On Top//Topper Thornton

seventeen

"It looks like somebody tried to melt it down," the woman says.

"My mom. She had all this jewelry laying around the house, and she thought it was best to... to melt it down. To 'consolidate' it," JJ explains.

"Seven pounds? That's a lot of earrings," the woman comments.

"Okay, to be honest, ma'am," JJ clears his throat, " ...it's really hard to see my mom fall apart with Alzheimer's."

The woman gives him a look. "Mm-hm. Alzheimer's? Give me a minute." The woman starts to walk to the back.

"Take your time, ma'am," JJ tells her.

After a minute the woman comes back out. "So, I, uh..." she clears her throat. "I talked to my boss."

"And?" JJ asks.

"And, uh, this is what I can do." The woman hands a slip of paper to JJ.

"Fifty thousand? You think I walked in here not knowin' the spot price? Ma'am, I know for a fact this is worth 140, at least," JJ tells her.

"Well, sweetie, you in a pawnshop. This ain't Zurich. Do I look Swiss to you?" the woman remarks.

"Ninety, or I walk," JJ counters.

"Seventy. Half price... and, um... I don't ask questions about where you got this," the woman offers.

JJ looks at John B and he gives JJ the signal. "I'm gonna need that in large denominations, please."

"Well, here's the snag. I don't have that much denominated, not here anyway. I can write you a cashier's check," the woman offers.

"Cash... No, ma'am. I want the cold hard. That's what that sign says. Cash for gold. And that's what I expect. I'm gonna get it in cold hard," JJ tells her.

"Well, I have to send you to the warehouse. I have the money there. Is that all right?" the woman asks.

"Where's this warehouse?" JJ questions.

JJ agrees and we get back into John B's van. We start driving to the address the woman gave us.

"So they keep money out here?" Pope asks.

"That's what she said." JJ chuckles. "That's what she said."

"Stop," Pope tells him.

"I've never even heard of Resurrection Drive," Sarah states.

"It's 'cause you're rich," JJ offers.

"You've never heard of it either," Kie counters.

"Thank you," Sarah says.

"There's nothing but weeds back here," I comment.

"All right, just 'cause it's just weeds, doesn't mean it's, like..." JJ trails off.

I hear sirens behind us. " Cops? Out here?"

"God! Are you kidding me?" JJ yells.

"What did we do?" Sarah asks.

"Why are we getting pulled over?" Pope asks.

JJ fumbles to put the gold in his backpack.

"Stash that," I tell him.

"Chill, guys," Kie tells us.

Pope points to the seat. "Put it..."

"I hate cops," JJ states.

"Did you bring the gun?" John B asks.

"No. Okay? Everybody told me to leave it back at the place," JJ tells us.

"Thank god," I state.

"Please, everything else in your bag," Kie instructs.

"I am! I am, all right?" JJ assures.

"How much weed do you have on you, JJ?" I ask.

"He's walking up," Pope warns.

JJ throws his backpack in the compartment under his seat.

"Nothing better to do..." John B starts.

A guy with a bandana around the lower half of his face cocks a gun and points it at John B. "Why don't I go ahead and see them hands in the air? All y'all's hands up in the air now!" We listen to him. "You, out of the car! Let's go! Out of the car! Let's go! Hurry!" John B gets out of the car with his hands in the air. "Let them out! What are you waitin' on? What are you waitin' on? Let them out! All y'all!" John B opens the back door. "Go on! Go on! Let's get out the car! Let's go! There you go, pretty girl. Here we go!" Sarah gets out. "Get out the car, let's go! Hurry up! There you go!" We all get out of the van one at a time.

"We're broke..." JJ starts.

The guy cuts him off, "Shut the hell up!"

"All right! Just relax!" JJ tells him.

The guy points the gun at JJ. "Shut the hell up! Shut up!"

"Chill!" JJ shouts.

"Blow your damn head off! Lay down in the ditch! Lay down in the ditch! On your goddamn hands and knees! Down!" We do as the guy says. "Put your face on the ground! Stay here just like that! Put your head down! Don't let me see you look up! All right? That's all y'all gotta do." The guy starts going through the van.

"It's a setup, guys," Kie states.

"That old bat shanked us." JJ hits the ground with his fist. "Fuck! Goddamn it!"

"Wait. No, no, no, no," Sarah says. John B starts to get up. "John B... No..."

"John B. Don't be a hero, man," Pope tells him.

"Shh," John B says.

John B runs to the car as the guy finds the gold. The guy gets out of the van. "All right, y'all stay like that. Unless you want your brains blown out all over this road, don't move your goddamn heads, okay?"

The guy gets back into this car and John B hits him in the head from the backseat. "Guys, I got the gun!" John B shouts.

JJ takes off running towards him. JJ punches the guy before he throws him to the ground. Sarah hits the guy in the face before he knocks her over. John B hits him with the butt of the gun.

"I got the gold!" Pope shouts.

I hit the guy in the head with the car door while Kie kicks him. Pope gives him a kick and he lands on his back.

"You son of a bitch!" I shout.

JJ rips the bandana off his face. "I know this piece of shit! He's a basehead!"

Sarah looks at me. "Probably knows our brother."

"He sells coke to my dad," JJ says.

"Listen, I couldn't hurt any single one of y'all..." the guy starts.

JJ picks up the gun and hits him in the head with it.

"JJ!" I yell.

"Dude, chill, man. Come on," Pope tells him.

JJ reaches down and pulls the man's license from his wallet. "We got one last stop."

"Hey!" John B shouts after him.

"Let's go see where this son of a bitch lives," JJ states.