{ LIVING THE POGUE LIFE }

{13}

JJ cursed and balled his fists as John B locked the door again. As much as he wanted to trust Brie, he didnt think she stood much of a chance if she couldn't get her hands on the gun.

"Dude, what if she doesn't get to the porch in time?" Pope hissed, "How are we going to know if-"

The sound of heavy footsteps on the porch made them go silent. JJ's pulse leaped. There was no way Brie had made it to the porch that quickly. She was going to get caught.

"Fuck!" Kiara cried, "Where is she?"

"She's fine," Pope tried to reassure them, "Shes probably just hiding."

"Routledge! Get the hell out here!"

JJ felt the blood in his veins run cold. They were coming into the house. John B held a finger up to his lips.

There were a series of crashes and Kiara jumped, keeping a hand over her mouth to hide her cries of fear. This was exactly like what happened at Lana Grubbs' house. Which meant that they all knew what was coming next. If they found anyone, they would beat the information that they wanted out of them.

"We know you're in here!"

The sound of shattering glass rung through the house. JJ ran for the window, trying desperately to prise it open. He needed to get to Brie, and get them all out of the house.

"What's happening?" Kiara asked, nervously.

JJ grunted as he tried one more time to lift the window, but it wouldnt budge. His arm with the bullet graze throbbed, aching painfully.

"Its painted shut!" he told her, "Find something to help me get this open."

Kiara rushed to search through the mess in the room. John B kept his back to the door, eyes screwed shut as he listened to the sound of his house being torn apart.

"They're going to find her," Pope shouted under his breath, "You told us what they did to Ms Lana. How are we supposed to help her if we cant even get out?"

"Shut up!" JJ cried in annoyance, "I know! You think that I dont know what they'll do to her? I saw that shit, man. We need to get out of here now."

"Guys, here," Kiara interrupted, using the blade of a pair of scissors to crack the paint. It was taking too long. They were running out of time.

"Where the hell is that compass, boy?"

John B let out a shaky breath. It wouldnt be long now before they started checking the rooms and found them.

"Kiara, come on," JJ urged, fingers twitching anxiously.

"I'm going as fast as I can," she told him as the sound of shattering glass rung out again, making JJ's heart plummet once more.

Pope and John B held their fingers up to their lips' and told them to be quiet, listening to the thuds and bangs on the other side of the wall. Kiara kept working on the paint below the window, tears now running down her cheeks.

"I got one!"

JJ's heart sank, knees trembling. Kiara let out a strangled cry and almost dropped the scissors in her hands. They'd found Brie.

"Where's that compass, girl? Tell us where it is!"

There were more loud bangs and another smash. They all looked at each other in terror. JJ cursed and pulled at his hair, starting to pace the room.

"Start talking, girl."

"Oh, my god," Pope whispered, shaking his hands as his panic grew, "Oh, my god."