Brother's Best Friend || JJ Maybank

Episode 4. Spy Games | 16

Julianne Bailey Routledge

So, there's a moment in every kid's life when you feel like anything's possible. When feel like you've got the total mojo. You could, I don't know, free climb El Capitan, land on Mars, or, uhh... get elected president.

The whole world's there for the taking if you've got the sack to go for it. And then, when you least expect it, some Kook shows up and tells you there's no eternal mystery. And then all that talk about free-climbing and Mars and the president... bullshit.

Magic gets cancer and dies.

We searched around the Royal Merchant for a while, every pass crushing our spirits more and more.

John B sighed, "It's not there. Look, just- just pull the drone up."

"Look, we can do another pass. Recharge the battery." Pope said as JJ started the boat back up, "We can.. We can go back down."

John walked to the edge of the boat.

"Guys, we've been through it three times." JJ began, "There's nothing there."

"Shut up!" Kie yelled at him.

"What? It's true!"

Kie continued, "The gold could be buried. We don't know."

I let out a breath, sitting down and gripping the edge of the seat. This hurt worse than being clocked with a golf club.

John B sighed, "If it was there, it would've been found on the metal detector, okay? Somebody beat us to it."

"Or it was never there." JJ muttered.

I look up at him, "Really?"

He glanced down at me, "What?" I just shook my head.

The boat ride back to Heyward's dock was silent and John B and I took the HMS Pogue home, still not speaking to each other.

John B and I walked in, being greeted by the social worker who questioned us before the hurricane, "Hey, guys."

John B groaned, "You know, Cheryl, it's kind of a bad time for a check in."

She shrugged, "Not a check in. We're here to take you."

I sat at the table, "Today? Really?"

On the outside, I was cool and collected, but on the inside, I was about to cry.

"It's just for a few weeks until your hearing." Cheryl said. I wasn't a very violent person, but right now, I wanted to hit her.

John B shook his head, "No, no, no. Cheryl, look, we're not going into foster care, okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, we're not gonna be apart of your little system."

A cop walked up behind us, John and I glancing at each other.

"John B, Julianne, this is Deputy Thomas." Cheryl introduced, John B and I both standing up, "He works with juveniles for the sheriff's department. Look, I know Uncle T is down in Mississippi working in a casino. He hasn't been here in months."

John B scoffed, "What?" He made a move towards the door, the sheriff making him stop, "No, see, that's my nightmare right there. We want emancipation."

Cheryl shook her head, "Emancipation from who? There's nobody here but you two."

John B stuttered, "Uh.. asylum, then."

"On what grounds?"

"On- On solid grounds. On holy grounds."

I cut into the conversation, "Look, I feel real prosecuted right now by you."