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❝ can't go anywhere until we've got kiara ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

"Cleo, do you actually know where you're going?" JJ questions, the five of us following her lead.

"We can hole up here" She confirms, pointing at what looks to be an abandoned hotel "It ain't the Taj Mahal, but..."

"It'll do" John B nods and JJ sighs out, squeezing my hand in his gently.

"I get the biggest room" Cleo jokes.

"Not if I get it first" I counter with a grin.

"You snooze, you lose" Sarah quips, running ahead of us.

"Cheater!" I call out, Cleo and I chasing after my sister.

The six of us reach the building and we all slip inside, hiding in the ruins as we hear vehicles approaching.

"Over there!" A guard on a bike yells.

"Go, go, go, go!" JJ mutters lowly and we all follow him further into the building.

"Come! Quick!" Cleo takes the lead and we lean against the walls, glancing out the windows.

"All clear!" The guard calls out.

"Go!" Cleo orders.

I race behind John B and Cleo up a set of stairs with Pope, Sarah and JJ right behind me.

"You sure this is safe?" John B questions.

"You got a better idea?" Cleo retorts.

"Good enough for me" I shrug.

When we finally reach a higher level we find some old coolers and deck chairs, letting us know that other people have clearly been here before us.

"We can stay here. It's an old hotel" Cleo assures us "Terrance and I squatted here before"

"Five stars" JJ hums, him and the boys rushing off to check the windows for lingering guards.

"Watch your step" Cleo snaps, grabbing my arm and I follow her gaze to see a huge hole in the flooring in front of my feet "Massive sinkhole"

"Shit" I murmur, stepping around it and tugging Sarah with me.

"Oh. Home sweet home" Sarah says sarcastically.

"We gotta get Kiara out, guys" I stress as I make my way over to JJ.

"Does anyone have anything?" JJ speaks up.

"Well, we can't storm the fort. We can't call the cops" Pope drawls off.

"It's not helping, Pope" JJ retorts in annoyance and I pace anxiously.

"We can't even negotiate" Pope continues "We don't know what they want. It's got to be
about the cross or the gold"

"Mm-mm" Cleo nods in agreement "Guys like Singh, it's always about money"

"What are you thinking?" Sarah asks John B, wrapping her arms around him.

"I don't know. We all just gotta get off this damn island" John B declares worriedly as she presses a kiss to his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, we can't go anywhere until we've got Kiara" I counter bluntly.

"Sylvie, we're going to get her back" Cleo assures me, placing a hand on my shoulder to stop me from pacing.

I take a deep breath and give the girl a grateful smile, patting her hand before she drops it to her side with a warm smile.

We fall into a comfortable silence, all of us deciding to get some rest before we start figuring out a plan. I curl up with JJ, laying my head on his lap and he strokes my hair as I try to nap.

I lay with the blonde boy for a while, tossing and turning as I try and fail to get some shut eye. The sound of tapping causes me to peel my eyes open after a bit and I look up to see JJ playing around with a phone.

"What is that?" My sister's voice beats me to my mental question and I glance over to see her sit up as she looks at JJ.

"This is a little souvenir that I plucked from Portis' pocket" JJ answers as I pull myself up to look at him in disbelief.

"You have a phone?" Sarah retorts in bewilderment.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I add in confusion.

"I forgot I had it" JJ shrugs "It was in my back pocket. That's my bad"

"Oh my God, dude" Pope grumbles in annoyance "Can we go anywhere without you stealing?"

"You know the answer" JJ smirks over at the boy.

"Let me see it" Pope huffs out, sitting up.

"Nice work, rude boy" Cleo pipes up.

"I steal shit. That's my job" JJ declares, pulling himself to his feet and walking over to Pope.

"How'd you get this unlocked?" Pope questions as he takes the phone from JJ.

"No passcode. Portis keeps it loose" JJ replies simply.

"What are you looking for?" Cleo wonders aloud.

"The kidnapper" JJ answers at the same time I say "Kiara"

"Any information that'll help us negotiate with this guy" Pope corrects us as he looks through the device "The only problem is I don't see a Carlos Singh in the contacts"

"That's the problem" JJ agrees and I let out a frustrated breath, laying my head on John B's shoulder as he sleeps next to me.

"It's just a bunch of nicknames and shit" Pope murmurs.

"Wait" Sarah speaks up from Pope's left "Didn't Portis call him something else?"

"Right" JJ nods in agreement "Yeah, he called Singh something when we were jumping his ass. It was like Rockfish or..."

"Can't remember" Cleo states thoughtfully.

"Catfish?" Pope suggests quietly.

"Oh shit! No, no, no. What was it?" JJ groans in frustration "Holy crap! Um..."

"Kingfish" John B breathes out sleepily.

"That was it. Kingfish" JJ points at his best friend.

"Kingfish. That was it" Pope repeats with a nod "Kingfish"

"Hello, sleepyhead" I smile at the brunette boy next to me and he throws his arm around me, ruffling my hair.

"You feeling better?" He murmurs quietly and I nod, making him smile warmly.

"There he is, Kingfish" Pope speaks up, gaining our attentions.

"And we in business" JJ responds with a nod "All right, phase two. Text him, okay?"

"And say what exactly?" Pope counters in confusion.

"You know, you said it. Negotiate, right? Pretend to be Portis, ask him to meet somewhere in private. That was... that's really important. Just solo" JJ explains to Pope "Bam! We jump his ass, tie him up, and then politely request for Kiara in return for his life"

"That's the plan" He finishes and John B raises to his feet, pacing over to the window.

"That's gonna work" Sarah says sarcastically.

"Not a bad idea" John B ignores my sister's comment.

"Not a bad idea? It's terrific!" JJ argues enthusiastically.

"Terrifically stupid" I mutter under my breath and Cleo snorts, letting me know that she heard me.

"Okay, I'm gonna say it. We should think this through" Pope warns them.

"What's rule number one?" JJ counters "Thinking never helps when you already have the idea"

"No, hang on. I agree with Pope" Sarah buts in "This could make things ten times worse for us and Kiara"

"How much worse can it actually get?" John B shrugs and I raise my brows at him.

"I can think of a few ways" Sarah sasses.

"Okay, great. While you're thinking, why don't you just let it rip?" John B points from Pope and Sarah to JJ.

"Thank you" JJ huffs out, plucking the phone from Pope's hand.

"Idiots" I roll my eyes, looking to Cleo who nods at me in agreement before rolling her own eyes.

JJ proceeds to take a picture of Sarah and John B looking defeated, pretending to be Jimmy Portis by sending it to Singh to prove that they were captured.