My Purpose || John B

030

MY PURPOSE - JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

CHAPTER THIRTY - CRACKHEAD WASTELAND

The Pogues pulled up to the trailer where Barry lived and sold drugs from.

"Welcome to Crackhead Wasteland" Sarah said as they all got out of the Twinkie.

Pope shook his head "I don't know about this, man"

"Yeah well I wasn't sure about going to the 'warehouse' either but did anyone listen? No you didn't and now here we are doing some more stupid shit just for a change!" It was the first time Eleanor had spoke since they left Barry on the side of the road with no keys to get home.

"Don't worry El, this'll only take a second" JJ then walked over to the trailer.

"Where you going?" John B asked.

"Yo soy justicia"

"Did you glean anything from that?" Pope looked around at everyone.

"JJ is gonna do something estúpido" Eleanor plainly stated before looking towards John B "Ya know somebody should probably..."

"Yeah, I got it" John B moved past everyone and followed JJ into Barry's trailer.

"Right" Kiara sighed. Eleanor leant against the Twinkie with Sarah stood beside her until John B and JJ came back out.

"All right, so we're looking at five grand each for reparations for putting us through that bullshit" JJ said as he came out with a duffel bag in his hand that was full of money "Sorry about that, y'all"

"So that's what we're doing now? We're robbing drug dealers?" Eleanor looked at him like he was insane.

"This Barry guy's gonna find out. And he's gonna come after us" Kiara added.

"Yes, he will. This is not the time to start wilin' out"

"How'd you like havin' a gun pulled on you?" JJ defended.

"Relax, JJ" Eleanor took a step towards the boy.

"He had it right here on you, El" JJ pointed a stiff finger at Eleanor's head "And you told him to just fucking shoot you"

John B then walked over "Look. We've gotta go get the gold, okay? Just give me that shit. We're putting it back"

JJ grabbed the collar of John B's shirt and pushed him up against the Twinkie "Do you feel like a tough guy? Huh? What are you gonna do when he comes after us?"

"We punch him in the throat" JJ replied through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, good fucking idea, JJ" Eleanor began "I know you feel like you could conquer the world with that gun in your hands but take it from me, if a drug dealer what's their money back they will do everything in their power to get it even if it means killing someone for it. And if it's not Barry, there will be others JJ. There's always others"

JJ stood there for a second like he was contemplating what she said before shaking his head "I'm not putting it back" He then grabbed the bag and got into the van expecting everyone else to follow but they didn't "You guys getting in or what?"

After getting no response, he sighed and once again got out of the van "What?" He asked like nothing was wrong.

"We're sick of your shit" John B said as calm as possible.

"Oh, my shit?"

"Yeah your pulling guns on people shit" Kiara yelled.

"You acting like a maniac..." Pope continued.

"Okay, Pope, I'm not the one who nearly beat a guy half to death!" JJ exclaimed, looking over at Eleanor "But hey, my bad Eleanor my bad. I know it runs in the family. What was his name, Kenny Linder? The guy that your dad attacked with a socket wrench until he couldn't lift his arm no more!"

"What the fuck JJ?!" Eleanor's eyes welled up with tears as she stumbled back into Sarah who put her hand on the girls shoulder to steady her.

JJ looked at her and just shook his head before he started to walk away, the duffel bag in hand.

"JJ...hey, wait, man" Pope tried to reach out for the boy but he just wasn't quick enough.

"Just let him go" Sarah sighed while rubbing Eleanor's shoulder in comfort.

And for the first time ever, the Pogues had been split up.

-----

"Look, he'll come around, all right? It's...he's doing a JJ thing"

Kiara looked down at the floor clearly upset with the whole thing while Eleanor sat next to John B with her head resting on his shoulder and his arm around her "You think he'll go home?"

"There's about a zero percent chance that JJ goes home" Pope huffed.

"You okay?" John B asked Eleanor who hadn't said a word since JJ spoke about her dad.

She looked up at him and nodded "Yeah, are you?"

"I mean, I'm in one piece, so..."

"Okay. It's too dangerous to pawn this thing off piecemeal. So our best bet is to go down there and get the rest of it. Bring it all up at once. Put it in... in a safe or a vault or something. I...I don't know. Just until we can find someone who won't rip us off. I can figure it out tonight, get it done, and we can be out there tomorrow morning"

"All right, let's do it" John B said to Pope.

"What about that thing with my dad?" Sarah reminded him.

John B sighed "Shit"

Pope looked over at him and frowned "What thing?"

"I have to go fishing with Ward" John B said reluctantly.

Pope and Kiara both sighed heavily as they looked at the boy "You can't get 400 mil 'cause you're gonna go kill fish?" Kiara said sarcastically.

"Look, I have to go" He dropped his head in disappointment.

"Blow it off!"

"It's 400 million in gold! Make something up!"

"Guys, if he turns down the job Ward will just get suspicious and that's another damn problem" Eleanor told them and Sarah nodded in agreement.

"Plus, it'll be better to do it at night" John B then said.

"Fine. Fine, go fishing"

Kiara sighed "And at least JJ will probably have washed up by then"