The Phantom was ready, down at the dock near the dump, for John B to get away to Yucatan.

It was at that exact moment that Elora realised they could lose him through this. A, he could be caught, B, he could find a life out there and never come back, or C, he could be- he could be k-

"Dude, where is he?!" Kie yelled desperately as she paced on the jetty.

"Give him a second, he'll be here," Pope assured her.

"He's coming!" JJ nodded. "He'll be fine."

"Er... I don't know about that," Tyler said, eyes wide with urgency as he looked past JJ, at a police car which had just rolled up, sirens on, blue lights flashing.

"JJ!" Kie said, talking to the boy who was on the Phantom.

"Yeah, get back on the boat!" The blonde boy instructed. "Untie it!"

"Shit," Elora cursed, body tensed as a man started to get out the c-

Wait.

That wasn't a cop.

It was John Booker Routledge.

"You fucking bastard!" Elora said with a small chuckle, tears in her eyes as she ran forward, pulling the subdued boy into an embrace.

"No f-ing way!" Pope said, covering his mouth.

"I'm sorry?" Kie frowned.

"Oh my god," Tyler covered his mouth.

"Yeah, Shoupe let me take it for a spin," John B said with a certain sarcasm as Elora pulled back from him.

"Okay," Kie chuckled, moving forward to hug him herself. "That's believable, I'll buy that for now."

"It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday," JJ told the boy, tapping the side of the old boat and chucking John B the keys, which he caught deftly. "You ready to go?"

John B, meanwhile, was looking around them all, a heavy frown on his face. When he opened his mouth, Elora already half knew what he was going to ask.

"Where's Sarah?"

Elora bit her lip. "We haven't seen her."

"She's not with you?" Kie frowned.

"No, we got separated in the swamp," John B sounded scared and urgent. "She said she was gonna meet me here! I'm not leaving without her!"

"John B, look at me," JJ said to the boy, looking him right in the eyes. "I know you feel bad for leaving but there is no time, man! You got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you get there, lay low, and then after a couple weeks go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that?"

But John B wasn't looking at him.

"You got that?" He repeated, moving the brunette's head round.

John B nodded, but no amount of it could make up for the sadness in his eyes.

"Alright, saddle her up," JJ said. "Let's do this."

John B got up onto the boat, both Elora and Kie's eyes frosting over as they looked up at him. John B was crying, a tear making its way down his face.

"Hey, hey," he said, looking at all of them. They all looked back, listening intently."I'm sorry for basically... throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing."

"Hey, John B, yo... we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ reassured him, his own eyes going teary.

They all chuckled slightly.

"Yeah," John B nodded, looking at them with a press-lipped smile.

Elora nodded, wiping a tear. "At least we did it together, though, right?"

"Yeah," John B nodded, as JJ put an arm round Pope and Tyler, Pope putting one around Elora and adding her and Kie to the gather.

"Pogue-style," JJ agreed.

John B nodded, biting his lip. "Pogue-style."

They stared at each other for a moment, every single memory of him rushing through their heads.

And then Kie said. "Get outta here! Please!"

Elora giggled slightly. "Yeah, we'll see you down in Mexico in two months."

"Love you!" JJ said.

John B gave them one last smile, one last wave, then he walked to the driver's seat.

"Hey wait! Wait a second!" He called, his hand running through his hair as he turned back. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"

Elora nodded. "Of course."

He looked at her, at all of them, all with linked arms and sad expressions, before giving them one last salute and settling into the seat.

As they pushed him out and off the jetty, Elora let a sob shake her body.

He was leaving them.

And Pogue life wouldn't be the same without John B.

𔓘𔓘𔓘

"Are you okay?"

After watching John B go, Elora had needed just a second to herself. She'd walked away to behind the police car JB had come in, taking a deep breath.

It had been a few minutes until Tyler had come round to check on her.

"Yeah," she told him, looking at him with a small, sniffling smile. "You know, uh... the first conversation I had with JB was an argument?"

"What?" Tyler chuckled.

"Yeah," Elora smiled slightly. "Something about which planet was closest to the sun. He was right, but I was the best at arguing."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Tyler smirked.

"Maybe cause I've argued with you more times than I can count," Elora answered. "You're an ex-arsehole, Tyler Thornton, don't think I'm forgetting it."

Tyler chuckled slightly. "Think I'm a current arsehole, as well."

Elora studied him slightly, shaking her head.

"No," she decided to say. "No, Tyler, you're-"

"Guys! Guys! We need to go!"

Really, they should've ran when they heard the sirens. But somehow Elora had blocked them out, and now, as the police cars rolled up, the five Pogues were trapped in, unable to get out.

"Hands up!" Shoupe yelled immediately, as soon as he got out the car. "Hands up, now!"

They all complied as the sheriff looked around, cursing loudly. "We're too late, goddammit! Bratcher, have your guys stand down!"

It was then that Elora noticed how some of the uniforms were not from Kildare County. There were also SBI uniforms, who were no doubt here for John B.

"Let me talk to these kids!" A man with a gun who Elle presumed was Bratcher moved among them, settling on her as he pointed his weapon to her face. "Where the hell is he?! WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!"

Elora kept her mouth shut tight, because she didn't trust herself not to swear or shout or act violently.

"JJ?" Shoupe, meanwhile, was talking to the boys. "I see you're living up to your name. Pope, how about you? This isn't a fucking game! Do the right thing now! Where'd he go?"

"Suspect has just left station twenty six in a small boat," Bratcher said, removing his gun from Elora's chest as he talked on his walkie.

"Right, keep your hands up as we approach the vehicle!" Shoupe shouted leading the five of them over to the police car. "We're going back to base camp."

𔓘𔓘𔓘

'Base camp' appeared to be a bunch of marquees on the coast set up by the SBI, right near the lighthouse.

Shoupe led Elora, Tyler, Kiara, JJ and Pope out the car and into one of the marquees, sitting them down in a line on a bench at the edge of it. There were a bunch of people outside, some just regular citizens and some reporters snapping photos.

"Sit down. Don't move. We have a lot to talk about," Shoupe said as he faced them, the lights in the marquee illuminating their 'chat' despite the dark sky outside.

As Shoupe blasted instructions into his walkie talkie, the Pogues looked hopelessly amongst each other, unsure of what they were going to do.

Elora's hand was rested on her shaking knee, bouncing up and down with it. She was biting her lip, her hair in her face and goosebumps on her arms.

The only thing that stopped her from having a full blown panic attack right now was Tyler laying his hand on her knee, right on top of her hand, and looking at her.

"It's okay," he murmured, their faces inches apart. "They're gonna get away, and so are we."

The storm was picking up. That became clear as the thunder clapped above them and Elora jumped slightly, Tyler gripping her hand tighter.

"We're gonna be fine," he whispered to her. "I promise, El-"

"We've got light!"

Shit.

Shit shit shit-

Elora wanted to scream.

All around were the delighted shouts of police officers, SBI agents and citizens alike. The Pogues, meanwhile, glanced worriedly around at each other, eyes wide.

Because if there was light, that meant the lighthouse could go back on. Meaning-

"That's them! There they are!"

"Shit!" Elora groaned into her free hand, eyes squeezed tight shut.

And from inside the marquee, they could hear all the shouts.

"Is it them?"

"It's the Phantom!"

"That's John B!"

"Who's with him?"

"I don't-"

The sirens cut through the sound of that last one; the police speedboat engine harmonising with it. Then there was another one, and another.

And as the rain and wind started, shaking the marquee slightly, she felt rebellious, and stood up.

"I've got to go see what's happening!"

When she ran outside, no one stopped her. She didn't really care anymore. If John B and Sarah were out there fighting, she was going to be here fighting as well.

Elora didn't know what was propelling her. Maybe it was the fact that no one was watching them, or that their friends were out in a storm with at least three police boats on them, or that she just really fucking needed updated, but something was.

She didn't know where she was going, but she did know that she struck gold when she came upon a tent with Ward Cameron inside, holding a communication device surrounded with SBI agents.

"John B?" He said into it, hand shaking slightly.

Elora froze, diving around the side of the marquee and sitting on the muddy ground, her hands sinking into it, gripping the wet grass as she listened.

"John B, I know you are there, son. I know you can hear me," Ward continued. "And if you love my daughter like I think you love my daughter, then you will turn that boat around and come back. You are going into a storm that you cannot survive."

Answer, please, Elora begged silently. Just anything to let me know you're alive.

They're alive, Elora realised, as she cottoned onto what Ward was saying. He's with Sarah. They're together.

Clearly, Sarah had caught up with John B after he'd left on the Phantom, going with him into the storm, nothing being left in Kildare for her either.

"John B, please, I will make it right!" Ward begged. "I promise you, just come back."

Lies, Elora believed, but inside her she was also screaming at him to just answer.

"Think of her, and turn around," Ward added.

There was a silence so long that Elora wanted to scream, and yell, and cry and kick her legs. Her body was burning but also freezing, and the tears on her face were mingling with the raindrops there.

Then a voice floated through to her ears.

His voice.

"Ward Cameron, do you hear me?"

The relief that flooded through her veins upon hearing those words made her happier than she'd ever care to admit.

No matter what condition JB was in right now, he was alive. And that was all that mattered.

"Yes!" Ward sounded relieved as well. "Yes, son, I'm right here. I'm right here. Please bring her back, okay? We'll work it all out when you get home."

Half of her wanted to tell John B he was a liar, and a fraud; things he already knew. Half of her wanted to agree with Ward, and tell John B and Sarah to come back because they were going to get themselves killed.

"YOU KILLED MY FATHER!" John B's voice was angry and full of hatred, but also full of deep rooted sadness and grief. "AND YOU FRAMED ME FOR A MURDER I DIDN'T COMMIT!"

She wanted to curl up and cry, yet also punch Ward Cameron straight in the face for what she did.

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" John B sounded more torn up than ever. "You took everything from me!"

Peeking around the marquee's edge, Elora could see Ward, fist clenched around the walkie, face winced as if none of what John B was saying was true, when every word of it was.

"But I'm still here," her best friend's voice echoed from the device. "And I swear to god, Ward, I will come back one day and take what's mine. So you listen to me, alright? I'm coming for you."

And we'll never stop going for him either.

"I'm coming for you."

And as the line went silent, Elora felt a body appear beside her. She jumped as she turned and saw Tyler, face etched with concern, looking her up and down.

She was a state. Her mascara was smudged all over by the tears and the rain, her hair wet and windblown. Her eyes were red and wide, her body shaking.

"We've lost their radio signal, sir!" A voice shouted from inside the marquee, but Elora only had eyes for Tyler.

"You alright?" He whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

She nodded immediately. "Yeah."

But she wasn't.

Not really.

Because if their signal was lost-

"You don't go anywhere," Shoupe said to someone (she presumed Ward). "We're gonna need to talk to you."

Good. Maybe the bastard'll finally get what he deserves.

But then again, when did anyone ever get what they deserved in this world?

𔓘𔓘𔓘

By the time they got back to their marquee and met with the other Pogues they were soaked, shivering and shook.

"What's going on?" Kie asked immediately. When they didn't answer, she demanded. "What happened?"

Elora didn't answer, sitting shakily down next to them just as Shoupe and two other officers entered.

They instantly stood up, all five of them, Elora and Tyler not even caring if he saw their soaking forms. He didn't question anything, however, and just pulled his hood down, looking at them with an expression she couldn't quite read.

"Did you find them?" Pope, ever the spokesman, asked.

Shoupe just looked at all of them, biting his lip, and shaking his head.

Elora felt her heart buffer in her chest. She clenched her fists, more tears slipping down her cheek as the thunder and lightning crashed above them.

"We, uh... we lost them," the officer informed them.

Elora froze mid breath.

Shoupe continued. "I'm sorry-"

"Lost them?" Elora repeated. "Wh- what does that mean?"

"I'm sorry, Elora-"

"Like, they're just gone?" Elora demanded. "You just- they're just-"

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Elora," Shoupe looked directly at her.

"So, they're dead?" Kie was crying, too.

Shoupe's eyes slid from Elle to her.

"We don't know," he said.

"You can find out though, right?" Tyler asked, taking a step forward. "Like, you can-"

"We don't know, Tyl-"

"You drove them straight through the storm, man!" JJ, the only one who had not spoken yet, blew up. "Are you kidding me? Come here-"

"JJ!"

"JJ, STOP!"

But JJ wasn't stopping as he lunged at Shoupe, throwing fists and curses.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD-"

"HEY, HEY, HEY!" A man Elora recognised as Deputy Thomas lifted him off Shoupe, still kicking and writhing and foaming at the mouth.

"YOU KILLED HIM!"

"HE DIDN'T KILL ANYONE AND YOU KNOW IT!" Even Pope tried to throw hands, but Shoupe was on him quickly.

"We're still looking for him, alright-?"

"And then you'll do what? Arrest him?!" Elora screamed, tears streaming down her face as she turned back to Tyler, her voice breaking as he welcomed her into his arms.

She was sobbing and shaking and JJ was still screaming at Shoupe, and Kie was trying to detain Pope.

And then-

"Tyler!"

Cynthia Thornton's shout couldn't even make her angry, because John B was dead and so was Sarah and this had all been for nothing and Ward was going to get away with it-

"TYLER THORNTON, GET THE HELL OVER HERE!"

Kie's parents were there, as well. And Pope's.  But they were just hugging their kids, and letting them cry. Cynthia was an entity of rage, watching a girl break in her son's arms and not giving a shit.

But Tyler didn't give a shit, either. His whole focus was on Elora, and making sure she was okay. His mother could talk to Ward and Shoupe and every other fucker here, but she wasn't getting anywhere near the redhead in his arms.

Elora didn't know what to feel, sobbing and shaking and hyperventilating in Tyler's arms, watching as the Heyward's welcomed JJ, who had stopped fighting Deputy Thomas, into their hug.

And it's then that it hit her.

Because for two weeks, she had managed without a mother.

She'd cooked, she'd cleaned, she'd hunted for gold, she'd gained two friends and strengthened bonds she didn't know could get any stronger.

And to be honest, she was starting to think she was better off without her.

But as she broke in Tyler's arms, she started to realise that no matter how much of a bitch or a slut or a bad person her mother was, she was still just that. Her mother.

And in that moment, all she really wanted was to go back to a moment before the gold, before Sarah and Tyler, before the Pogues, even. To when it was just her and her mum and her dad. Her family.

No amount of hugs or comforting whispers or small kisses on the crown of her head would work now.

Because she hadn't just realised the loss of two family members today.

She'd realised she'd lost three.

'And maybe that's how this story ends.

My mother missing, two of my best friends dead, and a growing crush on a boy that I can never be with.

Maybe this summer wasn't meant to be so great, after all.'