SWEET NICOTINE | CHAPTER THRITY THREE (KEEP YOU SAFE...)
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The streets were filled, loud music drowning out the sounds. Fireworks erupt in the light sky. AJ sat by the window of the taxi as they made it into Tres Rocas.
They slowed and Sarah was the first to reach for the door handles. They got out, turning back to thank the taxi driver before looking around. "There's a lot going on" Pope's comment made AJ nod.
"Looks like it's a local holiday," Cleo said.
"Okay, so we got to assume that Singh's already gone upriver. We're looking for a guy named Jose. He's gonna take us to the dig site" John B told them and AJ furrowed her brows.
"Jose. Do you have a last name or?" Pope trailed off and John B shook his head.
"I do not have a last name" He admitted.
"Shit. It's gonna be like trying to find a teardrop in the ocean" Cleo sighed.
"I'm assuming river guides probably hang out by the river" Sarah stated, looking between them.
"Yeah but if they're like the guides at OBX, they're probably getting drunk on holiday" Pope reasoned.
"So let's start with the bars. Divide and conquer?" They shared looks and each of them nodded. "Okay, Let's do this" They did the pogues handshake and AJ went in the same direction as Pope and Cleo.
"Do you know Jose, a uh, tourist guide" AJ's broken Spanish made the girl cringe but it was the best she could do. The woman in front of her shook her head and AJ sighed before thanking her anyway.
AJ was smart enough to not wander off too far but when shouting broke out on the street the girl lost track of where Cleo and Pope were. She tried scanning the crowd. She tried standing on her tippy toes as well. "Cleo!" She called out, taking a few steps and attempting to avoid bumping into people.
"sorry" She let out as she stumbled into a man behind her, the girl's Spanish coming out coated in her American accent. She couldn't even begin to focus on her leg, not when she was lost in a large crowd with absolutely no idea how to get back to the pogues.
"Pope!" She shouted, her head whipping in different directions. "Pope!" Again, and again, and again. Cleo and Pope's name's spilled from her lips with a cry. The girl started to feel a panic attack coming on.
"Shit" The curse was under her breath and she took a few steps back, trying to get herself out of the crowd. Bodies bumped into her and she flinched each time.
She could feel her vision narrowing and she tried to take a deep breath in. She could've sworn she was hallucinating when she saw one of Singh's men at the end of the street. But it just looked too real.
When the man started to get closer she had to face the realization that she didn't even have the time to have a panic attack. She needed to run. She met his eyes from across the crowd and she didn't have to think twice about his recognition.
