{ LIVING THE POGUE LIFE }

{49}

This was wrong. Everything felt wrong. Not having Brie and John B with them felt like the Pogues had just fallen apart. It was wrong that they were now forced to sit inside a police tent and be questioned by the Deputy and several FBI agents. Brie and John B were innocent, and there was no real evidence JJ could give the police to show them who actually deserved to be sitting in a cell right now.

The officers all stood around a table, leaving them to sit in a couple of metal chairs by the doorway. JJ bounced his leg nervously, chewing at his fingernails. He glanced to the side and saw Pope take Kiara's hand. He almost wanted to smile at that, automatically thinking about Brie. He had been shocked when Kiara had kissed Pope after John B and Brie left, but he figured that it kind of made sense. After all, Pope did like her too at some point.

A series of loud clicks suddenly boomed though the tent. JJ looked at the others, but they looked as equally confused. Light shone through the thin plastic of the walls, the lighthouse spurring to life.

"The power is coming back on," Pope breathed out. "Oh, fuck."

"That's them!"

JJ's pulse began racing, watching helplessly as the officer's ran around frantically. He cursed and balled his fists, standing up from his seat. An agent immediately stepped forward and shoved him back down without a word. JJ clenched his jaw and stayed put, bouncing his knee more aggressively. All of this effort and planning to make sure that they got away, and they were still going to get caught.

"Get the boats out there! Get after them!"

The rain pelted louder against the tarp of the tent, thunder crashing above them. They would be fine, JJ told himself. If they followed his directions then they might have a chance. The Phantom can run fast, hopefully faster than any of the cop's boats.

"They're headed south!" A voice came through on a static radio.

"In that boat?" The Deputy shook his head, "Try to connect to the radio, see if we can get through to them."

JJ's nerves were fraying quickly, his mind unravelling as fast as the storm was worsening. Kiara put her hand on his knee, stopping him from shaking it, and smiled.

"They'll be fine," she said, "If anyone can direct a boat through a storm, it's those two."

"No!" JJ snapped, lowering his voice, "If anyone can direct a boat through a storm it's me, and you know it. I should have thought about the freaking storm, and I should have gone with them. I can handle the Phantom better than anyone, and I know the route to Mexico."

"JJ," Pope shook his head, "You cant think like that, man. They're gonna make it."

"Not in this storm," JJ muttered, tears filling his eyes, "Not with the cops on their tail. They wont give up. They'll head straight into the storm, and-"

"Stop it!" Kiara scolded, "Dont say that. Just have faith, okay? They still need us."

He sighed heavily and pulled at his hair in frustration. He wasnt ready to lose his girlfriend and his best friend in one night.

The voice came back over the radio again. "Out attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful. Sir, we're getting hammered here."

The agent in charge took a deep breath, shaking his head. "Hold your position, Captain."

"Roger that."

"They're going to get everyone killed," JJ muttered angrily, "There's no way that they're getting through that storm in an open-top boat."

"JJ!" Kiara cried desperately, "Don't say shit like that. They've got a chance."

No, JJ thought, they dont. One wave and they would turtle, and there's no way to swim to safety out there. He balled his fists tighter. If he could get down to the dock, then maybe he could commandeer a boat and go after them. He could try to contact them himself and try to get them to turn around. But it was too late. No way he could get close enough now. They were already out of the bay. He brushed a finger over Brie's chakra bracelet that he still had on his wrist and sighed.