─☼☼☼─

"HERE, CHARLEY," KIARA said softly, passing her sister a bottle of water before joining her on the hammock. "You need to drink something."

Night had passed, dawn breaking through the morning sky, casting them in a blue glaze as the two sisters joined together on the hammock.

Charlotte let out a deep breath, swinging her legs over so Kiara could sit comfortably next to her. "Not thirsty," she lied, her voice barely able to escape through her swollen throat.

Kiara fixed her with a look. "You're not thirsty because you can't get anything down." She paused for a moment, eyes locked on the bruises on her sister's neck. "Maybe you should go back to the hospital."

"No," Charlotte argued instantly. "The minute I show up there, they're calling Shoupe and that's the last thing we need right now."

The youngest of the two pursed her lips. "The last thing we need right now is for you to die."

"I'm not going to die," Charlotte muttered, but the throbbing in her head might have told another story.

Kiara stared back at her older sister, complete heartbreak written all over her face. "I literally thought you were dead when I walked into the house and saw you laying there..." She trailed off, sniffling as she shook her head. "I don't know what I would have done if you were."

Charlotte's heart broke at her little sister's pain. She knew it went deeper than what had happened to Charlotte. This was about JJ, too. And everything else they had been through. Silently, Charlotte wrapped her arm around Kiara, sheltering her beneath her embrace.

"I know I've given you a hard time over the years," Kiara continued, voice slightly muffled in their embrace. "But I couldn't ask for a better big sister. And I am glad you're here with us. And I'm glad that you're finally realizing your worth."

"I love you, Kie." Charlotte said quietly. The two sisters were never ones for heartfelt conversations, but Charlotte was realizing that needed to change. Life was fleeting, it was important to tell the ones you loved the truth.

She knew that now.

"Hey, guys!" Pope called from where he and Cleo were sat on one of the hammocks. "I might have something."

Kiara stood first, sticking out her hand to pull Charlotte to her feet. The older of the two winced at the exertion, doing her best to hide it on her face. If Kiara saw it, she didn't push the topic.

Pope waited until the Carreras had joined him before addressing the group which included everyone aside from JJ. The blonde was poking around at the fire, miserable look on his face like it had been for the better part of the night.

"So this Berber guy who drew the map, he's Moroccan, right?" He looked down at the map in his hands. "Last time JJ saw Groff he was probably headed to Essaouira, on the Moroccan coast. Seems like that's where we need to go."

Charlotte almost groaned before stopping herself. The thought of another cross-ocean excursion literally made her stomach flip. They had never ended well -- not once. But then she looked back to the fire where her best friend sat, the miserable look on his face still there, but so was a flicker of hope in his eyes. Then she looked to her little sister, who had seen so much that it was written on her face, but on her face showed a hopefulness as well. Charlotte knew she had no choice. She would go almost anywhere with them.

Their discussion on their next venture was cut short by JJ who perked up by the fire. Discarding the bottle of vodka in his hand, he turned to the water. "Oh shit. Guys!"

"What?" Kiara demanded, a slight bite to her tone.

Charlotte turned, her eyes following JJ's to the water where the silhouette of a boat could be seen coming inland.

"Who's coming out here this early?" Pope wondered, he and Cleo clambering from the hammock.

JJ turned back to them, ushering them together with a gesture. "It's the cops."

Kiara shook her head. "How did they find us?"

It was quick, almost so quick that she wondered if she'd imagined it, but JJ's eyes had flickered toward Charlotte, as if placing the blame on her, rather on Rafe. She bit back a remark, not in the mood to argue with him or defend her case. If JJ of all people didn't trust her, then she wasn't going to waste her voice.

She tore her gaze from him, cheeks burning in anger as Pope spoke. "So what's the plan?"

John B had his dark eyes set on the water where the boat was approaching. "Follow me."

No one needed to be told twice.

As JJ tried to kill the fire and cover up any sign that they'd just been there, John B led them toward the water, their feet splashing in the marshy area around the dock. Charlotte shivered as the morning water lapped around her ankles, the feeling of her wet sneakers clinging to her feet making her wince.

"Under," John B whispered, motioning for the seven of them to duck beneath the docks and out of sight. They did as he said just as the police boat docked, the sound of footsteps mounting the wooden platform above.

Charlotte could smell the vodka on JJ's breath as she crouched next to him, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest in anticipation. Police chatter over the radio bounced from the boat, as the footsteps neared.

"JJ MAYBANK!" One of the officers yelled, voice carrying over the water. "JJ, we don't wanna hurt you! Come on out!"

John B looked back to the rest of them, signalling them forward with a raised finger. Silently, they all dipped lower into the water, quietly inching their way forward.

"We have an arrest warrant for JJ!" The officer yelled again. "In connection to the murder of Hollis Robinson!"

Charlotte froze. And so did Kiara, and Pope, and Sarah, and Cleo, and John B. And especially JJ.

All of their eyes darted toward their blonde-haired friend who remained still, eyes wide as the blade clenched between his teeth teetered slightly, at risk of falling out due to the shock that had slacked his jaw.

"Murder?" Kiara whispered, face scrunching in disbelief.

JJ gave his head a small shake, as if to shake the thoughts from his brain. Without another look back, he continued forward.

The rest followed, now forced to swim as they moved further and further from shore. Charlotte winced at the pain the exertion was causing her. But she knew there was no way she could stop.

"We'll take the pontoon," John B declared as they neared the docked boats. "It's ready to go."

Great, now they were running from the police in a stolen police boat.

Everyone clamoured in, John B already at the helm by the time the last person tumbled into the boat. He fired it up, letting out a shaky exhale before sending the throttle forward. The boat lurched, and instantly the protests of the officers could be heard from shore.

"John B, stop! Turn it around!" One of them yelled, running down the shoreline as if he could keep up with the boat.

The rest of them sat crouched in the boat, as if to not be seen. But it was too late, there was no doubt the officers knew who the other six young adults were with John B Routeledge. It was always them.

─☼☼☼─

"So," JJ declared as the boat travelled down the channel, the early dawn having turned to golden morning. "I guess I'm the new murdered in town then." He let out a humourless chuckle. "Check that off the bucket list."

Pope shot him a look. "Yeah, it doesn't help that they have you on video saying "I'll kill them all.'"

"Yeah, no one asked, Pope. Okay?" JJ retorted, glaring at his friend before turning away like a pouting child.

Shaking her head, Cleo looked between the two boys. "None of that matters right now. We've got to get off of this island."

"I can't go back," Pope declared. "I mean, might as well go after that scroll."

JJ tilted his head. "I mean I could be down for a little Moroccan vacay. What do you say we get out of dodge for a couple weeks? And maybe...I could catch up with my dad."

Charlotte couldn't help but notice the look of unease on Sarah's face. This wasn't a no-brainer for her anymore. It wasn't just her own safety she had to consider.

"We're gonna need a bigger boat," Cleo continued, none of them noting the anguish on Sarah's features. "Hell, a ship maybe. Do you know how far Morocco is? Way, way, way out there."

As discretely as possible, Charlotte took one of Sarah's hands into her own, giving it a tight squeeze. "You don't have to," she whispered, voice low enough that no one else could hear it over the motor. "Everyone will understand."

Sarah gave her a grateful smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know."

"Alright then," JJ addressed Cleo's earlier point as their stolen pontoon veered into the marina. "We gotta boost a boat that'll make it to Morocco." He glanced around at the plethora of yachts that littered the docks around them. "Take your pick, we got a lot to choose from."

Sarah nodded to one of the yachts that looked a lot like her family's old boat. "What about that one?"

"It's a flat hull," John B rejected. "It's not gonna make it across the ocean. Also, they break down all the time."

"Hey, that's Rafe's new boat," Kiara nodded toward one to their right. "It's nice."

Charlotte's eyes swivelled toward it, this being the first time she'd seen it. "Don't even think about it," she warned, not in the mood to double cross her ex.

Kiara rolled her eyes as John B spoke. "Hate to agree with Charley on this one, but it'd never make it either. Groff would nab that crown before we were halfway to Morocco."

"What about this baby right here?" JJ wondered as they neared a large yacht with the name of Lost Boy

"You know that's like a two million dollar boat, right?" Pope gawked, the prospect of committing a theft of that size catching up to him.

Sarah shrugged. "It's pretty."

"Big engine," John B pointed out.

Kiara nodded. "I think that's the one."

"You know, we could all go to jail for taking a boat like that?" Pope reasoned, as if that would deter them.

"Could? Charlotte challenged as John B slowed the pontoon next to it. "Oh, we're definitely going to jail for stealing this."

"Nothing to worry about, we're just going to borrow it." JJ assured, effortlessly jumping from the pontoon and onto the yacht. "Little field trip is all."

Charlotte cringed, sinking down in the boat as the ramifications of all of this began to catch up with her. She really didn't want to go to jail.

"Come on," John B encouraged, sticking out his hand to pull her up. "We gotta be quick."

The others had already boarded their new mode of stolen transportation, leaving only the two on the pontoon. Charlotte stared at his hand for a moment before slipping her own into it. John B pulled her up, helping her onto the yacht.

With her heart in her throat, Charlotte followed him to the upper level where Pope and JJ were arguing over how to get it started. "Are you sure it's in neutral?" Pope snapped as JJ slapped his hands away.

"No offence, but did you guys really think this thing would be easy to steal?" Charlotte questioned, face tight with anxiety.

JJ held up a hand as if to silence her. "Really not helpful, Charley."

"Shit!" Cleo gasped, pointing a finger in the direct of the docks. "Coppers!"

Sure enough, at least half a dozen officers were barrelling down the docks toward them. "JJ Maybank, we have a warrant for your arrest!"

"As if we didn't know," Charlotte muttered, following after the others as they piled back into the pontoon.

"We still gotta find a boat to get to Morocco," Pope declared as John B fired up the engine.

Cleo nodded. "Yeah, but first we gotta ditch these coppers." She shoved John B out of the way, taking control of the wheel. "I got it. We gotta go fast. Everyone, hold on!"

Charlotte sunk down in the boat, clenching her fists as tightly as she could as if that would ease her nerves. Her nails dug into her palms, leaving crescent moon shapes on her skin. Despite all the shit that had happened to them, they always had a sliver of luck on their side. She was afraid that was about to run out.

Police cruisers sped into the lot of the marina, reinforcements.

The officer who Pope had tackles at Zeasy's office, the one who had all but threatened to shoot JJ, came running down the dock, hand hovering over his holster.

"What the hell are you doing?" Charlotte snapped, her eyes being pulled from the officer toward JJ who was pulling the flare gun from its holder.

The officer didn't need an excuse to pull out his gun, but JJ wielding what looked like a firearm was good enough for him. He aimed it toward them, just as JJ aimed and fired the snare. Screams and gasps alike came from the docks, terrified Kooks who would claim for years to come that JJ Maybank tried to kill them on that July morning.

A shocked gasp fell from Charlotte as she clutched onto her sister, pulling her down to the floor of the boat. Charlotte shielded Kiara's body, clamping her eyes shut as she waited for the shot to be fired at them.

The gun sounded.

A breath passed as Charlotte waited for one of her friends to cry out...for her to cry out. But nothing came.

She sat up, her eyes wild as Kiara did the same.

They saw it at the same time. Saw him at the same time.

Mike Carrera stood on one of the docks, his eyes full of tears as he stared back at his two daughters. Below him, the officer was sprawled out on one of the boats. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Mike had done.

A small cry tumbled from Charlotte's lips as she stared back at her father, wishing there hadn't been so much time between them. She'd barely spoken to her parents in the last year and a half, and part of her stood by that. But the other part of her really fucking missed her mom and dad.

"Are you crazy!?" Pope shouted at JJ, breaking the Carrera girls from their teary stare down with their father.

JJ didn't seem phased as he empty the flare gun. "You're welcome."

Charlotte almost couldn't even conceptualize her anger with him. She wanted to tear into him, but something else caught her attention. "We're leaking!" She declared, voice thick from her swollen throat.

JJ screwed up his face. "What?"

John B spun toward the back of the boat, letting out a curse. "They shot the boat!"

"Shit!" JJ exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Damn it."

"They shot the boat," John B repeated, pointing each word at JJ. "They shot the damn boat."

Pope covered the hole with both of his hands, but the sound of air expelling through the opening could still be heard.

"We need a patch!" John B declared, digging through one of the compartments.

JJ was riffling through the emergency bag. "I'm looking!" He yelled back.

Pope grunted as he placed all of his weight onto the hole. "We're losing air! We gotta get somewhere fast!"

What Charlotte wanted to do was jump into the water and perhaps drown herself. But instead she stood and joined Pope at the back, placing her own hands over his in an attempt to block any cracks.

It was no hope, the boat was quickly deflating.

─☼☼☼─
-an-

hi guys! sorry for such a long wait for this chapter! when I originally wrote this, it was almost 5000 words, so i split it and have another chapter in the drafts. that will be up soon!

so grateful for your continued support on my painfully slow updates.

love you all!

maddy xoxo