Azlia

The four of us were all at John B's house waiting for him to come back from his fishing trip.

"John B, pulling a Houdini." JJ says putting his beer down.

"Yeah, where is he?" Pope ask.

Just as he says that John B comes walking around the corner.

"Speak of the devil. Hey!" JJ yells to him. He ignores him and walks into his house.

"What's that all about?" Pope ask.

I get up from my spot and follow John B inside.

He was scrambling through a bunch this around the house.

"B, w-what's going on?" I ask. "You all right man?" Pope ask walking up next to me.

He ignores us and walks over to the couch. He digs around in it and pulls out a gun.

"John B, what do you need a gun for?" JJ walks up to him. "Talk to us."

John B grabs JJ and throws him on the bed.

"John B, chill." Ki yells.

Pope tries to stop him from leaving but John B pushes him.

"John B, what the hell are you doing?" I ask going after him.

He gets on his bike and I yell his name.

"Ward knows about the gold! He killed my dad!" Was the last thing he said before taking off.

"Guys we have to do something!" Ki yells.

"Let's go look for him." Pope says. "We don't know where he's going." JJ says. "That's why we go look for him." Ki snaps.

"Okay, let's go." JJ sighs.

"I'm gonna stay here in case he comes back." I say walking back to the house. "Hey, are you sure?" JJ steps in front of me. "Yeah." I smile.

He pulls me close to him and gives me a hug.

I walk back into John B's house and lay across the couch, waiting.

-

It's been a few hours and John B isn't back yet. Just as I was about to leave I heard the front door open.

"Azi, Pope?" John B calls. "Hello?"

"Did you kill anyone?" I ask. John B quickly turns around and let's out a deep breath.

"No, I didn't kill anyone." He sighs.

He walks into his room and I follow behind him. He grabs a picture of his dad and sits on his bed.

"We should light it." I say standing in the door way. John B slowly nods his while staring at the picture.

"Come on." I say walking out the room.

I grab a small basket and John B grabs the blow torch.

We walk to the dock and set up Big Johns picture. I sit down and he does the same.

I hand him the blow torch and he slowly takes it out of my hand.

John B didn't want to believe his dad was gone and neither did I. Big John was family to me. When my dad died, Big John was the only person I could talk to about it. Him and my dad were best friends at birth too, Just like John B and I.

I let a tear escape my eye before briefly whipping it away.

"Goodbye, uncle John." I sniffle.

"Goodbye, dad." John B says.

He lights the candle and holds the basket in his hands before placing it on the water.

John B starts to cry and I bring him into a hug.

"I miss him." He cries onto my shoulder.

"Me too, B. Me too." I whisper.

"Remember when we were turning six, and we decided to have our birthday party's on the same day. We had two tables, one for the girls and one for the boys. My dad was supposed to be there but he got caught up with work, and then he forgot to schedule a pony and a princess. So you and uncle J decided to improve and put on a show for my friends and I, and of course yours. But then uncle J tripped over your imaginary tail and went face first in your Toy Story cake." I smile while rubbing his back.

He lets out a loud laugh. "That was the worst fucking thing ever!"

"It was a terrible performance." I laugh.

"Azi, promise me our kids will grow up best friends." He says.

"Pinky promise." I say sticking out my pinky. We did our pinky promise handshake that we made up in the 1st grade.

"You and JJ's kids are gonna be adorable." He sighs.

"Well you and Sarah's kids are literally gonna be models." I say.

"You think so?" He ask.

"No." I say.

-

The next morning I woke up with JJ cuddled in my arms.

It took be a while to remember everything that happened yesterday and I groaned at the fact.

I flick JJ on his forehead and his eyes flutter open.

"Well good morning, princess." I say. "That's my line." He kisses.

I get up and shower and all that extra stuff. I put on a pink fitted crop top and some plaid red and white shorts. I throw on a shell necklace and wear one of JJ's bandanas as a bracelet.

We went to John B's house because he said he had something to tell us.

"You sure he got everything?" Ki ask as we all sprawled across John B's deck.

"Every bar. The whole enchilada." John B says.

He lets out a grunt and I watch him as he tasks off his cast.

"It's not like I expected a happy ending or some shit." He throws the cast.

"John B?" Ki says.

"What Ki, it's a hairline fracture. Who cares." He says.

"You might have a messed up arm for life." I add.

"It's fine. See." He says wiggling his arms around.

"Guys!" Some one yells. I sit up to see Pope running towards us.

"Oh, god I ran all the way here." He pants.

"You good?" I ask.

"How was the interview, Pope?" JJ ask.

"Don't ask." He grunts.

"JB, look i'm sorry dude. About everything." Pope says.

"It's fine." John B sighs.

"But, I don't have a lot of time, and I have information that is tactically relevant." Pope continues. "So, before I had my interview, my dad said he was going to the private airship to cut palms for Cameron's big plane. Because it was to heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off so, I'm there sitting in my interview thinking to myself, Hm why would Cameron need a longer airship to take off?" He finishes.

"Holy shit, the gold." I sit up.

"Exactly." Pope says waving his hands around.

"Guys this is our chance, but it leaves tonight and we have to go." Pope says.

"Guys we can't give up now." Ki smiles.

"What's the plan, big man?" JJ ask.

"We're gonna still that shit back." John B smirks.

-

"We go in there, guns a blazin, and make Ward beg for mercy, abscond with as much gold as possible and vamonos, get the hell out of there." JJ gays loading the gun.

"Send that shit down the intracoastal." John B says.

"Wait for weather." Ki and I add.

"Exit to Cuba?" Pope finishes.

"Cuba?" JJ questions. "Nah, man, Xcalak, Jewel of the Yucatán. Lobster so thick, mangos and no word for money."

"Let's do this shit." John B says.

We make it to the planes take off point but there's a gate blocking the way.

"What's the plan? Broad strokes." Ki ask as we get out the van.

"I don't think we got that far." John says.

Pope takes out a binoculars and looks through them. "They're loading the gold."

"Guys look." I say pointing to a car that's pulling up. The car honks his horn and Ward steps out.

John B looks the the binoculars shocked.

"What?" Ki ask him.

He hands me the binoculars and I see Sarah through them.

"Sarah?" I question.

"Great. She ratted us out." Pope scoffs.

"No, there's no way Sarah would just give up like that." I hand the binoculars back to John B.

"Wait at minute. He's hurting her!" John B says.

"What?" We all ask.

"They're fighting." He says dropping the binoculars and running to the van.

"John B, where are you going." Ki ask.

"Hey! Hey!" We call after him.

He puts the van and drive and starts driving forward. We run out of the way and he bust through the gates. He drives the van right on the track.

We call after him but he doesn't stop. We wait around and her sirens.

"Guys, I can't get arrested." Pope turns to us.

"I'm on probation." JJ adds.

"Look we're no good if we're all in jail." Ki says.

"Come on." Pope says.

JJ picks up his gun and hat. I stand there waiting for any hope of John B and Sarah.

"Hey, come on." JJ softly says. He grabs my hand and pulls me closer to him.

"They'll be back." He says. I look at him and nod my head. He interlocks our hands and we follow behind Pope and Ki.

****

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