"Babygirl."
Blinking, Coral opened her eyes to JJ leaning over her, "Are you done being an ass?" she questioned, sitting up.
Sighing, he sat on the edge of her bed, "I ruined your birthday," he stated.
Glancing out her window at the dark night she gave him a small smile, "It's not over yet and you didn't answer my question."
"You know I'm a dumbass."
"I know you freak out when people get close to you JJ, and I don't blame you for that, but I'm tired of you not believing in me."
"I believe in you. I just don't believe in myself."
"Well stop it god damn it. After everything we've been through nothing is going to stop me from loving you, and if you think my absentee father is going to change that, well then you sure as shit don't know me then."
"Where did they go now?"
"Fuck if I know," she responded, "Same old same old when it comes to my father," she said laying back down.
"Well, I saw you gutted a pumpkin out there. Sorry I wasn't here to celebrate with you."
"Kie, brought it over," she told him, "We had a girls night her, me, and Sarah."
"Shit surprised Kie's parents let her out."
"Pope's on lock down, but Sarah talked to him. He and Cleo are coming by in the morning. We gotta figure out how to steal the cross back from Rafe tomorrow night."
Blinking, JJ furrowed his brow, "I'm sorry. What?"
Humming, she pulled the blanket back and patted the bed next to her, "Come, come, you missed a lot while being a douche."
Kicking off his boots, he crawled in bed with her, "Thanks for that by the way."
"I call them like I see them. Now lay back and prepare for this shit," she told him before launching into how Rafe was on island looking to sell Pope's cross.
"So, the cross is still on the game board. We just have to get to Wilmington."
"Yep. Sarah not only eradicated phones from Tannyhill but some of Rose's jewelry too. She already pawned what she could for cash to get us across to the mainland."
"Rose Cameron for the win," JJ laughed, "She really is my sugar mama," he joked.
"Gross!" Coral laughed, shoving his shoulder.
Grabbing her hand he yanked her on top of him, "No need to be jealous. You're the only sugar mama I want," he teased.
Smirking, she rolled her eyes before leaning towards her nightstand, "I'm glad you've realized that," she said, pulling a box from her dresser drawer and slapping it on his chest, "Now, you have a lot to make up for," she told him, smiling wickedly at him.
"Condoms," he breathed out, simultaneously grabbing the box and flipping her to her back before kissing her senseless.
"When I went back to Tannyhill, Rafe was on the phone with Ward, and he just kept saying, "My thing, this is my thing." He had to be talking about the cross," Sarah told them the next morning.
"Absolutely," Pope agreed.
"And he's coming into Wilmington tonight at eight o'clock. It's being shipped by train to Raleigh from there, but this is our chance to get it back."
"You get any other information?" Cleo questioned.
"She copied down the cargo number," Kie answered, picking up the memo Sarah had taken from Tannyhill, "Wilmington Depot train #05432750X," she read.
"They're definitely fencing that shit off as we speak," JJ spoke up, "So we should probably get a move on."
"Coral, Sarah, you hear from John B?" Pope asked, looking between the two girls.
"No, I told him to stay out of trouble, but, you know, my dad's involved, so," Coral trailed off, shrugging.
"And another problem he has the Twinkie," Sarah added.
"Our transportation," JJ muttered.
"I mean, I could ask Heyward for the truck," Pope suggested.
"Uh, what? Yeah, that's gonna go well," JJ laughed, sarcastically.
"I know," Pope responded, "But we have no other options. So, Cleo and I will go and meet you guys at the ferry," he told them.
"Yeah, I can't run off again. I gotta check in with my parents before we go too."
"That's clear across the island, Kie."
"I know, but I have to," she insisted.
"I can take her on my dirtbike," JJ offered, "Quicker that way."
"Sounds good. Sarah and I will head to the ferry, and wait for the rest of you," Coral said, standing up.
"One question. How are we paying for this?" Cleo asked.
"I took care of that," Sarah answered.
"Good ole sugar mama Rose," JJ laughed, swinging a leg over this bike, "Come on Kie," he called beckoning the girl.
"I take it he said no."
Glaring at Coral, Pope shook his head, "Obviously."
"Well, now what?"
"It doesn't change anything," Pope stated, "We're still going to Wilmington. Where's JJ and Kie?"
"They're not here yet. Her parents are probably locking her up which means JJ has to break her out," Coral responded, "I'll text him," she said, pulling out her phone, "They are on their way," she announced after getting a return text.
"Good. I'm gonna go buy tickets."
Waiting on JJ and Kie, the group boarded as soon as they arrived, "Hey, what's wrong?" Coral asked, walking with JJ to secure his dirtbike on board.
Glancing at her he shrugged, "Had a bit of tiff with Mike," he muttered.
"Kie's dad?"
"Yeah, it's fine," he responded, parking the bike, "Here let me be a good boyfriend and carry your bag," he said, pulling on the strap of her bag.
"How easily you forget," she said, pulling off her bag and handing it to him, "You're not my boyfriend you're my husband, JJ. Get it right," she laughed, kissing his cheek before turning to go find their friends.
"Honestly, the hardest part is gonna be security," JJ said, "So most of the guys are gonna be at the rail yard."
"We'll need to find some place and guard it, maybe a little further down the line, like a whistle stop or something," Pope suggested.
"You guys are getting ahead of yourselves per usual," Cleo spoke up, "We don't have a way to transport the cross," she reminded them, "What you think? On JJ's motorcycle?"
"She's gotta point," Coral agreed.
"Oh my God!" Sarah exclaimed, pulling her chair closer to the table they sat around.
"Oh my God, what?"
Tilting her head she gestured behind Kie, "Is that Topper?" Pope questioned as they all looked towards where she'd pointed.
"Why….is he everywhere?" Coral rolled her eyes.
"Right," Kie muttered.
"Perfect," Pope whispered before turning to JJ, "Hey, JJ, I bet you Topper has a way to transport the cross."
Nodding, JJ smiled, "Actually, he does have a rig," he said, looking at Sarah.
"No."
"Yes," both JJ and Coral countered.
"No, absolutely not."
"Sarah, you already got him whipped anyway," JJ said.
"You should use it for good," Coral added.
"What would John B say?"
"I think John B will completely understand," Pope piped up, "Think about the circumstances. It's about treasure."
"We can handle John B."
"I concur with Kie. My brother is off doing god knows what with my dad. He'll understand we had to use all resources available to us."
Groaning, Sarah pushed back from the table.
"You think she can get it?"
"Please, he has such a hard on for her," JJ replied to Cleo, "She could ask him to jump in front of a car for her and the idiot would."
"You wouldn't jump in front of one for me?"
"Oh, please answer that one JJ," Pope laughed along with Cleo and Kie.
"Of course I would Babygirl," he responded, throwing his arm around her shoulders and kissing her forehead.
"Boys gotta brain after all," Cleo laughed.
"I think it went well," Kie said, pointing towards the top deck where Sarah was hugging Topper.
"We really bringing this Kook in on this?"
"Don't got any other options. We need the rig," JJ responded, "Here she comes."
"Well?"
"He's in," Sarah answered.
"Alright, let's get ready to get to Wilmington."
While the others climbed into Topper's truck Coral climbed on JJ's dirtbike for the drive down to Willmington. Enjoying the night ride Coral almost forgot they were on a mission until they pulled up at the railyard.
Kicking the kickstand down, JJ waited for Coral to climb off before swinging off the bike himself, "I say we go up. See what we can see," he suggested, pointing up towards the top of one of the rail cars as the others jumped out of Topper's truck
"I'll just wait here!" Topper called as they took off towards the train car.
"Well, there's like 1000 trains here," Sarah stated once they made it to the top.
"We know it's car 750X on the track to Raleigh," Pope reminded them.
"Yeah, so now we just gotta find it.
"Well, news flash. We're not getting out of here unnoticed with a giant cross.
"We won't have to. We can nab it somewhere further in the country. Just gotta figure out how to stop a train
"Leave that to me
"How you gonna do that
"I got an Uncle up in New Bern," JJ responded, "An when he got a little tipsy, he'd just throw an old chain across the tracks, just for shits and giggles. And that old little chain would stop all the train traffic in coastal Carolina," he told them.
"A chain?"
"He's actually right," Pope spoke up, "There's a low voltage current that runs across all rail tracks. Throw a chain on it, you close that circuit. It would read as another train. Crossing lights come down. Science is actually pretty sound."
"Science. I knew my science," JJ boasted proudly.
"I know baby," Coral praised, kissing him, "But we also don't have a chain," she reminded them, pulling back from JJ.
"No, but I bet Topper's dad has jumper cables in the truck. Would that work?" Sarah asked, looking at Pope.
"Yeah."
"Hey! What's going on? Are we doing this?" Topper called from where he stood down below.
"Impatient little Kook, isn't he?"
"Alright, you all wait here. Me and Pope will go look for it and send a signal once we find it," Cleo told them, "Maybe shut pretty boy up before he gets us caught," she said, gesturing to Topper still making noises by the truck.
"I'm on that," Sarah said before going to the ladder and climbing down along with Pope and Cleo.
"You think this is gonna work?"
"Chasing down a train and stealing a five foot gold plated cross with nothing more than a chain across the track, a dirtbike, and a Kook," Kie responded to Coral's question, "What could go wrong?"
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