"Well, there's like a thousand trains here," Sarah sighs as the six of us stand on top of a disused container, having successfully made it to Wilmington.

I don't feel any better about the situation than I did before, and while I know it's for the best and helping Pope's family reclaim the cross, that doesn't remove the feeling that weighs on my heart. Like some sort of lovesick puppy I spent most of the journey flicking through pictures in my camera roll of Rafe and I, as though the memories might fade if I don't.

"Well, we know it's car 750X on the track to Raleigh," Pope tells us, pointing further down the line.

"Yeah, so now we just gotta find it," JJ nods.

"Like a needle in a haystack," I mutter, glancing at my friends, a surge of guilt slowly flooding my body.

"Well, news flash," Kiara sighs, "We're not getting out of her unnoticed with a giant cross."

"We won't have to," Pope insists confidently, "We can nab it somewhere further in the country."

"Just gotta figure out how to stop the train," I reply, each of us silently aware of how much risk stands between us and securing the cross.

"Leave that to me," JJ tells us confidently.

"How are you gonna do that?" Cleo scoffs.

"I got an uncle up in New Bern, right? When he got tipsy he'd just throw an old chain across the tracks, just for shits and giggles," JJ begins to explain, and I'm not entirely convinced yet, "And that old little chain would stop all the train traffic in coastal Carolina."

"A chain?" Kiara replies, clearly not convinced.

"Are you sure?" I add.

"He's actually right, there's a low voltage current that runs across all rail tracks, throw a chain on it, you close that circuit," Pope tells us, "It would read as another train, crossing lights come down, the science is actually pretty sound."

"Science, I knew my science," JJ tells Kie and I with a proud smirk.

"Well, we don't have a chain," Pope reminds us.

"No, but I bet Topper's dad has jumper cables in the truck," Sarah's eyes light up, "Would that work?"

"Yeah." Pope nods.

"Guys, what's going on?" Topper shouts from his truck, catching our attention, "Are we doing this or what?"

"Alright, you all wait here," Cleo tells us, "Me and Pope will go look for it and send a signal once we find it."

"Do we actually have a plan right now?" Sarah remarks, a reminder of how chaotic things normally are in situations like this.

"Think we do," JJ nods.

"That's impressive," Sarah grins, nudging me.

"Let's not jinx it while we're ahead," Pope replies, "Come on."

"Nobody ever listens to me," Cleo laughs as she and Pope climb down from the container.

"Stay safe down there, kids," I offer them a thumbs up as they reach the gravel.

"Yes ma'am," Cleo salutes me with a grin before her and Pope disappear into the train yard.

We wait a few minutes in silence quiet enough that I can hear our heartbeats beating as one with nerves.

"What's taking so long?" Sarah whispers.

"You don't think the container's already left, do you?" Kiara asks.

"Rafe definitely said 8PM," I assure the group.

"Yeah, he did," Sarah nods in agreement.

"Hey, look," I gesture to one of the containers that Pope is currently scaling the side of.

He flashes a torch at us and JJ gives a thumbs up to tell him that we can see him, "That's it, we're green." Kiara tells us, Pope's signal meaning that he's found the right container.

"What's happening?" I ask, the sound of horns panicking me.

"You hear that?" JJ whispers, glancing at me.

"Mmhmm." I nod nervously.

"That can't be good," Kiara mutters.

"Train's moving," JJ panics as we watch the containers slowly begin to move, "Train's moving!"

"Shit! Shit!" I hiss as we scramble to climb back down the container, the train horn blaring as we reach the gravel one by one.

"Hey Sarah, hey Sidney," Topper remarks as she and I approach the truck.

"Do you have jumper cables?" Sarah interjects.

He gets flustered as he follows us around to the back of the truck, "Here I am getting involved in illegal activities-"

"Not that illegal." Sarah smirks.

"I'm not even close to being okay with this," He huffs with frustration as Sarah rummages in the truck for jumper cables.

"Then go home and we'll take the truck," I tell him firmly.

"Jumper cables? What the hell are you doing with jumper cables?" He panics, looking between us both.

"Topper, if you don't want to go, it's fine, Sid and I will take the truck," Sarah insists calmly.

"The truck?" Topper exclaims.

"Yeah," Sarah nods, as JJ and Kie join us.

"Hey, I just want to make sure that everyone here is okay with ending up in federal prison," Topper addresses the four of us as Sarah hands JJ the jumper cables.

"Uh, if it gets to that, yeah, I'll do it for Pope," JJ nods, climbing onto his bike as Kiara climbs on behind him.

"Seconded," I nod, climbing into the backseat of Topper's truck, letting Sarah take the front passenger seat.

Topper sighs and climbs into the driver's seat as JJ revs his bike, Kiara saluting as they speed off, as we follow close behind in the truck. We pull out onto the main road, speeding away from the train yard.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
"Does Rafe know that you're doing this?" Topper asks as we reach the train tracks, slowing down as we reach the train.

"For someone who's parents paid for his education, you ask some very stupid questions, Topper," I sigh, spotting the open container, "Of course he doesn't know."

"This is insane," Topper mutters, "Who the hell are we right now, Sarah? This is ridiculous."

"Right here," Sarah tells him, ignoring his questions as we stop just before the open container, Sarah and I climbing out of the truck and leaving Topper in the driver's seat.

"How's it looking?" I ask as we reach the container, Cleo coming to the edge and helping us both up.

"That's good, just there," He instructs Topper before we return our attention to the various boxes and crates that fill the container.

"Where is it?" I mutter, overwhelmed by the varying boxes.

"This one says Cameron," Cleo tells us, gesturing to a large wooden box, "It might be this one."

"Cameron Development," Pope nods breathlessly, "This is it, this is the cross! This is it!"

"Hey, what are we doing here?" Topper asks as he climbs out of the truck.

"We're gonna put this in your truck bed," Pope tells him, tapping his hand against the large box.

"No way, that's gonna scratch the paint," Topper replies frantically.

"You'll be able to get a thousand paint jobs after we do this," Pope tells him firmly.

"This thing right here?" Topper exclaims, flailing his hands about.

"Just help us spot it," Sarah replies firmly, aware that we're on borrowed time.

"I got you," Cleo groans as we begin sliding the box towards the edge of the container.

"Topper help me!" Sarah exclaims. as we slowly slide the cross off the train.

"My Dad's gonna kill me," Topper mutters in frustration.

"Guide it," Cleo says as we tilt the crate towards the back of the truck.

The train horn sounds and the sound of the engine starting up again startles all of us, "Shit!"

"That can't be good!" Pope mutters as we push the crate over the edge until it's almost over the truck.

"Quick!" I shout frantically as Topper and Sarah help us guide it into the truck.

"Hurry up! Let's go!" Pope exclaims as Cleo jumps across into the truck.

"What is in here?" Topper whispers as we tackle the best way to angle the box, "It's stuck, go back."

"Don't mess up the cross!" Pope tells us.

"Don't mess up the truck," Topper hisses as I jump down from the train, helping Pope to guide the cross into the truck.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Pope exclaims.

"Careful!" Cleo adds.

"Which way do you want it to go?" Topper asks.

"Landscape or portrait?" I hiss as we attempt to lay the crate flat, "We aren't hanging a fucking painting, Topper!"

"Stop!" Someone's voice startles us, "Hey, stop!"

"Shit," I hiss, spotting a man in a hi-vis vest walking towards us.

"We gotta go!" Topper announces as I jump down from the truck, climbing into the back seat, Sarah and Topper heading for the front, while Cleo and Pope stay on the back with the cross.

"Cops! Come on!" Cleo shouts as sirens begin wailing in the distance.

"The cops are  coming, let's go!" Topper shouts as I slam the back door shut, Sarah taking her seat too.

"Punch it, Chewie!" Pope shouts, thumping the roof of the truck.

Topper puts the key in the engine and his foot on the accelerator as we speed away from the open carriage, "How the hell can you two live like this? You come from good families!"

"Just drive!" Sarah shouts as I grip onto the back of their seats.

We almost run over the train worker, swerving him at the last minute as he falls to the ground, the sound of sirens getting closer as Topper continues to gain speed.

After driving alongside the length of the entire train we veer off onto the road, leaving the cops in our dust.

"Bluetooth connected," The car system announces before Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars starts to play.

"Topper, you surprise me, dude." I exhale breathlessly as we continue heading for the main road.

"It's my Mum's playlist!" He tells me as we cross a bridge.

"Sure," I scoff.

"We got someone on us," He tells us, glancing in his rear view mirror.

I glance over my shoulder to see a motorbike on our tail, "That's JJ and Kie!"

"Cops too," Sarah mutters as the two of us keep our eyes on the road behind us.

We watch as JJ speeds closer to us, Runaway Baby continuing to blare out of the car speakers as JJ gains speed, riding alongside us.

"Bro, what is he doing?" Topper shouts frantically as I wind my window down, laying eyes on JJ and Kie.

"I don't know," Sarah sighs.

"What are you doing?" Pope shouts at JJ from the back of the truck.

"Top, keep going straight," JJ shouts.

"You got that?" I ask Topper, sticking my head back out the window.

"Sure thing," Topper exclaims, "Y'all be careful, alright?"

"Topper, hold it steady!" Sarah panics as we keep eyes on JJ and Kiara.

"I'm trying!" Topper shouts back at us.

"Get ready to jump!" JJ tells Kiara.

"What?" Kie, Pope and I shout in unison.

"Have you lost your mind?" Kiara exclaims.

"Probably," JJ nods, keeping his eyes on the road ahead, "Get ready to jump!"

"Come on, come on," Pope holds his arms out, "I've got you, come on!"

"Kie, what are you doing?" Sarah shouts as Kiara begins climbing across the gap, Pope grabbing her hand and pulling her onto the truck.

"Be careful!" I shout.

"Oh shit!" Topper exclaims as she lands in the back of the truck with Pope and Cleo.

"You okay?" I ask through the back window.

"Yeah," Kiara nods breathlessly.

We watch as JJ comes to a halt between us and the cops, revving his engine, "What's he gonna do?"

"I don't know." Pope sighs.

"I don't think he knows either," I mutter, feeling anxiety building in the pit of my stomach.

"He's trying to get killed," Kiara mutters as we continue to drive.

"Maybe he's just trying to get rid of the cops," Topper adds a more rational suggestion.

We watch as JJ edges closer to the police car, throwing something at the police car and hitting the windscreen.

"He did it!" Topper exclaims, "They're chasing him."

"Shit." Kie and I exhale.

"Topper, stop," Sarah mutters frantically as we keep our eyes out the back of the truck, "Topper, stop the truck."

"I'm not stopping the truck," Topper shakes his head as he continues to put his foot down on the accelerator.

"Topper, stop the fucking truck!" I tell him firmly.

"We're going to get JJ!" Sarah tells him as our friends tap against the back window, reiterating what Sarah and I have said.

"I'm not going to jail for you, no chance!" Topper tells us, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Stop the truck!" Sarah pleads, "Please!"

"Alright, alright, damn it!" Topper gives in, filling me with relief.

"Turn around!" Pope shouts as we come to a stop.

"I'm not going to jail," Topper mutters.

"Topper, look at me," Sarah places her hand on his shoulder, "They're gonna arrest him, we can't leave him behind."

"Damn it," He sighs, turning the wheel and heading back in the direction we came.

"Go faster! You need to go faster!" Sarah tells him firmly.

"I'm trying!" Topper insists.

"Dude, don't bullshit me, I know how fast these engines run!" I exclaim.

"I'm risking my whole life for this shit," Topper tells us, as though we aren't aware.

"It's gonna be fine," Sarah insists.

"Turn left!" Pope shouts.

"No." Topper replies.

"Turn left or I'll hijack your truck and drive it myself!" I warn him.

"No, I'm getting out of here!" Topper reiterates as Sarah forces the wheel, steering us left as we drive alongside JJ and the police car, just a grass verge between us.

"There he is, what is he doing?" Pope exclaims as the road splits and we head quickly down a slope towards yet another road.

"Turn right!" I tell Topper.

"Okay!" Topper replies.

We continue heading down the road, the engine revving as we gain speed, my heart racing as though it might burst through my rib cage. The boy has lost his damn mind.

"No way, he's up on the overpass," Sarah tells us as the sirens continue to wail.

We watch JJ speed across the first half of the overpass, slowing down to see the police car behind him. But he swerves and we spot a car coming towards him, but it doesn't stop and we watch as JJ's bike smashes straight through the barrier, falling down onto the street in front of us and smashing into hundreds of little pieces.

We come to a stop, the six of us in a state of silent shock, JJ is nowhere to be seen, all that we can see is the remains of his bike that has been totaled.

"Shit," I whisper, jumping out of the truck as everyone else does the same.

"Jayj," Kiara exhales as she stops beside JJ's bike, "Where is he?"

"JJ!" I call out as we quickly begin to lose our minds with no sight of him, because how does a person just disappear like that?

"Maybe he's up on the bridge," Pope suggests calmly.

"No, no, no," Kiara mutters, crouching to the floor as she clutches at her hair.

"Where the hell is he?" I glance at Sarah, my hands trembling as anxiety begins to set in across my body.

"I wish I could say I did that on purpose," JJ's familiar voice has me snapping my neck in his direction, having never been so relieved to see him standing in front of me, Kiara slowly standing up, "But that was the gnarliest power slide I've ever done."

"You're alive!" Pope exclaims, wrapping his arms around JJ.

"I know, I'm surprised too," JJ laughs it off as though he didn't just total his bike.

"Shit, that was gnarly!" Topper exclaims as I pace towards him, Sarah beating me to it and shoving him straight in the chest before wrapping him in a quick hug.

"We really thought you did it this time, Jayj," She sighs before letting go of him.

I stare at him in disbelief, throwing my arms around him without hesitation, letting my head rest against his shoulder, "Please don't ever do anything so stupid, ever again."

"I can't make any promises," He laughs it off as he holds onto me.

"I'm being serious," I look up at him, "I thought we were going to lose you."

"Sid, I'm fine, promise," He assures me as I step back, wrapping my arms around Sarah.

"The pleasantries are nice, but we should get out of here," Pope tells us.

"Yeah, yeah, let's roll," Topper adds as we dash back towards the truck.

I climb into the back seat as Kie and JJ linger at the front of the truck, "Hey, hey, you kids, don't move!"

We look up to see one of the police officers looking over the edge of the overpass, "Stay right there, I said stay right there!"

Kiara and JJ climb into the back of the truck with me, Pope and Cleo, Kiara sitting on my knee as we manage to squash all five of us into the confined space before Topper begins speeding away from the scene of the crime.

"Shit, they definitely called it in," Topper begins to panic as we turn off onto a quieter road.

"Top, Top! turn here!" JJ taps his shoulder in an attempt to get his attention.

"Don't touch the driver, man!" Topper warns him, pulling his arm away.

"Topper, turn around," JJ reaches forward again.

Sarah bats his hand away, "Stop, he said don't touch the driver!"

"It's a liability," Topper added, albeit unnecessarily.

"Then go faster!" Cleo instructs him.

"If I go faster that's gonna draw attention," Topper explains, which I suppose is a valid point if we didn't have a seven foot crate on the back of us.

"Yeah, I feel like that ship has sailed," JJ replies.

"You guys are a nightmare, do you argue about everything?" Topper replies gesticulatively.

"I prefer to call it democratic discussion," I tell him firmly.

"Put the pedal to the metal, boy!" Cleo shouts.

"Maybe put it a little bit, you're going at sixty five!" JJ encourages him.

"Alright, screw it, here we go!" Topper exclaims.

"Let's just go faster," Sarah suggests as Topper puts his foot down, promptly gaining speed.

"There you go, that's what I'm talking about!" JJ exclaims.

Something causes the truck to jolt forward and the tires begin to screech as Topper hits the brakes as we come to a stop, the crate with the cross flying off the back.

"Stop, stop, we lost the cross!" Pope exclaims, looking out of the back window.

"Shit!" Cleo hisses as we scramble out of the truck.

"Great work, Topper," JJ sighs.

"You guys told me to go faster!" Topper replies in defeat.

We all run towards the crate and as Pope lifts the lid off of it my heart stops and drops to my stomach, shattering into oblivion.

"He lied," I whisper, "Rafe lied."

Rafe lifted the cross before it even left the depot, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow had it stolen before it arrived in Wilmington. In its place sit tires, designed to act as the cross, knowing that the cross' absence would go undetected.  

"What the hell?" Kiara mutters.

"Shit, it's fake," Pope exhales, "It's a freaking fake."

"Of course we did," JJ sighs in defeat, "Of course we stole a fake."

"Pope, I'm so sorry," Sarah adds, even though we know that words don't change anything.

"Please tell me that you weren't lying about what Rafe told you, Sid," Kiara turns to me as I keep my eyes on Pope.

"I swear on my life, I knew nothing about this," I whisper, feeling a lump form in my throat as sirens wail in the distance, "He played us, he played me."

"Y'all hear that?" Topper exclaims, "I can't be here, my grandfather's a judge."

"Dude, would you relax?" JJ replies, "They're not gonna think some dude in flip-flops is a part of a robbery."

"Oh yeah, with a crate sitting right next to my truck?" Topper scoffs in disbelief.

"Pope, we've gotta go," Kiara tells him firmly as we head back towards the truck.

"Pope, come on," Cleo says, dragging Pope back towards the truck, "We gonna find it, we gonna find it later."

I was so naive to think that I could keep both Rafe and The Pogues happy, that I could be in a relationship with Rafe and remain friends with the Pogues. It's always going to be one or the other. I've destroyed everything by being so intertwined between the Pogues and Rafe. This is my rock bottom.

authors note: oh sid, what've you done...

tiktok: sweetfreakrry