______________________________________
The teens finally made it to the place Ward and Gavin were meeting. Unfortunately for them, it had started raining. Pouring actually.
They stood across the street looking over a gate. Pope taking out his camera to record.
"Nice camera. Where'd you dig up that relic ?" JJ says, "Why don't you just use your phone ?"
"Well, first of all, I like my antique electronics." Pope says earning a frown from Kie, "Second of all, this is a telephoto. It allows me to get a close image from far away."
Kie shakes her head, "Lord of the dorks."
"For definitive proof of witness payoff, we're gonna need quality glass." He says before turning back toward the stores, "There he is."
"Yo, get down." JJ says as the four teens duck behind the fence. Pope holding his camera up as Gavin and Ward run into an abandoned building
"And there's Gavin. Where are you going, you son of a bitch ?" As they run in, Pope sighs, "No, no, no, no. I'm losing him. Shit. Where's he going ?"
Estrella looks up as the rain soaks her, "Hold on."
They turn to her as she runs off. Pope and Kie turning back toward Ward as JJ watches her disappear behind a building. A couple of seconds later, she comes back.
"Hey. I found something. Come here." She says waving them over. They run over following her as she rounds a building, "Gotta go up top."
"That'll work."Pope says as Estrella climbs a ladder. JJ right behind her.
"Hurry. Don't wanna miss anything." Kie says climbing up after JJ. As they get to the top of the building, Pope sets his bag down immediately focusing his camera.
"You rolling, Pope ?" JJ says
"Are you getting it ?" Estrella asks
"Yeah. Yeah, I see them."
Estrella can see Ward and Gavin moving around, but can't quite tell what they're doing.
"Ward just handed Gavin something." Pope says, "I think it's a duffel bag."
"Guys, I think this is a payoff." JJ says. Estrella looks toward Pope as he turns to her. She sighs as he goes back to his camera. Estrella looks back and forth between Pope and Ward waiting for some sort of update on what was happening.
"Gavin doesn't look happy about something. It looks like he's yelling at Ward."
"Why ?" Kie says
"I don't know, but he sure looks mad."
Estrella's brows furrow as she sees Ward tackle Gavin.
"Shit !" Pope says
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." JJ mumbles
"What's going on ?" Kie asks
"I dunno. They're fighting over something."
"They're really going at it." JJ says
"Ward's kicking the shit out of Gavin." Pope says
"What are they fighting over ?" Estrella says
"I don't know."
"What's going on ?" Kie exclaims
"I'm trying to see." Pope says. A couple of seconds later, he sits up, "Holy shit. Ward's got a gun."
"I bet that's the murder weapon." Kie says. JJ looks over just as Estrella's heart beat quickens.
Kie gasps as gunshots are heard. All four teens immediately ducking behind the wall. Estrella's eyes wide as she breathes heavier.
"Oh my God. Oh my God." Pope says
"What the hell ?" JJ says
"No, no, no, no." Kie cries, "That did not just happen. What is going on ?"
"We just watched someone die. That's what happened." Estrella says
"Tell me you just got that." JJ says as Pope sits up with the camera again to video Ward
"Enough to put this asshole away for life." Pope says. Estrella jumps as she hears another gunshot.
"This is freaking crazy."
JJ and Kie slowly sit up to look over the wall. Estrella closing her eyes as she tries to slow her breathing down.
"Oh no. Get down. Get down." Pope says as the three drop down beside Estrella.
"Holy shit." JJ breathes, "I think we should go right now. Pope, you have enough, right ?"
"Yeah." Pope says, "Hold on. He's coming out. There he goes. I think he's looking for the gun."
Estrella, Kie, and JJ sit up as Ward runs toward the drain. He drops down before they watch him slam his hands on the ground.
"I think the gun just went down the drain. He's looking for it." Pope says, "Hey. He's looking for the gun."
"Hold this." Kie says before she stands up
"What are you doing, Kie ?" JJ says, "Kie-"
"What is wrong with you ?" She yells. Estrella's heart drops, "Murderer !"
Estrella grabs her arm before covering her mouth and yanking her down. "What the fuck is wrong with you ?"
"Kiara. Are you crazy ?" Pope says
"What are you doing ?" JJ whispers harshly
"I don't care if he hears me. He's a murderer."
"Yeah, and he's gonna murder us, Kie."
"You'll care when one of us is fucking dead." Estrella snaps
"Guys, he sees us." Pope says before rushing to grab his bag
"Are you serious ?" JJ says
"Come on. We gotta go. He's coming."
The four of them rush toward the ladder. Pope being the first one to climb down.
"Come on. Go ! Pope, hurry !" JJ says, "Come on !"
"I'm going ! I'm going !" Pope says. Estrella tucks her hair behind her ear as JJ goes down next. Kiara rushes to climb down. She misses JJ's hand that was still on the bar above him.
"Wait, Kie-" Estrella starts
"Ah ! My hand !" JJ says before falling back. His foot hits Pope as they both fall off.
"Sorry. So sorry." Kie says
"Kie." Estrella groans as she rushes to climb down. Both girls landing on their feet before Estrella runs over as Pope bends down.
"No, no, no, no, no."
"You're kidding me. You fumbled it ?" JJ says
"You both fell." Estrella says
"You kicked me in the face." Pope says standing up
"She stepped on my hand." JJ points to Kie
"I was trying to hurry." Kie says
"We don't have time for this right now." Estrella says, "Come on."
"He's coming." Pope says. They follow Estrella as she climbs over the wall running off.
The four run to Kie's car jumping in as they breathe heavily. The car is silent as they all register what happened.
"Could someone fill me in on what the frick just happened ?" JJ yells as Pope groans, "Holy crap. I can't believe it. Wait, wait. What were they fighting over ?"
"Uh... it was... it was a gun, the one Rafe used. He must have kept it."
"Of course ! Of course ! The murder weapon !" JJ says.
Estrella frowns as she watches Kie type quickly on her phone. "Kiara, what are you doing ?"
Kie ignores her, "Pick up ! Pick up !"
"Who are you calling ?" Estrella asks again
"Who do you think ?"
"The cops ?" Pope exclaims
"Who else am I supposed to call ?"
"Not the cops, Kiara." Estrella yells
"Why would you call the police ? That's Ward !" JJ says
"Shut up !" Kie says as the cops answer, "Hello ? Hi, somebody's been shot at the... at the Grand Street construction site ! You guys need to hurry because he's dying. I don't know if he's already dead or not ! You need to hurry !"
"We gotta go. We're sitting ducks." JJ says looking around
"We can't stay here." Pope says
"What do you want me to do ?" Kie says
"Just drive ! Literally anywhere, Kie." Estrella says as she runs her hands over her face. Kie tosses her phone down before starting her car and driving off.
_______________________________________