Sweet // JJ Maybank

Mystery Inc.

They followed John B out of the house and in the van after cleaning up the biggest part of the house. John B was driving them to an unknown location.

"I mean, it's obvious, right? A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message?" John B asked his friends, looking next to him at Kie who was facing him. He had to know it was gonna get back to me, right?"

"Yeah. It's possible."

"It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help," Pope said playing with the compass.

"Pope?" John B interrupted, wanting the boy to stop.

"you know, deal with your sad feels." He trailed off.

"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels. Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies, that's how I do it." JJ said a sad look on his face.

"Ugh" Beth sighed extending her legs on JJ's lap as they were sat in front of each other in the back of the van.

"I'm not concocting, okay? My dad's trying to give me a message."

"If it helps you believe, John B." Kie said softly, her eyes going over his figure.

"Look, I-I don't need a therapy session, okay? Look, I'm not trippin' out."

"It's okay to trip, bro, but..."

"Look, my... my dad is missing, okay? Missing." He looked back in the rearview mirror, seeing his friends wear a sad expression "You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish and then have no idea what happened. Just wake up every morning wondering." John B said and Beth thought of her father how it had been six years since she had last seen him, the day before he left he had drove her to the only ice cream parlor on the island and let her get whatever she wanted, she asked for his favorite ice cream, so they could share.

Kiara and Elizabeth shared a look, unsure what to respond to this without setting the boy off.

"It's been almost a year, John B." Beth said moving to JJ's lap so she could put a hand on her friend's shoulder not missing the look Kie and Pope gave each other when the blonde's arms wrapped automatically around the girl's waist.

"Hey, he could have been kidnapped. That's definitely a possibility." JJ said amused, his breath minty from the mint he had been given earlier.

"Yeah, could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere."

"Absolutely. Uh... or Atlantis."

"JJ." He received a slap on his wrist. "It's not funny." She whispered, moving to see him better.

"Look, what do you think the message is?"

"Redfield. Redfield Lighthouse. That's my dad's favorite place."

They passed a sign Redfield Lighthouse and parked in front of the high building. They all got out, stood up and looked up at the lighthouse.

"Right. You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?" John B said walking towards his best friend.

"Wait... Why me?" JJ looked around his four friends.

"Because you're not coming."

"Why?"

"There are independent and dependent variables. You're independent. We don't know what you'll do." Pope said making the small brunette flinch when she felt JJ move towards Pope.

"Shut up! Look, shut up! Just shut up." She tugged him back by the sleeve of his shirt.

"I'll stay with him, I don't care." She said walking towards the van, opening the back door and sitting in the entrance.