RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

SIXTY

BUGGING

"If this guy was flying planes for Ward, he's gotta be pretty tight lipped." Pope pointed out, as they drove towards Gavin's house.

"So then direct approach gets my vote." JJ responded as he cocked his gun.

River shifted in her seat, she wouldn't deny it, the way he handle his gun was hot. He had full control over it at all times. Silas chuckled as he watched her lips part, so he wrapped his hand around her eyes and pulled her closer to him so that JJ didn't see her gawking.

"JJ, no." Pope snapped once he heard the cocking of the gun. "Put the gun down, man."

"We gotta keep this simple, or we'll never get John B off." JJ snapped towards the couple in the front. He was currently sat beside River and he found it extremely hard not to place his hand on her thigh or pull her into his chest.

"I hate to say it, but maybe JJ's right." River mumbled, causing everyone to turn and look at her in shock.

JJ allowed a small smile to form on his face, she agreed with him, which was great, but when he went to smile at her she turned away. She was still pissed that he had shut her out.

"Or we just tickle the wire." Pope shrugged, holding up Kie's airpods.

"What?" Kie scrunched her face up in disgust and confusion.

"We tickle the wire. I plant my phone in his car, and then we listen in on your AirPods." Pope explained as he placed the airpods into his ears and held the phone up to Kie. "Say something."

"Something." Kie shrugged, not exactly sure what to say.

"Okay, we have audio." Pope confirmed.

The rest of the drive to Gavin's house was silent. JJ kept trying to shuffle closer to River, resulting in her turning away ever so slightly. She wasn't going to forgive him just yet. He needed to work for her forgiveness, after all he hurt her.

He broke a promise to her. He promised that he would stay and never leave her. It hurt her that he broke that promise so easily.

"I think that's his house over there." Silas spoke up and pointed towards Gavin's house.

"All right, honk or, uh... or yell or something if you see anything suspicious." Pope announced towards Kie, he was prepared to go in and bug the car.

"Don't do anything dangerous." Kie warned, placing her hand over his.

Silas' eyes flickered between the pair, wondering if they were a couple or not. Honestly, he thought they lacked chemistry, not that he'd be the one to tell them that.

"Come on. I'm not JJ." Pope offered Kie a lopsided smile as he unbuckled his belt.

"Funny, Pope." Grumbled JJ.

"I'll go with you, to keep an eye on him." Silas placed his hand on Pope's shoulder, shooting a playful wink at River.

River softly smiled at Silas, giving his bicep a light squeeze as a thank you. She knew that he and Pope got along, but that didn't make them friends. She knew that he liked Pope, but it didn't mean he was willing to protect him or take the fall if the got caught. But she knew that he would for her, so that was why he was going with Pope.

"Love third-wheeling. It's my favorite thing." The blonde boy's eyes flickered between Pope and Kie and then Silas and River. He'd never felt more alone in his life.

Pope and Silas both climbed out of the car, leaving Kie, JJ and River. The cat filled with awkward silence and River began to fiddle with the rings on her fingers, something that didn't go unnoticed by JJ.

He remembered a time where she refused to wear rings because it made her hands feel chunky, she only had small hands so adding any sort of accessories made her hands feel disproportionate.

"How's it been going, you know, with Pope and all?" JJ spoke up, trying to ease the silence for River, he knew it was one of the things that put her on edge. But also the fact that she hadn't spoken to him or Kie since John B and Sarah's supposed death.

"It's good." Kie nodded, looking out of the window to ensure that nobody comes out and see's Pope or Silas.

"It's good? All right." JJ nodded, pursing his lips, trying to think of another question. "In the bedroom, is he, like, kinda freaky, 'cause it's Pope, you know?"

"Why are you asking?" Kie turned and asked, her brows furrowed.

Kie took a quick glance at River, she wondered if JJ was trying to make her jealous by acting as if he was interested in hers and Popes relationship, but all it seemed to be doing was making her more anxious.

The brunette didn't know how hers and River's relationship went so down hill. They were best friends, they would do anything for one another. Kie knew that she shouldn't have shut River out, but after JJ did, it just felt like the right thing to do.

"I don't know. Just kinda curious." JJ shrugged, his eyes flickering over to River who had turned her attention to look outside of the window. "Just spitballing here."

"You don't need to spitball. We could sit in silence." Kie shrugged, looking back out of the window. "Hey, Riv, how's your relationship with your new boyfriend going?"

River nearly choked on her own breath, her eyes widened as she looked between her old best friends. Did they really think that her and Silas were dating?

"H-He's not my boyfriend." River whispered, she had hoped that everything would eventually fall back into place. Her and Kie could be best friends again, she'd be apart of the pogues and her and JJ could rekindle what they once had. "But hey, Kiara, carry on treating Pope like shit and me and you will have an issue."

"Is John B better?" JJ questioned hoping to change the conversation.

"What?" Kie turned and faced River, completely ignoring what JJ had said.

"You heard me." River snapped as Silas and Pope both jumped back into the car:

"Okay. Phase one is complete." Pope announced as he looked around at everyone.

Everyone fell silent, causing Silas to stifle a laugh. He wondered what conversation was had whilst he and Pope was gone, but he could tell that it wasn't exactly a good one.

"Well, this isn't awkward is it, Angelica?"

"Not at all." River whispered, resting her head on Silas' shoulder and closing her eyes.