Maddy Gets Kidnapped... cause she's stupid

Who: Dodge and Maddy
Where: On one of Dodge's streets
When: Mid-ish-afternoon

Dodge was doing what Dodge did best, lounging on a stoop outside a building along one of his streets. The stoop was giving him good coverage from the wind while he waited on his boys to rally. The band was busy hitting up the post lunch crowd as they moved quickly from diners and cafes back to their offices. The weather was blowing everything and people were just so dead set on getting back inside that they weren't paying attention to the pickpockets scattered among them. He himself had picked up a decent haul, although he tried not to lift in the same area as his boys. He had the reputation and most of them didn't. There was no use in getting them caught because someone recognized him.

Lounging was working quite nicely for Dodge anyway. With his fedora pulled down low he was able to watch everyone who passed by all the while feigning sleep. Actually he was considering a little nap when he spotted a familiar face. The sly grin that usually only meant trouble appeared and he readied himself for the pounce.

Roy had gone back to his place and Maddy, despite always, to varying extents, enjoying watching dress rehearsals, had grown bored after her company left. The wind had gotten a bit worse but, having already proved that she was better than the harsh wind, Maddy traded in her skirt for some overalls that she'd modified to act more as pants. They were covered with blood stains -- fake of course -- and Maddy thought they gave her a bit of "character". She topped it with a dark woolen coat and warmer, green and yellow striped gloves.

Maddy didn't bring her sketchbook out with her (although there was a notepad stuck in one of her pockets). She was off to... somewhere. She wasn't quite sure where she was going and would know once she got there.

In the mean time, she'd spotted a couple of Dodge's boys skulking around. She exchanged a few words with one of the older ones that she was friendly with and Maddy was getting the feeling that she had a new admirer. She'd have to talk to Dodge about it when she saw him next.

Which meant that while she spied the form of a young man lounging in the doorway, she didn't recognizing him as the one she was just thinking about.

Dodge was ready and the instant she was where he wanted her he was jumping off the stoop and scooping her into his arms twirling her about a bit. "Gotcha!"

Lucky for Dodge, she recognized the voice, however as soon as he put her down, she slugged him in the arm. "I really wish you guys would stop doing that," she snapped, frowning up at him. But such was her curse. People seemed to enjoy spinning her around like a child. "Shouldn't you be off crusading against the rich with your band of merry boys instead of accosting ladies in the street?" She reached up and pushed the brim of his fedora down a little, playful.

"I'm always accosting ladies in the street, you know that." He laughed heartily when she tugged at the fedora, righting it so it sat back a little on his head, letting a little of his curls stick out across his forehead. "How are you gorgeous?" He hadn't let go of her yet, but had set her down.

"I was just coming to look for you, actually," Maddy said, allowing him to hold onto her if she wished. She knew Dodge wouldn't do anything she didn't like, after all.

"Were you now?" he stepped back holding one hand as he twirled her around in a circle, thoroughly enjoying himself. "What did you need with me? I've already agreed to one favor today, and am probably up for another."

Maddy obediently allowed herself to be twirled around in a circle. "S'bout one of your boys, Dodgy-Dodge," she said seriously, pushing up on the toes of her left foot, lifting her right so she spun more like a ballerina in a music box. While Maddy spent time with Dodge and his boys every now and then, and in the past, there had been... issues with some, it had been quite awhile since she had to come to him regarding this issue.

Dodge's face darkened, despite the the cute nickname and she was playing along sweetly. "What did he do?" There were rules, and breaking one of them pretty much meant that he would be out on the street completely on his own. In addition getting kicked out would definitely leave a kid in a bad place, ostracized by Dodge left someone in pretty bad standing.

While Maddy appreciated being viewed as a girl (which... some people didn't), she did not like attention to a certain extent. "He's been... polite... you know... as polite as one of your boys could be." She threw him a smirk, only teasing. "But he was just... I've asked him a couple times already and I really don't want to have to hurt him." She put both her feet flat on the ground, looking up at him seriously. Clear and confident that she'd be the one inflicting any sort of damage.

Relieved Dodge laughed at her lightly. "So he likes you and you want me to have a word with him? Come on DG, you're adorable, how could he not like you?" Leaning in close he rubbed his nose against hers. "Which guy?"

"Adorable?" Maddy pulled away with a frown. "I ain't adorable. Adorable's for babies." She poked him in the chest to emphasis her point. "And I ain't a baby, buddy boy."

She tossed her hair haughtily over her shoulder, Queen of the Street in that moment. Spitfire, haughty, and maybe a little full of herself but there was something about her that could get away with it. That doll-like face of hers with the big baby blues or the fact that she talked tough and you weren't quite sure if that tough talk could be backed up and weren't sure if you wanted to find out.

"His name's Roach. That tall one with the scar on his cheek. And he's got hands, if you know what I mean." While Roach hadn't actually tested his "hands" on her, she could see him just twitching.

"You are so adorable," he told her. "Adorable isn't just for babies, missy. It also works for lovely young ladies. So don't start with me." Reaching out for her, Dodge twirled her hair around his finger. "Roach eh? He's a pain." Dodge squinted a little when she mentioned the Roach's hands. It wasn't justified in kicking him out, especially since Roach was one of the oldest members of the band, but threatening it wasn't completely out of the question. "I'll talk to him. Promise."

Maddy allowed him to play with her hair, arms folded across her chest. "I told him I'd cause him some pain if he wasn't careful." She pulled a face, remembering his reply. "I think he might like that though. Ew." She eyed him curiously. "You keep some strange company, Dodge." Her way of saying 'Thanks.'

Dodge laughed again. "Yea he's like that. Hence the scar right? No good sense of his own limitations." His grin was genuine but a little sly looking. "They may be a motley crew but they are good guys. Loyal to a fault."

"And you?" she asked slyly. "And are you loyal to me?" She reached up with a grin and tweaked his nose, dancing away before he could grab her in retaliation.

"Oh that was cheating," he called to her and chased after her a little, catching he around the waist again, tugging her close. "I am as loyal to you as you need me to be."

"Are you now?" she asked sweetly, Sliding from under his arm to dance behind him and wrap her arms around his waist, straining up to rest her chin on his shoulder. "And have you been keeping an eye out for my brother?" Maddy had given Dodge a couple of sketches of Jack to show around to his boys, to keep an eye out on anyone who might fit Jack Keyes' description. Dodge was the only one to know Maddy's last name. Not even Roy knew. But one had to make sacrifices when needing favors.

He enjoyed watching her duck around him, it was fun for him. "Nothing yet, princess," Dodge told her, tilting his head around to see her face. "He's hiding pretty well. It's not like I'd keep that from you honey."

Maddy frowned, sinking down on her feet and pulled away. She'd been using Dodge to widen her search for what felt like years now, but probably really only a few months. It was only when discussing Jack that Maddy looked even remotely vulnerable, a serious look in her eyes. Determined to reach her goal. "Anything else I can do to help? Any other information?" She'd tell him everything if she thought it'd help. She was that obsessed. That desperate. Well. If anything, she'd at least give her parents' names.

Hers... that was still power.

Dodge frowned with her, hating seeing her hurting. "We've still got our ear to the beat, promise we'll figure out where he is, you know that right?" Leaning in close, he ran his fingers along her chin. "Promise DG." He was wondering what other information she'd be willing to give, but he didn't press it. They'd gotten some inklings back here and there on his name alone, just not enough to find him. As far as Dodge knew Jack was alive, but he'd told DG that already.

Maddy grabbed his hand into hers. Hers was so much smaller than his but her grip was firm and solid. "What other information will help, Dodge." She wanted her brother and maybe she shouldn't make it so obvious. Others would tell her that she was too obvious, but she trusted Dodge. And while she didn't appreciate his touching and flirting all the time as it tended to confuse her (and Roy, too. Finn just wasn't interested period) and frustrate her. "What. Else?"

Rarely did Dodge's pleasant demeanor crack, but now it did. He didn't like sensing her desperation. "DG...I'll talk whatever information you can give me, but this takes time." He squeezed her hand a little even though he knew she'd grabbed it to keep him away. "I'm not lying to you. I wouldn't do that." He put his hand over his heart to prove his honesty.

Maddy slowly pulled out her little notebook and her pencil and started scribbling down some information. Her parents, Clara (Nobleman) Keyes and Gregory Keyes. Jack's birthday. Their old house address near the factory district. If Dodge chose, he could do his research and learn her real name, but she knew Dodge would respect that bit of privacy. At least... at least she hoped he would. "I've already checked out the grocer he used to run for. They haven't seen him since me," she said, tearing out the page carefully, folded it in half, and handed it to him.

Dodge took the paper without look at it and tucked it into his vest pocket. He'd look at it later and he'd used the information to put out more feelers. He was busy doing that these days it seemed. There were already three boys running down leads for little Laura and now he'd send out a fresh batch for Jack again. "So the grocer is a no go. Got it." He let the casual smile spread across his face again, trying to get her to return it.

She did, although it was a more preoccupied smile than a genuine one. Her thoughts were now on new places to look for her brother, but she'd really scoured all of the city. Over. And Over. And Over. "I'm thinking about trying the tunnels," she said distractedly. Even if you were a street kids, few headed down under the city.

"Try again, princess," he told her scolding in her tone. She was not going down there. Not under the best of circumstances. "Let's put it this way DG, I don't go down there and you know full well they let me go anywhere. Hell, I hung out with the Drake yesterday and had nice meal with a pretty girl from there," he told her, spinning his night out with Evelyn a little and wondering if it would make the younger girl jealous. "So no, stop thinking out it, don't even try."

Pretty girl? "What girl?" she asked, confusion on her face downplaying what could be considered a jealous or possessive tone in her voice. "Girl working at the Drake? I bet she has syphillis." Okay, so maybe this girl didn't have syphillis but she bet the girl did. And if Dodge wanted her to stay away from the tunnels... well she bet that girl had syphilis.

"No one you know," he told her with his perfectly sly smile. DG probably did know Evelyn, but he'd promised to keep her secret and he was. "And she doesn't have syphilis. A girl who works there. Not a whore." Dodge glared a little. "Don't try and distract me either by pretending to care. You're still thinking about going down there, aren't you?"

Maddy took his question as a challenge and she squared her little shoulders and jutted her chin out at him. "And if I am? You think I can't handle myself?" Oh, she could handle herself alright. Madeline Keyes was the best of the best. She was awesome.

"No, I think you could handle yourself just fine. It's them handling you I'm worried about. Don't argue with me DG. Even if I have to lock you in a cage somewhere you're not going down there. You'll wind up dead and I'll never know because it's not like someone's going to tell me." Dodge's voice was firm as he set a hand on either shoulder. "It's not happening."

"It's the last place I haven't looked, Dodge." She grabbed his wrists, quite prepared to get him off of her with force if she had to, friend or no. "You can't stop me and I won't let you stop me."

Dodge forced himself not to roll his eyes. She was tough but no match for him. He wouldn't have to try hard to scoop her small self up and drag her away, but then again she'd probably leave a permanent shoe print in his chest. "You aren't going, that's it. Final. If you're so desperate to check there, I'll look, but not you. Ok?"

Maddy shook her head. "I appreciate the offer but I'm going. I'll even let you escort me to the entrance at the library but I'm going down there. I'll be totally fine and I don't care if you don't believe me." Her heart started beating faster at the idea of heading into the tunnels. Not out of fright, but by eagerness. What if Jack really WAS done there? She could find him in time for dinner. She'd bring him back to Hill Street and introduce him to her "landlord". Maddy didn't think to hide her eagerness, the excitement and hope in her chest.

"I'll do no such thing. And neither will you." His grip on her shoulders tightened a little and then he was spinning her around gracefully, until she was in front of him. His hands were still on her shoulders as he started pushing her in the opposite direction of the library. The excitement had been in her eyes and he wasn't letting her out of his site. "Come on, this way. I have a friend who knows people down there. I will talk to her and you will stay where I put you."

"Put me?" Maddy wasn't happy. She wasn't happy one bit. This was an absolute waste of time and she wasn't going to let Dodge do that to her. "If you don't let me go by the time I count to ten, I can't guarantee your saftey." As Dodge was nice to her and was helping her look for her brother, she'd give him the courtesy of a warning, but not that she counted by twos. She wouldn't stab him. He was a friend. But she'd get him in the nuts good.

"Like you could try," he told her and ducked behind her, scooping her up and over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and continued down the street, whistling between his teeth for his boys. "You can hate me for this, but I'm doing it for your own good." She wasn't heavy, no street kid was, but Dodge wasn't exactly the heavy lifting type. He could manage for a few more steps until his boys showed and he could hand her off to someone a little stronger, but not Roach.

Maddy was quite for all of a minute, in complete shock to find herself hoisted over Dodge's shoulder. Before her wits fully came about her enough to scream and have Dodge drop her (survival kicking in), a hand came out of nowhere and shoved a rag into her mouth. Thankfully it was clean (or at least tasted clean) And then her legs were being held and she felt rope go around her ankles and then she was passed onto taller shoulders. Oh. Oh, Dodge was good.

Dodge gave his boys a Look, the kind that said they were playing a little too over the top, but they were grinning back at him like kids playing cowboys and Indians. Rolling his eyes at them he moved around the boy holding her so he could see her face. "Again, you aren't going. Sorry." He watched her closely, and considered her predicament. "Make ya a deal DG. We can do this their way," and he gestured towards her gag. "Or my way, where I untie you and I trust you not to walk face first into danger. What's it going to be?"

Maddy's intense and angry "Lizard Look", the one used on pedophiles that got too close and women who tried to baby her, and people who talked in the theater, was being set upon Dodge at near full intensity. Maddy's looks were, unknown to her, rather well known. The look that got people to do the things she wanted. The looks that would condemn you to hell (well, not really, but you'd feel that way). But on Dodge, well, Dodge was one of the few people that her looks didn't always work. Perhaps it was because, deep deep deep down, Maddy knew marching headfirst into the tunnels was wrong, but everything else trumped that.

So she stared at him, psychically relaying the words "You motherfuckah Imma gonna kill you as soon as I get outta this".

Dodge did roll his eyes this time. She was angry sure, but she'd see he was right, even if it took being carried off somewhere. "Take her back to our place boys," he told them, despite the panicked looks on their faces. They had a set of rules about home, and one of the big ones involved which girls got brought back. "Don't look at me like that, none of you. Put her in my room, get her something to eat. Keep her there. I'll be back soon." Before leaving he brushed his hand across her face, gently. "Don't make it harder than it has to be ok? Roach, you and Mud stay with me." See? He was trying to take care of her.

Her "Lizard Look" had softened slightly as he barked orders, but she pulled her face away from his touch. She didn't look so much as angry now (at least it wasn't a cage) but she looked betrayed. And hurt. And eventually Maddy would understand, but in that moment, all her hopes absolutely came crashing down and she continued to stare at him while she was carried away. She would not cry tho. Madeline Keyes absolutely did not cry.