Tapping the Rudder: Barracuda Mike

JJs POV

I screech to a stop outside of the bar I drove us to, glancing over right as John B does a double take on the building, "Oh, perfect. Rockfish. The place you go to bash beer bottles on people's heads. Love that for us."

"There's a guy here," I throw open my door, "that's always here, moves a lot of weight. My dad worked for him." I jump out and slam my door shut, "Come on now."

I pass John Bs window while he sits there stressing out, "No, no, wait, wait, JJ... Please don't say Barracuda Mike."

I shrug as I walk off, "Okay, I won't."

But it is. I'll do literally anything at this point to get to my girls, even if that means putting myself in debt with a drug pusher.

"Come on, there's gotta be a better option than this." John B whispers, following me through the bar.

"Oh, you know what? You're right. There is a better option." I sass in an annoyed tone, "Except there's not. Alright, dude? Seriously, we don't have a whole lot of time, and your dad and my girls need help right now," I point to Barracuda Mike on the patio outside, "and this guy is gonna be the key to getting down to South America ASAP. Trust me on this one. Let me do the talking, okay?"

John B stares off in a daze, probably hating my ideas, but I don't care. I'm the only one with a decent plan right now. "Shit."

"Yo, Mike!" I smile while approaching him, he pulls a machete up off the table and stares at me, "You remember me, right? It's on the tip of your tongue. J..."

Mike nods and stabs the machete into the wooden table between us, "Luke's son!"

"That works too. Uh, also go by JJ," I turn John B while he nervously leans his back against the table, internally chuckling at his terrified expression, "but this here is my good friend, John B."

"Hey." John B glances back at me before looking at Mike again.

"Routledge!"

"In the flesh. Yep."

"Heard stories about you two." Mike points between us.

"Uh-oh." John B stutters.

"I mean, his sister, my girl, is a stone-cold cop k... killer." I point at John B but stutter when Mike's friend steps up to my side with a scary look in his eye. Shit.

"No, she's not." John B mutters.

"Mike, I'm gonna be honest about why we're here, okay? We're a little bit in a... a patch of trouble, and we're trying to get down to South America if that's--"

"I'm sorry, slick, but I done sold the travel agency."

I laugh, "Well, I mean, we're not looking for some free handout here, alright? We understand it's a two-way road." I clasp my hands together to make my point, "Symbiotic relationship."

"Yes, yes." John B quietly agrees with me.

"That's what we're trying to get at. We just need to "parlee"--"

"Parley. Parley is what he's saying." John B corrects me.

"Parley in, um..." I glance over at Mikes scary friend again, "in private, if that's cool with you."

Mike throws a towel down and walks off so I turn to John B, "Just stay here."

"No, you're not gonna do this." He whisper argues, "You're not gonna leave me here."

Mikes friend steps in my way when I go to follow Mike, "Excuse you! Alright." I walk around him and run after Mike, stopping at the end of the dock where no one can hear us, "Look, I know you got planes coming in with bales of weed from South America, and they need to be unloaded, right? That's what my dad did for you." I point to my chest, "And I can do the same thing, Mike. He would come home and brag about how much he made in one night, which was 10K, right? That's a lot of cheddar. We're willing to do it for way cheaper. Alright? Like... like free."

Mike scoffs, "Nothing's free."

"I live by that one too. Alright? So I'll be honest. All we want is just a little space in the cargo hold when you make your next trip down there."

"You just want a ride?"

"Just want a ride in that cargo hold. And then in exchange, you get two sets of free hands and another 10K in your pocket. I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty damn free to me." I chuckle when I see he's contemplating my offer, "What do you say?"

Mike nods and walks back towards where we came from a few minutes ago, "5:30 tonight."

"We'll be there. Yes, sir."

I feel guilty for being reckless, but I don't know how else to get to South America. I'm sure Willow would understand.

My fingers grip John Bs shirt and pull him with me, heading for the Twinkie, "Hey, let's go. Come on."

John B wraps his arm around my shoulders, "Okay. What do we gotta do?"

"Just a little something."

He drops his arm and shakes his head, "A little something?"

"Yeah."

Fuck he's not gonna like this.

"Every time you say a little something, it's never a little something."

"You're being negative." I talk over him while he stresses. "Alright, it's literally the easiest job in the world, bro." John B groans, "We just unload it. You know what they do on planes? You know on Delta and United when they take the bags off of the--" I gesture my hands as if I was unloading a plane, "That's what we're doing. Okay? Once we do that, we punch our tickets, go on to South America, sipping on piña coladas, alright? John B, it's gonna be a piece of cake." I hop in the passenger seat and throw the keys at him, "You're driving."

~~~~~

Willow's POV

We're in South America now, and I feel like something is pulling me. It's a weird feeling. I know it probably has something to do with the gnomon and El Dorado. I know this since I can hear faint whispering in my ear sometimes. I can't make out the words but it sounds celestial. Other worldly, almost like a someone is singing far away and I'm hearing the echo of it.

The fact that this is all true, and I'm bonded to some stone sundial object, is crazy. I mean of all the people in the world, it chose me. Why? How am I so important that I have to travel across the world and search for some hidden city of gold and be the only one that can safely let people enter and exit this place alive.

"You have a pure heart, Willow."

Thank you.

Emmy bounces on my lap, watching the birds fly over us while we continue to sail down the channels of the Orinoco river, I smile at her and kiss her head. My sweet girl, so happy even though we're in danger and could die at any minute. I wish I was still innocent and unknowing, have nothing to stress over.

Singh walks up, stopping to stand in front of Big John on the front of the boat, "Finally, the Orinoco, John. The gateway to El Dorado. A graveyard of empires. Many have died, you know?" He glances at me and then my dad, "Perhaps we add a few more to the list. Say hello to our new river guide, John, Willow." He points to a man driving a small boat next to us, "It's four days until the solstice, you know, and on that night, you both will be a part of history."

Singh needs to stop saying 'you know' so much, it's getting on my damn nerves. I don't mind his stories that much, the ones that aren't centered around avenging his family. He has a ton of knowledge about history and treasure hunting, it's pretty fascinating actually.

My dad gives me a weary look before looking out at the river guide. He hasn't talked to me much, I can't tell what's going through his head. But I do know that I still don't trust him, I have this odd feeling when I get close to him, and the gnomon has warned me about my dad quite a few times now, so I know I can't rely on him to get out of this. At some point he will probably offer me up for his freedom or take off and leave me, which is pretty fucked up, but the gold always comes first for him.

I have to find a way to survive this. Emmy shouldn't even be apart of this nonsense, but since she is, I have to make sure I do whatever I have to do to protect her. We have to make it back to JJ. He couldn't survive if he lost us, it would kill him.

God, I love him so much. I miss those sweet pink lips of his and his strong arms around me, and his amazing intoxicating smell. If I close my eyes I can imagine him sitting here kissing my neck like he does when he's trying to keep me from panicking, and how his hands would run up and down my arms to soothe my worries. It's like everything he did was to comfort me, I realize that now. I feel a little guilty that he has to go out of his way to be there for me so much, but the look in his eyes when he see's me, the love he has for me, I know he loves it just as much as I do.

I was surprised that he told me he wants to be the dad to Rafe's baby, part of me expected him to be angry that I have a part of Rafe growing inside of me, that he'd resent the new baby but he doesn't seem to be anything but supportive. Fuck, he's too good to me and I've made him feel like shit because of the Kiara stuff. I mean I straight up hit him so many times the night of the cross heist, I broke his heart and scared him.. and he still stood by me, even when I was acting bat shit crazy. If that isn't love, I don't know what is. I have to apologize to him, I have to tell him that I believe him, that I believe in us.

JJ would do anything for me and Emmy. And our new baby cookin' in my oven. Anything.

That worries me though. What will he do to find his way to South America since we're broke and he doesn't have a passport to travel conventionally. Would he do something reckless? Definitely. Will he do something he's going to regret later? Most likely. Do I care right now? No. Because I need him, so whatever he does, I think I'd support his decision.

~~~~~

JJs POV

"I... I don't know about this." John B stresses, we're walking down a dirt road towards Mike's secluded clearing where he loads and unloads his plane.

"Bro, you're worrying way too much about this, okay? It is just farmers who brought organic seeds from South America that we are gonna unload."

He actually has good reason to stress, I am too, but we can't let it be so obvious or Mike will pick up on it. John B is the worst at being subtle though.

"You know what, let's just call it what it is.. It's a drug-smuggling operation."

"Do you wanna get my girls and your dad back or not?" I raise my voice, my patience dwindling away.

"Yes, I do! Okay?" John B raises his voice to match mine, "Look, this has to work out, alright? I doubted both Willow and my dad, and.. and I blamed him for shit. And all this time, he was just trying to protect me and Willow. And now they've been abducted, so I kinda need a bit of--"

I stop walking and grab his shoulders, "John B, no! Okay, listen, listen. I know. You know who you're gonna have to trust right now?" I point to my chest, "Papa Jay. Or.. or Daddy Jay."

He scrunches his face in disgust, "I am not calling you Daddy Jay... that's not my thing.."

I chuckle, "Yeah, I guess that does sound a little kinky. But anyways, I got this, 100%."

"I mean, 60% would be good, honestly." We break through the vegetation and look straight on at Mike's brown plane, it looks sketchy... "Holy shit, look at that thing."

"Yeah, dude. It's like an RV with wings."

John B grasps my shoulder, rounding the plane, seeing a U-Haul, "Shit, they're already unloading."

"Oh shit." I jog up to Mike while he leans against the truck, "Yo! We aren't late, are we?"

"No, there was a change of plan though." Mike walks over and pushes the uhaul keys onto my chest, "You two are gonna drive the truck up to Elizabeth City to make the drop." I make a face and catch John Bs pissed off look, "The address is in the truck. There'll be a dummy car for you to use to come back. The plane will still be waiting."

"Right. Okay, so, um..." I inhale sharply as reality sets in. He wants me to run drugs for him. Fuck, Willow won't like this. "you just want us to drive the truck?"

"Correct." Mike holds the key out to me.

I stare at it for a long moment, while my mind screams at me to think of my girls. Think about how shitty it would be to end up in prison while they need my help. What the hell do I do.

"Actually, can I borrow him for one second?" John B grabs me and pulls me a few feet away, "This is not what we talked about. This is way more dangerous."

Mike chuckles, "It don't matter what we talked about. In for a penny, in for a pound. You do this, you get your ride."

I look down at the ground and scratch my neck, "Yeah, it's just that--"

"If not, you know how this works, right?" Mike cuts me off, I look around at all his friends while they watch for my answer. This isn't good. I have to do it now, I know too much about Mike's operation, I'm stuck now, "Now, Highway Patrol is changing shifts as we speak. This is the window. Take it to the drop house on Prospect. Directions are in the truck. Any luck, we'll have you back before sundown." He tries to hand me the keys again, "Come on. Take it."

I finally grab the key, "Yeah, no problem. Get in the truck JB."

We jump in and silently drive off. I can't believe I'm driving a truck full of illegal weed right now. I have a beautiful pregnant fiancé and sweet little girl waiting for me to rescue them, and I'm driving a fucking truck full of weed across town. FUCK. I am dumb but there's no backing out. I have to do this.

John B turns to me with a stressed look, "Any idea what's in the back?"

"Yes, John B, I know what's in the back. And it's gonna be fine. It's gonna work out. Okay?"

"I am sick of your bullshit plans, man."

I grit my teeth, "Goddamn!"

"No, I'm just saying this might top the time you told my sister to fake appendicitis in jail."

"Yeah well that almost worked." I argue, "Get the map out. I have no idea where I'm going."

We argue back and forth after John B rips the damn map because he's so pent up and worried. Shit I am too.

"Cop. JJ, JJ, there's a cop." John B rushes out.

I glance up to see a woman pulled over by a cop a few hundred yards away. My stomach drops when the cop suspiciously looks over at us, no this can't be fucking happening. "Shit."

"Okay, play it cool." John B presses himself flat against his seat like he's a fucking statue or some shit.

"No, you're not cool."

"Play it cool. I'm super cool."

"I'm super cool." I argue, "I'm as cool as it gets."

I start to practice my wave that I plan to do when we pass the cop, might as well be friendly. Just two dudes driving a U-Haul, totally normal.

"What are you doing? Don't do that."

"I'm just gonna wave."

"JJ? What are... I told you..."

I wave as we pass him, "Hi, officer." John B grabs my hand, making the truck veer off to the side for a second, I pop us back up on the road after we hit low hanging tree limbs, "Why'd you touch me?"

"Don't wave at cops!" John B yells back, "Rule number one of driving a U-Haul! We've been in the car for five minutes."

I glance out the side mirror and panic, "He's getting in his cruiser."

My heart thumps in my chest when the lights and sirens start behind us. Fuck fuck fuck. No, my girls need me, Willow needs me, she can't survive without me.

"Okay, okay. Just act very, very calm." John B quietly tells me, double checking that he has a seat belt on.

"Shit, he's coming! He's coming! Shitt! Damn it!" I gasp, my breath heavy, "Dude, goblin mode, alright? We gotta lose him, okay?"

"Goblin mode? What's that even mean, JJ?"

"That's what we gotta do! Hang on! I got this!" I whip the truck to the side, sending us flying into the tree line.

"JJ!" John B clings to his seat and the 'Oh shit' bar at the top of the door frame, "JAY."

I stop once we're completely hidden in the brush and jump out of the truck, "Get out! Go, go, go!"

"Okay." John B chases after me, "I swear to God, if we get through this, I'm gonna kill you!"

"You probably won't have to because Barracuda Mike will first." I call out as he passes me, continuing to run through the trees, leaving the scene behind us.

Shit that was close.

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