riptide- outer banks

sixty | leverage

He scrolled through the unlocked phone—no passcode protecting any of Portis' shit—swiping through his contact list. "Okay, the only problem is that I don't see a Carlos Singh in the contacts."

"That's the problem."

"There's just a bunch of nicknames and shit."

"Wait." Sarah realized, leaning forward. "Didn't Portis call him something else?"

Logan met her gaze, eyes flashing with recollection. "Kingfish. He called him Kingfish."

JJ snapped his fingers together, whipping to the brunette. "Genius. You're a genius."

Logan shrugged his shoulders. "I have my moments."

"As few as they may be." Kori quipped, either side of her mouth curling into a smirk as she leaned closer to him to get a better look at the phone.

"Whatever." He murmured, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he grinned.

"Alright. There he is." Pope said, pressing on the contact. "Kingfish."

"And we in business. Alright, phase two." JJ began, head nodding. "Text him."

"And say what exactly?"

"You know, you said it. Negotiate, right? Pretend to be Portis; ask him to meet somewhere in private. That was...that's really important. " He emphasized, hand raising in the air. "Just solo. Then bam! We jump his ass, tie him up, and then politely request Kiara in return for his life."

Logan scoffed. "Like that'll work. Did you see his fortress?"

"That's not a bad idea." John B suddenly piped up, beginning to pace.

"'Not a bad idea?' That's a freakin' terrific idea." JJ agreed.

Sarah just rolled her eyes, sending a look to Logan. This was stupid.

"Okay, I for one, think it's half-decent. It could work." Kori voiced.

"Well, I'm gonna say it." Pope interjected, shoulders barely raising. "I think we should think it through."

"I agree with Pope." Sarah echoed, nodding at Logan. "So does he. This could make things ten times worse for us and Kiara."

John B turned to her, arms raised up in the air. "Okay, how much worse could it actually get?"

Logan's face contorted. "Do you not remember how we got stranded? Like, how it was kind of your fault any of that even happened."

"Okay, first of all—"

"Just send the damn text. I don't care anymore." Kori interrupted, head incredulously shaking at Pope. "While we're sitting here, Kie is in that big freakin' mansion with Singh. And we have no idea what he's doing to her. Send it or I will."

There was a beat.

Then JJ lifted his hand up, graciously acknowledging her comment before stealing the phone back from Pope. He typed out the message, fingers rapidly moving on the screen, and hit send.

It was time to get Kiara back.

〰

So JJ was a dumbass.

A blonde-haired, joke telling, snarky little dumbass.

But Logan couldn't fully blame him. Every single pogue in that building—with the exception of him and Sarah—had Samsungs. And in the midst of sending a hostage picture of Sarah and John B, JJ had forgotten to turn off his location.