ʀᴇᴄᴋʟᴇss ● ᴏᴜᴛᴇʀ ʙᴀɴᴋs | ᴊᴊ

The Bell Tower 9.1

As we were running away, a gunshot rang through the air. I stopped in my tracks an d looked down where we came from. I looked at the others and we shared a scared look. Did John B get shot? I continue running because JJ pulled me along.

We stopped at some trash yard, in one of the small huts. I hear the plane cutting through our silence. I look up and see Ward's plane.

"There goes our gold." JJ said. I let out a breath and lean on the wall. I close my eyes and let disappointment wash over me. I wasn't disappointed in John B, no, I was disappointed in myself. The one thing my father would've wanted me to have was the gold. And now that's gone too.

"Shit!"Pope exclaims throwing something of the ground. I look up to see him raging, kicking and throwing stuff around while yelling profanities.

"Pope!" Kie tries to intervene but Pope doesn't listen. "God damn it!" He screams hitting something with a bat, making a dent in it. We knew that if we tried to get close to him we'd get a dent in our skulls.

He went on for a few minutes, destroying glass and everything in his way. I look at Kie, telling her to try and stop him.

"Pope!" Kie yelled at him as he threw a trash can into the wall I was leaning on. I stumbled of the wall, frightened and walked over Kie and JJ.

"Pope!" Kie pleaded. He started hyperventilating. He sat down on a old knitted couch/porch thingy. He started to ter up and cry.

"Pope." Kie said once again this time sadly. We stood in front of him. JJ looked baffled at his actions. You see Pope was never, Never, an agressive person. And this stunt that he pulled right now was concerning to us all.

"Yeah, dude." JJ said. "I was wondering when this was gonna happen. Here you go, chief." JJ said handing him a vape. I look at him as if I couldn't believe what he was giving to him.

"A little weed never hurt no one." JJ added. I kicked him with my elbow and he looked at me hurt. I gave him an 'Are you serious right now?' Look. "JJ." Kie told him giving him a look.

"Relax, Kie." JJ told her. "You know he doesn't smoke." Kie told him. Pope looked at her and then at JJ before grabbing the weed vape out of his hand.

"Well, maybe not until today." JJ said sitting down next to him.

"Pope, you don't have to do this if you don't want to." I tell him. "Yeah, what is that gonna help?" Kie asks him pointing at the vape.

"I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. Every--It's gone. It's not gonna happen." Pope said choking and holding back his tears.

"You did that for us?" Kie asked sadly. "No, not for us." Pope got up and faced Kie. "For nothing." He said angrily. I look down and play with my feet

"I'm here for you, Pope. Welcome to my world, okay?" JJ said as he got up and side hugged him. I look at JJ sadly before Kie tried to interrupt. "JJ-" "What, Kie? He's right. It doesn't matter anymore." JJ exclaimed as Pope walked over to a wooden pole and leaned onto it.

We watched as he pulled the vape to his lips and pulled a puff. "You don't have to do that." Kie said.

Pope turned his head and let out the cloud from his mouth. "What do you care?" He asked her. I saw Pope look behind us and his eyes widened. We all turned quickly around to see John B standing there with bloody hands.

"Dude! Dude, you good?" JJ exclaimed as we all ran towards him.
"Oh, my God! John B!" Kie exclaimed. JJ picked up one of his hands and looked at the blood. "Is this yours?" "Whose blood is that?" They flooded him with questions. Is that Sarah's blood? Is it Ward's?

"Johnny, are you okay?" I asked him sadly. JJ looked at me before turning around as we heard sirens. I turned and looked at the cop car.

"Shit!" Pope exclaimed as we all ran behind some junk and hid from the cops. We all shared a look as we saw the cop going towards the airport.

~☆~

We drove into the police station's parking lot.
"John B, what are we doing at the police station?" I ask, looking at him in the rear-view mirror as I parked outside.

"Somebody's gotta tell them what happened." He responded. Pope started coughing really badly as I turned off the engine and looked back at them. JJ was sitting in the passenger seat and he smirked looking at Pope.

"Easy there, chief. Damn." JJ told him as Pope held the joint in his hand.

"All right. I'm just gonna be real with you right now."JJ said turning his gaze to John B." You might end up in the lion's den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is. "JJ told him as he hugged the seat and looked at John B. I shot him a sad look.

"Your old man's an abusive liar." Kie said from the back seat. "I agree with JJ." Pope said. "Fuck the police." I let out a snort, looking at Pope. "What, you going to the dark side now?" Kie said. I held back a laugh because this is not a laughing matter.

"When's the last time the police helped us?" Pope asked her leaning back.

"Peterkin looked out for me, all right? Tried to, at least. They need to know." John B told us and we all shared a sad look for our friend. Kie nodded slightly at him and he got out of the car and went inside the station.

"Wanna play rock, paper scissors?" I ask JJ. He smiled and nodded his head. We played. 2 or 3 times till one of us got to three while Pope and Kie watched us. Suddenly I heard yelling.

"Har! Start the car!" I quickly look out the window to see John B running out of the station. I quickly fiddle with the keys trying to turn the car on. "Start the car, Har!" He opened the car door and got in quickly.

"What did you do!?" I ask him concerned and turning the engine on.

"Her, drive! Go!" JJ yelled at me. I quickly reared the engine. "I'm going! I'm sorry!" I exclaim stomping on the gas pedal. "Go, Har! Go!" John B yelled. The deputy was running alongside the car and was holing on to the open window.

"Stop the car!" The deputy yelled at me
I pressed on the pedal more and John B forcefully opened the door making the deputy stumble and fall as we drove away.

I let out a sigh of relief as we drove away. JJ looked at me and put a hand on my thigh as if he's trying to say sorry for yelling at you.