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''Marley's her best friend. A Siamese mix, and, um, yeah, it was really sudden. And, you know, the mailman was coming at 40 miles per hour so...'' 

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JJ BROUGHT THE Twinkie to a halt just outside Kie's house. The lush, well-maintained hedges lining the driveway seemed at odds with the mood radiating from the two figures sitting sternly on the front steps. Mike and Anna Carrera sat side by side.

JJ killed the engine and leaned back casually, stretching his arms behind his head. ''Howdy, y'all,'' he greeted. ''Lovely afternoon.''

I shot him a sharp look and shoved his shoulder lightly, muttering, ''Not the time.''

Mike's eyes narrowed immediately. He stood up. ''JJ. Do not come on my property. Not even a little bit,'' he ordered, his voice low and firm. Then his gaze flickered to me, slightly softening. ''Mavis can come in.''

I stepped forward. ''Where's Kiara?'' I asked directly, crossing my arms. ''We were supposed to hear from her, and we haven't for about an hour and a half.''

Anna sighed, standing and brushing invisible dust off her pants. ''Mavis, I'm sorry, but she's not here,'' she replied.

I blinked, not understanding. ''What do you mean she's not here?'' My voice was louder now. I glanced back at JJ.

''Like we're supposed to believe that?'' JJ chimed in.

''Where is she?'' I pressed, looking between Mike and Anna.

Mike's jaw tightened. ''Let's just say you're not going to see her for a little while. All right?''

''Mike,'' Anna interjected gently, placing a hand on his arm before turning her attention back to me. Her voice softened, almost like she was trying to reason with me. ''We sent her someplace where she can try and rebuild what your friends destroyed. Mavis, Kiara was always so happy around you. Please don't let them pull you down the same path.''

Her words stung, but I shoved the guilt away. This wasn't about me.

JJ took a step forward. ''You sent her to that wilderness camp?''

''Yep,'' Mike answered shortly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

JJ let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. ''God. You know, y'all really are some Kooks,'' he muttered before pointing an accusatory finger at them. ''You gooned her.''

Mike stood abruptly, his stance almost threatening as he started toward JJ. ''Watch your mouth,'' he barked, but Anna grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

I stepped in front of JJ, placing a hand on his chest to hold him back. ''JJ, get in the car,'' I urged.

JJ ignored me, his focus entirely on Mike. ''You gooned your own daughter?'' he repeated, his voice cracking slightly with anger as he yanked the car door open.

''Hey!'' Mike shouted, his voice rising as he stormed forward. ''You gave us no choice!''

''You gave us no choice, JJ,'' Mike repeated, planting himself in front of the car as JJ slid into the driver's seat. ''I don't want to see you around my family again!''

JJ clenched the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. ''Don't worry, Mike. You won't,'' he shot back, his voice cold.

Mike wasn't finished. His voice boomed as he pointed an accusing finger at us. ''I won't let you ruin this young, smart girl's life, just like you ruined my daughter's!''

I climbed into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut, my pulse pounding in my ears. ''Drive,'' I muttered, glancing at JJ, who didn't need to be told twice.

I glanced at my phone, chewing the inside of my cheek.

''So, what's the plan now?'' I asked, breaking the silence. 

''We drive to Kitty Hawk,'' JJ replied casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

''Kitty Hawk? JJ, that's three hours away. We're going to be late,'' I pointed out, my voice rising slightly. I leaned back into my seat, the leather warm against my shoulders, and stared at him like he'd lost his mind.

''I don't care,'' he retorted, gripping the wheel a little tighter. ''We're not leaving Kie.''

I sighed, rubbing my temple. ''Well, the others care. You know how John B is about timing.''

Pulling out my phone, I started scrolling to John B's contact, my thumb hovering over the call button. JJ's eyes darted toward me.

''Who are you calling?'' he asked suspiciously.

''Who do you think?'' I replied, hitting the call and putting the phone to my ear.

It barely rang before John B picked up, his tone already on edge. ''Mavis, where the hell are you guys? If you and JJ aren't back in thirty minutes, I swear I'm leaving without you.''

''Listen, I know you're gonna be pissed, but just hear me out—''

''Pissed? Mavis, you're—''

''We're going to Kitty Hawk to get Kie,'' I blurted out, cutting him off before he could spiral into one of his rants. ''I'm not leaving her behind. We're all Pogues, right? No one gets left behind.''

''Mavis—''

''I love you, bye!'' I shouted quickly before hanging up and shoving the phone back into my pocket. I winced, already imagining the string of texts and calls that were about to blow up my phone.

JJ chuckled, shaking his head. ''You're insane, you know that?''

''Says the guy who dragged me into this whole thing,'' I shot back, smirking.

''Hey, I can always drop you off at the airstrip and get her on my own,'' he offered, half-joking. ''You don't have to—''

''And let you get caught? No thanks.'' I cut him off, narrowing my eyes at him. ''I'm helping you. We'll figure it out together.''

He glanced at me, his expression softening. ''You sure?''

''I'm not ditching any Pogues,'' I said firmly, reaching over for the familiar handshake. Our hands clasped, and we tapped the backs together before pulling away with a shared grin. ''Woogity.''

''Woogity,'' JJ echoed, grinning.

The mood lightened for a moment, but then came the unmistakable jolt. The car veered slightly, and JJ quickly corrected it, slowing us to a stop. Both of us fell silent as we exchanged a wary glance.

''What now?'' JJ muttered, pulling over. The hum of the engine died as he turned it off. ''Please tell me this is just a regular flat.''

But it wasn't. As soon as we stepped out, the reality set in. The tire wasn't just flat—it was completely wrecked.

JJ crouched down next to the tire, running his fingers along the shredded rubber. His jaw tightened as he inspected the damage. I stood beside him, crossing my arms as a pit formed in my stomach.

''It was shot out,'' he muttered, his voice low and steady. He straightened up, scanning the area around us. 

''JJ,'' I whispered, stepping closer to him. ''Do you think...''

Before I could finish, a figure emerged from the shadows. Mike. His heavy boots crunched against the gravel as he approached.

''Okay, fine,'' JJ started. ''Really? After everything you just put me through, and now you shoot out my... my friend's tire! That's not even my van!'' He gestured toward the Twinkie, his hands slicing through the air.

Barracuda didn't flinch. ''You lost the load, JJ. Now instead of me getting paid, I owe them. Which I guess means you owe me, right?''

JJ laughed bitterly, raising his hands in a mock surrender. ''I know, Barr. Look, I'd love to stay and chat, but I kinda got a date, so...'' He gestured toward the Twinkie. ''Get in the car!''

Mike's friend stepped forward, his hand resting on his belt. ''You heard him. Get in the car.''

JJ's jaw clenched, but his eyes flickered with an idea. ''Okay. If that's how it's gonna be,'' he replied, his voice lowering. ''Look, I know you've heard the stories. About me and my friends, a little something called the Royal Merchant. A pile of gold. Ringing any bells?''

Mike crossed his arms, sniffing dismissively. ''I heard some bullshit.''

JJ tilted his head, a sly smile tugging at his lips. ''Well, that bullshit's real. Yeah? And yeah, we found it.''

''Yeah, I saw,'' Mike shot back. ''That's why you've got a bunch of dudes throwing your furniture in a dumpster out back at your house? Living high off the hog, bro.''

JJ's grin didn't falter. ''You're talking about the house that's being foreclosed? The cover? The one to throw off the scent? Rule number one, don't do flashy shit, like pay off a mortgage when you're cashing in.''

Mike raised an eyebrow. ''Stop. Let me guess. You, uh... you got that gold. It's buried somewhere in a barn, right? And if I just let you go right now, you'll run there, grab it, and we'll split it?''

JJ's smile widened. ''Not exactly. Actually, it's a little sweeter than that. May I?'' He gestured dramatically, as if laying out a grand plan. ''Look, let's forget about the Merchant gold. That's just the tip of the iceberg. We're going after the main course now. The mother lode. And that's the truth of why we need to get down to South America.''

I stayed quiet, letting JJ handle the fast-talking. His boldness never failed to amaze me—or stress me out. Thunder rumbled in the distance, adding to the tension.

''Mike, come on, man,'' JJ continued, stepping closer, his voice dropping into a coaxing tone. ''I'm trying to help you. Giving you the opportunity to make ten times more. No skin off your nose. Just a lottery ticket. So, in this hand, you can get the pleasure of beating my ass right here, right now.'' He held up one hand. ''I honestly get that temptation. I really do. But in this hand...'' He raised his other hand. ''You've got a pile of gold waiting for you. All you need is a little patience and a flight to South America.''

For a moment, no one spoke. Finally, Mike sniffed, then nodded slightly.

''You've got one shot,'' he warned. ''Don't screw this up.''

After some tense but uneventful driving, we arrived at Kitty Hawk. JJ pulled the Twinkie toward the gate. A guard stepped forward.

''How are y'all doing?'' JJ greeted, leaning out of the window with an easy grin.

The guard frowned slightly. ''Can I help you?''

''Hey there, sir,'' JJ began, his voice friendly but rushed. ''Uh, Camp Counselor Laura—she's my sister. I was just dropping off one of these packages back here for her, if that's okay. Real quick, I promise. In and out.''

The man squinted at us, then nodded reluctantly. ''Yeah. Go ahead.''

''Thank you so much.'' JJ tipped an imaginary hat, putting the van into gear. ''Y'all have a good day.''

Kitty Hawk had the kind of eerie calm that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. JJ parked the Twinkie casually but with just enough nonchalance to make it seem like we belonged.

He leaned out of the window, flashing one of his signature grins at the man standing by the gate. ''Hi there, sir,'' JJ began. ''Uh, we're looking for... I'm looking for the office.''

The guard didn't immediately answer. ''Yeah?'' he finally replied.

JJ didn't miss a beat, gesturing vaguely ahead. ''Uh, is there a main lodge or something? Like a main lodge? Right down there? Appreciate it.''

The man pointed down the dirt path without much interest. ''Right down there.''

''Thanks, man. Appreciate it,'' JJ responded smoothly, easing the van forward with a wave.

As the Twinkie crawled up the path, I gave JJ a sidelong glance. ''You better know what you're doing,'' I muttered under my breath, though a small part of me couldn't help but admire how easily he could slip into a role.

''Trust me, Mave,'' JJ whispered back with a wink. ''I've got this.''

We pulled up near the lodge, and JJ hopped out with his usual swagger. I followed, keeping a step behind and trying to look as unassuming as possible. The front door creaked open, and we were greeted by a middle-aged woman with a clipboard in hand.

''How's it going, ma'am?'' he began. ''Um...'' He hesitated for dramatic effect. ''Can I help you?'' the woman prompted.

JJ nodded earnestly. ''I have a message for one of your campers here. Um... Uh, her name is Kiara, uh, Carrera. She's here, right?''

The woman frowned, glancing down at her clipboard. ''Unfortunately, we're not allowed to do that,'' she informed him briskly. ''You're not even supposed to be here on campus.''

JJ feigned a look of regret, putting a hand to his chest as though wounded. ''Okay. It's... it's just that it's a very important... May I sit?'' He gestured to a nearby chair without waiting for permission and plopped down with exaggerated defeat. ''A very important matter, ma'am.''

I caught on to his plan—or at least parts of it—and stepped in. I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, doing my best to look heartbroken. ''It's been really hard,'' I murmured, rubbing slow circles with my thumb. My voice cracked just enough to sell it.

The woman hesitated, her expression softening slightly. ''Oh, I'm sure it is, sweetie,'' she offered. ''But we have a policy. No contact from the outside world for the first six weeks.''

JJ sat up straighter, adopting an earnest expression. ''Right. Ma'am. It's actually a family matter, and, uh... we're... we're related to her. We're her cousins.'' He glanced at me, his eyes pleading for backup.

I nodded quickly, biting my lip as though trying to hold back tears. ''Yeah,'' I added softly. ''It's really important.''

JJ turned back to the woman, his voice dropping as though the weight of emotion was too much to bear. ''So, look, I know you've got a policy and all, but there's just been something that happened recently that... You know what?'' He stood abruptly, pacing for effect. ''I'm getting a little emotional. I think I should go. I'm sorry. I shouldn't even be here, like you said, so I'll leave you alone.''

The woman blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. JJ paused by the door, glancing back over his shoulder. ''But before I leave,'' he added, his voice trembling just enough to be convincing, ''could you just let her know, um... just that, uh... Marley didn't make it?''

I stiffened, struggling to keep my face neutral. JJ pretended to wipe his eyes, using the hem of my shirt for dramatic effect. ''JJ,'' I hissed under my breath, but he ignored me.

The woman tilted her head, her clipboard forgotten. ''Who's Marley?'' she asked, her tone tinged with concern.

JJ pressed a hand to his chest. ''Marley's her best friend. A Siamese mix, and, um, yeah, it was really sudden. And, you know, the mailman was coming at 40 miles per hour so...'' He snapped his fingers, exhaling deeply. ''He's in a better place now.''

The woman's face softened, and JJ seized the opportunity. ''But, um, could you just let her know for me?'' he asked, his tone full of polite desperation. ''I'd really appreciate that.''

There was a long pause before the woman nodded slowly. ''I'll let her know,'' she promised.

JJ flashed her a strained smile. ''Thank you, ma'am. You have a great one.'' He turned and motioned for me to follow, his pace quickening as we headed back toward the van.

As soon as we were out of earshot, I smacked his arm. ''Marley? A Siamese mix?'' I hissed.

JJ grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. ''Hey, it worked, didn't it?''

''Barely,'' I muttered, though I couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. 

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JJ AND I moved quietly, weaving between the cabins like shadows. The faint glow of a distant lamppost barely lit the campgrounds. My heart pounded with every step as I followed JJ's lead, ducking and dodging through the maze of buildings.

JJ panted beside me. ''Oh God. Kie? Where are you, Kie?'' His tone carried a tinge of panic as he scanned the area, his head jerking from side to side. ''You were just here.'' He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, gritting his teeth.

''Kiara?'' I called softly, my voice barely audible above the sound of my pounding heart. My fingers grazed the edge of a doorframe as we moved toward a cabin. The wood was rough under my fingertips, and I could hear the faint sound of snoring coming from inside. JJ nudged the door open, and the hinges creaked like they hadn't been oiled in years.

Inside, the air was warmer, tinged with the faint smell of lavender and something earthy—probably the wood of the bunk beds lining the room. The soft rise and fall of sleeping girls' breathing was the only sound apart from our own muffled movements.

''Kie,'' I whispered, inching toward the nearest bed. My knees brushed against a rickety stool as I leaned closer. ''Kie. Kiara?''

JJ's sharp intake of breath made me freeze. One of the girls stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She sat up groggily, rubbing her face as her gaze landed on us. ''What are you doing in here?'' she demanded in a hushed but alarmed tone.

JJ threw up his hands in mock surrender, his voice barely above a whisper. ''Hi there. Uh, evening, miss. Uh... Sorry. Sorry to bother y'all. Okay. Hello, everyone.'' He chuckled nervously as a few more girls stirred, murmuring to each other. ''Shit. I know this looks bad. We come in peace.''

''JJ,'' I hissed under my breath, glancing nervously at the door as more girls began to wake.

''We're just looking for someone,'' JJ continued, ignoring me. He gestured vaguely toward the bunks. ''We're looking... looking for...''

''Me.''

I turned to see Kiara, sitting up and staring at us in disbelief.

''How did... How?'' Kie stammered.

''Okay, yeah, it's a long story,'' JJ replied, his breath hitching. ''No time to explain though.''

I moved to Kie's side, pulling her into a tight hug. Her arms wrapped around me as she squeezed back, and for a moment, everything else faded away. I could hear a few of the girls letting out soft ''aww'' sounds behind me, but I ignored them.

''We've got to go,'' I whispered urgently, pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes. ''Seriously. You guys are free too,'' I added, glancing over my shoulder at the other girls. ''If you want out, now's the time.''

Kie didn't hesitate. She threw off her blanket and swung her legs over the side of the bed. ''Let's do it.''

We moved quickly, slipping out of the cabin and back into the night. JJ led the way. ''Can't really go through the front gate,'' he muttered, glancing back to check on us. ''You good?''

''Never thought I was going to make it out,'' Kie admitted, her voice tinged with relief. She stumbled over a tree root but caught herself, laughing softly.

''You've got to have more faith in us,'' I teased. ''Mwah! This place can suck it.''

JJ let out a cheer, his grin flashing in the dark. ''Wilderness camp!''

''Where are we going?'' Kie asked, her steps quickening as we neared the edge of the campgrounds. ''Is it this way?''

''Yeah, yeah,'' JJ confirmed, gesturing toward the treeline. ''Right up here. This is where we're—''

''Why did you guys park so far?'' Kie interrupted, frustration lacing her tone.

''Kind of a long story,'' JJ admitted, sidestepping a low-hanging branch. ''Because there's only one road into Kitty Hawk. And with the camp and cops knowing what the Twinkie looks like, I thought it'd be best to leave it as a decoy.''

Before he could finish,