❝how could you hurt a little kid?
i can't forget, i can't forgive you
'cause now i'm scared that
everyone i love will leave me❞
-family line, conan gray
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chapter twenty two, IT'S A LONG STORY KID
AJ was the first to stand, looking back at John B as he took a deep breath in. She couldn't admit that she was just as hopeful as him, praying she could possibly get some answers. If it was his dad, he could tell her all about her mom.
AJ led the way, John B trailing every so slightly behind her. She shared a look with him as they slowed in front of the door. John B nodded, telling her without words to go in.
She nodded back and her hands laid on the door of the old church. Everything creaked as she pushed forward, birds squawking and flying away from the bush next to them.
"This is it" She breathed out, steeping on the creaking floorboards. The steps squeaked under her weight as she took the first step. She looked back at John B once more before continuing.
As they got to the top of the stairs they couldn't help but hide behind the doorframe as another door opened. They pushed themselves against the wall. Their bodies flush against the wood as they held their breaths.
John B nodded once again and they started to walk forward. AJ could see a man and her breath hitched in her throat. This could be it. John Booker Routledge's dead dad could be alive and right in front of them.
John B went first this time, descending the stairs slowly at first. He stopped and AJ moved forward, unsure of what to do.
"Dad?" John B's voice almost broke "Is that really you?" The man turned and AJ watched the relief literally flood John B's body and she knew he was staring at his father.
"What took you so long bird? I've been ringing for hours" Big John shook his head and John B made his way down the rest of the stairs, hugging his dad tightly.
"I thought you were dead" John B let out.
"I'm sorry for the houdini act. It's a long story kid" As AJ started to walk down the stairs they creaked again and Big John pulled away from the hug. AJ watched as the man's face fell a smile ghosting his face.
"Amelia" The name came out in a hushed whisper and AJ let out a surprised breath at the immediate recognition. She took a few more steps, a million questions on her mind.
"I'd know my sister's girl from a mile away" Okay, a million and one.
John B turned to look back at the girl on the steps, he and her sharing a look of confusion. The pair, apparently cousins, looked back to Big John.
"sister?" AJ could not explain the emotions running through her body.
"I take it she didn't tell you, did she?" AJ shook her head no at the man's question, her uncle's question.
"C'mon, that's its own long story. Speaking of which, where is my little sister?" John B looked back at AJ at his father's words and she couldn't contain the sad look that flashed over her face.
Big John shook his head. "No, no" He breathed out, watching his niece tip her head down her body consumed in sadness. "How?" He questioned.
"guard. check the church" The voice entered all of their ears and the trio had to put a halt on the family reunion.
"For another time," Big John said, pulling back from his son and peaking around the corner to check the window. "We gotta vanish"
"pops talk to me" John B pleaded, he and AJ following behind the now not-dead man.
"Come on keep your head down. Head down" Big John instructed, leading them away from the church. They slowed at the edge of the building and Big John went forward to look.
"Shit, ain't going that way," He said, ushering the teenagers to go the other way.
"Uh, the pogues. The marina. they've got a boat. Come on, follow us" John B told his dad as he and AJ took the lead this time.
"Good boy, it's good to see you, kid"
"Ya, you too pop. Come on hurry up" They jumped over the concrete wall, ducking down and making sure no one was following them before running down the path.
"I think we're good. That was a close one" Big John sighed with relief and AJ tried not to let thoughts swirl around in her head. All this time, an uncle and a cousin she could have had in her life.
"Okay, Dad start talking. So you've been alive this whole time and didn't think to call" John B's words gave its own hint to AJ and she picked up her speed, walking ahead of them to give the father and son their space.
They were getting closer to the marina and John B and his dad were still talking behind AJ. She was the first to get to the docked boats and her face fell at the empty spot.
"Come on Dad, the boats docked right over here." John B stopped at AJ's side and they both stared at where the now missing boat originally was.
"shit" AJ let out, looking at John B, panic settling her in stomach.
"They're gone. Singh must've run them off. Okay plan b, we take my boat. It's back at my place. We gotta pick something up there anyway" AJ saw one of Singh's men walking down the road and she grabbed onto John B's arm, pulling him back behind the small fence as she ducked down.
"Hang on, we gotta call them," John B said, pulling the phone from his pocket and hitting the contact for the other phone. AJ leaned closer to him as the phone rang.
"yo, dude is this you?" JJ's voice came through the phone and AJ let out a relieved sigh that they were okay.
"Yeah it's us"
"What do you need us to turn around?" JJ's voice cut a bit and AJ looked to John B.
"No don't worry about it"
"yo say it again"
"I said don't worry about us okay? It's way too hot here. You guys gotta get out of here. Go back to OBX" John B instructed them.
"We do not copy. Can you-" JJ's voice cut out again and AJ furrowed her brows, hoping they could at least hear some of it.
"John B? AJ?" Sarah called out through the phone.
"Sarah?"
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yes, we're fine. Everything's good, listen-"
"What happened?" The line was cutting in and out.
"I Found my dad, he's alive" John B announced.
"Wait what did you say?" Sara's voice distorted.
"AJ?" The girl was sure it was Pope this time but the phone line was mostly static.
"Pope? We're okay! Get back to OBX" AJ grabbed the phone from John B as she spoke.
"guys? We c- hear- it's -out" AJ felt her stomach twist.
"Get out of there we'll meet you on Kildare, okay?" John B added and he and AJ shared a nervous look.
"Hello?" The line finally cut out and the call ended.
"I hope they heard that"
"Me too we better go. Come on let's go, let's go" Big John wanted them, leading them away from the Marine. "-to the right"
The three of them made it out of the worst of it after a few minutes but they were still walking pretty fast. Ready to get going and head to the OBX. "This is it right here. Follow me" Big John said as they ran towards a house.
"Here it is, the spider hole it ain't much but it aint a bad place to lay low" Big John got the door opened and the two teenagers looked around, taking the place in.
"Okay spider hole, good name" John B nodded as Big John moved to the other side of the house. AJ stopped at John B's side, both looking down at the table.
"Still hunting, huh, pop?" John B held the magnifying glass up.
"I'm breathing I'm hunting man, what can I say? This time I'm putting it all together John B. Getting close I can feel it. Onto something big" Big John rambled.
AJ reached for the book on the table and flashed the cover to John B. A book on El Dorado, not the same that Jimmy Portis had but still. Two books on the lost city and it didn't seem likely to be a coincidence.
"I uh, I heard you died at the shoals, Dad?" John B looked over to his dad.
"Yeah well somebody died out here. It wasn't me. Look just gotta go on a little retrieval mission" AJ and John B watched the man grab a gun. "then we can split"
"Whoa whoa whoa dad dad wait. Retrieval mission? A gun? What? What are we doing?" John B walked towards him and AJ followed behind, not quite sure if she should even say anything.
"The game is afoot okay kid? Right now. And this time it's for the mother lode, the big kahuna, all the marbles. All right?"
"it's for the lost city of gold, right?" AJ asked, looking over to her uncle. A smile ghosted his face and he shook his head.
"you know, you are just like your mom Mel. But if we don't move out, like, now, the game is gonna end early. all right? It ain't just Singh that's after us. I got mixed up with Limbrey and a whole lot of things" Big John said and AJ and John B shared looks.
"Wait wait whoa whoa whoa Dad, did you just say Limbrey? Like Carla Limbrey?"
"Yeah. How do you think we got a boat?" Big John pointed to the boat waiting in the water.
"Come on man. no no no" John B shook his head.
"She helped me out a little bit. It's logistics, etcetera. But now that I found you, I'm gonna owe her something. Better to pay later than now. I can explain it all. Focus. We gotta go"
"Shit all over the place"
"Atta boy, this way" Big John ushered them to follow after him and they got into the water, John B holding the bag his dad gave him over his head.
John B helped AJ into the lifeboat and Big John drove it over to the larger boat waiting. Big John helped both into the boat and John B turned, hugging his dad once more.
"Well done boy" Big John patted John B's back as he pulled away.
"Hey, so I guess this makes us cousins" John B turned to AJ and she shrugged her shoulders with a laugh.
"I guess so"
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(NOTES)
there's a hint to brianne
being a routledge all the way
back in chapter five. If you
spotted it, let me know!