The Rooftops Of London [EXCERPT]

Joss shifted against the rough stones later that night. The niche she had found was one she'd used before, but was growing too small. At almost sixteen years of age, she was having to learn new ways of taking care of herself. Her old tricks didn't work quite as well as they used to.
She was almost asleep, but something was bothering her. She didn't know what, but something was... off. She turned again and closed her eyes, sighing as peace continued to evade her.
Scrape, shuffle, whisper.
Her eyes snapped open again. She held her breath. Sure enough, the whispers started again. Too feint, too far away to make out.
She cautiously shifted, moving to where she could scramble out if need be.
“Trust me, she comes 'ere regular.”
Budge. There were two other shadows with him, moving through the dark to her little corner.
“That's what you said at the last-”
“Shh! There, in'at hole.”
Oh shit. Joss scurried out quickly, hoping to cut under their legs before they could catch her, but it was no good.
“Ow!”She cried out as someone grabbed her hair, yanking hard and holding on.
“Not this time Joss,” Budge laughed wickedly as he tried to pull her around to punch her in the face.
“Well, looks like the bugger weren't lyin'. She ain't half bad.” One of the men with him held out a lantern and leered down at her. He was dressed as a constable, but his manner was lewd and rough. It looked like Budge had twisted a deal with the less reputable men at Scottland Yard.
Joss didn't get a chance to look at the third man, since he came up from behind to grab her. As Budge loosened his hand to shove her to the other man, she rocked her fist up, catching him in the jaw. Using the distraction she rolled away, rocked to her feet and bolted down the alley.
“Dammit! Stupid boy, Don' you know how to hold a chit down? Get after her!”
Joss pumped her legs faster. She could outrun Budge in a wink, but there was no telling about the other man.
Looking ahead, she tried to find an easy escape. The walls here were slick, with few holds to pull herself up.
The footsteps behind her sounded louder, nearer. Her legs were already burning. She had to think fast.
Up ahead, a mule cart was pulled against the curb, in front of a shop. Putting another burst of energy in she ran full speed up the street, veering toward the cart at the last minute. In a one, two, three step lunge she hopped up the cart, using the last step to jump straight for the shop awning. Unfortunately, she'd miscalculated the distance in the dark. The frame snapped under her weight as she caught against it with her waist. Scrabbling for a handhold, she clutched at the cloth, yanking to pull herself higher and out of reach.
“No!” Budge screamed. He scrambled up the cart, trying to grab at her but just too late.
Joss had managed to pull herself to the upstairs windowsill. A lamp was lit inside, and shadows rose to check out the noise on the street. She continued to scale the building, pulling herself to the safety of the sky. She was almost to the top when a sharp, sudden “Pow!” shook the night and searing pain erupted in her upper arm.
Joss cried out, clinging to the building. She dared not look at her arm, but pulled herself up over the edge of the roof. She lay panting for a moment, trying to fight through the blinding pain. The shop owner had ducked away from his window, but hollered out to the street anyways, threatening to call the Yard.
Except the men below were from Scotland Yard. And she was a criminal.
Joss rolled up to her knees, forcing herself to her feet, and set off across the roof. She tried to walk light, but it was difficult to tell how loud she was with the blood pounding in her head. She clamped her hand over the wound, blood flowed steadily between her fingers. She reached the edge of the shop and hopped to the next, moving as fast as she dared. Every once in a while she glanced down at the street, only to find Budge or one of the men close behind. She tried to shift directions when she could, but it was difficult with the wide carriage roads.
She reached a 'Y' intersection, where the streets were a bit narrower. Gritting her teeth, she breathed through the pain, kicked up to a sprint and leapt across to the opposite branch of houses.
Her legs crumpled under her as she landed harder than she'd meant, unable to control her fall. She wobbled as she stood, blood loss making her feel weak and dizzy. She couldn't keep running like this. She needed a place to hide. Looking around her, there weren't many places to hole up. If she stayed on one roof, they'd just come up and get her. She was a goner, unless- there!
A block up, there was a wide break between townhouses. The upstairs window was open a crack, dim light glowed from a fireplace within. Maybe if she could... Yes.
Halfway across the roof she paused and looked over the edge, choking back a wave of unfamiliar vertigo thanks to the blood loss. They were coming up fast behind her; Good. Looking around, she tried to find something to make some noise.
A familiar whir sounded close beside her, and she turned to see the golden chicken. He was uncurling himself from his resting position, no doubt disturbed by her presence. That would work. She scooped at the bird, but her unsteadyness allowed it to avoid her grasp. That was okay, she could still use it. Looking around again, she found a brittle piece of charred wood and picked it up.
She crumbled a few bits in front of the bird, and after a pause it started pecking them up.
She could hear her pursuers charging up below. Putting the debris in her good hand, she yanked her arm back and threw the whole stick to the left. After a heartbeat the chicken registered the clatter of food and it hobbled off that direction. Unfortunately for the chicken, there was a street between it and its goal, and it walked off the edge of the building, and clattered to the ground. The clanging and protesting twitters of the mechanical bird rang through the night, and she heard someone on the street shout out and turn in pursuit.
Joss sprinted right, willing her weary, clumsy feet to be silent. She reached the edge if the roof on wobbly knees. Lowering herself into a runners crouch she shoved hard with both feet and a hand, jumping the distance. Her shins smashed against the windowsill and she toppled into the opening, spilling onto the soft Persian rug on the floor. She rolled to her back, panting heavily, tears streaming down her face. Her vision was darkening, the blood was rushing in her ears, but a presence tickled at the edge of her consciousness. Rolling her head, she noticed an elegant lady, sitting in the dark by the fire.
The woman looked at her curiously and walked over.
“Well, hello.”
Joss past out.