Chasing Sunshine | JJ Maybank

14 // The Forbidden Zone

The Island Club. An expensive, neatly-manicured breeding ground for the Kooks, complete with the customary pristine white beaches and marble water fountains. But enemy territory for a misfit band of trespassing Pogues. I wondered silently how, even though it was the same body of water, the ocean looked so much nicer on the north side: shiny, bright blue, and picturesque. Our marinas just appeared briny, gray, and dirty. It was like even Mother Nature favored Figure Eight. Figures.

"All right, keep a lookout," JJ announced to the group, producing his stolen handgun from the depths of his backpack and pointing towards the roof of the van, "We're behind enemy lines."

"Come on man, just put it back," John B urged, shifting gears into park and glancing around nervously to see if anyone noticed the weapon. JJ only shrugged with an unconcerned grin, and preoccupied himself with checking the number of bullets inside the chamber. Rolling my eyes, I followed Pope outside into the sun and he leaned against JJ's door while scanning the view before us.

"I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve," he pointed out, and John B gestured towards him in agreement. Kie stuck her head inbetween John B and JJ from the backseat.

"I swear to God, I'm going to throw that thing in the ocean. Put it back," she demanded, before ducking out of the vehicle as well. 

John B flung open the glovebox and grabbed the gun around the barrel, successfully snatching from JJ's hand to shove it inside with a sarcastically helpful smile. "There you go, perfect."

"You can't grab a gun like that," JJ scoffed, with an affronted expression but leaned forward to grab his work ID off the dash anyway, "Can't forget my badge. Professional busboy."

We all fell in step behind him, following his lead as we moved towards a side entrance to the right of the main door, labeled 'Employee's Only.' Pope kept stride with him and asked, "So where are we going now?"

"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now," JJ answered promptly, swiping us into the building. I immediately heard the hustle and bustle of the kitchen once we had all shuffled inside, along with the muffled conversations of Island Club members echoing from the lobby on the other side of the wall.

"Can we just get in and get out please?" I pleaded nervously, feeling distinctly like I had just walked into the lion's den, "We don't exactly look like we belong here."

JJ wrapped an arm loosely around my shoulders, pulling me along down the hallway with the others, "You worry too much."

I rolled out from underneath him just as the entrance hallway opened up into the main kitchen, assaulting my nose with the scents of fancy eating. Say what you want about the Kooks, but damn they made good food. JJ greeted a few of his co-workers easily, acting like it was completely normal to be parading a bunch of strangers through the building on his day off. "Mama L, good to see ya!" he called to one of the cooks, reaching out a finger to pinch whatever was on the plate she was just finishing.

She smacked his hand away with an exasperated, "JJ!" and he hummed in disappointment.

"Sounds like you," Pope teased, poking me on the shoulder as we scurried after JJ, trying to stay out of everyone's way. I geared up with a sarcastic quip in response, only for my jaw to go slack at the extravagance that awaited us in the lobby. 

"See? They already got the backup generators going. Kooks don't miss a beat," JJ said bitterly as we weaved quickly through the groups of socialites sprinkled under a set of impressive crystal chandeliers. I tried not to notice the curious stares that our ragtag group was collecting, very much aware that the only thing keeping us from being thrown out was a flimsy piece of plastic attached to JJ's pocket. Since its protection was only thinly covering the rest of us, we picked up the pace until arriving at an empty room around the corner with a line of desktop computers set up along the far end. Pope pushed his way past the rest of us, holding out his hands greedily.