The next morning, Pope and Kie had arrived, tying their boat off at the dock and their friends met them outside -- with Fletcher who was helping Cordelia limp out. They were both fairly shocked to find Fletcher with their friends.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Kie asks, pointing to the younger kook.
"Oh, yeah, uh, Cordelia has a new bestie." JJ spits, grimly smiling.
"What?" Kie asks, confused.
"Oh, and he knows about basically everything. Y'know, gold and all." JJ continues.
"What?!" Kie shrieks.
"I'm sorry." Cordelia says, sitting on a large rock. "What else do you want me to say?" She asks her brother.
JJ, not having an answer really, just clenches his jaw and looks away from her.
The group catch Kie and Pope up on what they missed last night, and are now trying to figure out what to do.
"Look, if Rafe and Barry know, it's only a matter of time." Sarah says.
"Before everyone knows." Pope adds.
"Well, with Cordelia here it's probably soon." JJ says.
"It was one person and I was high." Cordelia says.
"Bigger issues right now." John B says. "The last thing we need right now is you two going at each other's throats."
"I told you." JJ scoffs. "We should have just gone south, man."
"JJ, just stop it." John B says.
"Why does no one ever listen?" JJ asks.
"I get it. I get it! I understand." John B says.
"I have an idea." Sarah says. "With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe."
"Sarah, Sarah--" John B tries.
"He's gonna choose me." Sarah states.
"You sure about that?" Cordelia asks.
"Yes." Sarah nods.
"Just please listen." John B interjects. "Ward keeps lying to you, Sarah."
"Sarah, he's not gonna agree after everything that's happened." Kie says.
"No, I... I know it sounds crazy." Sarah says.
"Beyond crazy." Cordelia corrects.
"Yeah, it does." Kie agrees.
"I know!" Sarah exclaims. "But he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me. I'm just asking for two hours."
Nobody objects, though none of them seem pleased with the idea. Sarah slowly gets up and starts walking away.
"Sarah." John B calls, going over to her and they have a private short conversation.
+++
Cordelia, John B, and Pope are sitting near the water while Kie and JJ are off collecting wood for a fire should they need one. Fletcher went home, Cordelia practically forcing him to go. She assured him that she could deal with JJ and Kie's cold shoulders and she at least had John B and Sarah who didn't hate her and Pope doesn't seem to either.
They've also moved further away from the house, but not super far that Sarah wouldn't easily find them.
"The tape, you heard it?" John B asks.
"Just a few seconds. But it's definitely Gavin." Pope says. "I think Ward might have betrayed Limbrey like he did your dad. Do you think Limbrey and your dad might have been working together?"
John B slightly shakes his head, not sure of the answer.
"Hey, there she is." John B points out Sarah on the HMS. JJ and Kie come running over with wood and place all of it down.
"Sarah!" Kie calls, waving her arms.
"You made it." JJ says.
The five go down to the boat, Cordelia being the last one there due to her ankle.
John B helps Sarah off the boat and JJ and Pope pull the boat in, making sure it stays.
"So, how'd it go?" John B asks.
"You guys were right. It didn't work." Sarah says, sniffling. "Sorry."
"Welp, then that settles it, guys." JJ says. "Now, y'all need to load up in the paddy wagon and get the heck out of dodge right now."
"Right, you guys are gonna need supplies, and you'll have to split as soon as possible." Pope says.
"Guys, I think it's too late." Kie says, looking out at the water.
They soon hear sirens and turn to see the police boats coming in their direction.
"They followed you here?" John B asks.
"Shit." Cordelia whispers.
"Must've been your father." John B says.
"We have to find another way out." Pope says.
"Stay on the beach with your hands in the air!" A man orders over a megaphone.
"Go now! Go!" Pope yells. "Come on! Come on!"
"Go, go!" Kie shouts as the six take off in a run. They cross shallow water and get to the other side. Cordelia winces at the pain in her ankle, knowing this is only going to worsen the injury.
"Go! Go!" John B screams. He's running at the back and helping Sarah run.
"Sarah, you good?" Kie asks.
"Yeah. You okay?" John B asks the blonde.
"Yeah." Sarah mumbles.
"Go! Go! Go!" John B urges as the group run through tall grass. They get to an opening with water and JJ and Kie quickly rush in. JJ hangs back and helps the others in before the six begin swimming across.
They hear the cops on the other side of the water as they reach the other side of land.
"Get up! Get up! Go go, go!" JJ urges.
They hide behind a large tree and they hear more sirens approach and the cops in the water. Cordelia sits on the ground and winces, holding onto her swollen ankle, it being bigger than before.
"We're trapped." JJ says.
"They surrounded us." Pope says. "What do we do?"
"There's no getting out of this. We gotta make a stand." JJ says.
Cordelia looks up to see him trying to dry his gun out.
"JJ, no. That's fucking suicide." Cordelia says. JJ doesn't acknowledge her as he focuses on the gun. "JJ! They're gonna kill you."
"Guns blazing." JJ mutters as he loads the gun. Cordelia's eyes widen in fear. She wraps a hand around his ankle to stop him, but he easily gets out of her grip.
"J--"
Cordelia watches John B grab JJ and yank him back before the blonde can go out and start shooting. John B grabs the wrist of JJ's hand that holds the gun. JJ tries to go again, but John B holds him back again.
John B takes the gun out of JJ's hand and drops it to the ground.
"Get those hands up now!" An officer orders.
"It's gonna be all right." John B whispers. He pats JJ's cheeks before backing up a bit. "Here we go."
JJ quickly kicks dirt over the gun so it's hidden.
Cop cars pull up, all the cops getting out with their guns aimed.
"John B! Step out of the clearing! Get down. Do not move!" Shoupe orders.
"I'm surrendering!" John B yells, holding his hands up. The rest of the group hold their hands up in surrender, staying by the tree.
"Don't move!" Plumb shouts!
"Hands up, John B!" Thomas yells.
"All right, the rest of y'all stay right where you are. Keep your hands where we can see them." Shoupe demands the others.
"Hey, listen, Shoupe, I wanna testify." John B says, walking closer to the cops and away from his friends.
"It's about time." Shoupe says. "Get down. Do not move a muscle. Everybody else, don't move!"
"Don't move." Plumb orders the group as Thomas goes to John B. "Keep your hands where I can see them."
Thomas roughly lifts John B to his feet in a headlock.
"Are you serious? Come on!" JJ yells. Thomas throws John B to the ground.
"Hey, Thomas!" Shoupe calls.
"No!" Sarah screams.
"Stop! Let him go!" Kie screams as Thomas starts to kick and punch John B.
"Stop it!" Cordelia yells.
"What is that? You're gonna let that happen?!" JJ shouts.
"You can't just let him do that!" Cordelia screams, standing up.
"Hey, stay!" Plumb aims the gun at her.
"Are y'all fucking serious?!" Cordelia shouts.
"Do not move!" Plumb moves slightly closer to the girl.
"Don't aim the gun at her!" JJ yells, stepping in front of his sister.
"Don't move!" Plumb shouts. "I will shoot if you move again!" She threatens. JJ holds his hands up higher, but makes sure to stay in front of Cordelia.
Thomas lifts John B to his feet, holding him up by his shirt.
"Stand down!" Shoupe tries to intervene, but Thomas shoves him away.
"This is for Peterkin." Thomas says before sending a punch to John B's face knocking him out, the other teens screaming in protest.
+++
Eventually the remaining of the group retreated back to the chateau. It's nighttime now and Cordelia is lying on the hammock, not wanting to be inside. She has her earbuds in and is listening to music on the iPod even though her phone lies next to her with music on it as well. But the music on the iPod comforts her more for whatever reason.
JJ and Pope are sitting in the screened porch while Sarah and Kie are inside.
The timer on Cordelia's phone goes off, the girl almost immediately silencing it. Pope made her set one for every fifteen minutes so she didn't ice her ankle too long. She doesn't have an ice pack on now and knows she has to get another one but the last thing she wants is to get up. Or pass JJ and Kie.
"Think she's gonna actually get ice?" Pope asks, watching the younger Maybank stay in the hammock, her eyes shut and earbuds in as she ignores the world.
"You forced her to do it. I don't think she cares that much, Pope." JJ says, taking a swig of the beer in his hands.
"It'll help her ankle." Pope says.
"So then go be her fucking nurse." JJ says.
"How long are you gonna stay mad at her?" Pope asks.
"I've barely been mad at her for twenty-four hours. Give me some more time. Being lied to fucking sucks." JJ says.
"Yeah. You know she didn't mean to spill about the gold. And you don't know if he is gonna hurt her." Pope says. "He could be great. They could get married."
"Ew. No." JJ grimaces. "Why would he not hurt her? He's a kook."
"Technically Kie and Sarah are kooks. Or were, at least." Pope reminds.
"Yeah, well they didn't make Lia cry for three weeks, so." JJ says.
"Actually, Kie did. You know? Kook year? Ditched us. Ringing a bell." Pope says. "Plus, we all cried when Sarah, and John B, supposedly "died.""
"Death is different and you know it." JJ retorts.
"Well, still. She cried cause of Kie." Pope says.
Cordelia was hurt after Kie ditched the group for her kook year. Cordelia was only twelve when it happened and the Maybank girl thought it was her fault Kie left. She thought she did something or maybe one of the boys did something to make the girl leave.
Cordelia cried for at least a week straight when Kie left, the boys constantly had to comfort her and made sure at least one of them was always with her since she was so sad.
Cordelia closed off a little the first few weeks of Kie being gone, but soon enough she did open back up completely, though her heart still ached for the older girl's absence.
When Kie returned Cordelia was happier than ever. She finally had one of her favorite people back. All of the anger and sadness she had seemed to disappear in a second, just wanting the older girl back and to practically pretend as if nothing ever happened.
The two girls did eventually at a point talk about it. Cordelia had asked Kie if they did something to make them leave and the Carrera girl quickly assured it was none of them that caused her to leave them for that year.
JJ is broken out of his thoughts when Pope walks back outside. He didn't even realize he went inside. JJ looks down to Pope's hands, finding an ice pack in one of them.
"You're really gonna be her nurse?" JJ asks.
"She needs to be able to walk again." Pope says. "She needs her ankle to get better. Can't do that by ignoring it. And somebody has to care."
"I still care." JJ protests. "I stood in front of a gun that was pointed at her. I'm just frickin' pissed."
"I know you care, but somebody has to show that they care." Pope rephrases. He slams the screen door open, leaving JJ to sulk.
Pope walks over to the hammock and gently lays the ice pack on Cordelia's swollen ankle making the girl flinch at the frozen object. She opens her eyes to find Pope and yanks her earbuds out.
"I want you to get better. RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. We got three out of four." Pope says.
"Thanks, Popey." Cordelia says.
"No problem. And stop calling me that." He says
"Oh, yeah, sure." Cordelia nods, but they both know she won't. Pope lightly rolls his eyes, avoiding the small smile that comes to his face.
"Your neck and jaw okay?" Pope asks, nodding to where the bruises from Rafe rest.
"Nothing I haven't had before." She retorts.
"Right." Pope mumbles sadly.
"I mostly mean from Rafe... not just the person who helped create my existence." Cordelia says.
"Yeah. I got it." Pope mutters. "Let me know if you need anything." He says and she nods, giving him a soft smile.
Pope grabs her phone and sets the timer for fifteen minutes.
"I knew you wouldn't do that so expect me back in fifteen minutes." Pope says.
"Thanks. You know I don't tell you this enough, but you're a really good friend. And third brother. And probably my favorite." Cordelia tells him. Pope slightly laughs at the last part.
"Thanks. Although, only kind of because of the "probably" part." He says.
"Well, you're in the lead right now. John B and Sarah are tied for second, Kie and JJ are tied for last. Which be sure to let them know cause I'm sure I'm last on their list." Cordelia says.
"Yeah, you can let them know. I'm not getting in the middle of this hate fest." Pope says.
"You are also still the smartest one." Cordelia hums.
"As always." Pope smiles.