Tapping the Rudder: Warrant

Willow's POV

We've been travelling on Singh's guides small boat for a while now, headed down the river towards Tres Rocas. I lean back against the side of the boat, facing my dad while I prop Emmy up on my lap, playing with her hands to keep her happy.

"Little sweet girl, I love you so so much." I kiss Emmy's forehead, she squeals when she sees a large white bird flying away from the water.

Singh chuckles, watching us before turning to my dad, "Pizarro. Sir Walter Raleigh. They also came up this river, you know, John, hmm? And they had the fever, you know, as we do, that set army upon army and atrocities beyond description. And all of that killing, John, for something only rumored to exist. Something no one ever found." He pauses to look out over the water, "My grandfather, he died on that ship, you know, John? As did many others. And for what, hmm?"

"Nothing." I mutter.

He's been rambling for days about all of this, I know he's just seeking revenge at this point. He wants to right the wrongs done to his ancestors, but at what cost? He's doing exactly what the bad people did to his family in the past.

Singh nods, "Yes. For nothing. They failed."

"You murdered my friend." Big John speaks up, "Why? So your grandfather wouldn't have died in vain over 100 years ago?"

"That is correct. And what about you, hmm? You had the fever a long time, you know." Singh counters, "You sacrificed a promising academic career. Yet you went on. Why?"

Big John glances at me with an unreadable expression, "For my kids, I guess. It was something we did together. I didn't care what others thought of me. I just wanted them to know that I... That I wasn't nothing."

I furrow my brows at his admission. He didn't involve me, we didn't do it together. Not until now at least, whatever.

"We're not all that different, you and me, John." Singh sighs, "We're not that different, you know."

Yeah they aren't that different. Either of them will do anything for the gold. Kill, lie, cheat, and so on. It'll be never ending until we find it. I really think my dad would sacrifice me for the gold if he had to. Maybe even Emmy.. Maybe that's what the gnomon is warning me about. I wouldn't even be surprised at this point. But John B and JJ wouldn't let that happen. I need them to hurry up and find us so we can get the hell out of here before I end up dead.

I wonder if Rafe has figured out that I'm gone and in danger. Does he care about me and his baby anymore? He never tried to see me when he came back to Outer Banks. It would be amazing if he backed off, but I still worry that he's planning something.

~~~~~

Third Person POV

Rafe paces in front of Barry while he sits back in one of his lawn chairs, sipping on a beer, "Listen, I've been going through it over and over and over again. Okay? You said it yourself, right? The only way this thing goes south is my dad. We gotta nip that shit in the bud. We gotta take him out." Barry looks down at the pistol and the wad of cash Rafe set down, "And anyway, who's gonna know? He's already dead. You can't kill someone who's already dead."

Barry looks back up at him with an unreadable expression.

"Hey, if my pop stays here, alright," Rafe sits down across from Barry, "our deal, us doing business together, using the company to launder the money, all that fifty-fifty shit... all that's gone."

Barry leans forward, "What you're asking me right now is something that once it's done, it cannot be undone. There's no going back. I'm talking about your family, talking about your pops, talking about your blood. And blood complicates things. You got a baby on the way man. So hypothetically speaking, let's say I do it." He holds his beer up as he speaks, "And then, for whatever reason, you decide to change your mind. Sell me out."

Rafe shakes his head, "No. Yeah, this has been a long time coming." He looks around, setting his mind on what he wants. His dad has to die. "He's always had his boot on my neck. Holding me down."He leans forward as he lowers his voice, "He forced me to do things to Willow, forced me to.. to be someone I'm not, I realize that now. I hurt her because of him. I turned to the drugs and hurt her because of that. That's all gonna be over soon. For Willow and my child, I'm not changing my mind."

Rafe stands up and drops his beer can in the metal trash can as he leaves.

Barry furrows his brows, reaching out for the thick wad of hundred dollar bills Rafe gave him to get the job done. Contemplating murdering someone for his best friend. He knows Willow deserves some justice, but at what cost? Would she be okay with this?

~~~~~

JJs POV

John B and I finally break through the trees where we can see the Twinkie parked on the side of the dirt road. We stop next to the van and pant, trying to catch our breath.

"My pregnant sister, niece and dad are somewhere in South America right now, probably with a knife to their throats, and what are we doing? Moving weight? In goblin mode?"

"How many times will you complain about me trying to help save your dad and MY GIRLS?" I yell.

Fuck, I'm not mad at him, I'm mad at myself for getting us in this position and wasting time.

"Help is the exact opposite of what you're doing right now!" John B yells back.

I point at him, "You know what? You're right. You're absolutely right." My body moves towards him as anger floods my system, "But you know whose fault that is? You and your treasure-obsessed father."

John B shoves me backwards, making me laugh at his pissed off look, as if this isn't his fucking fault. If he didn't follow his dad like a little puppy or talk me into leaving my girls home alone, then things would be different.

"Oh, okay! That's where we're going?" I ask, stepping towards him again.

"That's where we're going."

I shove him away from me, "Yeah. And it looks like I just went there too!" John B rushes at me, I wrap my arm around his neck and bend him into my side, holding him in a headlock, shuffling around when he tries to fight me off, "Come on. That's it! I've been waiting for this!"

We drop to the ground when he shifts his weight into me, but I keep my arm around his neck, holding back so I don't hurt him too bad.

"Get off me." John B breaks out of my headlock and pins me to the ground.

We freeze when we hear police sirens chirp close by, Shoupe smugly smiles at us when we look his way, leaning against his truck, watching us scramble to our feet, "Howdy, boys!"

"Uh..." I nervously look over at John B as he pulls his shorts down since they hiked up his thighs during our fight.

Him and his tight ass shorts, I don't understand his choice in clothes.

"'Sup, Shoupe?" John B greets him.

He crosses the distance between us, "You boys okay?"

John B grabs me and tries to pull me to stand in front of him, I throw my arm back to make him let me go, "Yeah, we're, uh, you know, just, um... We're... we're good."

Shoupe bends over and grabs something from under the bumper on the Twinkie and holds it up, "Tracker. Makes it a lot easier to keep an eye on you hoodlums."  

I clench my jaw, looking over at John B, he looks down at the ground and sighs in defeat.

This ruins everything.

A mans voice chatters on Shoupe's radio, "All units, evidence team is en route to the abandoned U-Haul. Over."

Shoupe grabs his radio on his chest, "Copy that."

"Sounds like duty calls." I walk towards the van, "So we wouldn't want to hold you up. We'll get out of your hair."

He stops us, "Hold on a minute. We just found a U-Haul full of drugs out near 150. Y'all wouldn't happen to be involved in that, would you?"

I glance over at John B before turning to Shoupe, "You see that? That's profiling, John B. And I really don't appreciate it. Like just 'cause we're Pogues, you think we're drug dealers? No, no! We're not that desperate now, Shoupe."

"You've been too busy beating people up and breaking up parties."

"Okay, Shoupe, there's an explanation--"

"I hate to break it to you, kid. But I've got a warrant."

"What? A warrant?" John Bs wide eyes track Shoupe as he pulls his cuffs out.

He nods, "Topper's pressing charges."

"For what? No, he started it!" John B argues.

"He did start it." I add.

"I'm just being honest with you." John B stresses, "Honestly, what did I do?"

Shoupe guides him to the side of the Twinkie, "Hands up against the van."

"Shoupe, this time, I didn't even do anything, okay?" He locks eye with me while Shoupe searches him, both of us sharing the same pained expression.

"Do you know what Topper did to John B?" I raise my voice, panicking now that this is actually happening.

How the hell do I get my girls back now?

"No, but I know what your boy here did." Shoupe states, "He beat him in front of the whole town. And kept beatin' him after he was down, and Topper may be a douche, but you know better than that."

"Shoupe! Come on, he was messing with John B's girl. You'd do the same." I follow them to the truck.

"Shoupe, I get it, okay?" John B quietly talks, "But I can't be locked up right now."

"Well, you should've thought of that beforehand."

"Come on, man. We're doing this again?" John B sighs when he plops into the seat in the back of the police truck, "I don't have time for this."

"Come on." I try to block Shoupe but he lightly pushes me out of the way, "He didn't do shit."

"You stay safe and stay outta trouble." He tells me while getting in the truck, "Go be with Willow and your daughter, not out here causing problems."

I step towards John Bs open window, "Hey, John B. Listen, we're gonna fix it. We're gonna get down to South America and save them. I promise. Okay?"

He looks up at me with an expression I've only seen him wear once before, and that was when he saw Willow being sentenced to the death penalty. Fuck this sucks.

"Back it up, buddy. We got to go." Shoupe starts to drive away.

"You'll be fine. I'll figure it out. We'll save them. Okay?" I yell as they drive off. "You hear me, John B? We're gonna get them back!"

I slowly walk over to the Twinkie and lean against the door, my heart clenching as I think about what could be happening to my beautiful girls right now. Are they okay? Did Singh hurt them? He better not touch them, or I'll fucking kill him.

If only I could wrap my arms around them right now, if I could just know they are safe. If I close my eyes I can imagine what it feels like to hold them close, to feel Willows soft skin as I caress her arms or her cheek to show how much I love her and care for her. To snuggle Emmy to my chest and kiss her face as she squeals in excitement, her little dimples when she smiles at us because she's the happiest girl on this planet. I'd do anything to see them again. God to be able to smell Willows coconut aroma, I crave her so much.

My Princesses. I miss them. This hurts.

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