Faded Heart

XXX. Dangerous Game

John B cruised down the windy streets, tapping the steering wheel anxiously the further we got from the pawn shop. We were heading towards the warehouse, but there was nothing around us except for trees and empty grassfields. The further we got from town, the less familiar any of us got with this side of the island.

"So, they keep money out here?" Pope asks skeptically, his dark eyes locked on the landscape outside of the van.

"That's what she said." JJ replies, glancing up at Pope across the van. A huge smile crosses his face and a lighthearted laugh leaves his mouth. "That's what she said."

No one else in the van laughed at JJ's joke. Instead, he was met with annoyed looks and various members of the friend group telling him to stop. For the most part he was funny, but other times some of his jokes would be too much.

"I've never even heard of Resurrection Drive." I say, my eyes scanning the woods. There was not a building in sight. I had a bad feeling about this entire situation. The further away we got from any signs of civilization, the deeper the pit in my stomach grew.

"Cause you were rich." JJ adds, from his seat next to mine. His calloused hand rested on my thigh. His other hand lingered in his pocket, most definitely playing with his lighter.

"You've never heard of it either." Kiara interjects, speaking for me. I fully expected JJ to bicker with Kiara, but no one said anything else. There was just an awkward silence throughout the van. Kiara continued to talk, "There's nothing, but weeds back here."

"All right, just 'cause its weeds, doesn't mean it's like..." JJ begins, but is interrupted by the sound of a police siren behind us.

We all shoot our head back towards the back window. Our eyes all meet a black car. At first glance it didn't look like a police car. The only sign that it could've been the police is the bright sirens flickering behind us.

I had no idea why we could've been pulled over, we were in the middle of nowhere. It didn't take much to know that there usually wasn't police in the middle of nowhere. There was something off about this situation, "Cops? Out here?"

"God! Are you kidding me?" JJ shouts, banging his hand against the side of the van. This was our second run in with the police today. One was more than enough for the both of us. I didn't understand what this possibly could be about.

"Why are we getting pulled over?" Pope asks, his hands on his head. There was a nervous bead of sweat on his face. I understood why Pope was more nervous around the police.

John B turns around to point towards the piece of gold sitting on the side of the van, "Stash that."

"I hate cops." JJ groans, beginning to shove things in his backpack.

"Did you bring the gun?" John B asks, throwing his head back towards JJ.

"No okay? Emerson told me to leave it back at the place." JJ mutters, his hand still in his bag. I was thankful that I had urged him to leave the gun back at the house. I was even more thankful that he'd finally listened to me and did the smart thing. If the cops check the van, they are least won't find an illegal gun in here.

"Please, everything else in your bag." I add, making sure JJ hides the other contraband. He was notorious for at least having some illegal thing on him. I didn't need him to get in trouble again.

"I am, I am! All right!" He yells, obviously growing frustrated with us nagging him. He was being slow. Any second the cop was going to come to the door and find JJ digging through his bag still. That would look really bad.

"How much weed do you have on you?" Pope says, grabbing the bag from JJ. The two of them begin to pull the backpack back and forth between them. I couldn't make out what the two of them were saying, but their arguing was pissing me off. They were going to get us in any more trouble by acting like children.