MY PURPOSE - JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

CHAPTER THREE - PARADISE ISLAND

After letting the Pogues and Sarah know they were actually alive, the two decided to go find some food.

John B awkwardly and quickly put the phone back he borrowed from the cleaner as they then made their way down the stairs and outside the hotel where a band was outside setting up. John B looked at the girl causing her to shrug, there was no one around why not check it out.

"Jackpot" Eleanor smiled at the many plates of food lined up on the long table just ahead of them. John B was quick to grab a plate and two spoons before they walked further ahead to hide in the gazebo whilst they scarfed down the food.

On the other end they had a DJ who was sorting out the music when a familiar song came on over the speakers. Riptide by Vance Joy. The same song that played in the wreck that day as they all just danced around like no one was watching.

As the two finished their food, JB was quick to put the plate down as him and Eleanor made eye contact. He slowly grabbed both of her hands as he smiled "Hey, Val"

"Hey, Vlad"

"Do you wanna dance?" He asked.

Eleanor smiled "Why not"

Raising a brow at the response he got as he thought she would say no, he held her hand as they jogged over to where a white archway stood like someone would being getting married there.

As Eleanor and John B danced with each-other, the memories of that day were coming back to her like a flood.

"Come on blondie, get over here" She shouted over to the blonde and he couldn't help but smile when John B and Eleanor both opened their arms for him.

The girl smiled at the thought of JJ as her head rested on John B's shoulder. Tears were already starting to well up in her eyes. The Routledge boy took her by surprise as he twirled her around causing her to laugh before bringing her back into his chest.

"Don't act like ya don't wanna come over here" John B said and JJ threw another fry in his mouth before walking over to the two. JJ then danced with her before twirling her to John B as Pope and Kiara came over to join them.

In that moment, the couple knew they would give anything to be back in obx. John B then twirled Eleanor out and back in until the two just stood in the middle and tightly hugged each-other with their faces in one another's shoulders.

"I love you, El" John B whispered into her ear as he placed a kiss onto her shoulder.

"I love you too, JB" She recited back with just as much love as they pulled their heads back to look at one another before Eleanor leaned forward to kiss her boyfriend lovingly and passionately.

Loud clapping and whistling made the couple pull away, the workers smiling at them after watching the moment the two were having. The two teens smiled at them in thanks as they then decided to go back up to the roof before anyone recognised who they were.

-----

Eleanor was woken up to the sound of crickets, as she stared at the night sky before her eyes went to the lights that could be seen all around the island. Then the brunette paused, it was too quiet to say two people were on the roof. John B was usually always snoring.

Looking over at the sun-bed beside her, she soon sat up when she saw he wasn't laid there. Instead of jumping to conclusions straight away, she looked around to see if maybe he was just stretching his legs when her eyes stopped on Sarah's family house.

"John B, you asshole" She mumbled, shaking her head. Leaving the roof top, she went down the stairs and out the hotel but she didn't get far only crossing the small bridge when she felt like something was wrong. She felt exposed, she had no weapon, no way to defend herself except her fists.

Going to turn around as she felt like someone was watching her, she didn't get far when she fell to the ground in a heap with blood trickling down her forehead.

The sun was now shining in Nassau with Eleanor sat on some couch when Terrance came over to hand the girl a butterfly closure strip for the wound on her forehead "We didn't want to do that but we know who you are and we know how you fight"

Eleanor smiled slightly as she put the butterfly strip on her forehead "At least you're aware"

Eleanor could tell Terrance wanted to say something else but it was too late when John B came walking in with his backpack hanging from one shoulder and a girl named Cleo behind him.

"Boss, he's here" Cleo announced "Hey, found your boyfriend"

Soon as her and John B made eye contact he quickly made his way over "Hey, listen"

"Me mentiste en mi puta cara, ¡confiaba en ti!" She shoved him back in anger causing Stubbs to grab John B by the neck as he held him in place.

"I wouldn't provoke him. It tends not to go so well. Or your girlfriend over there now you can run, but you can't hide, John B. I got eyes and ears everywhere" Terrance stated as Eleanor looked at him with her arms crossed.

Stubbs then let go of John B who was coughing and gasping for air. Stubbs gave him a sarcastic smile, patting the boy's cheek before shoving him near Eleanor who leant out without realising to grab his arm and steady him.

Terrance started talking to Cleo "Took you long enough"

"Next time, get him yourself" Cleo retorted, sitting on the hardtop whilst twisting a knife around in her hand.

"After all our hospitality, you left without saying goodbye" Terrance looked at the two teenagers with John B still rubbing his sore neck.

Eleanor scoffed "That's what you call hospitality? Fucking hell, in that case, maybe you need a bat to the head too. Come on, just let us go, man"

John B frowned, turning his head to look at the brunette now noticing the butterfly strip and the dried blood on her forehead. Eleanor quickly shook her head telling him silently to leave it.

"I got fifty-thousand reasons why that ain't gonna happen" Terrance smiled and Stubbs went to grab John B again when Eleanor grabbed his arm.

"Then I've got a question for you. You know the name Armando Delgado don't you? The man you, your crew and the rest of the island answers to" The girl smirked "You bring us to the authorities and you'll be getting a quick visit from my uncle and his men"

Stubbs frowned "He's your uncle?"

"You just about know everyone don't you, girlie" Terrance smiled sarcastically "But I still want my reward money"

"And you can have it" Eleanor said, snatching John B's backpack from Stubbs and unzipping the pocket at the front where she pulled out the chunk of gold very slowly.

"What is that?" Terrance asked in shock.

"You know what it is" Eleanor snapped.

"Give it to me" Terrance demanded, holding out his hand. Hesitantly, she placed the gold in the man's hand for him to inspect.

"One hundred and forty-three thousand reasons to let us go" Eleanor explained "That's more than the bounty"

"No this is your rescue fee. I still want my bounty"

"Hey! There's more!" John B shouted, making everyone stop "Look, I went to Paradise Island, to our friend's family's house. There is hundreds of millions of dollars worth of that gold there. It is an empty, undefended house. And she has the entry codes"

"Girlie, is this true?" Terrance asked Eleanor who nodded with an angry look on her face. She knew how Ward worked and she knew how twisted the man was. The code could only be Sarah's birthday, a code no one would ever think to guess because she's never been like them.

"It's our friend's family's house. The gold is there and I can get you to it"

-----

Since Terrance and the rest of his crew agreed with what the two said, they were now driving to Sarah's family's vacation house.

"Home sweet home. Take us to this mansion, Miss Fancy-pants" Terrance said, now knowing she was the niece of Armando.

Eleanor's jaw clenched.

"All right, this is it" John B told them as then hid in the back of the truck with tarpaulin covering them. He sighed, biting his lip and reaching his hand out to rest on top of hers which was on her knee.

"Don't" Eleanor quickly ripped his hand off "Just don't"

John B swallowed hard and turned his head to speak to the security worker that was monitoring the front gate "Hey there" He said awkwardly with a fake smile to the man who was on the phone. He moved it away from his ear so he could hear John B "How are you? I'm just coming to pick up my leaf blower from, um..." He looked over at Eleanor for some help.

"Bayline" She muttered.

"Bayline" He repeated to the man "I do a lot of work over there"

"Yep. Go ahead" The man nodded quickly getting back to his phone call as John B said a quick thank you before driving through the gate.

Once the truck stopped Eleanor was the first to get out "Let's make this quick" She started looking around the front of the house to find the spare key that everyone seemed to have.

"You've gotta be pretty rich to have a waterfall in your front yard" Terrance commented "You and your friend are full of surprises, aren't you, Miss Rich?"

Finally finding the key, she motioned for John B and the rest of the crew to follow her as they walked into Sarah's house before eventually finding the black safe.

Quickly typing in Sarah's birthday, the handle clicked as she opened up the door and stood up from where she rested on her knees. Even though it was dark outside the gold beamed, each one stacked perfectly on top of each other.

"Well done, girlie" Terrance chuckled, giving the girl a pat on the shoulder which she quickly shoved off. He walked forward to grab a piece of gold and examined it "I'll be damned"

"Wow" Cleo grinned "I need shades"

"Go get the bags, Stubbs" Terrance said to the man who was still looking at the gold in shock "Go get the goddamn duffel bags!"

As Stubbs left the room, Terrance began grabbing the bars of gold.

"Guys" Stubbs gulped as tires were heard screeching outside "Security's here!"

"There's someone inside"

"Approaching premises now"

Terrance moved quickly "Let's get outta here. Should've never let you guys talk me into this"

The lot of them took off out the room after shutting the safe but when the couple reached the front door, Terrance slammed it in their faces and locked the door from the inside. Eleanor could've really killed him then.

"You asshole! Open the fucking door!" She yelled, banging her fists on the glass.

"Terrance, what are you doing?!" John B clenched his jaw in anger.

"Sorry but you're the bait that's gonna slow 'em down. See you later"

Eleanor grabbed John B's hand and tugged him towards her "JB, we gotta go! They're coming"

They both dove behind the couch, keeping quiet.

"I'm in"

"Search the whole place. They're in there somewhere"

Eleanor bit her lip as the security kept on talking through their radios "Split up and look around"

"I'm gonna go upstairs and distract them"

Before Eleanor could leave, John B reached out his hand to grab hers and pull her back "No, no. You'll get caught"

"What do you want us to do?" She could hear the security getting closer and they were defiantly armed "We don't have any other options, this is our only shot"

John B nodded "Okay, whilst you do that I'm gonna see if this house has a boat. I find the keys, we get away"

"I'll meet you there" And with that, the two split. Eleanor ran towards the stairs and started to shout "I'm going up the stairs! Come on your security, aren't you meant to be fit?"

John B watched her go as he couldn't help but laugh at what she said before rushing out the door.

She continued running up the stairs and onto the second floor "What's the problem, officer?" She smiled "Come on, I know they don't pay you enough for this type of shit"

"Get back here!" The security guard shouted as Eleanor ended up on the balcony. She took one look at the gun on his hip before jumping onto the roof of the shed.

"What are you doing? Get down from there! Get down"

"Proceed with caution"

"See where she's gonna come down. Watch her now. Watch her!"

The security guard that got to her first was quick to pull out his gun "I'm gonna pull the trigger, man. Get down!"

Eleanor sighed. She couldn't go anyway so she jumped, landing on her feet before tackling the guy and knocking his gun to the side. There was a lot of grunting as she sent a few punches to his face before her eyes scanned the floor for his gun when she felt a piece of cold metal dig into her back.

"Shit" She muttered, putting her hands up in surrender as the two men grabbed her arms and walked her over to the grass.

"You move, we shoot" She glared at him as they pushed her onto her knees.

They soon had Ward Cameron on the phone.

"Mr. Cameron wants to look at you" The guard nodded to his fellow officer "Hold her head up"

The officer grabbed her chin and brought her head up causing Eleanor to stare hard and cold at the camera that was about to expose her.

John B was quick to get into action and turn on the sprinkler system. He punched in the numbers that was on the plastic case over the code pad. The security guards were shouting and trying to dodge the stream of water that was coming from the ground while one single man was trying to protect the phone but it was no use.

Once he saw one of the officers run over to turn the water off he hid behind one of the pillars. Making sure the coast was clear, he stepped around the corner but not before grabbing a can of bug shield spray.

"Woah man, what's going on here?"

The security guards raised their guns at him with no hesitation "Hey, hold it right there. Who are you?"

"Jesus man, calm down" John B walked over slowly "I'm Vlad, I've been house-sitting for the Cameron's"

"You live here?"

He shook his head "I'm house-sitting, started a week ago"

"We caught this girl trying to break in" The man explained, pointing to Eleanor with his gun.

"What?" John B pretended to be shocked as the two made eye contact the second time that night "Wait, I know her. She cleans boats for the neighbours"

"Which neighbours?"

You could tell he was trying to think of something quickly "The...uh...the Stanleys. You know down the street?"

"Right. What's her name?"

He looked at the officer and replied "Val" before lifting up the bug spray and spraying the man in the eyes. He swung around, spraying all of them which soon had them all on the floor, coughing and yelling. Eleanor was soon on her feet and sprinted over to the truck, jumping into the back of the truck with John B in the front.

"Go! Go! Go!" The brunette screamed.

However, John B didn't react quick enough and gave one of the security guards time to chase after them as he grabbed onto Eleanor's foot. She soon hit the man in the chest with her foot knocking him to the ground.

She sighed, sinking down further into the truck as she closed her eyes for a few minutes whilst her hair was sticking to the sweat on her face.

"El, you good?"

Eleanor didn't reply. She couldn't.

When they came to a stop, she soon got out of the bed of the truck.

"Okay. I have never loved you more, Eleanor Ortiz-Toretto" John B said happily, jumping out of the drivers seat and rushing over to her "That was crazy. I thought you was actually done for then"

He went in for a hug when she pushed him away "You lied to me! You fucking lied to me, JB"

John B frowned "What are you talking about? We're fine"

"Absolutely not! We're far from being okay. You've jeopardised everything by losing the only money we had, and if that wasn't enough, you nearly got us caught-and fucking shot! So please, tell me how we're fine?!"

"I'm proactively admitting I screwed up and willing-" He tried to reason with her.

"Proactively admitting doesn't change a damn thing! I've walked away from my entire family for you, and now it feels like any connection I had with Uncle Leon is totally gone! Jesus, what I'm trying to say is I can't lose you, John B!"

John B nodded in understanding. He couldn't argue with her, he was proud enough that she had actually told him her feelings "You're right, I'm so sorry. Look, it won't happen again"

"It won't happen again, you're right because I'm the one calling the shots now. And to kick things off? I'm driving" She stormed off to the drivers side of the truck.

Letting out a small 'okay' in reply, he got into the passenger seat.

"Look at what the cat dragged in" Terrance said, surprised that they'd even come back.

"Listen, you saw what was in that damn safe, didn't you? It was exactly what we promised you" Eleanor stood with her arms crossed and a stone cold glare.

"Yeah, well, that thing's locked down tighter than a clamshell now" Cleo, the knife wielding girl, said.

Eleanor rolled her eyes "No shit, but that gold ain't sticking around. My friend's psycho dad is gonna have to come down and move it. He won't have any other option"

"So what are you proposing, a Brink's job?"

"Just shut up and think about it! You've got a boat that can get us out of here! We both know people on the island, and I can track down exactly when that gold is going to move. You help us, and you walk away with two million"

Terrance wasn't convinced "Let me get this straight. We take the risk of going to jail and getting shot for a fraction of what's in that safe"

"Oh, after you abandoned us and swiped my friend's boat? I don't owe you shit. If anything, I shouldn't be giving you a damn thing-" She shrugged "-but I'll give you ten"

"Ten million apiece?" Cleo challenged.

Terrance agreed "I like that. Ten apiece"

"Apiece?" John B scoffed "Okay. You know what? We're getting-"

"John B" She seethed, clipping him over the head as she looked back at Terrance and his crew "Ten million apiece"

John B was clearly flustered "Ten million dollars. See, we're just throwing money away now. You hear that?"

Terrance took a step forward and put his hand out to Eleanor "You have yourself a deal, sweetheart"

Uncrossing her arms, she shook the man's hand. She soon dropped her hand with her jaw clenched and that same dead set glare as her father's.