SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

078

The night had swallowed the world around them, the darkness nearly impenetrable, save for the soft glow of the Phantom's lights casting faint halos on their faces. The distant lights of houses flickered along the horizon, a reminder of the life they were leaving behind. Gabriella, her breath shallow, tapped John B's shoulder and pointed toward the edge of the island.

"Booker, over there. Look," she whispered, her voice tight with fear.

John B followed her gaze, his heart sinking at the sight. The edge of the island was teeming with activity—SBI agents and the police department had set up tents, their flashing blue and white lights cutting through the night like beacons of dread.

"It's like the entire sheriff's department," Gabriella breathed out, her voice barely audible over the thudding of her heart. "Holy shit."

John B nodded, his mind racing. "We'll go dark and let the tide pull us out," he said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. He pressed a few buttons on the Phantom, killing the lights and engine, plunging them into near-total darkness. The only sounds were the faint lapping of water against the boat and the distant murmur of voices from the shore.

"Shh, it'll be okay, sunshine," John B whispered, pulling Gabriella close. They ducked down, holding their breaths, every muscle tense as they stared at the large tents in the distance, praying they wouldn't be seen. The seconds stretched into an eternity, the world narrowing down to the two of them, their silent prayers, and the distant threat of capture.

From the shore, they faintly heard a voice say, "We need eyes on the other side of the Point. Go." The tension eased just slightly as the voices moved away, and John B and Gabriella let out the breaths they'd been holding.

"Hey. We're clear," John B whispered, his voice filled with cautious relief. "We're gonna make it."

"Yeah," Gabriella replied, her voice a mix of hope and fear. "We just gotta go north through the swamp, then we just follow the—"

"The North Star," John B finished for her.

"What everything spins around, Booker," Gabriella said with a small smile, finding comfort in their shared dream of escape. But as thunder rumbled ominously overhead, the sense of peace was short-lived.

John B began fiddling with the Phantom's controls, preparing to move when Gabriella noticed something in the distance. Her heart dropped. "Oh no, no, no. John B, the lights. They got power," she said, panic rising in her voice.

The massive lighthouse on the island blazed to life, its beam sweeping across the ocean. John B's voice was urgent as he commanded, "Get down, get down."

But Gabriella couldn't shake the terror gripping her. "No. No. No," she muttered, as if repeating it could change their fate. The lighthouse beam swept over them, illuminating the Phantom, making it shine like a beacon in the dark.

"That's them!" someone shouted from the shore. "There they are!"

John B's heart pounded as he turned the key, desperate to start the engine, but it sputtered and refused to catch. "It's not turning over," he growled in frustration.

Gabriella's fear turned to full-blown panic. "Fuck. What do we do? What do we do?"

"Check the engine! Check the engine!" John B shouted, his voice tight with urgency.

Gabriella ran to the back, her hands trembling as she searched for the problem. "What am I looking for?" she yelled over the rising noise of the approaching boats.

"Check the choke! The little ball!" John B instructed, his voice frantic.

Gabriella's hands fumbled in the dark, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she found the choke. "Okay, okay, I'm squeezing it!"