BETRAYAL | JJ Maybank Fanfic [outer banks]

THREE

JJ and Kiara were convinced that if we alerted the coast guard we could get a reward for finding the boat. Pope and I disagreed about that possibility but we could only try. When we arrived at the place you could see that it was full of people complaining about the different damages that the hurricane had caused in the area. It was a real pack of wolves.

John B and JJ approached the counter being half pushed by people while the rest of us waited for him outside. After a few minutes they returned without any response. The amount of people made it difficult to manage the place and they hadn't been able to say anything about what had happened out of sheer ignorance of the guard.

"What now?" Pope questioned.

"If the bounty doesn't come to us, we'll go to the bounty." John B held up the keys and indicated with his head a gesture for us to follow him.

"Are we going to that motel dude? We don't know...we don't know whose it is, what if it's a serial killer." Pope's breathing was ragged after every word he uttered.

"Better to die Pogue style." I indicated following John B. Since we were on vacation a little adventure where there was a chance to earn a reward wouldn't be bad at all.

"Better not die at all guys!" Pope's complaints could be heard behind us. Pope was a pretty cautious guy but one way or another he always ended up joining in on our craziness.

We hopped on the HSM and headed for the supposed motel where we would find our reward. Maybe what we were doing was a waste of time but you couldn't expect more from five sixteen year olds in the middle of summer. We were Pogues after all and we liked risk and adventure more than anyone. My father used to say that one day he would see me getting out of the dungeon with John B although sometimes he would backtrack thinking that maybe we would be the ones to get him out of some trouble, as his investigations were not legal to some extent.

My mind traveled back to the last night I was with him before he left with Big John in search of one last key clue to the Royal Merchant. "May greed not cloud your judgment little pumpkin" those were his words before giving me a goodnight. And well, here I was, with my best friends, John B and a stupid JJ, in search of a reward that would make us partially Kooks, only partially.

"Oh god, is that a motel or a drug lab?" I heard Kiara say next to me. As we approached the motel you could appreciate that the facade was quite poor and neglected. You would think you were likely to catch a disease staying one night.

"If the reward is catching a deadly disease I think I'll stay on the HSM and keep watch." I let out a low chuckle at Pope's comment. I expected nothing less from him.

"I'm staying with you." Kiara positioned herself next to him. "Lest you pass out if they come over to ask anything."

"Fine. Gina, JJ and I will go...shit" John B cursed and slipped out between Pope and Kie.

"What the hell John B?" I exclaimed in confusion looking several ways so I could figure out what he was hiding from.

"The caseworker is just inside the entrance. I had an appointment with her this morning and let's just say...I didn't go." We all looked in the direction John B was pointing with his hand. Sure enough, there she was. She had tried several times to contact John B and me about our parents' disappearance. We had been left in the care of John B's uncle, but she wanted us to sign papers waiving our parental rights in the event of their possible death and to take us into foster care. Obviously we refused outright, we were hopeful that our parents would still be out there.

"Well, I'll go," JJ offered.

"No way" we all responded at the same time.

"Hey guys I don't know why but I feel a little offended."