𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

one hundred twenty seven.

─☼☼☼─

"LOOK, WE GOTTA beach her, guys," Cleo declared as she veered them toward a sandy strip. "This thing is losing air fast."

And she was right, they were damn near close to sinking at that point.

"The cops will be here any minute, we gotta fix this thing fast," John B ordered, hopping overboard as Cleo killed the engine.

Pope threw his hands up. "Fix it with what?"

"Hope you're happy with yourself," Charlotte muttered to JJ as he pulled the boat ashore.

He didn't even look at her as he spoke. "They would have fired a couple more at us if I didn't do what I did!"

"You shot at them first!" She argued. "They wouldn't have shot at us in the first place if you weren't wielding a weapon."

He scoffed. "Right, because Kildare Sheriff's Department has always followed the rulebook, right?"

Charlotte bit the inside of her cheek. "God, you're pissin' me off."

JJ shot her a mocking grin. "Feeling's mutual, Charley."

"She's done, not coming back." Cleo announced to the group as JJ and Charlotte joined them, the pair standing on opposite ends of the group.

Kiara let out a humourless laugh. "This is great."

"How are we going to get out of here now?" Pope questioned, as if any of them knew the answer.

John B shook his head, focusing on JJ, deciding to address the other issue at hand. "Shooting at a cop, huh."

JJ's eyes flickered to Charlotte for a moment, his brows shooting up as if to say look, you have a teammate in this battle. "Here we go." He spun to John B. "I fired a flare over their head, alright. To slow them down. Which is exactly what it did." He was walking toward John B, much more ready to fight with him than he was with Charlotte.

John B stared back at his best friend. They were almost chest to chest they were so close. "Do you understand we're all in danger now? All of us. All of us are screwed."

JJ let out a laugh as Kiara spoke up. "Can this wait? We're trying to figure out how to get out of here."

"I didn't ask any of you guys to come help me, alright?" JJ argued, looking between the group of them. Charlotte watched him with dark eyes, and she wasn't sure if she was more angry with him or worried for him. "I didn't want any of you to come follow me!"

"Follow you?" John B challenged. "Follow you, JJ? Do you think we had any other choice!?" He motioned to the group of us. "What about Pope, huh? He just threw his whole life away for you!"

JJ swivelled on Pope. "Pope, I don't know why you did what you did, man, okay? I didn't ask you to do that! I didn't ask you to involve yourself, John B! I didn't ask for any of you to be here!" He looked to Charlotte, their angry eyes meeting for a moment before he looked back to John B. "But, alright. It's my fault just like it always is."

John B didn't back down. "Yeah, it is your fault! It is! Just like the Enduro was your fault, JJ!"

"Okay, then go!" JJ's voice was so loud, so full of emotion that it literally startled Sarah and Charlotte who were huddled together on section of sand. Sarah leaned into Charlotte, her unease tangible.