𝐒𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓//𝒋𝒋 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌

⁴⁴

The sirens were still going, but one thing that wasn't like it was earlier, was the wind. It was picking up by the second, Vi looked at the sky, she had put the thing with Rafe in the back of her mind, she had bigger things to focus on now.

She looked at her smart watch and it said that it was 3:03pm.

"Guys 3 past 3."

"Where is he?" Kiara asked as JJ ran around the boat fixing up things.

"Give him a second, he'll be here."

"He's coming. He'll be fine." A siren was heard even closer to where they were and soon enough a police car came from the side of the little shed. Everyone looked at it scared. Vi walked to Kie and they grabbed each others hands.

"JJ." Vi said and JJ jumped in the boat ready to start it.

"Get back on the boat! Untie it." Pope started to work on the rope as Vi looked at the cop car, the door opened and to their surprise it was John B.

"No way!" Vi said and a smile formed on her face.

"No fucking way!" Pope said after her.

"I'm sorry."

"You gotta be kidding me." JJ said and quickly jumped of the boat. The group shared a laugh.

"Schoupe let me take her for a ride."

"Okay. That's believable I'll buy that, for now." Kie laughed as John B went to hug her then Vi.

"Wasn't easy bro, but I got her. The Phantom runs like she was made yesterday." JJ threw him the keys and John B caught them "Ready to go?"

"Where's Sarah?"

"She not with you?"

"No we got separated in the swamp, she said she was gonna meet me here."

"We haven't seen her."

"I'm not leaving without her."

"John B. Look at me. I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you get there, lay low, hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that?" JJ asked as John B just looked somewhere behind the group, there was no one there he was just lost in thoughts. JJ grabbed his face. "You got that?"

"Yeah yeah. Brownsville."

"All right. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." JJ said and jumped off the boat all of them gathered at the nose of it, ready to push it out. John B walked on it and looked at the group with tears streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry for basically throwing us off a cliff with this treasure hunt thing." He started but JJ interrupted him.

"John B, we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ joked and all of them laughed, Violet was getting emotional all of them were. "And just so you know." JJ said and put his and Vi's intertwined hands up in the air for him to see. John B smiled at them and let the tears roll down his eyes. Everyone did this time, there was no point of holding them back. "At least we did it together. Pogue style." JJ said and the four of them grabbed each other in a hug.

"Pogue style." John B repeated sniffling.

"Get out of here. Please." Kie said at him and Pope nodded.

"Now. See you in two months, down in Mexico." John B nodded and once again stopped.

"Tell Sarah I said goodbye okay?" All of them nodded.

"Love you." JJ said. "And don't forget to cross the border at Brownsville, okay?"

"Got it." He said and got behind the wheel. The group quickly pushed hin out and just stood there on the little dock and watched as he drove away.

"At least he's safe now." Vi said and felt the tug on her hand, she squeezed JJ's hand and he just buried his head in the crook of her neck. She  saw Pope and Kie hugging and quickly punched JJ making him look, what they didn't expect was for them to kiss. Violet and he pushed each other happily and surely the police cars had finally figured out where the car was and were now pretty close.

"Hey. Sorry to ruin the party. But we gotta go." JJ shouted at the couple and grabbed Vi's hand, they turned around to go to Kie's car, when the police cars surrounded them from every direction. JJ stood in front of Vi who just raised her hands up, Kie doing the same. JJ and Pope gave each other a fist bump and slowly got their hands up.

"We're too late. He's gone. God damn it!"  Schoupe got in their faces and asked where John B was.

"Where the hell is he! JJ i see you living up to your name. Pope how about you? This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing, right now. Where'd he go?"

All of them looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

At least he was away from the cops.