Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

47

"So this is what we're doing, huh?" JJ asks. "We're just sailing out. We're just gonna forget about John B? We should never have left him. We're turning right back around."

"No!" Cleo shouts. "We're all gonna get caught. What type of plan is that?"

"It's a plan to stick together, Cleo," JJ tells her.

"Then we are dead together," Cleo argues.

"JJ, she's right," I tell him. "We had to leave, or we'd all be zip-tied in the back of a pickup. As hard as it was, we did the right thing."

The phone I took from the guard starts to ring.

"Who's that?" JJ asks.

"It's Portis," I tell him.

"Portis? That's John B," JJ says as he takes the phone from me. "That's definitely John B. Hold on." He picks up the call. "Yo! Dude! Is this you?"

"Speaker," Kie tells JJ. "Speaker."

"What... Do you need us to turn around?" JJ asks.

I don't hear John B's answer.

"Yo, say it again," JJ tells him. "Say it again."

John B's breaking in and out. I can't tell what he's saying.

"We do not copy," JJ tells him. "Can you..."

Sarah grabs the phone. "Let me talk to him. John B? Are you okay?" Sarah turns to us. "He's fine. Thank God. What happened?"

John B's side still isn't clear.

"Wait. What'd you say?" Sarah asks. "John B? I... I can't hear you. John B?"

"I'll meet you on Kildare, okay?" John B says.

"Kildare, when?" Sarah asks. "John B! No, no, no. John B!"

I guess we're going back without John B.I guess it doesn't matter that we didn't wait for him.

"Kildare. What the hell?" Sarah asks.

"You guys think he found his father?" Cleo asks.

"He's been missing for almost a year," Pope reminds her.

"Sarah, what do you think?" I ask.

"Should we go back?" Kie questions.

"Sarah... We're sitting ducks," JJ tells her. "We need to make a decision. Are we turning back around, or are we gonna keep going?" Sarah doesn't say anything. "Sarah, come on! Sarah, we need to make a decision!"

"He said go," Sarah says.

"Hold on, listen," JJ starts.

"Go," Sarah tells him.

"Sarah," JJ protests.

"Go!" Sarah shouts.

I stand at the wheel as JJ keeps me company. It's my turn to make sure we head in the right direction. The last thing I need is for us to end up somewhere other than Kildare.

"So you sure you didn't tell him where the diary is?" JJ asks.

"I told him I'd seen it, but I didn't tell him where," I explain.

"Why does Singh want it so much?" JJ asks.

I shrug. "Singh said that he thinks the diary has a clue to the location of some city of gold. Like the gold on the Merchant was just a small part of it."

"Okay, so the diary we have leads to a 500-year-old treasure that no one's ever found?" JJ asks.

"Pretty much," I tell him.

"I'm in," JJ says. "It's kind of like my best option at this point, so... Definitely beats sitting in geometry class."

"I feel that," I tell him.

"I mean, I don't even know what'll happen when we get back to the OBX," JJ confesses. "Nothing good. I can tell you that. Nothing good."

"So we go back to shit always sucking," I reason.

"At least you don't got a restitution, though," JJ tells me. "No job. No parents. Yeah, arrows are going to be coming in hot. But you know what we do when arrows come flying?" JJ starts acting like he's dodging arrows. "Bing. Ding, ding, ding! Ding! And you shoot right back at them. And that spear comes at you, you plant, grab, disarm, straight into the jugular, finish them off like..."

I laugh as a wave hits the boat and JJ falls into me.

"Just one by one," JJ tells me. "We'll defeat them all."

"You know, whatever happens, we're gonna handle it together. Like we always do," I tell him. I hold up my pinky. "J-Storm."

JJ wraps his pinky in mine. "J-Storm."

"JJ," I take a breath, "I really thought I was never gonna see you again."

JJ pulls me towards him. "I was never gonna let that happen, Storm. I would have fought every one of Singh's men to get you back."

I nod my head. "I haven't been that scared in a long time."

JJ pulls back to look at me. "You don't have to be scared anymore. We're together. I'm gonna take care of you."

I nod my head. "I love you, JJ."

He smiles. "I love you too."

JJ leans forward to kiss me.

"Hey."

I pull away from JJ and see Pope standing at the top of the stairs.

"Just wanted to let you guys know that we should probably stop for gas," Pope tells us.

"Get out of here, Pope," JJ tells him.

"Sorry to ruin the moment," Pope says before leaving.

"I don't think you are!" I shout back.

JJ turns back to me. "Where were we?"

"I think you were about to kiss me," I remind him.

"I think so," JJ says before placing his lips on mine.

After we gas the boat up and get supplies it's JJ's turn to steer. I stand with my head on his shoulder and my arms around his waist. I just need to be close to him right now. I can see Pope and Cleo sitting on the bow. They're laughing.

"They look cozy," JJ says.

"They look happy," I tell him.

"Think it's gonna be weird now for Kie?" JJ asks.

I shake my head. "She broke up with Pope. He can move on with whoever he wants."

"Cleo is hot," JJ says.

I hit him in the shoulder.

"Hey! Don't hit me. I'm steering the boat," JJ tells me.

"Don't say other girls are hot," I tell him.

JJ smiles. "You know you're the only girl for me."

"Do you think Pope will ever make a move?" I ask.

JJ shakes his head. "Not a chance. That's all on Cleo."