JJ woke up to find Kie behind the kitchen counter, putting all the trash in a bag.
"Hey, I'm saving them for the shitheads that will buy the house!" JJ said and straightened up to sit on the couch.
"Do you really have to live in trash until then?" Kie asked smiling. She took a few steps and came out from behind the counter. She only had one of JJ's baggy t-shirts on. JJ couldn't take his eyes off her for a moment, then looked down at the floor clearing his throat and ran his hands through his hair.
"No, no, no. I don't have to." He got up and walked around, still not looking at Kie. "So... You want coffee?" he asked.
"Yeah sure," Kie said. JJ walked to the kitchen and he almost bumped into Kie. Kie took a step back letting him pass, but she was watching him move awkwardly with a smile on her face.
Kie sat on the counter by the stove, bracing herself from his hands, while JJ rummaged through the drawers.
"What are you doing, J?" she asked.
"I'm looking for coffee." said JJ.
"On the shelf above me." said Kie, watching JJ's bare back.
JJ turned to her, looked up and down once more, and waited for a moment for her to pull away. But Kie was just sitting there, slowly waving her feet in the air and smiling. JJ approached her, put one hand right next to Kie's leg, and reached for the shelf above her head. The necklace on his bare chest was dangling right in front of Kie. Kie looked up at JJ's face, and JJ looked down at her. JJ's arm was stroking Kie's hair, Kie's wobbly feet were touching JJ's legs. Kie didn't look away. It was JJ who looked up again, smiling. He picked up the can of coffee from the rack and set it on the counter, both hands on either side of Kie.
"You're really cruel, princess." JJ said looking into her eyes. Kie's smile didn't go away, it was almost like she enjoyed making this harder for JJ. They just stared at each other for a few seconds. With a few inches between their noses and playful smiles on their faces. When Kie leaned vaguely toward JJ, they heard the voice coming from the door and JJ instantly backed off and ran his hand through his hair. Kie got off the counter and took the coffee can in her hands trying to look interested.
"Hey, JJ!" they heard Val.
"Val! Really?" Kie asked, just moving her mouth. JJ raised his arms in the air and scoffed.
"Hey, Val. Over here." JJ said. Val came into the kitchen and kissed JJ on his cheek, ignoring Kie. Kie just rolled her eyes.
"What's she doing here?" Val asked looking up and down on Kie.
"Don't talk to her like that, Val. "JJ said. "She's my friend." Kie looked at Val and smiled.
"Dad wants to see you, you free?" Val asked. JJ turned to Kie and she looked directly back at him kind of angry. But then she saw how confused and hesitant he was and felt sorry for him, she had no reason to be stubborn on that.
"I'll meet you at the château, cool?" Kie said. JJ turned to her and smiled.
"Kie, actually I can drop you with my bike and come back." he said.
"I have my dad's van." Val suggested. "We'll drive you."
"No." Kie said. She didn't want to spend any more time with Val. "I'll walk."
She walked to JJ's room to change her clothes and Val turned to JJ.
"Is she jealous or something?" Val asked. "Why can't she stand me?"
"Why would she be jealous, Val? She's just cold to some people."
"It's not that I need her to like me, I'm not a fan either. But she could stop acting like a little bitch when I'm around."
"Stop, Val. God, stop talking about her." JJ said grabbing his hat and keys from the counter. "I'll wait outside."
After a minute, Val walked outside and Kie followed her from a few steps back. JJ locked the door and went after them. Kie quickly walked away from them without saying goodbye.
"Don't get kidnapped, kiddo!" Val shouted after her. Kie gave her a middle finger without even turning back and continued on her way.
"Stop messing with her, Val!" JJ said turning to her. Val talked while walking to the van.
"Why do you suddenly protect the little princess, dude? You used to be a lot more fun." Val said rolling her eyes, she got into the car and shot her door harshly.
"I'm fun." JJ said sitting in the passenger seat. "You're obsessed with her though."
"Yeah, I'm the one who's obsessed." said Val with a smile on her face and she started the car.
When they got to Mr. Diaz, they found him sitting on a wooden table right near the sea. He told them to sit down and handed each of them a beer. He turned to JJ, putting out his cigarette.
"You're not gonna like what you hear, son." he said.
"I'm used to it." JJ said carelessly.
"Did you know your mother is still one of your legal guardians?" Mr. Diaz said looking into the papers he got laid down in front of him.
"So?" JJ asked. "What does that mean?"
"Means she's responsible of you," Mr. Diaz said. "They'll probably take you to her, kid."
"She left years ago." JJ said. "She wouldn't want to have me." He was looking at his hands. It was painful, of course, that his mother didn't want him. It wasn't something that often crossed his mind and preoccupied him, but it was sad.
"She has to. And you can't know, you're too young to understand being a parent. She might want you back."
"What are you suggesting? Am I gonna force her to take me?"
"Think about it kid." Mr. Diaz said putting his hand on JJ's shoulder. "She could be your way out from this miserable life. What are you gonna do here, huh? No family, no money. No college plans I suppose."
"She wouldn't want me back." JJ repeated. He didn't even want to think about the possibility of his mother wanting him, of having a decent family life. He didn't want to have the slightest bit of hope for this, because he knew that his hope would be in vain.
"You should look for her. You're too young to understand, kid. Take my advice. This could save you."
JJ looked away thinking, he couldn't speak for a while. He didn't want to leave obx, his whole life was here, his friends were here. Besides, when they found the gold he would be more than a poor high school drop out. He really didn't need his mother, who had never wanted him. the family in need was here with him.
"I'm not gonna go after her, Mr. Diaz. Thanks for the advice though." he said, he chugged his beer and got up. "I've got a place to be." he said.
"Hey wait up." Val said also getting up and following JJ. "I'll give you a ride."
When they got in the car, Val stopped for a moment and turned to JJ before starting it.
"What?" JJ asked.
"I understand if you don't want to go after your mother, hell, I wouldn't want to see my mother either. But are you sure you made this decision with the right motivation?"
"Shit, Val, you sound like a high school counselor." JJ said chuckling. Val smiled too.
"I'm just saying, man." she said starting the engine. "Maybe think about it again." Then she drove away as JJ just turned his head and didn't answer.
They made it to the château and found the pogues gathered around the Twinkie. JJ got out of the car and saw the smoke coming out of Twinkie.
"Hey!" he called out to others. "What happened to her?"
"There is something going on with the engine, man. I can't figure it out." Pope said and raised his head from the front hood. He was covered in dirt and oil.
"I think you should get it checked, guys." Val said leaning over the van.
"Yeah, tell us what to do, Val." Kie whispered. Val rolled her eyes and opened her mouth, but she didn't say anything when JJ slowly poked her.
Pope continued fiddling with something in the engine, then backed away in the sudden cloud of smoke and started coughing. "Shit!" he shouted.
"Hey man, maybe we should call my cousin Mark." JJ said walking to Pope.
"Isn't he living on the mainland?" John B asked.
"Yeah but he can take the ferry tonight and crush at my place, he owes me a favor you know."
"No that won't work. We talked to Limbrey and all, we have to go to Charleston today." Pope said.
"Shit are we going to Charleston? Why didn't you guys say anything?" JJ asked.
"Well you were busy weren't you?" Kie asked. JJ acted like he didn't hear her and turned to others.
"We were gonna wait for you, obviously." Sarah said. "But seems like it's not gonna happen anyways."
"I could drive you." Val said.
"Absolutely no." Kie turned to her laughing sarcastically. She looked around to others but everyone was silent. "No, right guys?"
"I mean we need to get there somehow..." Pope said.
"Not like we have any other choice." John B backed him up. Kie was looking directly at JJ waiting for him to say something, but he was avoiding eye contact because he was kinda scared to oppose Kie.
"You know you don't have to come if you don't want to." said Val with a sly smile on her face.
"You're not a part of this, Val." Kie said. "Just shut up."
"Yeah i'm not really interested in your little treasure hunt. I'm not gonna fucking beg to help you." Val said opening the door to get in. But JJ ran to her and stopped her.
"Yeah thanks for helping Val we'd love you to drive us there. We need to go to Charleston, right Kie?" he said. Kie just rolled her eyes and didn't say anything.
"Come on." Sarah said slowly nudging her. "Gotta go there somehow."
"Whatever," Kie said finally. "We don't have to love it though." She gave JJ an ice cold look while walking to the van. Others followed her. She got in the back with a sullen face and watched JJ getting in front next to Val.
They got to Charleston when it was almost dark. Kie didn't say almost anything along the ride, or when they went out for air in the ferry. There was an obvious tension between her and Val, everyone already knew Kie never liked her so they didn't push. Val wasn't really interested in making conversations with Kie anyways. But when Val was joking around with JJ, it was obvious Kie got a lot more tense. At least it was obvious for Sarah. That's why she grabbed Kie by arm and pulled her closer to talk when they all got off the when once they got to the Limbrey mansion.
"What the fuck is going on?" Sarah asked.
"What?" Kie said. "What's going on?"
"You are making a terrible job hiding your hate for Val. JJ's gonna notice." Sarah said.
"JJ already knows I hate her." Kie dismissed her carelessly and walked away from her.
"He'll notice why do you hate her that much, Kie." Sarah repeated more clearly from her back.
"I don't know what you're talking about." said Kie, smiling. JJ wasn't the only one who mastered the art of denying.
They didn't all go in to talk to Limbrey. They sent Pope and John B for obvious reasons, and Sarah because she was a smooth talker. The plan was to tell Limbrey about the boat carrying the gold that could be coming to obx and try to use her sources to find when it was coming. It was simple on paper, but convincing that chilling lady to anything didn't seem like anything easy.
Kie, JJ, Cleo and Val were waiting outside in the van. JJ and Val were on the front seats listening to music, Cleo was lying on the back playing with her knife and Kie was outside of the van just walking around. Val lit a cigarette and closed her eyes.
"What's taking them so long?" she asked. "Maybe we should go get coffee or something."
"They'll be out in a second." JJ said. "Limbrey's probably forcing them to stay for tea time."
"Why's she all nice all of a sudden though?" Cleo asked from the back.
"It's hard to hate cute kids like us." JJ said turning to her.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's why." Cleo said rolling her eyes.
"I don't trust her, at all." Kie said stepping a little closer to them. "But i guess we can use her as long as we're careful."
"Yeah sure." JJ said. "Super careful."
Suddenly, an arrow pierced right next to the foot of Kie, who was standing a few feet from the van. She looked at the arrow and turned to JJ with confusion. Before JJ could understand what was going on, another arrow pierced the ground.
"Holy shit." JJ said. "Get in the car, Kie!" he screamed. Cleo held out her hand and pulled Kie into the car. As soon as they closed it, another arrow pierced the door.
"Drive the fucking van!" Cleo yelled at Val. Val was shocked, but she started the van and drove away as fast as she could. JJ stuck his head out of the window and looked behind him, but there was no one in sight.
"Put you head in, JJ!" screamed Kie.
"That fucking Limbrey set us up!" JJ said. "Her bodyguard tried to threaten us with archers, didn't he?"
"We need to go back for the guys." Kie said. "Shit! I knew we shouldn't have trusted her."
"We should go there with a plan if we don't wanna get killed with fucking arrows." Cleo said.
"We?" JJ turned back to her. "No, no. We are not go out there, sweetheart. I am."
Val pulled the car into an alley and stopped.
"What?" Kie yelled. "What are you talking about JJ, there's no way you're going out there alone."
"Oh I am." he said. "You guys are gonna wait here for us to come back and we'll get the fuck out of here."
"I didn't fucking sign up for this!" Val said freaking out. "I'm not going out to fight, or wait here for some arrow throwing teenager stalking psychopaths! I'm fucking leaving!"
"No, Val we need the van you can't just bail on us!" Kie said.
"Okay, chill, man. I'll stay with you and you'll be safe, okay?" Cleo asked to Val.
"Okay..." Val said taking deep breaths. "Okay, fine."
"Cool, then you guys wait here and I'll just go get them."
"No, JJ I'm coming with you." Kie said opening the back door. JJ got out the car suddenly and closed the door before Kie could get out. Kie opened the door again with an angry face and stepped out.
"What the hell JJ?" she yelled.
"I'm not gonna worry about you too when the guys are already inside that horror mansion!" JJ yelled back.
"Oh, that's great so you'll just leave me here worrying about you!"
"Okay..." said Cleo sticking her head out of the door. "If you're done making out get the hell out of here." Then she slammed the door.
JJ and Kie looked at each other for a second, they both seemed angry. Kie rolled her eyes, scoffed and walked away. JJ caught up to her with a few big steps.
They reached the back door of the mansion walking slowly and hiding.
"No archer in sight." JJ whispered.
"That's kinda their whole deal, J" Kie said. "Stay down."
They approached the door and began to force it to open. But the lock didn't seem to open, nor was there anything they could use to break it. JJ kept pushing, but stopped when Kie scolded him for making noise. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed.
"We have to jump." he said.
"Are you insane? We'll get stuck and pinned there!" Kie said pointing over the bars.
"What are we gonna do, Kie? There's no one screaming or running away, as far as I know we might be too late already!"
"Just... Wait a second, okay?" Kie said. "We can climb on that tree and jump, how about that?"
"And how is that safe?"
"It's better than a sword up in your ass, let's go." Kie said running to the tree.
They got up to the tree and looked down to the big garden.
"Holy shit that's high." JJ said holding out his hand to a branch.
"Don't chicken out now, JJ." Kie said. "Hop!" JJ hesitated for a second, Kie turned to him rolling her eyes. "Okay I'll go." she said jumping down. JJ followed her, He stumbled when his foot slipped, but he recovered and continued walking after Kie.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." he whispered. Kie shushed him and kept walking leaning against the wall. When they stopped in front of a window, they heard people talking.
"It's them!" JJ said poking Kie. "It's them."
"I can hear JJ." she said slowly pushing him away.
"What do you want from us?" That was John B's voice. JJ excitedly stood up and looked through the window, ignoring Kie's tugging him. The pogues were standing before two men, with guns pointed at them. The weird thing was, Limbrey was on their side, standing between Pope and Sarah.
"Just give us the lady, kids." One of the man said. "We have unfinished business."
"Leave her alone!" Sarah screamed. What the hell do you want from her?"
"What's going on?" Kie asked pulling on JJ's pants. JJ got down next to her.
"There are two men with guns. But everyone's fine, for now at least." JJ said.
"What do we do, what do we do?" Kie asked trying to think.
"That's simple, we'll just go around the house and catch them off guard from their backs."
"They have guns, JJ." said Kie looking at him, she didn't seem to understand how could he suggest that. "They'll literally gonna shoot someone."
"No, Kie! We'll catch them off guard."
"Definitely no." Kie said. "We have to lead them out, then we have to do whatever we are doing. We can't risk them shooting someone inside."
"Whatever, fine. but we should hurry, Kie. They don't seem so chill."
They rushed towards the front door, trying to stay stuck to the wall. JJ would lead ahead, occasionally turning around to check on Kie. When he stopped suddenly, Kie couldn't slow down and she hit him hard. She was about to open his mouth to say something when JJ caught her, covered her mouth with his hand, and pulled her to the ground. Kie was staring at him in surprise while JJ was trying to convey something by making signs with his eyes.
"What?" Kie asked only moving her lips.
"There's a man at the front door." JJ tried to say, but Kie didn't understand him and kept looking at him with a confused look. JJ repeated, but Kie was only getting more confused. Finally, JJ pulled her to himself and whispered in her ear. Kie stopped for a moment, trying to think what could they do. They couldn't just get into a fight with an armed man, they couldn't win against the gun. JJ was thinking too, then his eyes sparkled with excitement and he raised his finger and pointed up.
"What?" Kie whispered. "God?"
JJ looked at her disappointed. "Roof." he said. "Go up the roof and distract him, and I'll go jump on him."
"You can't do it alone JJ for the last time he has a gun!"
"That's why you're going up to distract him, Kie. Do we have a choice! Come on, up up!" JJ said. He folded his hands in front of him and crouched a little to give Kie a push. Kie didn't seem happy with the plan, but she still put her feet on JJ's hands and, bracing herself from him, grabbed the water pipe just above her. She climbed slowly, stepping on the ledges in the bricks of the house and holding on to the water pipe. JJ had one eye on her, while looking around for something to attack the man at the door. When Kie finally reached the roof, she looked down and saw that JJ was still searching for something useful.
"Hey!" she whispered. "JJ!" JJ turned his head up and looked to her. She looked like a freaking goddess standing on the rooftop with sunlight coming behind her back. He raised her arms in the air, asking what's going on. Kie pointed to the back of him with her head, JJ turned to see an empty bucket. He lifted the bucket and turned to Kie, confused. He didn't understand how to attack the man with the bucket. Kie took a deep breath and shook her head again, more nervously and harshly. Only then did JJ turn around and see the shovel standing beside the bucket. He turned to Kie one last time raising his thumb up, and then started walking slowly to the door. Just when he got to the corner and stopped, he heard Kie whispering.
"JJ! Leave the fucking bucket!" she said.
"Right, right." he whispered back and left the bucket at the corner. He turned to Kie, they both looked at each others faces and shook their heads in agreement. Then Kie walked to the edge of the roof, she shook the rubble down with her foot. The man looked at the dirt that had spilled onto his head, then slowly at the sky. Kie waited a few seconds, then stuck her head out of the roof. When the man noticed her and picked up his gun, JJ was already running at him. For a moment the man didn't see JJ coming at him with a shovel, then he turned to him in amazement and fired the gun before JJ could hit him. The bullet from the gun bounced off the metal of the shovel.
"Holy shit!" shouted JJ.
When he swung the shovel at the man once more, he managed to drop the weapon in his hand. However, the man stunned JJ with a kick to his leg. As the man leaned toward his gun again, JJ jumped on his back and pulled him back, then dropped to the ground, knocking the man back and kicking the gun away from them. The man was hovering over JJ again, JJ threw a few punches but the man didn't seem too impressed. As the man grabbed JJ's legs and pinned him to the ground, JJ made several moves to evade his fists and managed to flip him and climb on top of him, but he was out of breath.
"Kie!" he yelled. "I could use a little help over here!"
Kie was almost down. As the man clung to JJ's throat, JJ backed off and slowly stood up. He tucked his hands between the man's arms and pushed him back by the neck, then threw a hard punch. He walked over to the man who was staggering backwards and threw another punch.
Kie had jumped to the ground, looking around, trying to find anything that could help her.
The man was starting to hit JJ again. He shoved him hard and wobbled, then hit him hard. JJ shook his head as he tried to come to his senses and go back to the man, but the next hard punch pushed him back again. When JJ took a few steps back, he was kicked to the ground before he could even raise his arm.
Kie ran after the man, jumped on his back and put the bucket on his head. JJ stood up and grabbed the shovel as the man swung his arm back and knocked Kie down.
"Hit him, J!" Kie shouted as the man was struggling to take the bucket off of his head.
"You like the bucket now I see." JJ said. He turned around with the shovel in his hands and slammed it hard into the man's head. Kie was already on her feet as the man took a few steps back.
"The gun, Kie!" shouted JJ. Then he made sure he wouldn't get up by hitting the fallen man again with the shovel. As soon as Kie reached for the gun, the doors of the mansion opened and the gunmen stepped out. JJ was standing in front of them with the shovel in his hand.
"Don't take a step!" ' Kie shouted, pointing the gun at them. The men turned to her, pointing both of their guns at her. But John B and Pope didn't wait for another sign, they suddenly jumped on their backs, struggling the take the guns away from them. One of the guns fired and the bullet went into the ground, then Sarah kicked the man in the stomach, causing him to drop the gun and kicked it towards JJ. JJ snatched it immediately and turned to the man on Pope's back and put the gun to his head.
"Drop your gun, man!" he yelled. "Drop it!"
The man dropped his gun, tried to shake Pope off him, but John B punched him too, knocking him down like the others. Kie rushed over to the others, but before any of them could catch their breath, police sirens began to whistle. They all froze for a while and looked at each other.
"Run!" shouted Pope. As they all took turns exiting the garden, John B took one last glance at Limbrey, who was sitting wearily in her chair. They ran to the street where van was, at full speed, without breathing. Seeing them coming, Val immediately started the engine and Cleo opened the door. By the time they all threw themselves inside, the van was already moving.
"That's what I'm talking about!" JJ shouted.
"Hell yeah!" Pope and John B joined him.
"It was fucking crazy!" Sarah said. "I need water, tons of it." Kie handed her a big bottle.
"What happened back there? It took you long you know I was almost coming to look for you." Cleo said.
"Seriously though, what the hell happened?" Kie turned to Pope, John B and Sarah.
"The guys were looking for the cross, they think Limbrey has it for some reason." John B said.
"Dude weren't those guys with Renfield, who was with Limbrey?" JJ asked.
"Well obviously, Renfield is dead." said Pope.
"And they did not have a clean break up with Limbrey." added Sarah.
"What?" Kie asked. "Aren't they related?"
"No she means she killed him." Pope answered Kie.
"What!" JJ screamed. "Savage."
"So what are we gonna do?" Kie asked.
"Limbrey's a powerful woman." John B said. "I think she'll have her precautions. And we'll deal with it like we do all the time." he smiled putting his head on Sarah's shoulder.
They drove back home in silence as they were all beat up. They rolled a couple joints to relax on the ferry, but it basically made them sleep until they got home. JJ and Pope was snuggling and Kie was lying down on JJ's legs. They got out of the van whining, but kind of glad they made it home.
"Going right to bed." Sarah said pulling John B with her from his arm. As they walked away, Cleo followed them.
"I think I'll walk home and empty my mind." Pope said. "Try to come up with another plan since we didn't get anything today."
"Hey, JJ." said Val turning over to him. "Wanna come over to my place? You've had a rough day, I'll help you relax."
Pope turned to Kie hoping to make fun of the weird vibe Val was giving but he found her watching them with an angry and pouty face.
"I'm going in too." Kie said looking away from JJ as soon as he moved his eyes to her. "Been a long day."
Kie and Pope went on their separate ways, leaving JJ and Val by the van.
"Actually I'd rather go home and rest." JJ said. "But I could use a ride." he smiled and got in the car.
"Sure. Hearing a no from you is a first though." she said smiling. "What's gotten into you, Maybank?"
"I have no idea." JJ said, turning his head to Kie who was standing in front of the door. He knew what, but he wasn't gonna jinx it even by thinking about it. Kie turned to JJ and made eye contact with him for a couple seconds, then suddenly got into house without even giving him a chance to smile.