❝spinning out, waiting for ya to pull me in
i can see you're lonely down there
don't you know that i am right here?❞
-satelite, harry styles
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chapter thirteen, THE STOWAWAYS
Cleo introduced herself to the pair of teenagers before giving them a short rundown of what happened in Nassau and after threatening them, which AJ reiterated and threw back onto her. Pope being the mediator between the two girls.
The door at the end of the hallway brought light and fresh air which both Cleo and AJ welcomed fondly. The sun peaking out giving a warm glow to the boat.
A figure AJ instantly recognized as John B was looking over the deck to the one below. Completely focused on something else. Pope startled the boy followed by having to shush John B.
"Christ, what are you doing?" John B turned and Pope held his hands up.
"it's me" He let out.
"Jesus you scared me"
"We brought a friend" Pope was in front and he moved, revealing not only AJ but also Cleo. The recognition of both the teenagers made AJ look to Pope.
"Cheese on bread" Cleo let out.
"Cleo?"
"So it is you" The girl shook her head.
"What the hell? what are you doing here?" John B asked.
"What are you doing here? I work here. This is my boat. It got too hot in Nassau because of you and Sarah. I had to run" Cleo explained before Pope informed the two reuniting that it wasn't safe out on the deck.
The four teenagers, three of which were still stowaways snuck their way back to the shipping container they came on the boat in. Pope reached up, hitting the vent lightly.
"Hey, guys, Open it" Pope let out in a hushed voice. A second later the vent was pulled off and Pope hoisted himself up. He got himself in before turning and helping AJ in.
She held onto his hand with one of hers while using the other to push herself up at the same time. She tried to ignore the way Pope's hands were at her waist when she finally touched the ground again.
"I thought Rafe got you guys for sure," Kiara said, the vent in her hand. John B climbed in after and Kiara went to put the vent back over the hole but John B stopped her, leaning back out just like Pope did and helping the new girl into the shipping container.
"Jesus Christ! I kill you, John B!"
"Who is this?" Kiara questioned, turning to John B with a confused look.
"I told you I had a surprise right?" John B looked to Cleo as she took in the sight in front of her. Not only three but five stowaways.
"Who is she? What's going on? John B?" Kiara continued to try to get some answers and John B turned back to her.
"Hey, hey. Kie, relax. Relax" He held his hands up slightly. "Remember I told you about the girl we met in the Bahamas that saved us?" John B asked her.
"uh, Cleo, yeah?" Kiara let out and John B nodded before looking back up to the girl who came in through the vent with them, making the introduction quite obvious.
"Cleo, she's gonna help us all right?" The boy explained.
"Next time, ask me" Cleo scoffed at the boy, bringing herself down off the crates by the vent.
Ward still being alive wasn't something that affected AJ as much as it did the others. "it was all a setup, blowing up the boat, the confession to Shoupe. Think about it. That was to clear Rafe's name. And he does what? Goes to the druthers. And what's on the druthers?" John B rambled, the question he posed answered by Kiara.
"scuba"
"bingo" He nodded and JJ shook his head.
"so Wards alive huh? And he has the gold and the cross and Sarah" JJ lists off, making AJ sigh and lean her head back.
"Thanks for rubbing that in," Kiara rolled her eyes at the boy.
"So he's just gonna get away with everything again, huh? Not happening. We're not watching this movie again, right Pope? You said we need the win. And with her" JJ motioned over to Cleo "We're going to the bridge and we're gonna take it right now. You with me?" JJ asked.
"Let's do it" John B agreed and AJ shrugged, not really opposed to getting Sarah back and safe.
"I'm with you, and I wanna be the one to take that bridge. AJ too" Pope let out and Cleo chuckled.
"He's gonna take the bridge? He couldn't even take me. Her, maybe, with a bit of help but him? No freakin' way"
"Okay, first of all, I was going easy on you," Pope argued with the girl.
"I went easy on you," Cleo corrected him before they were both shushed.
"Relax, all of you"
"If you're really with us, if we use that knife, we can go up into the bridge, hold it against the captain's neck, and then we get on the intercom and make him tell the rest of the crew to meet up in the forward hull. Once they're in the same place, bam, we lock them in there and we take back what's ours" JJ explained his plan and AJ nodded.
"I like it. It could work" Pope spoke. It was the only plan they had so it needed to.
"Are you with us then?" JJ asked, turning back to Cleo.
"no" She scoffed before looking over to John B. "this is stupid" As soon as the words left her lips they could hear workers outside of the containers.
"all right, let's open these things up!" One shouted and AJ turned to Pope.
"they're checking the containers" Worry flashed on Kiara's face. Cleo held her hand up to stop the others from following and pried the vent from the wall
"what are you doing?" Kiara asked before she was shushed. Cleo was out of the container and Kiara put the vent back up.
"she's gonna tell them. Shit" Pope cursed.
"did you set them off?" AJ turned to John B with her whisper.
"potentially"
"What the hell does that mean?" AJ swung her hands up
"I fought one and he got away"
"how did you let that happen? You idiot, now they know"
"Okay, I wasn't lucky enough to talk my way out" John B scoffed.
"shh," Kiara shot back at the pair.
"Okay, she's on our side. That's good" Pope let out and AJ moved over to where he was.
"Okay Pope, you're up we'll wait for your signal, okay?" JJ said, motioning to him.
"AJ, you ready?" Pope looked to the girl but she shook her head.
"I can't. You have Cleo, Kiara and JJ can spilt off and I'll go with John B. That way none of us are alone" Pope wanted to fight the girl on that, wanting her with him but he stopped himself.
"Okay," He moved as Cleo whistled from outside of the container and handed the vent to Kiara before pushing himself out.
"guess we're playing the waiting game, again" JJ sighed as Kiara covered up the hole again.
AJ stood off by herself as the others sat together. It wasn't until the announcement from the captain sounded that she moved towards them. "they did it! They took the bridge" John B let out a sigh of relief. "That's our boy"
"Okay, we split up. Once they're all in the hull, Kie and I will lock them inside" JJ explained.
"You find Pope and get the cross, we'll find Sarah and get the lifeboat" John B added, motioning between himself and AJ.
"then we'll meet, load the cross and get outta here" Kiara finished.
"Okay, let's roll" JJ let out, pulling the vent once more and jumping out. Kiara and John B went next and then AJ got herself out last.
"see you on the other side" JJ sent the pair a salute before he and Kiara turned and went the opposite way.
"let's go get our girl" AJ took the lead, peering around the container to make sure the coast was clear before she booked it to the first door she saw.
She stopped, making sure John B was following her and waited for the boy to be by her side. "did you find anything the first time?" AJ asked, trying to keep her eyes peeled for any sign of workers.
"no, but I didn't try this hallway" John B informed the girl and she nodded, looking one more time to make sure they were good to go before stepping in.
Each step was a cautious one. JJ and Kiara were supposed to be getting all of the employees locked into one section of the boat but it wasn't guaranteed it would work.
The pair of teenagers checked each unlocked door, calling out for Sarah when they got to a locked one. At the end of the hallway, John B stopped, pointing to the stairs and AJ nodded.
They rushed down, slowing only as they got to the room below. John B was first that time and AJ had to cover her mouth to stop the audible gasp when a hook flew in front of John B's head.
Rafe Cameron peaked around the beam with a sick chuckle and AJ froze on the step. "Watch your head man" He warned. "what the hell are you doing down here, John B?" He asked, the hook still gripped in his hand.
"Just put that thing down, all right?" John B let out, making sure his arm was blocking the steps so AJ couldn't pass him.
"why would I do that?" Rafe laughed, his tone taunting.
AJ wanted to move forward but she didn't, John B's arm still blocking her. She watched him look at her with his peripheral vision before the boy abruptly rushed towards Rafe, trying to get past him.
Rafe was quick to stop him and John B turned every so slightly. "AJ go!" He yelled to the girl and John B occupied Rafe long enough for her to turn and run back up the stairs.
From all of her research on ships in the last week, AJ had an estimate of where the lifeboat would be located and ran for it. She checked hallways and rooms on her way, still trying to locate Sarah. When she got to the last door and the room was empty her heart sank.
"No!" AJ heard the scream and she turned, her face falling as she ran for the door.
"Sarah" AJ let out, calling for the girl. She picked up her pace and as she rounded the corner nothing could have prepared the girl to see Ward Cameron choking his daughter.
"Dad" Sarah cried out.
"don't call me that you don't mean it!" Ward demanded, his hands tightening.
"Get off of her" AJ screamed, pushing the man back. She punched him as she continued to push him further. The door behind him swung open and John B took over for AJ as he ran through it.
AJ turned, running to Sarah and grabbing the girl. She practically collapsed into AJ's arms, sobbing into AJ's shirt. "we got you" AJ tried to soothe her.
John B was flipped and Ward was now winning their fight. "It's all your fault" Ward screamed in his face, spit flying out. Sarah was shaking in AJ's arms but the girl had to pull away.
She moved forward, her eyes lightening at the wrench she found on the ground. "Ward!" AJ barely registered the concerned voice as it got louder, closer.
AJ was quick to move back to Ward, swinging the wrench against the man and knocking him off of John B. Ward rolled to his side and AJ stood at his feet, staring down at him.
"just like your mom Melly" His words made her face drop. The girl feeling six years younger. Her face twisted into confusion and anger before settling back on rage.
"Ward!" This time the voice met her ears and flooded her mind. She turned to the open door, tears already pooling. She never knew she'd see a ghost.
"Amelia?"
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(NOTES)
lets hear it from the
crowd....
TRAUMA!!!!