Alone Together • JJ Maybank

Twelve.

A/N

Sorry for the slight hold up on this next chapter.  I came down with the flu and have been bed bound for a couple of days.  Covid test came back negative though - woohoo!

⚓⚓⚓

Stood behind the others, I watched as John B unlocked the padlock on the door to Big John's office. I had only briefly seen inside this room as a child, usually standing awkwardly in the doorway as John B went in to ask for Big John's permission for us to go off on an adventure together. Or when John B was getting in trouble for us wandering too far during those very adventures.

The old wooden smell was instantly recognizable as he opened the door. I glanced around the walls following the others into the room. Everyone was slowly looking around with wonder as John B rushed to one side, knowing exactly what he was looking for.

I turned from one wall to another when I saw John B rushing back to the desk in the middle of the room carrying a pin-board. "Here, look." We all gathered round. "This is the original owner, right here." He pointed as Kiara read out the writing on the board, explaining who he was.

"There's the lucky compass, right there." She pointed to the old colorless photo.

"Actually, um..." John B stuttered. "He was shot after he brought it. Then the compass was shipped back to Henry." I looked back down to the board as he pointed to the next picture, trying my best to follow along with his thoughts. "Henry was killed in a crop-dusting accident when he had the compass."

I glanced to JJ as John B carried on explaining the compass's ownership. He also had a confused look on his face as he looked from me to Pope, all of us kept listening silently. "After he died, the compass was given to Stephen. Stephen had the compass with him when he died in Vietnam."

"Let me guess, he died in action right?"

"Actually, he was killed by a banana truck. In country." I tried to stifle a laugh as I caught Kiara's eye. I was sure I was following along with John B's words, but I couldn't quite make out what it had to do with anything. He carried on explaining how it was then passed down to Big John.

JJ hummed beside me, and I couldn't help but notice how close he was to me when he leaned further over to look closer to the pin-board. "Sounds like there's a reoccurring theme here."

"Yeah, you have a death compass." Pope joined in, saying what we were all thinking.

"No, I do not..."

"Yeah, you kind of do, John B." I forced a sympathetic smile as he looked at me.

"You need to get rid of it. It's cursed and it's made its way back to you." John B walked away frustrated at JJ's words before turning back again.

"Look, my dad used to talk about this compartment in here." He said as he sat down. Kiara gathered around him again as I leant further over the desk, not bothering to move. "Soldiers used to hide secret notes." He twisted open the compass, fiddling with different parts until Kie pointed something out to him. "This is my dad's handwriting."

"How can you know that?" I instinctively glared over at Pope, not wanting him to shoot down John B's hope too quickly.

"Because he does these weird R's with the... see?" He held the compass in Pope's direction as I looked back down to the board in front of me, gliding the tip of my finger over one of the names written. I looked to my left to see JJ watching where I was touching.

He looked back up, walking over to John B. "Can I see it?" I watched as JJ inspected the compass, seemingly struggling to make out what it says.

"It says Redfield." Kiara said. I couldn't help but notice JJ's eyes drop as he mumbled in agreement.