''Here's a fun fact. You ready? Here we go. Everyone you know.... will die. And by everyone, I mean everyone. Your mother, brother, sister, father, all your friends, and all your enemies. Everyone. I mean, of course, there's another way of looking at it. Since it's all so short and over so quickly, that makes everything meaningful.
Everything's just one time.''

JOHN B IS DEAD. It's one of those thoughts that sinks into you slowly, in layers. He was my brother—maybe not by blood, but in every other way that mattered. I always thought I'd have seventy years to wrap my head around the idea of losing him. But here I am, and he's gone. Running for his life, accused of something he didn't even do, and they hunted him down. Ward and Rafe Cameron... yeah, it's safe to say I don't work for them anymore.

John B had this way of caring so deeply, yet keeping it close to his chest. He would never openly say how much he cared for us, but he didn't need to. I always knew. I'm a good observer, always have been. I saw it in the way he left Skittles in his drawer for me, even though he hated sweets himself. He knew I'd find them, knew I liked to swipe things from his room. It was his little way of saying, ''Hey, I see you.'' And it wasn't just me; he did that for all of us. The way he'd glance around to make sure everyone felt included, like he was always keeping track of us, like he was the center holding us together. I was there for him, and he was there for me.

Our fathers were best friends, once upon a time, and he didn't even know it. I was planning to tell him down in Mexico. It might not have changed much, but it would have filled in that strange connection we felt—the one that tied us even when things were rough. Now he's gone, and he'll never know that piece of his own story. It's a string left dangling, a truth he never got to hear.

Then there's JJ. I only really got close to him recently. Before, I always thought of him as the wild one, the reckless ''good time'' guy. But I started seeing past that, and I realized that's just his armor. His loyalty to John B... it's something else, something unbreakable. He loved John B like a brother, with a love that was fierce and all-encompassing. I've seen the cracks in JJ, the pain he hides under those jokes and that tough-guy act. He's one of the most caring people I've ever met. And right now, I can't even imagine what he's going through, how hollow he must feel.

And Pope. My partner in crime, my equal in all things logical and grounded. By the numbers, we're probably the most reasonable ones in the group. He's got this way of balancing out all the chaos, and I can't help but love him for it. He broke our unwritten code once, though. He told John B about Rafe breaking into my house, which was a breach of the ''don't snitch'' rule. But he was looking out for me, I get that. He was trying to protect me, in his own way.

Wanna know why he brought a pack of Peppa Pig band-aids for me? It was just because he remembered I'd joked about loving pork at dinner one night. He's ironic like that, always noticing the little things, even if they're half-jokes. It's ridiculous and kind of cute, and so purely Pope. He's steady, even when everything else is falling apart.

And then there's Kiara. The only other girl in the group—well, the only other one who'll claim the title of ''Pogue'' anyway. She's a Kook by birth, her life all laid out and polished, yet she chose us. Sometimes, it feels like she sees this whole thing as a thrill. While for the rest of us, it's about survival, scraping by day after day. And even though she doesn't understand that entirely, she cares. Deeply. More than she'll admit.

Kiara can be sharp, even a little harsh. She has this way of throwing insults like they're gifts, and sometimes her words cut deep. But that's just Kiara. She's all fire and passion, stubborn as anything, and won't back down when she believes in something—or in someone. She'll defend any one of us to the end, especially when it counts.

She's not exactly a sister to me—that's pushing it—but there's something solid there. I know if I fall, she's got me, just like I've got her.

How did I cope with his death you may ask? I didn't.

 I'd lie in bed staring at the ceiling, imagining the faint sound of John B's laugh or the way he'd shuffle around, always up to something. It was easier to pretend he was there, to let my mind play tricks on me than to admit the truth. Each night before I closed my eyes, I'd place a packet of Skittles in my drawer. In the morning, I'd act surprised, like he'd snuck in and left them for me. 

Dad had tried, I guess. He offered words that sounded hollow, like echoes bouncing off the walls of a house I no longer recognized. I didn't want to hear them.

''I'm sorry, Mave. I know you cared about him.''

Cared? As if John B wasn't family. As if he didn't mean more to me than almost anyone. I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye when he said it. He adored John B, and I knew that. But he wasn't there when it counted—when we needed him at the station, when we lost him. 

Chase was gone too—my dog. I gave him to the neighbor, a kind woman with a little girl who always smiled shyly at me. ''Take care of him for me,'' I'd whispered when I handed her the leash. She gave me that pitying look people give when they think you're fragile, and for once, I didn't mind.

''You can take him back whenever you're ready,'' she'd said.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I wasn't ready to care for him, not with this heavy numbness pressing down on me.

Even Ashley tried reaching out. Her name popped up on my phone screen more times than I could count, but each time, I let it ring until it went to voicemail. If I answered, I'd probably fold. And I couldn't afford that—not now. She apologized, yeah. But Ashley was still a Kook, still dating Kelce, who'd hurt Pope like it was nothing. Whether she knew or not didn't matter. Trust felt too dangerous, too slippery to risk giving her another chance.

The others grieved in their own ways, and it felt like they were all moving forward, while I stayed stuck in quicksand. JJ, for once, didn't know what to say. That was new. JJ Maybank, of all people, lost for words. He'd shuffle awkwardly, hands buried in his pockets, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to hug me or crack a joke to lighten the mood. Eventually, I broke the ice.

''How're you holding up?'' I asked, forcing myself to sound steady.

He exhaled, shoulders slumping slightly. ''Could be worse. Could be better. You know how it is.''

I nodded, and without another word, I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back tightly, and for a moment, it felt like we'd anchored each other, however briefly. After that, things between us felt a little more normal. Or as normal as they could be when nothing felt normal anymore.

But denial? Denial was my constant shadow. The others were past that part—they cried, they got angry, they talked about it. I couldn't even cry, not really. Not yet. I was the one who always fell apart in private, who let the tears come when no one could see. But now, it was like I'd turned to stone.

It didn't make sense. I hated being scared, hated that death felt closer now, like a thin veil separating me from the people I loved. My mom was gone. What if that happened to me? What if it already had?

Every morning, I got up, plastered on a mask, and acted like I wasn't terrified. Like I wasn't pretending. But deep down, I knew. Grief wasn't something you outran. It was waiting, patient and unyielding, for the moment you let your guard down.

We stood in front a tree, it was an old, twisted thing, rugged and knotted like it had seen all the storms the island could throw. JJ finished carving John B's name and birth year into its bark, the letters rough but permanent, just the way he would've wanted it. We needed something to hold on to, something that felt real.

John B. Routledge. 2003-2020. P4L.

''To John B,'' JJ declared, joining Pope's side. 

I took a deep breath. ''And to Sarah,'' I added, my voice softer. I didn't know her as well, but she'd meant everything to John B. If she'd won over his complicated heart, then she must've been something special. I knew she had to be incredible, someone who saw John B for everything he was. JJ and Pope took sips, silent in their agreement.

Then, with a final look, I placed a small box filled with John B's belongings into the hole we'd dug. It felt like leaving pieces of him behind, fragments of memories he couldn't carry with him wherever he'd gone. But we needed them here, needed to hold on to something when the ache felt too real to bear.

Weeks went by, and somehow, we kept going. It was like a piece of us had been left under that tree with John B. Still, the four of us found ways to cope, to fill the gaps he'd left behind. 

One evening, we were all crammed into JJ's room, just as we'd done a hundred times, like that closeness could block out the empty space he left behind. JJ was focused, scratching a stick-and-poke tattoo into his own foot. ''Pogues for life?'' Kie asked, giving him a sidelong glance.

I grinned, breaking the silence. ''Pussy for life?'' I offered, raising an eyebrow. JJ chuckled.

''It's Pogues,'' he corrected, looking at me with a grin, ''but that one's actually pretty good too.'' 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

LATER, IN CLASS, I was barely listening, my mind still clouded with a million plans. I scribbled absent-mindedly in the margins of my notebook until my phone buzzed with a notification. I glanced at the screen, and my heart jumped as I saw it wasn't just me—JJ, Pope, and Kiara were in a group chat too, with an unknown number. I opened the message and froze.

It was a photo of John B and Sarah. Alive.

I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping back as I bolted out of the classroom, my heart racing. ''Oh my god,'' I whispered to myself, barely able to believe it. I waited for the others outside, ignoring the teacher calling after me, and soon enough, Kiara, Pope, and JJ spilled out of the building, each with the same disbelieving look on their face.

''He's alive, guys! They're alive!'' I shouted, and all of us dissolved into laughter and hugs, clinging to each other in the hallway, overjoyed.

''I never doubted them,'' JJ grinned, squeezing us all tight before we finally headed back to the Cut. 

''Kiara, I need those setups done by five!''

Kie rolled her eyes and huffed, ''There are other people that work here, you know!''

''None of them are my children!'' her mom shot back, making us all laugh, especially Pope, who nodded sagely.

''I feel that. On a deep, emotional level, I understand that,'' Pope commented, grinning.

Then JJ turned to us. ''So, we going to the Bahamas or what?''

Pope shook his head, looking practical as ever. ''There's no way we're getting to the Bahamas, JJ. John B's gonna get nabbed sooner or later, so if we're gonna clear his name, we need to have done it, like, yesterday.''

JJ's eyes lit up. ''I'll tell you how we do it.''

Pope looked at him with suspicion. ''So you have it all planned out?''

''As a matter of fact, I do,'' JJ replied, puffing up with confidence.

''Just to remind you, JJ,'' I added, ''our plan shouldn't involve a time machine, duct tape, a chainsaw, and a goat.''

JJ sighed with disappointment. ''Good thing I have a backup plan.'' He looked around at us, almost daring us to shoot it down. ''We kidnap Rafe.''

I didn't hesitate for a second. ''Alright, let's do it,'' I replied, my tone dead serious.

Pope's eyes widened. ''I'm sorry, what?''

JJ leaned in, excited. ''We kidnap Rafe, tie him up, stick a gun in his mouth, and just wait until he starts squawking. They kidnapped Mavis before! Can't be that hard.''

I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm. ''I was alone, in the dark, and I barely escaped. Plus, Rafe's like... tall and probably has super strength when he's high on something.''

Kie shook her head, looking at JJ like he'd lost his mind. ''You know, torture's a war crime.''

Pope nodded, frowning. ''Yeah, and how exactly do you plan on clearing John B's name from a prison cell? Because that's a felony.''

JJ shrugged, defiant. ''Alright, well, what do you got, Pope? I was just trying to keep it simple. One stop and we're done.''

Pope straightened. ''Guys, all we need is a material witness. We saw Ward's plane fly right over our heads with the gold inside. Ward didn't fly it, someone else did. Whoever was there on the tarmac, they saw everything.''

Kiara's eyes lit up, seeing the possibility. ''We just have to find whoever it was and get them to confess on record.''

Pope nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face. ''Exactly. A little light espionage.''

JJ gave him a lopsided grin. "A little ghost recon"

I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. ''You guys are weird,'' I mumbled, but inside, a small glimmer of hope had started to burn.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE FOUR OF us didn't waste a second after Pope found out where the pilot was hiding. As soon as we piled into the car, Kie hit the gas, and we sped down the roads of OBX, trying to stay low-key but hardly managing it.

Pope kept glancing over his shoulder, explaining the plan as if each word would keep us more in line. ''Alright, so if this guy flew planes for Ward Cameron, he's gotta be tight-lipped. He's not gonna crack under just anything.''

''Which is exactly why we're going with the direct approach,'' JJ said, his eyes wild as he fiddled with something in his lap. I looked over, narrowing my eyes when I saw him checking his gun.

''JJ, no!'' Pope barked, twisting around in his seat.

JJ just rolled his eyes. ''Oh, come on. I'm just saying, sometimes a little show of force goes a long way.''

''Yeah, maybe in JJ-land,'' I muttered, reaching over and pressing his hand down on the gun. ''But we're not risking that. We need to keep this simple, or John B's never getting out of jail.''

Pope let out a sigh of relief. ''Look, all we really need to do is tickle the wire.'' He held up a pair of AirPods and his phone, as if we were supposed to just know what that meant.

Kie frowned. ''Tickle the what?''

''The wire'' Pope looked around like we were all being slow on purpose.''I plant my phone in his car, and then you all listen on these.'' He gestured to the AirPods.

I smirked, nudging him. ''Pope, that's... actually genius.'' He flashed me a quick smile, proud but trying to stay serious.

He pushed the phone toward Kie. ''Go ahead, say something.''

''Uh... something?'' Kie's brow furrowed.

Pope grinned. ''Perfect, we have audio.''

We pulled up in front of the pilot's place, and Kie killed the engine. We all sat there a moment, hearts pounding as we stared at the quiet house. Pope was adjusting the mic on his phone, speaking quickly. ''Alright, I'll plant the phone. If you guys see anything—anything weird or suspicious—honk or yell, just... do something.''

Kie reached over, gripping his shoulder. ''Just don't do anything dangerous, alright?''

Pope cracked a grin. ''Relax, I'm not JJ.'' He shot a glance at the blonde, and JJ just shrugged, not even bothering to argue.

Once Pope slipped out of the car, we watched him move toward the house, creeping low like we'd rehearsed. JJ leaned over to Kie, eyes darting back to where Pope had just disappeared. ''So... what's the deal with you and Pope? Everything... uh, good?''

Kie's eyes narrowed at him. ''Yeah, JJ. It's fine.''

JJ kept pushing, lowering his voice but grinning at the same time. ''Right, but like... in the bedroom, is he kinda freaky? 'Cause it's Pope, you know?''

I felt a laugh slip out as I slapped him on the back of the head. ''Bro, seriously. What the hell?''

Kie threw her hands up, turning to glare at him. ''Why are you asking? You can't think about anything else, can you?''

JJ's grin didn't fade. ''I mean, I'm just curious.''

I rolled my eyes. ''You know what curiosity did to the cat, right?''

JJ just smirked, undeterred. ''Yeah, yeah. But like, ranking-wise, is Pope—''

Kie threw a glare at him that could have frozen water, but JJ just laughed it off. I shook my head, muttering, ''Keep talking, JJ, and maybe I'll rank you on how lonely you are every time you blink.''

JJ shot me a look, but before he could say anything, Pope darted back to the car, sliding into the seat beside Kie with a breathless grin. ''Phase one's complete. I think we're set.''

Kie revved the engine, and we pulled back to wait. We didn't have long to go, and the hours crawled by in tense silence until finally, we saw the pilot coming out of his house, clearly flustered. Pope handed me one of the AirPods, nodding for me to listen in.

A minute later, the guy was dialing someone. ''Oh my god,'' I breathed. ''He's calling Ward.''

Pope leaned forward, adjusting his earbud to listen closely. ''He's trying to renegotiate... something,'' he whispered. ''He's got the gun Rafe used. He's threatening to use it as leverage.''

JJ's eyes widened. ''Are you serious?''

Pope nodded. ''Ward's not backing down though. He's warning the guy to stay quiet.''

Kie watched Pope intently, her hands gripping the wheel tighter. ''We need to know where they're meeting.''

Just then, the pilot pulled over, and Kie gasped, her eyes darting to us in a panic. ''Do I pull over too? Do I go around?''

''Just go around the block!'' we all hissed in unison.

She swerved around, but suddenly, a construction barricade blocked our path. JJ's frustration bubbled over, and he threw his hands up. ''You've gotta be kidding me!''

''Just stop and turn around, now,'' Pope urged.

Kie threw the car into reverse, but then we were blocked from behind as well, totally trapped. My heart was racing now, and the words were tumbling out of all of us as we scrambled for a way out. Pope didn't wait—he was already out of the car, sprinting toward the meeting spot.

''Are we going after him?'' JJ looked at Kie.

Without hesitation, she nodded, and we all bolted, tearing through backyards and cutting through hedges. We barely slowed down as we caught up to Pope, and he didn't even look back, just kept moving forward.

''What does that mean?'' Kiara asked.

''He's meeting Ward right now, we gotta go!''

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