𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank

Chapter 70: Power Slide

JJ and Grace crouched down under a tree near the tracks. They both stared out towards the red flashing light in silence.

"It's gonna work," JJ mumbled. Grace couldn't tell if he was talking to her or himself so she just nodded in response.

JJ glanced over at her and felt a frown settle over his face. He returned to watching the tracks, finding it too difficult to look at her hurt expression.

They could hear the train approaching and subconsciously held their breaths.

The scraping of the wheels agains the track and the sound of the engine chugging slowed down until the train stopped.

"She's slowing down," JJ said, slightly surprised that their plan was actually working out for once.

Grace forced herself to remain on task and let a proud smile replace her deep frown. "We've got breaks."

Grace got ready to make her way over to Pope and Cleo but JJ grabbed her waist and pulled her back down. "What-"

JJ held a finger to his lips and shushed her, pointing towards a pickup truck that most definitely wasn't Topper's.

"That's not part of the plan," Grace whispered. Her voice seemed to snap JJ into reality. He pulled his hands off her waist as if her skin burnt him.

She bit her lip roughly while avoiding eye contact.

Two workers wandered towards their little science experiment with their flashlights out. "What is this bullshit? You see this?"

They watched as the two men unhooked their wires. They stared at the lights as they continued flickering red.

"Maybe it'll stay red?" Grace asked hopefully.

JJ shook his head. "Give it a second."

They waited for a few more moments before the light swapped back to green.

"They've had enough time, right?"

JJ shrugged in response.

The workers fiddled around for a little bit longer before they got back in their truck and drove off.

"The train's starting."

"We gotta go get them," Grace replied, already standing up.

JJ didn't pull her back down this time. "There goes the plan. We gotta help them."

The duo hurried off towards the bike.

JJ climbed on quickly, not noticing that something had fallen from his pocket.

Grace crouched down. "Hey, you dropped-"

She froze, standing slowly. It was a money clip with the initials MC on them. Mike Carrera. "Why do you have this?"

JJ's eyes locked on the item in her hand. "If I'm gonna be accused of being a thief, might as well get something out of it."

Grace felt her stomach drop. He was back to being self-destructive. Growing up when he was upset he'd channel it into chaos, only making the situation worse. He was doing it again. "JJ, what's going on?"

JJ turned away from her, not willing to return her worried stare. "We don't have time for this. Get on."

Grace wasn't willing to give up that easy. She couldn't keep ignoring the distance he was putting between them. "You took off your ring."

She could see JJ's shoulders tense. He didn't say anything.

"If you want to break up just tell me. You pulling away slowly is only making it hurt more."