip blames Spot for Key's death."
He only caught bits here and there, but it certainly sounded like Rip felt that Spot had murdered his friend. Whether it was true or not, he didn't really care. As long as Bronx wasn't involved, he would be happy.
"Did ya get a name?"
He pursed his lips again, hesitant once more to give more information. This was one of the many reasons why he wasn't a bird for Sand. He was too uneasy about giving away information to others outside his borough not to mention he had some anxiety issues. He wasn't much of a people person and talking to a stranger for longer than five minutes was straining it for him. But this was for Bronx, so he had to press on whether he liked it or not.
He licked his lips nervously. "I think Rip called him 'Ace.'"
Blondie raised his eyebrow as he noted her confusion. It looked like she didn't know who this "Sadie" person was. That made things interesting. He might have to stick around a little longer to figure that one out. It could be important.
"Girlfriend maybe?" he suggested. "Or relative?"
Either seemed possible, but he didn't know much about Rip so those guesses could be way out there.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 17:23:47 GMT -5
Well, it sounded like Rip blames Spot for Key's death.
Astrid nodded a bit sternly. "Ok..." The prices weren't falling into place for her. What was going on?
"I think Rip called him 'Ace
She cocked her head. "Ace?" Who was Ace? She had never heard that name. Who was he? What was his involvement with Rip? Why? What did this Ace have to gain from Rip?
Girlfriend maybe?" he suggested. "Or relative?"
"No not girlfriend." She said with an almost laugh. "Relative...relative maybe...that would explain it..."
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Post by Blondie on Aug 14, 2016 17:33:02 GMT -5
"Ok..."
Blondie couldn't help but wince and wrinkle his nose some at her stern nod. Apparently, she didn't know much about what he had heard. It seemed like Rip was more of a private person than Blondie had originally thought. That must be the reason behind why none of the boroughs could ever figure out what Queens would do. They were so unpredictable because their leader hardly ever seemed to share any information with them. It was a smart plan for sure, but he felt like it made Rip lose the important relationships with his newsies.
"Ace?"
He nodded. "That's what Rip called him."
He frowned slightly at her confusion. She didn't seem to know about that guy either. He might have to sneak around and figure out who Ace was and how he was connected to Rip all on his own.
"No not girlfriend. Relative...relative maybe...that would explain it..."
Blondie cocked his head slightly. Not girlfriend? Well, he should have expected that. Rip didn't really seem the type to have time for girls.
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Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 17:42:16 GMT -5
That's what Rip called him.
Astrid nodded a bit. "You gunna look into him? If ya do I wanna know. I'll even meet ya in a different bourough. Just don't wanna be on the outside." She wasn't gunna let Rip do something without her knowing it.
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Post by Blondie on Aug 14, 2016 18:03:06 GMT -5
"You gunna look into him?"
Blondie shrugged. He probably was, but he wasn't going to tell her that just yet. He needed just a little more information from her to know that he could trust her before he started sharing too much of his knowledge with her.
"If ya do I wanna know. I'll even meet ya in a different bourough. Just don't wanna be on the outside."
He frowned slightly. He wasn't too sure about teaming up with her like this. He understood her not liking to be left out of the loop, but that didn't really mean he had to go out of his way to tell her that information. He didn't quite trust her yet. She needed to show her worth before he even thought about teaming up. He wanted friendships of course, but he didn't like jumping the gun on them. He waited until he was sure. Friendships were hard to come by so he didn't want to risk initiating one that was doomed to fail.
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Hiding out
Aug 14, 2016 19:53:12 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Astrid on Aug 14, 2016 19:53:12 GMT -5
Astrid watched him. He didn't seem to happy about her trying to team up. He didn't trust her. She honestly didn't trust him too well but if they want to get information they would have to work together. "Or ya can just do it alone. But people know me here. No ones gunna wanna help ya." Astrid shrugged as she got up slowly making sure the boys were gone. "Besides...I know a place ya can sleep where your not with the dead."
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