Hell or High Water | JJ Maybank [2]

four

JO WALKED ALONGSIDE Cleo and Sarah through the crowded city streets. It was go time, the day they put their plan in action. Sarah had gotten ahold of Wheezie and they were able to find out when Ward was moving the gold and where he was taking it. From there, they devised a plan to trap him on the road and take the gold back. Cleo had volunteered to help with a diversion to stop the armed guards from following him and apparently that involved a bunch of kids.

"So, Sarah fell in love with a convicted felon," Cleo hummed as they walked. "What about you?"

"Well, John B is my brother," Jo sighed. "Which makes me collateral damage, I guess. I got pinned as an accomplice because Ward knew I wouldn't keep quiet. No one who knows about what happened is safe."

"Sounds like a real prick," Cleo stated.

"He is," Jo murmured.

"You don't got any special someone then?" Cleo queried.

Jo frowned and shoved her hands in her back pockets. "I do. He's back in the outer banks," she said softly.

It had been a while since Jo had thought about JJ in all honesty. With everything going after she and John B raided the Cameron house, she hadn't had much free time to let her mind wander. She was thankful for that, but now that she was reminded of the blonde boy she left at home, she was filled with grief and heartache. She hoped he was waiting for her and hadn't moved on.

"Oh?" Cleo hummed, obviously intrigued. "Why isn't he here?"

Jo bit her lip and kicked idly at the sidewalk. "We got separated and I didn't have time to wait for him. I really wish I did, but..." she trailed off and blinked rapidly, trying to keep her tears at bay. "His name's JJ."

"JJ. Ha. He sounds like trouble," Cleo chuckled.

Jo laughed quietly and wiped her eyes. "He is. But he's a good guy. You wouldn't think he is but... he tried his best."

"Hey, I still say you're asking to get your heart broken," Cleo replied. "But I guess as long as he's treating you good then that's all that matters."

Jo smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah. I miss him a lot."

Cleo gave her a smirk and bumped her shoulder. "Well, let's get this show on the road so you can get back to him, eh?"

Jo grinned and fist bumped the girl. She fell into step beside Sarah and the two girls watched as Cleo riled up all the kids and explained what they had to do.

"You ready for this?" Jo asked quietly.

Sarah pursed her lips and nodded. "Hell yeah. Let's take back what's ours."

° ° ° ° °

John B, Sarah, and Jo had been dropped off on one of the two roads that led to the airport. The plan was for the kids to pop the tires of the security vehicles so that way it was only Ward they would be confronting. Cleo and Terrance were acting as construction workers and pretended that the road was closed and once they got Ward out of the truck, the three teens were going to take the gold.