𝐀 𝐊𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄, 𝗋𝖺𝖿𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗇

27: "𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎."

The four Pogues found themselves in a garage-like place after running off when they heard the police sirens in the distance. The teenagers had probably been waiting there for about half an hour until a loud sound above them was heard. The four look up, seeing the exact same plane flying above them, taking the gold with it.

When JJ kicks a can over, Pope had done the same thing but a bit more extreme. Kiara, Y/n and JJ watched the Heyward boy with wide eyes as he broke many things in the garage, letting out cries of anger while using a bat to break lots of glass around them. Y/n felt tears in her eyes at the sight of her brother, never seeing him like this before.

Eventually, after about a minute, Pope stopped, seating himself on a sofa-like seat that was meant for a porch outside, panting heavily. He and his sister had tried so hard to make it to their friends on time and inform them about the plan, and they had made it there before it could fly off, but Ward still had taken the gold.

"Yeah, dude. I was wondering when this was gonna happen." JJ speaks up as he holds his vape out for his friend. "Here you go, chief. A little weed never hurt no one."

"JJ..." Y/n cuts in.

"Relax, Y/n." JJ instructs.

"You know he doesn't smoke." Y/n reminds just when Pope grabs the vape.

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

Kie let's out a sigh. "What is that gonna help?"

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

"You did that for us?" Kie questions.

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

"I'm here for you, Pope. Welcome to my world, okay?" JJ tells his friend, glancing at Y/n. "Both of you."

"JJ--" Kie starts.

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

Kie looks between the siblings. "You two don't have to do that."

"What do you care?" Y/n snaps, her and Pope glancing at the brunette.

Before either one of them could say anything else, John B suddenly turns the corner, causing all of them to rush over, questions leaving past their mouths. However, the boy doesn't respond to any of them as he just silently stood there. The sound of a siren fills their ears a police car drives behind them near their direction, making the five quickly hide behind the sofa, four of them glancing to their silent friend.

***

As the moon was up, replacing the sun's original spot, the Pogues all sat in a vehicle together as John B parks right out front of the police station. Y/n couldn't believe the news she had heard. Her boyfriend, the love of her life, had shot Peterkin, most likely killing her as John B had left her in the hands of Ward Cameron.

That was not the Rafe she knew. Of course, he would beat people up before, very badly. But she didn't think he was capable of killing someone. Even so, the girl knew she needed to talk to him sometime she was alone and so was he. John B had claimed he needed to tell the cops about Peterkin's death, but he still sat in the driver's seat instead of leaving.

JJ places his hand on the brunette'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.

Y/n nods. "Yeah. I'm with them."

"You two going to the dark side now?" Kie asks in disbelief.

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

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

With that, he hops out of the car and heads right inside the station. The other four Pogues only sat there for about a minute or so until John B was sprinting back out and shouting for them to start the car, to which Kie quickly does as told while he gets back inside, closing the door behind him just as a officer runs beside the car.

"What did you do?" Kie yells.

"Open it." Pope instructs.

Quickly obeying, John B opens the door, which knocks the officer that held a grip on the handle to the ground, tumbling over. John B quickly shuts the door closed as Kie drives off, leaving the two officers behind.

***

The next day had came to the Outer Banks as the teenagers were still in the vehicle together, their seats lowered as they hid from the many cops that were driving around the island. The radio was on as a man spoke about ninety percent of the power going back on in the island after Agatha. Hearing a siren near them, JJ sits up slightly, watching a police car speeds right past them.

Kie sits up a little, turning off the radio when the man began to mention Peterkin and that the police were still trying to find the shooter who killed her. The girl sits back down as the Heyward twins glance at her, Y/n sitting in-between her brother and Kie. Earlier in the night, Y/n had gotten a text from her boyfriend. Now she knew that he knows that she knows.

Many officers had been driving around the island as they put posters up with John B's face on them, accusing him to be the murderer of Peterkin, which explained why many cops were speeding around the island in search of the boy and his friends. However, neither of the teenagers knew this.

"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 at the moment." JJ rambles on.

"Thanks." John B replies in sarcasm.

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

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

"She did witness the whole thing." Y/n states.

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

JJ shakes his head. "Not happening, bro. Okay? We've gotta get you off the island."

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

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

"Sarah's not a Pogue, John B." Y/n reminds.

"Yeah. You can't stay here, man." JJ tells the brunette.