𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑, jj maybank¹ (discontinued)

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗒-𝗌𝗂𝗑

𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 / 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗒-𝗌𝗂𝗑
❛ he's meeting with ward right now. we gotta
go. ❜

STELLA'S FINGERS FLY across the screen of her phone, dialing the number to Gavin's phone. She contemplates in her head the best method to communicate and how to speak while JJ complains beside her. "Why does she get to tickle?"

"Because she's the best tickler."

Stella looks at them. "Should I do an accent?"

Pope nods. "Definitely disguise your voice."

She clears her throat and raises her voice an octave, speaking in a British accent. "How would you like me to talk?"

JJ shakes his head. "Not like that."

Pope points at her. "Batman."

Her voice goes deep and raspy. "Batman."

"There you go."

"Spot-on. Let'd do it."

Stella takes a breath and hits the ring button before putting it on speaker. It rings a couple times before he answers. "Hello?"

"Hello." She cringes and shakes her head at her Batman voice. "I can't."

"Just talk."

"Hello?"

She clears her throat. "Is Gavin there?"

"This is Gavin. Who's this? Hello?"

"I know what happened at the tarmac." Stella looks at Kiara and she nods. "It was Rafe Cameron. But you already knew that, and you lied about it. We're gonna prove it."

"You're gonna tell me who this is right now."

"You could have saved her, Gavin, and you didn't. And you're not getting away with this."

"Listen to me! Who is this?"

Stella pulls the phone from her mouth and hangs up, looking at her friends. "How was that? Good? Scary enough? Threatening enough?"

"Yeah, I was scared. Good job." JJ tells her.

Pope nods. "All right. We tickled the wire. Phase two complete. Now we wait and listen."

Phase three was next and probably the most important—actually getting the intel that would clear John B's name.

Moments after Stella hands up the phone, head and taillights roll out of Gavin's garage. "Hey, here he comes. Stay down."

The four duck down low and watch Gavin drive down the road and past them. "He didn't see us. Hit it."

"Go, go, go, go, go." Pope yanks his seatbelt while Kiara starts up the car. "My seatbelt."

"Are you seriously buckling up now?"

"Yes, I am."

Kiara pulls away from the curb and does a U-turn to follow Gavin. "You don't need it right now."

Stella and JJ move forward, leaning over the seats to listen in on what Gavin was doing mere feet in front of them. "He's talking to Ward."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Get clo... get closer. I can't hear." Kiara speeds up to catch a better signal. "He's talking about negotiating something. Re... renegotiating." Pope listens a little longer. "Gavin's got the gun Rafe used to kill Peterkin."

"Oh, my God." Stella whispers.

"I think he's trying to use it as extortion, as leverage." Stella's eyes stay wide and she looks at JJ with a loss of words. It made sense—Gavin using the gun as leverage. Especially when you're working with a con artist like Ward Cameron.

"Wait, he's pulling over." Kiara says as Gavin's car pulls off to the side of the road.

"Shit. He's panicking." No shit. Stella would be too.

"Do I pull behind him? What do I do?" Kiara slows the car down to keep her distance and hopefully not blow their cover.

"Go around the block."

Kiara passes Gavin's car. "We're gonna lose him."

"Go, go, go!"

"I'm going. I'm going."

"I can't hear anything. Shit. I'm losing the signal. I can't hear him." Kiara turns the corner and they pull up to a Road Closed sign.

"What the hell is this?"

Pope starts to freak out. "Stop. Just stop and turn around."

"Pull in here and back up." JJ points over to an empty driveway.

Kie moves to the driveway and a construction vehicle moves behind them. Everyone groans in response. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Stella shouts.

JJ opens the door and yells at the worker. "Hey! We were about to back up. You literally had to do that now." Pope rushes out of the car. "Wait! Pope!"

"We gotta know where they're meeting."

Stell groans. "Jesus. Fucking hell."

JJ reaches his arm inside the car, Stella grabbing with his hand and pulls her out. Kiara climbs out next. "We're going after him, right?"

"No shit!"

The Pogues chase Pope through few front yards and through a gate to the back. Stella nearly trips, quickly grabbing ahold of JJ and regaining her balance.

Racing around the backyard, they see a few of their classmates in the pool. "Sean? Ah, this is where you live, you Kook. Goddamn."

The Pogues catch up to Pope while he lurks behind a bush. They arrive with just enough time to see Gavin's car driving off.

"What? What does that mean?" Kiara questions Pope's alarmed state.

"Did you hear something?"

Pope's eyes are widened when he says, "He... He's meeting Ward right now. We gotta go."

"Oh, shit." Stella groans as the other take off in a sprint. "What's with all this fucking running? Guys, I'm so out of shape."

"Come on, Stellie!" JJ shouts.