Live a Little

Chapter 10

I squeezed my eyes shut then lifted my head up,
Kie said" You know, we were in that car. They're probably looking for us, too."
Pope said" Well, if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B."
JJ said" So, find him before they do? Pope?"
" I'm gonna get gas for the boat."
Kie said" Hey, you be careful. Okay?"
" Meet me at the dock at three. Don't be late." He walked out, okay, what'd JJ and I miss? Kie followed him, JJ and I followed her.
" Okay, what is your problem?"
" No problem, officer. I'm just doing my job."
" Look, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings." Pope revved the dirt bike,
" What was that?"
" Look, I didn't mean to." He revved again,
" Sorry, I can't hear you. What was that?"
" Pope, I'm being serious-" he revved again and again," I'm trying to talk to you!" He took off, I saw a helicopter come in.
JJ said" Who the hell is that?" I looked at them then the helicopter, SBI.
I said" Maybe I should try and get home? I can talk to my dad, he'll believe me, he'll believe us."
" How do you know?"
" Because if he didn't think John B and the rest of you were safe, he'd have never let me hang out with you. Need I remind you, the age gap?"
" Yeah, true, but you should stay with us."
" Yeah, I'd probably be dead when I get there anyways..."

JJ said" You sure he wasn't just being weird Pope?"
Kie said" It wasn't really the kind of thing that needed interpretation. Is that gonna be enough food for them?"
" I mean, for a couple of weeks, and that's all they need, so..."
" Look, I think I actually hurt his feelings."
" Look, don't beat yourself up too much. He's completely changed his feels." We walked out," The past 24 hours have been  like Jekyll and Hyde."
" I hate to admit it, but I miss the old Pope. At least I knew what to expect from him."
Her mom said" Where you been?"
" I'm fine. I slept here."
" Well, we were up half the night, scared to death, lookin' for you. Were you even gonna tell us?"
" Well, I'm telling you right now."
" All right, what the hell are you three up to?"
JJ said" I'm sorry, Mrs. Anna, we gotta go."
Kie said" Sorry."
Mrs. Anna said" No. I'm sorry. Absolutely not. Have you heard what's going on out there?"
" Mom, I'll explain later."
" Have you seen the storm coming in?" JJ and I got in,
" I'm sorry, Mom. I have to go!"
" These cops are armed, Kiara. You're gonna get shot."
" I have to go!"
" I am not letting you do this!"
" Mom, John B needs me!"
" You need to stay right here."
" I understand. I'll be careful." She closed the door," Sorry! I'm sorry!" Kie drove off, I gulped, we've got this.

We pulled up to JJ's,
He said" Home, sweet, home."
Kie said" Do you want us to come? 'Cause we'll come."
" No. This will only take a second." He got out, walking to the door, he looked back at us, we smiled at him.

JJ got in,
Kie said" How'd it go?" He held up the key.

JJ said" It'll be fine. It'll be fine with the Phantom. She'll get out of here quick." Then cops were headed our direction, I gulped," Whoa, whoa, whoa." They passed up,
Kie said" They're still looking. It's a good sign."

JJ said" There she be. Hey, girl. 1983 Formula 402 SR1. The Phantom." He clicked his tongue,
Kie and I said" Mm-hm."
" First boat to make the run to Bermuda in under 16 hours, Kie, Boo. Forty years old! Forty. And still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen."
Kie said" It's kind of a junker."
" Really? She's right there, Kie. She can hear you. Let's just put it this way. You would not be smokin' weed right now if she never existed, okay?"
" I just hope it runs."
" Oh, no, she'll run all right. She's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got." A bike pulled up,
" Pope. Finally." Then I saw Rafe,
He said" Hey, there. What's goin' on? JJ?" Then we saw Barry,
Barry said" Well, well..." Barry pointed a gun at JJ, right at his chest," See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road. I'm here because I want my motherfuckin' money." Barry hit JJ,
Kie and I said" JJ! JJ!" Rafe grabbed us and pulled us back," Rafe!"
" That's what I'm here for!"
Rafe said" It's not you, we want, Kie, Boo. Where's John B?"
We said" I don't know!" Kie slapped him, I pushed him,
" I really wish you didn't do that."
" We know what you did."
" What? What did I do?"
" You murdered Peterkin." Rafe grabbed my neck and Kie's,
" Don't you ever say those fucking words again."
" Rafe!"
" Understand? Do you understand? Where's John B?"
" Rafe!"
" Where's John B?"
" I don't know!"
" Where's John B? Huh?"
" I don't know! I don't know!" Then he was hit, he let go of us,
Pope said" Don't touch them!" He started punching him,
JJ said" Kie! Kick it!" Kie kicked the gun as Barry dropped it, JJ got up and started punching Barry.
Kie said" Okay, Pope. Pope."
" Hey, Pope!"
" Pope, that's good! Pope!"
" He's had enough, dude."
" He's good."
" Snap out of it, man." Pope started choking Rafe," Snap out of it, dude!"
" Pope!"
" Stop, dude!"
I said" Pope, stop!"
Kie said" Pope, that's too much!"
" Pope! Pope!"
JJ said" Dude, come on! Stop! Stop, dude!"
Kie said" Pope! Get off!"
" Let go! Come on!" Pope yelled,
" Look at me!" Pope looked at her and dropped Rafe,
" Shit. Oh, shit."
" It's okay. Okay, we gotta go. We gotta go." We walked to the car and I got into the back," Pope!"

We were waiting for John B,
Kie said" Dude, where is he?"
Pope said" Give him a second. He'll be here."
JJ said" He's coming. He'll be fine." A cop car pulled up,
I said" JJ!"
" Hey, yeah. Get back on the boat. Untie it."
Kie said" Shit." Then I saw John B get out of the car,
" Wait. No way."
Pope said" No f'ing way."
I said" No way."
Kie said" I'm sorry."
JJ said" You've gotta be kidding me."
" Uh..."
John B said" Shoupe let me take it for a spin."
" Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." She hugged him,
JJ said" It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday." He threw John B the keys," You ready to go?"
John B said" Where's Sarah?"
I said" She's not with you?"
" No, no, we got separated in the swamp. She said she was gonna meet me here."
Pope said" No, no, we haven't seen her, man."
" Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her."
JJ said" John B, look at me. I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you get there lay low, all right? Hang out for a couple weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville. You- Hey! You got that?"
" Yeah, yeah. Brownsville."
" All right. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this."
" Yeah." He got onto the boat, JJ joined us off the boat," Hey, hey. I'm sorry for basically... throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing."
" Hey, John B, yo... we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?"
" Yeah."
" At least we did it together, though." JJ wrapped his arms around us," Pogue style."
" Pogue style."
Kie and I said" Get out of here! Please."
Pope said" Now. We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico."
JJ said" Love you."
John B said" Hey, wait-wait a second. Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"
" Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?"
" Got it." We pushed the boat as he backed up then he drove away.

Kie kissed Pope, then I heard sirens heading our way.
JJ said" Hey, guys, I'm sorry to ruin the party, but, uh, we gotta go right now. Come on!" We headed for the car but... cops surrounded us, Kie and I put our hands up.
A guy said" Hands up! Hands up! Move!"
Kie said" Pope, hands."
Shoupe said" We're too late. He's gone. God dammit! Bratcher, have your guys stand down. Let me talk to these kids. All right, where the hell is he? Where the hell is he?! JJ? I see you're livin' up to your name. Pope, how about you? This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing now! Where'd he go?"

We got to the cop's set up,
Shoupe said" Follow Plumb to that tent. Wait for your friends." I got out, standing behind JJ,
Plumb said" This way." We started walking,
" Right to your left here."
" Right here."
" Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about. Keep an eye on these kids." They were searching the water, don't find him... please, don't find him.

Shoupe came in, they've been looking for John B and Sarah, we heard that, they saw the Phantom. But it took off South... straight into the storm. We walked over to them,
Pope said" Did you find them?"
Shoupe said" No."
Kie said" So, they got away?" Shoupe looked down a little, then looked at us.
" We, uh... we lost them. I'm sorry."
Pope said" You lost them? What do you mean you lost them? Like-like, they'e gone? What are you talking about?"
" They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope."
Kie said" So, they're dead?"
" We don't know."
JJ said" You drove them straight through the storm, man! Are you kidding me? Come here!" He grabbed Shoupe,
I said" JJ, stop!"
" I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!" Thomas grabbed JJ,
Pope said" You killed him! He didn't kill anyone, and you know it!"
Shoupe said" We're still looking for him, all right?"
Kie said" Pope. Pope, just stop. Please, stop." Then I saw my mom and dad, they walked to me, hugging me, I cried,
I cried" They didn't make it."
Dad said" I'm so sorry, sweetie." I turned my head to my friends, Pope and Kie were hugging. Heyward let go of JJ, I walked to JJ, hugging him, he hugged me back tightly.