While Attempting to deliver an unsanctioned pamphlet to the prior generation’s hero,

Ricky lands in hot water with a dubious Midtowner, a crooked Lawkeeper, and his employer who is forced to discharge him.

 
 
 

Extras

 
 

Treatment

Ricky leaves Holman’s press and heads toward Midtown with his contraband literature. In search of the most likely sympathetic ear, he assesses the appearance of the bourgeoisie near the gate to derive their political beliefs and social status. Among them are a businessman he identifies as a Loyalist, a well-dressed woman he pegs as a conservative, and an uneducated working class group he dismisses, noting that their support will not help this cause. Ricky spots an out-of-place man with shaggy hair and a large concealing coat. The Gruff Man appears to drop off a duffel bag near the Keeper positioned at the gate. While the Keeper is distracted checking the bag, Ricky nonchalantly follows the Gruff Man through the gate into Midtown.

The Gruff Man notices Ricky trailing him and pulls him into an alley as he passes. He vaguely threatens Ricky for being in a part of town he doesn’t belong, but after glancing over one of Ricky’s pamphlets, he appears nervous. They are interrupted by Officer Meyer - the Keeper who Ricky snuck past. To Ricky’s surprise, Meyer allows him to return to his assigned locality with a warning.

Shaken by the close call, Ricky returns to Holman’s Press to find Holman has returned early and has discovered his use of the printing press. Ricky answers Holman honestly about his actions and intentions but omits the run-in with the Keeper and forgets - or lies - about the Gruff Man taking one of his pamphlets, saying instead that he was unable to distribute any before he got where he was going. Holman forces Ricky to burn the printed pamphlets in the furnace, then regretfully but unhesitantly discharges Ricky from the press, giving him his owed pay and suggesting he find work with one of the Annex moguls Ricky referred to as “slumlords” in his pamphlet.

Ricky returns home to find his neighborhood in flames and Outsiders corralling his neighbors at gunpoint. When he is caught by one of the Outsiders, Ricky assumes this is Abarth’s gang here to collect the neighborhood’s debt and offers to pay Marcus for protection using the severance pay he received from Holman. The Outsider, Sid, is at first perplexed, then amused at Ricky’s deal, and commands him to join the others.

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