MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

for nothing

"We go in there, guns-a-blazin', and make Ward Cameron beg for mercy, abscond with as much gold as possible, and vámonos, get the heck out of there."

In any other circumstance, Karolina would have wrinkled her nose at JJ's stupid plan. Except, now, there was no other, better plan. Nor the time to come up with one. So this is what they had to do, and she just prayed no one would get hurt (unless it was Ward).

John B nodded. "Send it right down the intercostal."

"Wait for weather," said Kie.

"Exit to Cuba," finished Pope.

"Cuba? Nah, Xcalak, Jewel of the Yucatan," Karolina countered, in a very JJ like manner. JJ grinned. "Exactly, Princess. Lobsters so thick, mangoes, and no word for money."

"Let's do this."

Karolina was slightly shocked to see it was Pope saying this. She couldn't really wrap her mind around what they were doing. They were fleeing the country after stealing globs of gold- that was stolen from them in the first place. They were leaving the Outer Banks behind, leaving behind their families. What else had they to lose?

Pope destroyed any chance of winning the scholarship. John B's father was dead. JJ refused to see his again. If Kiara returned, her parents would surely disown her. Karolina had Amy, and it hurt her to leave her sister alone, but the endgame was worth it. After they got the gold, they could get the money, and she could bring Amy wherever in the world she wanted to go. They just had to get the gold.

When they finally reached the airstrip, John B parked at the fence near the end of it. They hopped out, and Karolina stood between JJ and Kiara, looking nervous. "What's the plan?" the shorter girl asked, looking at John B. "Broad strokes?"

JJ gripped the fence with both hands, peering through, while Pope held up his binoculars. Karolina wished she had a pair, so she could see exactly what they were doing at the plane. "They're loading up the gold."

John B took the binoculars, looking through them too. A car pulled up. "There's Ward," he said solemnly. A few moments later, he lowered them, with a steely look on his face. Kiara peered at him. "What?"

"It's Sarah."

Karolina shared a nervous look with JJ, ice shooting up her veins. "She's with him?"

John B didn't answer, putting the binoculars up to his eyes again. "Wait, wait- he's hurting her."

Squinting again, she tried to make out literally anything that was happening on the airstrip. "What?"

"They're fighting," said John B urgently. Pope cursed, and John B took off towards the van.

Karolina grabbed the binoculars, seeing two figures at the front of the plane. She could only assume it was Sarah and her father.

"John B, what are you doing?"

The blonde turned when Pope asked this. She heard the engine start, spotting John B in the driver's seat. They started running towards the van. "Where are you going?!"

But John B was already putting it into gear, speeding forward towards them. "Hey, hey!" shouted Pope. Kiara yelped, jumping out of the way, and JJ hollered, "Don't be a hero, dude! John B!"

With a loud, glass shattering crash, the van went through the fence, accelerating quickly towards the plane. Karolina and JJ ran after it, shouting, "What are you doing?!"

"Come back!" Kiara yelled. Of course, John B wasn't listening. And of course, JJ still had the gun. "He's going to get himself killed," Karolina realized, with a jarring stab in the chest.