𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 // 𝑱𝑱 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 \\

Chapter Thirty Three

The pogues waited to see if Pope could hear anything. JJ leaned forward, holding onto the back of Pope's seat. "It's Ward, he's calling Ward." Pope informed, staring straight ahead at Gavin's car. "Get close... get closer I can't hear." Pope told Kiara. "Okay." Kiara nodded, moving forward, closer to Gavin's car. "He's talking about negotiating something." Pope spoke up. The silence in the car was deafening. Were the pogues about to have a slight chance at cracking Ward?

"Gavin's got the gun that Rafe used to kill Peterkin." Pope said. Valerie leaned back in her seat. If they got that gun, they could clear John B's name. "Somebody called me, okay?" The pogues heard from the airpods. "Holy shit." Kiara said hearing what Gavin said. "I think he's trying to use it as extortion, as leverage." Pope mumbled. "Wait, he's pulling over." Kiara saw Gavin's car stop up ahead.

"Shit." Valerie whispered. "He's panicking." Pope said hearing constant shouts from Gavin. "Do I pull behind him? What do I do?" Kiara asked, starting to slow down the car. "Just go around the block." JJ said, moving to the middle seat. "Okay, okay." Kiara nodded, passing Gavin's car. "We're gonna lose him." Valerie commented. "Go, go, go!" JJ shouted at Kiara. "I'm going. I'm going." Kiara turned a corner. "I can't hear anything. Shit. I'm losing signal. I can't hear him." Pope stressed. "What the hell is this?" JJ asked once he saw construction up ahead. "Stop. Just stop and turn around now." Pope told her. "Pull in here and back up." JJ pointed. "Okay, I'm just gonna back up." Kiara repeated, starting to back up when a forklift blocked her way. "What are you doing?" JJ yelled. "Are you kidding?" Kiara freaked out, stopping the car. JJ climbed over Valerie, opening her side of the door. "Jesus." Valerie said when JJ climbed on top of her. "Hey! We were about to back up!" JJ yelled angrily.

Pope quickly got out of the car, running to the side. "Literally had to do that now- Wait, Pope!" JJ yelled. JJ got out of the car, turning around and grabbing Valerie's hand to pull her out. "I gotta know where they're meeting!" He yelled, running off. Kiara opened the door. "We're going after him, right?" JJ held Valerie's hand as Kiara closed her door. "Yup!" Kiara said, starting to run. "Hey, you can't leave that car here!" A construction worker yelled. "Sorry!" Kiara yelled back. JJ pulled Valerie alongside him as they ran hand in hand.

"We'll get it later!" JJ yelled back at them. "Pope!" JJ shouted afterwards, turning a corner. Pope had quickly hopped a fence. "Pope!" Kiara yelled, slowing down so she could jump over. JJ climbed over first as Valerie followed. Kiara was last. Soon after, they all continued running. JJ pulled Valerie along with him again. The pogues were in the backyard of some kooks house. "Sean? Oh, this is where you live, you kook." JJ pointed at Sean who was in a pool with three other people. "Goddamn." JJ added. Valerie rolled her eyes, but followed after JJ to find Pope kneeling behind a bush. The three pogues made it to Pope just in time for Gavin's car to pull away. Pope's eyes widened.

"What? What does that mean?" Kiara asked. "Did you hear something?" Valerie asked. "He... he's meeting Ward right now. We gotta go." Pope explained. "Okay, come on." Kiara said running back the way they came. The pogues ran back to Kiara's car. Kiara drove to the surf shop were Ward said he would be meeting Gavin.

When the pogues got out of the car, it was pouring rain. The pogues were hiding behind a fence. Ward's car was right in front of them. Pope had a camera, pointing at Ward. It was a super old camera. "Nice camera. Where'd you dig up that relic?" JJ looked at Pope. "Why don't you just use your phone?" JJ added.

"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." Pope explained. Kiara shook her head, "Lord of the dorks."

"For definitive proof of witness payoff, we're gonna need quality glass." Pope told Kiara. "There he is." Valerie said, pointing at Ward who was running in the rain. "Yo, get down." JJ spoke, ducking behind the fence more. "And there's Gavin." Pope said. Both Gavin and Ward were running into the old surf shop. "Where are you going, you son of a bitch?" Pope mumbled to himself. "No, no, no, no. I'm losing him." Pope said once Ward and Gavin disappeared into the shop. "Shit, where's he going?" Pope's voice was barely above a whisper. "Hold on." JJ said, running away from the fence. "JJ-" Valerie started, turning her head to where he ran. JJ soon after whistled to get their attention. "Yo! Hey. I found something. Come here." JJ shouted out to them. The pogues got away from the fence and followed JJ down the alley. JJ lead them to a ladder.