050.


⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀


⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.*・。. EFF IT! .*・。.
————THE PHANTOM
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

050.
THE CALL.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
"Dude, where the hell is he?!"

   It was a fair question, albeit an annoying one.

   Annoying because if it was the fifth time it had passed Kie's lips since they made it to the dock. Fair because, even though they'd given him a strict deadline, John B was nowhere to be seen. He was fucking late.

Not a shock really, seeing as his feet were always a step or two behind his brain, but still worrisome regardless. He was supposed to be there waiting for them, ready to set sail if he wasn't miraculously proven innocent. They'd agreed that he would meet them at the dock by three, latest. They couldn't have been any clearer if they tried.

So, why wasn't he there?

"He'll be here," Benji reassured Kie, helping JJ and Pope prep the Phantom as quickly as possible. Sonny wondered if he really believed that. "He has to be."

   He was right, in that sense. John B did have to be here. He knew what he was risking otherwise— they all did. That was why they were here, in the first place. Because they knew he would be convicted if the Camerons didn't come clean, that he would spend years in jail for something he didn't do, and he didn't deserve that.

   The only thing John Booker Routledge truly deserved was the gold, but Ward had ruined that too.

"What if he's not?" Kiara asked, pacing quickly.

Nobody answered her. They didn't want to think about it, about why he wouldn't be here— where he was instead. In a holding cell at the station? In a ditch somewhere? At the cruel hands of Ward? Sonny shook her head. Those thoughts made her gut twist too uncomfortably.

    "Give him a second," Pope finally said. He was frowning. Clearly they still hadn't made up.

    "He's coming," JJ agreed with him.

   He was the only one who sounded confident. Maybe that was blind hope talking, but Sonny liked to think he meant it and truly believed John B would be there. She'd never been much of an optimist though.

   That was probably why she was stood scowling at the sky, watching the sun start its journey beneath the water. Sonny could see a few clouds on the horizon. Ones that were dark, ones that reminded her of Agatha; the storm, not her nasty aunt, though they bore their fair share of similarities. Then again, while she might try if she had reason, her nasty aunt wouldn't stop John B from making his escape to Mexico. A storm, on the other hand, definitely would.

That's if he even made it to the dock in the first place.

    "Sonny?" Kiara's voice caught her attention.

   When she turned around, looking away from the water to the nervous girl behind her, Sonny realised Kiara was eyeing her anxiously, seeking the reassurance that the boys couldn't quite provide her with no matter how hard they tried. Kiara needed to hear it from Sonny.

   Sonny wasn't sure when she'd become that person to Kie, but it only added more weight to her heavy shoulders. It felt like responsibility, like duty, like trust — three things she had never been particularly good at.

   But there was one thing Sonny was good at, and that was acting impassive when, on the inside, she was screaming. It came in handy sometimes.

    "He's still got a minute," she shrugged.

   It wasn't the most helpful statement, and it proved futile in calming Kie's nerves completely, but it stopped the girl from pacing back and forth quite as much, which was better than nothing. Sonny wasn't sure what else she could do, what else she could say. After all, Kiara was right to be nervous. They all were. This was John B's only chance.

   That was why, when they heard sirens in the distance and Shoupe's SUV headed towards them, the teenagers quickly descended into panic.

    "Guys!" Kie cried out.

"Shit," Sonny breathed, backing up a step.

    "Okay, everybody on the boat!" JJ demanded, moving to man the wheel. "Sonny, on the boat!"

She didn't move for a moment, too busy wracking all her brains for a plan — some kind of lie that would get the five kids off the hook for a while longer, maybe a distraction so they could make a run for it, or a way of getting John B on that boat if he finally showed up and Shoupe was still here.

   Unless that was why Shoupe was here, how he knew where he'd find them. Her face blanched.

Did they already have him?

"Sonny!" JJ's stern voice brought her back to. She finally shook her head and made for the boat.

    "Untie it!" Benji told Pope.

    "Wait," Sonny stopped in her steps when the door slowly opened and out hopped a familiar yellow shirt, messy curls, and black bandana. John freaking Booker.

   He looked a little worse for wear, hair damp and shirt all dirtied, but otherwise all in one piece. Sonny supposed they couldn't ask for much more; he was there, no handcuffs, no orange jumpsuit, and that was all that mattered. But maybe she would've been happier about it if he hadn't given them the fright of their lives — or maybe not, since Sonny rarely felt any kind of happiness at all.

    "No way," Benji murmured.

    "Yes way," Sonny rolled her eyes, jaw locked. Was a cop car really necessary? "False alarm, you guys."

    "You gotta be kidding me!" JJ grinned.

    "No freaking way," Pope shook his head, staring in total disbelief as JJ and Benji jumped off the boat.

    "Sorry," John B shrugged his backpack on as he walked over to them, fixing his hair. They watched with slack jaws and wide eyes— except for Sonny, who was glaring at him despite the relief she felt blossoming deep within her chest. The boy smiled at them casually, though it didn't meet his eyes. "Shoupe let me take it for a spin."

   That was a total lie, they all knew as much, but it was still pretty incredible that he'd even managed to steal Shoupe's SUV in the first place.

   Then again, this was John B.

The same kid who'd evaded CPS for months, who found Denmark Tanny's gold, who'd driven in front of a moving plane to rescue his girlfriend. He could do almost anything he put his mind to.

    "Okay," Kiara laughed lightly, still in shock as she swiftly walked across the dock. They met half way, throwing their arms around each other. She sighed happily, "That's really believable. I'll buy it for now."

    "Where've you been, man?" Benji asked, squeezing his shoulders with a fond grin.

    "Long story," John B exhaled, glancing at Sonny.

   She raised a brow, arms crossed, but didn't question him. They didn't have the time for long stories. They hardly had the time for this conversation. He needed to leave, and soon.

    "Wasn't easy bro, but we got the Phantom for ya." JJ said, tossing him the keys. John B caught them. "She runs like she was made yesterday. Ready to go?"

John B's face pinched, "Where's Sarah?"

   The others exchanged confused glances. Sarah? Was she meant to be here? Last they'd heard, she was being held hostage in her own home.

    "She got out?" Benji frowned.

   John B nodded, "We got separated in the swamp, but we agreed to meet back here."

"We haven't seen her," Kiara looked worried.

"Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her." He decided on the spot, face adamant. Sonny didn't think that was a choice he got to make given the circumstances.

JJ clearly agreed.

"John B, look at me," he grabbed his shoulder and pulled him forwards, making sure he looked him straight in the eye. JJ sighed, "I know you feel bad for leaving, okay? But there's no time, man." He told him.

John B seemed like he was about to argue, but was cut off when JJ continued to speak; "Dude, you've got plenty of gas, plenty of food and extra supplies. Once you get around the point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, alright? Once you get there, lay low, hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland. Cross the border at Brownsville, bro, you got that? Brownsville."

John B didn't reply. Sonny sighed.

"Booker," she said.

"Yeah, yeah..." he shook his head, "Brownsville."

There was a crack and a low rumble of thunder off in the distance. Each of them tensed up.

"Alright," JJ cleared his throat. Sonny wondered if he was as nervous as she was. About Sarah's absence, about John B's journey, about the oncoming storm. "C'mon. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this."

He was distracted, looking around in hopes Sarah would appear, but John B nodded nonetheless. He jumped up and onto the Phantom, forcing a nervous hand through his hair while the other's gripped the railing, readying themselves to push him out onto the water.

"Hey, hey," he stopped them abruptly. They looked up at him, watching him swallow a harsh lump in his throat. The fact made one form in Sonny's, too.

"I'm sorry," John B croaked, "For basically throwing us all off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing."

"Hey, John B..." JJ sniffled, "We were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?"

John B laughed quietly. Sadly.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"At least we did it together," JJ wrapped his arms around Pope and Benji, holding them close. Benji threw his around Kie, who grasped Sonny's hand.

"Pogue style?" Benji's eyes were soft and watery.

"Pogue style," John B nodded. He sighed quietly, "It was good knowing you, Benji Bayview. Keep these idiots out of trouble while I'm gone."

Benji slapped his chest, "You got it, bro."

"Shouldn't we be keeping him out of trouble?" Pope sent them both a look.

"And away from cats?" Kie added.

"Not cool," Benji argued, but grinned anyway. He always grinned, even in the saddest moments. Sonny still didn't get that — didn't understand. She wasn't sure she ever would. He would have to explain it, one day.

But not today.

Not when John B let his sad eyes linger on her figure. She had never been one for smiling, but this was something else entirely. This felt like never smiling again.

    "Stop staring," Sonny forced a bored expression.

   John B couldn't help but laugh, "You can cut the bullshit, you know. I know you like me."

    "I'll like you better when you're in Mexico," she lied. "I might even turn your room into a closet."

    "No," he denied, "You won't."

   Sonny hated when he was right. It happened more often than she'd like to admit.

   They stewed in a knowing silence for a moment, before Sonny watched his face fall. Like he was realising what he would be leaving behind.

    "You should go," Sonny's voice was terse.

   He nodded at her, "Yeah."

   Neither of them turned away. Not immediately. Sonny's hand trailed to her back pocket.

    "Here," she said as he crouched down and took the keys and card from over the railing. When John B arched a brow, confused, she shrugged. "In case you get bored of Mexico."

   John B frowned, though his expression cleared when his bloodshot eyes scanned over the words. He reached out to grasp her hand before she could put it back on the railing, shaking his head in disbelief.

   He didn't say anything, though. He didn't need to. They were getting good at that.

    "Get out of here," Kie spoke up, though her voice was gentle. She didn't want to interrupt, but they were quickly running out of time. "Please."

    "We'll see you in two months," Pope agreed with her. It didn't mean he sounded any less upset. They were losing a friend, after all. "Down in Mexico."

    "Love you, man." JJ's voice was hoarse.

"Tell Sarah... tell her I said goodbye," John B wiped his runny nose and headed for the wheel.

"'Course man," Benji promised him. He meant it, too. Sarah was one of them, with or without John B. He had to believe that. He wanted John B to as well, give him some peace. "We'll watch out for her."

John B nodded, trying his best not to cry when the group started to push the Phantom away from the dock. Before he could float too far, he hopped back onto the deck and made his way back to the railing. He looked desperate, suddenly. Sonny felt the same.

"Bird?"

She pressed her lips together and rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the way the backs of them pricked. Sonny never cried. She wasn't about to start now.

Not because he was leaving, not because it felt like losing somebody she never even knew she needed, not because he called her that. Bird. Like he'd called her that for years, like she'd never not been his sister. Like she was an extension of him in the same way he was of her.

"Yeah?" Her throat felt tight. Don't cry.

    "Thanks," John B said.

   Her lower lip trembled. She clenched her jaw to hide it, brows knotted together. "What for?"

"Everything," he was getting further away. "For what it's worth, I liked having a sister."

Sonny didn't reply.

Maybe she should've said one final goodbye, told him she liked having a brother too, albeit an insanely frustrating one who made all of his problems hers. Or maybe she should've just told him to stay safe, to be careful of the storm headed their way, but Sonny didn't think she could get any of it out even if she had tried.

So, instead, she just watched him go; disappearing behind the wheel as he sailed his way downstream. It wasn't too long before the Phantom was all but a silhouette in the setting sun, almost as far away as the thunder that rolled in with the tide, leaving Sonny Penbrook not only brother-less, but as grey as the clouds that swelled above.

    "Hasta la vista, baby." Benji saluted. They all frowned. He shrugged, "Felt like the right moment."

   Kiara let out a teary laugh, "You're an idiot."

    "She's right," Pope said. The two of them peered at him with nervous eyes. But, for the first time in hours, he smiled albeit small. "You're a total idiot."

   Benji grinned and threw an arm around him.

"But you still like me, right?" He chirped, hope dripping from his lips. Pope rolled his eyes and tried to push him off, though there was a certain fondness in his features. One he didn't even know about yet.

"That's cute," Pope drawled out.

"I'm cute—"

"And delusional!"

Benji gawped at him, "It's not delusion if it's true."

"Did we miss something?" JJ muttered under his breath, slightly confused. It was great that the tension between the three of them was suddenly gone, but they still didn't even know how it appeared in the first place.

"Almost definitely," Sonny said as she glanced at him. His face was puffy and his cheeks were red but still, somehow, he managed to look beautiful.

JJ felt her gaze on his face and tilted his head. It was only when his eyes slowly flitted down to her lips that he realised just how close they were standing.

"You good?" He asked, finally meeting her eye.

She shrugged lamely.

"Define good."

His face softened. But before he could say anything, their moment was cut short by the sound of wailing sirens. They span on their heels as several SUVs approached, each with Kildare County Officers to match.

"We got company," Sonny murmured.

    "Fuck," JJ cursed, placing an arm out in front of her. He spared a glance at Benji, Pope and Kie, "Hey, guys, sorry to ruin the party, but we gotta go."

   Sonny nodded, "Like, right now."

   They didn't make it far — hardly up the dock before they were cut off by Shoupe jumping out a squad car, a bunch of other guys pulling in behind him. The kids stopped dead in their tracks and threw their hands in the air when they each spotted the guns aimed at them.

    "Hands up! Hands up!"

    "Pope," Benji said when he didn't cooperate. He eyed the boy closely, "Hands."

    "Hands up!"

    "Heyward," Sonny whispered.

Pope looked at her from over his shoulder, teeth grit, but ultimately conceded when a man ran over to them. As he sprinted across the dock and towards the water, Sonny just about made out the logo on his jacket, SBI.

"We're too late!"

Sonny's eyes darted to Shoupe. He looked suitably angry, considering the kid he thought was a murderer had made it off the island with a little help from his friends, and Sonny couldn't stop her lips from pulling into a twisted smirk. She figured it was about time these cops got a taste of their own fucking medicine. Rafe and Ward, too.

"He's gone! God dammit!" He marched towards them, a cluster of cops following. "Bratcher— have your guys stand down! Lemme talk to these kids,"

"Victor," Sonny greeted, wiggling her fingers.

"This ain't funny, Penbrook." If he could've struck her, she figured he would've. "Where is he?! Where the hell is he?!"

None of them spoke.

"JJ? Yeah— I see you're livin' up to your name," Shoupe spat. Sonny debated lunging for him, but knew better. The only thing worse than John B leaving, right now, would be getting shot by a trigger-happy cop. "Pope, how 'bout you? Hm?" His face twitched at the silence, "This ain't a fucking game! Where the hell is he?!"

Still, though, the kids didn't crack.

"Alright," his jaw locked. He approached Sonny, hands rested on his belt. "Imma level with you, Sonny, you could have a damn lot resting on this," the look in his eyes wasn't hard to read. She knew what he was implying. "You want them to look bad? Nat and Ed?"

Sonny's face hardened.

"You wanna face that shit?" Shoupe sounded desperate. Sonny wondered if he genuinely believed John B did it. "I'm gonna give you one last chance to do the right thing, okay? Before this gets even uglier."

For a moment, when Sonny peered back at the water, he thought he had her. Then she shrugged.

"Bring it on."

————

Sonny had a horrid auntie called Agatha.

   She was awful. A real stuck up asshole. Safe to say, Sonny had a strong dislike for the woman — she always called her Sondra, she hated being called that.

But, unlike Agatha, Sonny didn't know a Danielle.

   If she were to take a wild guess though, she'd imagine this Danielle was a nasty piece of work. Why else would anybody name a tropical depression after her?

   Why did they even call it a tropical depression, anyway? Was there any real reason for that? Or was it just because of the devastation it left behind?

Those were just a few of the things Sonny had pondered over since John B had sailed away, Shoupe had found them, and they had been corralled into a cold tent— one the SBI had set up upon arrival, a task force dedicated to hunting a teenage boy with no weapons, no malice and no reasons to murder a woman who had always looked out for him. They didn't see it that way, though. Didn't see it for what it really was, what lay behind all of the lies.

To them, John B was a cold-hearted killer. And all because Ward Cameron had told them so.

"Stay put."

Sonny arched a bored brow.

"Where else would we go?" She muttered. The officer in front of them glowered, but didn't snap back. Maybe she'd made too good a point to even bother.

He offered the kids a final scowl before stepping side and talking to Shoupe. The two would look back at them every few seconds, just to make sure they hadn't jumped and fled the scene. Sonny didn't know why they'd try. Wasn't it a bit too late for running?

Sure, none of them particularly wanted to face the police interrogations and wrath of their parents when they finally were allowed to talk to them, but they'd been sat in the tent for hours. At least, it felt like hours.

Maybe it was only minutes. Sonny couldn't tell— not now the remaining light was gone, leaving them in a cold, dreary darkness. It was suffocating.

   The sun had long since vanished and the storm had fully kicked in — rain, wind, thunder and lightning. It was fierce out there, they could feel it in the muggy air, hear it against the flimsy tent walls, see it in the officers' tense faces. Storm Danielle was here and she was angry, and while it proved a hindrance for everybody involved, Sonny couldn't help but find it oddly fitting for the situation. This was how it began, after all. With a storm.

They were back at the beginning.

"Think they caught him?"

Sonny glanced to her left to find JJ was already looking at her. She pursed her lips, watching Shoupe whisper with his fellow officer for just a few moments longer, then shook her head slowly. "No. I don't think so."

"Think they will?"

She didn't respond right away. She couldn't.

It was no secret that Sonny Penbrook always thought the worst. That was how she was, how she'd grown up, and she didn't think she was any closer to changing it. But, just this once, she wanted to be hopeful, to believe that John B had sailed away in the nick of time. She wanted to believe they would never find him, that they were too damn late. Sonny wanted to tell JJ as much.

So why wouldn't the words come out?

"Penbrook."

Sonny and JJ both looked up as Shoupe approached, his hand outstretched towards her.

"Got a job for ya," he gestured her forward.

Sonny blinked at him.

"I'm good, thanks." She said. Shoupe clenched his jaw, letting out a long sigh.

"Sonny."

Despite his tone, Sonny didn't budge. Just scowled at his hand. Maybe she was pushing her luck, she could see him growing restless, but she didn't care.

"Fine. You wanna act like one of them? One of your lil' friends here?" Shoupe watched her face twist slightly from the same expression she always donned. "In that case, I'm gonna treat you like one," he said.

She didn't have time to argue before Shoupe gripped the scruff of her shirt and hauled her out of her seat. It wasn't particularly forceful, just enough to get her onto her feet in one pull, but still, she'd never been handled that way by the cops. Then again, what could she expect? She'd pushed his buttons for way too long. And now that Sonny'd seemingly committed herself to this life; to being a Pogue; she had to deal with the repercussions.

That's why she didn't fight him.

JJ couldn't say the same.

"Hey!" He jumped out of his chair, ready to attack. The officer from before pushed in front of him. "Hey! Get your hands off her, Shoupe!"

"What're you doing?" Kiara cried.

Pope stood, hands outstretched, "Shoupe!"

"Chill!" Benji hissed at the officer who was now forcefully shoving JJ back into his chair. "Chill! He didn't do anything!"

"Your friends are sailing straight into a storm," Shoupe called over his shoulder. It was loud enough to hear over the wind and rain, and the teenagers all stopped dead as Sonny was pushed in front of him. "What matters now is finding a way to get them back alive."

Sonny looked back at the other's as she was guided out of the tent and into another, only just catching JJ's worried eyes before he was out of sight.

Well, fuck.

This tent was busier than the other one, she noticed. The place was bustling with Kildare cops and SBI agents, and a sense of urgency permeated the air. An awful feeling struck Sonny in the middle of her chest, what matters now is finding a way to get them back alive.

"Sit down."

She blinked. She hadn't even noticed Shoupe had hauled her to the centre of the space, where the SBI agent from the dock waited with a familiar man sat next to him. Sonny felt herself instantly recoil at the sight.

"You," she spat. It was all she could get out.

"Listen, Sonny—"

"Penbrook, I presume." The agent interrupted but Sonny didn't look at him. She was too busy glaring her daggers into Ward's face, like she hoped her stare alone would be enough to destroy him on the spot. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky. Apparently nothing could destroy Ward Cameron. Not yet, at least. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Heard much about him?" Sonny hissed, jutting her jaw towards Ward. Bratcher arched a brow.

"Whatever you have to say, I'll hear it once we've found a way to get your friends to safety."

Friends. "Sarah's with him?"

Bratcher nodded.

"Take a seat, Sonny." He told her.

She looked at the seat he gestured to. It was right next to Ward. "Do I have to?"

"You don't get a choice," Shoupe decided, steering her to the seat before she could argue. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her into it, ignoring the mean look he got in return. "Not anymore."

"Here."

Sonny turned her sharp eyes to Ward. They trailed down, spotting the radio he was offering her.

"Talk to him," Ward said. "Talk to John B."

Something inside her stirred. They were talking to John B? A moment of weakness almost made her snatch the radio, but she quickly composed herself.

She wasn't stupid. Sonny knew what this was— what they wanted from her.

"I'm not telling him to turn around."

"You care about him, don't you?" Ward asked. Her stare grew darker. "You want him safe? Well, it's not safe out there, not for a kid. And even after everything John B's done—"

"He didn't do—"

"—he's still just a kid," Ward swallowed hard. "One who has my baby girl out there with him,"

You don't care about her, she wanted to scream, you're a liar, he hasn't done anything wrong.

"I just want her back," his eyes welled, "Please."

Sonny wanted to smack him. To claw those fake tears out from his eyes. None of it was real, she knew that. She knew the kind of man he was. But even then, something still held her back. Something that felt like the ache of a wound that never healed. Something like guilt.

Your friends are sailing straight into a storm.

Sonny couldn't live with herself if she told them to come back and John B was thrown straight into a jail cell. Sonny didn't think she could live with herself if she decided to let them die out there, either.

A beat passed.

Sonny took the radio.

"Booker?" She said in a low breath, pushing the button. Her hand was shaking slightly.

It was quiet for a moment, until—

"Bird?"

Her cold heart almost leapt out of her chest.

"Yeah," Sonny felt her nose sting as a sad lump formed in her throat. "Yeah. It's me."

"Not gonna tell me to turn back, are you?"

Sonny didn't reply. She couldn't. Everyone's eyes were on her and she didn't know what to say. Tell him to come back safely? Tell him to run while he still could? Tell him that he had a death wish? Tell him that was better than what would find him once he got home? It all just scrambled together in her head. It was becoming too much.

"It's looking bad out there," was all she said.

"I can't come back, Sonny."

"I know," she whispered softly.

"...but?"

"What do you want me to say?" Sonny shook her head, gripping the radio in her hands tightly, like she feared they might take him away from her if she said the wrong thing.

"I— I don't know."

It was quiet for a second, only the wind whistling through the receiver, and Sonny almost believed he was gone. Sonny should've know better by now.

"Hey, bird?"

"Yeah?" Her voice trembled.

"Tell Nat and Ed thanks. And sorry for all my shit," John B was crying. She could hear it in his voice. Sonny might've said he was a baby if she hadn't been so close herself. "You guys didn't have to deal with that, but you did."

"John B," come back. Please turn around.

She wanted to say it. Why couldn't she just say it?

"I used to think nobody could hear me," he said. Braxton, Ward and Shoupe exchanged uncertain looks. Sonny squeezed the radio even harder. "But you changed that."

Her voice cracked, "Bird..."

"Listen out for me while I'm gone, okay?" He asked. "Because we both know I'm not coming back now. And you're not going to stop me."

Sonny looked at the three men beside her.

"Too right, I'm not."

Ward lunged for the radio.

"Get off me!" Sonny hissed, trying to rip her arms away from him. She could hear John B calling out for her on the other end. "He's not coming back—!"

"John B?!" He yelled into the radio as she held it, hands wrapped around her own. He pushed her finger down onto the button, keeping it there. "John B, please— you are going into a storm you cannot survive. I'll make it right, I promise you, just come back— I'm, I'm begging you."

There was no response.

"Think of Sarah!" Ward tried again. "Think of her! Just turn around!"

    "Ward Cameron, do you hear me?"

   Everybody froze.

    "Yes. Yes, son, I'm right here." Ward almost whispered. "I hear you. Please bring her back, okay? We'll work everything out when you get home."

    "You killed my father. You framed me for a murder I didn't commit. You took everything from me! You took everything!" John B's voice stunned them all into silence. Sonny felt pride swell deep in her core. "But I'm still here. And I swear to God, Ward, I will come back one day and I'll take what's mine. So you better listen to me: I'm comin' for you. We're all comin' for you."

   Ward looked at Sonny with wide eyes.

    "So watch your back."

   And then John B Routledge was gone. In the blink of an eye, in the drop of a hat. Gone. Just like that.

  


━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top