𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒 - jj maybank

- 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 was simple. John Bʼs trial had begun, and if he lost, he'd get the death penalty. They were going to kill him if there was no more evidence brought into the courtroom, which gave the Flores siblings a day to collect what they needed.

Months ago, back when Luis was the only one investigating Mikel and Ward, he found some things in the storage unit, things that made him suspicious. Things that could prevent John Bʼs death. Old pictures and maps of the Royal Merchant, old letters that were sent back and forth between the team of three men - and a woman, who they now knew was Carla Limbrey, though she left halfway through their search.

The last one that was sent was between Ward and Mikel only, speaking of some broken deal, of something the Cameron man did to keep it, of Mikel threatening him to stay quiet. Luis didn't know it back then, but the last letter was the two men discussing Big Johnʼs murder.

"We have to go tonight," the older sibling stated.

Kaci nodded. "Are we bringing the others?"

Luis glanced outside the window, seeing Sarah storm off with a phone and JJ shouting at Pope and Kie. He turned back to Kaci, and shook his head. "They've been friends with John B a lot longer than you have," he reminded her, a look of sympathy on his face for the teenagers outside. "I think they need to deal with the stress in their own way."

The girl nodded in understanding. The last few days had been horrendous for the pouges, but especially for JJ.

He and John B were brothers. They'd basically lived together since they were kids. Kaci tried to be there for him, but she often doubted if she was good at it. She tried to cuddle him like he usually did her, she tried to smile at him, but his only focus was on his best friend. She understood, but she wanted to know how to help him, too. He'd been through so much in his life, and he didn't deserve any of it.

"If the jury find out about Big John, then it isn't long until the truth about Peterkin comes out, too," added Luis with a confident nod.

"And Jordan," added Kaci sadly.

"And Jordan," confirmed her big brother.

"Tonight, then?"

Luis nodded. "Tonight."

𖧷

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 Château, there was an unusual silence. It made the whole house feel cold, wrong. It was never quiet in there, not even when there was just two people inside.

Pope and Kaci sat on either side of the table, a hot chocolate in each of their hands in attempt to fill their bodies back up with warmth. But it wasn't happening. Nothing felt right in this time.

People had been in and out all day, and nobody really knew what the other was up to. Sarah had been gone since she stormed off earlier, Kie had left a short while ago and not returned yet, Pope went to see his dad and then come back in silence, Luis ran out to make some deal to get a car, and nobody knew what JJ was doing or where he was. All they knew was that he took Kaz out, claiming that it was a father/son bonding day, but Kaci knew it was something more than that.

"Hey, Princess?"

At the sound of her nickname, the girl turned her head up to see the boy in question, who wore sunglasses, despite the rain outside, and had his son on his side.

"Can you watch Kaz tonight?" he questioned, nodding to her as he pulled a can of beer from the broken fridge. "I got somethin' to do n I won't be back 'til morning."

Kaci smiled lightly at him and nodded, standing up to take the baby from his hip. "Yeah, that's fine," she said, rubbing Kaz on his back. "Where you going?"

"Just to see JB," he half-lied. "OK, love you, bye. See ya, Killer." He kissed both of them on their foreheads and left the home without another word, leaving the girl slightly confused.

Kaci slowly turned around to Pope. "Didn't visiting times end, like, an hour ago?"

Pope shook his head. "Don't question him."

Kaci sighed, sitting back onto her chair with a small frown. She just wanted him to be happy, and she knew that JJʼs only joys in life came from the people he loved being safe. He liked to know that he was there to protect them. John B being locked up hurt him more than anything ever could, because he knew that he wasn't there. And he'd do anything to get him back.

And Kaci would do anything to get JJ back. The funny, flirty, flamboyant JJ.

𖧷

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀 siblings paused outside the storage unit, and Luis turned the engine off the car he was borrowing. Kaci sighed, glancing back to her son, who was asleep in the backseat.

"I'll stay out here on lookout," said Luis, following her eye and seeing the look of fear on her face. "Kace, nothing bad will happen to you."

All she could think about now she was the memory of her last visit to the storage unit. How it could've killed her, how it could've killed Kaz. How it eventually did kill Jordan. All family ties came back to this place, and it made her sick. Her family made her sick.

Kaci nodded. "Which box is it again?" she questioned.

"It's right at the back and has Mikelʼs initials on it," he told her, like there wasn't a hundred boxes with the exact same description. "There's also some blood on the lid."

The girl nodded. "I'll be back in a minute," she said, turning back to her son again. "Love you, baby."

Behind her, the car door slammed shut and her stomach bubbled up with dread. She took the keys from her pocket, taking one last look at her brother and son, then twisted them through the lock.

What was inside was enough to make her heart stop.

Authorʼs Note
short chapter but like...fuck.
dw we're going to get our old kaci and jj back soon.
love, tay </3