Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

42

JJ and I take off to find John B. We look around corners as we go. Hoping not to run into Ward.

"Clear," JJ says. "I don't see him."

We turn the corner and come face to face with one of the ship's crew.

"JJ," I say.

"Of course. There's more of you." The man pulls a machete from his waistband. "Get down on your knees."

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," JJ tells him.

The man tries to hit him with the machete and JJ ducks.

"Go, go, go!" JJ tells me.

I hold the man's arm to the wall and JJ hits him in the face.

"Hit him, Storm!" JJ tells me.

I open a metal cabinet and hit the guy in the face with the door.

"Where's John B?" JJ asks.

I look over the edge of the boat. "John B!"

"Storm!" JJ shouts.

I turn around and see the guy right behind me. He goes to wing at me and I lean back avoiding the machete. JJ jumps on the guy's back, the guy elbows JJ and he lets go. As he tries to swing at me again he misses me and hits JJ in the head with the blunt end of the machete. JJ falls over the edge of the boat into the water. I kick the guy in the nuts and he falls to the floor.

"JJ!" I shout.

I see him floating face down in the water. I jump over the edge of the boat landing in the water next to him. I'm able to turn him over so his face is out of the water. I try my hardest to keep us both afloat.

"JJ! JJ, stay with me. JJ, please. Please!" I plead. "JJ, please, stay with me! Stay with me. John B's coming. John B's coming, okay? John B! Help!" It's getting harder to hold JJ up. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, JJ. Please!"

Finally after what feels like forever I see a lifeboat coming towards us.

"JJ!" everyone shouts.

"No! No! No! No! No!" John B shouts.

"Come on. Come on," Pope says.

"I got you," John B says.

"Grab him," I tell them.

John B pulls JJ into the lifeboat a Pope helps me in. We start off away from the ship. Suddenly the engine sputters.

"No. No. No. Hey," John B says.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"What's happening?" Pope questions.

"John B," Sarah says.

"We're stalling out," John B tells us.

"You serious? We're sitting ducks," Pope warns.

"We gotta go!" I shout.

"We gotta go," Kie says.

"I'm trying," John B tells us. "Forward or backward? If everyone just tries to relax."

"He's pointing at us. Hurry!" Pope warns.

"We gotta go," Sarah pleads.

"I'm trying, okay?" John B tells us.

I turn back to JJ. He still isn't awake. "Please wake up."

The engine starts.

"We gotta get moving. Yeah! Go!" Pope shouts.

I shake JJ. "JJ, wake up! JJ! Please! Please!"

John B tries to shake him. "Wake up."

"Please get up!" I plead.