CRUEL SUMMER
007 | lord of the dorks
THEY HAD PARKED A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SIGHT.
━━ the four of them sat like sitting ducks, waiting in Kiara's car to strike.
" hey," JJ began to unzip his jacket and take it off, offering it to the blonde who was not dressed in weather appropriate clothing considering it was now raining and John B's shirt was the only thing protecting her from the elements. " take this."
Renee looked up from the floor where she packing up her backpack before the pursuit of Ward Cameron and Gavin's meet up.
" what about you?" she replied, noticing he was as little amount of waterproof clothing as her " have you seen the rain? J you'll get sick."
JJ shrugged so casually, his hand clenching the jacket still extended to Renee as he shrugged,
" I'd rather it be me than you."
Renee felt her heart skip, smiling as she nodded. Moving a lively closer to take it — her face edging as her pursed lips pushed against his cheek,
" thank you." her tone so sweet, even in the middle of a dispute the boy couldn't help but smile yet still attempted to disguise it with a simple nod.
Renee did as she was asked, sliding her arms into the hoodie before zipping it up and smiling at her friends, who were waiting on her " ok, I'm ready." She let out a breathe.
Following her friends as they all exited the car a street away from ward's construction sight. Following Pope who had quickly popped home to grab his camera recorder? Why they could just use their phones, Renee didn't know but her friend was adamant that this would work.
The rumbling of thunder that almost swallowed the air around them and the occasional strikes of lightning made Renee feel more creeped out that she originally was. Especially more than the fact she was about to face her fathers alleged killer since the day of Sarah's funeral, the Lowe's had given their condolences but Renee could only look at the man for a few seconds without feeling violent ill.
She knew ward had done something to her dad. It was all too sudden — the timeline of the royal merchant falling through, the mere weeks between her and John B's dads death, both known associates of Wards. Even without proof, it all made sense.
The four of them huddled behind a fence that was the exit to one of the back alleys — Renee's fingers overlapped the top of the fence, trying to look into what was happening. Which at that current moment was nothing.
" nice camera, where'd you dig up that relic?" JJ asked pope who turned his head from his recording.
" why don't you just use your phone?" He continued, Renee humming a ' that's what I've been asking' in reply to her boyfriend.
" well first of all," he said, switching his gazes to the blondes on the left of him " I like my antique electronics."
" and second of all, this is a telephoto." Renee noticed JJ mimicking Pope as he began to ramble, a smile rose to her lips as she jokingly nudged him with her elbow.
" it allows me to get a close image from far away." Kiara shook her head, naming Pope ' lord of the dorks.'
"For definitive proof of witness payoff, we're gonna need quality glass." JJ scoffed at Popes words brining all attention back to him.
" have you seen Ren's phone, that shit could get clear photos of Saturn from here." the girl rolled her eyes and nudged him again, just a little bit harder this time.
" I don't care what we use, as long as I get to see John B and Sarah again." she told them, her eyes scattering back to the front of the construction site that became all the more interesting.
" there he is!" Pope declared, all four pairs of eyes following a running ward cameron attempting to escape both his illegal escapades and more immediately the rain.
" yo, get down." JJ spoke, leading Renee to lower. His hand moving to slip against hers. The thunder continuing to crash and rail soiling their outfits.
" there's gavin." Pope continued, his voice lowering as he focused on his recording " where are you going, you son of a bitch?"
As the two exited into the shelter, Pope groaned at their disappearance " no, no, no, no I'm losing him!" he spoke slightly stressed.
" shit where's he going." Renee looked up, unlinking her hands from JJ's, walking towards a dim light that shone down the further end of the alleyway they were hiding in.
" guys, come on!" she called out, and in the moment of their vulnerability followed the girl without any question or hesitation.
The four of them acceded up the ladder: Renee first and then JJ ( who even in the current climate still managed to make crude comments about his view as he climbed up), followed by an overly urgent Kiara and finally Pope.
A blue hue hit the four of them as they fully crouched behind a slightly barrier across the street from the site. Pope returned to his recording as the other free just attempted to make anything out.
" Ward just handed gavin something." Pope informed the others " I think it's a duffel bag."
After a few moments JJ spoke " guys, I think this is a payoff."
Renee scoffed " I can't believe a few thousand dollars is worth the innocence of a teenager boy." she mumbled, continuing to try and watch was going on despite being able to see very little.
" Gavin doesn't look happy about something." Pope commentated " it looks like he's telling at ward."
" can you see why?" Renee asked, Pope shaking his head " I sound know, but he sure looks mad."
After a few moments of silence, a exclamatory" shit."exited from popes mouth. Triggering the previously quiet pogues.
" P, what's going on?" Renee asked with an urgency, Kiara too asking what was a happening.
" I dunno, they're fighting over something." Renee managed to focus slightly on what was happening without Popes help.
" they're going at it." JJ muttered, Renee could feel her fingers grip the edge of the wall they were hidden behind. Fear filling her — although Gavin was not innocent, she didn't him to be the next victim of ward Cameron's.
" wards kicking the shit out of Gavin." pope continued, Renee shook her head.
" shouldn't we call the police or something?" she asked in the midst of her panic. An ambush of questions filled the small rooftop, none of which they had the answer to.
" wards got a gun." Popes words made Renee's throat run dry, " I bet that's the murder weapon." Kiara claimed.
Whatever silence filled the air was shattered by gunshots. JJ grabbing Renee and pulling her down to duck behind the wall fully. Her ears ringing as she cupped her hands over them.
" no, no." she sniffled, a mixture of the cold weather settling into her immune system " he's killed him." Renee muffled her voice as JJs hand rested on her knee, trying to comfort her as much as he could in their current predicament.
" what is going on?" Kiara questioned, too as scared as Renee who was yet to turn back from her crouched position.
" tell me you just got that." JJ asked Pope who sat back up to continue recording " enough to put this asshole away for life." Pope replied with a premature confidence.
Another gun shot fired as Renee turned back around, peering over like her peers. Her hands slightly shaky as she let her eyes focus on the body lying at the end of the building.
" this is freaking crazy." Pope stated, everyone watching with an equal fear as Wards gaze landed on the four of them.
" get down!" Renee scolded, sliding back down " I think we should go right now." JJ inputted, earning a nod of agreement from his girlfriend.
"P, you've got enough to take to the police yeah?" Renee asked as Pope replied with a quick " yeah."
Slowly beginning to rise up, pope stopped them " hold on, he's coming out." Renee leant over further watching the disgruntled version of the man hover around the small stream of water that the weather had produced.
" there he goes, I think he's looking for the gun." Renee nodded " I mean I would be too if it could put me in prison." She replied.
His shouts were loud enough that Pope didn't need to decipher — he had lost it. The gun was free game, anyone could find it and turn it in.
" I think the gun just went down the drain." Pope rose his voice slightly " he's looking for it."
Kiara passed her bag to Renee " hold this." she said, Renee furrowing her eyebrows as she began to stand up.
" Kie, what are you doing?" she questioned, trying to reach out and grab her best friend who avoided the touch.
" what is wrong with you!" her shouts roared out amongst the town square, " murderer!"
Renee stood up, using one hand to place on Kiara's stomach and pull her back and the other to clasp over her mouth. Forcing her to the floor, despite her attempts to restrain herself.
" what the hell is wrong with you!" Renee spoke angrily at the girl, a feeling shared with her two friends.
" I don't care if he hears me, he's a murderer!" She defend her actions poorly, Renee pushing her away from her and shaking her head with disappointment.
" god Kie, anger a murderer why don't you?" Renee snapped sarcastically " fucking great idea."
" guys, he's sees us." Popes words made Renee spine fall cold, " are you serious?" JJ asked,
" come on we gotta go." JJ reached out for Renee who quickly stood up, all four of them racing towards the ladder. Pope first, then JJ, followed by Kiara and finally Renee.
Whatever had happened was caught in a blur, but the next thing she knew both Pope and JJ had fell. To the bottom of the alley. Renee didn't know what happened but she just wanted to get down to ground level.
A list of 'nos' left Popes mouth as Renee finally reached the group again, his hands cradling his vintage recorder in his hands.
" you're kidding me, you fumbled it?" JJ asked, Pope getting defensive as he turned to face him " you kicked me in the face!" he argued back.
JJ kept eye contact with Pope but his hand pointed towards Kiara " she stepped on my hand!"
" I was trying to hurry!" Kiara joined the debate on who's fault it was. Renee turned, " guys we need to get the hell out of here, we can play the blame game later!" she instructed, once again she was follows blindly.
The four of them beginning to run, — each hopping over the fence seamlessly. Luckily until ward was able to catch up to him. Not lacking pace until they reached the car. Pope and Kie sitting in the front and JJ and Renee retaking their positions in the back.
It was silence, all except the panting of each of them who were attempting to regain their breath.
" can someone fill me in on what the frick just happened!" JJ let out a small outburst, followed by a sound of anger by pope who was attempting to recover their footage off the camera.
" holy crap I can't believe it." JJ spoke more casually " wait, wait what were they fighting over?" he finally asked.
" uh..it was..it was a gun." Pope replied " the one Rafe used, he must have kept it."
" of course the murder weapon, shit!" JJ scolded, Renee still silent whilst Kiara muttered for someone to 'pick up'
" who are you calling?" Renee peered over, Kiara furrowed her eyebrows not even bothering to turn back to face her " who do you think?"
" the cops?" Pope questioned in a state of dumbfounded-ment.
A now teary eyed and brittle voiced Kiara turned to face him " who else am I supposed to call?"
" why would you call the police?" JJ rose his voice, " that's ward!"
A final shut up silenced the two boys as Kiara began to speak to the phone " hello? Hi somebody's been shot!" her voice hoarse as she raced to get words out " at the..at the grand street construction site!"
" you guys need to hurry up because he's dying and I don't know if he's already dead or not!" Renee's head was pounding: her body folded as she rested her head in her hands. Her friends continued to bicker about wether to stay or not.
But Renee's head let one thought sit at the forefront of her mind: Ward Cameron was not going to get away with this shit anymore
AUTHORS NOTE.
so much drama in the first couple episodes!!
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