SINCERELY, YOUR DARLA. || ~ jj maybank.

🌿| Hell and back. (37)

"It could work." Pope nods. 

"Are you with us, then?" Pope asks her.

"No. This is stupid." She says.

"All right! Open these things up!" We hear someone call from outside.

"They're checking the containers." Kie says.

"Uh-oh."

Cleo hurries to the vent and rips off the lid of it.

"Cleo, what are you.."
"Stop, Cleo!"

She shushes us, handing me the lid of the vent. "Dunno what you see in the blonde guy, Darla." She whispers before climbing out.

"What'd she say?" they all look up at me.

I clear my throat. "She said.. she'd be back in a- uh.. back in a minute."

They arch their eyebrows.

I close the vent.

"She's gonna tell them, shit!" Pope whispers.

"Hold up!" We hear her say from outside. "This one's clear, sir. Went through it inch by inch. Nothing but tubing and plastics in there."

I sigh a heartbeat of relief.

"Okay, she's on our side. That's good." Pope nods.

"How could you doubt my girl Cleo?" I laugh, opening the vent up.

Cleo whistles from outside.

Pope pulls himself out of the small square, struggling but climbing out soon enough, running off with Cleo.

_______________________________

"Attention, all passengers, all crew, resort to the tween forward hull."

We haven't been waiting too long, they must've done that really quick.

"They did it, they took the bridge." John b laughs.

Kie opens the vent, hopping out quickly.

John b hops out after her , landing and waiting for JJ to get out.

JJ hops out and lands, they gesture for me to get out.

I climb under the frame, shuffling out and hopping down.

"All right, split up. Once they're all in the hull, Darl and I will lock them up." JJ nods.

"John b and I will go help Sarah." Kie says after him. "We will get the lifeboat."

"We'll meet you, load the cross and get outta here." I nod. "All right, good luck, and don't die."

"Same goes to you two." They say before we split off into two groups.

We run into the forward hull, the red lights flashing as we hear other people walking in.

We go toward a wall with a small opening, flattening against it and ready to lock them all up.

"Psst. How many?" JJ whispers.

I hold up three fingers.

We count the voices and footsteps we hear, trying not to get caught.

I peek a little, but suddenly see Rafe, and immediately backing up.

I look at JJ. "That's all of the crew."

He looks at me. "Ward, we need Ward."

"We can't wait." I shake my head as my voice becomes raspy from whispers.