𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊, 𝗃𝗈𝗁𝗇 𝖻 𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗅𝖾𝖽𝗀𝖾

34: 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍

Minutes and minutes go by, almost turning into half an hour, then an hour. The young couple still found themselves on the paddle boards, their arms getting rather tired as they continued paddling with their arms, feeling them burn each time they move them through the waves. The clouds were getting darker and darker each minute, the storm getting closer and closer each second that passed.

After a long while, the couple had eventually found themselves landing on shore, getting off their paddle boards. John B held his girlfriend's hand in his as they quietly ventured forward, seeing the Chateau standing just ahead of them. As they stood near the small garage a few feet away from the building, the two waited for any sign of the police as a vehicle was parked right in front of the house, the word 'Sheriff' printed on the metal.

The brunette was quick to pull his girlfriend behind the small wall with him when Shoupe ventured out of the Chateau, Deputy Thomas trailing behind him. The Maybank girl was hidden behind the Routledge boy as they listened to the small conversation the two police men were having with one another, not seeming to notice the one teenager they were after and his girlfriend who they had suspected had been taken by the brunette.

The teenagers watched as the officers soon made their way back inside the house for anything else. Stepping forward, John B looks back at his girlfriend, giving her small hand a squeeze before they sprint forward, hand in hand as they get to the Sheriff's truck. John B grabbed a bag of his that Deputy Thomas had put in the bed of the trunk before he got into the driver's seat, Y/n in the passenger's.

As the e/c eyed girl seated herself in the passenger's side, she leaned forward, opening up the glovebox that was right in front of her and grabbing a plastic bag, noticing the heavy gold they had gotten laying inside. John B looks to her as she held up the gold to him. Quickly, he gently grabs it from her, opening it up for confirmation that it was the gold and when he got it, he placed it back in the plastic bag and shoved it into his backpack before pressing the button for the engine, but it wasn't turning on.

"Shit. It won't turn on." John B grunts out, resting his forehead on the steering wheel.

"W-What do we do?" Y/n asks, stammering.

The brunette doesn't say anything as he seemed to contemplate on what to do. His brown eyes soon land on the small mic that laid on the dashboard. Glancing to the girl beside, John B reaches forward with his dried bloody hand, grabbing ahold of the mic and placing it close to his mouth as he looked towards his house.

"Shoupe, you there, buddy? I think you know who it is." John B speaks into it, no doubt catching the officers attention from inside. "Come on out. Nice and easy."

Y/n held a surprised look on her face as she took notice of how calm his tone of voice sounded. The brunette places the mic back just as Shoupe slowly walks out of the house, Deputy Thomas right behind him. Both teenagers took notice of Shoupe reaching behind him and to his belt, no doubt grabbing his gun at the sight of the teenager in front of him.

John B raises his hand. "Wait! Don't shoot! I just wanna talk. You gotta listen. I didn't do it, Shoupe."

"Alright, calm down. Just keep your hands where I can see them, alright? Now, I'm gonna approach the vehicle, and you don't run, and I won't chase. Y/n, we're gonna get you out of there, alright? You're gonna be okay." Shoupe calls as he slowly begins to step towards them. "I wanna talk to you, John B. I'm coming down."

"Hey, listen. I didn't do it." John B repeats, sniffling.

Shoupe nods as he and Deputy Thomas get closer. "Okay, I'm listening."

"It's not what you think, okay?" John B sobs, pointing at them. "Take your hand off your gun. Both of you, please. Tell him to take his hand off his gun."

"Get your hand off your weapon." Shoupe demands, glancing back at Deputy Thomas.

The Deputy obeys, opening up his hand as it was clutched around the handle of his pistol and pushing it right back into his holster, all of them hearing a click when he pushes it down. With his eyes on the brunette, Deputy Thomas slowly raises his hands to show he wasn't gonna do anything so John B would stay calm.

"So, we're gonna talk, right?" Shoupe questions.

John B nods. "I wanna tell you everything, okay?"

"Hey, I wanna see that hand." Shoupe tells him.

The Deputy had taken notice of one of the brunette's hands slowly lowering, his palm going right on his girlfriend bare thigh as she wore a pair of shorts. Both teenagers knew it'd be better for Y/n to do it as they wouldn't shoot her like they'd shoot John B. Once giving his girlfriend's thigh a squeeze, John B brings his hand back up.

Next thing the officers knew, Y/n thrusted a hand forward and pressed the engine button as Shoupe was close by now. As quick as he could, John B pressed on the gas, placing his hands on the steering wheel as he sped off, both of them hearing the distant shouts of the officers behind them, knowing they were both too slow for a vehicle. The couple glance at one another, both sighing in relief that they got away.

"Command, this is Shoupe at the suspect's residence. We just had a confirmed sighting. Suspect is currently headed north on Middle Road with with the girl... in a Kildare County Sheriff's vehicle." Shoupe's voice came through the radio.

John B glances over his shoulder at where the officers were back at his house, a little smirk coming onto his face that he and Y/n had succeeded in their small mission to drive off and away from them in an officers vehicle as they had been just a little too soft for John B to notice their plan to escape.

John B reached over, grabbing ahold of his girlfriend's hand as they listened to the many voices going through the radio, every single cop on the island continuing to search for the boy they were hunting down as they all came to the north side of the island after hearing Shoupe's announcement to them all.

Resting her head at the headrest of her seat, Y/n intertwines her fingers with her boyfriend's, e/c eyes fluttering closed as she was able to have a small rest for at least a few minutes before they'd be on the run again. John B glances over at the girl he loves deeply, a small smile coming to his lips at the sight of her being calm after so long.