The Forbidden Zone 3.01
"If he's gone, that's it. There's no coming back from that, but if he's lost? That means he can be found."
John B and Casey can barely breath as the seconds tick past. As if someone has a hold on their lungs, the longer they wait, the more painful it seems to breathe. Kiara actually found something. Something is inside the crypt and from the surprise in her voice, it has to be from their father. JJ and Pope can feel the suspense building as well, but when they look over at the siblings, it really starts to hit them how insane this is. The compass was an actual clue and John B and Casey were not clinging to hope. They knew, deep down, Redfeild was real and their father was truly sending them a message. To the boys, the siblings never lost hope, but Casey did. For those few hours, she truly thought they were going crazy and praying for something that wasn't true but those thoughts are long gone. They are no longer in her mind anymore, even though she still has no idea what Kiara has found.
After a few seconds of waiting for hopefully the best news of the night, Kiara's hand comes out of the small hole, holding a Fedex envelope. Casey quickly grabs it and steps away from the group, uncharacteristically leaving Kiara to get out of the crypt by herself. "That's not gold." Pope mumbles but the two ignore him. John B immediately follows his sister, letting the vines swing over the whole, leaving Kiara as well. Right now, neither sibling could care about their friends. They only care about the mysterious package left in the crypt. Thankfully, JJ and Pope are there to pick up the slack and grab the girl's hands out of the hole and manage to guide her through.
Although John B and Casey are only a few steps away from their friends, it feels as if they are alone in the cemetery, their only focus is on the weathered envelope. Just like Casey told Kiara, this should not be there. This does not belong in a hundred year old tomb. As the girl flips the package in her hand, her eyes go wide. Exactly like the compass, handwriting on the back catches her attention, not because it's small or unknown to her, but the complete opposite. It's large and written in a handwriting she knows. A handwriting she knows very well. For Bird and Calla. Besides the handwriting, no one on the entire planet knows what this means except three people and two of them are standing next to each other. She quickly looks up at John B and sees the same expression on his face. He knows the handwriting as well.
Before Casey can say a single word to her brother, he grabs the envelope out of her hand and examines it closely, checking for anything that could possibly tell him that this is fake. "Holy shit." He whispers after a few moments realizing this is real. This is what Redfeild was pointing at. Once the rest of the Pogues join them, Kiara covered in dust, dirt, and leaves, John B speaks louder so they all can hear him. "This is from our dad." As soon as the words leave his mouth, JJ's eyes are on Casey. He knows she can not be handling this information right now and when she finally looks over at him, he knows he was right. Tears are starting to pool in her eyes. Not knowing what to do to help her deal with the emotions, JJ grabs the half smoked joint out of his pocket. He places it in his mouth and lights it, getting it ready for Casey just in case she needs it.
Kiara notices the emotions immediately change from suspense to excitement and a smile appears on her face. John B and Casey really were right. Redfield was a clue. But, the longer it sets in, the easier it is for her to doubt everything. Whatever is in the envelope could be good but the fact that they found something from a man that has been missing for nine months can't be good. Big John is not the type of person to leave good news at the end of a dangerous treasure hunt. Whatever is in the package has to be important.
As her eyes drift from John B to Casey, a flash of light from the other end of the graveyard catches her attention. A split second later, JJ looks up from the smoke dancing off of the joint in his mouth and sees it as well. He quickly grabs Casey's arm and pulls her toward him. The last few days, the way Casey has acted has traumatized him and he refuses to let her do anything other than follow. "Code red! Code red!" The boy yells as smoke escapes his mouth, getting the attention of the entire group, all except John B. His eyes are glued to the envelope, still in disbelief that they actually figured the riddle out. "Square groupers! Square groupers!"
Casey's head snaps up once JJ yells and her eyes follow his. From a distance she can't see very well, but from what she can see is two men, heading straight for them. As soon as it clicks in her head, she begins to fill with anger. The Square Groupers found them again, right after they found something. The boat, Lana's, the Château, it's all been the same. The men have been there every step of the way to ruin it. They have always found them.
Pope looks up almost as fast as Casey, but it takes John B a second to register what JJ just said, but when he does, his eyes are on the men as well. "Go, go, go!" Kiara yells and no less than a second later, she, Pope, and John B are moving, running in the opposite direction. Casey can feel herself wanting to go after the men, but she knows it's not smart. After everything they have done to her, running in blindly is not the right call. So, instead of letting her emotions get the better of her this time, she quickly turns around, determined to follow her brother. But, her foot catches on a nearby headstone and she falls to her knees, thankfully catching herself before landing on her shoulder. "Shit!" JJ yells. Since he still has a hand on her arm, he quickly pulls her up and scans her entire body for any sign of injury.
As soon as her feet are under her again, Casey's head shoots back. Although the men are still a distance away from them, she can hear them yelling. The urge to fight continues to grow inside of the girl, but she fights against it. She roughly whips her arm out of JJ's hold and grabs his hand, pulling him in the direction the Pogues ran. Thankfully, the three have yet to turn their flashlights off, so it is rather easy for Casey to see where they are going, and as soon as they duck behind another crypt, she follows.
Once the two catch up to the group, everyone ducks and pushes themselves against the side of the cement building. "Lights!" Kiara whispers-yells and John B, Pope and Casey are quick to shut off the beacons directing the Square Groupers right to them but since JJ's light is on his head, he is not as fast as the others. "JJ, your light!" The girl yells again this time more aggressively. JJ goes to turn the flashlight off but fumbles with the light.
As the boy struggles to turn the flashlight off, the group grows increasingly nervous. The men are coming for them once again and this time, they are out in the open. Their only safe way out is the Twinkie, but it's on the other side of the cemetery. Casey peeks her head around the crypt to see if they even have a chance at running but quickly realizes their window is closing as the seconds tick by. With JJ's light still on, the men have yet to deviate from the path leading to them. They are still coming and the Pogues need to think of something fast. So, disregarding the fact that whatever they do, the men will see or hear them, Casey snatches the headlamp off of JJ's head and smashes it against the wall, shattering the bulb inside.
As the flashlight falls out of Casey's hand, JJ's, Pope's, Kiara's, and John B's heads turn toward her and their eyes go wide. When Kiara said lights out, that is not what she meant. "Really!" John B whisper-yells. "If they didn't know where we were before, they do now!"
"Do you think it's them?" Kiara asks, but no one responds. John B and Casey are too preoccupied with the anger building up and JJ and Pope are focused on the men jumping in a golf cart to worry about if the men are who they think they are.
Casey opens her mouth to try and justify her actions but before she can say anything, JJ peaks around her and notices the men are closer. This time close enough that he can make out that one of them is holding something and his mind immediately goes back to when they were on the boat. Right now, he feels the same anxiety Casey did when she saw the shotgun. "Homies got a gun."
"Fuck that!" "Screw this!" Casey and Kiara speak at the same time. Instantly, the two girls are up, ready to sprint away. Kiara is the first to move, running in the opposite direction once again, while Casey instinctually grabs JJ's hand. She pulls the boy to his feet and the two quickly begin running in the direction Kiara is in. John B and Pope hesitate for a moment, both taken back at the swiftness of Kiara, Casey, and JJ, but after a second, the two are up and running as well.
Before the group can successfully get out, without a scratch, the five are met with a locked fifteen foot fence blocking the back exit to the cemetery. Kiara quickly climbs over and right as she jumps down on the other side, JJ and Casey being climbing. They quickly hop over the top and jump over, landing almost perfectly on their feet. As they turn around to where John B and Pope are, they are met with John B jumping down right beside them and Pope struggling to climb up. "Pope, come on, Buddy, they're coming!" Casey yells when she sees the men driving straight toward the fence. It should have registered to her right then and there, but the possibility of the Square Groupers having any sort of transportation inside of a closed cemetery is almost impossible. But, the fear and anxiety building up, as well as the lingering high she still feels, makes it impossible for her to think straight and figure out these men are not the Square Groupers, but more likely, ground keepers.
Once Pope gets to the top of the fence, he starts to climb over, going as slow as humanly possible. To the Pogues, all waiting for him to jump down, it seems like he is taking his sweet time but the group can't see that his shorts have caught on one of the bars. "Guys! Guys! I'm stuck! Guys, I'm stuck!" He yells when his foot begins to slip and he feels like he is about to fall but he doesn't move.
Casey quickly glances up at the boy, not wanting to take her eyes off of the men coming for them, but when she does, she sees why he's starting to freak out. His shirts are stuck on the top of the fence. Pope tries to pull himself off, but it's no use. From the angle, and gravity working against him, his shorts are so perfectly hooked he can't get himself free. "Pope, come on man!" JJ yells. As soon as the boy sees the predicament Pope has gotten himself into, he reaches behind his back and pulls out the gun. He lets go of Casey's hand and aims it at Pope. "Now, Pope, don't move, okay?"
As soon as Casey sees the gun next to her, her eyes go wide. She quickly slams her arms against JJ's and pushes them down. "JJ, are you stupid!" She yells, wrestling the gun out of his hands. Thankfully, JJ doesn't put up a fight and lets go, letting Casey put the gun behind her back and in her waist back, away from him. "You could have fucking shot him!"
Before either can say anything else to each other, a ripping noise behind them catches their attention. Casey turns to see what it is and is met with an unbelievable sight. Pope running past Kiara and John B, toward them in nothing but a shirt and underwear. "Nice!" JJ yells as the three run past. "Come on, dude. It's a little tootsies roll!" Casey lightly slaps the boy's shoulder, trying to hold in her laughter, knowing right now is not the time to be making fun of Pope. Rather, the two need to actually catch up with Kiara, John B, and Pope. Quickly, JJ and Casey break out into a full sprint and within a few seconds, the two are even with John B and Pope while Kiara leads the pack.
Going as fast as they physically can, the five make their way around the entire cemetery and run towards the van. "Get in!" Kiara yells as soon as she gets to the Twinky and slides the backdoor open. The girl tries to hold in her laughter as the group catches up but when Pope practically waddles to them, she can't. "Stupid!" She yells. The situation is too funny not to laugh at. The fear the group was feeling inside the cemetery has completely dissipated now that they have made their getaway and amusement has taken over. Pope quickly jumps into the van, ignoring the obvious humiliation he is getting from his friends, and shields his genitals as he sits down behind John B in the driver's seat. Kiara quickly jumps in the front seat while Casey and JJ hop in the back and sit on the bench, both uncontrollably laughing now.
As soon as the van starts moving, the laughter inside goes from a two to a ten on a loudness scale and everyone, besides Pope, starts losing their minds. It doesn't matter that they were so close to being caught, they made it out and Pope is currently missing his shorts. But, after a couple minutes of enjoyment, the laughter dies out and John B is back to the realization that their father truly sent them a message. It still doesn't make sense as to why it was in the compass but it was there, and it led them to this moment. He glances down at the Fedex envelope sitting on the middle console after a few moments of overthinking and all he can hope for right now is that maybe, just maybe, whatever is in there can lead them to Big John. This could be it. Whatever is inside can help make everything make sense.
From the back of the van, Casey sees John B look down at the envelope and knows what he's thinking. She can practically feel the hope radiating off of him. She wants this to make sense just as bad as he does and with the package, it could. But, similar to Kiara, she can feel the doubt creeping in. Whatever is in there could be good or bad. They won't know until they open it. Without thinking, Casey grabs the bracelet representing the Pogues and starts turning it around her wrist. If a genie magically appeared in front of her right this very second, her one wish would be to let whatever is in that evenope be good. All she wants is good news.
Once again, JJ catches the girl playing with her bracelets and knows the anxiety coursing through her. He wants this to be good for her. For John B. For once he wants the siblings to be happy and for life to throw them a bone. But, no matter how hard he hopes, he knows it won't do anything. Nothing is going to change the outcome besides whatever is in the envelope. He hesitates for a few moments, deciding if he should comfort her or let her drift off in her own mind. He doesn't want to come off too clingy, constantly trying to make her feel better, but he wants her to know he is always there for her. He looks between the group, his eyes scanning the van before doing anything, and to no one's surprise, he sees everyone in their own little world, all trying to comprehend what is happening. After making sure no one is paying attention to them in the back, he leans over a little and places his arm behind Casey. Not around her, but on the bench so he can whisper in her ear. "Are you okay?"
At the sound of JJ's voice, Casey comes out of the rabbit hole she is in. She knows she is hoping for a miracle with the package, but she doesn't want that to send her down a path of ignoring her friends, especially not JJ. He is her rock. He is the one to get through when all else fails. She takes a second to collect herself before looking over at him, but as she does, she realizes the tears that appeared in her eyes when Kiara handed her the envelope are back. Her zoning out was more than just her mind. She was letting her emotions come out. She exhales a small breath and lets a tear fall down her face, choosing not to hide how she feels.
JJ's heart immediately breaks when he sees the look on her face. He hates seeing Casey cry but he knows why. He can't even begin to imagine what she is going through right now. This is a lot. Forgetting the fact she has been shot and stabbed because of all of this, if none of that happened, she would still be sitting in the back of the van with tears in her eyes. Her father, who she hasn't seen in months, is telling her and John B something. He is reaching out from whatever corner of earth he is on right now.
She opens her mouth to tell him the doubts, hopes, and excitement racing through her mind but realizes if she starts talking, she won't be able to hold the tears back. The emotions are too overwhelming right now. So, instead of forcing it out and invitingly bursting into tears, she nods her head, hoping that will be a good enough answer but deep down she knows it's not the truth. She isn't okay and for the first time in what feels like forever, she wants to tell someone. She wants JJ to know. Deciding to deviate from keeping everyone in the dark when it comes to how she feels, Casey finally lets someone in and shakes her head, letting another tear fall down her face.
JJ nods his head in response and shifts his arm, gently placing his hand on her shoulder, comforting her the one way he knows works. He doesn't know what she is going through but he would be damned if at any moment she feels alone. He wants to make sure Casey always feels like she can rely on him, physically or emotionally, no matter what. The girl immediately melts at his touch. She cherishes these moments right here. When the world feels like it's spinning a thousand miles a minute, a simple touch can make it slow. A simple touch from JJ can seemingly fix the chaos of the life she has found herself living in.
But, the moment doesn't last long. At least not as long as Casey hopes it would because seconds later, John B is turning into their driveway and parking in front of the house, bringing her back to the mystery and excitement the envelope holds. Pope is the first to move. He quickly gets out and scurries into the house, shortly followed by Kiara and John B. The two waste no time heading up the porch steps and disappearing into the house. One hell bent on opening the envelope and the other simply following behind, ready to be there for her friends. JJ and Casey don't move at first. Even though their friends are obviously on a mission, they both know as soon as they step foot in the house, whatever has been building in the van, the dread or the hopefully amazing news, will come to fruition.
Finally, Casey sighs and sits up, knowing nothing she does is going to change the outcome. Whatever is in the envelope is in there and now, she just has to face it. She can't help but feel the panic slowly starting to consume her. She wants this to be good. She wants this to be a letter telling her and John B where to find their father but she can't help but think of the worst case scenario. What if the thoughts running through her mind a few days ago were true. What if Big John was on Scooter's boat when it went down. Did their father die in that storm? Although these thoughts are creeping their way into her mind again, she pushes against them, choosing to be optimistic. Big John is out there. He has to be. Casey uses the strength of the possibility that her father is still alive somewhere and finally gets up. She doesn't wait for JJ, knowing the boy is right behind her, and walks to the house. A smile tries to force its way onto her face when she hears the van door slam shut behind her seconds later, but it can't get through the anxiety building as she and JJ finally walk inside.
Once the group is all together inside the Château, John B makes a B-line for the table but he doesn't sit down right away. Instead, he turns the lantern on again and places it on the table, as well as a few flashlights and candles around the house, illuminating the dark, warm room as Pope runs into his room, leaving JJ, Kiara, and Casey waiting in the kitchen. At first, the three stand in silence, waiting for Pope to come out, before after a few seconds, JJ can't handle it, especially when his stomach rumbles loudly. He quietly laughs at himself and moves around the girls to rummage through the cabinets. Surprisingly, he finds some bread on the top shelf above the stove and grabs the jar of peanut butter from the counter. "That bread had mold on it three days ago." Pope tells him as he makes his way out of the hallway wearing some of John B's sweatpants.
At first, JJ ignores him and starts spreading peanut butter on the bread, but once he covers a few moldy spots he replies. "Yeah? I'll just pull off the bad parts." He looks at Casey as finishes the sandwich and holds it up to her, offering her a bite. Immediately, Casey shakes her head, having a hard time not throwing up at the thought of eating moldy bread. The last time she or John B went shopping was weeks ago, meaning that bread is beyond old. She holds her hand up telling him he can keep it and makes her way to her brother who is sitting silently staring at the package now on the table. "Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism."
"JJ!" Kiara calls out, getting the boy to finally stop messing with the sandwich and come over.
"Yup, yup, yup!" The boy replies. He knows this is a very serious situation but he needs some food in his stomach right now. He quickly opens the fridge and grabs a beer out as he runs past and finally joins Kiara and Pope standing by the table. "Hot damn. Let's do it."
Casey takes a deep breath in as she pulls a stool over to sit next to John B. She knows whatever is about to happen is going to change how their lives play out. It will determine if they go back to running and continuing what Big John has started, or go back to normal, Pogue life. John B looks over at the girl for a moment before opening the envelope, checking to see if she is ready, but JJ gagging catches everyone's attention. He quickly spits out the piece of bread in his mouth, feeling his stomach completely turn upside down, and throws it in the trash, ruinning the suspense still building inside the house. Kiara quickly, but quietly, scolds him as he makes his way back to the group while John B and Casey exchange nervous glances once again.
After JJ acts like, well, himself, Casey and John B finally turn their full focus back on the Fedex package. They don't care what the Pogues do anymore. They are going to open the envelope with or without everyone's attention. It doesn't matter to them anymore. They are doing this right now. After a few, excruciatingly long seconds, John B finally reaches for the envelope and carefully opens it. He looks inside for a moment and scrunches his eyebrows when he pulls out something that has been folded multiple times. He sets the envelope back on the table and slowly opens the paper, quickly realizing it's a large map of the Outer Banks. "Holy shit." The boy mumbles as he places it on the table for everyone to look at.
As the Pogues take a step closer to the table, Pope's eyes immediately catch writing in the middle of the map, off the coast of the island. Writing that was not originally part of the map. "X marks the spot." He says, pointing at a small X.
Casey and John B can feel the tension building in the room, almost to a point that's unbearable. Did Big John actually find the Royal Merchant? Is it really out there somewhere and their father wasn't believing in a local legend? At first no one says anything. The five take in what looks to be a drawing of a hurricane heading in the direction of The Cut, arrows pointing at their neighborhood, and the only thing labeled, besides the map's labeling. Lighthouse. As John B's eyes continue to scan the map, numbers written off to the side catch his attention. 34° 57' 30" N, 75° 55' 42" W. "Longitude, latitude." John B mumbles, his voice shattering the thickness growing in the room. His eyes scan across the map for a few moments before he grabs the package to move it out of the way. But, as he lifts it up, he realizes it still has weight to it and the map isn't the only thing inside. "Wait, there's something else in there."
John B slowly reaches inside the envelope and pulls out a small, black tape recorder. His eyes immediately lock with Casey and the siblings' hearts begin to beat fast. They know what could possibly be on the tape inside, but they don't want to get their hopes up. Not after everything has happened. There is only so much they can take tonight. Kiara and Pope immediately know what is in John B's hand, but JJ, being as clueless as ever, has no idea. "What's that?" He asks, seemingly not being on the same page as everyone else.
"It's a tape recorder, dumbass." Kiara spits out, but no one acknowledges the girl's rudeness. They are too focused on the tape recorder in John B's hand to worry about JJ being stupid or Kiara calling him out, and when John B pushes the play button, all is forgotten between the two.
For a few moments there is only static but then a voice claims the silence of the house.
Dear Bird and Calla.
Immediately, Casey feels frozen in time hearing her father's voice come through. She knew this was a possibility but it still doesn't seem real. There's another moment of silence before Big John's voice is heard again, giving JJ just enough time to look between the siblings and ask. "Who's Bird and Calla?"
Somehow, John B manages to take his eyes off of the tape recorder and look up at his friends. The three Pogues standing on the other side of the table look shocked, but also confused. Bird and Calla. This is now the second time within the last hour these words have come up. To a normal person, it's simple. Bird, an animal, not hard to figure out and Calla, a flower. A Calla Lily. But the Pogues don't know these words mean more to John B and Casey than a normal person. These two words are more than just words. They're names. 'Secret names' Big John came up with just in case he needed to get ahold of either child without anyone else knowing. John B knows his father would be pissed if he tells JJ, Pope, and Kiara the secret but when he glances at his sister, whose eyes are still glued to the recorder, he decides. Big John is not here right now, but the Pogues are, and they should be brought into the loop. They have followed him down this path the whole way and right now is not the time to start keeping them in the dark. "That's what our dad called us."
Before the Pogues can question the names, or John B can explain them, Big John's voice comes through once again, drawing everyone's attention to the recorder.
I hate to say, 'I told you so', but I told you so. And you kids doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment, your filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, Bird, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the Merchant either.
Casey's breath catches in her throat as the memories of that day flash in her mind. She knows John B and her father had a huge fight right before he went missing. She heard every single thing said, well, yelled. She heard John B call Big John a shit father for spending the last of their rent money on the search for the Royal Merchant. But the moment that sent the boy over the edge, is the one moment that is burned into her mind. She remembers their father trying to bribe John B to sell the van. The only thing John B had worked day in and day out for, saving up for years, and their father tried to sell it. She was sitting on the porch when her brother completely lost it and stormed off, taking the Twinkie with him. Then, a few hours later, without saying a word to her, their father left. The difference, John B came back late that night. Big John never did.
A tear drops from her eye as she looks over at her brother. She knows he's reliving that day as well and when he locks eyes with her, she can see the guilt building inside of him. He blames himself for Big John disappearing, even after she has begged him not to. He still does. But, before the siblings lose themselves in the guilt inducing memories, their father's voice comes through again and they forget their train of thought.
You were probably right to call me out. Wasn't exactly father of the decade. What can I say, kids? I could smell the barn. And hopefully, we're listenin' to this in our brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, livin' off passive investments and pulling on permits.
A silent tear falls down John B's face as his father explains what they would have done if he came back. If the search for the Royal Merchant brought him back home, he and Casey would be living their dreams. Not a care in the world, other than who would have the best surfboard. But no. That's not the case and now they are sitting in an off the grid fish shack listening to their father on tape. Casey sniffles as the tears continue to fall down her face. She doesn't want to cry right now, but she can't help it. The way Big John is talking is hinting at the worse case scenario.
At the sound of Casey crying, JJ, Pope, and Kiara look over at her, but JJ is the first to move. He quickly makes his way around the table and behind her, kneeling down so he can be at the same level as her. He gently wraps his arms around her and hugs her from behind, lightly trailing his hands up and down her arms. Normally, Casey would lean back, or at least look at the boy at his touch, but right now, she is in complete shock of what she's hearing.
If not, and you find this for less than optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for. There she is, the wreck of the Merchant. If somethin' happens to me, finish what I started. Go for the gold, kids.
I love you, Bird. I know I coulda' been better. You deserved better, but you're tough. You've always been. You've been dealin' with me your entire life and you're still kickin'. Don't give up. Don't give up because of me. Keep fightin', if not for yourself, then for Calla. You have to look out for her now, you hear me? She acts like she knows what she's doing but you and I both know she will fall apart. Don't let that happen. When she puts her mind to something she doesn't back down, but you can't let her end up like me, you hear me? You gotta make sure she survives. Make sure she finds a life worth livin'. Not one of runnin' and searchin' for ghosts.
As if the wall John B is fighting hard to keep up crashes to the ground, the boy leans back. He hates that his father thought he wasn't good enough. Yes, the two would get into huge fights and Casey would have to break them up, but even then, John B still loved him, no matter what. Before he lets his emotions get the better of himself, the boy straightens in his seat and forces the wall in his mind up. He can not break down right now. He can't because his father told him to be there for Casey and that is what is going to do. He is going to be strong for her.
Before either sibling can prepare themselves for their father to continue, the man's voice echoes through the silent house once again, this time shakily.
Calla,
As soon as her name is heard, Casey sits up. It feels like hours as the seconds tick past and she starts feeling trapped. Waiting for her father to continue, the girl feels the need to grab at JJ's arms and pull him off, but then Big John's voice comes through again, and she doesn't. She hyper focuses on the tape recorder and lets the boy behind her tighten his hold.
I wish I was there for you like I shoulda' been. You always got the short end of the stick, kid, but you never complained, not once. Calla, you and Bird were the best thing to ever happen to me. I want you to know that. After everything, I need you to know that. Take care of your brother. You know him better than anyone. You could always tell when somethin' was wrong with him before I could. You were always there for him when I wasn't. He needs you, you hear me? He's strong, but he lets his guard down when it comes to you. Push him like you always have. Keep him fightin', even when he thinks he can't. I hope you know what you're capable of, kid, because I do. Don't let anyone tell you what to do, no matter what. Fight for what's yours, okay? Show me, and the rest of the world, what it means to be a Routledge.
As soon as Big John pauses, Casey lets go of the self control she is trying to hold on to and sobs. He's not coming back. This is her father's goodbye to her and John B. She tries to fight back the tears by closing her eyes, but when she feels a hand on her knee, every ounce of will she is trying to muster espaces her mind and she leans back into JJ, letting the heartbreak win. She wants to be strong right now. To prove to herself that she can be strong during the hardest minutes of her life but she can't. She knows she can't get through this heartache alone, so she reaches her hand out and places it on John B's.
As John B turns his hand and slides his fingers between Casey's, Big John's voice takes over the silence once more, this time confirming what the siblings now know as reality.
I love you both, so much, even if I didn't always act like it. Please know that I love you. You're each other's responsibilities now. This is it, Bird and Calla. You're all each other has left. Don't take that for granted like I did. Be there for each other when no one else is, you hear me? Don't give up on family. I will see you both on the other side.
Before the tape recorder turns off, every one of the Pogues hear a click come through. Four out of the five don't pick up on it, but JJ does. He knows the sound that just came through as a gun cocking, but he doesn't bring it up. He knows right now is not the time to tell the siblings what that sound could come across as. Especially when Casey's sobs become even more apparent to the group. For once, he is going to push back on the need to tell the group the obvious and let this one slide.
After a few seconds of silence, all except for his sister sniffling next to him, John B slowly takes his hand out of Casey's and gets up. He tries to make his way out of the house but can't and collapses into the door frame. Thankfully, the boy catches himself but can't stop the tears from streaming down his face. The same thoughts that are racing through Casey's mind are now racing through his. The tape is a goodbye. The hope he was feeling on the ride back home is gone. His father isn't coming back and all he has left is Casey.
At the sound of John B sobbing, Casey finally opens her eyes. It takes her a few seconds to see through the tears, but when she does, she easily finds her brother leaning on the side of the door. She lightly pulls at JJ's arms, telling him to let go of her and he does, and the girl walks around the table, wrapping her arms around John B. "Holy shit, he did it! Big John, he, he, found the Merchant, like..." JJ starts to say, his excitement getting the better of him.
"Can you please..." Kiara whispers-yells. She knows it seems like really good news, but not to the siblings. "Can you please, just?!" She continues, running her hands through her hair as she glances over at the two crying. JJ finally realizes what she's saying and turns to the two, watching John B wrap his arms around Casey and fold on for dear life.
After a few minutes, John B pulls out of the hug. His eyes bounce between Casey's, barely seeing through the tears, but he manages to painfully smile at his sister, trying to show her he's okay. The girl simply shakes her head at his attempt, knowing what he's trying to do but she doesn't want him to pretend. Right now, they do not need to be strong for each other. John B reads the pain in her eyes and nods his head, dropping the smile as he glances over at his friends. He doesn't say anything, not knowing what to say, and walks out of the house. Pope and Kiara look at each other for a moment before deciding to follow. As the two walk past Casey, Kiara lightly places her hand on the girl's arm, trying to comfort her.
Casey forces a smile, but when the two leave and she turns to JJ, the smile fades and the tears begin to stream down her face once again. They stare at each other for maybe a second before JJ starts moving toward her, catching her from falling to the ground. As JJ keeps the girl steady on her feet, Casey buries her face in his chest and lets out a scream so loud her throat hurts. JJ tenses at the vibration in his chest but doesn't let the girl go. He has no idea how she or John B are feeling but knows after the last few days, Casey needed to let it out. She's been holding so much in and now, with her father basically saying he's never coming back, it understandably has sent her over the edge.
After a few seconds of breathing in the smell of weed and old spice, Casey moves to rest the side of her face on his chest, letting the tears out again. JJ tightens his hold as she readjusts and places his hand gently on her head, running his fingers through her hair. With his other hand, he rubs her back, but as his hand travels down, he feels the gun still stashed in her waist band. He makes a mental note of it, but once again, doesn't say anything.
As the two stand there in silence, Casey manages to stop crying. As soon as he realizes the girl is no longer sobbing, JJ pulls back, not breaking the hug, but far enough so he can see her face. "Hey, Case?" He starts. He doesn't mean to sound cautious but he doesn't want to send her off the rails again. She just now stopped crying. "Why don't we go join the others outside? I think you and John B should be together right now."
Casey sniffles as she pulls away from the boy. Her eyes and head both hurt from all the crying she has done in the last twenty minutes, but she knows JJ has a point. She needs to make sure John B is okay. She slowly nods her head and turns to walk out the side door but stops when JJ reaches for her arm. She looks back at the boy confused for a moment before he slides his hand down and interlocks his hand in hers. Casey looks at their hands then up at him. She can feel herself wanting to be excited at the sight of them holding hands but deep down, she doesn't care. At least not in that way. She cares but only because this is how JJ is. He is always there to make sure she is okay. She lets out a defeated sigh as she looks up at him and nods her head, letting him pull her outside.
Once the two walk down the porch steps, they quickly spot the other three sitting on the end of the dock. They slowly make their way through the dark yard and onto the dock, but as they join the Pogues, JJ lets go of Casey's hand to jump up on the wooden railing, and sit down. He faces the group, but like a child, dangles his feet in front of himself. Casey stands off to the side for a few moments, immediately noticing John B off by himself staring into the marsh. It's not surprising that her brother is deliberately off to the side, but still by his friends. This is the perfect example of who he is when he is sad. He needs to be with his friends but he doesn't want to talk. Before she lets herself fall down the same path, she taps JJ's leg, making him move them apart. He doesn't say anything but looks at her confused, wondering what she is doing. But, when she moves to stand in between his legs, he lets it go. She grabs one of his arms and wraps it around herself, which makes JJ smile, and before she can grab his other arm, the boy reaches around her and pulls her into him.
Casey rests her head back on his chest as she places her hands on his arms, making sure he doesn't go anywhere. Right now, she needs someone to hold her. To keep anything bad from getting to her, at least for the rest of the night. JJ gently tightens his hold and rests his chin on the top of her head. "How much was it again?" He asks as Kiara starts strumming on her ukelele. He looks over at John B, expecting him to be the one to answer but the boy is in his own world.
"Four hundred mil." Pope replies quietly as he throws a beer over to JJ. Although the group has yet to talk much about the gold, or even the ship for that matter, they all know the legend of the Royal Merchant. John B and Casey grew up with it and JJ and Kiara were told it as children but Pope, he's the book worm. He's the one that actually did research on the ship months ago, for fun. He knows the Royal Merchant went down in 'The Great Storm of 1829' with 400 million dollars in British gold on board. He knows the treasure Big John spent most of his adult life searching for, is still supposedly buried deep under the water. He knows since they followed the clue on the back of the compass, they have to continue. They have to finish what Big John started and solve the biggest mystery in the Outer Banks.
Thankfully, JJ catches the beer before it smacks Casey in the face and as he opens it, he pauses for a moment, really thinking about what they should do. Finally, he realizes the same thing Pope does, and unwraps his arms from around Casey. The girl immediately sighs as he takes his arms off of her and pushes her forward a step, one, because she doesn't want to move, and two, because she is finally starting to feel okay. She was starting to feel like she wasn't going to break down every two seconds. "All right, let's talk the split. Now, before we say 'evenly', may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us." He says as he places the beer on the railing next to him. Before Casey can turn around to look at him like he's insane, he grabs the gun that is still tucked away in her shorts.
Casey shivers as his fingers brush under her shorts and her face flushes red. It's not surprising to her why she reacts the way she does, but what is surprising to her is that neither Pope nor Kiara have noticed the way she has been with the boy. They are staring right at her right now and still nothing. But, she totally forgets about her feelings toward JJ when he wraps one of his arms around her chest and gently pulls him back into his hold. "Protection? Not cheap, okay?" He reiterates, resting the hand with the gun across his other arm, basically lying the gun on Casey's chest.
The girl immediately rolls her eyes, wanting nothing more than to stand there in JJ's arms but with the gun directed in front of her, it's almost impossible so she snatches it out of his hands and puts it on the railing next to her. Before she leans back between his legs once again, she locks eyes with him and gives him a 'really' look.
Barely acknowledging the look, JJ shrugs his shoulders as he moves her so she is facing the group and rests his arms on her shoulders again. "You haven't trained. You've done zero training." Pope adds as he rolls his eyes.
"Youtube, bro. That's at least a five percent bump right there. Any objections?" JJ asks, making Casey slightly laugh. The boy can help but let a smile appear on his face as he looks down at her. Although the world feels like it is crumpling at the seams, he is still able to make her laugh, even if it is at his stupidity. The smile does wave, ever so slightly, when Casey raises her hand. He quickly pushes her arm down, making her laugh once again, and looks at the others, watching Kiara's arm raise as well. "Didn't think so. I don't hear any, so..."
Kiara sarcastically rolls her eyes at JJ deliberately ignoring her warranted concern and puts her hand down. Instead of starting an 'argument' that she knows will have no real outcome, she shifts the conversation from JJ to the money again. "What are you going to do with your 80 mil, Pope?"
The boy thinks for a moment, giving JJ time to adjust how he is sitting and move back so Casey is able to lean against the railing between his legs. He tightens his hold around her once again right as Pope tells them his plans for the future. "Pay for college in advance. And also, textbooks. Those are expensive." He looks at Casey as he speaks and immediately sees the smile on her face. Yes, she is smiling because of JJ, but also because of his answer. She loves that his first thing is school. With eighty million dollars, he would have enough money to get his doctorate's degree multiple times.
Pope smiles back at her, happy to see her not still losing it after the tape. "What about you, Kie?" JJ asks as he rests his chin on the top of Casey's head again, inevitably ruining the sweet moment she and Pope are having.
"Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich?" Pope jokes.
"Just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues. You know, the way Catch a Fire's about Kingstone." The girl replies, ignoring the slight jab Pope tried to send her way. "Record it at Marley studio, Peter Tosh producing."
"Peter Tosh is dead." Pope quickly adds.
"Peter Tosh is dead. I know that, Pope, but the Spirit of Peter Tosh will never die." Kiara quickly corrects the boy. Casey can't help but smile as she looks between the two. She can see the dreams in their eyes and loves that the Pogues are so different, but no matter what, they are family.
"I actually know what I'm gonna do." JJ says as he sits up. He shifts closer to Casey, feeling like he is falling off the dock. Casey steps forward, giving him the space to readjust but he doesn't let her move too far away. He keeps his arms around her, but lets her turn around so she can look at him while he talks. "I'm gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook."
"You gonna fo full Kook?" Pope asks. Out of every one of the Pogues, JJ is the last person he would ever see as a Kook. The boy lives and breathes Pogue. Hustling, stealing, smoking, and drinking. Every aspect of a Pogue is in JJ.
"Yup, I'm gonna get a marble statue of myself, and then I'm gonna get a koi pond, put a bunch of those fish..."
"I'm never visiting." Kiara quickly interrupts.
JJ smiles at the girl's joke and playfully flips her off before looking down at Casey. "What about you?" He asks, lightly nudging her with his leg.
Casey smiles at him before she turns back around to face Pope and Kiara. "I uh," She stutters. She has never thought about it, since they never really believed the gold was real, but now, if they find it, she can have anything she has ever wanted. But, when she looks over at her brother, who is still completely blocking out the conversation going on, she knows what she wants. "I'm gonna get a house. I don't care where. Figure Eight. The Cut. Hell, the mainland, it doesn't matter. As long as it's big enough for all of us, and uh, " She pauses, feeling the tears grow in her eyes. "Um, I'm gonna make this little garden area near the water, dedicated to dad. And then, uh, after that maybe go to Costa Rica for a little bit to see what he was talking about. Buy a sugar-shack, maybe. I don't know." She mumbles, completely uncertain of what she wants to do. She knows she wants something for her father but figuring out a hypothetical feels like the hardest choice she has ever made. After a second of contemplating what she really wants, she realizes John B is listening. As a tear falls from his eye, she knows what she would actually do with that kind of money. "And, um," She starts again as she leaning back against JJ, who immediately tightens his grip on her. "I'm gonna save the rest, ya' know. Make sure you all have enough money for whatever you want."
JJ smiles as he leans forward to kiss the top of her head. Out of everyone, Casey is the one to make sure everyone else is happy before herself. Kiara and Pope both smile at the girl, Kiara catching the small kiss from JJ. But, before she can question it, the two look over at John B as Pope asks him what he would do with 80 million. "What are you gonna do, JB?"
As the boy looks around the group, realizing he didn't hear Pope's or Kiara's plan, the smile on his face from Casey's plan grows because he knows whatever they do, they're gonna do it together. He wipes the rogue tear that fell down his check and raises his drink in the air. "To going full Kook."
"To going full Kook!" The rest of the group yell. Kiara and Pope get up and cross over the dock to Casey and JJ, but the girl moves out of the huddle, giving JJ the space to stand up.
As the boy balances on the railing and celebrates with Kiara and Pope, Casey looks over at her brother, who for a second, looked happy, but now he is back to zoning out. She takes a deep breath and moves to his side. Before he can say anything, Casey grabs his arm and puts it over her shoulder as she wraps her arm around his back. A small smile appears on the boy's face as he looks down at her, but it fades when he realizes she is worrying about him. "You know you don't need to be strong for me." He whispers, making sure to keep his voice low enough that the Pogues, who are only a few feet away from the two, can't hear. "You know that, right?"
"I know." She whispers back. She looks over at him for a moment before turning back to her friends, her eyes immediately landing on JJ as he stands on the railing. She knows she's not as strong as she hopes, but she has someone to fall back on no matter what and she just wants John B to know she is that for him. She will be there for him no matter what. "I think I just need to pretend to be strong so I don't lose it. Like dad said, we are all we left now." She pauses to keep the tears from falling down her face once again. She turns to look at him and it becomes almost impossible for her to keep her emotions down when she sees the tears forming in his eyes. "However hard that is to accept. It's me and you."
"Me and you." John B repeats. He lets out a deep sigh and pulls the girl into a hug. He knows she hates being seen as weak, and right now, she can't control her emotions but no matter what, she is always there for him, through thick and thin. She may not see, but she is one of the strongest people he knows. "I love you, Andy." He whispers, his voice shaky from his attempt at keeping his emotions in check. A single tear falls down his face again as he tightens his hold around her.
Casey struggles, but manages to keep the tears that are tempting to come out, down. She doesn't have to see his face to know her brother is struggling. It's in his voice, it's in his words. John B is falling apart right now but he's trying to keep it together. For himself, and her. He's trying to do what their father said. "I love you, JB." Casey whispers after a few seconds and breaks away from the hug. She forces a smile on her face as she looks up at him but quickly turns back to their friends before the wall in her mind comes crumbling down again.
After a while JJ, Pope, and Kiara break out into small conversations about surfing, smoking, drinking, really anything to keep themselves from pointing out the obvious. That John B and Casey are off to the side, both trying to hide the fact they are seconds away from losing it once again. It doesn't take long for the group to get bored of avoiding the elephant in the room and make their way inside.
As soon as Pope claims one of the couches on the porch as his bed for the night, the boy is fast asleep, listening to waves crash against the shore aways down the yard. JJ takes the couch on the other side of the porch, not wanting to hear Pope mumble in his sleep like he usually does and the other three make their way into the house. Kiara claims the pullout couch, nodding her head toward Big John's room when Casey looks at her confused. Normally, she is the one on the bed in the middle of the house and JJ is in the bedroom, so JJ willing crashing on the porch with Pope while Kiara takes the pullout is strange to her. But, she doesn't let herself think too much about it before following John B to the hallway and entering her father's room.
Once she closes the door to the bedroom, the girl carefully takes off her crop top and grabs a navy blue t-shirt from the top drawer. Before changing into her pajamas for the night, Casey takes a second to look at her shoulder in the mirror above the dresser. She carefully pulls the bandage off, not all the way, but far enough to see the wound. A smile appears on her face when she shrugs her shoulders, feeling a slight discomfort, but nothing she would even acknowledge if she wasn't focused on it. Besides the small redness from the adventurous day it has been, the wound is starting to heal. She reaches her arm out to the side, watching her skin scrunch up at her shoulder, still with no pain. In usual Casey fashion, the girl pushes herself even more and she starts rotating her arm around, first with a small circle then to large circles when it still doesn't hurt.
After a few large circles, her arm does start to feel sore and hurt, but it doesn't matter to Casey. She is beyond pleased that she has almost full mobility in her arm. Once she secures the bandage to her arm again, she quickly throws the shirt on and grabs a pair of shorts from the dresser, revealing the red box. Although she is genuinely happy about her arm, the sadness from the tape is still very much present and she doesn't hesitate to grab the key and open the box. She quickly pops the pill in her mouth and swallows, instantly regretting letting herself fall down this path once again. Once the pill is down, she sighs and locks the box again, stashing the key under the dresser and the box in the back of the drawer. She makes sure it is fully hidden before getting up and making her way to the bed.
After what feels like hours of failing to fall asleep, even with the effects of the pill, Casey slowly sits up. She turns to the alarm clock to her left but once again is met with it blicking 12.00, immediately telling her they still have no power. She lets herself 'wake up' a little before getting up, but in all actuality, she is letting the last of the pill completely wear off before she walks around the house. Once she feels like she can pass as being sober, just in case someone is up right now, she grabs the blanket and wraps it around herself.
She carefully opens her door and makes her way into the livingspace to check on the Pogues to see if anyone is up. Immediately, she is met with Kiara passed out on the pullout bed, so she silently makes her way past the girl and to the porch to the boys. When she walks out of the back door, at first she thinks Pope is awake, from the way he is half sitting up but when the boy mumbles loudly, she knows he's out. As the girl walks around the porch to find JJ on the couch by the side door, Casey stops. She watches the blonde for a few moments, not being able to tell if he is passed out or not before walking up to him. As if the boy is awake, he stirs in his sleep and flips over to his stomach. Casey deliberates if she should wake him up, knowing out of everyone here, JJ is the one she would want to stay up all night with, but she decides against it and walks into the house. Once again, she silently walks past Kiara and back into the hallway, but she doesn't go to her father's room. Instead, she turns to John B's room.
She hesitates for a moment before carefully opening the door. At first she thinks he's asleep, just like the rest of the Pogues, but when the boy runs his hands through his hair, she realizes he is staring at the ceiling. Now that she knows he's up, the girl makes her way into the room and closes the door behind herself. At the sound of his door closing, John B jumps and quickly sits up. "Andy?"
"I, uh." She stumbles on her words. She knows she doesn't want to be alone right now, but she doesn't know how to say it. Right now, standing in her brother's doorway, she feels like a child. She anxiously reajustes the blanket wrapped around her body and clears her throat. "I couldn't fall asleep. Not in there."
John B's face drops as the words leave her mouth. He hates that she is hurting so much because of this and he should have known she wouldn't have been able to fall asleep in their father's room. Hell, he can't even fall asleep in his own room. He slowly nods his head after a few seconds and moves over on the bed, making room for her to lay down. A sad smile appears on the girl's face as she walks to the bed and once she is comfortable laying down, she turns to face her brother. "Do you think he's still out there?"
At first, the question takes him by surprise. He knows how the tape sounded but deep down he wants to believe their father is truly out there. That maybe, just maybe, he's hiding somewhere. He can tell she is doubting it but he knows deep down their father is alive. Where? He has no idea, but he knows he's alive. "Yes. I think he is." He whispers. He doesn't want to ask her if she thinks their father is out there, just in case she doesn't believe it, but he feels like has to. "Do you?"
Casey closes her eyes, feeling the tears coming again. She wants to believe he is out there. She really does, but she can't get the sadness she felt when she heard her father tell her to take care of John B and for him to take care of her, out of her head. It really felt like a goodbye and that they were it. But, she knows John B needs reassurance, and even though she thinks it could be a goodbye, she chooses to believe her brother more. She has faith in him. He was right about the compass. Hell, who knows, maybe he's right about their father. She lets out a deep breath and slowly opens her eyes, letting a tear run down her nose. "Yeah, he has to be, right? He just..." She pauses, trying to find the right word. "Lost. If he's gone, that's it. There's no coming back from that, but if he's lost? That means he can be found."
John B smiles at the analogy. He's never thought about it like that but it makes complete sense in his mind. If Big John is simply lost, they will find him. "Exactly." He whispers as he reaches his hand up to Casey's face. The girl flinches back, every so slightly, before realizing he is wiping the tear away. She tries to play the flinch off by snuggling her face against the pillow but John B sees it clear as day. "I'm sorry, Andy."
"For what?"
Trying to dismiss the awkward tension building inside of him, John B sighs and gets himself comfortable again. "For babying you. For putting you through all of this. When I thought something might be in Scooter's boat, I didn't think it would have led us here. I know you're strong. Hell, you are probably the strongest one of us all. But I'm just constantly scared that something might happen to you. And after the Square Groupers shot you, I thought that was it. I thought you were seriously hurt." He pauses to try and make sense of what he is trying to say but he can't. He can't make sense of anything that has happened in the last few days, so he says the only thing he knows for sure. "I can't lose you."
Casey can see the tears forming in the boy's eyes as he talks and it breaks down the wall in her mind. Anytime John B shows his true emotions, it breaks her heart. She struggles to smile as she sees the look of fear in his eyes but somehow manages to and locks eyes with the crying boy. "John B. I told you, I'm not going anywhere, all right? I promise. You're my brother which makes you my responsibility. I go where you go. We're in this together, until the end of time. Some stupid Square Groupers aren't going to take me out, okay? They're gonna have to work a lot harder than that."
John B smiles at the girl before leaning forward and pulling her into a hug. It's definitely awkward and hurts his back from the angle, but he doesn't care. "My sister, my responsibility." He mumbles, knowing that's true. They are all they have left now and they have to look out for each other. No matter what, they have to have each other's back. "I love you, Baby Sis."
"I love you, Big Brother." Casey mumbles as she puts her arm around his back. Not a lot of people see this moment right here, but Casey and John B cherish it like none other. They are constantly at each other's neck but every once in a while they will break down and be there for each other. As John B pulls away from the hug, Casey playfully pushes him, sending him back to his side of the bed. The boy jokingly flips her off and the two take a deep breath, knowing the sadness they have felt all day has left. They are okay. They have each other and nothing is going to take that away from them.
After a couple minutes, John B shifts so he is laying on his back, staring at the ceiling and Casey turns to her side, facing away from her brother, resting her head on her arm. At first the two sit in silence but quickly, Casey realizes the tension still in the air. "John B?"
"Yeah?" The boy mumbles.
"Go to sleep." She whispers, trying not to laugh. She knows her brother will be up all night thinking about their father. So will she, but at least she can try and 'baby' him like he does to her. Casey hears John B try to keep himself from laughing, but fails miserably. She turns, ever so slightly, when she feels the bed move and sees her brother facing the opposite direction. A smile appears on her face as she turns back around, surprised he actually listened to her. Once comfortable, the girl finally closes her eyes to fall asleep and a wave of comfort covers her. The Pogues are at the Château, she and John B are definitely hurting but still have found a way to joke around, and they now have a mission from their father.