𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝗃𝗃 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖺𝗇𝗄

33: "𝚙𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚢𝚕𝚎."

After their big and deadly fight between Barry and Rafe in the garage, the group of four Pogues had been able to get the Phantom out of the garage and onto the docks where they were to meet John B for his escape destination. Once parking, they had gotten the boat onto the water so it was ready to be used when John B arrived. JJ stood inside the Phantom, loading up the boxes he, Y/n and Kie had packed earlier in the day at the Wreck.

On the docks, right beside the boat, Y/n found herself pacing back and forth as she anxiously and impatiently waited for her brother to arrive. The storm was getting closer each second that passed and the Routledge girl didn't know if the cops had gotten to her brother yet. Kie was beside her, her foot tapping against the wood of the dock they stood on, being a bit more patient than the girl beside her.

"Dude, where is he?" Y/n asks.

"Give him a second. He'll be here." Pope assures, glancing around.

When the sound of a police siren filled their eardrums, the four Pogues glanced over their shoulders, turning around just in time to see a police car driving in the direction, parking just a few feet ahead of them. They all tensed up, impatiently waiting to see what would happen but relaxed when they saw a familiar brunette exiting out of the vehicle, slinging the straps of his backpack over his shoulders.

"No way. You've gotta be kidding me."

"No effing way."

"How the fuck did you..."

"I'm sorry?"

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin." John B tells them.

"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." Kie states.

The older Routledge sibling ventures his way to the group, each and every one of them getting the chance to hug the boy. The siblings of the group hugged one another longer, glad to be reunited after so long, even though it was only a few days since they had last seen one another, but they were still glad.

"It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday." JJ informs as he tosses the keys to the Routledge boy. "You ready to go?"

"Where's Sarah?" John B questions, ignoring the blonde's question.

Kie furrows her brows. "She's not with you?"

"No, we got separated in the swamp. She said she was gonna meet me here." John B replies as his tone of voice was frantic.

"No, we haven't seen her, man." Pope tells him.

"Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her." John B objects.

"John B, look at me. I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You 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, alright? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that?" JJ explains.

"Yeah, yeah. Brownsville." John B repeats, slowly nodding.

"Alright. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." JJ says.

As the blonde hops off of the boat, John B replaces his spot and climbing up on the boat. JJ stops beside his girlfriend, being in-between her and Pope as he wraps his arms around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her head when he sees the few tears that fell from her eyes. John B soon stops on the boat and turns around, showing that he was trying to hold back his sobs and tears like his sister as he glances between them all.

"I'm sorry for basically... throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." John B apologizes.

"Hey, John B, yo... we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ states, all of them sharing a laugh.

"At least we did it together, though. Pogue style." Y/n adds.

"Pogue style." John B repeats in a whisper, smiling sadly at his sister.

"Get out of here! Please." Kie demands.

With the tears in all the teenagers eyes, it's clear that neither of them want John B to leave but they knew it was for the best as the boy wouldn't be running for the rest of his life. The four Pogues had their arms wrapped around one another, all of them standing side by side as the time for John B leaving hit them.

"We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico." Pope informs.

"Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?" John B tells them, receiving nods.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?" JJ reminds.

John B nods. "Got it."

The brunette walks towards the steering wheel of the boat, turning on the engine as the four unwrap their arms from one another, placing their hands on the boat and pushing it onto the water more. John B steers the boat in the direction he was supposed to go, driving off but glancing over his shoulder at the group one more time.

More tears started falling down Y/n's cheeks as she rested her head against JJ's shoulder, feeling him pull her close as they stared at the boat's retreating figure. Never in her life did she think she'd watch her brother leave the island because he was being chased by the cops. She hated it, knowing she's not gonna see her brother for a long time, months and months at the least. More tears pooled in her eyes at the thought.

Feeling his girlfriend's head leave his shoulder, JJ places his attention on the Routledge girl, watching as she steps off the docks and stops near the car, wrapping her arms around her self. From where he stood, he could see her tear stained cheeks. Walking over, he wraps his arms around her, feeling her rest her head on his chest to which he places a soft kiss on top of her head.

"He'll be alright." JJ assures, knowing what she was thinking.

"How do you know?" Y/n's muffled voice asks against his chest.

JJ shrugs. "He's John B. He finds himself in a lot of danger, but he always makes through it either way."

The girl couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at his words, wiping the few tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. JJ's hands come up to rest on her cheeks, the pad of his thumbs wiping away her salty tears. The couple stare into each other's eyes before JJ leans down, pressing his lips to hers. Their lips move in sync, Y/n gripping the blonde's shirt as their heads tilt to the side, deepening the kiss slightly.

"I love you so much." JJ whispers as he rests his forehead against hers.

Y/n smiles. "I love you, too."

As the couple were lost in their moment together, Kie and Pope had managed to talk out the situation and even shared a kiss with one another. However, all their moments with one another was cut short when the sound of sirens got closer and closer to where they currently were at, many police cars coming a stop in front of them, followed by officers clambering out of their vehicles. The group of teenagers had been quick to raise their hands to show they were unarmed.

"We're too late. He's gone. Goddamn it!" Shoupe exclaims in frustration. "Bratcher, have your guys stand down. Let me talk to these kids. Alright, where the hell is he?"

Neither of the four teenagers say a word for an answer to his question, causing the deputy to get even more frustrated than he already was. The Pogues didn't even look to one another, too scared that it could give any information away of where John B is.

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

"Suspect has just left Station twenty-six in a small boat." Bratcher informs into his radio.

The young couple of the four glance to one another, all four of them silently hoping that John B had at least made it a bit far enough so the cops wouldn't be able to spot him out on the Phantom.