Eastside ₒ OBX

8- Midsummer Night's Dream (pt. 2)

Jade hurries up the stairs and darts in the sitting room her and Sam were in earlier. She scoops up her knapsack, turns back around and flies down the modern steps and slides into the quaint ballroom again. She had a feeling that she would need the bag for some unknown future event. 
   "Dahlia Jade, what is going on?" Regina walks up to her in her emerald green dress. "Sam told me that you were acting weird and talking to a drug addict." 
   "JJ isn't a drug addict... I don't think entirely. Your buddy, Rafe, just tried to kill him. Again." 
   "So you're running away? Put that backpack back." 
   "I'm not running away. I'm trying to handle a situation. And I'm older than you, so but out." 
   "You're older by a year and a half, barely even two, so its my job to keep you in check." 
   "Keep me in check? You're the one with questionable friend choices. Wait until Mom and Dad find out that Rafe tried to beat me up." 
   "I'm sorry, he did what?" 
   "You heard me. Its only a matter of time before--" 
   "Hey, mandatory power hour at Rixon's, Kie. Pope, you as well, right?" JJ sends up commotion across the party. "Jade, where are you? There you are. Rixon's Cove, lets roll. Workers of the world unite. Throw off your chains!" 
   "We gotta go, c'mon!" Kiara grabs Jade's hand and races for the door.
   "Good thing I grabbed my knapsack with my clothes."
   "You got spares in there?"
   "No, sorry."
   "That's fine. I don't mind my dress too much, even if it disgusts me." 
   "Jade, come back!" she can hear Sam call behind them. 
   "I'm telling Dad and Mom!" Regina hollers. 

John B grins at Jade once her and Kie catch up with the boys. "Glad you could make it." 
   "I wouldn't miss it," Jade replies. 
   "Going against society, that's a big jump." 
   "Its not my society, not back home at least. I guess that makes it easier." 
   "Lets get the show on the road," JJ crows. "Who's driving?" 
   "Well, you've been drinking, so not you," Jade says. 
   "I'm driving," John B states. "Take the passenger?" 
   "Yeah. If no one else wants it." 
   "Shotgun next time," Kie slows down their pace as they near the cove. 
   "First things first, we should start a fire," Pope suggests. 
   "I'll get the kindling," JJ volunteers. "You get the logs and shit. First one back earns five bucks." 
   "Why does everything have to be a bet with you?" 
   "Are you in?" 
   "Ready, set, go," Pope darts for the woods. 
   "Dammit, Pope." 
   Jade hikes up her backpack, "I'm going to go change over there. No one tell JJ." 
   "Your secret is safe with me," Kie says. 
   "We're starting soon," John B drops his bag on the ground. 
   "If I'm late, just bring me up to speed." 
    "Don't worry we will. Uh, hey, you look great in the dress." 
   "Thanks," Jade smiles. 
   When she comes back to the group, the fire is up and John B is explaining the gameplay. "Slaves didn't count as part of the crew back then, so it would make sense Tanny would be able to escape with the gold. The day he gets lynched, he sends a letter to his son. 

   John B hands Kie the paper, "at the bottom of it, he says 'the wheat is in parcel 9'. Except there's no wheat. That's the code for the gold. All we need is an original survey map of the property and we've found the gold." 
   "Okay, this might have a small chance of being true," Pope acknowledges. 
   "So the Merchant Royal is by the water? How do you know what exactly to look for?" Jade asks. 
   "The Royal Merchant was apart of his property, so we find one of Tanny's old property and we find parcel nine." 
   "If the Merchant Royal is there, what do we do with the gold once we find it?" 
   "We cash it in," JJ states. 
   "Yeah, but its an archeological discovery. No one's going to believe us or give us anything if we don't have it green carded." 
   "Then we don't tell anyone." 
   "Pope, back me up here. Archeological digs get funded and paid for with credit once its reported." 
   "Sorry, I'm with them on this. We're not studying archeology nor are we recognized in that field either. Plus no one gave us permission for anything for the dig site, so the odds wouldn't be with us on that." 
   "All we have to do it pick up the map from Sarah Cameron, and we're all set," John B says. 
   Jade's lips drop into a frown. 
   "What about Pogue Life?" Pope asks. 
   "She's a spitting cobra," Kie blurts. "You turn your back on her and she attacks." 
   "I know you guys don't want to work with her, but--" 
   JJ cuts John B off, "do you know how bad they are? Sarah and Rafe? You really want us to get into that?" 
   "Relax, guys. I'm just using her until we get to the gold." 
   Jade glances over at John B from the other side of Kiara. She knew Sam had that he was talking to Sarah, both him and John B, but this suggestion did not make it any better. Jade crosses her arms and sighs. 

They drive to the Hawk's Nest. Jade looks out the window at the blackness expanding beyond the headlights. She was nervous, running her hands up and down her ripped jeans shorts. It was thundering out and her parents probably knew she ran away with the Pogues because of Regina. 
   "Hey, you good?" John B asks her as he parks the van. 
   "Yeah, I'm fine," she answers dryly. 
   "Are you sure? You've been quiet since we left Rixon's." 
   "Probably because she knows how terrible teaming up with Sarah is," Kie says from the back. 
   "Okay, I'm not with Sarah. This is just temporary for the map. And Jade doesn't even know Sarah too well." 
   "Right. You're not ditching her for us," JJ pulls out his lighter. 
   "You're leaving us in the hot van during a lightning storm?" Pope questions. 
   "Lightning strikes the highest point that has water, verses the lowest point. Its made of metal, but it'll be better off than the highest in an open field," Jade points out. 
   "I'll be right back," John B says. 
   Jade slumps against the car door. Between wondering what her parents would say to her when she got back, leaving Sam against the Kooks and Regina becoming one, she felt utterly doomed. 
   There's a knock on her seat and she turns her head to see Pope talking to her. 
   "Why don't you come back here? Or do you want to be left alone?" 
   "No, I'm up for some team bonding," Jade climbs into the back with them. 

She takes a seat next to Pope and leans on the seat. "So, what do you guys usually do on the weekends? When you're not taking the Mystery Machine out for a spin and treasure hunting?" 
   "We hang out and smoke weed," JJ says. 
   "Only JJ does that," Kie states. "The rest of us have other hobbies." 
   "Other Pogues have that as a hobby. Like Jade's friend, Candice, smokes with me. Once. Still counts though." 
   Jade hears something outside and immediately sits up straight, "what's that?"
   "Jesus, you moved so fast I thought you'd get knocked out," JJ says.
   "Shut up. Listen," Jade climbs out of the vehicle and begins walking in the direction John B went. Her blood runs cold once she sees him on the ground. She begins sprinting, "oh my God."
   "Someone needs to call an ambulance," Sarah says as rain begins pouring down.
   "John B," Jade sinks down to her knees. "John B, can you hear me? He's not responsive."
   "What happened?" Kiara asks as her JJ and Pope rush over.
   "Topper shoved him," Sarah explains in between sobbing breathes.
   "Call 9-1-1," JJ tells Pope.
   "Hurry, Pope," Kiara hollers.
   Jade picks up John B's limp hand and looks at his face. He's completely lost consciousness. "As long as he has rapid eye movement..." She checks his pulse, which was very faint.
   "He's got to be okay, right?" Sarah asks.
   Jade looks at her through the downpour. It almost broke her to see the message in her eyes. Were they a thing?
   She glances down at John B and exhales softly. "...He has a pulse but his breathing is swallow. Being checked out and time will tell its he'll be okay." 

Author's Note: 

At this point, I kind of feel bad for my own character, even though I'm the one putting her through this. But hopefully it all works out. I've been trying to build things rather than dropping everything at once, *cough* unlike like some writers *cough*. 

I was completely devastated when John B was shoved off the Hawk's Nest. I kinda skrieked and my mom was like 'wth is wrong with u'? But that is nothing in comparison to the creepy old lady in the Parcel 9 episode. That was bad. 

If you liked this part, be sure to give it a vote! Byeeeeeeeeeee! 
   ~ SHIELD-Avenger 


ps. I'm just gonna drop this video right here