High Tide // JJ Maybank

Chapter 5

The four of us hide behind a fence, staring into the building the two men were meeting it. Rain pours around us, drenching our hair and clothes instantly. Pope pulls out an old camcorder, pointing it at the building.

"Nice camera. Where'd you get that relic? Why don't you just use your phone?" JJ questions.

"Well, first of all, I like my antique electronics. Second of all, this is a telephoto. It allows me to get a close image from far away."

"What a nerd." I say.

"Lord of the dorks." Kiara retorts at the same time I speak.

"For definitive proof of witness payoff, we're gonna need quality glass." Pope defends.

"All we need is something good enough for facial recognition to figure out."

"Sh, there he is." Pope shushes me.

We watch as Ward jogs down the street, a large bag tucked under his arm. I feel a hand on my shoulder, pulling me down as JJ announces we need to get down.

"Oh, there's Gavin." I point out, peeking back over the fence. He jogs after Ward, following him into the building.

"Where are you going, you son of a bitch?" Pope mumbles as he follows them with the telephoto. "No, no, no." Pope exclaims as the two men go out of our line of sight. "Shit, where's he going?"

"Hold on." JJ says standing up.

"JJ, where are you going?" I ask. I grab his hand, pulling myself up, and following him.

The blond boy whistles at the other two, catching their attention. "Yo, I got something." They follow as JJ runs around the building. "Gotta go, up top."

He climbs up a latter that was attached to a cinder block wall. I follow closely after him.

"Hurry!" Kiara instructs. "We don't wanna miss anything."

We duck behind another object, getting a new angle to watch the men.

"Are you getting it?" Kie asks as Pope points the telephoto into the building.

"Yeah, yeah, I see them." A pause. "Ward just handed Gavin something. I think it was a duffel bag."

"Guys, I think this is a payoff." JJ announces.

"Gavin doesn't look happy about something. It looks like he's yelling at Ward."

"Why?" Kie demands.

"I don't know, but he sure looks mad." Pope continues to watch the pair. "Shit."

"Woah, woah, woah." JJ mumbles.

"What? What's happening?" I ask nervously.

"I dunno. They're fighting over something."

"They're really going at it." JJ adds.

"Ward's kicking the shit out of Gavin."

"Why are they fighting though?" JJ asks.

"I don't know." Pope repeats.

"I can't see. What the hell is happening?" I stress.

JJ grabs my arm, pulling me toward him. "Here, look there." He points between to pillars on the building. "Better?" I nod, watching the men.

Ward shoves Gavin back, causing him to smack his head on a nearby table. Gavin instantly crumbles to the ground.

"Holy shit, Ward's got a gun." Pope states frantically.

"I bet that's the murder weapon." Kie says.

A loud gasp escapes against my lips when the sound of a gunshot rings through the air. "Oh, fuck."