TACENDA - JJ Maybanks

Goodbye

"JJ, I'm fine." Lea rolled her eyes as JJ continued to fuss.

"Fucking psychopath," he muttered, his hands tracing the bruise on her neck. "I'm gonna kill him."

"Not if Pope beats you too it." Lea leant forward, resting an elbow on Pope's shoulder. "Have to say dork, I'm impressed."

Pope smiled, the pair shaking hands.

"Hulk shit right there" JJ leant back, turning around to glance at the boat on the tow.

"What about you? How you doin'?" Lea put her thumb on JJ's lip, inspecting it. It was split. Again.

JJ scoffed, "please. That dude? He's all bark, no bite. Take the gun away and he's useless."

"Reminds me of someone else I know."

JJ pulled away, an angry look on his face.

"I'm kidding, calm down. You're useless with or without the gun."

Lea moved away quickly as JJ tried to taser her.

"Okay! Stop! Just stop!" Lea laughed, looking around as Kie pulled up by the dock.

Climbing out, the Pogues got to work, pulling the boat into the water and loading all the supplies on board.

-----

It was past three. Lea stood on the dock, passing more food to JJ, who put it in the boat's storage cabinets.

The sky had darkened considerably, and low and soft rumbles of thunder echoed through the air.

"Dude, where is he?" Kie fretted.

"Give him a second. He'll be here." Pope assured.

"He's coming. He'll be fine." JJ shrugged off the worry.

"Hopefully." Lea added, causing Kie to glare at her.

Lea began to truly panic, however, when a cop car pulled into the dump, sirens blaring. "Shit. JJ?"

"Hey, yeh, get back on the boat. Get back on the boat! Untie it!" JJ ordered, Kie jumping on as Lea moved to untie the ropes on the dock.

"Shit."

"Wait." JJ frowned. "No way."

Lea looked up, turning around to the car, to see none other than John B walk out.

"No effing way." Pope was impressed.

"I'm sorry" Kie was stunned.

"You have got to be kidding me," Lea stood up, shaking her head as John B strolled towards them.

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin." He shrugged.

"Yeah right" Lea laughed, quickly hugging him.

"That's believable. But I'll buy it for now" Kie stood behind Lea.

"It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you," JJ walked over, "and she runs like she was made yesterday. You ready to go?"

"Where's Sarah?" John B looked around.

"She's not with you?" Kie asked, puzzled.

Lea glanced at JJ and Pope, worried.

"No, no. We got separated in the swamp. She said she'd meet me here."

"No we haven't seen her man," Pope said gently.

"Okay well, I'm not leaving without her." John B said defiantly as Lea threw her head back.

"You have to, John B. You're the one they want, not Sarah!" Lea tried but John B shook his head adamantly.

"Look at me, John B. I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp okay? Once you get there, lay low, all right? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville." JJ shook John B to get his attention, "hey! You got that?"

"Yeah, yeh. Brownsville."

John B glanced at Lea who gave a soft smile. This was gonna be goodbye.

"Alright. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." JJ hopped out of the boat as John B climbed aboard.

The Pogues stood side by side on the dock, preparing to push the boat out.

"Hey, hey." John B turned around, close to tears. "I'm sorry for basically... Throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing."

"Hey, John B, yo... We were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ laughed. "At least we did it together though." Lea smiled as JJ wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling Kie in with her as the four friends hugged. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. "Pogue style."

"Pogue style." John B nodded.

"Get out of here, please." Kie urged.

"Yeah, go!" Lea laughed.

"We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico." Pope smiled.

"Love you" JJ called out as John B made his way to the helm.

"Wait a second." John B stopped turning around. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"

"Course," Lea nodded, trying not to cry.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?" JJ called as the Pogues gave one final salute.

Letting go of each other, they pushed the Phantom off the dock.

Stood wordlessly, they watched John B go.