"I wanna share babies.
The protection we won't
need."
RED SQUIRMED AROUND in her spot, attempting to get comfortable now inside the truck that was driving along the road now that they were off the boat.
"Guys, I've read this thing like a thousand times and it makes no sense," Kie reported, referring to the letter Pope had received hours prior. "I mean the Limbrey's own like half of Charleston. What do the Kook Kings of Charleston know about a murder on Kildare Island?
"Why you specifically? That's the other weird thing." JJ added. "Y'know?"
"'Please come alone' That's hella sus." Bennie voiced, glaring at the letter she had taken from Kie.
"I was thinking the same thing. I think it's because-" Before Pope could finish his thought, steam could be heard hissing from the outside of the car, clouding Pope's view. "Oh come on!"
"What's that?" Asked Red, perking up and trying to find a clear spot on the windshield. "That's a lot of smoke, even for your dad's truck."
JJ coughed, "Pope, I got sensitive lungs, man!"
Pope quickly pulled to the side of the road, the other teens in the car telling him to slow down by the time he parked.
Pope laughed in disbelief, understandably frustrated as the car wouldn't move. "No, no, no, no, no!"
"Oh my," JJ commented, being ignored by a now stressed-out Pope, now exiting the car.
"It's gonna blow up! It's gonna blow up!" Kie stressed, following JJ out of the car.
JJ scoffed, "No, It's not gonna blow up. You probably unhooked the radiator, Pope." Pope rushed to the front of the car, everyone else exiting. "I haven't seen this before, you knocked the entire hubcap off!" JJ clapped, picking up the cap from the side of the road.
"You might wanna reschedule your meeting tonight, Pope." Bennie teased, laying the back of her hand on her forehead.
"Uh... Plan B. We can uh... public transportation." Kie reasoned, resting her elbow on the side of the truck. "We can hitch-hike, we can rent bikes, We can sell Bennie."
Bennie gave Kie a side glare, JJ looked further into the hood of the truck, "Yeah it's the radiator."
"No, no, no. You do know what this means, right?" Bennie stressed, pacing around the grass. "This is Heyward truck. Heyward's truck! He's gonna come over here and kill all of us at the same time!"
"Yeah, he might. He might." JJ teased, facing back towards the girl who gave him a look.
Eventually, the group would get the truck over to a repair station. Pope stood over beside the man explaining everything alongside Bennie, and Kie and Red sat in the truck in silence.
JJ began walking over towards the girls, resting his arms on the side of the tailgate. "In the middle of nowhere. Dudes in heaven right now, 'Gotta know the calibration point before you do anything with the intake, JJ. You do the" JJ glanced up, looking at the two girls in silence. "Hey, You alright?" Asked JJ, tapping on Kie's shoulder to get her attention.
Kie shrugged, "My mom is so worried that I'm gonna be a pogue, that she's willing to send me to boarding school."
"Well, I guess that's what you get for hanging out with the wrong crowd, Kie," JJ replied, taking a sip from his hip flask.
"I mean, I'm not gonna go," Kie assured. "It's too late anyway, I already am who I am."
"It ain't all that bad." JJ pointed towards Pope and Bennie. "Look at that guy over there. He would do anything for us. That's a pogue if I've ever seen one. Bone deep." JJ directed his gaze over to Bennie. "Jet too. She's too loyal to turn against someone who tried to kill her. Do you have any idea how determined she was to find John B? She never gave up hope, and she was right." Kie smiled softly. "That's just one man's opinion though."
Pope looked over at Kie, heading inside to pay, followed by Kie. A couple of minutes later, the two came back to the now-repaired truck, driving it out to an empty field where they hoped to get even a glimpse of sleep in the back of the truck.
As everyone was settling in, Red hopped out of the van, gaining Pope's attention. "Where are you going?"
Red turned to the group, "For a walk."
"Why? You know there are coyotes, right?" Asked Bennie, sitting up.
Red shrugged it off, "I just need some air."
With that, Red strut off into the forest part of the field, surrounded by trees, and no company but herself, she liked it better like that.
Red examined the trees, trying to determine the breed by looking at the leaves and sizes, but wasn't an expert in that, so she didn't end up determining many.
She eventually found a tree and sat down beside it with her thoughts. She wanted to cry, but she wouldn't let anyone see her at her weakest, even if she was alone. Yet she couldn't hold it in any longer, as hot tears rolled down her face.
Red was brought out of her reminisce when crackling leaves could e heard around her. She whipped her head around, revealing a coyote, standing there staring at her.
Red's breath hitched, knowing that if the coyote saw her as prey or as a threat, it can and would attack. She didn't move but waited for the coyote would.
The coyote took one look at the girl, before charging away from her, further into the wooded area.
Once Red was sure the animal was gone, she slowly stood up, jogging back to where the others were, not saying a word about the coyote. It just didn't matter.
Music softly played in the truck as Red entered the back, laying her head back on the side of it.
Bennie was curled up in a ball, already fast asleep beside Kie, and JJ was nearest to the truck itself.
"Goodnight everyone," Pope muttered in a sleepy tone.
Red scooted down, using her backpack as a pillow to rest her head on as she lay just inches away from JJ's warm touch.
Kie leaned over, kissing Pope on the cheek, then laying back down. "Goodnight."
JJ put his hat further over his eyes, redirecting his body to face Red.
"Dream of me." Red smiled, responding to Pope as she closed her eyes, breathing in the warm summer air.
JJ glared at the blonde, looking her over and reminiscing about how easy it would have been to cuddle her if he hadn't screwed up weeks earlier. But he did, so he couldn't.
Red's mind resembled similar thoughts. She wanted his touch, but she didn't know if he wanted to. He seemed pretty comfortable by himself.
Red exhaled sharply, taking the thought seriously. Was an ounce of sleep worth possible embarrassment? Probably not.
But a not-so-wise person once told Red that, 'stupid things have good outcomes all the time' so maybe a stupid thing could help her outcome.
Red moved her hand along the floor of the truck, finding its way over to JJ's. Red grazed her thumb over his bigger hand. JJ almost immediately grabbed a hold of her hands, squeezing them tightly as he wrapped his arm underneath her neck, pulling her closer.
"Sleep well, cupcake." He whispered, closing his eyes and falling into a comfortable sleep.
Red woke up abruptly in the middle of the night to the sound of a familiar voice that she hadn't heard in what felt like ages when in reality it had been only a few long weeks.
Bennie sat up, her phone pressed to her ear, getting Red's attention.
"Hey Jet. Just wanted to let you know that we'll be there in like... 10 minutes. Make sure to wear something dark like a beanie or something. See ya in a minute." John B's voice rang through the phone. It was a voicemail he left for Bennie, and probably the only thing that Bennie had left of her brother. It broke Red's heart.
Bennie pressed pause on the voicemail, realizing Red looking at her. She quickly wiped tears off of her face and set the phone down.
Red scooted closer to the girl, sitting beside her. "Hey, what's up?"
Bennie looked up at Red with her hazel eyes, now glassy. "Nightmare."
"You okay?" Red asked, Bennie, laying her head on her shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just... go back to sleep. I don't want to wake anyone up."
Red nodded, scooting back over to JJ and laying her head on his chest as he melted back into her.
Red woke up the next morning to Pope already starting the car. Red sat up and away from JJ.
"Morning, sleepyhead." Kie greeted from outside the truck. "Get in, we're hitting the road."
"How'd you sleep?" Bennie wiggled her eyebrows at the pair, still somewhat cuddled together on top of blankets.
"Zip it." JJ retorted, stretching his arms out.
"Not a word." Bennie held her hands up in defense, hopping into the car, which JJ and Red would soon do. "How long is the drive?"
"2 hours," Pope responded, turning the key to the car and putting it out of the park. "Sit tight."
Bennie squeezed in between Red and JJ in the middle seat, commentating on the music the entire time and at times leaning up to switch the channel.
Soon, as 'Where'd All The Time Go' played softly on the radio, the truck finally approached a bridge with a green sign that read 'Charelston' above it.
Bennie smiled softly, laying her head on JJ's shoulder and closing her eyes. JJ started the window, "I wonder where John B and Sarah are right now."
Only minutes later, the group arrived at the address where C. Limbrey agreed to meet them at.
"Yeah there's a bunch of fancy people, they have like three governors in the family," Kie explained, carrying on the topic of the Limbrey family. "They've run Charelston for like 300 years."
"These kooks make out kooks look like pogues." JJ voiced, examining all of the fancy and big houses.
"You're not wrong. These houses look like hotels." Bennie added, leaning over to get a better glimpse through the open window.
"You sure this is the place, Pope?"
"Pretty sure," Pope responded, opening the door and exiting alongside the rest of them.
"Alright." JJ breathed, closing the door behind Red.
"27 King Street." Pope read, holding up the letter.
"Talk about home security," JJ stated, looking up at the fence. "Are those spikes supposed to keep people out?"
Kie shook her head, staring at the house, "No."
"The slave quarters are over there." Pope sighed.
"These spikes were to keep people in." Red finished, crossing her arms.
Pope nodded, leading the group inside where he pounded on the door with the knocker. "You think that was too much?"
"It echoes through the entire house, that's for sure., JJ responded. "They heard it."
"Maybe nobody home." Kie theorized before a large man opened the door.
The man smiled, pointing at Pope. "You must be Pope."
Pope looked around at his friends. "Um... are you Mr. Limbrey?"
"Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday." The man corrected.
"Oh... I'm sorry, my car broke down on the way up here."
"Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowheresville," JJ explained, Pope nodding at his response. "Sorry 'bout that."
"Yeah, she was uh... real upset when you didn't show up." The man stated, leaning against the doorframe.
"We tried to call, but there wasn't a number on the invitation," Red added, holding up the letter. "We got her as fast as we could."
"She also expected you to come alone." The man looked Red up and down. "But pretty ladies like you are always welcome."
Red gulped, grabbing a hold of JJ's arm, and sliding her smaller hand unto his.
Bennie looked between her friends and the man. "Well, we're kind of a package deal. And we helped him find the Royal Merchant-"
"The instructions were explicit. Your friends can stay outside." The man told him, not letting it slide.
"Did you not hear the kid? We're a package deal-"
"JJ, I got this," Pope told him, entering the house. "I'll be good."
"Yeah, we'll be right here." Kie smiled reassuringly.
"Keep the car running."
"Yep."
Pope let go of Kie's hand, the man closing the door behind them as they headed back to the car.
"Look, if Limbrey's legit, that Ward gets arrested. And maybe... Sarah gets the gold." Kie reasoned, watching as Pope was led outside. "Does that look voluntary?"
"Doesn't look like it." Bennie shook her head. Kie tried to exit the car before JJ caught her by her shoulder.
"Wait hold on, hold on." Jj watched as Pope looked back at the car several times. "They're going into the alley."
"Go around back," Red told him. "We'll meet him on the other side."
The group pulled around to the back, minutes later seeing Pope being attacked by the man who answered the door. All of the teens left the car except Bennie, who was told to look after the car.
Eventually, the teens would hop back over the fence, leaving the man there in agony.
They rushed into the car, scooting Bennie to the back. Pope breathed out, "That was crazy, let's get out of here now!"
JJ turned the car out of the alley and back onto the road they came from, the tires of the truck screeching with every rough turn. "Here we go now!"
"Guys he's following us!" Bennie reported, facing backward at a green car, seemingly following closely behind them.
"This is one-way!"
"Go left."
"Go that way!"
"This is one-way!"
The teens continued yelling at each other, nearly crashing into an ongoing car but managed to swerve out of the way just in time.
"That was an invasive driving technique right there, y'all!"
"Where are we going?" Red shouted, rapidly looking behind them. "We gotta lose him!"
The car began smoking up, swerving into an alley. "He said he fixed the carburetor!" "He did!"
The group exited the truck, "What now, Mario!?" Questioned Kie in a panic.
"Number one rule, never trust mechanics!"
The man's car approached them quickly.
"Guys, he has a gun!" Bennie reported, far behind the running teenagers.
"Bennie, hustle!" Pope rushed, looking at the girl who was behind them now.
"Bennie!" JJ yelled, running back to put the girl on his back.
The group ran through the alley, Bennie still holding onto JJ for dear life. Both of them were afraid of falling off.
"This way, this way!" JJ led the group, somehow still going fast despite having a 13-year-old on his back. "We might have to split up!"
JJ ran into someone holding mail, almost dropping Bennie. "What happened to be a package deal?!" Red shouted, almost out of breath from running."
The group continued running, sliding in front of a motorbike containing familiar faces.
The five stopped dead in their tracks, just staring at eachother. It was John B and Sarah.
"Guys?" Bennie muttered, coming out of her reminiscence. "We're gonna have to hug this out later."
"Right, Go, go, go!" John B nodded. JJ and Pope went behind the bike, pushing it as the rest of them entered.
Eventually, the group would lose the two people chasing after them. They approached a dock containing the boat John B and Sarah used to get there.
"Alright, now can we hug it out?" Asked Bennie, putting her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
Red smiled widely, making her way over to Sarah and engulfing her in a hug. "Yes, Bennie. We can."
Red then gave John B a giant bear hug, ecstatic to see both of them again.
Bennie approached her brother, hugging him tightly, getting teary-eyed just seeing her big brother again.
The group rode high that night, that was for sure.
Kyesssss!! the reunion was definitely
my favorite scene of s2 and I hope
you enjoyed!!