𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝗃𝗃 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖺𝗇𝗄

29: "𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝."

For about half an hour or so, the group of four found themselves in a garage-like place after leaving when the police sirens could be heard. Y/n still worried about her older brother, hoping him and Sarah were both alright. As JJ kept a grip on his girlfriend's hand, a loud whirring sound is heard from above them. The four look up, Y/n feeling tears prick her eyes at the sight of the exact same plane Ward had driven in flying above them, taking the gold with it.

As the Routledge girl runs her fingers through her hair, harshly tugging at it, Pope had began smashing many things around them, picking up a bat while doing so and smashing lots and lots off glass around them in the garage while the three watched him, Kiara shouting at the boy to try and stop him but he didn't listen, continuing to let out angry cries.

Soon enough, after about a minute or so, the Heyward boy stops his loud actions, panting heavily as he seats himself on a sofa that was made for a porch. He had tried so hard to make it to his friends on time before the plane left, and he did it successfully, but Ward still had taken the gold from them.

"Yeah, dude. I was wondering when this was gonna happen." JJ breaks the silence, holding his vape out for his friend. "Here you go, chief. A little weed never hurt no one."

"JJ..." Y/n intervenes.

"Relax, baby." JJ tells his girlfriend.

"You know he doesn't smoke." Kie reminds just as Pope grabs the vape.

"Well, maybe not until today." JJ replies.

Kie sighs. "What is that gonna help?"

"I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. Every-- It's gone. It's not gonna happen." Pope informs.

"You did that for us?" Kie asks.

Pope shakes his head. "No, not for us. For nothing."

"I'm here for you, Pope. Welcome to my world, okay?" JJ tells the boy.

"JJ--" Kie begins.

"What, Kie? He's right. It doesn't matter anymore." JJ argues.

Y/n looks at Pope. "You don't have to do that."

The boy only stares at her just as John B turns the corner, catching all of their attention. The four rush over, questions leaving their mouths as they notice the blood on his hands. A concerned expression goes onto Y/n's face when she sees the blood, wondering and asking who's it was that was on her brother's hands.

However, John B doesn't answer any of the questions as he silently stood there, holding his sister's hand in his when she had grabbed it. Just then, a loud siren and seeing a police car driving near them catches their attention as the five quickly hid behind the sofa. The four all take glances at the Routledge boy.

***

With the moon up instead of the sun, the group of five found themselves sitting in a vehicle as John B had parked them out front of the police station. The brunette had informed his sister and friends about Rafe shooting Peterkin before he had ran off, leaving her in the hands of Ward and Rafe.

Y/n was shocked to hear the news. Peterkin had tried to help her and her brother when they were running from the DCS. And now, she was most likely dead. John B had claimed he should tell the cops about Peterkin, but he still found himself sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle, not moving a bit.

JJ places his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Alright. I'm just gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lion's den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."

"Your old man's an abusive liar." Kie fires back.

"I agree with JJ. Fuck the police." Pope agrees.

"You going to the dark side now?" Kie questions, voice filled with disbelief.

"When's the last time the police ever helped us?" Pope argues.

"Peterkin looked out for me and Y/n, alright? Tried to, at least." John B snaps. "They need to know."

The brunette glances at his sister who gives him a nod before he hops out and heads inside the station. The Routledge girl and the other three only wait for about a minute or so until John B is sprinting out of the station, shouting for them to start the car. As he hops back inside the vehicle, Kie does as told, turning the engine on and pressing on the gas just as an officer runs up beside the car.

"What did you do?" Kie shouts.

"Open it." Pope demands.

Obeying, John B rushes to open the door. The officer that had a grip on the handle tumbles to the ground by the impact, letting out a groan in pain as the Routledge boy quickly shuts the door closed while Kie drives off.

***

The following day with the sun shining, the teenagers all still sat in the vehicle together, their seats lowered so their faces couldn't be seen through the windows. The radio was on, a man's voice explaining about how ninety percent of the power was to come on just when sirens fill the group's eardrums. JJ sits up just a little, his hand still in his girlfriend's as he carefully looks out the window, seeing a police car speeding by them.

When the man on the radio began explaining the death of Peterkin and how they were still trying to find the shooter, Kie leaned forward and turned it off. Her and Pope laid behind the Routledge siblings and JJ, the young couple holding each other's hands tightly, their fingers intertwined, the pad of the blonde's thumb gently caressing the back of the girl's hand.

Many officers had been going all around the island, on the cut and even some in Figure Eight, putting posters up with John B's picture as they accused him to be the murderer of Peterkin. None of the officers seemed to focus on the Routledge girl at the moment as Ward only seemed to be out for John B right now. But the siblings knew that Y/n would be next. Neither of the teenagers had a clue about the posters going around on the island.

"Let's game this out. Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but... who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us? So the accuser is a bigshot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the governor on speed dial kind of person, and the accused... is John B, who is... pretty much a homeless sixteen year old boy with his pretty much homeless fifteen year old sister at the moment." JJ rambles, making Y/n look at him. "But I love you, baby."

"Thanks." John B replies to his previous words, sarcasm laced in his voice.

"Okay, man. Yucatan, alright? I'm saying that's the only option. What other option do you have?" JJ asks.

John B let's out a sigh. "Enough with the Mexico bullshit. Sarah's gonna bail me out."

"She did witness the whole thing." Kie reminds.

"And she's gonna snitch on her brother?" Pope questions.

Y/n sighs. "She might not."

JJ shakes his head. "Not happening, guys. Okay? We've gotta get you and Y/n off the island."

Though the police weren't looking for the Routledge girl like her brother, JJ wanted his girlfriend safe and sound, and if that was getting off the island with her brother, then so be it. He knew once Ward was done with John B, Y/n was most likely next.

"The ferry. It's the only way." Pope suggests.

JJ nods. "Yeah, exit stage left while you both still can. Before the entire island is on lockdown."

"Sarah's not a Pogue, John B." Pope reminds.

"Yeah. You two can't stay here." JJ tells the siblings, placing a hand on his girlfriend's hand.