John B pulls my car into the parking lot of the police station.

"John B, what are we doing at the police station?" JJ asks.

"Somebody's gotta tell them what happened." John B explains.

Pope coughs dramatically in the seat behind of me.

"Woah, easy there, chief." JJ warns. He turns to John B. "All right. I'm gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lion's den, but you don't go there in purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."

"Your dad is abusive." I speak up. "And a pathological liar."

"I agree with JJ." Pope says. "Fuck the police."

"You goin' to the dark side now?" Kie questions.

"When's the last time police ever helped us?" Pope challenges.

"He has a pretty good point." I bring up.

"Peterkin looked out for Kat and I, all right? Tried to, at least. They need to know."

I nod at him, encouraging him to go. He climbs out of the car and goes into the building. A couple minutes later the door flies open as my brother runs out.

"Kie! Start the car!" He yells. He frantically opens the door to the car and climbs in.

"What? John B?" Kie says confused. "What did you do?

"Cops!" John B yells.

"Shit, go!"

"Kat, drive!" Kie shouts.

A cop runs up behind the car.

"I'm going! I'm sorry!" I yell.

"Go, Kie, go! John B rushes.

The cop bangs on the car. "Stop the car! Right now!

"What did you do!" Kie yells again.

"Open it." Pope motions to the car door.

John B opens the door, smacking the cop. The cop stumbles and falls to the ground. We pant as we drive away. An anxious feeling hangs in the air.

~~~

"Good news for residents of Outer Banks, Dominion Power says their underwater transmission line, which will restore power to 90% of the area should be functional within 24 hours."

A cop car whizzes in front of the car, interrupting our peaceful break. A second follows, seconds after. JJ sits up quickly, watching them fly by. I place a hand on his shoulder, getting him to relax again.

"And still, no arrest in the shooting death of Sheriff Susan Peterkin. The state police have issued a statement regarding a local person of interest, a juvenile from-" Kie clicks the radio off.

"Let's game this out." JJ says. "Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but.. who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us? So the accuser is a big shot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the governor on speed dial kind of person, and the accused... is John B, who is pretty much a homeless 16-year-old boy at the moment."

"Thanks." John B mumbles.

"Shit." Pope whispers.

"J, that's not helpful." I speak up.

"Yucatán, all right? I'm saying that's the only option. What other option do you have?"

"Enough with the Mexico bullshit." John B demands. "Sarah will bail me out."

"She did witness the whole thing." Kie points out.

"Thank you." John B says.

"And she's gonna snitch on her brother?" Pope asks.

JJ sits up, leaning on his elbow, to look at John B. "Not happening, bro. Okay? We've gotta get you off the island."

"The ferry." Pope says. "It's the only way.

"Yeah," JJ agrees. "Exit stage left while you still can. Before the entire island is on lockdown."

"Guys, just get down." I say as another police siren approaches.

"Sarah's not a Pogue, John B." Pope says.

"Yeah, you can't stay here, man." JJ says repositioning in his seat.

"You can drive to the ferry, okay?" I offer to Pope. "You guys just need to stay low."

Pope nods, agreeing with my idea. He starts the car and pulls onto the road. Pope drives to the docks by the ferry. He stops the car. Pope gets out to look at the schedule for the ship. He comes back with a piece of paper on his hands.

"Okay, alright, no." Pope says walking over.

"Pope, can you act normal?" Kie asks.

"Okay, so, um, bad news." Pope walks over to my open window. "The ferry's closed, and there's this." He hands me the piece of paper.

It was an award sign if somebody caught John B. I hand it back to the other boys.

"What is this? What is this?" John B asks as JJ takes the paper.

"Shit." Kie says.

"Well, John B, this is a good framer for you."

"Okay, so the whole island is lookin' for John B right now." Pope emphasizes the word whole.

"That's a lot of money." Kie points out.

"Congratulations, John B. You're now famous." JJ tells my brother.

"Okay, guys, we gotta get to the HMS. We need small, no running lights-"

"It's at the chateau, Kie." John B states.

"And I wonder if the cops got the entire place stakes out. Let me think, oh yeah, no. All I know is they definitely have that place locked down."

"Yeah, copy that." Kie retorts.

"Let me think, just give me a second." Pope begs. He pauses a moment before speaking up again. "JJ."

"What?"

"Does your dad still have that boat? The cigarette boat, the Phantom. The one he used to race."

"Maybe."

"You could get right up the coast, no problem."

"Okay, look." Kie says.

"It won't be easy, Pope." JJ tells him.

"The surfs running from three to four."

"I don't know where the keys are."

"Well, find them." Pope demands.

"I'm thinking." JJ says.

"Why is nobody moving forward?" Pope panics.

"P, chill out. You're being obnoxious." I tell my friend.

"JJ, how much weed did you give him?" Kie asks.

"Guys." John B catches all of our attention. "Kat, the Jeep is on the poster."

"What?" I ask frantically. "I swear if they take my car as evidence I'll cry."

Pope honks the horn impatiently. "Can we move it?"

"Pope!" Kie yells at him. "That's not gonna help."

"Pope, shut the fuck up! You're drawing attention." I shout.

Pope honks again. "Come on!"

"Don't honk the horn." Kie orders.

"It's that guy! That guy right there!" A little boy points into our car.

"Shit." Kie says.

"We got a snitch, Pope. Turn the car on." JJ tells Pope.

A man starts banging on our car window. "He's right there!"

"Okay, dude we gotta go!" Kie yells. "Pope, turn the fricken car on!

"I am trying!"

"Pope, go!" I shout.

"Turn the car on!" JJ shouts too.

Pope rams the car into the car in front of us.

"Pope, don't break my car!"

"Dude, back up!" Kie demands.

Pope presses the pedal harder, pushing the other car forward.

"Reverse, P!"

"It's okay. Just go!" JJ yells.

Pope finally takes off, peeling out of the parking lot.

"What are you doing?" Kie asks.

"Hey, it'll bump out." JJ says.

Pope begins to drive straight toward a mailbox. "Pope, watch out!" I call out. He slams into the mail box. Pieces of it going flying over my car. Pope laughs at himself.

"Pope, what the fuck?" Kie questions.

"Oh, I'm livin' my best life now!"

"I should be the last person to say this, but you are not okay to drive. Stop!" JJ announces.

Pope slams on the breaks. The car screeches to a stop in the middle of the road.

"Oh, jeez." JJ exclaims.

"John B, get out." Pope says.

"He's right." JJ agrees. "We'll draw the cops, you run."

"Shit." JB sits up, reaching for the door handle.

"I'll get the rig, and I'll meet you in the dump tomorrow, okay? Three o'clock, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Three tomorrow at the dump." JJ repeats.

John B runs away as fast as he can.

"Pope, get the fuck out of my seat." I demand.

He climbs out of the driver's seat and into the back as I do the opposite. I take off down the road again.