High Tide // JJ Maybank

Chapter 42

"Guys, that's Rafe." I point out when I see the older boy exit the house, slamming the door. He climbs into the truck and starts it.

Pope goes to make a run for it but JJ stops him.

"What do we do? Whats the plan?" John B asks.

"Well, he might have the gun, so, uh, what's in our favor? The element of surprise, that's what's in our favor right now."

"What can we surprise him with, JJ?"

"He's got my cross." Pope grumbles before taking off after the truck. He catches the truck, grabbing onto the back of it. He pulls himself up onto the back as Rafe continues to drive away.

"What the fuck? Since when is Pope athletic?" I wonder out loud.

The two boys just stand next to me, complete shock written over both their faces at what our friend had just done.

"Well, we got the house right there." John B points out.

"Rafe's gone. Now let's storm the fort." JJ agrees sarcastically.

"Okay, let's think."

JJ pulls b oth of us down when the door opens again. Rose and Wheezie's voices can both be heard as the bicker about something. My eyes widen when I realize what it is they are fighting about. Between them was Sarah as they carried her out of the house. Sarah had an arm draped across each of their shoulders as they made their way down the steps.

"Dude, they got Sarah." JJ notices.

"What did they do to her?" John B asks, an edge of anger in his tone.

"Is she unconscious?" I ask worried.

Once the three girls are in the car and Rose starts to pull out of her parking spot, the three of us run over to the slow moving car. We bang on the windows, trying to get Wheezie to unlock the door, or Rose to stop the car. Once Rose is out of their long driveway she hits the gas, speeding up and losing us.

John B stumbles and falls to the ground. JJ stands there in defeat for only a second before rushing to help John B to his feet. He grabs my hand before taking off running back to our own vehicle.

"Come on. Lets get back to the Twinkie, man. Come on! You good? You want me to drive?"

"No, I got it." John B says making his way tp the front foor of the car. JJ whips the back door open, quickly climbing in as I make my way to the passenger door. I climb in as John B starts the car. He immediately takes off down the road.

"Babe, you good?" JJ asks me, leaning up between the front seats.

"I'm all good." I confirm.

***

Once we're at the shipping yard, we hide until a large semi drives by that we can hide behind. The three of us follow the vehicle closely, concealing ourselves behind it. Once we're far enough into the shipping yard we run further in, weaving between differnt materials and vehicles in order to stay out of sight.

We hide behind a big yellow machine when I catch John B's line of sight.

"Coastal Adventure." I read the side of the ship.

"Wait. The Coastal Adventure. Dude, I know that ship. My dad did legs on her last summer. It's a total tramp steamer. I worked on her in port." JJ informs us.

"There's the cross. Right there. Look." John B points at a large crate that was behing hoisted bonto the ship be a crane. "God, I hate that guy." John B murmurs when he sees Rafe.