"There he is!" Kie exclaimed, pointing to a train car a few tracks over that Pope was climbing up, "That's it. We're green," she said as he turned and shined his flashlight towards them.
"Wait, wait. Do you hear that?" Coral questioned, grabbing JJ's arm as a train whistle blew, "Oh, shit!"
"The train's moving! We gotta go!" JJ realized, "Go, go, go," he urged the girls to move to the ladder.
Running back to where Topper and Sarah waited, Coral grabbed the jumper cables Sarah held, "Thank you."
"Hey, I just wanna make sure everyone here is okay with ending up in federal prison," Topper said, glaring at all of them.
"Uh, if it gets to that, yeah, I'll do that for Pope," JJ replied, jumping on his bike after shoving the jumper cables into Coral's bookbag and handing it back to her.
Settling herself behind JJ, Coral agreed, "We could be prison mates, Top," she called, waving to the boy before grabbing onto JJ as he revved the bike and took off to chase the train.
Getting ahead of the train they found a cross road with a signal light currently flashing green. Pulling the bike behind a bunch of bushes they both climbed off before running for the tall lamp post.
"This should be far enough to give it time to change," JJ told her, pulling the jumper cables out of the bag.
"Oh God, you can hear it coming!" Coral exclaimed as the train whistle blew in the distance.
"Alright, let's fry this sucker," JJ said, taking the positive and negative clamps on one end of the jumper cables and hooking them into the lamp post before grabbing the other ends, "Now, all you have to do is change the current."
"Okay, do your trick."
"Let's go baby," he said, touching the positive and negative together.
"Just don't get electrocuted," Coral suggested, hearing the zapping of the electrical current, "Little fried JJ. Don't need none of that."
"Yeah, no promises on that," he replied, "Okay, three, two, one," he said before attaching the ends to one side of the train rail. Stepping back the two watched the blinking green light.
"It's not working," she stated.
"That's what he would do. Literally that's what my uncle would do. I don't know. It would change red," JJ muttered as he paced.
Hearing the train whistle blow in the distance again, Coral ignored JJ's ranting as she studied the train rails, "Uh, hey. The train touches both sides of the track," she realized, grabbing the positive cable and moving it to the other side of the rails.
Stepping back she watched the lamp post again, "Come on, come on. We don't have a plan B."
"Yes!" JJ exclaimed when the lights turned red, "That's what I'm talking about," he laughed, kissing her quickly.
"Science, baby," she laughed.
"Come on. Wait out of sight," he said, grabbing her hand as they ran back to where his motorbike sat behind the bushes.
"Holy shit. It's working," Coral realized hearing the hissing of breaks coming from the train. Peaking through the bushes they could see the train slowing down as it approached the red flashing lamp post.
"How long do you think it'll take them to get the cross off?" she asked when the train came to a complete stop.
"No idea," JJ responded.
"Shit, get down," JJ hissed a few minutes later as a vehicle came to a stop by the signal light.
"Who the fuck is that?"
"They must've called back to the railyard."
"That's not part of the plan."
"Okay, well you go out there and tell them that then," JJ responded, sarcastically.
Giving him a dirty look she flipped him off, "Shit, they're taking Topper's jumper cables," she said, watching as the railyard employees unhooked the cables and threw them in the back of their own truck, "Topper's gonna be pissed," she whispered.
"I'm glad you've got your priorities straight."
"Shut up," she responded, "In all seriousness, though, they've had enough time, right?"
"I don't know," he replied, shaking his head watching the signal light turn green, "The train's starting."
"We gotta go help them."
"Yeah, let's go," he agreed, moving around the bike. Swinging his leg over the bike he pulled the keys out at the same time as something fell out of his pocket.
"Hey, you dropped something," Coral said, reaching down and picking up a money clip with the initials M.C. stitched on it. Recognizing the money clip full of money she raised her head to stare at JJ, "Why do you have this?" she questioned.
"If I'm gonna be accused of being a thief, might as well get something out of it," he responded, shrugging.
"You said it wasn't a big deal. What happened at Kie's?"
"Coral, we don't have time for this. Get on," he told her, hearing the train whistle blow.
"No! You're gonna tell me why the fuck you have Mike Carrera's money clip, JJ. Does Kie know you have it?"
"Are you serious right now?"
"Yes I'm fucking serious! You stole from our best friend's dad, hell, you stole from my boss! What the fuck where you thinking?" she yelled
"I was thinking if people are gonna say I'm just like my ole man then I may as well act like him too!"
"Oh yeah, so I should expect to get slapped when?"
Taking a deep breath, JJ twisted the key in the ignition starting the bike, "Get on the fucking bike, Coralina."
"No, I'd really," she began before the sound of squealing tires had her breaking off mid sentence. Looking towards the train, she saw Topper's truck barreling towards the road.
"That's Top, and the cross," JJ realized, seeing a large crate in the bed of the truck, "Get on."
"We're not done with this," she told him, climbing on behind him.
"Looking forward to it," he responded before taking off after Topper.
Hearing sirens, Coral glanced over her shoulder at the police car chasing them, "JJ!"
"I know!" he yelled, pulling alongside Topper's truck.
"What are you doing?" Pope yelled from where he and Cleo sat in the bed of the truck.
"Top, keep going straight!" JJ yelled, "Get ready to jump," he told Coral over his shoulder.
"What!" both Coral and Pope exclaimed.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Probably," he responded, "Get ready to catch her!" he yelled to Pope, "Babygirl, you have to jump," he told her.
"Come on. I got you!" Pope yelled, leaning over the side.
Taking a deep breath, she stood up on the side pegs using JJ's shoulders to steady herself before stepping up onto the seat of the bike. Reaching for Pope he grabbed her arm, "Easy now. Just jump," he instructed.
Counting down she jumped on three landing on her side on top of the crate in the back of the truck bed, "Are you okay?" Pope asked.
"Yeah, yeah," she assured him and Cleo, scurrying off of the crate into the bed of the truck with them.
"Are you okay?" Kie yelled through the back window.
"Fine!" she yelled back, "What is he doing?" she exclaimed watching as JJ hit the brakes hard turning the bike to face the oncoming police car.
"I don't know," Pope answered, "I don't think he knows either."
"He's trying to get killed," she muttered as he sped off towards the police.
"Shit, he done it now," Cleo said as the police car pulled a u-turn and started chasing JJ.
"No, no, no," Coral whispered before turning to bang on the back window, "Turn around! Turn around now! We have to help him!"
"Hey, stop the truck!" Pope and Cleo both yelled. She could hear Kie and Sarah both yelling at Topper to turn around too.
"I'm not going to jail for you! No chance!" Topper yelled back.
"Topper, I swear to God I will go to jail for murder if you don't turn this fucking truck around!" Coral yelled, banging on the roof of the truck.
"She fucking will too especially for JJ," she heard Kie yell.
"Topper, they will take him to jail. Turn around," Sarah commanded.
"The boy is really whipped," Cleo commented when Topper finally stopped and turned the truck around to go get JJ.
"Where did he go? Where did he go?" Pope muttered holding onto the roof of the truck as he stood in the bed watching the road, "Turn left!" he yelled, catching sight of police lights, "Turn right!"
"He's on the overpass!"
"No!" Coral screamed as JJ's bike careened over the side of the overpass crashing onto the road below right in front of Topper's truck. Hitting the brakes, Coral was jumping out of the bed of the truck before it came to a full stop.
"JJ! JJ!" she screamed running towards the demolished bike, "Where is he!"
"Shit!" Pope exclaimed, running after her as the others hurried after them all yelling JJ's name.
"Where is he?" Coral cried, spinning in circles, "Oh God. Oh God," she felt her breathing pick up.
"Coral."
Spinning she looked at Pope, "I'm gonna be sick," she stated before going to her knees and vomiting.
"Coral!"
"Are you okay!"
"What's wrong with her?"
"Anxiety causes her to get sick sometimes."
Breathing heavily, Coral gripped onto Kie as she helped her to her feet, "We'll find him," she assured her, "Maybe he's up on the bridge still."
"I was mad at him. I was mad at him, Kie, and now I can't even," she broke off, crying.
"I wish I could say I did that on purpose, but that was the gnarliest power slide I've ever done."
Sucking in a breath they all turned to find JJ coming from the embankment, brushing himself off.
"You're alive!" Pope exclaimed, rushing towards the boy and throwing his arms around him.
"I know, I'm surprised too," JJ laughed, hugging Pope.
"That was gnarly," Topper laughed.
"Are you serious?" Sarah said, shoving JJ before grabbing him and hugging him.
Letting go of Cleo after hugging her, he turned and looked at Coral still clutching Kie's arm, "Babygirl."
Shaking her head, she pressed her lips together before hurrying towards him, "I'm still mad," she cried, "But Jesus Christ don't ever do that shit again!"
"You know I can't promise you that," he whispered before grabbing her face and kissing her.
"The pleasantries are nice, but we should get out of here," Pope said as Coral and JJ broke apart.
"Yeah, yeah, let's roll," Topper agreed, heading back to the truck.
"I really thought you did it this time, JJ," Kie said, hugging the boy.
"Hey! Hey, you kids, don't move!" yelled a voice from up above them.
Looking up they realized a police officer was yelling at them, "Go!" JJ exclaimed, pushing the girls towards the truck.
"Stay right there!"
Ignoring the man they all climbed into Topper's truck, "On my lap, Babygirl," JJ said, shoving into the backseat along with Coral, Kie, Cleo, and Pope. Sitting in JJ's lap, Coral held onto the back of Sarah's headrest as Topper took off once again fleeing the police.
"Shit, they definitely called it in," Topper whined, glancing in the rear view.
"Top, Top, turn here. Turn here," JJ told him, grabbing his shoulder.
"Don't touch….don't touch the driver, man," Topper scolded JJ, shrugging his hand off.
"You need to go faster," Cleo ordered.
"If I go faster, that's gonna draw attention."
"Yeah, I feel like that ship has sailed," Coral commented, eyeing the large crate in the back of the truck bed.
"You guys are a nightmare. Do you argue about everything?" Topper questioned, exasperated.
"Yep!" Coral chirped, happily
"Put the pedal to the metal, boy!" Cleo called.
"Maybe put it a little bit. You're going 65!" JJ added
"Let's just faster," Sarah chimed in.
"Alright. Screw it. Here we go," Topper responded before stomping on the gas.
"There you go! That's what I'm talking about!"
Hitting a large pot hole the truck jolted causing the crate to fall out of the truck. Watching it out the back window Coral winced, "Hey! Man overboard!" she yelled through the others arguing with Topper.
Twisting to look out the back window, Pope yelled for Topper to stop the truck, "We lost the cross."
"Good job, Topper!"
"You guys told me to go faster!" the boy retorted as they all piled out of the truck.
Hurrying towards the crate, Pope moved the broken lid aside, "What the hell?" Kie questioned as they stared at 3 tires filled with sand in the middle of the tires.
"Shit! It's fake. It's all a freaking fake," Pope said, kneeling next to the box as he stared at the tires.
"Of course we did. Of course we stole a fake," JJ muttered, turning away to pace.
"Pope, I'm so sorry," Sarah apologized.
Hearing sirens, Topper swore, "Y'all hear that? Okay, I can't be here. My grandfather's a judge," he reminded them.
"Dog, would you relax? They're not gonna think some dude in flip flops is a part of a robbery," JJ snapped.
"Oh yeah, with the crate sitting right next to my truck," Topper pointed out, gesturing toward the wooden crate.
"Pope, we gotta go," Kie said before she, Coral, and Sarah hurried back to the truck.
Settling back on JJ's lap Coral laid her head on his shoulders as Topper waited for Cleo and Pope to climb back in before taking off leaving the fake crate behind.
"Where are we staying tonight? Last ferry ran at ten. It's now ten fifteen," Kie commented, catching sight of the clock on Topper's dashboard.
"No. No Sarah. No way," Coral heard Topper say before sighing, "Fine, but first thing tomorrow morning I want them out."
Raising her head, Coral blinked, "What does that mean?"
Turning in her seat, Sarah looked at them in the backseat, "Topper has a house on the mainland. We'll stay there for the night," she told them.
"And I'm serious. First thing in the morning."
"Oh, Topper, stop pretending you don't love us. You're hurting my feelings."
Sputtering as the others laughed, Topper glanced over his shoulder glaring at Coral, "You mean hate. I hate you all."
"Well not all of us," Cleo stated, raising her eyebrows at the boy as she looked meaningfully towards Sarah.
"No. No. All of you," Topper countered, "Now sit back and shut up or I'm gonna leave you all on the side of the road," he told them getting on the highway to head back towards home.