bad news travels fast

Who: Dodge
Where: his kingdom
When: late morning

Very little happened on Dodge’s streets without him knowing about it. Even under the Sixth Street Bridge, which was possibly the edge of his domain, news still got back to him, and today when the boy came hurdling up the stoop Dodge was lounging on in the late morning sun it wasn’t good news. It came out breathless and ragged, someone, probably the same guy from before, had grabbed Pepper.

In a moment, the weariness from the interrupted sleep of the night before was gone. He went himself, headed to the bridge with only a few of his outlier boys in tow. The interrogation was short and frustrating. The man come in the early hours, grabbing her from her space, the same space that Dodge had just bravely fought to get her back. She’d screamed, but he hadn’t been alone. There’d been others.

She was as good as dead.

Dodge had yelled, called the people cowards, but they’d ignored him. He’d stormed off, leaving the bridge cursing those who she’d considered friends out loud while he silently cursed himself up and down his own missteps. He shouldn’t have left her alone. She should have had guards to watch over her, at least for some time, even if she would have protested loud enough for them to hear it at the Drake.

His main boys were busy, even if this was a big deal, rent was still a bigger one, though it didn’t matter. There were always a collection of street urchins following him about, basking in his shadow and eager to do anything he asked just to look good to him. To try and claim a coveted spot in his inner circle. Dodge sent them flying through the city. They were looking for the guy, his friends, Pepper, anything.

One small one, her hair cropped off short to look like a boy though her small dainty features still gave her away as a girl, he sent on a special mission. Find Doll Girl, don’t bother her, but run back and tell Dodge where she’d be found. This was news he needed to break in person.