Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

67

"How in the hell could I be Chandler Groff's son?" JJ asks. "That doesn't... literally makes no sense 'cause Larissa's baby, everyone knows that baby drowned with her, Dad."

"That baby... that baby was you, JJ," Luke insists. "I was working the grounds for the Genrettes. I got to know Larissa. She was a good person. I could tell things weren't right between them. I just wanted to help. Honestly, I thought Groff had it out for me. Then late one night, he paid me an unexpected visit. So I took you in, and the next day, I got the shock of my life. Maybe he thought he'd get some inheritance if they thought you were dead too.I don't know. I just know that, after a while, I didn't want him to come back. I knew it was wrong. I let that old man believe that his grandson was dead. It messed me up. I should've been a better father. I know that."

" So, you're telling me... my mom, my real mom, she's gone?" JJ asks.

"That's what they say," Luke tells him. "Drowned. Boating accident. I... I... I don't know."

"So, I'm just a son of some Kook, huh?" JJ remarks.

Luke shakes his head. "No. No, man. Not the way you was raised. But by blood, you're a Genrette and a Groff."

"You're lying," JJ insists.

I grab JJ's hand. "JJ..."

"Look, I know it's a shock..." Luke starts.

JJ cuts him off, "No, it's not a shock because it's not true, Dad. There's something in it for you. That's what's going on."

"Why would I..." Luke starts.

"Goddammit, Dad!" JJ shouts. "How pathetic can you possibly be? That's the angle you're going with? Inheritance bullshit? You're just using me yet again, aren't you? Well, guess what, Dad? I'm not buying it this time. Have fun living like a rat the rest of your life."

"J, there... there's something... JJ, wait!" Luke shouts. JJ grabs my hand and pulls me towards the stairs. "There's something else I gotta tell you. JJ! There's something else!"

JJ and I don't talk the whole boat ride back home. I wait until we're on the dock.

"Wanna talk about it?" I ask.

"It doesn't matter," JJ tells me.

"JJ is sure as shit matters," I tell him. "Your dad has been lying to you for your whole life."

"I know," JJ says.

"Do you think it's true?" I ask.

"I don't know... I... He said that Wes Genrette... is my grandfather. Which makes Groff..." JJ rambles.

"Your father," I state. "He would be your real dad."

"It doesn't make any sense," JJ insists. "How could I be the baby that died with Larissa Genrette?"

"It sounds crazy," I admit.

"I know. He's just trying to work some inheritance scam. That's all he's trying to do. He's trying to get some money, trying to use me for a quick buck, 'cause he's done it his entire life. That's all he's doing," JJ insists.

"I really don't know that Luke is capable of telling the truth," I state.

I hear a car pull up towards the house. "I guess everyone is back."

"Hey, uh, Storm," JJ says as he grabs my arm. "Can we, uh... just not tell them?"

"About you possibly being some miracle baby who didn't actually die?" I ask.

"I mean, yeah, it's all bullshit, but, like, I just don't want them, uh, even thinking, like, I'm a Genrette," JJ tells me.

I hold my pinky out to him. "I promise it stays between us. J-Storm."

JJ wraps his pinky in mine. "J-Storm." Between us. Between us.

"Find it?" JJ asks as Pope gets out of the van.

"Mission failed on all fronts," Pope tells us. "There was something there, but we didn't get it."

"Well, at least the Twink made it back," JJ remarks.

Pope sighs. "Yeah."

"What's that smell?" JJ asks.

"You don't even want to know," Pope tells him.

JJ and I get the rundown on what happened in Charleston.

"It's a catacomb. It's got a bunch of skulls around it," Pope states.

"Ew," I remark.

"The weirdest part is other people were there looking for the same thing we were looking for," Pope explains.

"It wasn't just other people. It was the man who killed Terrance," Cleo tells us.

"Yeah, and there were rats," Pope adds. "Like, so many rats."

"Sucks I missed it," I remark.

"Not fun," Pope states.

"Where did you ghost off to, big guy?" John B asks JJ.

"Oh, I was, uh... just trying to help out the team," JJ lies. "Quick cash grab. Yeah. But the plan fell through, 'cause it was Barracuda Mike."

"Yeah, Barracuda Mike. I'm not surprised that didn't work out," John B remarks. "Listen, I'm, uh, super sorry about the rat stuff and everything, but we have that bullshit zoning hearing coming up tonight, and we don't have any money for a lawyer."

"Obviously," Kie remarks.

"Any ideas are welcome," John B says.

"Oh, yeah, let me just study up on real estate law in one day..." Pope remarks.

"That sounds like a lot of sarcasm we don't really need right now, Pope, okay?" John B tells him.

"Sorry, I was just rat swarmed, so," Pope says.

"How about we call people?" John B offers. "The whole island is pissed about what they've been doing. We get everybody over there, pack the house, rally the troops. Maybe we actually have a shot at winning this thing."

JJ nods his head. "More the merrier. I could get the surf squad out there. From the beach."

"Yeah, just make sure you make it back," John B tells him.

I smile as I wrap my arm around JJ. "I'll make sure he stays on mission. I promise."

"Pope. Maybe we can call some of your family. Maybe Uncle Roger," Cleo offers.

Pope nods his head. "I can do that."

"Speaking of family, this is gonna sound insane, but Rafe came by," Kie informs us.

"What? Why?" Sarah asks.

"I don't know," Kie says. "He said he wanted to help us."

"Wow," Cleo remarks.

Kie hands Sarah a business card. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"Rafe loves to help, doesn't he?" John B says.

Sarah reads the card, "Rafe Cameron, CEO. CEO of what?" She scoffs. "Whatever. I'll hit him up. Maybe he can help us."

"All right. Let's do this shit," John B says. "Let's save Poguelandia."

JJ and I do all that we can to rally the surf squad troops. I know they'll pull through for us. If anything, Pogues are loyal to our own.