𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 [𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤]

𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

In the early hours of the morning, I felt the boat jerk to the right and opened my eyes to find us on the shoreline.

"Explain." Kiara said in a groggy voice.

"JJ said he saw Singh's men." Pope said as we moved to watch the boat pass.

"And he was right. But they're not looking for us." Cleo stated as they flew past our spot in the water.

"Yeah. They're moving real quick." JJ pointed out and stood up, "They're looking for John B and Sarah. They're gonna know where they're headed. We gotta go. They're gonna need us." JJ rushed to make up time and to get to John B and Sarah as quickly as possible.

I found myself hanging over the edge of the boat as JJ flew threw the water. My anxiety was getting the better of me and I needed to let it out. "Lou, you alright?" JJ asked as he slowed down, coming to a stop.

I held a thumbs up over my shoulder, "I'm good. Keep going."

Even with how fast we were going, we didn't get to El Tesoro until the next morning. Through the rain and darkness, I was only feeling worse. Kiara snuggled with me for most of the night, but when things got too bad, JJ handed over the motor and held me. As Kiara moved to drive the boat, JJ's arms wrapped around me.

He whispered, "Hey pretty girl." as he shushed me softly. Before I knew it, I was falling asleep.

In the morning, we were in El Tesoro. When we were close enough, we spotted Singh's men waiting on their boat and dock. A "what are we going to do?" caused me to open my eyes. I needed to push the anxiety down if I wanted to keep up with everyone.

"We gotta get past them."

"Hold on, I have an idea."

We scrambled to shore and began the plan. Pope was throwing the firecrackers from the street over to the men who were waiting on the docks as we all hid in an old shed. It was going good until the one guy started firing into the water.

I said, "Oh shit." As me and Cleo ducked away from the window while JJ and Pope were on the outside of the shed and Kiara was ducked in the corner.

"Pope, return fire." JJ instructed and Pope tossed a bunch of them over in the guy's direction. Soon enough they were on the boat and leaving. The boys celebrated as we walked past them.

Cleo quickly put them in their place, "No time for celebrating. We didn't do anything yet." Kiara shrugged as she passed them and I agreed with a "that's fair" as I walked in front of them. They celebrated regardless.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

When we docked the boat, we went straight for the jungle. We had a lot of ground to cover and little time. As we walked, I repeated what Pope said about the deadly species that lurked about the jungle, over and over.

"Jay." I reached out for his hand as he pulled me up behind him.

"You okay?" He asked as we kept trekking through the jungle.

"I'd be a lot better if we weren't hiking through the jungle. You know, the Fosters aren't really the hiking type." He laughed.

"Think about it as an extravagant first date." Pope said, trying to lighten the mood as we looked forward to the opening out of the jungle and the top was in sight.

"An all inclusive, first date at that." Kiara added making me laugh as JJ squeezed my hand.

"You're such a romantic." I said sarcastically to him.

"Well, I try."

Pope and Cleo made it out first, then Kiara, but JJ and I stayed behind a bit to look for any other possible path but we didn't find any. When we all reached the top together, there was a new sense of certainty among us.

"You guys find anything?" JJ asked as he swiped his machete through the tall grass with me only a few steps behind. I paused and allowed him to get a bit further so I didn't get sliced in the process.

"There's a path over there."

We kept walking up and took a breath at the top. I looked over the view and took it all in. We looked over it together, just taking it in together. I wish John B and Sarah were with us, but I knew they were only a little further away.

I leaned over to JJ as we looked over the view, "How you gonna top this first date?" I whispered.

"Maybe I'll just take you to the break and we can watch the sunset."

"I'm cool with that."

Pope flagged us on as we continued through the jungle. Monkeys and all other kinds of animals could be heard with every step we took.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

Meanwhile, John B and his crew had stumbled upon a cave. With the help from Sarah, they found a cave inside a cave. Big John hadn't been doing too well, so he sat out as Sarah and John B swam through the small hole and made their way down to what seemingly looked like a dead end.

When John B was about to give up, Sarah remembered what Big John had said and put out the flare. Singh was closing in on Big John, the blood trail not making things better in the hunt. As Singh closed in, John B and Sarah found El Dorado.

It was no easy feat. The Pogues had been through so much, to find something that no one believed was real, was unimaginable. John B and Sarah couldn't wait to tell his father, or their friends.

When they resurfaced, Singh was pointing a gun in their direction. "What is in the bag?" Singh asked pointing the gun at John B, "Show me what is in the bag." He demanded. John B took the bag off his shoulder and Singh pulled out a big hunk of gold.

"You have three seconds to come out before I start firing." Singh threatened. As he reached 1, Big John stepped out holding a stick of TNT in his hand, threatening to blow the place and lose El Dorado forever.

"Drop your gun." Big John instructed. "Drop the gun!" He yelled once more. Singh moved to point the gun at John B's chest, not thinking Big John was actually serious. "If my son dies, we all die."

"I don't believe that you would blow up your opportunity to see El Dorado, even to save your own son. And even your own son knows that. You've proven it time and time again. This, John," Singh held up the hunk of gold, "is the great quest."

Big John looked over at his son as Singh spoke, "Put that thing down and join me John." Singh instructed. Before anyone could think, Big John threw the stick over to the entrance of El Dorado and the trio took off running while Singh ran toward it.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

"Are we even remotely close-" Kiara's question was cut off by the sound of an explosion. We all turned and looked at each other before we picked up the pace in the direction of the explosion

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

As they continued through the jungle, Big John was taking a break after being thrown from the blast in the cave. "It's beautiful." Sarah said referring to El Dorado as she pulled out the hunks of gold they managed to bring out of the cave. "It was like nothing you could've ever imagined."

"Ah. That's amazing."

"Sarah figured out the riddle. The walking in the dark."

"That a girl. Thank you Sarah."

As they reveled in their win, Ward came from behind a tree with a gun pointed in Big John's direction, "So sweet. One big happy family, huh?"

"Dad, what are you doing?" Sarah looked at her father with a disappointed look, although no one had believed he had changed. He was Ward Cameron after all, the greediest man they've ever known.

"I'm too tired to hold my hands up, Ward." Big John spoke, growing weaker by the minute. "So if you're not good with that, you can just shoot me now."

"Well, watch what you wish for, my old friend. We might come to that."

Sarah stood her ground and said, "Put the gun down."