ocean • jj maybank

1.21

"who says?" Kie asked the man.

"all the world."

"if all the world says it, why hasn't it been found?" Caroline asked leaning over JJ's shoulder.

"some people say it doesn't exist. some people say it's hidden, and only one very special person can find it."

"uh-huh." JJ added.

"some people say it's maldito."

"maldito?" Kie asks.

"cursed. over the years, people that go up, they don't come back." the man says turning around in his seat.

JJ scoffed leaning back, "funny."

"gracias." Caroline tells the man looking at her friends.

"funny." JJ repeated earning a look from the two girls.

"i wanna say we're fucked but i have no idea what to say.. so." Caroline taps her knees, JJ placed his hand over hers tapping her hand.

__

"welcome to Tres Rocas. this place makes the Cut look like the Taj Mahal." JJ slipped his bag on sitting up from the seat.

"so how are we gonna find everyone?" Caroline slipped her backpack on.

"i'm working on it. um, look, all right. Tres Rocas is fairly small, all right? don't worry about it. we'll find them, okay?" JJ assures the girls as they started getting out of the bus.

"you gotta be kidding me. we haven't been here for two minutes!" JJ laughed pointing out, Caroline looked out gasping seeing Pope and Cleo running.

"como estas, amigos?" JJ leaned his head out of the bus.

"what the.. hey! run!" Pope high fived the blonde.

"we gotta go!" Cleo yelled.

"what?" Kiara asked.

"we gotta run!"

"already? we just got here." Kiara was the first to get out of the bus followed by Caroline.

"what's happening?" Caroline caught up to Pope and Cleo.

"Singh's men are right behind us. they're after us. we gotta think of a plan." Pope pulled his friends into a corner to hide.

"okay, why don't we just hijack the bus?" JJ suggested.

Caroline's brows furrowed in confusion turning to her boyfriend, "this bus? that only goes ten miles an hour?"

"i'm just spitballing, Ace, okay?" the brunette didn't know how'd happy she be hearing that nickname coming out of his lips again.

"guys! guys! guys!" Cleo panicked grabbing Caroline's arm.

"they're coming now! hide!" Pope pushed JJ running with him.

"fruit stands! fruit stands! duck!"

the five ran over hiding behind a stand apologizing multiple times to the people around them peaking their heads seeing Singh's men approach asking around. Caroline recognized one from Singh's house as he approached, she lowered herself more but kept her eye on him watching him closely. the two men ended up leaving seconds later making the five relax once they had left.

"welcome to South America." Cleo says, Caroline looked at her friend snorting pulling her friend into a hug.

"i missed you guys." the brunette smiled.

__

the next plan the five Pogues were wondering is how they were going to find John B and Sarah. Singh was on the island and neither of them knew where he was. JJ had the idea to return to Barracuda Mike who was still on the island and knew his way around. so that's what the five friends did, returned to the man who was leading them to a different part of the forest.

"got anything to protect yourself?" Mike asks.

"uh, kinda working on that part." JJ mentioned.

"i had a baseball bat. kinda left it at home though." Caroline stepped over some tall grass.

"here."

"what's this?"

"machetes. you'll need 'em." Mike handed JJ a sack leading the teens to a boat, "i'm adding the cost of this rig to what you already owe me. i don't expect to see it again anyway. look, i asked around at the landing today. your buds did leave this morning. but i was able to get directions to El Tesoro. pretty loose. only Jose knows the real way, but you get in the right zip code, maybe."

"it's a start." Kie gave a small smile.

"thanks."

"no." Mike chuckled, "don't thank me. start praying. and JJ.."

Caroline stepped into the boat turning her head watching them, "you owe me, dude. ten times. good luck."

JJ stepped into the boat in silence as the five were on their way. JJ was driving so Caroline slowly made her way over to him sitting down next to him, the blonde turned his head resting his arm on her thigh kissing the top of her head. she rested her head on his shoulder planting a kiss onto it.

"wanna tell me what Mike was talking about?" she whispered looking at him, she saw the nervousness in his eyes knowing something was going on but he didn't want to tell her anything.

"can i tell you when we're back home?"

"nothing to worry about?"

JJ looked at her seeing the look she had, he tried not to laugh at how well she knew him but he couldn't help it, "yes and no."

Caroline just smiled leaving a soft kiss against his lips, "we're in this together, right? no more secrets from here on out?"

"no more secrets, baby." JJ took her face in his hands pressing his lips against hers, "i promise."

the entire night JJ and Caroline didn't leave each others side. the girl stayed at his side until she fell asleep.