Kook by Birth, Pogue by Association // JJ

12. the one where pope joins the dark side

The four of us run until we can hardly breathe, taking shelter in someone's garage nearby. Overhead, we hear the telltale sound of a plane engine. We look up to see Ward's plan gaining altitude in the sky.

"There goes the gold," Pope says, disappointment coloring his tone. The rest of us look at each other solemnly.

"Shit!" Pope yells, kicking a pile of nearby car parts. "Fuck!"

"Pope!" Kie calls to him.

Pope flies off the handle, grabbing a baseball bat and swinging it at anything and everything. "God damn it! Shit! Fuck!" He destroys a wooden pallet. "Shit Damn it!" He continues to scream and curse as he swings at whatever is in his path.

"Pope! Pope!" Kie yells over him. Pope drops the bat, hyperventilating. "Pope," Kie says more calmly.

"Yeah, dude.I was wondering when this was gonna happen. Here you go, chief." JJ hands him his juul with a THC pod in it. "A little weed never hurt no one."

"JJ..."

"Relax, Lex," he says.

"You know he doesn't smoke," Kie says.

"Well, maybe not until today," JJ says with a shrug. Pope looks at the juul in his hand, debating on whether to hit it or not.

"Pope," Kie says again. Pope brings the juul to his lips and inhales. "Yeah, what is that gonna help?" she asks as he exhales the vapor.

"I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. Every-- It's gone. It's not gonna happen," Pope says angrily, taking another hit.

"You did that for us?" Kie asks.

"No, not for us. For nothing." He hits the juul again.

"I'm here for you, Pope. Welcome to my world, okay?" JJ pats him on the back as he sits down.

"JJ--" Kie starts.

"What, Kie? He's right. It doesn't matter anymore," Pope says sadly.

"You don't have to do that," she says weakly.

"What do you care?" he asks her.

We hear heavy, quick footsteps coming our way. We don't have time to hide. It's John B; he looks terrified, and his hands are covered in blood.

"Dude! Dude, you good?" JJ asks.

"Oh, my God! John B!" Kie says.

"Is this yours?" JJ asks, spying the blood on his hands.

"Whose blood is that?" I ask, not sure that I want to know the answer. I hear sirens getting closer. "Hey, you okay, man?"

"John B, are you okay?" Kie asks frantically.

"Rafe..." his voice is hoarse with emotion. "Rafe, he shot Peterkin."

"Shit," Pope says, completely at a loss for words.

We quickly decide we need to keep moving. The boys hole up in the abandoned garage as Kie and I sprint to her house and get her car. We jump in and go back for the boys, trying to look inconspicuous. As we drive around the island, John B is adamant that we go to the police station. He won't say anything else besides "We need to go to the police station."  Kie gives up on asking questions and drives us all there against her better judgement.

As we roll up to the station, JJ asks again why we're there. "John B, what are we doing at the police station?"

"Somebody's gotta tell them what happened," he insists. Pope takes a long draw of the joint he's smoking. He goes into a coughing fit.