Nowhere to Turn: Part 3
Echo

Two weeks later I was on my way to Tibby's when I saw Echo walking up to me. The guys had given me the nickname Frick, Psycho and I were going out, Red was still looking for her and more newsies were getting soaked everyday, but true to her word, Echo hadn't said a word about Psycho, and I was the only other person who knew. Echo smiled as she caught up with me. "So, how was the date with Psycho?"

I shrugged. "Why should I tell ya?"

She punched me playfully. "I spend two weeks keeping a secret for you while my friends are getting beat up and you won't even tell me how your date went. What a pal."

I smiled. "It was great... I think I love that girl."

She rolled her eyes. "You think... well, I know. I wouldn't be keeping it a secret if you weren't in love with her."

We walked into Tibby's and she sat with Jack, like always, while I sat with Blink, Mush, and Race. We talked about the usual stuff for a while until we decided to go back to the Lodging House. Everyone was still there with the exception of Jack, who had left with Spot to talk about something. We were all laughing at one of Race's jokes when we walked into the bunkroom, until someone noticed Jack and Spot glaring at me. "Hey guys, what's going on?"

"Maybe you should tell us... somethin' bout dat goil from da Boury?" Spot said coldly.

I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talkin' about Spot. You feelin' okay?"

Jack shoved me against the wall. "Whera' is she?"

I pushed him back. "Who?"

"Don't play dumb wit me. Psycho, from da Boury!"

I shook my head. "What're you talkin' about?"

Spot walked over and jammed his cain in my face. "You know dang well what we'se talkin' bout. Some a my guys saw ya wit 'er, I saw ya wit my own eyes. Ya got ten seconds ta get outta heya for I soak ya."

I turned and walked out of the room, past Echo, and ran down the street to find Psycho.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I looked at Brooklyn as Frick stormed out of the Lodging House. "You think he's okay?" I asked in a worried voice.

She smiled. "Yeah, he's probably just steamed cause he lost a bet or somethin'."

We walked into the bunkroom where the guys were talking about something. It didn't take me long to realize they knew about Frick and Psycho. "I kinda feel sorry fer da guy, ya know?" Blink said sympathetically. "I mean, she was usin' 'im, an' he thought she really liked 'im."

Spot rolled his eyes. "She was runnin' from Red an' he was helpin' 'er. I could kill da creep... he was gettin' our friends soaked fer dat whore an' she ain't worth it."

I picked up a book that was lying on a nearby bunk and threw it at Spot, hitting him right on the back of his head. He turned around. "Havin' some trouble with yer aim Echo?"

I glared at him. "No, I hit right where I was aiming. Hello Rover."

He glared back. "Why?"

I shrugged. "You deserved it. You chased Frick off because he was trying to help someone."

Jack glared at me. "Cut it out Echo. Ya know why we did it. He wasn't just helpin' anyone, he was helpin' dat witch from da Boury."

"Then he probably had a good reason! Where'd he go?"

Jack shrugged. "I dunno... maybe da Boury. Doesn't matta'."

"Why would he go there? If he was helpin' her get away from Red, wouldn't they be looking for him?"

Spot looked at me like I was the stupidest person he had ever met. "Because that's whera' she is."

I shook my head. "No, she was tryin' to get away from the Boury. Remember?"

Jack sighed. "She's there.. trust me."

Before I could say anything Spot explained. "I saw 'er wit Frick so I told Red so he'd leave me guys alone."

I glared at him. "What?! You told him where she was?! Why would you do something stupid like that?!"

Jack walked up and put his hands on my shoulders. "Drop it. Yer defendin' Frick an' he ain't worth it."

I pushed him away. "Yes I am defending him, and I might as well defend her while I'm at it! What do you have against her?! He was helping her because he cares for her!"

Spot glared at me. "Then he was stupid, cause she don't feel da same way."

"Oh what would you know?! If you could see them together-"

"What?!" Both Jack and Spot yelled at the same time.

I looked away. "They've been together for three weeks. He chased her into an alley to ask her what was going on and I listened to her explanation. I promised them I wouldn't tell anyone."

Jack grabbed my arm. "If ya knew about all a dis, why din't ya tell me?!"

I winced. "For your own good."

Blink pulled him back. "Jack, she din't mean any harm. She was just tryin' ta do the right thing."

Spot snorted indignantly. "She's an idiot." He glared at me. "Don't believe everythin' ya hear."

"Don't tell me what to do." I said coldly as I brushed past him and walked out of the bunkroom. Blink followed not far behind. "Echo, wait."

I turned around. "Will you guys just leave me alone and stop telling me how to live my life."

He frowned. "I understand what ya did... even if I don't agree wit ya." He pushed me towards the room I shared with Brooklyn. "Get some sleep... I won't let Jack or Spot try to lecture ya anymore."

I smiled and hugged him. "Thanks." I walked to the room and pretended to be asleep until Brooklyn walked in and fell asleep. Afterwards I snuck down the fire escape and started looking for Frick. It didn't take me long to find him in Central Park. I told him about Psycho and he smiled gratefully. "Thanks for what you've done, but go back to the Lodging House. They'll be worried about ya."

I followed him as he walked away. "Where are you going?"

He glared at me. "Go back Echo. You aren't comin' with me."

"Where are you going?" I asked, a little more insistant this time.

He sighed. "I'm goin' to the Boury to get her. Now go back." I started to protest but he cut me off. "Fine, I'll walk you back there."

I frowned but decided it would be better to go along and walked back to the Lodging House with him. I climbed in the window and waited until he was out of the alley to sneak back out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up to the sound of a window opening. I looked across the room and saw Echo climb in the window as Frick pointed a finger at her sternly. "Stay here Echo, I mean it."

She sighed. "You're goin' there, you don't want me to follow you, I get it already!"

Frick left and Echo waited a while before she followed him. I shook my head and hopped off the top bunk to get dressed. I didn't know what she was getting herself into this time, but I would just have to follow and find out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 4
Back to the story index
Back to Newsies Fanfic
Back to Brooklyn and Echo's Newsie Junk