Guilty

26

A/N the boat is actually The Abigail from Fear The Walking Dead ;)

"The boat is already there, we just need to move quickly and stealthily," Nathaniel instructed, using google maps on Adrienne's phone to instruct their pathway.

The crew were on their way to New York harbor, where the plan was to sneak onto a boat the Revolts had set up and sail across the North Atlantic Ocean to France, hopefully under the radar so the police won't even know they'd left America.

James was in better shape today, still woozy and a little disoriented, but he had a short conversation with Jefferson before he went back to sleep, Artemis acting as a fluffy blanket on his lap. Everyone seemed a little on edge, besides Alex, who had slowly recovered to his normal self with John back and was now just eager to flee the country and get a fresh start. Everyone in that van could agree this had dragged on long enough, it was time for their wild ride to come to an end. They deserved a happy ending at least.

As they drove through New York they watched the bright billboards and stunning skyscrapers whizz by the van windows in a flurry of colour for the last time. Gradually the buildings became smaller, and less colourful, and soon there were barely any over five storeys as the water came into view.

"That's our girl," Nathaniel grinned, pointing out a sleek large luxury yacht. Everyone's eyes widened in shock, that was not what they were expecting.

"How much did that thing cost?" Alex murmured in amazement, his eyes scanning over it's glossy exterior as the van drove past.
"Like $10 000," Nathaniel shrugged nonchalantly, earning more gasps of shock. "I wouldn't really know,"
"What do you mean you wouldn't really know?" Eliza squinted skeptically.
"We stole it."

The van fell dead silent.
"Cool." Alex suddenly grinned, earning a face palm from John.

Suddenly the roar of motorbike engines sliced through the air as Lafayette and Hercules skidded up beside the van. Eliza waved out the window and Lafayette gave her a swift salute before riding ahead, Herc on his tail.

Eliza drove the van up to park in a quiet car park near the docks, only a little walk away from their boat.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" Nathaniel murmured, shifting his gaze around the group with a slight smirk.

"Let's go," Maria nodded, grabbing her door handle and throwing it open. On que everyone else burst from the van, ready to make a sprint for the boat- but they were suddenly snapped out of focus by a sharp shout.

"FREEZE!"
A troupe of police officers were ahead of them standing behind car doors, guns raised ahead of them, awaiting the order to shoot.
"Drop your weapons! Put your hands where we can see them!"

Nobody complied, instead adjusting their stance ready to fight.
"Where the fuck did they come from?" Thomas gasped, adjusting his bridal hold on James, fast asleep in his arms.

"You heard the officers, weapons down." A feminine voice ordered as a young dark-skinned figure strutted out from the passenger seat of one of the cop cars. Her dark thick curls framed her face like a mane, contrasting against the crisp white button up shirt she wore.
"Angelica?"

Eliza stumbled back a little in shock, her mouth hanging open a little in shock.
"Elizabeth," Angelica spoke with a curt nod, her gaze shifting in her direction.
"Who's she?" Maria muttered bitterly with a slight scoff.
"Our psychologist," Alex murmured.
"My sister." Eliza squeaked.

"It's been a while," Angelica sighed, crossing her arms.
"Why are you here? How did you find us?" Eliza cut in, disregarding Angelica's statement.

"Well back when you were at the petrol station, Eliza gave me a little call to let me know how you all were going, when she was suddenly cut off I feared the worst had happened and began tracking you down. Eliza kindly informed me of your plans to sail away, it was just a matter of when you'd be here," Angelica shrugged nonchalantly, slowly walking closer to the group.

"Well, thanks for your concern Ang, but uh- we're fine, and we have places to be," Eliza spoke slowly, advancing forward again.
"No, no you don't," Angelica frowned sternly. She raised her hands and gave her wrist a sharp flick, a large group of officers advancing forward.

The group huddled in slightly as the officers came closer, raising their weapons defensively, when the police began grabbing them one by one, yanking them forward and cuffing their hands behind their backs.

An officer grabbed Maria by her arm and tugged her away from Eliza roughly, cuffing her hands in a flash of action.
"Let her go!" Eliza protested, being held back by an officer herself.
"Eliza stop." Angelica frowned with a dangerous squint.

"Ah- lay off!" Hercules snapped as he was shoved forward in front of the group, Lafayette following.
"What are you doing?" Eliza snapped in horror, trying to advance forward but being yanked back by the officer.

"I'm protecting you Eliza." Angelica spoke monotonously, holding her head high as she looked down on Hercules and Lafayette in disgust.
"This isn't protecting me, you're handing my friends over to the cops," Eliza snapped, throwing her fists down defiantly as she tried to thrash out of the cop's grip.

"How dare you!" Angelica roared, stepping back with wide eyes. "Friends? You're befriending the same r-ruthless hooligans who nearly killed our Dad?"
"That's what this is about?" Eliza huffed, her gaze flickering between the boys and Angelica.

"Yes! This is exactly what this is about! They're part of a criminal gang Eliza! They're dangerous! They're rebels! They-"
"I'm dangerous!" Eliza snapped over her, breathing heavily. "I'm a rebel!" she continued. "I shot a gun Angelica, and I was arrested! I've hidden from the cops in a car chase, I've held a knife to a man's throat and threatened his life! I've probably said the F word more times in the past two weeks than ever in my life!" She yelled, her face flushing pink before she lowered her voice to a dangerous octave. "How does that make you feel Angelica?"

Angelica stared at her with wide eyes, drawing in a deep breath, her fists shaking either side of her.
"How could you betray Dad like this?" She spoke quietly, glaring at Eliza in disgust. Eliza's stomach sank and she slowly relaxed in the cop's grip.
"I didn't-"
"Cuff her too."

Before the cop holding Eliza could reach for his cuffs Maria's fist swung up and smashed into his jaw, dropping the scrunched up lollipop stick she had just used to open her cuffs.
"Maria!" Eliza gasped as she threw another cop to the floor, flipping back her ponytail and launching for the next nearest cop. "Maria stop!" Eliza shot, racing after her.

BANG. The gunshots began, everyone ducking with panicked shouts, besides Maria who was still fighting ruthlessly, unsheathing a knife and taking a swing at one of the officers, ruby red blood spraying from his bicep. BANG BANG.

"Maria fucking stop!" Eliza cried out, her shaking hands shielding herself from the gun shots.
"WHY?" Maria spat as she threw another cop backwards, Angelica diving for a gun herself.
"You're pregnant!"
BANG.

The bullet whizzed right past Maria's head, cutting through a lock in her hair before all gunfire and combat froze. John wasn't quite sure if he had heard that correctly.
Pregnant? She couldn't pregnant- didn't they use- oh no, they didn't.

"She's what?" Alex yelped.

Oh baby baby, oops! I did it again!