XXX. watch my heart burn

      Dylan was shocked that she had any finger nails left from how much she was chewing on them. They waited for John B, three o'clock already rolling by quickly, but he had yet to show up. She started biting around the skin of her nails until she felt them bleed. Pope quickly pulled her hand away. "You're going to keep going until you don't have a hand." He told her.

She scoffed. "Please, I don't think he'd take that long."

"Dude, where is he?" Kiara said in a hurry, pacing back and forth and the dock.

"Give him a second. He'll be here." Pope replied as they heard a police siren in the background.

"He's coming. He'll be fine," JJ declared from inside the Phantom.

A police car rolled up with the siren wailing. Dylan's eyes widened as she recognized it as Shoupe's. "JJ!"

"Hey, yeah. Get back on the boat." JJ quickly said.

They were more than surprised to see John B get out of the car. Dylan's jaw dropped.

"Wait, no way."

"No f'ing way."

"I'm sorry."

"Dude, did you commit grand theft auto?" Dylan gasped, still in shock.

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin." He replied with a smirk.

"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." Kiara laughed and pulled him into a hug.

"I won't. I know you better than that."

"I know." He grinned and wrapped us arms around his long life best friend.

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

"Where's Sarah?" John B asked, not seeing the familiar girl with them.

"She's not with you?"

"No, we got separated in the swamp. She said she was going to meet me here."

"W-We haven't seen her, JB." Dylan shook her head.

"Okay, well, i'm not leaving with her." He said stubbornly.

"John B, look at me," said JJ. "I know you feel bad for leaving but there's no time, man. You've 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?"

As JJ explained it to him, Dylan started to get emotional. She held in her feelings the entire time until now when it was all becoming real, and John B was leaving. He had no choice. A burning sensation sting her throat and she swallowed a lump that started to form.

"You–Hey! You got that!" JJ shouted when he became distracted.

"Yeah, yeah. Brownsville." John B confirmed.

"All right. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this."

Dylan quickly wiped away a stray tear and sniffled.  John B turned to her and his emotions unraveled. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Hey,  no crying. I was doing good until now."

She let out a shaky laugh and more tears came. "I don't want you to go."

"I'm sorry, for all of it."

The others tried to hold back their own emotions as the best friends whispered to each other. From diapers to now, John B and Dylan were brother and sister and now she had to watch him go. JJ slowly walked up to them and put a hand on John B's back. "You gotta go,  man."

The pair pulled away and Dylan sniffled again, wiping her face. John B nodded and climbed into the boat.  Pope wrapped an arm around Dylan and she laid her head against his arm.

John B turned around to face them. "Hey. Hey. I'm sorry for basically. . . throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing."

"Hey, John B, yo. . ." JJ started. "We were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?"

"If not by the treasure then probably because of something stupid." Dylan added, making them chuckle.

"Yeah." John B uttered with a shaky breath. 

"At least we did to together, though," JJ added and the group of four wrapped their arms around each other.  "Pogue style."

John B nodded again, the rim around his eyes red. "Pogue style."

"Get out of here! Please." Kiara begged sadly.

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

Dylan blew him a small kiss. "Love you, B."

"Love you."

He started to walk away but quickly paused again.  "Hey, wait—wait a second." He turned to them again and out a hand over his mouth briefly to keep from crying. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"

"We will. Promise." Dylan nodded.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?"  JJ said again.

"Got it."

He left that time and got behind the wheel of the boat.  They helped him push it into the water and the motor turned on. As she watched him speed off down the water with thunder rumbling in the sky, Dylan let out another shaky sob and covered her face with her hand,  shaking her head. Pope hugged her tightly. She silently cried against his clothed shoulder.

Kiara watched her with sad eyes. "It's going to be okay,  D."

"Don't worry about him, Dylan. He's got s thick skull. He's be alright." JJ added, trying to not only convince her but himself as well.

They heard a police siren from far away and it was gradually growing louder,  indicating that it was headed towards them. "Hey,  guys. We gotta go right now."

The group walked off the dock and the police cars pulled up, causing them to freeze. When the officers got out, Kiara quickly held up her hands. "Pope. Dylan."

"Move. Hands up! Hands up!" One of the detectives ordered.

"Pope, DJ, hands!"

Dylan raised her hands up clearly in the air, holding back a nervous breath. 

"We're too late. He's gone. God damn it!" Shoupe angrily shouted when they saw that John B was gone.  "Bratcher, have your guys stand down. Let me talk to these kids." He stood in front of the teenagers. "All right, where the hell is he? Where the hell is he?"

"Shoupe, he didn't do anything." Dylan pleaded as she began to lower her hands.

"DJ, no!" Kie yelled at her and the girl quickly raised them again.

"JJ? I see you livin up to your name," Shoupe jeered.  "Pope, how about you? This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing now! Where'd he go?" He moved over to Dylan. "Dylan, do your parents even know you're here? You two seemed to be the closest of the bunch. Where the hell is he?"

Dylan stared at the man with watery eyes and she bit her tongue, not saying a word but she kept her hands up. The guns that the officers had raised made her shake uncontrollably. Her eyes shifted to the side at the boy standing close by her, and nodded slightly to tell her it was okay.

"Suspect has just left Station 26 in a small boat. Need marine patrol to respond."

"All right. Come with me." Shoupe ordered and the police officers started gathering them. They put the group of teenagers in one of the cars. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to settle her breathing. Whatever was coming next, she wouldn't be prepared for it.

When they arrived at the tent, Shoupe pulled the group of teenagers out of the car. Dylan was shocked to see almost everyone on the island was there. News reporters, deputies, detectives, and people simply there to watch. Plumb and Shoupe let them into the tent. "Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about." He ordered when they sat in the metal chairs.

"Dylan! Dylan!" Ainsley and Logan came running into the tent with Braxton behind them. Her eyes widened when she saw the group of kids. "Dylan!"

"Mom. Dad." Dylan said shakily.

Logan stepped forward, eyeing the officer. "Shoupe, what's the meaning of this?"

Shoupe stepped forward. "Logan, these kids are accomplices. I can't let them go without asking questions."

"Not without my permission. She's sixteen."

"I don't need your permission, Mr. Jennings."

Dylan clutched Pope's hand tightly as she watched the men argue. The storm wad coming quickly, she could hear it. Ainsley quickly sat in the empty chair beside her and grabbed her face gently. "Dylan, what the hell is going on."

"Mom, John B didn't kill anyone. I promise." The girl quickly pleaded with watery eyes. "We swear."

"How do—"

"It's John B, mom!"

The mother sighed and her eyes trailed to the other three teens. They looked at the woman with the same panicked expressions. She looked at her husband and saw the way his hands were rested at his hips. He didn't that when he was in thought. "Logan?"

"I'll be right back." Logan spoke and began to walk out of the tent.

"Honey, were are you going—"

"I'll be back. Just stay with them!" He said loudly and walked to the other tent they had set up where they were tracking where John B and Sarah were.

Plumb saw him walk in. "Logan,  you can't be here."

"I'm not going anywhere, officer."

Shoupe entered the tent and sighed. "Logan,  please.  Let us do our job."

"This is a kid I have known since he was born, Victor.  His father was my best friend. He's important to my family," the man explained with a hard stare. "I'm not going anywhere."

The officers and everyone else in the tent went quiet,  watching the interaction. Plumb and the others police officers looked at Shoupe for his approval to remove the man. Shoupe shook his head. "You might not like what you hear,  Logan." He warned.

"Innocent until proven guilt," was all that Logan responded with.

They went back to work. Suddenly, at the worst possible time, the power started to come back on the island. "Hey, we're back up. We got power!" One of the men shouted.

"That's them! There they are!"

"It's the Phantom!" Someone in the crowd shouted.

Logan moved slightly and saw a boat in the middle of the water and his heart raced. "Bogey spotted off the lighthouse, running lights out. I think it's them."

He sighed under his breath. "God dammit, John B."

It started pouring rain. Lighting started to strike. They bogeys they had sent our chased after John B and Sarah and caused them to go in the other direction,  right into the storm.

"Suspect is attempting to escape to the South. Our attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful. We're getting hammered here."

The deputy raised the radio. "Hold your position,  Captain."

"Roger that."

He lifted his head and looked at the man. "Mr.  Jennings, what are the odds Mr. Routledge will listen to you?"

"I've been like his dad for the past year." Logan answered without hesitation.

The deputy turned to the others officers around him.  They sat Logan in front of the radio. "What am I supposed to say?" He asked, feeling uncomfortable in the situation.

"Anything that you can think of that will make him turn around." Shoupe answered with his arms crossed.

Logan chewed the inside of his cheek. He brought the radio forward and turned it on. "John B," he spoke timidly. "John B, it's Logan. I know you're scared. I'm scared for you. Dylan, she's. . . she's scared out of her mind. I don't believe you've done the things they say you have but you running away is only making it worse, son. You need to think about Sarah and her family. Think about the family you have here. We love you, son. Turn around before it's too late."

He stopped talking and felt himself starting to get choked up. He was spending so much time being angry at his daughter that he didn't stop to think about what was going on with John B. He should've spoken to him after learning that his father was dead. He should've reached out but he didn't, and now, he might not ever get the chance.

"Logan," John B said into the radio, gaining their attention again. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Jennings for everything i've put DJ through. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you, John. I do," Logan quickly said. "Just come home, okay? You have a home here. I'll help you,  son."

"I'm sorry. I can't. I love you, sir."

The radio turned off again and Logan pressed it to his mouth. "Dammit." He hissed and shook his head. He swiftly stood up. "What the hell do we do now?"

The deputy looked at everyone in thought. "I got one more card I think we can play."

Dylan had her head rested on her mom's shoulder, Ainsley's arms wrapped around her children. They're waited impatiently for any kind of update. Her hand was still firmly grasped with Pope's. The more she waited, the sicker she felt. She could hear the chatter,  the sirens, and everything people were saying. Ainsley was trying her best to talk to them to keep their nerves down.

Shoupe and the other officers came into the tent with Dylan's dad, making all of them stand up. Ainsley and Braxton quickly went and stood by Logan. Dylan got another sick feeling when she saw the looks on her faces and she looked at her dad, seeing his downturned expression.

"Did you find them?" Pope asked first.

"No," Shoupe answered, his face solid stone. 

"So, they got away?" Kiara asked, hopeful.

It made Dylan smile slightly at the thought and she looked at her dad. His face remained the same.

Shoupe looked down at the floor briefly, swallowing. "We, uh. . . we lost them. I'm sorry."

Slowly, Dylan's face dropped. "Lost? W-What do you mean lost?"

"Dylan." Logan spoke, taking a step forward.

"Dad, what is he taking about?" She asked, her words quickening in fear.

"You lost them?" Pope repeated.

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope."

"So, they're dead."

When Shoupe didn't answer, Dylan shook her head.  "No."

"We don't know."

"No."

"Dylan—"

"No, daddy, they're lying," she cried and looked at him.  "Please tell me they're lying."

Ainsley covered her mouth and pulled her son close to her. "You forge them straight through the storm,  man!" JJ yelled in pure anger. "Are you kidding me? Come here!"

He charged at Shoupe.

"JJ!" Kiara shouted.

"I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!"

"You scared him!" Dylan shouted at the officers with clouded vision. "He didn't do anything!"

Logan grabbed his daughter and she thrashed around,  trying to break free. She pointed at all of them. "You did this to them!" Her voice broke painfully.

"You killed him!"

"He didn't kill anyone, and you know it!"

"We're still looking for him, all right?"

A painful cry escaped the girl's mouth and she clutched onto her father's arms that were wrapped around her.  Her legs shook so much that she felt like she was going to collapse. Logan whispered a series of I'm sorrys to her, but she felt like her ears were filled with cotton.  The officers dragged JJ away as he tried to attack them in anger. Pope and Kiara were hysterical.

From the corner of her eye, Dylan saw someone come into the tent. She turned her head and saw that it was Ward. Burning red fuled inside her and she charged at him. "You did this—"

"Dylan!"

"This is all because of you!" She let out a heartbreaking scream. "You did this! You killed them!"

Logan quickly ran and grabbed her, pulling her back before she could do anything. The officers surrounded them and took Ward away, Shoupe trying to keep the girl from doing something she would regret. "I hate all of you!" She screamed in the officer's face.

"Dylan." Kiara cried.

Anna and Mike came into tent along with Heyward and Pope's mother. Braxton and Ainsley surrounded the girl, the young boy crying his heart out. There was another painful cry that came from Dylan and she collapsed under her legs, dragging her father down with her. Memories of a boy she knew her entire life showed up, his laugh and corny jokes, and his stupid grin that he always wore. 

Then a girl she met with pearl white teeth and a heart of gold. Sarah Cameron came as a shock to everyone,  but she left a mark on them. The two of them,  together, and then the whole friend group coming together as one, accepting the girl for who she was. A heart of a gold and a boy bigger than the whole sky.

"John B." The cry came out quiet but her sobs were loud. She shook violently in the arms of her family.  "Please no."

Logan slowly pulled her up and Pope took his place.  Dylan's arms slid around his neck and she fell into him. Kiara and JJ surrounded them. She cried hard till she got a headache. Her heart burned with the fire of hated for every person who chased after him and it burned with wretchedness. Who was she supposed to talk to now? How was she supposed to move on?