A Foot In Both Worlds| JJ Maybank|Topper Thornton

Chapter 12: I Promise

"I mean its obvious right," John B said as they were all driving down the road, "A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message? He had to know it was going to get back to me, right?"

"Yeah. It's possible," Kiara said.

"It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help...you know, deal with your sad feels," Pope said.

"Pope," Evelyn said.

"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels. Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies," JJ said.

"I'm not concocting, okay," John B said, "My dad is trying to give me a message."

"If it helps you believe, John B," Kiara said.

"Look, I-I don't need a therapy session, okay?" John B said, "I'm not trippin' out."

"I think after what we all just went through, we wouldn't blame you if you were," Evelyn said.

"Look, my-my dad is missing, okay," John B said, "Missing."

JJ looked at Evelyn with a sympathetic look. They all knew how hard John B took his father being gone. And even though everyone knew that he was probably dead, John B just couldn't believe that for himself.

"You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish and then have no idea what happened," John B said, "Just wakeup every morning wondering."

"It's been almost a year," Kiara said.

"Hey, he could have been kidnapped," JJ said, "That's definitely a possibility."

"Yeah, could be in a soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere," Pope said.

"Absolutely...or Atlantis," JJ said.

"JJ," Evelyn said, "Look, what do you think the message is?"

"Redfield Lighthouse," John B said, "That's my dad favorite place."

- -

The group got out of the van looking up at the lighthouse in front of them.

"Right, so here's what's going to happen," John B said turning to JJ, "You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?"

"Wait...why me?" JJ asked.

"Because you're not coming," Pope said.

"Why?" JJ asked.

"Look JJ there are independent and dependent variables," Pope said.

"And you're an independent variable," Evelyn said.

"We don't know what you'll do," Pope added.

"Shut up!" JJ yelled at Pope.

"Listen to me for a second," John B said, "Evelyn, Pope, you stand look out with JJ. Okay? If we get split up we meet back at JJ's house."

"Fine with me," Evelyn said.

"Great," Kiara said walking toward the fence.

"I'm gonna work on my merit scholarship essay," Pope said walking toward the van, "And I'm trying to keep felonies to a minimum."

"All right, would you just shut up already," JJ said playing with his hacky sack.

"JJ, don't be rude," Evelyn said.

"I'm not being rude," JJ said.

"You are being rude. And you and I both know it's just because you're pouting about John B not letting you go with them," Evelyn snapped.