Outer Banks (JJ Maybank x Female Reader) Book 3

The Light

"Honestly, the hardest part is gonna be security, alright?" JJ nods. We're all sitting at a table on top of the Ferry, headed to Wilmington. "So, most of the guys are gonna be at the rail yard," JJ maps out for us. "Right, so, we're gonna need to find some place and guard it," Pope nods. "Maybe a little further down the line, like, a whistle-stop, or something," He suggests. "Yeah," Kie nods. "You guys are getting ahead of yourselves per usual," Cleo says. "We don't have a way to transport the cross," She says, pointing out the fact the Heyward, obviously, did not hand over the truck.

"What you think? On JJ's motor-cycle?" She asks skeptically. "That's not my fault," JJ sighs. "Oh, everyone. Alright, all me, all me," He rolls his eyes. I cross my arms, thinking. "Okay, so, other options?" Pope asks. "Oh, my God," Sarah says suddenly, sitting straight up, and clasping her hands together. "Oh, my God, what?" Cleo asks, annoyed. Sarah squeezes her eyes shut and the rest of us turn to where she was just looking. "Is that Topper?" Pope asks incredulously. "Why... is he everywhere?" Kie shrugs as she turns back around.

"Perfect," Pope grins. "Hey, J?" He asks. "What?" JJ asks, finally stopping his pacing and sitting down next to me. "I bet you Topper has a way to transport the cross," Pope grins. "Actually, Pope's right, he does have a rig," JJ grins, his eyes on Sarah. "No," Sarah argues. "Yes," JJ grins. "No, absolutely not," Sarah shakes her head. "Yes, come on," JJ groans. "Sarah, you already got him whipped anyway, alright?" He asks. "Okay, so why don't you just take one for the team?" JJ pleads. "What would John B say?" She groans. 

"I think John B will completely understand," Pope nods. "Think about the circumstances. It's about treasure," He continues. "We can handle John B," I tell her confidently. "Just talk to him," Kie nods. Sarah groans, dropping her head into her hands. 

~~~~~~

The five of us stand at the bottom of the steps, watching Sarah talk to Topper on the top deck. She says a few words to him and looks over his shoulder at us. JJ raises his hand, motioning for her to hurry. She looks back at Topper. She looks as if she's over explaining some things, using big hand gestures and looking between him and the ground. Topper continues on his own rant and Sarah glances at us again. JJ waves his hand around, telling her to get to the point. 

We all watch carefully, trying to read their lips as they talk. Topper scratches his head as if considering and Sarah touches his arm. She says a few more words before throwing her arms around Topper in a hug. We all grin, pointing at her and throwing our arms up in victory as she waves over his shoulder. 

~~~~~~

"Well, there's like a thousand trains here," Sarah mutters as we walk across the top of the train cars, looking out over the yard. Even in the darkness of night, I feel bare and unhidden. "Well, we know it's car 750X on the track to Raleigh," Pope says. "Yeah, so now we just gotta find that," JJ nods. "Well, news flash," Kie says. "We're not getting out of here unnoticed with a giant cross," She says. "We won't have to. We can nab it somewhere further in the country," Pope says. "We just gotta figure out how to stop the train," I agree.

Kie nods. "Right," She says in an obvious tone. "Leave that to me," JJ says. "How are you gonna do that?" Cleo asks. "I got an Uncle up in New Bern, right?" He grins. "When he got tipsy, he'd just throw an old chain across the tracks, just for shits and giggles," He shrugs. "And, uh, that old little chain would stop all the train traffic in costal Carolina," He smiles. "A chain?" Kie asks skeptically. "He's actually right," Pope says. 

"There's a low voltage current that runs across all rail tracks. Throw a chain on it, you close that circuit, it would read as another train. Crossing lights come down. Science is actually pretty sound," Pope nods. "Science. I knew my Science," JJ grins at me. I roll my eyes. "Well, we don't have a chain," Pope says. "No, no, no, but, I bet Topper's dad has jumper cables in the truck," Sarah says. "Would that work?" She asks. "Yeah," Pope nods.

"Yo! What's goin' on? Are we doing this or what?" Topper calls from down below. We turn to face him, waiting next to his truck. We ignore him. "Alright, you all wait here, me and Pope will go look for it and send a signal once we find it," Cleo nods. "Do we actually have a plan right now?" Sarah asks in awe. "I think we do," JJ grins. "That's impressive," I nod. "Let's not jinx it while we're ahead. Come on," Pope says, leading the way across the top of the trains.

"Nobody ever listens to me," Cleo sighs as Sarah laughs. Cleo and Pope climb down the end of a box to the ground, pulling out their flashlights. "We'll wait for the signal," JJ nods as they leave. 

~~~~~~

"What's taking so long?" Sarah asks after a few minutes. Brakes hiss in the distance. JJ taps his head, waiting. "Come on, Pope," He mutters. Finally, a pair of hands appear on a box not far from us, a few rows over and down. We wait as Pope turns, shining the flash light at us a few times. We send him thumbs up. "That's it," Kie hisses as we all stand up. "We're green," I whisper. A train horn blares. "What's happening?" Kie whispers as brakes squeal. "You hear that?" JJ asks, his hand finding mine. 

Suddenly, the train starts moving. "Train's moving, train's moving, train's moving!" JJ practically shouts. "We gotta go! Go!" Sarah yells, leading the way. "Shit, shit, shit," I hiss as we run. The train horn blares again, slowly picking up speed as we reach the ground. "Oh, hey, Sarah," Topper says with fake enthusiasm as we walk towards the truck. "Do you have jumper cables in there?" She asks. "Here I am involved in illegal activities-," He starts. Sarah cuts him off as she opens the door. "Not that illegal," She sighs.

"This is crazy. I'm not even close to being okay with this," He says as she grabs the cables and shuts the door. "Okay," She nods. "Jumper cables! What- what are we- what are we doing with these?" He stutters through his words, panicked. "Topper, if you don't wanna go, it's fine. And we'll take the truck," She says, brushing past him. "The truck?" He mutters. "Yeah," She nods.

"Okay, hey, I just wanna make sure everyone here is okay with ending up in federal prison?" He asks. "Uh, if it gets to that, yeah, I'll do it for Pope," JJ nods as Sarah gets into the truck, tossing JJ the cables and slamming the door. Kie jumps into the bed of the truck and I climb onto the back of JJ's motorcycle, nodding at the two of them as we drive off, Topper in the passenger seat.

J and I lead the way on the bike, Sarah driving right behind us. "This should be far enough," JJ finally says, stopping the bike and hopping off next to the tracks. "Alright," I nod as he runs for the tracks. He trips, face planting straight into the grass. He gets up again before I can even start laughing, continuing to run and muttering curse words under his breath. "You good?" I ask breathlessly, trying to hold in my laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine, alright," He nods, tossing me one end of the cable. "Oh, God, you can hear it coming!" He calls over the blare of the horn. 

"Lets fry this sucker!" He calls, attaching one end to the cables inside the crossing light. "Alright," I nod. "Okay, now, all you have to do," He says, running back over to my side. "Do your trick," I nod impatiently. "... is change the current," He says. "Let's go baby," He grins as they spark and he attaches them. "Don't get electrocuted please," I nod. "Yeah, no promises with that," He says. "Three, two, one," He says before clamping it onto the tracks. It buzzes with electricity as he attaches the second one. "And red," He says hopefully.

"Moment of truth," I say, watching the blinking green light. "Come on, come on, man, come on, come on," JJ mutters, standing up as the green continues blinking. He takes his hat off, pacing. "Okay, that's what he would do, that's literally what my- so then it would change red, Oh, my god," JJ stresses. I narrow my eyes, kneeling down next to the cords. "Okay, think, think, think, think, okay what if I blockaded the tracks?" JJ continues. "That's what I could. Maybe put like a tree?" He considers.

"Uh, hey. The train touches both sides of the track," He mutter, taking off one side and attaching it to the other side of the track. We both look up at the blinking green light as the train horn blares. "Come on. Come on," I whisper as the train comes closer. "Please, we don't have a plan B," I sigh. Suddenly, finally, the light switches red. I exhale, laughing in relief. "Yes. Yes! Yes!" I grin. "That's what I'm talking about!" He smiles, lifting me up and kissing me quickly. 

I laugh, high fiving him. "You're a genius," He smiles. "Science," I grin, tapping my head. "I was gonna do that, I was gonna do that," He nods. "No, it's all you," I grin, taking his hand. "And now we wait," He nods as we back into the trees. "It's gonna work. It's gonna work," JJ repeats as we crouch in the bushes. The train comes closer and closer, finally appearing around the corner, slowing. "She's slowing down, she's slowing down!" JJ grins. "We got brakes, dude!" I chuckle.