BRIZO 2 | 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

36

"Over the years," The man keeps talking, "People that go up, they don't come back." And then he turns around dramatically.

Silence settles among us, until JJ scoffs, leaning back and muttering, "Funny," trying to take the tension off. But it is not funny.

"Who is this guy anyway?" I mutter, hugging my backpack closer to my chest. "Neville came down and lived, right?"

"Right!" Kiara didn't miss a beat, she quickly agreed with me. "This is so not a suicide mission."

"Can we just- I don't know, be positive? Just for this once?" JJ says, putting up one finger.

"Well, it's hard being positive when we don't know where the fuck our friends are and-"

My words get cut when the bus stops and I almost slip out of my seat. JJ catches me in time, helping me back to my seat.

The three of us look around us as he speaks, "Welcome to Tres Rocas." JJ sighs, "This place makes the Cut look like the Taj Mahal."

"JJ, focus." I get his attention poking his arm, making him turn his face around.

"All right, so how are we gonna find them?" Kiara asks, eyeing me and JJ.

"This place can't be much bigger than the Cut, right?"

"Um, yeah. It is fairly small, all right?" JJ speaks, "Don't worry about it, girls, we'll find them, okay?"

Kiara and I share a doubtful look, but still we say nothing. Last thing we can do right now is lose hope. That would be the death of us right now. It's the only thing keeping us moving forward. Having hope.

"You gotta be kidding me," JJ mutters, looking out in the distance, "We haven't been here for two minutes!"

I frown, and push him aside to stick my body out of the bus. His hands fly to my waist, keeping me from falling off the bus while he keeps muttering how recklessly I'm behaving lately. I look back at him for just a second with my eyebrows furrowed before he blurts out an apology.

Anyway.

I can see Pope and Cleo running towards our bus, and for once I just can't believe how our luck seems to be turning our way.

My mouth curves into a grin as I wave my hand excitedly at them. I lean back when they get closer, both of them confused as to how and when the three of us got to Tres Rocas I assume.

"Cómo estás, amigos?" JJ cheers, doing his handshake with Pope.

Instead of saying hi, Pope and Cleo shout at us to run, and they don't wait for us before they keep running off behind the bus.

"You gotta be kidding me."

"Already? We just got here." Kiara exclaims as we climb off the bus.

"I leave you guys for two minutes and look what happens." I shake my head, standing next to Kiara while I put my bag back around my shoulders.

"What's happening?"

"Singh's men are right behind us." Pope explains in a hurry. "They're after us. We gotta think of a plan."

"Okay, why don't we just hijack the bus?" JJ suggests, blurting out ideas in a matter of seconds.

"This bus?" Both Kie and I say at the same time.

"The one that only goes ten miles an hour?" Kiara keeps talking.

"I'm just spitballing, girls, okay?"

The tires of a vehicle make us turn our faces, seeing Singh's men get out of their car fully armed. Cleo rushes us to move, pushing us to the fruit stands. We run, dropping to the ground, trying to hide ourselves behind the stands.