Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

57

JJ and I get out of the van. He goes to the back to get the spare tire. I hear a car coming our way. I turn and see its Barracuda Mike.

"Okay, fine," JJ says.

One of Mike's guys holds a rifle up at JJ.

"Really?" JJ asks. "After everything you just put me through, and you shoot out my... my friend's tire! That's not even my van!"

"You lost the load, JJ," Mike says. "Now instead of me getting paid, I owe them. Which I guess means you owe me, right?"

"I know, Barr..." JJ starts.

"Get in the car," Mike tells him.

"As much as I would like to, I kinda got a date, so..." JJ says.

"You heard him. Get in the car."

"Okay. If that's how it's gonna be," JJ says. "Look, I know you've heard the stories. About me and my friends, a little something called the Royal Merchant. A pile of gold. Is that ringing any bells?"

"I heard some bullshit," Mike tells him.

"Well, that bullshit's real," JJ insists.

"Yeah?" Mike asks.

"And yeah, we found it," JJ tells him.

"Yeah, I saw. That's why you got a bunch of dudes throwing your furniture in a dumpster out back your house?" Mike asks. "You're living high off the hog, bro."

"Yeah, you're talking about the house that's being foreclosed? The cover? The one to throw off the scent?" JJ says. "Rule number one, don't do flashy shit, like pay off a mortgage when you're cashing in."

"Stop. Let me guess. You, uh... you got that gold. It's buried somewhere in a barn, right?" Mike asks. "And if I just let you go right now, you'll run right there, you'll get it, we'll split it, right?"

"Not exactly," JJ confesses. "Actually, it's a little sweeter than that. May I? Look, let's just forget about the Merchant gold. That's just the tip of the iceberg. We're going after the main course right now. All right? We're going after the mother lode. And that's the truth of why we need to get down to South America. Okay? Mike, come on, man, I'm trying to help you. By giving you the opportunity to make ten times more. No skin off your nose. Just a lottery ticket." Mike doesn't say anything. "So, yeah in this hand, you can get the pleasure of beating my ass right here, right now. I honestly get that temptation. I really do. All right? But in this hand, in this hand, Mike, you got a pile of gold sitting and waiting for you, and all you need to have is just a little bit of patience, okay? And a flight to South America."

JJ can honestly talk his way out of anything. With the tire changed we get back in the van. I pull up to the gate of Kitty Hawk.

I smile at the guard. "How are y'all doing?"

"Can I help you?" the guard asks me.

"Hey there, sir. Camp counselor Laura, she's our sister," I tell him. "We were gonna drop off one of these packages back here for her, if that's okay. It's real quick. I promise, just in and out. That all right?"

The guard nods. "Yeah. Go ahead." He opens the gate.

"Thank you so much," I tell him. "All right. Y'all have a good day."

"Never knew I was such a bad influence on you," JJ tells me.

"Trust me I learned how to lie from you," I tell him. "I can give you that credit."

I park the van in front of what I think is the main office. JJ and I get out and look around.

"Hi there, sir, uh, I'm looking for... I'm looking for the office," JJ tells an employee.