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[r0s3mm]

Tapping The Rudder // Outer Banks series

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Pairing: OC!Elizabeth Miller x JJ Maybank

A/N:  this is over 16K words, jsyk ...

warnings????? nothing that isn't in obx i think, a little bit of fluff, little bit of angst... we're seeing some i think good changes to beth and jj...

it took too long to write this and i am sorry. it's 2:16 am, it is not edited.

It was once said that love is giving someone the power to destroy you, but trusting them not to.

“Kooks and Pogues. Two tribes. One Island. I thought it was obvious. When I kissed John B, I gave up my Kook card. The deal was done. It was Poguelandia forever. But when we got back to Kildare, it was all reversed. Suddenly, he had a father. He had a home. And me, I had nothing left. No family. No place to stay. No money. Nothing. But I did still have my old friends. The Kooks. Waiting to take me back. Born a Kook. Became a Pogue. So which am I really? Kook or Pogue? Honestly, at this point, I don’t even know myself.” 

-

After her parents’ anniversary party blew up, Kiara brought Sarah back to her house, letting her cry herself hoarse before she fell asleep. The blonde woke up before Kiara, deciding on taking a few minutes for herself sitting outside. When she came back in, Kiara was already awake and eyeing her friend as she avoided Kiara’s eyes. 

“I mean, like,” Sarah said, jumping up to slide her jean shorts over her butt. “even after he was down, John B was still hitting him.” Sarah disappeared in the ensuite of Kiara’s room. 

“Yeah, I’ve never seen him like that.” Kiara said in the same quiet tone Sarah used. “You actually think he’s gonna get arrested?” 

“He can’t get arrested.” Sarah reappeared with one of Kiara’s top on. “Not now. If he’s locked up, he can’t help his dad. I have to fix this.” She added, grabbing a few of her own clothes to put back in her bag. “Can you give me a ride to Topper’s please?” Kiara raised her eyebrows and sat up straighter on her bed. 

“You don’t think this plan could make things worse?” 

“I don’t know. And I don’t know what’s gonna happen with me and John B. But what I do know is I can’t just sit by and watch him get arrested while his dad’s abducted.” Kiara watched her friend put on her shoes in a hurry. “I have to try. So are you driving me or not?” Sarah asked before she stomped out of the room. 

-

She woke up early. Too early for how late she and the boys had fallen asleep the night (morning?) before. She joined John B, who apparently never actually fell asleep but sat on the dock all night and she wrapped a large blanket over his shoulders. 

“Morning.” She mumbled and he nodded back in greeting. “How are you feeling?” 

“My hand hurts.” She chuckled, and did a gimme gesture with her hands. His fell between hers and she moved it around, eyeing the bruised knuckles and barely split skin. 

“You iced it?” He nodded. “Keep icing it, maybe a little bit of that cream on the tablet and you’ll be fine.” 

“Yeah, thanks.” 

“But you fucked up.” She added, leaning her head against his shoulder. She felt him shift and she knew he’d moved his head to look at her. “But he also deserved it.” 

“Thanks, Ellie.” 

“Yeah, sure. Always there for you, bro.” He huffed out a laugh. “M’kay.” She groaned as she used his shoulder to stand up. “I’m starving. I’ll go get some things and be right back.” She said. 

Elizabeth made her way back to the house to grab her bag, eyeing JJ who had insisted he sleep in the pull out couch so she could take the bed in thei- the other room. 

-

JJ woke up to the bell ringing, bell that Big John used before to tell his son it was time to come in. He groaned, pushed the pillow away from his face before he looked back to the second room and seeing the door wide open with the bed unmade and empty. He frowned and glanced at his best friend through the open window. 

The blonde walked, his steps heavy and his body slow with sleep but he made his way to the old, ratty and broken couch outside and let his body fall on it, groaning loudly as his chin hit the arm rest. 

“Fuck-” he swore as he rubbed the skin. 

-

“... It’s something about the dude’s face.” John B said after a few minutes of silent skateboarding on the balcony. “You know? Like the whole, “No hard feelings, bro.”. You know what I’m saying?” 

““No hard feelings.”” JJ repeated with a scoff. “It’s kinda hard not to have hard feelings about that.” The blonde pushed off the couch and sat with his feet on the ground, rubbing his still tired eyes. 

“It’s just that… that look. That Kook look, you know?” John B sighed.

“It was clear provucation.” JJ mispronounced. 

“Provocation.” John B corrected gently. 

“Provocation,” JJ nodded in acknowledgement. “and, uh, I mean, you had to do what you had to do. No choice about it.” 

“Thank you.” John B sat down next to his best friend. “Ellie kinda scolded me this morning.”

“What?-”

“But then she said that he deserved it.” 

“Yeah he did.” 

“We gotta figure out a plan to get to South America, like, yesterday.” John B said as he made his way inside. “They’ve got my dad.” 

“You have any real food, real quick though?” JJ asked when he realized his stomach was hurting. 

“Ellie went out to get some. She’ll be back soon.” John B told him not seeing the small smile that appeared on the blonde’s lips. “So I was thinking passports. We don’t have those.” He kept going. “Therefore we can’t fly commercial. We need other ideas.” 

“Okay, well, don’t you got the money that you took from Portis?” JJ asked as he moved towards the fridge and opened it, already forgetting what his best friend had said about Elizabeth bringing food.

“I gave that to my dad.” John B said with a grimace when JJ made him sniff the old salami. 

“So then what about a boat?” The blonde said. “If we got a boat, maybe we could get down there ‘cause the HMS…” He trailed off sending a look to his best friend that said that the HMS wasn’t what it used to be. “Yeah, you know about the HMS. Oh!” John B faced his friend with a defeated expression when he saw the old salami in his hand. “Limbrey! Limbrey has a boat! What if we took that one down?” The blonde started to peel back the saran wrap around the dried meat, his hunger more important than the smell emanating from the stick. 

“Yeah. She took that back. And the HMS is not gonna make it down to the Port of Spain, so out of boats.” John B watched as his best friend took a bite out of the salami without much reaction. 

“So what you’re saying is, we don’t got any money, and we also don’t have a boat that can make it to South America.” He said before taking another bite. Both of them were so engrossed in the conversation they didn’t hear the door open and close. 

“Unbelievable.” John B scoffed when his best friend took yet another chunk out of the meat stick. 

“JJ Maybank, spit that out!” Elizabeth almost scolded with a disgusted grimace when she saw the boy chewing the meat she could smell from where she stood. 

The blonde didn’t question it, almost like second nature he turned around and spit the now odd tasting snack in the garbage bin. He glanced back at her before he noticed the bags of take out in her hands. She set the plastic bags on the table along with her own backpack that hit the table with a relatively loud thud. She ignored John B’s curious gaze as she tore the bags open. She stopped her actions when the familiar noises of tires rolling onto dirt and rocks hit her ears. She quickly turned around and leaned back just enough to see a Kildare Sheriff county patrol car stop in front of the door. 

“Uh-oh.” She let out before swiftly facing the boys. 

“You don’t start with, “Uh-oh,” dude.” JJ scoffed. 

“Don’t dud-” She started but then the truck’s door was slammed closed and that noise reached the two young men’s ears “Get down! Shoupe is out front!” She warned, apparently John B’s survival instinct was stronger than JJ’s in that moment because the brown haired boy crouched down quicker before pulling his friend down. “Hide! Hide!” Elizabeth whispered and JJ cast a look towards her before he shut the fridge’s door shut.

“All right, John B!” The man shouted. 

“Shit!” 

“Come on!” JJ and John B got on all fours and crawled around the kitchen floor. 

“Yoo-hoo! Anybody home?” The interim sheriff shouted loud enough that they could hear him clearly inside the house. 

“Get under the table, please.” Elizabeth asked as she moved as casually as possible around the house. She got her broken earbuds out of her bag and shoved them in her ears as she feigned listening to some music. “Go, go, go!” She urged and they crawled and rolled under the table hidden behind a few piles of Big John’s books.

“All right, John B, I know you’re in there.” The man knocked on the door loud enough that Elizabeth knew she would’ve heard him if she really was listening to music. 

“What are you doing?” John B asked quietly as the girl took one earbud out and walked to the door, moving the old armchair ever so slightly that it hid the two teenagers even better. 

Elizabeth and Shoupe’s eyes met through the door and she faked a smile before taking the other earbud out in front of him. She let out a sigh and wrapped her hand around the doorknob before twisting it, the old door’s hinges creaked at the movement. 

“What can I do for you Vic?” She asked casually. 

“You see John B?” He asked and she frowned. 

“Not since last night, why?” The man cocked his head to the side, noticing the large bags of takeout on the kitchen table. 

“You expecting someone?” His chin pointed to the food and she shrugged. 

“Yeah, John B and JJ. Haven’t seen them since last night but they are growing boys, thought it would soften John B up enough to get him to the station.” She scrunched up her nose innocently. “But they ain’t here, Sheriff, boat ain’t here either and I know you know that’s what they used to leave the party last night.” She arched an eyebrow when he as subtly as he could tried seeing if the boat was really missing. 

“You, you would’ve brought him to the station?” He asked almost mockingly. She nodded, innocence dripping off her and JJ knew the expression in her face, the way her eyebrows were relaxed on her forehead, a soft smile pulling at the corner of her pink lips… 

“Vic,” she sighed, bracing herself with both arms on either side of the doorframe. “I’m the kind of girl… if someone needs a hand, I help… That’s just who I am.” She finished with a tight lipped smile. “I’ll tell him you stopped by.” She started to close the door but he stuck his foot in the space and her eyes snapped to his, she arched an eyebrow and bit the inside of her cheek as she grew annoyed. The man checked behind her one last time before he took his foot off the frame and nodded. “Okay, bye-bye, now!” She said before shutting the door behind her and locking it. 

She turned around with her head low, “don’t move boys, he’s still there.” and casually made her way back to the table, knowing Shoupe’s eyes were still on her.

She glanced at JJ, who’s eyes were trained on her. 

“Give it another minute.” She said quietly. 

Outside, Victor Shoupe made his way to the Twinkie as casually as he could, which wasn’t something he was good at, being casual… He slapped the van before moving towards the back and slapping another hand near the tail pipe. This time, leaving behind some kind of beeping beacon.

“Okey, doke!” The man said from the outside. “I’m counting on you, Miller.” 

She made them wait again, eyeing the truck as it left the property. When it did she cleared her throat. 

“All good.” She hummed and turned around, sitting on the edge of the table to watch them stumble out of their hiding place. 

She stayed quiet for a little bit and they made their way to where she was sitting and reached for the bags. 

“Oh, fuck.” JJ moaned when he got his hands on his favorite breakfast platter from the diner near their high school. His head fell backwards and he started to feel warm and tingly all over, eyes catching the brunette’s and he took a few seconds, indulging himself before a small smile appeared on his face. “Thank you.” He spoke softly, his previously panicked and worried expression softening as he took the time to look at her, sat on the kitchen table, swallowed by an oversized hoodie he was sure used to be his a couple of years ago. 

“Hey, so, John…” She trailed off and John B looked up, mouth already full of runny yolk and sausage gravy. “Shoupe wants to talk to you about last night.” She said with a smile. “Wanted me to relay the message.” John B looked at his friends, who stared back at each other before looking at him, all three wearing amused looks. 

“Hey,” John B started. “Why is his bigger than mine?” He asked and almost immediately regretted the decision when snickers erupted from both Elizabeth and JJ. “Chr- I mean the food!” 

“Uh,” she shrugged through a giggle. “I don’t know that’s what they gave me, maybe they added stuff to his…?” She eyed the bag. “There’s more stuff that came with yours, J.” She pointed to the bag and he reached in to grab the cup of beans and the cheesy hash browns. 

Which was a lie, both cost the same and both had the eggs, the proteins and the carbs but the girl had them add extras to JJ’s. 

“He’ll never finish all that.” John B said and Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, staring at her friend as if to say, I don’t know what to tell you, dude.

“He’ll have leftovers for a few days, then.” She added casually and that’s when John B understood. His head snapped to JJ who so far hadn’t stopped eating but when the words left her mouth, fondness appeared in his eyes and guilt made his heart and stomach heavy. “Anyways! About the boat slash plane issue, I got an idea!” She told them with a shimmy of her shoulders. 

“What’s up?” 

“So, the guy’s sketchy and there is a risk that it won’t work but-”

“You’re talking about-” JJ asked and she nodded. “It is sketchy and he won’t like it.” The blonde added. 

“It’s a plan. He still owes us, J.” JJ nodded in acknowledgement. “Just collect.” She added quietly and John B frowned. 

“What plan?” John B asked and Elizabeth shook her head at JJ.

“If we tell you right now, when the plan’s not even half-baked, you’ll get all negative.”

“Look, I’d settle for a quarter-baked plan.” John B said with a hand on JJ’s shoulder. 

“I think that’s what you’re getting.” The girl mumbled as she picked a bit of scrambled eggs off her own plate. 

“Gna, gna, gna!” JJ grimaced as his hand did a talking motion. “Come on!” 

“Don’t you dare make that noise at me.” John B slapped his hand away and Beth looked at her boys, amused. 

JJ was already at the door and John B was halfway there when he retreated back and looked at Ellie expectantly. 

“You’re coming?” He asked and she shrugged. 

“Is she coming?” JJ shouted from the door. 

“I don’t think so!” John B shouted back. 

“Stop shouting and get out of here!” John B smiled at her sadly when he saw her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. He walked to her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. 

“Thank you for the food. You’re the best.” He said quietly and she nodded. He kissed her cheek softly before pulling away, eyes trained on her as he walked backwards. “This was from the both of us.” He winked as he tapped his cheek. 

“Yeah, whatever, get out!” She pointed to the door just as the van roared to life. “Y’all be careful, okay?” she requested and he nodded.

With a sigh, the brunette jumped to her feet and closed the lids on the food containers before putting them in the fridge, throwing all the smelly and old food away… So at the end only the take out containers from that morning were in the fridge. 

-

Sofia woke up in a bed she wasn’t all that familiar with and she woke up feeling warm. The soft, expensive sheets felt nice against her skin and she cracked her eyes open when she heard the floor creak under a pair of feet. 

“Hey,” Rafe smiled at her as she stretched in his bed, covers slipping down a bit. 

“So, is this place really all yours?”

“More like lord of the manor shit.” He nodded and she giggled quietly. 

Rafe eyed her and he bit his lip before he disappeared past the door frame. He jogged down the hallway with a pep in his step before he walked out and onto the large balcony towards the front of the house. He gripped the railing and slightly leaned over it before he let out a cheer. 

“Ooooooh!” The noise died quickly in his throat as he saw the couch on which he and Barry had a conversation the day before. 

It’s either you or your pops, Rafe. Barry’s words echoed in his mind. If I was you, I would move to get him off the battlefield before he starts squawking. 

The young adult’s thoughts were interrupted when a pair walked on the warm grass, arms wrapped around the other’s shoulder. 

“Hey, you’re the man, Rafe!” The boy shouted with a smile. 

“Hey, I’m gonna stay that way too!” He announced before he stepped back inside and to his bedroom where Sofia was still laying in his bed. 

He quickly glanced at her before he ruffled through the cushioned chair he used to throw any and all pieces of clothes that didn’t need immediate washing. From the corner of her eye, the girl saw him grab a shiny object and tuck it in the waistband of his pants before covering it with his shirt. Just as he turned around to face her she moved and laid on her back.

“Hey, you’re going somewhere?” He nodded. 

“Um, yeah. Uh…” He nervously grabbed his keys on the bedside table and he looked at her. “I’ve got some business to take care of, but you can out here, all right?” He offered. “I’ll … I’ll be back.” He watched her nod before he walked out the room. 

-

The young adult made his way to an abandoned looking little cabin, he parked the car and walked up the long dock. 

His father hadn’t said much since he arrived, but Rafe insisted. 

“... I’m taking care of the business, all right?” He added to his already long speech. “I’m laying groundwork. I’m making connections. I’m trying to plant my flag here. Okay?” Ward kept staring at the body of water in front of him, sitting on his rocking chair while Rafe talked to his back. “So you just need to go back to your island where it’s safe, and you need to stop jamming me up, okay?” Ward sighed, he leaned forward and grabbed his cane before he stood up with a grunt. The father walked to his little homemade bait prepping counter area. “If you get caught here, it ruins everything.” 

“I’d figured you’d know where to find me here, of all people.” Ward stared at his son with a gentle smile but Rafe shook his head before he put his hands on his hips. “I’m glad you did. I think it’s clear from what happened yesterday…” Ward grabbed a hook and added a soft, fishy mixture in the plastic bait. “I was right.” He added after putting his glasses on. “You’re on a very bad path, Rafe.” The young adult’s nose twitched in anger. 

“Your opinion, not mine. Okay? I’m good.” Rafe insisted. 

“You’re making the same mistakes again and again, the same ones I did, okay?” Ward told him calmly.

“Right.” 

“So I’m gonna help you, son. I decided to make some changes.” Rafe scoffed at his father’s announcement before he cocked his head to the side. 

“What are those?” Ward sucked in a long breath as he kept toying with the bait and rope. 

“I’m taking the control of the company away from you.” He stated. 

Breathe in, breathe out. Rafe reminded himself as the weight of the firearm in his pants’ waistband felt heavier. 

“What?” Dramatically, Ward harshly took his glasses off before his eyes snapped to his son’s. 

“You’re not in charge anymore, Rafe.” Rafe squinted and he swallowed before moving his jaw ever so slightly. 

“What are you saying?” 

“My attorneys found a more recent document that left control to Rose.” The son exhaled sharply, eyebrows moving without much of his control on his forehead. 

“Rose?” 

“Yeah. You didn’t think I was gonna give up complete control, did you, Rafe?” His father’s voice dropped a bit as he spoke. “Not be able to tap the rudder a little bit?” Ward looked at his son, watching as he started to get antsy. “I’m very generous with my children.” Rafe scoffed. 

“Oh, are you?” 

“But I’m not a complete fool.”

“No, of course not-” 

“It’s clear to me you’re in over your head, so control goes to Rose.” Rafe hummed as he processed the words. “And we’re cutting your stipend.” Rafe huffed out a breath, balled up fists hitting the middle of his forehead repeatedly. “We’re selling Tannyhill, and I need you out of there by the end of the week.” Rafe walked a few feet away from his dad, tightening and extending his hands out by his sides. 

“Okay. Um…” The young man’s hands started to shake as he attempted to put his thoughts in order. 

“And I know that’s hard, son. It’s hard letting go of his old life, but that is exactly what you have to do, okay, because we are starting a brand-new life.” He chuckled, a small apparition of unshed tears in his eyes before he blinked them away. “We’re gonna be reborn.” Rafe stared at his father; eyebrows scrunched up closer, mouth opened in shock as he started to breathe heavily. Rafe looked at his father as if the adult had lost his damn mind. “Right, but to do that, we have to let this life go. We have to bury it.”

“Reborn, reborn, reborn!” Rafe’s hands fidgeted before his balled up fists moved closer to his jaw as he stepped closer to his father. “Are you for real right now?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Friar Cameron.” Ward looked up from what he was playing with to his son. “You can’t stand that I’m on my own right now! That I have the power!” Small veins popped out around Rafe’s forehead and his hands shook. 

“Do you, Rafe?” The man leaned on his arms, hands splayed on the table top. “Do you have the power?” Rafe shrugged. 

“I mean, I’ll tell the police you’re here. That’s you’re alive.” 

“Yeah?” Ward’s chin moved higher as the father’s head leaned back. staring at his son unimpressed. Rafe nodded, not noticing that fear still hadn’t appeared in his father’s face. 

“Yeah. So… I think I have some power.” Ward’s exhale was short and sharp, almost mocking.. 

“Wow, I guess I’d have to tell them that you killed Sheriff Peterkin.” Ward said the words so casually that Rafe felt a shiver run down his back. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to, but… in the end, it might actually be a good thing for you.”

“Hmm.” 

“To face up to some of these things. I think they would go easy on you.” Rafe nodded. I mean, Sarah would back me up, right?” Ward added and he could see that had ticked off his son. “She was there.”

“Have you seen her?” Rafe asked, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other. 

“Of course I’ve seen her.” Ward breathed out with a real, fond smile on his face. “She’s my daughter.”

“Right.”

“I offered her some money and a place to stay but –”

 Ward stayed calm when he was interrupted from the clicking of a gun being pointed at his head while his son breathed heavily, arm extended tightly in front of him. Rafe watched as his father shook his head, disappointment written all over his features and not one hint of surprise. 

“Rafe.” The boy stared at his father, the bore of the gun moving nervously from side to side as Rafe’s hand trembled. “See?” 

At the forefront, his blue irises showed anger simmering under the surface but the way his lips were down turned and he blinked rapidly let Ward know that his son’s anger wasn’t the only emotion justifying the action of a son pulling a gun on his father. 

“The devil’s got you, son.” The shaking of Rafe’s hand wasn’t subtle anymore, if he were to shoot, he wasn’t sure the bullet would hit his dad even though he was a handful of feet in front of him. “You want to shoot me?” Rafe squinted, making sure his father was right down the middle of the barrel. “You can’t, son.” He added and Rafe’s whole face scrunched up as he tightened the hold he had on the gun though his finger stayed loose on the trigger. “Because as angry as you are, I am your father, and you love me.” 

Ward waited, eyes trained on his son. He took a breath, stood with his legs apart aligned with his shoulders. His arms then moved, extended the limbs, giving his son a better chance at hitting him. Rafe’s whole body shook, he held a breath in as he grunted. He lowered the firearm ever so lightly and pressed the trigger. 

Ward flinched, waiting to feel pain but the bullet had hit the fishing gear in the case at his feet. Without looking back at the man, Rafe took his finger off the trigger and stumbled out of the cabin as he coughed out the breath he had been holding. He glanced back to the shack before he shook off the nerves, calmed his breathing down and walked away, wishing to reach his car as fast as possible. 

-

Sarah knew it was a bad idea, Kiara had told her so on their way to the Thornton’s but she still made her friend drop her off. 

“... Some derelict named John B. He hit him and hit him even after he was unconscious.” Sarah heard Topper’s mother say as she climbed the stairs to the balcony. “Can you believe that? Thank God the CT scan and the BTI both came back negative.” The woman said and Sarah noticed she was on the phone so she waited for a few seconds as she kept talking until she turned around. “Oh. Let me call you back.” She told the person on the other side of the line. 

Sarah took that as her cue to step closer, still standing behind the outside furniture. 

“Dr. Thornton, I am so, so sorry.”

“Yeah, well, unfortunately, apologies won’t heal my son, will they?” 

“No.” Sarah dropped her gaze to the trees around them. She twisted her arms in front of her. “Can I please see him?” At that moment, Topper’s grunts and metallic clinkings reached their ears. 

“Go on.” The woman spoke though Sarah was sure that she would deny her request. 

The teenage girl went quickly before the mother changed her mind. She followed the noises and found herself in the small gym Topper used. Sarah shook off the nervousness and she made her way in. 

“Ok, hey-” Her voice trailed off when she saw Topper laying on his back lifting what looked like really heavy weights. “Shouldn’t you be taking it easy?” The boy grunted as he put the weights back on the racks over his head. “Topper!” 

The room grew silent for a few seconds and Sarah almost felt the need to scold him about the volume of his music that she could hear from where she stood. 

“You know I could have beat his ass, right? I mean, I’ve done it, what? Twice already?” He groaned a bit as he sat up, reaching down to grab his water bottle. He winced at the pressure and slightly numb pain in his head. “But, you know, took the high road. Didn’t want to ruin Mike and Anna’s party.”

“Yeah, and you did the right thing.”

“I did do the right thing.” The teenage boy put his hands on the leather seat on either side of his thighs and he pushed off, standing up to his full height. “But now I look like I couldn’t even take the guy, so…” He sighed, moving to grab a towel from the little rack behind him. “Unfortunately for John B, I’m gonna have to get even.” He announced. 

“Topper, I am sorry.” Sarah apologized, taking a step forward. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“All right, if you’re really, truly sorry, Sarah…” He started and Sarah nodded. “how about you go in and testify against him?” Sarah let out a quiet gasp. “Would you do that for me?” He asked, looking at his ex-girlfriend with hope. 

“So,” she started in a whisper. “you’re really pressing charges?”

“Yeah, I’m really pressing charges. I mean, did you see what happened?” Topper stabilized himself on his legs and he leaned forward a little. “The guy just sucker punched me then kept hitting me when I’m out cold on the floor-”

“I know. Uh…” Sarah started but she couldn’t find the words to either comfort the boy or defend John B.

“We’re going in this afternoon.” Sarah jumped a little bit, not expecting his mother to be behind her. She turned and stared at the woman. “You saw the whole thing. Would you come with us and do right by my son?” Topper’s mother asked and Sarah’s head moved from the woman to her son. She watched as Topper looked at her with an unreadable expression that changed when she replied. 

“Sure.” He raised his eyebrows, surprised by her answer. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’ll meet you there.” She told them before she ran out. 

-

The tires screeched when JJ’s foot pressed down on the brake pedal. He put the van in park and waited a few seconds when John B looked out his window. 

“Oh, perfect. Rockfish, yep. The place you go to bash beer bottles on people’s heads. Love that for us.” JJ listened to his friend ramble, left arm resting on top of the steering wheel as his shoulders lean forward, looking at the establishment. 

“There’s a guy here,” JJ raised his right hand in front of his, pointer finger standing up. “that’s always here, moves a lot of weight.” JJ reached out of his window and pulled the door handle. “My dad worked for him.” He grunted and John B stayed seated, his right hand balled up in a fists with his knuckles against in mouth. “Come on, now.” 

“No, no, wait, wait.” John B tapped the space between his eyebrows his the side of his fist. “Please,” he looked up to JJ who now stood next to his door. “please don’t say “Barracuda Mike”.” 

“Okay, I won’t.” JJ shrugged before he walked off and John B frowned before he pushed the door opened. 

“Wait, JJ how does Ellie know about him?” He questioned, running a bit to catch up with his friend’s quick pace. “And what does he owe you guys?!”  JJ stayed silent, his pace still confident that when he walked into the bar, eyes turned to watch the two teenagers. “Come on, there’s gotta be a better option than this.” 

“Oh, you know what? There is a better option.” The blonde pivoted and faced his friend. “Except there’s not. All right, dude? Seriously, we don’t have a whole lot of time, and your dad needs help right now, and this guy is gonna be the key to getting down to South America ASAP.” JJ stopped and pointed to a man outside the four inside walls. “Trust me on this one.” 

“Trust you? I’ll trust Ellie, m’kay?” JJ rolled his eyes. 

“Let me do the talking, okay?” The teenager wiped his hands on his pants before he decorated his lips with a friendly smile. “Yo, Mike! Yo!” He chuckled when the man stared at him. “You remember me, right?” He said though he trailed off nervously when the man raised a thin but long knife. “It’s on the tip of your tongue. J-”

“Luke’s son.” Mike finished as he stabbed the tip of it into the worn wood table. 

“That works too.” JJ’s blue irises moved from the blade to the man’s face. “Uh, also go by JJ, but this here is my good friend, John B.” JJ wrapped an arm around the front of John B’s shoulders and he turned him around. 

“Hey.” The boy said nervously. 

“Routledge!” 

“In the flesh. Yep.” 

“Heard stories about you two.” 

“Uh-oh.” John B let out but JJ chuckled nervously. 

“I mean, he’s a stone-cold cop k-killer.” JJ stuttered when one of Mike’s man appeared beside him. 

“No, I’m not.” John B corrected. 

“Mike,” JJ started, leaning on the window ledge. “I’m gonna be honest about why we’re here, okay? We’re a little bit in a patch of trouble, and we’re trying to get down to South America if that’s-” 

“I’m sorry, slick,” Mike shook his head. “but I done sold the travel agency.” JJ laughed and John B screwed his eyes shut. 

“Well, I mean,” The blonde cleared his throat. “what if I collect a debt?” Mike snorted, looking down at the teenager who did everything to avoid his gaze. 

“Who among the people you know, do I owe something to?” 

“Elizabeth Miller.” He said and Mike arched an eyebrow. 

“Right…” He dragged on the word. “And why isn’t she here to do it herself?” JJ shrugged. “Because I don’t deal with lackeys.” He added. “If she wants to get what she’s owed, she’ll come herself.” Mike twisted the knife deeper into the table. “I don’t like having a debt to someone, so she better make it here quick.” JJ shook his head as the man talked. 

“Yeah, no, she won’t be-” He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck. “Won’t be coming here, again.” He mumbled as he glanced at the patrons around them. 

“I’m sorry boys-” The adult started to walk away but John B cleared his throat. 

“We’re not looking for a free handout, I mean… We know it’s a two-way road.” JJ clasped his hands together. “Symbiotic relationship.” 

“Yes, yes.” John B nodded. 

“That’s what we’re trying to get at. We just need to parlee-”

“Parley. Parley is what he’s saying.” John B corrected, standing up straight. 

“Parley in, um… in private, if that’s cool with you.” 

Barracuda Mike looked at the men surrounding them and he nodded before letting the rag between his hands drop. 

“Just stay here.” JJ told his best friend.

“No, you’re not gonna do this. You’re not gonna leave me here.” John B asked but JJ had already turned around, running straight into a taller man. 

“Excuse you! All right.” He mumbled before pushing past him and following the man down the line of fishermen. 

Once they were far enough, Barracuda Mike turned around, hands stilling on his hips and staring down at the teenager. 

“Look,” The blonde started. “I know you got planes coming in with bales of weed from South America, and they need to be unloaded, right?” The man did not deny the statement. “That’s what my dad did for you. And if you won’t let me collect Beth Miller’s favor then I can do the same thing my old man did, Mike.” Mike scoffed. “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 All right?” The man stared down at JJ with an eyebrow raised, completely unimpressed. “Like… like for free.” He offered and then the man chuckled. 

“Nothing’s free.” JJ raised his hand up as a wait to say wait a sec. 

“I live by that one too. All right? So I’ll be honest.” JJ stabilized himself on his two feet before he blinked against the gust of wind. “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.” The adult realized and JJ nodded. 

“We just want a ride in that cargo hold. And then in exchange, you get two sets of free hands-” The teenager pointed between himself and his best friend. “and another 20 K in your pocket. I mean, I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty damn free to me.” He chuckled, hoping that the slight nervousness was hidden well enough. “What do you say?”

John B had been waiting for a few minutes though under Barracuda Mike’s friend’s stared, it felt like an hour. 

“Yeah, so, uh, what do you… what do you guys catch out here?” The brunette asked. 

“Money.” The man said with a slight nod and if the situation wasn’t what it currently was, John B would’ve snorted up a quick laugh. 

“Five thirty.” Mike’s voice said and John B’s head turned to the right where he could see his friend walk away from the man and he sighed in relief. 

“Five thirty, tonight. We’ll be there. Yes, sir.” 

“Anyways, nice to meet you fellas-” John B was stopped when his best friend’s hand slapped him on the left shoulder before JJ pulled him back. 

“Hey, let’s go. Come on.” 

The two teenagers made their way back to the van, avoiding passers-by that seemed to recognize the blonde. As they moved, JJ tried to formulate the order of words in his mind because he knew that as soon as they were back in the van, John B would ask him what was said between him and Mike. 

“Okay,” John B started as he licked his dried lips. “what do we gotta do?” He asked a handful of feet away from the van. 

“Just a little something.” John B was waved off and doubt started to creep up in John B’s mind. 

“A little something?” 

“Yeah.” JJ’s voice went higher in pitch as the words flew out of his mouth. 

“Every time you say a little something,-”

“You’re being negative John B-”

 “it’s never a little something.” 

JJ’s back hit the passenger door of the van and he let out a sharp breath. 

“All right,” He exclaimed, hands holding onto John B’s arms before he let them go. “it’s literally the easiest job in the world, bro.” John B groaned, feeling the urge to pull on his hair, exasperated. “We just have to unload it. You know what they do on planes? You know on Delta and United when they take the bags off of the-” JJ stopped himself when John B agreed, both eyes closed. “That’s what we’re doing. Okay?” John B nodded. “Once we do that, we punch our tickets, go on to South America, sippin’ on pinã coladas, all right?” The blonde walked away and into the van without casting a look at his best friend, shuffling the taller’s key ring in his hand. “John B, it’s gonna be a piece of cake.” He settled in his seat and shut the door loudly. “You’re driving.” He added before throwing the keys at his friend’s head. 

-

Big John was warned when they reached Orinoco Delta in Venezuela and it set his already hot nerves on fire. 

“Finally, the Orinoco, John.” Singh appeared next to him on the deck. “The gateway to El Dorado. A graveyard of empires.” Singh stepped ahead, shoved his hands in his pockets as he felt a shiver run up his back. “Many have died, you know?” He glanced at the father over his shoulder and hid a scoff. “Perhaps we add a few more to the list.” Singh turned fully to his and John’s left when the revving of a boat engine approached them. “Say hello to your new river guide, John.” Singh said when a much smaller embarkation caught John’s eye. “It’s four days until the solstice, you know, and on that night, you’ll be a part of history.” He finished and Big John clutched the piece of paper tighter in his hands. 

-

Cleo and Pope’s heads were completely taken over by what they had found the night prior and though they tried to search for the symbols on the Internet they were left with even less answers. 

“I mean,” Cleo spoke softly as she leaned over the balcony on the opposite side of where Pope was. “we know this is some sort of translation key, right? I don’t get it. I mean, look.” She pushed off the wooden slat before closing the distance between the two. “This is the sun,” she pointed to two images on the old paper. “and that’s the glyph for sun, and this is gold, and that’s the glyph for gold, but it’s not like a dictionary.” Cleo sighed as the sounds of  footsteps reached their ears. “Don’t you get the feeling like if you were to put it together in the right order, it’d mean something specific?” 

“Hey.” Elizabeth spoke softly as she stopped next to Cleo, brushing a strand of hair out of her mouth. “What’s up?” She questioned when she noticed the frown on her friends’ eyebrows. 

“We found this last night,” Pope stepped back against Elizabeth’s side and he moved the papers in her eyeline. She threw him a quick look, eyebrow raised in a question as she started to reach for the objects in his hand. He nodded quickly and she held them between her fingers. 

“I’ve seen this somewhere before.” Pope mumbled over her shoulder and she nodded. “The sun, sun, sun, sun…” Pope trailed off, mumbling to himself as he and Cleo stepped to the edge of the patio, leaving Ellie in the middle of it, bringing the glyphs closer to her face. 

“You know the part that I can’t understand?” Cleo asked and both Pope and Ellie threw her a quick questioning look. “This man had one opportunity to send a letter to his daughter, and he sends this mishmash?” Elizabeth nodded as she glanced between the two sheets of paper. “Think about it. A translation of Kalinago? There must’ve been a reason.” The brunette’s head snapped up at the word. 

“Kalinago?” She repeated and Pope nodded. “And you found this in-”

“Family stuff, from Denmark to the daughter he never met.” Pope shrugged. 

“It almost sounds like an inheritance.” Cleo mumbled and Pope’s eyes grew wide. 

“That’s it.” Pope looked between the two girls and he laughed before his eyes fell on Cleo. “He wanted her to find El Dorado.” He smiled before he brought her in for a too long hug that left Elizabeth standing awkwardly to the side, eyeing them amusedly. When they pulled apart, Cleo and Pope stared at each other and Ellie cleared her throat. 

“Um, we gotta check this out.” 

“Yeah, we should do that, you coming?” Cleo turned to face Ellie who was still looking at the glyphs.

“Huh, what?” 

“We’re gonna go, are you coming?” Elizabeth nodded. 

-

Kiara and Sarah had made their way to Ward’s not-so-secret secret hideout and even though Kiara voiced her concerns to her friend, Sarah still seemed determined to ask her father for help. 

“Wait, your dad’s staying here?” Kiara asked, while tying the boat to the dock. 

“It’s where I’d stay if I were him.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” 

“I don’t know, but I gotta help John B and his dad.” 

“Yeah, if I hear  blood curdling screams, I’ll make sure to go in and document the crime scene.” Kiara said darkly. 

“You’re the best.” Sarah said before she walked to the door. 

The blonde closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. When the door opened, Ward turned around, nervous that his son had come back but the tension left his shoulders and his gaze softened when it fell on his oldest daughter. 

“Hey sweetie.” He said softly, taking off his glasses. 

She didn’t react to the term of endearment, barely looked at him as she stepped further in. She eyed the place a little bit before she took the necessary steps to stand in front of her dad. 

“I prayed you’d come around.” He added. Sarah moistened her lips, sucked in a breath and finally looked at her father.

“Do you remember you told me you would do anything to repair our relationship?” He nodded quickly. 

“Of course. I meant it.” 

“There’s something you can do.”

“Anything.” He shook his head, unable to believe that his daughter stood in front of him, giving him a second chance. 

-

John B, reluctantly, drove him and JJ to where Mike had set the meeting. The van was put in park and the tallest of the two pocketed the keys. 

“I … I don’t know about this.” John B stammered. 

“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.” JJ tried to resonate. 

“Yeah, yeah,” John B said dismissively. “why don’t you call it what it is. It’s a drug- smuggling operation-”

“Do you wanna get your dad or not?” 

“Yes, I do! Okay? Look, this has to work out, all right?” JJ nodded. “I doubted him, and I blamed him. And all this time, he was just trying to protect me.” John B didn’t stop talking even though he noticed the way JJ seemed to be looking around nervously. “And now he’s been abducted, so I kinda need a bit of a-”

“John B, no! Okay, listen, listen. I know.” JJ stopped them, grabbing his friend’s shoulders in his two hands, forcing him to look in his eyes. “You know who you’re gonna have to trust, right now? Papa, J.” 

“Ugh, don’t call you-” John B grimaced. 

“Whatever.” The blonde rolled his eyes with a slap of his friend’s hand. “I got this, a hundred percent.” They started to walk again.

“I mean, sixty percent would be good, honestly. I feel you’re just overestimating yourself and the situation a little bit.” A hand was slapped on John B’s chest which made him stumbled a little bit and he frowned at JJ’s look. 

“You didn’t-” He scrunched his nose nervously. “You didn’t tell Beth, right?” A small smile tried to pull at the brunette’s lips but the way JJ looked right now made him drop the act. 

“When? When would I have told her?” JJ shrugged. 

“You’re sneaky, man. You went to pee, so I don’-” They resumed their trek.

“I didn’t tell your girl, man.” He mumbled and JJ raised a finger. 

“Not my-” JJ gasped when they turned a corner and a clearing appeared. Smack in the middle of it, stood an old and rusty looking plane.

“Holy shit, look at that thing.” 

“Yeah, dude. It’s like an RV with wings.” They walked closer and stumbled a bit when they noticed a few men had already started to unload the plane. 

“Shit, they’re already unloading.” 

“Oh shit.” They jogged to where Mike stood. “Yo! We aren’t late, are we?” 

“No,” Mike started as he twirled a key ring around his finger. JJ eyed the U-Haul truck the man was leaning against. “there was a change of plan though.” 

“Oh, uh, okay.” The rented vehicle key was tapped against the blonde’s sternum. 

“You two are gonna drive the truck up to Elizabeth City to make the drop.” As the words left Mike’s mouth, both teenagers felt like they had been had and JJ didn’t dare glance at his best friend. “The address is in the truck though I doubt you’ll have trouble remembering the town, huh?” He winked at the blonde who sucked at his teeth unamused. “There’ll be a dummy car for you to use to come back. The plane’ll still be waiting.” He told them. JJ chanced at glance at John B and nodded, acknowledging his friend’s anger.

“Right. Okay, so, um…” JJ started, nervously fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “you just want us to drive the truck?” 

“Correct.” JJ reached for the keys before John B slapped his hand down. 

“Actually, can I just borrow him for one second?” He didn’t wait for Mike’s answer and gently pushed JJ away. “Hey, hey, this is not what we talked about. This is way more dangerous.” John B scolded. “Let’s just get Ellie and she’ll get her favor.” John B eyed JJ who, at the mention of the girl, started shaking his head. 

“I’m leaving her out of this.” 

“JJ, it’s not what we talked about.” 

“It don’t matter what we talked about.” Mike said out loud. “In for a penny, in for a pound.” John B clenched his jaw. “You do this, you get your ride.” 

“Yeah, it’s just that–” 

“If not,” Mike leaned forward, invading the teenagers’ personal space. “you know how this works, right?” JJ glanced around, at the men that had been previously unloading the plan and were now staring at them. “Now, Highway Patrol is changing shifts as we speak. This is the window. Take it to the drop out on Prospect. Directions are in the truck.” He told them before he slapped his hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “Any luck, we’ll have you back before sundown.” The man chuckled once again, presenting the keys to the blonde. “Take the key.”

JJ’s tongue moved to the space between his teeth and his lower lip and he took a few seconds to think. John B groaned when his friend sighed. 

“Yeah, no problem.” The blonde patted the brunette’s chest. “Get in the truck.” he ordered, without another word, he walked to the back of the truck; pulled down and locked the trailer’s door. 

John B watched, in anger, disappointment, nervousness but also guilt as his best friend took the driver’s seat and turned on the engine before he pulled onto the road. 

“Any idea what’s in the back of the truck?” 

“Yes, John B, I know what’s in the back, right now. And it’s gonna be fine. It’s gonna work out. Okay?” 

“I am sick of your bullshit plans, man.” John B snapped. 

“Goddamn!” 

“No, I’m just saying, JJ, this might top the time you told me to fake appendicitis in jail.” JJ bit back a smirk because it simply wasn’t the time for that. 

“And that almost worked.” John B bent sideways between their two seats. “Get the map out. I have no idea where I’m going.” They turned a corner. 

“All right, we need to get to 158.” JJ ripped the page out once John B found it. 

“Jesus Christ.” JJ placed the page on the steering wheel and squinted. “There is it. It’s gonna be a nice–” 

“Cop.” John B muttered urgently. “JJ, JJ, there’s a cop.” JJ’s blue irises moved from the map to the road ahead of him and there was in fact a cop, with his patrol car. He seemed to be already with someone. 

“Shit.” He shoved the map in the door pocket. 

“Okay, play it cool.” John B leaned back. “I’m cool.” 

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m super cool.” John B argued. 

“I’m as cool as it gets.” John B glanced to the side in consternation as his best friend seemed to practice his waving. 

“What are you doing?”

“I’m just gonna wave.” 

“Don’t do that.” John B begged. 

“JJ? What are you-” He stilled when JJ poked his head through the window. 

“Hi, officer.” He greeted with a nice wave.

Wave that John B pushed away, which made JJ swerve. The tires screeched, the blonde’s foot was on the brake pedal before he pulled it off and corrected his course. He glared at his best friend, feeling the sudden urge to smack him over the head. 

“Why’d you touch me?” 

“Don’t wave at cops!” John B shouted. “Rule number one of driving a U-Haul!” The driver leaned forward, looking in the mirrors for the police car he knew would come after them. “We’ve been in the car for five minutes.”

“He’s getting in.” JJ informed him as the cop shut the patrol car door. 

“Okay, okay. Just act very, very calm.” John B said and just as he finished, the sirens wailed. 

“Shit, he’s coming! He’s coming! Shit! Damn it!” The blonde swore before shoving the maps off his laps. “Dude, goblin mode, all right? We gotta lose him, okay?” 

“Goblin more?” John B shouted. “What’s that even mean, JJ?”

“That’s what we gotta do! Hang on! I got this!” 

“JJ!” 

The blonde held onto the wheel and turned abruptly onto a grass overgrown dirt road that was just there. He drove a bit ahead, hoping to hide in the trees. He turned off the engine and jumped out. 

“Get out! Go, go, go!” 

“Okay!” The two of them ran. “I swear to God, if we get through this, I’m gonna kill you.” 

“You probably won’t have to because Barracuda Mike will kill us first.” The blonde panted as his best friend was ahead. 

“Hopefully, Ellie will avenge us!” John B added before he sucked in a breath and ran faster. 

-

If the situation wasn’t what it was, Big John would’ve enjoyed their journey. They were surrounded by trees and animals, the weather felt nice against his skin and the sunset was beautiful. 

“Pizzaro, Sir Walter Raleigh. They also came up this river, you know, John, hmm?” Singh spoke, breaking the quiet of the boat. “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.” The man’s hand fell into the leather bag to his right in which stood John’s half of the idol. “Something no one ever found.” He slapped the piece. “My grandfather, he died on that ship, you know, John? As did many others. And for what, hmm?” He leaned forward, a mean expression in his eyes. “For what? For nothing. They failed.”

“You murdered my friend. Why?” John finally spoke with a certain calm that ticked Singh off. “So your grandfather wouldn’t have died in vain over a hundred years ago?”

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

“For the kid…” He trailed off and Singh shook his head. “Kids… I guess.” He stared at his hands as memories of him and John B and Elizabeth hit him. “It was something we did together. I didn’t care what others thought of me. I just wanted him to know that… That I wasn’t nothing.”

“We’re not all that different, you and me, John.” John glanced at the man with a frown. “We’re not that different, you know.” The father looked around him in amazement before he set his eyes back on Singh and his expression shifted to disgust. 

-

In the middle of the afternoon, Rafe found Barry where he always found him, at the same place where they melted down the artifact. 

“Listen, I’ve been going through it over and over and over again. Okay?” Rafe was pacing in front of Barry who stared at him with a  jaded look. Alright okay, the man was high out of his mind “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.” Rafe glanced at the rattan table and on it laid  a wad of cash, a lighter, a baggie of rolled joints, two beers and a firearm. “And anyway, who’s gonna know?” Barry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, the Kook was slowly draining the comfortable buzz he’d been in. “He’s already dead. You can’t kill someone who’s already dead.” 

Insects chirped in the handful of seconds where Rafe and Barry’s eyes met. The latter hadn’t said anything since the greeting he uttered when Rafe arrived… Greeting that seemed to have launched the tall man into a monologue.

“Hey, if my pop stays here, all right,” Rafe took a seat on the cool, white plastic chair in front of Barry. “Our deal.” he added, finger flitting between the two. “us doing business together, using the company to launder the money, all that fifty-fifty shit…” Barry leaned forward, eyebrow cocked high as he waited for the man to finish talking. 

“Mm-hmm.” Barry nodded with a nose scrunch. 

“... all that’s gone.” Rafe continued, his tone severe as his eyebrows scrunched up together. 

“What you’re asking me right now is something that once it’s done, cannot be undone.” Barry slurred his words a little bit as he spoke. “There’s no going back.” He took a sip from the now lukewarm beer on the table before he licked his lips clean of the beverage. “I’m talking about your family, talking about your pops, talking about your blood. And blood complicates things. Hypothetically speaking, let’s say I do it.” The can of beer tipped a little bit as he moved back and forth between laying back against the backrest and leaning forward. “And then, for whatever reason, you decide to change your mind.” Barry’s tongue moved around in his mouth as the fog in his brain cleared up a little. “Sell me out.” He added and Rafe shook his head. 

“No.” The Kook’s blue irises moved around the forest they were in and he blinked slowly. “Yeah, this has been a long time coming.” Rafe said slowly. “He’s always had his boot on my neck. Holding me down. That’s all gonna be over soon.” Rafe snatched the beer he had been drinking and chugged the last few sips as he stood and walked away from Barry. “I’m not changing my mind.” He stated as the can clattered on the ground. 

-

JJ and John B were out of breath when they finally reached the van after ditching the U-Haul a few miles away. 

“My dad is somewhere in South America right now, probably with a knife to his throat, and what are we doing?” John B spoke through heavy breaths. “Moving weight?” He asked, his arms tensing on either side of his body. “In goblin mode?” He waited for a few seconds while JJ spat a blob of spit into the dried grass. “What does, what does that eve-” The blonde turned to face his best friend.

“How many times will you complain about me trying to help save your dad?” JJ’s voice gained in volume as the words moved past his lips. 

“Help is the exact opposite of what you’re doing right now!” John B shouted, JJ stared at him; lips pressed together. 

“You know what?” JJ pointed at his friend a handful of times before his arm fell down his side. “You’re right.” The boy took a few steps closer, head tilted to the side as he sucked in a breath. “But you know whose fault that is?” He sniffed, rubbing the skin under his nose before he jabbed his pointer finger against John B’s chest. “You and your treasure-obsessed father.” A laugh was pushed out of JJ’s chest as John B shoved him. “Oh, okay!” He nodded. “That’s where we’re going?” 

“That’s where we’re going.” John B repeated. 

“Yeah.” The blonde shoved John B. “And it looks like we just went there too!” 

They shoved each other back and forth a couple of times before JJ reached behind John B’s neck and brought him down. 

“That’s it! I’ve been waiting for this.” JJ grunted before he was pushed on his back. John B’s right side was against his chest as the brunette tried to shove the blonde off. 

“Get off me!” JJ shouted, he hid the tremors in his voice as he grunted. 

The wailing of a siren stopped them quickly. John B’s shirt was in JJ’s fists as he held the blonde down. 

“Howdy, boys!” Victor Shoupe stood outside of his patrol car, leaning against the driver's side door. 

Hands were pushed off bodies and the two teenagers scrambled to their feet and dusted off their shorts and hands. 

“Uh…” 

“‘Sup, Shoupe?” John B asked when the policeman approached.

“You boys okay?” John B slapped his hand on JJ’s shoulder a hint too harshly and the blonde shrugged him off as he was brought forward. 

“Yeah, we’re, uh, you know, just, um…” He glanced at JJ quickly. “We’re… we’re good.” 

Shoupe bent forward a little bit before he grabbed an object off the back bumper of the van. It beeped in his hand and he nodded satisfied before looking back at the two teenagers. 

“Tracker.” He stated, raising the object so that the kids could see it properly. “Makes it a lot easier to keep an eye on you hoodlums.” JJ clenched his jaw in anger and he glared at his friend who avoided his gaze. 

“All units, evidence team is en route to the abandoned U-Haul. Over.” A voice came through the radio and John B cursed under his breath, careful to not look at his friend. 

“Copy that.” Shoupe said in the walkie-talkie. 

“Sounds like duty calls.” JJ spoke. “So we wouldn’t want to hold you up.” He scratched at a non-existent scratch on his bicep and he started to make his way to the Twinkie. “We’ll get out of your hair.” 

“Hold on a minute.” The officer put his hand on JJ’s shoulder but took it away as soon as the teenager sent him a glare. “We just found a U-Haul full of drugs out near 158.” His eyes questioned the two teenagers who sported their most innocent expressions. “Y’all wouldn’t happen to be involved in that, would you?” 

JJ feigned offense. 

“You see that?” The blonde pointed at the cop. “That’s profiling, John B.” 

“I know.”

“And I really don’t appreciate it. Like just cause we’re Pogues, you think we’re drug dealers? No, no!” He laughed breathlessly and John B looked at his friend with a worried furrow of his brows. “We’re not that desperate now, Shoupe.” The officer’s gaze moved from JJ to John B. 

“No, 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?” John B scoffed. “A warrant?” 

“Topper’s pressing charges.” Shoupe explained before he turned John B around.

“Hold up!” JJ started to reach for the man but he was thrown the same look he’d thrown Shoupe before. 

“For what?” John B’s voice was high as he shouted. “No, he started it!” 

“He did start it.” 

“I’m just being honest with you.” 

“Are you serious, dog?” JJ scoffed as Shoupe brought John B up against the van. 

“Honestly, what did i do?” 

“Hands up against the van.” The man instructed as he started to pat the boy down. 

“Shoupe, this time, I didn’t even do anything, okay?” 

“Shoupe, do you know what Topper did to John B?” JJ shouted from a distance away that wouldn’t cause problems. 

“No, but I know what your boy here did.” The man reached for both hands on either side of John B’s head before he handcuffed him. “He beat him in front of the whole town.” 

“Yeah, which is-” JJ breathed harshly when Shoupe interrupted him again.

“And kept beatin’ him after he was down, and Topper may be a douche, but you know better than that.” He spoke the last handful of words directly to John B who closed his eyes as he was pulled off the van. 

“Shoupe! Come on, he was messing with John B’s girl. You’d do the same.” JJ followed when the two walked away. 

“Shoupe, I get it, okay?” John B spoke calmly, looking right at the police officer. “But I can’t be locked up right now.” He tried to explain. 

“Well, you should’ve thought of that beforehand.”  

“Come on, man. We’re doing this again?” John B borderline whined, he lowered his head and got into the back seat of the truck. “I don’t have time for this.” 

“Come on!” JJ begged again. 

“JJ, please.” He was moved to the side and Shoupe jumped into the driver’ seat. 

“He didn’t so shit too. You know that!” 

“You stay safe and stay outta trouble.” Shoupe advised before he turned the engine on. 

The blonde’s gaze stayed fixed on the ground for a few seconds before he took a breath and faced his best friend. 

“Hey, John B.” He approached the window. “Listen, we’re gonna fix it. We’re gonna get down to South America and save your dad-” John B shook his head, eyes begging his best friend. “I’ll figure it out. I’ll make up a plan something-”

“No.” JJ frowned at John B’s words. “Get Ellie, get Ellie and get her to help you JJ. Don’t fuck this up, we’re talking about my dad, right now, okay? She’s been with him before, she knows what’s up.” The truck started to move and JJ jogged a little bit to keep up with them. “Get Elizabeth to help. She’s your best bet right now.” John B instructed and JJ nodded, watching the truck turn the corner and disappear into the forest. 

-

Mike and Anna sat Kiara down in The Wreck’s dining room and on the table, they spread in front of her a handful of Wilderness Camps brochures. 

“I thought we were past this.” She scoffed. 

“Kiara, it’s similar to what you’ve been doing.” Her mother handed her one brochure in particular and the teenager threw an uninterested glance at it. “It’s not having to sit at a desk every day-”

“She’s painting rocks.” She pointed to one on her left. 

“Okay, so yes, not this one.” She tapped the one that had Kitty Hawk written in big, bold letters. “But look at this one, please. All wilderness activity stuff. This is what you’ve been doing.” Anna said with hope and enthusiasm in her eyes. “It just has structure and safety to it.”

“Listen,” Mike started and Kiara fought herself to not roll her eyes. “if you wanna go across the ocean, you first have to build a boat. Okay?” His tone was nothing but arrogant. “And you haven’t built the boat yet, Kiara.” The girl squinted as she processed her father’s word. “You haven’t put in the groundwork that’s needed. Without that, you’re not going anywhere. Do you understand what I’m saying?” The heel of her foot tapped nervously and restlessly against the leg of the chair. 

“All your dad is trying to say is that we need there to be a plan in place for your safety, that’s all.” Her mom spoke up which barely calmed the teenager. 

“I get it, and if I were you guys, I’d be wondering the same thing. I was gone for weeks. I haven’t gone back to school yet, and I keep delaying, but…” She stopped and glanced at her parents who stared at her expectantly. She exhaled, eyes closed. “... so much has happened. Like, I… I was abducted. I thought I was gonna die!” Her parents’ gazes are filled with sadness and guilt. “Like, so much has changed! I… I really understand what you guys want from me. I’m just not into school right now. And I’m really, really not into going away for school.” She pushed the brochures towards them. 

Mike sighed, anger in his eyes and he pushed off the table to stand towards the window just as there was a knock on the door. 

“Hi, Mr and Mrs. Carrera.” Pope spoke from the door. He sent a friendly wave to the parents before his eyes set on Kiara’s relieved face. She could see Cleo and Ellie behind him and her feet were already set up for her to stand up. 

“Uh, I’m gonna get that.” She told them. 

“Kiara.” Said her name warningly. “Come back.” She asked and the girl raised her finger, mouthing a one minute. She didn’t miss the disapproving look her dad sent her mom.

“Guys, what’s up?” She whispered once she joined her friends outside. “Now is not a good time. My parents are on a literal warpath about my future.” She told them and Elizabeth scoffed. 

“This’ll only take a second.” Pope said. “Do you still have that picture you took at Singh’s? The one of the painting?” Kiara nodded.

“Yeah, obviously.” She pulled out her phone and Pope snatched it out of her hand. 

“Thank you.” He whispered.

“That was rude.” Kiara muttered as she looked at Cleo.

Pope went down the stairs, followed closely by Elizabeth who simply shook her head when she saw the boy frown when the request for a passcode appeared on the touch screen. 

“Lemme-” She grabbed the phone from his hands, entered the four digit PIN and went through the phone before opening the photo application and looking for the photo Pope had talked to her about on their way over. 

“What are you even looking for?” Kiara asked when she saw Ellie now had her phone. 

“Something Cleo found, actually.” Pope said. “Wait, it’s this one!” He wrapped his hand around Elizabeth’s and swiped back two pictures. “This one.” He eyed Kie and glanced at the bench in front of him before he and the two girls that came with him sat down. “This is a letter Denmark Tanny wrote to his daughter.” 

“We found it last night.” Cleo smiled as she took a seat beside Pope. “Family heirlooms and thingums.” She trailed off with a bright, looking to her left at Pope who was zooming in and out of the picture after he snuck a glance at her. 

Kiara raised her eyebrows and looked at Elizabeth who had also witnessed the interaction and they both bit back amused but fond smiles. 

“We think we found a connection to the idol.” 

“Which I actually have at home.” Elizabeth announced to Kiara since she had already told Cleo and Pope on the way over. 

“Look, check this out.” He put the sheet of paper and the photo on the cellphone side by side. “See the king sun glyph here?” He gestured to the paper and Kie nodded. “It matches the one in the painting at Singh’s house.” Kiara looked up at them confused. 

“Couldn’t that mean it’s pretty common?” 

“Actually no.” He pushed the paper closer to Kiara. “These glyphs are Kalinago, which has never been deciphered.”

“Never?” 

“Never ever.” 

“Never ever.” Pope and Cleo spoke at the same time, blushes taking over their cheeks and Elizabeth smiled amused before she nudged Kiara on her right and scrunched up her nose mockingly. 

“Never ever.” She repeated. 

“Okay, shut up.” Pope groaned and Ellie flicked his hand. “Okay, so, some people believe that the captain of the San Jose actually found somebody who knew how to translate these glyphs because he found El Dorado.” Kiara opened her eyes wide in realization. 

“The priest that talked to Denmark Tanny, that was on the Royal Merchant.” She grabbed her head with her two hands as she stared at her friends. 

“Exactly!” Pope leaned forward, the excitement flooded his body. “Every glyph that is in this letter is in the artifact.” All three pairs of eyes settled on Elizabeth who sighed and gestured to the phone with her chin. “This isn’t just some random Rosetta stone for Kalinago. This … this is a direct translation key for the idol!” 

“What they’re saying, is that, we’re gonna use this to save John.” Elizabeth said. 

“Yeah, I got that.” Kiara deadpanned as she looked at her best friend. “We have to get this to John B, like, yesterday.” 

The four of them stood up and Kiara pocketed her phone back. 

“Hey, hey!” Mike shouted from the side entrance to the restaurant. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Where you going?” 

“Uh, to the break.” Kiara stuttered. “We’re gonna go check out the surf.” Kiara was a bad lie and it showed that her father didn’t believe her. “Can we finish this later?” She asked. 

“Yeah. Have fun.” He told them though his face showed little to no emotion. 

“Yeah.” Kiara nodded. 

“Hi, Lizzie.” The man waved to the brunette who simply glanced from him to her friends before she turned around and walked with them. 

-

Sarah’s heart was hammering in her chest as she walked to the Sheriff’s Station. Her palms were sweaty and she was silently rehearsing her speech as she mouthed the words. When she noticed Topper and his mother on the other side of the street of the station she plastered a smile on. 

“Hey!” She waved nervously. 

“See? See, Mom?” Topper looked back at his mother who shook her head. “I’m not an idiot. There she is.” He walked to Sarah, arms wide opened. “How are you?” He wrapped her arms around her, too happy that she was there to notice how loose her hold was. 

“Good.” She smiled. 

“Good to see you.” He sighed, shoulders dropping low. “So, um, I don’t know if you heard, but they got him.” He told her. “He’s… he’s in the station right now.” 

“He’s in there?” She asked surprised. 

“Yeah, John B’s here.” He spluttered. “Shoupe tracked him down somehow on Route 12. Thank God.” The Kook sighed dramatically. “Right?” Sarah looked around before she met his gaze. 

“Can we talk?” She asked seriously. 

“Yeah, yeah. What’s… what’s up?” 

The blonde met Topper’s mother’s eyes over his shoulder and she sucked in a breath. 

“Walk with me.” She mumbled. Topper nodded, hesitancy in his eyes which he shook off. 

“Mom, give us a sec.” 

“Topper, we’re already late.” 

They walked for a couple of minutes, to a spot where he used to take her for late night smooching sessions. 

“All right…” He sighed when he noticed her fingers fidgeting. “So, come on, Sarah.” She faced him. “It’s not like I can’t guess what you’re gonna say right now. Are you on my side or his?” She bit her lower lip, eyes stuck on the one button on his shirt that was undone and she reached forward softly and buttoned it up before her palms were splayed against his shirt covered chest. 

“I’m gonna say something really crazy,” she started. “and I just need for you to hear me out, please.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes. “John B’s dad, Big John, is in South America right now.” She grabbed his hands and rubbed the inside of his wrists. “And he’s in a lot of trouble, and John B needs to go help him, but he can’t do that if he’s arrested.” She explained, her tone soft, her eyes never broke contact with his and her touch on the sensitive skin of his wrists was purposeful. 

“If he’s arrested.” He repeated. “Oh, so it is that.” He looked at the sunset over her head. 

“No, Topper.” She squeezed his arms, needing his attention back on her so he wouldn’t go and spiral. 

“You want me to not press charges.” Sarah released his hands and caressed the skin of his arms before cupping his face lovingly. 

“No, that’s not what I’m saying-” 

“Just tell me.” 

“I’m saying, just wait a day.” She let her eyelashes flutter quickly before she looked up at him. “And then after a day, you can do whatever you want because John B is gonna be off the island. Do you see what I’m saying? Like, maybe forever.” 

She held his gaze for a few seconds, caressing the underside of his jaw. 

“Forever.” He chuckled, pleased. He walked around her and sat down on a foot high piece of wall that was destroyed. “Okay, so if I just wait a day, John B will be gone.” She nodded. “Yeah?” She took a seat next to him. 

“Yes.” 

“And what? You’ll go with him?” He asked and she hoped there was nothing in her eyes or in the way she sucked in a surprised breath that betrayed her. 

“I’ll stay here.” She whispered and he started to nod, acknowledging her words.

“You promise me that?” He asked and her heart broke for half a second when she uttered the word. 

“Promise.” He bit his lip, still nodding though he felt a warmth bloom in his chest. 

“All right, I trust you.” He smiled, nothing holding back the pull at the corner of his lips. “I’ll give you a day.” He told her and she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his bruised cheek in a very chaste kiss. 

“I’ll hit you up tonight?” She offered as she stood up. 

“Yeah.”

“Okay, good.” She bit back a smile. 

“Hey, uh,” He grabbed her fingers between his, thumb softly going over the first knuckles of her hand and she let him. “I love you.” He whispered the words, she breathed out, shakily and Topper looked pleased and satisfied with the reaction because he dropped her hand. 

He let her walk away for what he hoped was the last time but he couldn’t dare see her go so he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. When the Kook went back to his mother, she scolded him but he urged her to get back in their car. He couldn't let her angry tone distract him from the giddy feeling in his chest. 

-

Kiara, Elizabeth, Pope and Cleo arrived at the chateau a little bit later than they’d hoped, the walk from Kie’s house on Figure Eight to John B’s home in the deep end of the Cut made for more than an hour long walk. 

“... some sweatshirts, bottoms or whatever you need in the second room.” Ellie smiled at Cleo who rubbed her arms. “You’re more than welcome to it.” Elizabeth absentmindedly reached for the doorknob and opened the door for her and her friends. 

“Hey, do you have it with you?” Pope asked quietly, he held the door open with his left hand as the girls took their shoes off. 

“Nah, I hid it, I keep feeling ey-”

“Where were you?” A voice shouted from further inside of the Chateau. Elizabeth looked up when she felt a pair of blue irises on her. She then looked at Kie and Pope with a frown before she glanced back to a irritated looking JJ. 

“I’m sorry?” She chuckled and he frowned. 

“John B was arrested.” He stated and waited for her expression to change. 

“He what?”

“Arrested?” 

“What the f-” 

Kiara, Pope and Ellie’s mouths at the same time, releasing different questions and exclamations. 

“I went to y’all’s houses,” he pointed to Pope and Beth. “Mr. Heyward said he hadn’t seen you in hours.” He glanced at Ellie. “Nobody was home-” 

“Okay, we’re here now, though, JJ. What the fuck happened?” The brunette asked when she walked past him and into the kitchen to get glasses of water. 

“Shoupe happened.” She quirked an eyebrow and tilted her head to the side. “I swear! He put a damn tracker on the Twinkie, probably when he was here earlier.” 

“How was it with Mike?” He scoffed and waved her off. 

“He’s probably got prices on our heads.” He mumbled, defeated and Elizabeth looked at Pope and Kie and sighed. 

“So, what’s the plan?” She asked. 

“I don’t know I need a fucking beer.” The blonde groaned and he went to the fridge only to let out a disappointed curse when he found the fridge empty except from the leftovers from breakfast.

“Here you go, man.” Pope raised his right hand and handed the case of beers to the blonde who stared at it as if it was the greatest thing he’d ever seen. 

“Hey, so if none of y’all knew about John B, I guess you didn’t hear from Sarah? Asking to meet here?” They all shook their heads. 

-

Outer Banks. Paradise on earth. One side for the Pogues. Another for the Kooks. From the moment you’re born, you’re told what side you belong on. But I think it’s not what people tell you you are. It’s which side you choose. It’s which side your heart’s on.

-

Sarah was waiting on a bench on the other side of the street when the door to the Sheriff’s station creaked. John B walked out and his gaze fell on the blonde. The two teenagers slowly made their way towards each other but she let him take the last few steps before they were within arm reaching distance. 

“Was it you who got me out?” He asked. 

“Bought you a day.” She shrugged with a knowing smile on her lips. “So you don’t have a lot of time. And everybody should be at the Chateau.” She told him before she moved and walked past him. “I know you’re mad at me,” Sarah started once he turned around. “but I got you out, and I can get you to South America.” His head snapped to his left and he eyed her. “Everybody’s waiting.” He watched as she walked away, eyes trailing over her figure and he tried to hide a lovesick smile. “Are you coming?” 

“Yeah. Yeah.” 

-

Sarah jumped down the three steps that led to the grass right outside the Chateau and she smiled at the sight of all of her friends reunited and smiley. She took a few seconds to watch them, Kiara was sitting on a beach chair next to Elizabeth’s feet who was laying down on the hammock, Pope and Cleo were standing up, looking down at JJ who spoke animatedly with his hands as he sat on a wooden log right next to Elizabeth’s head. The blonde teenage boy had a grin on his face as he had his friends’ whole attention and she didn’t miss the too short but still lingering glance he threw to the brunette to his left and she didn’t miss the way that Cleo and Pope had little to no space between their shoulders. 

“Hey, uh, so, thanks for waiting.” She started, slightly out of breath. All five teenagers turned around or stood up to pay attention to the ex-kook. “Look who decided to come home.” John B stepped out and walked on the cool grass, a very neutral expression on his face as he eyed his family. 

“Welcome back.” 

“Whoa!” 

“You gotta be kidding me.” JJ said with a crooked smile on his face. 

“Hey, bud.” Ellie smiled with a wave which was replied to by a small salute from the teenager. 

They took a few seconds to settle back into their seats, JJ moved to the hammock only to see that the brunette was already taking half the space. When their eyes met she shuffled to one side of it and he timidly pointed to the space next to her and she nodded with a small smile. 

“I have something I want to share with you guys.” Sarah spoke up once everyone was sat. “I can get us down to the Orinoco.” She stated. 

“Are you serious?” 

“Yeah.” She nodded. 

“Okay. And how’s that gonna happen?” Cleo asked and everyone nodded, wanting to know the same thing. 

“My dad’s gonna let us use the plane.” 

“Ward?” “Your dad?” 

“Yep.” 

“Ah.” JJ let out, unconvinced. 

“We lay low tonight, then wheels up first thing in the morning.” 

“Okay, that’s a lot to process. Your dad actually helping us.” Pope said. 

“I talked to him. He’ll do it.” She said confidently. 

“So we trusting Ward now?” 

“Trust Sarah.” Kiara smiled at her friend. She eyed the others, mainly John B and Ellie and they nodded. 

“That’s all I needed to hear.” Pope raised his hands. 

“But wait, I also just have one more thing to say. Um…” Sarah stopped them before they spread out in and outside of the house. “Since we’ve gotten back from the island, I’ve done some things that I regret.” She said and everyone’s eyes moved from John B back to her. “A lot.” She followed their gazes and glanced at John B. Kiara cleared her throat once the staring between John B and Sarah was taking too long and it made Elizabeth snicker. “

“Yeah, I… I feel like we’ve all done a thing or two that we regret.”

Everyone stared at each other, Ellie did not miss the little nod that was shared between the two most important men in her life and she swallowed a small lump. She could feel Kiara’s eyes on her and she could feel the way JJ’s knee pressed against her criss-crossed legs in the hammock. She smiled a timid smile to her best friend before she winked and then she saw the way JJ’s hand was fidgeting on his knee. Sarah tried to catch the brunette’s gaze and when she did, she smiled. 

“The only thing that was missing from island paradise, from Poguelandia was Ellie, but we got her back.” Sarah’s head tilted to the side when she noticed that the brunette was struggling to hold back some tears in her eyes. “So I wanna know, are we still all in? Are we still all together?” 

Looks were shared; from Kiara to Beth to JJ, from John B to JJ, from JJ to Pope, Beth and John B too… All around, silent conversations were had and a new calm reigned over the group. 

“Yeah.” Kiara nodded before she grabbed Sarah and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. 

“Wait, can I get in on that hug?” Beth asked. She pushed off the hammock, holding onto the blonde’s knee to help herself before she lunged her body at her two girl friends. “C’mon Cleo! Get in!” Beth urged the newcomer. 

“We pon road!” Cleo said gleefully before she wrapped her three friends in a hug. 

“I love you, guys so much.” Sarah said, her voice muffled. 

Pope hugged each girl individually, letting out a groan when Elizabeth squeezed him extra tight.

“We should do this more often.” She chuckled in the crook of Pope’s neck. 

When they pulled away, Kiara was looking at something over Beth’s shoulder and the latter turned around, seeing JJ with his arms wide open, waiting for her. The brunette let out a small whimper, her eyes shone with unshed tears before she hurried and almost threw herself in the blonde’s arms. He tucked her head underneath his chin and held her there for a few seconds. 

JJ pulled away first when Pope wrapped his left arm around his shoulders but he kept the girl to his left, arm wrapped around her waist. The group turned and faced John B, all wearing easy smiles on their lips. 

“Let’s go get Big John, all right?” JJ said quietly as he looked at his best friend. “What do you say there, shit bird?” He added and they laughed, like teenagers should. He felt Beth shake against his side and that brought him the peace he hadn’t felt in a long time. They waited for a few seconds, all six of them being watched carefully by John B. 

“How long you gonna pretend you’re not coming over here?” Pope asked and Beth bit her lip as Sarah and John B shared a look. 

“You in?” 

“Come over here, funny man.” Cleo chuckled. 

“We don’t bite.” Kiara added as John B started to move towards Sarah. 

“JJ does, so y’all be careful!” 

“Ew! I didn’t need to know that!” Pope groaned at Elizabeth’s words. 

“That is not what I meant! Get your he-” The girl let out a squeal when an arm was wrapped around her shoulders and she was brought to John B’s right. He looked down at her and pressed a brotherly kiss to her forehead. “Let’s go get dad, yeah?” She asked quietly and he nodded. 

-

Topper was a couple of drinks in when he tried Sarah’s new number for the seventh time. 

“Hi, you’ve reached Sarah. You know what to do.” Sarah’s voice on the voicemail said. 

“All right. Let’s try this one more time.” He grunted, threw his drink back and stood up. Topper sighed when he was once again directed to the voicemail. 

He moved around and leaned on the bar, rubbing his hand together. 

“Who are you calling fifty times?” Rafe asked from the edge of the bar. “Huh? Who’s not answering?” 

“I don’t know, Rafe. Uh… Does your sister ever do what she says she’s gonna do?” 

“No really no.” Rafe smiled, amused before he gathered his drinks and walked closer to Topper.

“Oh.” Topper sighed, disappointed. 

“Ah! How’d she screw you this time?”

“So I did your sister a favor, right? Got reamed by my mom. I mean, it’s a shit show, man. So I do this favor. She’s like, “Oh, I’ll hit you tonight.” It’s tonight. Haven’t heard a thing. Been calling her. Nothing.” He spluttered while Rafe scratched his forehead awkwardly. “She’s just ignoring me. So, I don’t know, man. I’m just a little confused. That’s all.” 

“Listen. Listen.” Rafe started. “Let’s sit.” They walked to Topper’s table and sat in front of each other. “Uh, she’s playing you like a fiddle, bro.”

“No.”

“She’s been playing you since day one.”

“It’s a lot different now-”

“You know why she can’t hit you up, right now? It’s ‘cause she’s with John B.”

“Listen, Rafe.” The young man sighed. “She is not with John B.”

“Oh, okay.” 

“She wouldn’t do that.” Topper shook his head, tapping the matchbox against his fingertips. 

“Well, she thinks she’s a Pogue, now. You can’t trust a Pogue, right? Not that you could trust her anyways. And now she’s with John B. and you’re looking at me like I’m the bad guy, right?” As Rafe’s words sunk in, Topper’s face shifted, he was staring at the people around him. “Listen, she’s gonna keep doing this again and again…” The boy drank the last sip of his drink before his eyes snapped to meet Rafe’s with anger. “Just playing you like a fiddle.” The Kook taunted Topper and he smiled, satisfied when the youngest of the two stood up and walked away.

-

Beth had dug out the old speaker from the closet in the second bedroom and they had found old CD’s and tapes with music that they used to listen to before their lives turned to whatever it was now. 

“So what kind of plane is it?” Cleo asked, moving the dominoes around. 

“Well, it’s Ward’s, so I’m guessing something lit.” 

“That’s what I’m talking about! Flying private, baby!” JJ walked around the table, trying to understand what Pope and Cleo were playing. 

The soft strumming of chords reached his ears and he pivoted to watch Kie play her ukulele a little bit. 

Sarah walked past the kitchen with two beers in her hands, Cleo and Pope had gone out and got more beers for the rest of them. She walked into the room and handed one to John B. 

“Thanks.” 

“Yeah, sure.” 

Sarah glanced around the room and leaned on the window sill. 

“What is it you really want?” She set her beer on the dresser before she sat next to John B, facing him. 

“Honestly, before I saw you tonight, coming out of the station, I didn’t know the answer to that question.” She admitted. “But now I do.” She stated. 

Ever so softly, she leaned forward and their noses brushed as they pushed their foreheads together. She bit back a smile when he chased her lips once they came too close to his.

“By the sea,” John B’s body felt warm at her words. “the stars in the sky, John B.” She said and a smile split his face in two as she recited their vows from their makeshift wedding on the boat. The boy chuckled, grabbed her chin and kissed her. 

Back in the living room, JJ watched as Pope and Cleo disappeared in Big John’s office and he raised his eyebrows in approval when he saw a shirtless John B shut the door of his bedroom. The blonde stood in the middle of the room, eyes flitting between Kiara who was focused on the music she was making and Elizabeth who was smoking a late night joint on the couch outside. The only thing he could really see was the orange ember as she took a hit. 

“Hey, stranger.” He smiled and waved as Elizabeth opened her eyes when the door creaked open. 

Without a word, he walked to the couch, lifting her legs and feet off of it before he let himself drop on top of it and deposited her legs on his lap. She handed him the joint she held between her fingers and he hummed a thanks before picking it up. She watched him, the way his jaw moved and his cheeks hollowed as he took a drag. He let the smoke settle inside a bit before he closed his eyes and blew it out. 

“How’s your head?” She asked quietly. 

“Huh?” 

“First on the boat and then when you went face first feet up over the overpass.” 

“Didn’t hit my head that second time, B.” 

“I know, you said that… But still. You fell from a fucking overpass, JJ.” She said. “You’re lucky to be in one piece.”

“I know.” He uttered quietly. 

The pair stayed in silence for a while, just passing the butt of the joint back and forth and sipping beer that wasn’t cold anymore. JJ clearing his throat was what broke the comfortable silence. 

“What?” She questioned and he swallowed a smile. 

“Can I ask a weird question?” 

“Have I ever stopped you?” She raised her eyebrows. 

“Do you think, d’you think we’d still be in each other’s lives if your dad hadn’t left?” She straightened her back out, seriously surprised by the question. He turned his head to see her lost in her thoughts. He was about to tell her to let it go, to forget it but then a small smile made its way on her lips. 

“I do.” She nodded. “I really do, one way or another.” she confirmed and he smiled, satisfied. 

“That’s good.” 

It was her turn to clear her throat, as quietly as she could and he left the sight of the marsh to stare at her, the small smile he sported on his face dropped when he saw tears silently flowing down her cheeks. 

“I’m so fucking sick of crying all the time. That’s not me.” She said, wrapping her arms around her middle. 

Without a word, he held onto her legs and pulled her on his lap, letting her head fall on his shoulder and he brushed the hair away from her face. He hesitated for half a second before he let his lips pressed a handful of kisses on the top of her head. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and down her waist where he interlaced his fingers. 

“M’so sorry, baby.” He mumbled against her hair. “I’ll make it up to you, okay?” He said quietly. “Just wait…” For me, he wanted to add but he kept his mouth shut. “Wanna make sure we’re safe.” He felt her nod against his chest and he just tightened his hold on her. 

No one really noticed almost thirty minutes later when Topper’s truck was parked in front of the Chateau and no one really paid attention as he spread gasoline in the grass surrounding the home and on the many steps that lead to the balconies and doors. They didn’t notice at first when he lit the match and threw it in the accelerant soaked grass. 

John B and Sarah were busy renewing their vows and reconnecting after so much time out of sync, Pope and Cleo were busy sticking their heads in the many books and research papers that Big John had put together through the years, Beth and JJ were the furthest from where the fire started, not that they would have noticed anyway. The pair had shifted on the old couch. They were now laying on their sides, JJ’s arms wrapped around the brunette’s as the sounds of nature and Kie’s ukulele brought them a false sense of normalcy and peace. 

Their hearts hammered in their hearts when, after noticing that his two best friends were nowhere to be seen, John B went to find them on the balcony. They were surrounded by the fire so as John B shouted, yelling at them to wake up JJ woke up startled and then, even with the high temperature his blood turned to ice in his veins as he pulled the girl closer to him. 

“C’mon! We gotta get out!” John B shouted and Beth finally woke up and found she was wrapped in a thick blanket. 

“What the f-” 

“There’s a fire!” John B shouted as she saw him beside the couch. 

JJ helped her stand up and kept the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. With a kick of his foot, John B threw the door off its hinges and sent it flying in the fiery grass. 

“We gotta jump!” He told them. 

Beth reached for the blonde’s hand, interlacing their fingers together before John B wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

“On go?” JJ said and the two brunettes nodded. 

“One two, three, go!” 

************************

TAGLIST: - @jjxobx - @moonylantsovs - @k-k0129 - @jaxxandcomet - @taaniesha - @sunflowerbecca - @obx-direction-sos - @directioner-kaa - @mslaughter03 - @khacker24 - @itssoweirdyoureher - @scenesofobx - @just-chilling-stuff - @nikfigueiredo - @mirellef2001 - @kahhorri

[roseelise]

His // JJ Maybank

Reposting all my writings from @r0s3mm, my main blog, it is not stolen or plagiarized. All my works on my masterlist are main unless stated otherwise.

Hello! Welcome to 2-h, the back up account of @r0s3mm, I’ll be posting my works on here too until (hopefully) my blog gets restored and if not this will become my main blog.

Pairing: JJ Maybank x Elizabeth Miller (not canon for SWEET)

Word Count: 3053

Author’s note/warnings: topper being a toxic ass, protective JJ, language, mentions of abuse, implied smut

This was requested over on @r0s3mm, i don’t have the request though.

Masterlist

*********************************

“Ok, so we will walk through the door, Topper will be standing on your left side and your dad and I will be just ahead of you.” My mother said as she tightened the already tight dress on me. “Oh, darling have you gained weight? We had this custom made a few weeks ago.”

“Maybe mom. It still fits pretty well.” I say my hands going over the soft fabric.

“Maybe but Elizabeth you have to appear healthy and you can’t do that if you have fat rolls.”

“Mom! Come on! It fits, that’s all that matters.” I say as I struggle to unzip the flowy material. I check my clock next to my bed and put on my shirts quickly. “I have to go.” Putting on my tank top and my bag I rush to the door.

“Who are you meeting with?”

“Kiara.”

“And those kids from The Cut, I suppose?”

“Yes, mother. Can I go now?” She nods reluctantly and I bounce down the steps. “I’ll be back after dinner- Topper?” I say as I open the door to see the boy that I call my boyfriend.

“Hi baby!” He smiled pulling me to him. “Where are you going?”

“Uhm, with friends. Gonna go surf for a bit then go eat.” I smile at him and fidget as I hear the sound of the old van coming my way. “I’ll text you later!” I kiss his cheek and starts to leave but he grips my wrist tightly and pulls me back to him, forcing our lips together as he harshly pushes me against my front door.

“Stay with me.” He demands his eyes turning a darker color.

“Top, I can’t I made plans with Kiara and Sarah!” I say, the Twinkie coming into view.

“No. I want us to spend the evening together, you see them every day. When do I get to see you?” I lean forward and capture his lips with mine, he grips my hips very tightly and I move us out of view from the outside of the house.

Topper pulls me closer, his hands going to my back side as he grinds against my front, in need of any friction he can find. His lips trail off to my neck, sucking a large mark just under my ear.

“Topper, loosen your grip, it’s starting to hurt.” I say when he moves his hands to my arm, his grip starting to hurt.

“C’mon.” He says tugging me to my room.

“Hey, wait. I can’t ! I made plans.” I insist.

“I don’t care.”

“At least let me tell them.” I move to the door feeling my cell phone buzz in my front pocket. He nods and starts to make his way upstairs.

“I’ll be in your room.” He said, trying to sound sexy but it only makes me roll my eyes.

I walk through the doorway, a pout on my lips. John B’s face lit up as he sees me, slapping JJ’s arm and the blonde turns around to face the driver side.

“Well, hello there, missy.” John B says and I immediately feel bad. I walk to the other side and open the back of the van. Looking up at my room, I see Topper standing in the window, my plan B of just jumping in and leaving him there going out the window.

“Hi guys.” I say. “I’m sorry you came all this way, but I won’t be able to make it.”

“What? Angel, why?” JJ asks worried.

“My mom has me trying on new dresses for the party and I can’t seem to escape her.” I lie.

“But, Midsummers’ tomorrow.” Kie say confused.

“Yeah, I know. Look, I gotta go.” I say and walk back up to my house.

“Angel! Wait!” I turn around seeing the blonde walk up to me with a frown.

He moves his hands to my neck, pushing my chin up slightly revealing the purple marks Topper had made the previous night.

“When did you get those?” He asks looking into my eyes. His blue irises trying to dig into my soul.

“A touron the other night. Yeah, real possessive guy.”

“Yeah sure. Hey, you’d tell me if anything was, huh, wrong, right?” He asks looking up at my house.

“Of course, JJ. The first.”

“Okay.” He moves his hands to cup my face and plants a long kiss on my cheek. “I love you. Have a nice party tomorrow, angel.”

“Love you too, J.” I wave at my friends as they go down the street, turning around I take a deep breath and murmur to myself. “Topper we gotta break up, I am not happy anymore.”

I smiled softly satisfied with myself and join the boy upstairs.

“Hey Topper?” I ask walking into my room. “Top?” I turn my head only to see him in front of me, an angry frown on his face.

“What the fuck was that?”

“What?”

“That dirty ass pogue, kissing you like you were his.”

I’m more his that I will ever be yours.

“Hey, he kissed me on the cheek, it’s not like we were fully making out on the front lawn.”

“Don’t want you to see them anymore.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“It’s over between you and them.” He says walking to the middle of the room.

“You can’t decide that for me.” I say looking in his eyes angrily

“Looks like I just did.”

“Well, it won’t work. I’m sorry Topper but if you act like this, it’s over.”

“Do you want to repeat that?”

“It’s over Topper, can you please leave?”

“Now, there’s a thing you don’t understand. We” He says, his finger moving between us. “are not over. We won’t.”

“Topper, leave now.” I say pointing to the door.

“No.”

“Okay fine then, I’ll leave.” I say and go to grab my surfboard only to be pulled back by my shoulder.

“Ouch! Are you out of your mind?” I say my hand rubbing my shoulder. “That hurt, Topper.”

“I don’t care to be honest. We’re staying here tonight.”

“No, Topper get it inside your head we’re done.” I shout and quickly move to the door only to let out a painful yelp when he shoves me harshly into the wall.

“I said no!”

“What? Are you gonna hit me? Big bad Topper is a women beater now? Huh?” I try to shove him, but he doesn’t budge. “LET GO!” I growl, wondering where the fuck were my parents when I needed them. “Topper I swear to Go— Ow, fucker.” I scream after his fists collides with my stomach.

“YOU STAY HERE!” He shouts close to my face as I slide down the door to the floor.

“Get out.” I say, cries and whimpers leaving my mouth.

“Get up and get to the bed.” He lifts me up, holding my cheek tightly between his thumb and pointer finger.

“You’re hurting me. Stop.”

“Topper, I think it’s time you leave.” I hear from the door and release a shaky relieved sigh when I see my father.

“Whatever. Your dad’s a slut.” He says before my father shoves him against the wall.

“You better not be near her again, Son or you and I will have a long long talk with the police.” Topper mutters something before I hear him going down the stairs.

“Dad...” I whimper as he holds me in his arms.

“I got you princess. It’s okay. He won’t bother you.” I cry into his arms for a few minutes before my mother walks to my room explaining that she had left to do groceries.

**********************

On the morning of the midsummers, Kie and Sarah walk into my room at 10 in the morning. I’m standing up in front of my mirror, red blotches on my jaw and arms and a fist sized bruise on my ribs.

“Oh my god. Who did that to you?” I open my eyes wide and pull down my shirt before turning around.

“Who did what to who?”

“Ellie, for fuck’s Christ.” Sarah says as she pulls up my shirt.

“What happened?” Kie asks, the girl looking at me with worry.

“I, huh, I broke up with Topper.” The girls look at each other in confusion.

“And you broke up with Topper because?” Sarah asks

“We were dating...?” They send me surprised looks. “Okay, look I know I never said anything, but it was like a thing where we were promised to each other or some shit, I don’t know. I guess they wanted to keep it within kooks, y’know.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because you guys hate him, hell I probably hated him more than y’all. I never really had feelings for him, anyway.” I say and walk to my mirror with all my make up products.

“Okay, what happened yesterday? I’m not crazy, I saw him in your window.” Sarah says.

“Yeah, he got here a few minutes before you got here and told me to cancel with y’all and I didn’t want to fight with him, so I just did it.” I avoid their gazes.

“Do the boys know?” Kie asks as she unzips the protective case containing her dress.

“Yeah no.” I say applying concealer to all the red marks and hickies. “Don’t tell them, especially J.”

“Sure. Did you ever..?”

“Sleep with him?” Kie shakes her head, yes. “No. Got out of that, luckily. Told him that I wasn’t ready.” They nod and I change the subject to the party tonight.

****************** “Hi, Mr. Cameron.” I salute the man as my mother and father talk with his wife.

“Good evening, Elizabeth.”

“Oh mom! There’s Pope, can I go?” I ask and she thinks before saying yes. “Thank you!”

I walk as quietly as I can and arrive behind the boy.

“Ok, so, were you hired simply for the food or do I have to fetch some other waiter to get a glass of champagne?” I say in my most posh accent. I hear him sigh and can practically hear him roll his eyes before he turns around.

“Hey!” He said as we join our hands together for the handshake.

“Any different from last year?” I ask as I lean against the wooden structure behind me, looking at all of the people around.

“No, not really.” He shakes his head and I smile when I see Sarah and Kie making their way to us.

“Have either of you seen JJ?” Kie asks her eyes wide with urgency.

“No, what?” They all look at me with sad eyes. “Where’s JJ?” I ask starting to stress out.

“Hum, when we went surfing yesterday, JJ got into his dad’s stash and brought a couple of bottles for us...” Pope starts, and I tense up. “His dad found us a few hours later, last time we saw him it was in the parking lot.”

“He was beating him up?” I ask my lower lip wobbling. They all nod. “Okay, I- I gotta go, gotta find him. What if he’s hurt? I whimper at the thought of him lying somewhere unconscious.

“He’ll be fine.” Kie said pulling me to her and hugging me tightly making me wince. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“It’s okay Kie, it’s not every day your friend receives a punch in the stomach.” I smile lightly.

We keep talking for a few minutes, me asking them questions about what they’ve been up to lately as I feel I haven’t been there as much as I used to.

“Yeah, so John B told me that—” Sarah stops and looks at something over my shoulder with a wide and relieved smile.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“I found him.” Pope adds looking in the same direction.

“Found who, Po—” I turn around, seeing the mop of dirty blonde hair and pair of deep blue eyes. “Oh my god, JJ!” I scream and run to his opened and outstretched arms.

“Hi, my angel.” He breathes in and relaxes as he walks us to our friends, his arms wrapped around my waist making me wince. He pulls me away and sees my expression. “Are you in pain?” I shake my head no. “Why is she in pain?” He asks our friends and Pope looks genuinely worried. “Angel look at me. Where are you hurt?” He asks putting me down and cupping my face.

“I’m okay, J.” I grab his hand. “We’ll be back guys.” I pull him away from the crowd and into the rented house, walking us up the steps and into a bathroom.

JJ watches me from the doorway while I look through the cabinets.

“Sit down.” I point to the toilet seat. He sits down and closes his eyes, knowing what comes next. “Did you get a few good punches in?” I ask.

“Sure, he taught me how.” He chuckles, his eyes avoiding mine.  

“Look at me.” I ask moving an antiseptic wipe to his lip. “You’re getting out of there as soon as you turn seventeen, you hear me? Mom doesn’t like you, but she said she’d be ready to make you a room.” I say and his hand go to my hips.

“I love you.” He says when our eyes lock.

“What?” I ask moving the wipe away and putting it on the counter.

“I love you, my angel.” He says, pulling me on his laps, the flowy dress hiking up my tighs as I sit down.

“I love you too, JJ.” I say and grab his face. He looks down at my lips and I don’t wait to connect our lips together.

We both sigh into the kiss, knowing it had been a long time since we both waited for this. His lips go to my face, kissing my forehead, nose, lips, cheeks, chin making me giggle.

“So, fucking beautiful.” He says as he interlaces our fingers together. “Did you want to get out of here?” I nod and get up from his laps, putting everything back to the way it was before following him out the house. “Hey, so we’re going to like get out of here.” He says to our friends.

I gasp when I feel hands snaking around my waist, my hand linked with JJ’s being tugged.

“Hi baby, I wanted to meet your friends properly.” Topper says from behind me, I look at the girls who send me confused and sorry looks, Pope is straight up confused, and JJ is seething.

“”Baby?”” He asks, his eyes full of emotion, Topper tightens his grip around me making me wince.

“Topper, get off. JJ, wait!” I say as the boy leaves in the crowd. “Topper, for fuck’s sake, it’s over!” I shove him away but he moves quickly towards me only to be stopped by a panting Pope.

“Leave.” My friends says.

“You’re a fucking whore, Elizabeth Miller!” He shouts making everyone turn and I keep myself from crying.

“He’s gone.” I whimper watching the direction in which JJ left.

“He’ll be back. Probably gonna sneak into your room tonight.” Kie said with a knowing look.

“Wait, you knew?”

“That JJ’s been sneaking in your room every week for the past year? Yeah, we all did.” I sigh and laugh a little, sniffling.

***********************

To: J’ 👑

Hey, letting you know that my window in unlocked and if you want, come over. Gotta talk to you x

I put my phone on my night table and turn of the light, the dress, accessories and dirty make up wipes resting on top of the dresser. I shut my eyes and wait. A few minutes later, I hear two taps to my right and then the window being opened. Feeling the hot air come in my room, I shift and move to the side as sounds of shoes hitting the floor and my bed dipping are heard. First thing I smell is the faint smell of weed, making me smile and cuddle into the sides of the person occupying my bed.

“Hi.” I said and look up at the blonde who look at me with an unreadable expression. “Listen, JJ—”

“Are you or are you not fucking Topper?” He asks and his tone makes me flinch a little bit.

“No. Never did.”

“So what happened then?”

“We, hum, we dated for a few months. Something about us being Kooks ...” I scratch my forehead. “And I broke up with him last night, he didn’t take it very well. We fought.” I say and he nods.

“I didn’t know.” He says his jaw tensing up.

“Yeah, no one did. It didn’t feel right. I meant it.”

“What?”

“I love you, JJ.” I sighed and he looks at my face before closing his eyes and pulling me to him.

“I love you too, angel.” He pulls me back onto his laps before crashing his lips to mine, his hands going under my shirt to hold my face, making me suck in a hiss. “Are you good?”

“Yep. Don’t worry.” I say and kiss down his neck, nibbling at the skin with my teeth.

“Let’s get this off.” He says his hands moving to take my shirt off.

“No! JJ, stop.” I say and he raises his hands in the air, away from my body.

“Did I- Did I do something?”

“No, don’t get mad, okay?” I say and his jaw tense up as I lift my shirt over my head, leaving me in a bralette.

“What’s this? Who did that? Is it your dad?” He asks, ready to stand up, but I move further up his laps, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him.

“Topper and I date mainly to keep his “status” afloat and because my mom wanted me to get away from you,” I kissed the tip of his nose, rubbing mine with his, “last night I wanted to go with you guys but he didn’t want to hear any of it so I broke up with him and he got butthurt or whatever.” I mumbled as he hugged me to him.

“I’m gonna kill him, how can he hurt his girlfriend?”

“I never really was his to begin with JJ and it’s over anyway. I’m with you.” I said and he almost growled when he flipped us over, grinding his way between my parted legs.

Making me his.

[r0s3mm]

Happy Anniversary // Outer Banks Series

Welcome!

Don’t hesitate to reblog, like, leave constructive comments, send feedback on what you just read or what you’d like to read next.

Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist and let me know if you are on the taglist but didn’t receive the notification.

My requests are open! Ask away people !

Read me here!

General Masterlist

Series’ masterlist

Sweeter masterlist

Pairing: OC!Elizabeth Miller x JJ Maybank

A/N:  not edited. it took me months to fckg finish that chapter (blame 9-1-1 and them firefighters bc I've been obsessed.) so y'all get it as it is, might revisit in a little to make it more readable lol.

warnings? nothing i think that doesn't happen in the show; some angst, some fluff????? fight scenes that i don't think i described too explicitly, Mike Carrera needs his own warning bc i don't like him, also ward, also rafe. john b fckg beats topper to a pulp. idk language?!?!?!

shout out to Lou Ferrigno Jr for making a surprise visit in yet another one of my fave show.

Why do people do the things they do? I never thought it was that complicated. You do what seems right in the moment. But after everything that’s happened… It doesn’t seem so simple. 

Sarah woke up and blinked as her hazel eyes adjusted to the early morning sun. The sun-bleached blonde sat up with a wince and saw her friend’s silhouette walking along the beach, hair in the water whenever a wave would come up. 

“Morning,” Topper smiled, he had a rolled up sleeping bag under his arm, ready to go but his eyes were still heavy with sleep. “Miller!” He shouted and the brunette turned around, her fingers quickly wiping the salty water on her cheeks. 

“What?” 

“Breakfast?” He chuckled when she nodded excitedly and made her way to the two teenagers. 

She quickly greeted Sarah with a small smile, avoiding her knowing glance before they got back on Topper’s boat. 

“There we are!” The young man said as they approached the dock. From where they were they could smell the strong aroma of coffee and they could hear chatter from early risers. After docking the boat properly and with an extended hand, he helped them off. “Wait a sec.” He raised a finger when his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. 

Both girls nodded and Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ears as she rubbed her arms in search of warmth. 

“D’you have fun, last night?” Sarah asked quietly, eyes set on Topper who had made his way back on the boat to speak on the phone privately. 

“Mmh-mm. I did-”

“Hey, guys, I’m so sorry I’ll have to reschedule that breakfast, I’m expected home.” Sarah nodded with a small smile and she grabbed the bags out of the boy’s hands. 

“No worries, Top. We’ll see you soon, I guess?” 

“For sure!” He undid the work he’d just done and moved back behind the wheel. “Hope you guys had a good time…?”

“Totally!” 

“Yeah! Um, thank you for yesterday,” The brunette’s cheeks turned a light shade of red. “I know it wasn’t meant to be for me but for Sarah so, thank you for letting me crash, Top it was the first normal day in a long time and I think i- I think we all needed that.” She said, looking back at Sarah who nodded. “Let me know if you have any issues with your dad about the truck and I’ll arrange something, okay?” Her left hand moved to her hip while her right hand covered her eyes from the sun. 

“Yeah, right.” He nodded and waved before the boat’s engine roared and the Kook drove away. 

Elizabeth turned, arms stretched in the air, oblivious to the pair of eyes on them. 

“God I’d kill for some coffee.” The brunette mumbled before she linked her arm with Sarah’s. 

They walked up the ramp and were seated quickly, with a polite but tired smile. The waitress turned the two white cups the right side up and filled it with fresh steaming coffee. 

“Is that even coffee anymore?” Elizabeth chuckled when she saw Sarah empty a few creamers in her cup along with two packets of sugar. 

“Mmh.” The blonde shrugged as she twirled the spoon. 

“Hey, Sally. Got an under for Carrera.” Sarah and Elizabeth heard Kiara say from the counter. 

Sarah glanced over her shoulder and waved to her friend but a frown appeared on her face when Kiara barely returned the gesture. 

“What’s up with her?” Sarah subtly pointed to Kiara. 

“I don’t kn-”

“Hey, Kie!” The blonde called out when the curly haired teenager walked past them. 

“Hey,” She smiled though it didn’t reach her eyes fully. She set the box and paper bag on the third chair and cocked her head to the side. 

“Hey…” Sarah and Elizabeth said at the same time as the latter’s eyes moved over the box curiously. 

“Watcha got there, Kie?” The brunette asked with the rim of the cup against her lip. 

“Food.” She stated. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her friend’s attitude. 

“You okay, Kie?” 

“Was that Topper earlier?” She finally asked. 

Elizabeth and Sarah shared a look and while the blonde’s eyes showed guilt, the brunette’s showed annoyance. 

“Yeah… He just dropped us off for breakfast.” 

“And you just happened to- Actually it’s none of my business.” She shook her head before she grabbed her stuff and walked out. 

“Mother of g-”

“Kie!” Sarah shouted before running after her friend. Elizabeth quickly got a few bills out of her pocket and dropped it on the table to join Sarah and Kiara on the dock. 

“It was just breakfast after last night…” 

“After last night?” Kiara raised an eyebrow. 

“Yeah, huh, we just hung out with some people at mase.” 

“You could join us for breakfast if you wanted.” Elizabeth offered. “Make it a girls’ thing out of it.”

“So, you’re hanging out with Kooks, now, huh Ellie?” The girl frowned and took a step back. 

“I don’t owe you anything, right now, Kiara. But if you have to know, there were Pogues too.” 

“Whatever, I’m gonna go.” She grabbed the food and placed it on the boat before getting in herself. “My parents’ anniversary celebration is today, told me that they’d like you there if you were up for it. Sarah too, to apologize for yesterday.” she mumbled.

Sarah was already halfway in the boat, nodding when Elizabeth sighed and rubbed her hands. 

“Uh, okay, sure.” 

-

After a good night of sleep, JJ and John B woke up bright and early and made a plan to try and save the latter’s father. 

“Okay, walk me through it one more time.” JJ asked, he stared at the map, trying to remember what his friend’s plan was. 

“Okay, right there. That’s where they’re taking him. That’s the site of the idol.” The blonde arched an eyebrow and repeatedly glanced between the driver and the map. 

“You pointed to just South America, you understand that, right?” The driver nodded and sucked in a breath without his eyes ever leaving the road. 

“Yep.” 

JJ stared at his friend with his mouth opened in slight shock. His hand ruffled through his already unruly hair as he took a few seconds to think about what to say next. 

“That’s all you know? He’s somewhere in South America?” 

“Listen, that’s why we’re going to the professor’s house.” John B shouted over JJ’s loud voice. “ Look, he was at the site.” 

“Mmmh…” JJ exhaled, digging his index and thumb in the inner corners of his eyes. “Okay.” He glanced at his friend. “So happy we have the map, then…-” The blonde sat up straight in the seat and his eyes flitted between the road ahead of them and his friend to his left. “Wait. Whoa, whoa! We’re going to a house now with a dead body in it?” He asked loudly, his hands moving nervously as he cracked his knuckles. “That… That’s where we’re going?” 

“Yeah.” 

“And if the cops show up, you know what that makes us look like?” He waited.

“Yes.” John B replied and JJ simply stared at him for a few seconds, his whole body turned towards his friend before he sucked on his teeth and moved back against the seat. 

“Okay, just making sure.” JJ felt a small kick from the van when John B started to slow down. “Can we make it quick though? Just in and out.” He asked when they stopped in front of the house.

Without another words, the two teenagers ran through the front yard, wincing when they would be too loud or when JJ tripped over what seemed like nothing… John B led the way, walking around the house and up the three stairs before they reached the front door. The knob squeaked when the rusty metal was turned and the hinges creaked when the door opened. The blonde threw a quick look outside, making sure they weren’t followed or seen before he closed the door behind himself. 

“His body’s gone.” John B stated and JJ whipped around, looking at what his friend was eyeing. “Sowell was right here.” He added. JJ leaned forward cautiously. 

“And Sowell was the…”

“The professor.”

“Right. No, I know what happened. They’ve already been here, John B. They sent in the sweepers and now probably decontaminated this entire room.” The boy turned on his heels dramatically before his limbs fell at his sides. “There’s nothing left. We should get out.” 

“Maybe there’s something.” John B said loudly as he gestured to the space they were in. 

“Okay, what are we looking for then?” 

“Anything that has to do with an archaeological dig.” JJ scoffed at his best friend’s reply. 

“Oh, thanks. That really narrows it down.” 

“I-i… I’m trying.” John B cleared his throat and they separated to different ends of the room. 

“Anything. All righty. Fricking anything.” 

The blonde moved to a messy desk; pencils, notebooks, hand carved statues, ancient and newer maps were mixed together that he moved aside with the back of his fingers. 

“Seriously, man?” He briefly glanced at John B who had one hand on a drawer handle and the other on a door’s window. “Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t leave your fingerprints, bro.” JJ pulled an oily rag out of his back pocket and wiped down anything John B touched. His hand moved to his abdomen when he started to feel a dull pain where his stomach was. “This is a live crime scene, dude.” He sighed when he noticed whatever warning he had just said hadn’t reached his friend’s ear. “Yeah, you know, actually, I’m just gonna look in the kitchen.” He announced, wiping his own hands off. “No one ever checks the fridge.” 

“Yeah, go for that, man.” 

John B didn’t spare another glance as his friend disappeared around the corner. He turned around and stared at the space he was in hours before. 

“We were just here.” He placed both hands on the table top and leaned on it. “Dad, Sowell, the idol.” John B closed his eyes. 

The temalacatl, it asks a question. The Idol 

“The gnomon-” A high pitched whistle noise reached their ears but it was ignored before Sowell started to slur his words. 

“What… what the…” The piece of paper slipped from the teacher’s fingers and it slid under the small desk while Big John questioned the man. “The gnomon… the gnomon what, Tommy?” John B followed the movement of the professor’s hand and he gasped when he seemed to pluck out a dart from the skin underneath his ear. 

“What is that?” John B asked, worried. 

“Kalinago.” John B’s head snapped up and his eyes found the sheet of paper under the cabinet. He stared at the drawing tightly held between his fingers and he gasped when he saw the name of the town written on the bottom of the page. “JJ.” He called out. 

The boy in question was leaning one shoulder against the border of the fridge, basking in the cool air and the still good to eat food in it. He let out small noises of satisfaction as his teeth bit into the fatty meat. 

“JJ!” 

“Mmmh?” He turned around before stepping to his left and falling face to face with his best friend with the chicken leg gripped in his fist. 

“What is it? Snack time? What are we doing?” John B walked the distance between them. 

“You know what? I feel very judged right now.” 

“Sure.” 

“All right? There’s an entire bird in here that’ll just go to waste, okay?” He tore another piece off. “I’m not gonna let that happen. It’s not like I’m stealing it. No one else is gonna eat it.” John B’s eyes fell on an journal article accompanied by a photo on which his father was. “I was like, “I’ll take the nutrients that this beautiful bird gives me and fill the tank,” all right?” He spoke as he stared at the chicken in the fridge. “I haven’t been able to eat anything in like the past two days–”

“JJ. Hey.” JJ stopped rambling and stared at his friend before wiping his mouth. 

“Find something?” 

“Yeah.” The fridge door was slammed shut and the blonde hurried to his friend’s side with his boots squeaking on the floor. “Local expedition team departs for South America.” He read the article title as JJ munched the leftover meat on the chicken leg. 

“One of these guys is Sowell?” 

“Right there.” John B pointed. 

“All right.”

The brunette’s hazel eyes opened wide when he read the participant’s names off the paper. 

“Neville.” He gasped. 

“What?” 

“The last thing Sowell said before he died was “Neville”” 

“Neville, meaning…” 

“Right there.” John B’s fingertip glided right under the name before he pointed to the man in the photo.

“Neville Persaud,” JJ read. “expedition guide.” JJ started to flail around as he gasped loudly with his eyes open wide in realization. 

“So Sowell said, “Five people on the expedition,” right?” 

“Right.”

“Three of those people died. Which leaves us with two.” John B as he talked first held five fingers up, then three and then two. 

“Sowell.” JJ said as he lowered his friend’s finger. 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“Neville.” He lowered the index with a slight crazed look in his face. 

“Yeah.”

“He’s the last one alive.” 

“Yeah and I think Sowell was telling me to warn him.” JJ nodded in agreement. 

“We need to find Neville.” He said before he took off running. 

-

For once, Tannyhill was silent, the only noise that could be heard, could be heard by Rafe Cameron’s focused ears as he scrubbed clean the shaped nugget of gold. So, he didn’t hear when his father’s vehicle was parked in the driveway, or when the man opened the door and climbed the stairs. 

The young adult jumped subtly when his father’s cane came in contact with the wooden floor in repeated knocks. Rafe stared at his father through a mirror that was against the wall before he turned around. 

“Hey, bud.” Rafe stood up, surprised to actually see his father on his feet (and cane.). 

“Dad.” The son said quietly as soon as he stood up. 

“Mm-hmm.” Ward exhaled.

“What the hell are you doing here?” 

“I could see you were in over your head, so I came back to help you.” Ward explained, eyes trained on his eldest child as he stepped closer. 

“You wanna help?” Rafe grew frustrated. 

“Yeah.” 

“Leave. You can’t be here.” The young man let out in a false worry. 

“I know you stole the cross, Rafe.” Rafe stood back, any care or worry dissipated from his face as he chewed the gum in his mouth. “Now, come on. Rafe.” 

The son spun on his heels and created space between himself and his father as his breathing accelerated. Both hands moved to his hips as he started to pace. 

“You were tired of living in my shadow. And you felt like I overstepped.”

“By giving away something of mine.” Rafe cocked his head to the side. “Why would I think that?”

“You were right. I should’ve talked to you before I donated it. You deserve that.”

“Yeah. You should have. You’re right.” 

“That was my mistake, but here we are, and you have it, and we gotta be smart with it, okay?”

“Yeah.” 

“This cross is special. Okay?” Ward spoke quietly and leaned forward, a few inches separated them. 

“Listen, the deal is done.”

“What deal?” Ward asked, swallowing back a sigh. 

“It’s done.”

“You had no time to get a deal done.”

“Well, it is done because I’m selling some of it today.” Ward frowned, utterly confused. 

“What do you mean, some of it?” 

“I melted that shit down.” A small, subtle arrogant smile appeared on Rafe’s lips. He held eye contact with his dad and his smile grew wider when the older man’s gaze broke away first. Ward chuckled. 

“You’re joking. You didn’t melt it down.” 

“No, no, I'm not joking.” Rafe’s arm swung through the air as he turned around. “Shit. I mean, I can… I’ll show you now.” He made his way to the protective case on the bed. 

“Rafe, no.” 

“I mean, listen, this is just a …” He snapped the buckle open. 

“No, no, no.”

“... just a very tiny fraction of it, so…” He moved the piece of gold between the fingers of his right hand while his father approached with his mouth slightly open.

“You melted it?” The young adult mockingly knocked his family ring against it. 

“Yeah, I melted the Cross of Santo Domingo. Yep, melted it.” The nugget of gold was safely tucked back into the case. 

“How could you do that, Rafe?” 

“I’m trying to make some money off this-”

“What, why?” Ward shouted. 

“Because you can’t trace spare parts, Dad. What are you talking about?” He asked with genuine innocence and frustration.

“Spare parts?” Ward shouted so loud his voice cracked. “It’s… It’s priceless! It’s one of a kind!”

“What is the issue?” Ward wanted to hit him, he balled up his fist tightly before flexing out his hand. 

“Oh my God.”

“I don’t understand. Tell me.” Ward sat down, exhausted by all the screaming. “Can you enlighten me on it, please?” 

“Look, even if you don’t care about it at all, it’s lost all its value. It’s a relic.”

“Whatever.” The young adult rolled his eyes and Ward sucked in a breath, as if recharging to go again. 

“You can’t melt down the cross!” Ward spat out as he exploded and felt the moisture on his chin which he wiped away. 

“Yes, I can.” Rafe argued weirdly calm. 

“No, Rafe it-” 

“Stop! Stop! Just stop!” He shouted, leaving his throat feeling rough. “I’m talking now.” He added arrogantly while his father sat back, shocked and silent. “All right? This isn’t about you!” Ward stayed silent but took a breath. “I mean, I was… I was held hostage at Singh’s, locked up, not knowing if I was gonna live or die, and I thought,” Rafe stepped toe to toe with his father and leaned forward. ““If I get out, I’m not going to sit around and wait for a handout from you.”” He said quietly though his breathing was loud. “I was gonna take what’s mine, okay?” He slammed the palm of his hand on the coffee table beside his father. “Rightfully mine. Do you understand?” 

The son waited for a few seconds as his father seemed to be thinking and he sighed in relief when the older of the two nodded. 

“Yeah.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Ward sighed, defeated. 

“Good.” 

Satisfied, Rafe stood up to his full height, rearranged his pants on his hips while he made it back to the plastic case on the bed.

“Okay. Okay, Rafe.” Ward whispered with a hand over his face. “What’s done is done.”

“Yeah, it is done.” Rafe mumbled as he packed some of his things. 

“Now we gotta move forward, okay?” Ward stood with some help from his cane since his leg wasn’t quite cooperating as before. “You gotta do the things I sent you here to do, all right? So we can go back to Guadeloupe, and we’ll start again. We’ll start a whole new life-”

“Listen-” Ward stepped to the right and put himself in Rafe’s way. 

“We’ll start a brand new life-” “I wanna start again too.”

“Okay, good.” 

“But not in Guadeloupe.”

“What?” Rafe frowned and shook his head at his father’s questioning. 

“Why the hell would I start over there?”

“Because we can’t stay here, son.” 

“No.” Rafe said, Ward waited with his eyebrows raised while his son took a breath. “No, you can't stay here. I can.” Rafe’s body leaned to the side a little bit and he raised his arms nonchalantly. “I mean, I got a crew here. I got… I got my home.” Ward’s head fell forward as he hid a sigh. “Okay, Dad, what I’m saying is, I don’t need you anymore.” Rafe’s hand patted his father’s shoulder, weighting each of his words while Ward’s eyes bore holes in his son’s head. “I’m good.” He nodded as a goodbye before he tried to walk past his father but his arm was grabbed tightly. 

“Rafe, rafe, rafe, rafe-” Ward’s cane fell to the ground just as his body was slammed into a closet door. Ward panted, struggling to properly catch his breath since his son’s upper arm pressed down on his throat. 

“What are you gonna do? You gonna hit me?” 

“With your cane?” Rafe scoffed and glanced at the wooden pole on the ground. Both of them grunted as Ward struggled against his son. “I’m gonna sell my gold. Okay? My gold. And I’m gonna do whatever else I want, and there’s actually nothing you can do about it, okay?” Rafe bent forward and picked up the cane before pushing it against the man’s torso. “Go home, Dad.” He finished, his voice surprisingly soft. 

Ward stood there for a few more minutes, mouth opened as he caught his breath. 

-

As soon as Kiara stepped into her house followed closely by Sarah with Elizabeth trailing behind, Kiara’s mother was on them. 

“Sarah, honey, know that it wasn’t personal.” Sarah nodded. “Just wasn’t a good time.” Anna added as she smiled at the blonde. 

“I get it, it’s fine.” 

“Did you find a place?” Sarah started to gesture towards Elizabeth but the brunette beat her to it while she closed the door. 

“She’s staying with me.” Anna gasped and let out a quiet sob. 

“Oh, honey!” The girl was quickly wrapped in her godmother’s arms and while it felt very comforting, and motherly and familiar, Elizabeth didn’t let herself be hugged for too long. “Are you okay?” Anna asked, cupping the girl’s face. 

“Yeah, I’m good, Anna. Don’t worry about me.” She smiled but the mother noticed the way it didn’t reach her eyes. 

“Any news about your mom?” Yes, but I won’t tell you. “Not really, I know Shoupe’s working on it.” The mother smiled knowingly. 

“Ah, yes, of course. I think he’s always had a little something for her.” 

“Ugh.” Elizabeth shrugged before she stepped forward. 

“Are you hungry? Did you need anything?” Ellie shook her head. 

“I’m all set thanks.” 

The brunette joined her two friends in the kitchen as they unpacked the food. 

“Hey, baby-” Mike stopped himself when he noticed the three teenage girls in the kitchen. “Everything okay?” He asked, eyes casting a glance over Elizabeth who avoided his look. 

“Yeah, just dropping off the food for the party.” Kiara told him and he nodded. 

“Happy to have you home, Lizzie.” He smiled and reached forward to pat her shoulder but she took a step back under everyone’s stare.

“Yeah, thanks.” 

None of the teenagers missed the “we gotta talk” look between Anna and Mike. 

“You girls mind going outback? Mike and I gotta talk.” 

The brunette stared at her shoes before she glanced at Sarah and Kiara and walked towards the back of the house where a door slammed shut.

“Yeah, no worries.” Kiara nodded before she and Sarah followed the same direction Ellie took. 

The curly-haired brunette noticed a few pillows and blankets missing from the basket near the door and she smiled. As soon as the creaking of the door reached her ears, Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ears and looked up at her two friends. 

“So, Sarah, are you and John B like, over or something?” She asked before sliding down the wall.

“Subtle way of changing the subject of whatever happened in there.” Kiara mumbled. 

“No.” Sarah started. 

Kiara and herself both sat down on either side of Elizabeth’s. 

“Well, I don’t know.” The girl cleared her throat. “I don’t want to be. Like since the island, everything has felt so… abnormal-” Sarah spared a glance to Elizabeth who was staring down at the marsh. “Sorry.” She winced but was simply waved off. “I guess it just felt nice to feel something normal again.”

“I get it though.” Ellie spoke up quietly. “It just feels like we were dropped into an alternate universe or something… Everything is such a mess.” 

“I think we’re all a little messed up.” Kiara added as she stared at her hands and both girls nodded. “You, me…” Kiara looked up and glanced at her best friend before she let out a sigh. “JJ.” She whispered and Elizabeth leaned back against the wall. Her stare turned cold and Kiara hesitated before she licked her lips and kept talking. “He stole that money clip from my dad, and I’m still pissed about it. Just pretending he doesn’t care. He won’t talk to me.” Sarah first looked at Kiara, whose attention went back to her hands and then glanced at Elizabeth who had her head against the wall and her eyes closed. “I’d rather argue about it.” 

Kiara stopped talking after that, wringing the fingers of her left hand with her right before she separated them and wiped them down on her shorts. 

“Do you hate me?” Kiara spoke after a couple minutes of silence. Sarah arched an eyebrow, glancing between Elizabeth and Kiara. 

Ellie’s left eye opened and she peaked at Kiara, the way she played with the tips of her fingers, the way her nose twitched nervously as she waited for her friend’s response. 

She sighed and opened both eyes, wiped her face down and shuffled back, straightening out her back against the outside wall of the house. 

“I-” Kiara’s head snapped up at the stutter. “Hate’s the wrong word.” Her eyes never quite left the horizon as she fought tears though she could tell that Kiara’s eyes were intensely trained on her. “I can understand, more than anyone on earth, that falling for him is easy.” Kiara nodded subtly. “I had all these expectations of what coming home would be like… Coming back to him.” She licked her lips. “And it came true for a few minutes, but then you arrived and I saw this-” A frown appeared on her face. “This longing in your eyes and JJ just- I mean, he looked so fucking torn.” She let out sharply. “I love him, Kiara.” She stated and swallowed thickly. “And I never even got the chance to properly tell him, but I did tell him that no matter what was gonna happen, I’d be there for him.” She spared a quick glance to her left and saw the way Kiara held her wobbling lower lip between her teeth. “I love him,” she repeated. “you have to know that. That leaving him, in that house-” She sniffled quietly. “was the most fucked up thing I’ve ever done and I-”

“I get it. You can stop guilt tripping me.” Kiara whimpered. Elizabeth scoffed at her friend’s words. “What?” 

“Did I hurt your feelings? Huh? I’m sorry that my current heartbreak is inconveniencing your new romance.” 

“I didn’t do it on purpose, Ellie!” Kiara said loudly. “It’s just that, l-” 

“Kiara, I swear to god if you tell me that love just walked in or some shit like that, I am slapping you.” Elizabeth said as she glared at the girl. 

“What did you want me to do?” Kiara sobbed and Elizabeth had to stop her eyes from rolling to the back of her head as she fought back the tears.

“Maybe wait more than one fucking month after I went missing?!? Maybe grieve your supposed best friend a little bit before you go after the one boy-” 

Elizabeth stopped herself when the phone tucked in Sarah’s hand let out a short melody. Sarah frowned, and unlocked it. 

“Wheezie?” Sarah questioned and Elizabeth turned to face her, wiping the drops underneath her eyes. “I texted her when we got in.” The two teenagers on Sarah’s left leaned closer while she clicked the play symbol so that the voice message could play. 

“Sarah, don’t be mad, but I ran away. I’m in the OBX, and I have to see you.” Sarah and Elizabeth shared a look. “Come to our rental condo on Greensboro Street, okay? But, Sarah, please don’t tell anyone.” The blonde seemed to hesitate for a couple of minutes as she listened to it a couple of times. 

“Go, Sarah.” Elizabeth urged as she stood up and wiped the back of her shorts, sighing when the door closed behind the blonde. The brunette spared a glance to Kiara and she sent her a tight lipped smile. “I- huh, I gotta go too…  got stuff to take care of at my house.” She waited a few seconds, waited as Kiara nodded slightly. “I’ll see you later.”  She followed Ellie with her eyes as she ran down the short but creaky flight of stairs and disappeared around the side of the house. 

-

John B followed JJ’s instruction as he drove through fields where men and women worked their asses off. He frowned and glanced at his best friend when the blonde gestured for him to take the next right to a dirt road that ran alongside fields leading to a small cabin. John B threw his friend a last look before he opened the door and licked his lips. 

“Okay, now, so let me get this straight. So, because you know a guy with the same last name as Neville, you think they’ve gotta be related.” John B repeated JJ’s words as he joined him towards the front of the van before they started walking toward the house. “That’s your master plan?” 

“Right. Okay.” JJ scoffed. “How many people do you know with the last name Persaud?” The blonde cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow at his best friend. “I met a guy here last summer with my cousin ‘cause we’re doing the growing business-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

“His last name? Persaud.” JJ stopped and stared at his hands with wide eyes. “Or was it Percett?” 

“No.” John B’s hand gripped JJ’s left shoulder and he shook his friend a little. “Okay, you think or you k-”

“No, no!”

“‘Cause we’re talking about my dad’s life, JJ.” 

“No, No. I know Mr. Persaud.” JJ slapped John B’s bicep. “Trust me. It’s cool.” JJ let his arms fall to his sides before he leaned a bit to his left, trying to catch one of the men’s eyes in front of him. “Hey, uh, Mr. P, right?” His eyes fell on the man on the right with a fisher’s hat on top of his head. 

“Hey!” The man, Mr. P grinned with his fist out. JJ bumped their fists together. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What’s going on, man?” 

They chatted for a couple of minutes while John B was buzzing beside his best friend. 

“Yeah. Hey, so we’re looking for… we’re looking for Neville.” JJ’s blue eyes looked around as he anxiously rubbed his hands together. “Is he still here?”

“Nah, nah, nah, he’s out there.” The man gestured to the forest on the other side of the field. “Been holding up near Doe Creek.” 

“Doe Creek?” The two best friends’ shoulders sagged. 

“In his houseboat. Way, way back.” 

And so the pair set off to find Neville. They found themselves at the edge of Doe Creek and John B could barely utter a word before JJ set a foot under the surface letting the water reach the middle of his knee. 

“Why you ever doubt me, dude?” 

“No, s’just the idea was a little far-fetched is all I'm saying.” 

They both stepped further in, past the line of trees and the blonde’s blue irises searched ahead of them. 

“All right, so we’re looking for a houseboat.” He trailed off. Birds flew out of trees to their right and both JJ and John B’s eyes stopped on the small vehicle slash home. 

“That looks like a houseboat.” 

“You think he’s in there?” 

“I don’t know.” John B mumbled quietly. “I mean–”

“Only one way to find out.” JJ cut the brunette off before he sucked in a deep breath and cupped his hands on either side of his mouth. “Neville! Hey!” The tallest of the two flinched at the loud noise before he slapped JJ’s hands away from his mouth. 

“Stop it!” 

“Dude, what?” JJ snapped at his friend.

“What are you talking about, what? He thinks people are trying to kill him. He’s probably packing.” JJ pursed his lips before he sucked in a breath and nodded with a rise of his eyebrows. 

“Ah, okay. It’s a death trap.”

“Yeah, unfortunately we don’t have a choice. He’s the only guy alive who knows where my dad is.” 

They walked a couple of feet in the water before they had to swim the distance between the edge of the house boat. 

John B held onto the small ladder before he pulled himself up and let the soles of his shoes catch onto the bars. He almost tripped on the metal edge but JJ grabbed the back of his shirt, having just pulled himself onto the boat. The brunette sent a quick thumbs up to the blonde as a quiet thanks. 

“JJ, keep it down.” He warned, his friend’s boots dragging on the old wood. 

It took them a handful of steps to walk the space between the ladder and the roof covered part of the houseboat. Both stood on either sides of the entrance and John B reached forward, eyes glued to a small stove and he sighed. 

“Stove’s still warm, he’s here.” They retreated a little bit, looking around for ripples in the water, a shadow in the trees… anything. 

“Maybe he heard us coming-” 

“Neville!” JJ shouted. 

John B shoved him back, saving him from receiving a pipe in the face. Neville glared at John B and he pushed him harshly against the hamac behind the teenager. JJ used the momentum of having the man’s back towards him and he tried to grab him from behind but Neville was quicker and he threw his elbow against the blonde’s mouth and the boy stumbled back against the wall. 

“Sir! Listen! Neville!” John B tried to talk as he avoided the machete in Neville’s hand. “We just wanna talk.” JJ saw a rope beside him tied to the other side of the boat and he pulled it taunt. 

“John B! Trip line! Trip line!” The brunette breathed heavily and pushed the adult back, both of them tripped and fell on the floor of the houseboat’s kitchen. 

“No! No! No!” John B begged when Neville got the upper hand and raised his machete, a wild and dangerous look in his eyes. 

“Let him go!” JJ jumped on the man’s back, trying to save his best friend. 

“Stop! Stop!” John B’s voice was hoarse, his eyes were opened wide and he stared at the man over him. “We know Professor Sowell.” He let out. 

“Who gave you that name?” Neville asked. 

“Let it go, dude!” JJ shouted, trying to pull the machete out of the man’s hand. Neville got another blow to JJ’s face, throwing him off his back and he glared at John B. 

“Listen to me! We’re friends, okay?” John B shouted loudly, JJ went back to trying to fight the machete out of the man’s hold. 

He really had to stop getting in fights with men holding machetes…

“You were in Orinoco last year! With five other people. Right?” 

“How did you know that?” Neville’s body started to calm down, he breathed harshly but it had slowed down. 

“Let go. Let go.” The pinned teenager asked. 

“Let it go!” JJ shouted in Neville’s ear, loud enough to make the man falter and the blonde used the opportunity to grab the knife, pull the man off his best friend, shove him against the small dinner table and hold it with the tip of the blade against Neville's throat. “We’re on the same team, home dog.” John B stood, wincing a bit when his knees cracked. 

“Look, we don’t wanna hurt you, okay?” Neville stared from John B to JJ with an unconvinced look. “Put it down.” He asked his best friend and JJ lowered the weapon. 

“Jesus.” The adult breathed out when the blade was away from him. 

“Look, we were just with Sowell yesterday. He, uh…” John B’s sight dropped to the ground as he swallowed thickly. “He didn’t make it.” 

“He’s dead?” The two teenagers nodded, breathed out yeah’s as Neville glanced between the two with fear and worry in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry.” 

John B gestured at JJ to let the man go and before he did, JJ did a quick assessment of his best friend, looking for any visible injuries before he nodded and let the man go with a friendly tap on his shoulder. The man flinched, threw his hands in the air defensively and JJ let out a shout. 

“Cool it, JJ.” John B let out and the boy did, but his eyes stayed trained on the adult. 

“I’m the last one left.” 

“Yeah.” JJ wiped at his mouth, noticing a little bit of blood on the back of his hand and that’s when he noticed the slight pain in his upper lip. “That’s why we had to get to you before they did. If we found you, they can too.” 

John B reached into his back pocket and pulled out a thick sheet of paper that had been soaked through when he and JJ swam in the creek. He looked around the kitchen area and grabbed the rag off the small oven’s handle before he dabbed the paper. The lead of the drawing had been more than smudged by the water but everything was still recognizable that Neville gasped when his eyes fell upon the paper. 

“Solana…” He let out. 

“Yeah.” John B nodded, eyeing the man’s reaction. “You’ve been there, right?” He nodded. 

“That is a place of evil.” JJ almost let out an unamused chuckle when he glanced from the man to his best friend who sucked in a breath. 

“Okay. That stone piece, right there?” The curly haired brunette’s pointer finger tapped the large stone in the middle of the paper. “Me and my dad found the thingy that goes in the center.” He added

“The Gnomon.” John B nodded and repeated the word while JJ looked lost. 

“What’s a gnomon?” The blonde asked.

“Hey, I got it. I got it.” John B said slightly dismissively as his hand briefly fell on JJ’s shoulder. “Listen to me.” 

Both of John’s hands laid flat on the table top and he leaned forward, making sure the man was looking at him as he spoke. 

“Now, there’s some bad men who have taken my father to this place, and they’re gonna kill him. So I need your help to find this place, Neville.” 

“No, no, no, no.” The man shook his head, hands trembling as he pushed off the couch he was sitting on. 

“No?” John B repeated. 

“The curse has already done enough.”

“No, no, no. Look, it’s not a curse. Okay?” John B walked around the table and stood between Neville and JJ, not noticing that his best friend’s attention wasn’t on the conversation anymore. “I understand that it’s dangerous, but I need your help.” 

“Hey, sh, sh.” JJ spoke up, eyes trained on the floorboards before they snapped up to meet John B’s hazel irises. 

“What’s going on?” John B asked loudly. 

“Hey, sh.” JJ repeated before slapping a hand over John B’s mouth. 

“JJ-” 

“Shut up!” He shouted, the hair on the back of his neck stood and he tried to catch the unusual sounds of the creek again. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.” He whispered. 

When the boat grew quiet, the quiet sound of an engine reached their ears, confirming what JJ had heard and he mentally slapped himself on the back for being so attuned with his surroundings. 

“Hey, Neville,” he glanced at the man who frowned worriedly. “how much traffic do you get on this river?” 

“Nothing.” The man replied just as a voice shouted his name. 

“Neville! Neville Persaud!”

A gun was loudly loaded, echoing through the air  and John B and JJ almost rolled their eyes at how quickly they recognized the noise. It was like a reflex at this point when JJ and John B started to crouch closer to the ground. A bullet broke through the wall between two windows, shattering the glass with the force of the hit. 

“Jesus!” JJ shouted when the hits kept coming. Neville too, retreated to the ground as everything exploded over him. “Oh my God!” 

A few seconds later, everything was silent so Neville stared at the two teenagers and shouted. 

“Get the anchor!” As soon as the words were screamed, the bullets came flying. “Go!” 

JJ, in a hurry to stand up, wrapped his fingers around the machete’s handle before he and John B ran to the entrance. The boat Singh’s men were in arrived closer to the houseboat, so making sure it was still far enough and they were in the clear, John B and JJ snuck out and slipped back into the river. Sharp side out, JJ held the machete’s handle between his teeth, swallowing back a gag as best as he could as he joined his friend. They watched as the man driving the boat jumped aboard the houseboat. 

“Neville?” He walked around, gun raised in front of him. He slid the door open before calling out again. 

The man shouted loud enough that his partner’s attention was focused on his voice and not the swishing of the water near his own embarkation. 

“I know you’re in here.” The man, Ryan, let out. 

Really, John B should get congratulatory pats on the back with how quietly he was able to sneak onto the other boat. What betrayed his position though and honestly, he couldn’t be blamed was the quiet noise the key made when John B leaned forward and pulled it out of the ignition. Singh’s goon turned around, gun already raised to hit the teenager square in the head but John B had been able to dodge it after a few seconds and throw the man overboard… The boat’s key fell with him. 

“Shit.” John B tried to catch them but he was left with watching them sink just as JJ climbed aboard. 

Back on the houseboat, while Singh’s guy’s attention was pulled to the splash of the water, Neville was able to sneak up on him. Ryan raised his gun, finger on the trigger and he shot a couple of bullets but they bounced off and he barely had time to take a breath before Neville swung a heavy iron pan at his head. The man stumbled for a few seconds, gun thrown somewhere to his right before he took another swing at the older man and threw him off balance. He watched as Neville fell on the ground outside of the roofed up area. 

Since the tall man was distracted, John B crawled to the gun and just as his fingertips landed on it, he was kicked to the ground and the firearm was back in its owner’s grip. 

“Hey, hey. Wait, wait.” John B moved to his feet and kept his hands in front of him. The man laughed darkly.

“Not this time, my friend. Uh-uh.” He shook his head. John B stared at Ryan though he could see his best friend appear behind the man and he tried his best not to look at him. “Ground.” He ordered and the teenager obliged, getting on his knees. 

Ryan’s eyes squinted and his brows grew close when the engine started up and the houseboat moved. JJ held on to the edge of the boat, with one foot on the ladder he leaned to the left before he reached forward, grabbed the back of Ryan’s beige pants and pulled him back, tossing him into the water. The blonde gagged when he breathed in around the machete’s handle. 

“JJ! Machete!” The blade flew in the air and John B caught it nervously. 

“Cut the line! Cut the line!” John B walked to the edge, watching Ryan struggle against the force of the rotators and the waves it made in the water and he grinned slightly before he slashed the rope. 

“Go! Go!” “You gotta go! You gotta go!” The two teenage boys arrived on either side of a nervous and sweaty Neville. 

“Yeah! I’m going!” JJ turned around, seeing the enemies’ boat turn smaller and smaller as the two men that attacked them disappeared. “Are they coming?” 

“No, we’re good.” He panted, wiping down his face before he pushed the wet strands out of his face. 

“You owe me an anchor.” Neville turned to the blonde and said in a tone that made him feel like he was being told off. So, he just raised his eyebrows, right hand falling palm face up questioningly. 

“Yeah, you’re welcome…” JJ scoffed and John B grabbed his attention with a hand on his shoulder, the blonde nodded. Yeah, he was okay.

-

They made quite the pair as they walked around town, Rafe Cameron; dressed in a long sleeve button up that hugged his upper torso in all the right places, black and expensive sunglasses rested on the bridge of his nose while his legs were covered with a pair of beige slacks, Barry on the other hand, wore a loose, red tank top with an old pendant hanging over his chest and a pair of khakis adorned with cigarettes burns and holed pockets. 

The pair walked with confidence though through one of the busiest streets of the town. 

“And you know this guy is good too?” Barry asked. 

“Mm-hmm.” Rafe nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I mean we got a lot of people to see today.” The Kook looked on the other side of the street, catching a glimpse of a brunette that stared at him a little too long and he was about to grow nervous but then she smiled at him, all flirty and seducing. 

“So here’s what we’re gonna do.” Rafe started to explain to Barry over a picnic table. “We’re gonna piecemail this shit out. One nugget at a time.” 

In the woods, Barry started working on melting down more of the Cross before letting it cool down in different size and shapes molds. 

“Sell a bit here. A little bit there. Under the radar.” 

They met up with many of Rafe’s contacts, some were referred but others were from his father’s own shady businesses. Jewelry stores, gold buyers… Again and again, he and Barry watched as people tested the nuggets and stones, all pleasantly surprised when the materials all seemed legit. 

“Authentic.” One buyer grinned before he slapped a wad of cash in the kook’s hand. 

“To celebrate,” Barry said as soon as they exited the last buyers’ place. “we party.” He added and Rafe nodded softly. 

Tanny Hill was taken over soon after. The late afternoon strolled in and the front yard was decorated with red solo cups and half smoked joints and cigarettes. Music boomed and echoed through the property and out into the yards. 

“And if you would kindly follow me, Miss Sofia.” Rafe said softly, he held his hand out for the short haired brunette he had brought upstairs. His eyes followed up her legs, eyeing the skin that appeared through the slit of her thin dress. “VIP section.” He added with a grin. 

“Oh yeah?” The young woman let herself be wrapped up in his left arm while he led her out onto the balcony. 

“Yeah, only very, very special people are allowed here.” Rafe could feel the way she fisted the back of his baby yellow polo shirt. “So you can see the water.” he gestured to the horizon. “Hey!” He shouted to the guest. “That ain’t no Jim Beam bullshit. All right? That’s Pappy Van Winkle. That’s like a day’s salary, bro.” He said to the man who poured the whisky freely into a woman’s mouth, half of the liquid falling onto the deck. “If you don’t have a drink in your hand, get the hell out of my house. Get off my property!” He shouted while Sofia pulled him away softly. 

“So, this is the VIP life, huh?” Her eyebrows jumped and he tore the sunglasses away from his face, she giggled. 

“Mm-hmm. Yeah.”

“Cool.” 

“You wanna see some more?” 

“Yeah, I’m down.” 

“Great news. That’s great news. I’ll give you the grand tour.” They started to walk away but Rafe looked over his shoulder and hissed when his eyes fell on Barry. 

“Hey, don’t go running.” The dealer warned. 

“Hey, give me like five minutes. I’ll meet you upstairs.” He told her and she nodded.

Sofia walked away, purposely swaying her hips a little bit more and she bit her lip softly when she heard him hum, content. 

“Country Club! Come on, boy!” Barry shimmied his shoulders before he and Rafe came together in a one armed hug. “Come on, cheers me on that right there.” Barry raised his glass once they were settled on the patio furniture with each a glass of whiskey. 

“Whoo! Whoo!” Barry looked at Rafe through his smiling eyes. 

“It ain’t a bad plan, man. That shit really did work, didn’t it?” 

“What’d I say?” Rafe slurred lazily. 

“Only one real way I see this shit falling through for.” 

“How’s that?” 

“It’s your pops, Rafe.” Barry mumbled as he saw Rafe tense up beside him. 

“What do you mean, my pops?” 

“Yeah, see, uh… Think about this shit, bro.” Barry set his glass down on the table, licked his lips, wiped his palms on his dusty pants and leaned in close enough that Rafe could smell the weed and the alcohol on his breath. “Your dad has confessed to killing a whole raft full of folks, ain’t he? But the only body that we have, Rafe, is Sheriff Pete.” Rafe kissed his teeth after taking the last sip, the liquid warmed his esophagus nicely before he set his eyes back on Barry. “And your daddy didn’t kill Sheriff Pete, Rafe. You did.” Rafe’s head ticked to the side in annoyance and unspoken warning. 

“Hey. We’re not talking about this right now, okay?” The Kook, for once when talking about that subject, kept his voice even and low as he spoke the words in the space between their two heads. 

“Hey, we’re good, bro.” Barry raised his hands before leaning back.”You had to save your dad. I respect that shit. And then he took the fall for you.” Barry stopped himself, eyeing the way Rafe followed his movements and he knew well enough that he had to pick his next words carefully because it would either set Rafe with or against him. “But think about it from his perspective. Because the only thing standing between the life he used to live and the life he’s living now is you, Rafe.” He almost whispered the last few words directly into the blond’s ear. “I don’t give a damn how religious, self-righteous you think your daddy is.” He added casually as he poured himself another drink. He could see Rafe’s expression shift in the corner of his eye as it turned cold. “Sooner or later, he’s going to realize it’s you or him.” Rafe started biting the skin around his left thumb and Barry swallowed a small grin. “What do you think he’s going to do?” He leaned in and whispered, “So if I were you, I’d move to get him off the battlefield before he starts squawking.” He leaned back, hand wrapped around the neck of an expensive ass bottle of whiskey. “But that’s just me.” Barry stood up and walked backwards before he almost curtsied. “You do you, Country Club.” 

Barry left Rafe on the balcony and he turned around and snickered.

-

Seagulls cried, boats drove by while Cleo and Heyward were cleaning fish, chatting amongst themselves quietly. 

“You know something, Mr. Heyward?” She spoke up with a smile, rattling the basket in front of her. “I have this jerk shrimp recipe that’ll have people lining up out the door.” The man looked at her, one eyebrow raised before his face broke out in a smile. 

“I like it.”

“You like it?” He nodded and her head turned to her left when she heard the rocks underneath Pope’s feet being crushed. “Hey, where you headed to, killer man?” Pope stopped in his tracks and walked closer. 

“School. On a Saturday. Sucks, but I got no choice.” He said, joining her. 

“Who needs school when you have that El Dorado gold making up for your scholarship?” She said softly. 

“Yeah, I don’t have it yet, but …” Heyward watched them carefully as he feigned busying himself. “Hey, thanks for last night.” Pope added even more quietly. 

“You know I got your back.” The girl eyed him for a quick second, a small smile on her lips. “Keep your head up, Pope. You’re a Heyward. You hear me?” Pope nodded, swallowing back a smile before making his way towards the front of the house. “Now, I want straight A’s this semester.” She chuckled before shrugging off the hair on her shoulders. “I think we raising him right.” She said to the boy’s dad with a grin. “What you think?” He nodded. 

“I think we raising them right too, Cleo.” He agreed and she laughed. 

-

School.

School on a Saturday.  

School on a Saturday because he’d missed too many days of school.

School on a Saturday because he’d missed too many days of school being stranded on an Island with his friends. 

“Okey dokey.” The teacher spoke from the front of the room. “So, if you just follow along with me.” The man turned to face the shapes on the board. “So we have a normal triangle here, and every triangle has three medians.” The teenager started to draw the triangle in his notebook but the voice in front of him started to trail off… He’d seen all of this before. 

El Dorado, The Cross and the Royal Merchant were written on each peak of the triangle. Pope sighed, leaning back in his chair with his eyes focused on what was drawn on the lined sheet. 

“And what’s cool about this, the medians all intersect at the …” The teacher trailed off, hoping one of the students would raise their hands to answer. He didn’t have such luck… It was still a Saturday morning after all. “Centroid.” He completed, hoping his disappointment couldn’t be seen by the students. “Pretty cool, huh?” 

Pope drew three lines from each inner corner of the triangle, lines that met in the middle of the shape and across which he wrote a single word, the name that’d started it all actually. 

DENMARK. 

So, as soon as his class was let up, he kept his head down, avoiding the call of his name from one of his classmates and he marched into Mr. Sunn’s classroom. 

“It’s all connected to Denmark, isn’t?” He asked as soon as he could see the man. 

“Always Denmark Tanny.” Mr. Sunn smiled softly and he invited Pope to sit with a movement of his hand. “Elaborate, Mr. Heyward.”

“Did Denmark Tanny ever write about the exact origins of his wealth?” That piqued his teacher’s interest so he continued. “Denmark bought his freedom with a bar of gold, right? And now that we know he was on the Royal Merchant, it’s safe to assume that his fortune and the Royal Merchant gold are linked, right?” Sunn’s eyebrows shot up quickly before he nodded. 

“That would be a fair assumption. Yes.” 

“Have you ever wondered exactly where all that gold came from? Like, what mine produced all of that?” Pope stared at his teacher standing behind his desk.

“You know… I never thought of it.” The man scoffed as he seemed to think about it. 

“I mean, that gold changed his life, and Denmark Tanny was on a ship with the priest who was the last living person to see the origins of that gold.” Mr. Sunn glanced at his student before he took a few steps around the desk. 

“Starting to see that the diary might not have been stolen for historical reasons…?” He offered. 

“Have you ever come across anything of Denmark’s that might have been South American in origin?” 

“No. But given your heritage, Mr. Heyward, I assumed you’ve scoured your own family archives?” Pope sucked in a shallow breath and nodded imperceptibly. He licked his lips and leaned to his left to grab his backpack before he stood. 

“Yeah, I mean, that’s like the first thing I did.” Pope walked to the desk and held out his hand. “Thank you so much, Mr. Sunn. Great to see you again. 

“Good to see you, Mr. Heyward.” Sunn waved at the teenager before he turned back to the stack of papers on his desk. 

-

People stared at her as the bike’s wheels carried her to her destination. Some recognized her from the news, others were classmates’ parents, a few were even her father’s clients she had been forced to socialize with to help him close a deal. 

She stopped in front of the building and her leg swung over the cushioned seat before she steadied herself on her two feet. She glanced around nervously, hoping her sister’s face would appear suddenly. Sarah walked to the back thanks to the balcony that wrapped itself around the condo. Slowly, she wrapped her hand around the sliding door’s handle before pulling it to the left. As soon as she stepped over the rail, she was hit with a wave of cold air. 

“Hello?” She called out in the seemingly empty condo.

C’mon Wheezie, where are you? Please I don’t wanna be right.

 Quietly, she closed the sliding door and stepped further in. 

“Wheezie?” She snuck a glance in the empty living room. “Wheeze?” 

There were no callbacks as she searched through the apartment and she thought maybe she truly was alone but she caught a whiff of a too familiar perfume and she whipped her head to the left. 

She arrived face-to-face with her father, sat hunched over on the dining room chair. 

“I fricking knew it. I knew it.” She took a few steps forward into the room before she started pacing. 

“I needed to see you, Sarah. I just needed to tell you I’m sorry because I am so–”

“No!” She shouted when he pushed off his thighs to stand up. “No, you stay right there!” The man sat back down. “Do you know how stupid this is?” She spat. “If anybody sees you, you go to jail! If I yell and the cops come, you go to jail!” She kept her voice low but it’d gained a hoarse tone.

“I don’t think you’re gonna do that.” He said confidently. 

“Try me.” There were large windows all around the room and Sarah moved closer to them. “I already did.” She eyed the two officers that were walking nearby.  

“What?” He stood up but stayed close to the table. 

“Don’t worry.” She said innocently. “I called them to the unit next door.  I could yell.” The blonde leaned back on the wall. “I might. So whatever it is you’re here for, I suggest you hurry up and you don’t piss me off.”

“So angry.” The father chuckled with much humor behind it. “So much hatred-”

“Because I’m homeless! I have no money! I have no family anymore! I have nowhere to go because of you!” Sarah watched her father sit back down as she yelled. 

“I know.” 

“And you used my baby sister as bait-” The blonde’s voice broke as she thought of her sister. “to get me here.” 

“I know.” He repeated and anger wanted to break through Sarah’s ribs and explode in her father’s face. “Sarah, I know everything I did, everything that happened. All of it.” He sniffled. “It’s my fault. I know. I don’t know how I’ll make up for it or even if I can, but I’ll try. I’m gonna do what I can.” 

“Good luck.”

“I know you won’t believe me, but i’m trying to live my life a different way.”

“You wanna make amends?” Ward nodded. “You give the gold back to the Pogues. Back to us.” 

“We can talk about that.” He said though he knew that he couldn’t get his hands on it. “We can. They certainly deserve some of it.”

“Let’s talk about it.” She scoffed, mocking. 

“Right now I’m here for you.” He stood and turned before grabbing a couple of items out of his bag. He held a keyring between his thumb and index. “This is for the condo. Um…” He held a credit card between his index and middle finger. “This is some money for you. Got all the money you’ll need on it.” He took a step forward and there was a pinch of hurt in his chest when the teenage girl took a step back. “I’ll just…” He dropped both objects on a table between them. 

They stayed silent while he slid his arms in his jacket and Sarah noticed the wince and sharp intake of air he did when he moved. 

“I know you’re not gonna forgive me. How could you?” He grabbed the doorknob for the backdoor that was near him. “I just want you to know that I love you. And that i’m sorry.” He sniffled again, the unshed tears totally visible in his eyes. He wiped down his mouth and nodded, taking a last look at her before he smiled. “Bless you, baby.” 

He passed the threshold and Sarah felt this weight on her heart, didn’t know if it was relief or guilt but she let her head slam back against the window and she breathed heavily. 

-

They had moved up the creek a little bit, JJ still nervously checking through any available window for any attackers. 

“Look, Neville, they’re taking my father there.” John B said. “And you’re the only person who knows where it is. Neville, they are going to kill him unless you help us.” 

“They’re going after the gold.” Neville said casually. 

“Yeah, what else are they going to be going after?” JJ asked. 

“Then, they’ll die anyway. Unless they can pass the test, which they won’t if they can’t translate the idol. You know the story, right?” JJ’s head shook as his hand twitched back and he sighed. 

“No.” The blonde said and Neville sighed, exasperated… What kind of people embark on treasure hunts without knowing the story?

“El Dorado was found by a Guajiro king, and when it came time for him to slip his mortal coil and meet my greats on the astral plane, he wasn’t just going to give the gold to his sons.” Neville explained and both teenagers were watching him carefully as he explained. “It was the source of his power.” JJ leaned back just a little and glanced at his best friend with raised eyebrows. “It had to go to the wisest man, and to ensure this actually happened, he set up the test of the gnomon.”

“So there’s like, some test now. Okay.” The blonde scoffed

“There’s always a test.” John B said seriously and JJ muffled a chuckle. 

“Whoever passes the test gains access to the gold. You fail the test, you die.” JJ’s eyes snapped to the side of Neville’s face as he spoke. “If you somehow get to the gold without taking the test, then you die.” 

“Gr-great.” JJ stuttered. “He’s lying, right? ‘Cause there’s no way that actually can happen, right?” The blonde stared at his best friend intensely. 

“Tell that to the crew of the San Jose and the Royal Merchant.” 

“We don’t want the gold, Neville.” JJ opened his mouth and then closed it before he scratched the back of his neck. 

“Well…”

“Just want to save my dad.” 

“Take the wheel.” Neville told the blonde. 

“Yes sir.” 

While JJ made his way behind the wheel, Neville sighed and grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen before he gestured for John B to join him. 

“You must go to the port of Tres Rocas.” Neville started as he wrote the town’s name in the middle of the sheet. He drew a wavy line down the middle of the surface. “From there, find ferry passage from a river guide called Jose.” He drew the Orinoco River beneath where the town was. “He will take you up to Orinoco to El Tesoro. It is there. In the bush, you will find the site.” 

“Guess we back in the G-game?” JJ asked with slight excitement but John B could see reluctance in his eyes. 

“Make yourself pure of heart, pure of mind.” Neville told JJ severely before he looked back to John B. “You are there to save your father. The gold kills everyone.” The man finished.

“All right.”

“Move over.” 

“Yes sir.” 

-

Somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Big John Routledge was still held hostage so that he could translate the piece of the idol he had in his possession. 

“How’s it coming?” Singh asked as he approached his hostage. “You making it out, John?” 

“Yeah, yeah.” He adjusted his glasses, eyes casting over the open page of the book in his hand. “Making some progress.” He spluttered. “Would be easier with the whole thing. But got some of the stern here sorted.” 

“I have people working on getting that second half.”

“Mmh.” He replied casually as if the blood in his veins didn’t ice over at the thought of the teenage girl in danger. “I’ve heard bits and pieces from other explorers, story of the sun king, some people say the hagiography of the divine leader.”

“What’s this story exactly, John. Tell me more now.” 

“Well, that’s what I’m working out. Something about emergence, arriving on earth.” 

“Mmmh.” Singh nodded, he poured them glasses of whiskey.

“That’s promising, right?” 

“To a fast translation, John.” Singh said before handing the father a glass and clinking them together. 

“Heh, I’ll drink to that.” 

“You know, my family came over here as indentured servants. All the way from India. That was in nineteen thirteen. They came over with the last formal expedition to search for El Dorado.” Big John glanced at the man as it clicked in his head. 

“Teddy Roosevelt’s?” Singh nodded. “Your family was on the last expedition?” He nodded again. 

“Teddy Roosevelt.” Singh set his glass down. “We were tricked, you know. Humiliated. Enslaved. But on the next full moon, on the next solstice, when the moonlight shine upon Water Cat, you, John, will have solved the meaning of the gnomon, and my family’s history will be avenged, you know.” Singh laughed and slapped John’s shoulder. “Or I’ll tie you to a banyan tree and leave you for the ants.” 

-

She did not want to be there. Really didn’t. But Sarah had come home, looking distraught and after talking and telling the brunette everything that had happened with her father, Ellie decided that attending a party would be nice. But as she watched all the people around her dance and laugh loudly she truly wanted to be anywhere else. 

Quickly after their arrival Kiara had joined them but after a quick greeting, the brunette had tuned them out, eyes focused on the horizon, the setting sun and the soft material of her flowy green dress.

“...kidding me, Sarah?” Kiara asked and her elbow knocked Ellie’s which pulled the girl out of her head. She blinked and stared at her friends. “That doesn’t even make sense. Ward’s on this island? Like, the same island we are on, Sarah?” The blonde nodded. 

“Yes, he’s back. Mm-hmm.” 

“The second I see him, I’m turning him in I swear.” Kiara let out. Elizabeth stared at the girl before looking at the father’s daughter. “I don’t know how you do it. Every time I wanna complain about my dad, I just think about your dad.” Kiara said and Ellie scoffed. 

“C’mon Kie.” Elizabeth sighed. 

“No, no, I’m glad to be of service.” Sarah said with a sad smile on her face.

“And it works every time.” At that, the three girls laughed. 

They fell into a somewhat comfortable silence, each looking at something different. Sarah stared at something behind her before she whipped back to her friends with wide eyes. 

“You didn’t tell me Topper was gonna be here.” 

“Sorry. My mom invited like the whole island.” 

“Shit.” Elizabeth chuckled at the blonde’s panicked look. 

“I’ll keep him away.” Kiara’s eyes moved from the blonde, to Topper to Elizabeth playing with the red straw of her drink. 

A few feet away, to the spot where John B usually parked his boat whenever he would stop at The Wreck, both him and JJ were tying off the boat with quick and hurried movements. 

“Here’s the game plan, get the girls, pick up E, go find Pope and Cleo, get down to South America as soon as possible. Cool?” 

“Seems a bit vague, I gotta say, John B.” JJ said as he pulled on a rope. “Also, I don’t got a passport, dog.” 

“Hey, look,” John B pulled himself up on the pontoon and stared down at his best friend. “don’t bore me with the details, all right? We’ll figure it out later.” JJ glanced behind him, eyeing the guests nervously. “Hey,” John B whistled before slapping a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “We’re gonna get Sarah, gonna get Kie, little rendezvous mission. Get them back on the boat and get out of here.” 

“The other day, Mike and I kind of got into a little bit of a tiff, all right?” JJ said. “And if I go over there right now and Mike sees me, he’s not gonna let Kiara out of his sight, boom.” The blonde snapped his fingers. “Mission blown, we can’t go down to South America.”

“Hey, hey, hey.” John B held JJ’s head between his two hands. “Look. Just don’t get seen, okay?” 

“You’re right. I’ll stay here.” 

“No, no. That’s not what I was saying.”

“I got your six.” The blonde retreated back into the boat and sat behind the wheel. “I’ll keep her running, dog.” 

John B sighed, closed his eyes, inhaled, exhaled and inhaled again deeply before he shoved his hands in his pockets. The music grew in volume as he made his way closer to the party he was not invited to. 

Sarah hadn’t seen Topper approaching yet, but Kiara did and so she raised her eyebrows and took a step away. 

“Oh, great. Uh, well, I’m gonna go over here.” Kiara winced. “Maybe join Ellie inside or something.” 

“Please don’t. Betrayal.” 

“I won’t go far. Just say the word.” She turned just in time to see Elizabeth arrive near them. 

Kiara grabbed the brunette’s elbow and pulled her to her sides. 

“Hu-what? Kie!” She let out a bit too loudly but her yelp was covered by the volume of the band playing. “What are you doi- Kie.” The brunette sighed when her eyes fell on an uncomfortable looking Sarah and her ex-boyfriend. 

“Hey, Kie! How are you?” Topper asked and Kiara took a sip before turning to him. 

“Oh, hey. I didn’t even see you, bro.” Kiara mumbled, before turning to Elizabeth who shook her head. 

“Uh, did you do these decorations here? It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah. Party City.” Kiara informed him and Sarah said something quietly which brought back Topper’s attention to her. 

“What happened to I’ll keep him away?” Elizabeth asked the brunette. 

“We’re not far, I told Sarah to say the word and we’ll be right there.” 

“Mmh.” The brunette hummed disapprovingly. “Oh God, this is painful.” Ellie mumbled as she sipped on her soda. 

“Take it easy on those.” Topper smiled before he glanced at the two other teenagers. “Bye Kie. Miller.” He dipped his head low before he walked away. 

“At least he kept it short.” The curly haired teenager mumbled as they joined Sarah.

Mike appeared on the stage, making the crowd cheer him on. 

“Hang on.” Mike said to the band. “Please, excuse me. Hum… I just want to say a few words, and I’m not much into giving speeches, but I do want to say thank you for coming out and thank you for your support after a rough few months.” The crowd muttered quietly.”I want to say thank you to our girls for being here. Hey, we love you.” Mike said as he eyed both his daughter and god-daughter. 

“Love you too.” Kiara smiled shyly while Elizabeth plastered a fake smile on her lips and raised her glass. 

The world didn’t need to know that she want to pick a fight with him, right now. 

“But most of all…” Mike extended his hand out and helped his wife up the stage. “Come here.” He pulled her to him and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips as the crowd cheered. “Thank you, Anna… for fifteen years, for making this restaurant a symbol of our life. I love you.” 

“I love you.” Sarah and Kiara shared fond and in-awe smiles over Elizabeth’s head. 

“Figure Eight, the Cut.” Mike kept going. “Everyone’s together here.” 

“Pfft.” Elizabeth scoffed and Sarah wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to her. 

“As one Island. So, thank you for putting up with us. Cheers.” 

“Thank you all for coming.” 

Glasses were raised and sips were taken as everyone was lit up in the light of the setting sun. Once the couple was off the stage they stared at their daughter and motioned her over. Sarah and Elizabeth watched the family as the parents kissed their daughter with smiles on their faces.  

“I miss my mom.” Elizabeth admitted as she let her head fall on Sarah’s shoulder. 

“I-”

“Psst. Sarah.” The two girls turned around and right behind the fence, dressed in a dirty ass yellow shirt stood John B smiling widely at the blonde. 

Elizabeth pulled away from her friend while John B sped walk to them before he wrapped his girlfriend in his arms. 

“Hi.” 

“Hi.” John B replied breathlessly. “Long time no see.” 

The couple shared a few words that Elizabeth tuned out to give them some privacy.

“I’ll be back.” Sarah told her just as John B pulled her away. 

Elizabeth noticed how Kiara and her family looked at the couple with warm smiles before her eyes started searching around; from where John B came, to the different guests… 

If John B was here, then JJ must be here too, right? 

John B’s yellow shirt caught her attention as it moved through the crowd and she frowned. She searched for Sarah’s blonde hair and the small smile she had on her face dropped when she noticed the expression on her friend’s face. She wove through the people before her hand reached the ex-kook’s shoulder. 

“What happened?” Elizabeth searched the blonde’s eyes though Sarah avoided looking at her like the plague. 

“I told him-” She swallowed thickly. “I almost kissed Topper at the beach.” Sarah felt like crying because for a second, Elizabeth’s eyes held the same look John B’s eyes had a few minutes ago but it fell quickly because the brunette had her arms around her shoulders half a second later. 

“Me hugging you isn’t a reward.” Ellie mumbled in her hair and Sarah nodded. “But you didn’t kiss him and I can see you’re wanting to curl up into a ball right now, so…” 

“Thank you.” Sarah whimpered. 

“Let’s go find Kie and get out of here, okay?” She whispered in her hair and Sarah nodded. The two friends pulled away but Elizabeth held her close before she cupped her jaw with both hands and reached up to gently wipe the tears under her eyes. “There you go. C’mon.” 

Kiara walked around, looking for her two friends but then a blur caught her eye and her head turned to the left. She recognized JJ’s mop of hair, hair that glowed golden in the current sunlight. Kiara bit back a smile when she realized he was trying to hide behind the wooden fence. 

“JJ.” The teenager walked closer, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hear him talk over the loud reggae music. “I saw John B. I figured you couldn’t be far.” He stayed crouched behind the fence before she let out a tsk and he stood to his fully height. 

“Just, uh, thought I should keep my distance. Didn’t really wanna spoil the party,” The blonde’s pointer finger steered her attention from him to her parents. “if you know what I’m saying.”

“We were wondering where you guys ran off to. You okay?” The blonde’s head tilted to the left in hesitation. 

“No.” He let out as his hands started to move in front of him. “Long story short, we’re mounting a full search and rescue mission right now because Big John got nabbed.” Kiara stared at him as she lowered her chin closer to her chest. 

“What do you mean “got nabbed”?” 

“Like, actually nabbed.” His eyes moved frantically behind her and he sucked in a breath. “Uh, snatched, kidnapped, abducted, that kind of thing. To South America by Singh. So what we have to do is we have to get down there as soon as we can.”

“South America?” He nodded. “Right now?” 

“Yeah, I know.” JJ heard the humorless chuckle she released but his mind was already three sentences ahead. “It’s a long shot but we’re making a plan right now.” 

Kiara’s voice gained volume, barely loud enough to reach Sarah and Ellie’s ears but it did so after Sarah hooked her arm around Ellie’s they started to follow the voice. 

“... after stealing from my dad like, “Hey, we’re all good. Let’s go to South America.”!” Sarah pulled the brunette but she stayed rooted to her spot, eyes trained carefully on the pair to their left. 

It might’ve been wrong because Kiara and JJ couldn’t really see the two teenage girls from where they were standing behind two speakers stacked up over each other. The angle made it weird for the girl and the boy to notice them but Sarah and Elizabeth barely had any struggle. 

“So is that a no?” JJ started to sound a bit nervous. “Uh, you’re just gonna ghost us?” 

“JJ, I’ve been wanting to talk since we got off the island.” JJ licked his lips nervously, his irises moved to his left where Sarah and Beth were hidden. “We need to talk. It’s all I can think about. I just can’t do any of that right now.” 

“Okay, so you’re saying you don’t wanna be a part of the plan when Big John is up for execution right now.” Elizabeth gasped and she stared at Sarah with unshed tears in her eyes. 

“What the fuck?” She whispered. 

“Okay, cool. That’s a no.” He added. 

“I can’t!” Kiara gestured to what was happening around her and the blonde slapped his hands together. 

“Cool. All right. That’s all I needed to know. It’s just that–” He started to walk away and Elizabeth’s eyes opened wide when he stood in front of her, both teenage girls totally visible. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed before he swiveled on his heels, barely missing his two friends. “Actually, one last thing.” He started before he rubbed his palm in his eye and shook the index of the same hand. “When you see Mike, could you just let him know that I don’t feel bad about the money clip?” He said, his voice trailing off in a hoarse whisper. “Okay? Just let him know I actually needed it.” Kiara scoffed, annoyed. “So thank him for me, actually. Appreciate that. Thank you.” Sarah arched an eyebrow when she looked to her right and noticed that the brunette sported an amused smile on her lips. 

Once again he walked ahead, making it further than he had previously but when Kiara sucked her teeth his steps faltered. 

“What is wrong with you?” The heavy stomping of his boots stopped and and as his eyes nervously flitted from left to right, he caught a flash of yellow and his head whipped to the right. 

Sarah stood there, arms limp at her sides watching the blonde like a deer caught in headlights as his mouth opened and shut. He stared for a few seconds, confused. Sarah had to stop herself from looking at the brunette who hid behind the speakers tower, the volume of it booming against her eardrums. 

“You’re really acting like you don’t care?” Kiara said in that same breath, the blonde blinked and turned to face Sarah fully. “I mean, seriously. You’re acting like I don’t care.” Kiara added. 

Sarah simply stared at him, while Elizabeth shook her head.

“Like, I love you, dude.” Kiara said and though Elizabeth couldn’t see her, she knew her lifelong friend was frowning as she said the words. 

Elizabeth gasped, JJ seemed to stumble back at the words, Sarah did a weird slap against the speakers as the need to tightly hold onto her friend overcame everything. 

“What?” He let out simply. His head twisted towards her and his body followed soon after. “Kie, I mean, thanks.” He exhaled through his nose. “Okay, great, no, look.” He stuttered before he walked back to where he was on the other side of the fence and Sarah and Elizabeth used that moment to walk away. “It’s not gonna work, okay?” He told her seriously. “I’m gonna go help my best friend save his father.” He nodded and took a step back, trying to avoid looking in her eyes. “Maybe I’ll see you at the break when I get back.” 

“Yeah, maybe.” 

“If I get back.” 

Kiara watched as he walked away, she quickly wiped the tears in her eyes and turned around, plastering a fake smile on her face before she walked into the crowd. 

An hour later, Elizabeth approached Sarah with a sad smile on her lips before it turned into a somewhat genuine one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“Looky, here, Cameron.” The brunette said as her hips shook from side to side. She held a glass bottle in her right hand and two glasses of wine in her left. 

Sarah eyed her friend cautiously before she nodded and she grabbed the glasses and set them both on the table. Sarah waited as the brunette poured them a generous glass of red wine. 

“Cheers.” Sarah muttered before they clinked their glasses together and downed half of their contents. 

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, what are you guys doing?” Topper appeared from nowhere. 

“Nothing.” Sarah replied. Topper looked at Elizabeth’s pout and then Sarah’s red rimmed eyes and he sighed.

“Why did you chug that?” 

“That’s my drink.” Sarah said matter of factly before she took another sip.

“We’re celebrating with Mike and Anna and their seemingly perfect family, with their perfect daughter.” Beth said, eyeing Kiara who was grinning at her father’s words. 

“Are you crying?” He asked Sarah, repeating the same movement Ellie had done previously. “Hey, hey, what’s going on?” 

“Oh my god…!” Elizabeth moaned, annoyance laced her tone. “She doesn’t need your knight in wrinkled button up to save her from heartbreak, Topper!” 

“Heartbreak?” He repeated quietly. 

“We can take care of each oth-” He raised a hand, in a way he hoped would silence her but she simply high-fived him. “Fuck you.” She spat before she put the rim of her glass between her lips. 

“What happened?” He asked Sarah, completely ignoring the glare the brunette sent his way. 

JJ had finally found his best friend and after telling him of his break up, JJ grew curious. 

“What happened?”

“She cheated is what happened. After everything I’ve been through, she’s hooking up with Topper? I mean what the hell?” 

“Bro, I’ve been looking all over for you. And the clock’s ticking. Let’s just go. We don’t need them.” 

“I mean we do need Ellie, she has the second half of the idol.” 

“Okay, fine, yeah, let’s pick up her and go, then.” He said as casually as his voice would allow him. 

“No, JJ. She’s here, she’s been with Sarah all night.” 

“What?” 

Did she hear…?” 

John B’s frowned, anger climbing behind his ribcage when he noticed Topper standing between Elizabeth and Sarah. Ellie seemed to pour herself a new glass of wine while Topper wrapped her arms around the blonde. With her hand up, holding her glass securely she tried to wedge herself between Topper and Sarah with a frown. 

JJ noticed his best friend had stopped talking and so he looked up at him and then at where he-

Oh. 

He blinked and stood. 

“John B,” He started when the teenager in question started to move away from the boat. “what are you doing? Don’t even think about it, dude.” The blonde warned. “Get in the boat.” 

Elizabeth had been successful in pulling the two teenagers apart before she glared at Sarah disapprovingly and she swatted Topper’s hand away when it tried to cup the blonde girl’s cheek. 

“Oh my god, Topper, enough.” She groaned but the Kook’s face had fallen and he seemed to be staring at something behind Sarah. 

“Oh shit.” He mumbled. 

“Uh, wha-” John B stood there, dangerously glaring at them, breathing heavily and he cast a quick look at the brunette before he gained speed. 

He shoved one of the waiters, making him drop the tray of glasses to the ground and Topper raised his hands defensively just as Elizabeth pulled Sarah away from Topper. 

“No, not right here, bro.” 

“No, no!” Sarah wiggled free of Ellie’s hold and she stood between the two. “C’mon John B.”

“Out of my way.” He warned her and if the situation wasn’t what it was, Elizabeth would’ve noticed the way John B’s voice softened when he spoke to Sarah. 

“We’re not doing this.” Topper added as he took a few steps away. 

“Feel good about yourself?” John B asked as he shoved the Kook back and already their raised voices had attracted more than enough attention. 

“Stop!” Sarah asked. 

“You need to chill, bro.” 

“You need to stop messing up my relationship.” 

“I’m not the one ruining the party, bro.” 

“That’s what you’re worried about, huh?” 

Elizabeth head snapped to the dock and she followed along to the couple of boats parked there before she recognized the HMS Pogue and on it, JJ. She cocked her head to the side and she nervously played with the rings on her hands before she stared at the blonde’s blue eyes and silently begged. 

“I would just walk away if I were you.” Topper warned. 

“You feel good about yourself?” 

“John B, enough!” Elizabeth’s voice was added to the mix when JJ didn’t move. The brunette watched as Sarah reached to the front of John B’s body, scrunched the fabric of his shirt in a thigh fist and she whirled him around. 

“For once in your life,” Sarah started, breathing heavily. “would you please just turn around and walk away? Please.” She asked. “Look at me.” Sarah reached up and traced the side of his jaw with her fingertip. 

In the small space separating Sarah and John B, Elizabeth noticed JJ standing back in the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment and she smiled softly. 

“Hey, no hard feelings, bro.” Topper laughed and Elizabeth groaned. 

“Topper…” Both Elizabeth and Sarah let out, annoyed at how the Kook seemed to want to rile up the Pogue even more. 

“We good?” Topper asked and John B shifted from his tiptoes to the heel of his feet. 

The second John B started to turn towards Topper, Elizabeth reached forward to grab Sarah, leaving more than enough space for the teenage boy to hit his nemesis. 

“No, John B!” The blonde girl let out a second too late because she blinked and her ex-boyfriend was on his back on the ground and John B shook his hand. 

Kiara joined them and begged along with Sarah as John B stood over Topper. Elizabeth turned back to face JJ and she barely took a step towards him, ready to drag him back that he was already running to her. 

“Hey, stop! What are you doing?” Someone shouted as John B kept hitting the kook. 

When JJ reached her, he took a second to move her back away from the fight. 

“Please, stay there, don’t move, please.” He asked her and she nodded. A shiver ran all over her back when she noticed she could feel the warmth of his touch on her waist through the material of her dress.

“John B!” Kie shouted.

“Mike!” Elizabeth yelled as she took a couple of steps forward, JJ threw the girl a warning glance at her feet and she stilled. 

Before JJ reached them, Mike had pulled John B’s feet off the floor and off Topper’s limp body. 

“Get him out of here!” Anna shouted along with many other guests.

“Get out of here!” Mike shouted himself hoarse as he repeated the words over and over again, his body tensing up every time. 

“Is that what you want, Mike?” John B taunted. 

Mike threw the teenage boy away from him just in time for JJ to catch him and stand between the two.

“Get off of him!” JJ growled protectively. 

“That’s what I’m talking about!” The father shouted as he started to insult the two teenagers. JJ felt like he was about to explode as he stepped forward and held himself too close to Kiara’s father. “No good Pogues!” He shouted before he shoved JJ back too, right hand holding onto the blonde’s shirt and Elizabeth swallowed thickly when she saw him ball up his left fist. 

“We’re leaving!” She said when she stepped to the three men. JJ’s head whipped towards her, breathing harshly. 

“I-” He started but she shook her head. 

“Let him go, Mike.” She asked, voice not as steady as she would’ve liked as she stood face to face with her godfather. “No good Pogues, right?” She arched an eyebrow. 

Mike held onto JJ’s collar and he stared at the girl before he looked at his wife and she nodded. He let him go with a slight shove. Elizabeth looked around them, the way everyone looked at her and her two friends like they were savages and maybe in a way they were. Without another word, JJ started to push John B away with one arm while wrapping an arm around Elizabeth’s shoulder with the other. 

“You happy now, Sarah?” John B shouted and Elizabeth shook her head. 

“Ok, that’s enough, John B.” She sighed. 

They could hear people ask Topper different questions but what made Elizabeth look up was the feeling of eyes on her. Kiara stood up on the restaurant’s patio, looking down on JJ, John B and Beth as they climbed aboard the small boat. Kiara frowned at Elizabeth, as if she couldn’t understand why she went with them instead of staying there with her and Sarah. 

“I’m always gonna pick them, Kie.”

She had told her best friend a few months ago and Kiara raised an eyebrow at the brunette as she paused the movie they were watching. There had been a fight at a party the friends had gone to and Kiara, just like JJ had questioned the brunette as to why she had put himself between the Kook and JJ and why did she leave with them when she was supposed to have a sleepover at Kie’s afterwards. 

“But why?” Elizabeth snickered. “I love them, more than anything but-” 

“I love them, Kie. Nothing else.” 

-

Cleo followed Pope down the street of a town she didn’t know before they stopped in front of an old house. He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. The house was dark and smelled musty. 

“Yeah, this was all our old family history.” Pope spoke. The two teenagers were sitting down in what looked like an unused room turned storage room. “They kept it from me.” Pope added, ruffling through a box. “My dad too.” He pulled out a framed picture and smiled. “This is my mee-maw. She was the one who knew we were Tannys.” Cleo joined him, their fingers brushing against each other as she held the picture for a few seconds. 

“She’s sweet. Remind me of my granny.”

“She held us all together.” He exhaled before bending down. “All right, let’s keep looking.” 

Cleo crouched in front of a book filled box and started to look at a few pages. 

“Found anything?” Pope asked. When Cleo stayed quiet, Pope turned around and saw she was looking at a picture. 

“Is this that Tanny guy who owned that lake house I lived in?” 

“Yeah, it’s Denmark Tanny. You know the story. Fugitive slave turned landowner. He had three sons who survived him.” She hummed, before turning a handful of pages and landing on an envelope. 

“Did he have a daughter too?” She grabbed the piece of paper and stood up and under the lightbulb. 

“Let me see that.” Cleo handed it to him, looking at the boy curiously. “Wheat symbol.” He turned it over. “Clarice Tanny.” He nodded as he remembered. “Yeah. Yeah, this was the daughter. She was raised in the Limbrey plantation. Wait, we have a family tree in here somewhere.” So Pope turned around and looked through boxes before he swiveled and looked at a metal shelf on the opposite wall. “Wait a minute.” He climbed on the first shelf and reached up for a few sheets of dusty and dried up paper.  “Ha! Bingo!” 

When he unfolded the family tree, dust flew everywhere making them cough. He tapped the name on the paper. 

“Clarice Tanny, there she is. He must have sent this to her. But look, it’s never been opened.” Cleo wiggled her eyebrows when Pope looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Should I open it?” 

“You see anyone here who can stop us ? Open it.” 

Pope tucked his finger just before the wax seal and he pushed away, tearing the fragile paper easily. He pulled a handwritten letter out. 

“Dearest Clarice, I apologize for writing the letter which will most likely reach you after my death.” Pope read and trailed off. “It’s from Denmark.” He licked his lips and Cleo gave him a nod, urging him. ““I also apologize, I’ve never met you, and I’m your father.” They never let him see her. He’s talking about her brothers, the family legacy and the Royal Merchant.” At that, Cleo approached closer, shoulder to shoulder. ““The priest was often delirious, but in a moment of clarity, he spoke of an idol and a city of gold.”” Amazement laced his voice and he could see Cleo grin widely next to him. ““I believed it to be the rantings of his fever but…”” The letter kept going to the other side of the page but Pope mistakenly simply moved to the one below and found drawings and words beneath them. Each symbol seemed familiar and his eyes moved over the page before they fell on the hand drawn wheat symbol at the bottom of it. “Oh my God.” He gasped as realization hit him.

************************

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Heists // Outer Banks series

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Pairing: OC!Elizabeth Miller x JJ Maybank

A/N:  hello this is quite long with over 14K of words. also this is not edited i'll do it friday. A/N2: angst... big john being a bad father, language, rafe & barry, police chase, jj risking his freaking life

please, do comment and reblog i wanna hear your thoughts and all of that ;)

When Sarah arrived at the Chateau, back from talking to Pope about the cross, she recognized JJ’s bike on the lawn and could hear Kiara’s voice all the way by the workshop. She stopped her bike next to a familiar one and she grew hopeful. 

“Guys?” She called out and Kiara and JJ’s heads popped out before they waved her over. 

“Is that Sarah?” Elizabeth asked as she jumped off the table and walked between JJ and Kiara. 

“Ellie?” 

As soon as they were within reaching distance, Sarah Cameron and Elizabeth Miller wrapped their arms around each other with relieved sighs.  

-

Rafe stood near the door with a room temperature glass of liquor in his hand when the news reached his ears. 

“Five Kildare teens who went missing nearly eight weeks ago are now reported alive, safe, and back on Kildare Island.” the young man coughed as the liquid slipped down the wrong way. 

“Now a live update from the sheriff’s department.” 

“Yeah, after a little over eight weeks, the five teens that had been missing from Kildare county have returned, been reunited with their families.” Rafe walked closer to the screen and he could feel the eyes on the back of his head. “We’re still waiting for details about their journey, but I’m sure they have quite a tale to tell.” 

On the road, the Routledge’s had been listening to music when the news started. 

“We also got word that the father of one of the teens, John B Routledge, who’s been presumed dead for a year now, has also returned alive and well. Wonders never cease.” Big John smiled at his son victoriously.

The Carrera’s were also watching the TV when the news broke and pictures of the teenagers appeared next to the sheriff’s head.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get those kids settled back into school, with their families. They’ve been through a lot.” Anna gasped when after her daughter’s picture came her goddaughter’s and she turned to her husband with her hand over her mouth. 

Topper Thornton was waxing his board when his ex-girlfriend’s name was mentioned. 

“The teens were down in the Caribbean with another Kildare teen, Sarah Cameron,” Another reporter added and Topper’s movements faltered. “the daughter or disgraced real estate magnate, Ward Cameron, who confessed to the murder of Sheriff Peterkin two months ago.” The Kook grabbed the remote close to him and turned up the volume. “All the teens back, safe and sound on Kildare Island, and John Routledge back from the dead. That’s about as good a result as we could hope for.” 

-

Elizabeth turned down the radio’s volume and leaned back against the table’s edge as the Pogues’ attention was brought back to Sarah. 

“When I went back to Tannyhill, Rafe was on the phone with Ward, and he just kept saying, “My thing, this is my thing.”” Sarah told them. 

“He had to be talking about the Cross.” Pope added.. 

“Yeah, I can confirm.” Elizabeth spoke up almost shyly as four pairs of eyes shifted to her. She pushed off the table. “He and Rose argued about Rafe’s role and him taking over things… Rafe was often on the phone with buyers or something about it.” Sarah nodded in acknowledgement. 

“And he’s coming int0 Wilmington tonight at eight o’clock.” Elizabeth could see a plan brewing behind JJ’s eyes as he shared a look with Pope. “It’s being shipped by train to Raleigh from there but this is our chance to get it back.”

“You get any other information?” Pope asked. 

“Uh, Sarah got the cargo number.” Kiara reached forward to the piece of paper on the table.

“Okay, well, that’s a start.”

“They’re definitely fencing that shit off as we speak. So we should probably get a move on.” JJ stated and they all nodded. 

“Sarah, you hear from John B?” 

“No, I mean, he’s probably off somewhere with his dad.” Elizabeth’s head snapped up when Sarah spoke and Sarah sucked in a breath. “We didn’t tell you.” She added and the brunette frowned. 

“I knew, actually.” Her lips twitched nervously when they frowned in confusion. “I should’ve told you earlier, i know,” she added and JJ knew the words were meant for him. “My return home just wasn’t what I thought it would be and it slipped my mind.” 

“Did you see them?”

“No, but huh, Big John and I were together in Barbados.” She said and Sarah remembered the voicemails her and John B had listened to.

“What?” They all, except Sarah, let out whats’ and questions and Elizabeth leaned back in surprise. 

“Guys! Guys! Back off.” The blonde teenage girl spoke up. “The real problem right now is that they took the Twinkie which is our-”

“Transportation.” Pope finished and Sarah nodded. “I could ask Heyward for the truck.” 

“Uh, what?” JJ dramatically let his head fall forward before it snapped to Pope. “Yeah, that’s gonna go well.” 

“I know but we literally have no other option.” Pope argued.

-

Heyward dropped the orange bucket on the ground with a grunt before he pushed off his thighs. The father stared at his son with consternation. 

“Absolutely not!” 

“This might be our last opportunity to go get that cross.” 

“Is that so?” The father said mockingly. 

“If I could just get to the mainland–” Pope followed his father while the man walked across the shop. 

“Oh boy!” 

“Pop, please! Come on!” Pope begged while his mother and newest friend watched from the counter. “This is about our heritage, our family.” He justified. “This is our thing.” Pope’s father scoffed with a shake of his head while he stared at his son. 

“You wanna know what our thing is? Doing what we say we’re gonna do.” Pope’s arms fell to his sides. “Keeping our promises. Exceeding expectations. You used to understand that!” 

“And I still do! I still understand!” Pope took off after his father as the man walked away. “But, Pop, please, this is the last opportunity, and I won’t ask you for anything else, and I promise you, I’m done, I swear. Please, please let me do this.” He begged before turning on his heels. “Mama.”

“Uh-uh.” The woman shook her head as she raised her hands up. “Don’t bring me into this.”

“You on board with this?” Heyward asked Cleo.

“Gotta strike while the iron’s hot, sir.” She replied while playing with her knife. 

“Get off my counter.” He shouted and she grimaced. 

“Pop, I know appearances are against me right now, but please, I will do anything I have to. I’ll work triple shifts.” Heyward took a big breath in as he walked a few feet away from his rambling son. “I’ll never leave the house again. Just please let me go to Wilmington with your truck.” 

For a few seconds, while Heyward shared glances with his son and Cleo the only sound they could hear was the seagulls crying out. The father closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. 

“Get out of here.” He spoke calmly. “Before your mama talk some sense into me, but you can’t take my truck.” As he spoke, he watched his son’s face light up and that alone was worth it.

“Pop, we’re going to need transportation.” 

“That is not my problem. Talk to Elizabeth. She'll hook you up but I got deliveries. Somebody’s got to keep the lights on. You know? Just in case you don’t make it big.” Pope and Cleo stared at each other, trying to tone down the grins that wanted to split their faces in half. 

“All right. Thank you so much.” Pope nodded, taking a few steps back. “I promise I won’t let you down. Appreciate you, Pop.” 

“Don’t break any laws.” His father warned. “Try to keep him out of trouble!” Heyward shouted.

“I’ll try!” Cleo shouted back before the two teenagers started to run. 

-

John B and John had finally made it to Charleston. The Twinkie’s tires were rolling down the streets of Charleston, hot to the touch after a journey of many hours. The father parked the rattling, old van near the curb while his son stared at him with disinterest. 

“Here we are. Gunning for the big prize. See, the idol, it has directions to El Dorado on it.”

“But we don’t have the idol.” John B pointed out and his father sighed. 

“We’ll get it. The diary should lead us to the other half, which is why Singh wants it so badly. But we got the jump on him this time.” John B raised his eyebrows as he remembered “the jump” his father had on Singh’s men. “If we put the whole thing together,” Big John continued. “both halves, and decipher it, mountain of gold here we come. Let’s go find this church.” 

“Mountain of gold, huh?” John B sighed quietly while the two jumped out of the van. 

“So we’re looking for seventeen Society Street.” Big John said, phone in hand with the map application pulled up. “Uh, it should be an old church with a graveyard.” The pair looked around at the old buildings and the street signs.

“Uh, seventeen, you say?” John B asked. 

“Seventeen Society Street. That’s it.”

“Seventeen.” The teenager repeated, gesturing to the thai restaurant. 

“This can’t be right.”

“Right, right.” John B sighed, exasperated and a little bit frustrated. “Because we’ve been right so many times. Why would we be wrong now, dad?” The boy walked ahead and closer to the business. “A quick internet search would’ve saved us a few hours.” John B added under his breath. 

“Don’t get smart with me. I don’t neet that right now, boy.” 

What about what I need…? John B thought. 

“This doesn’t make any sense. This should be a church and a graveyard, not a damn Thai restaurant.” 

John B’s head fell to the side when his eyes saw a stone plaque. 

“Maybe it’s numbered wrong. It can’t be.” John B ignored his father’s words as he quickly scanned the plaque and walked towards it. 

“Hey,” he whistled. “great explorer?” He clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth and his father turned around, ready to scold his son. “Check it out.” The father adjusted his glasses and frowned in concentration.

“Stood until the Great Earthquake of eighteen eighty-six.” Big John read off the plaque. 

“Charleston Museum?” 

“Well, I’ll be damned. You are good for something, son.” John B’s head snapped to the side as he stared at his father’s profile with furrowed eyebrows and a clenched jaw. Ignorant to his son’s facial expressions, he put his hands on both of John B’s shoulders and slightly shook the teen. “Charleston Museum, eh? Plan B.” 

While his father was leading the way back towards the van, John B had to stop himself from shrugging his father’s hold off his shoulders.

-

Kiara had led JJ to her house as emotional support with her parents and while Kiara was greeted with warmth and worry from her parents, the blonde was barely spoken to as her parents blamed a lot on the teenager. 

“Honey, I am listening to you. I’m just having a hard time.” Her mother rambled with her hands raised. “So I need you to walk me through it one more time.” 

“The Cross of Santo Domingo that we found.” Kiara started calmly. 

“Right.” 

“We thought it was gone forever. We just found out it’s… it’s gonna be in Wilmington tonight.”

“Okay. And the cross is Pope’s family–”

“Pope’s family heirloom.” 

“Okay.” Anna nodded while her husband paced back and forth in the living room. 

“Priceless historical artifact.”

“Priceless, which you’re telling me that you found?”

“We found it, and then Rafe and Ward stole it from us.” 

“Wait, wait, do you know how insane you sound?” Her father, Mike, said. 

“Baby.” Anna scolded.

“Ward is dead!” 

“He’s not dead.” Kiara said louder. “We’ve been over this part a million times!” 

“You understand that this is hard to follow, right? I mean, we had a funeral for the man.” 

“I get how it sounds, but he’s alive. I wish he wasn’t, but he is.” She said and her mother sent her a warning glare. “Why would I lie? He’s alive!” Kiara scoffed before she turned around to JJ playing with something on the kitchen counter. “JJ?” 

“Yeah?” 

“A little help?” The blonde sucked in a breath and stuck out fingers as he enumerated the facts. 

“Ward’s alive in the Caribbean.” 

“Yes.”

“He’s living off the loot that he stole from us, his son kidnapped Beth for a month and uh, yeah, he’s flying across to Wilmington.” 

“What?” Anna’s eyes opened wide as she stared at the teenage boy and he froze. 

“What do you mean what?” 

“Elizabeth was with Ward for a month?” 

“You hadn’t told them?” JJ whisper-yelled at Kiara and the girl shrugged. 

“And where is she now?” Anna stared at her daughter with her eyebrows raised. 

“Home.” Kiara stated. “With Sarah, but she’s supposed to be here any second now.” 

“And you believe that?” Mike asked his wife and the woman frowned. 

“I believe my god daughter.” 

“I saw what Rafe did to her with my own two eyes.” JJ added and Mike glared at the teenager. 

“I’m skeptical, okay? You could be making this up just to get my wife and I to agree to letting our daughter run wild with you.” 

“Dad.” Kiara snapped.

“I am skeptical, JJ, as in “I think it’s all bullshit”. I think that the girls have been led astray, Lizzie and Kiara … And you, JJ–” 

“Mike.” 

“No, no, no.” Mike shook his hand in his wife’s face as a way of shutting her down. “Let’s get this out in the open.” 

“Can we take it down a little?” 

“Let me tell you something.” Mike started when he approached JJ. “You need to understand that I do get it.” JJ slapped his hands together and cracked his fingers as a way of keeping Mike at a safe distance. 

“Sure, you do. Yeah. Sure. Sure do.” He rambled nervously. 

“Do you hear me? I do. I like you, JJ, and I bet your fricking fun to hang with, ditch school with, go down to the breath, because I was once just like you, bro.” Mike said as he looked down at the teenager. “I didn’t think that anything mattered. Thought I could make up any bullshit story and these stupid Kooks would believe it.”

“Mom.” Kiara stared at her mother, silently asking her to pull her dad away. JJ quietly slapped both hands on the countertop before leaning on it.

“But then I learned about hard work.” Mike added and JJ scoffed insulted. “and about what really mattered. All I care about, all that I care about is my daughter and god-daughter.” JJ bit the inside of his cheek as he remembered the last talk he had with his own father. 

“Shut up! Yes, she’s the everything that you can’t ruin, dad! Not her.”

“And all that I know is that they were a lot better off before they got mixed up with you and your friends.” 

Kiara knew JJ, and she knew that at that moment he was holding himself back, for her sake and for Elizabeth’s sake… She also knew that her father had crossed a line when he mentioned the brunette to JJ. 

“Dad!” Kiara jumped up from the couch. “I was never better off!” 

“Yes, you were.” 

“I was miserable and don’t forget that it’s Ellie who introduced me to them, years ago.” 

“Miserable? No, no.”

“Take it down a notch. Listen.” Anna ran up to her husband and daughter and positioned herself between the two. 

“No, no, no!” Mike shouted. “No, these Pogues ruined our daughter’s and Elizabeth’s lives!” 

Anna’s eyes snapped to the stairs outside and they filled up with water when she recognized the person that stood there, though the girl seemed like the shell of who she was a month before. Anna felt her heart drop at the expression behind her green eyes as the girl stared at her god-father. 

“Mike-” 

“Mike!” The man grimace disappeared when after following his wife’s gaze he saw Elizabeth on the porch. Angry and disappointed stare directed at him and JJ and Kiara shared a look at the sight of the girl. 

“Didn’t mean any disrespect, Mr. Carrera.” JJ sniffled before he pushed his way out of the kitchen. 

“What are you doing?” Kiara hissed. 

“What am I doing? Protecting my daughters.” 

“Can we please–” Anne raised her eyebrows when for a second time her husband’s hand appeared in front of her face. She didn’t miss the teenager on the balcony speed walking around to meet up with the blonde. 

“Everybody says it, that he’s a liar and a thief. He’s just like his father.” 

“Please don’t bring him into this.” 

“He’s nothing like his dad.” Kiara defended. “Nothing like his dad. You don’t know him.”

“I don’t know him?” Anne certainly didn’t miss the sound of the door opening and hushed whispers. 

“Hey,” Elizabeth greeted, leaning against the door frame as JJ’s hand rushed out of his back pocket. “You good?” She asked quietly and JJ nodded though he did not meet her gaze. 

“Where are you going?” Mike shouted at his daughter and Elizabeth and Kiara stared at each other for a few seconds before the latter nodded and Beth brought JJ out. “Where are you going?” 

“Y’all were supposed to listen to me.”

“Please just wait. Please wait. Just wait one second, please.” Anne ran after her daughter and Elizabeth snuck a peek through the small door opening. “I promised myself that if you came back and if I had another chance, I’d try and be different and I’m trying to be different.”

“Okay, I got to go.” Kiara whispered when she saw that JJ and Beth were down on the driveway. 

“I want you to take this.” Anne said, pulling a phone out of her pocket. “There’s a credit card on the back. If you get into trouble, if you need help, you call me.” 

“I will.” Kiara said as her mother teared up. “I will, mom.” The girl nodded before she hugged her mother tightly. “I love you. I gotta go. I’ll be back.” 

Elizabeth and JJ had made it onto the driveway, beside the boy’s motorcycle and Elizabeth stood in front of him as the blonde rehashed the words in his mind. 

“So, I got us a truck to get to Wilmington on the ferry.” 

“That’s good.” He spoke quietly and she nodded. 

“Jayj! Jayj!” Kiara called as soon as she was close enough. “I’m sorry. Jayj, wait.” The two girls watched as the blonde’s leg moved to climb on the motorcycle. “My dad’s literally the worst.” 

“It’s whatever.” He replied, sparing a glance at the brunette in front of him. “I already know what they think of me.” 

“They think the same about me.” Kiara said hoping it would comfort the blonde but he and Elizabeth shared a glance as they suppressed chuckles. 

“Yeah, sure.” They said at the same time. 

“We ready?” 

“We’ll meet you guys over there, I gotta stop home before.” Elizabeth said before she joined Sarah who was sitting on the sidewalk waiting for them. 

“Everything okay?” He asked and she nodded before sending them off on the blonde’s motorcycle. 

-

John and John B walked into the museum and the youngest of the two looked around before his eyes settled on his father. 

“All right.” Big John nodded politely to the pair leaving the museum as they entered. “Just follow my lead. Okay, kid?” John B nodded. “Hey, sharpen up.” The father softly slapped his son’s chest where the few buttons of his shirt were undone then he tucked his own dirty shirt in his pants. 

Taking them two at a time, John B and his father jogged up the stairs and walked the short distance to the front desk behind which a well-dressed man stood. 

“Hello, sir.” Big John exhaled, slightly out of breath. “I wonder if I could have a word with your chief of collections.” 

“Dr. Pierce is out doing fieldwork till June.” The man replied with a posh sounding accent. He eyed Big John and his son before he blinked a couple of times and refocused his attention on the eldest. “Can I help you with something?”

“Well, hopefully.” The teenager rolled his eyes at his father’s scoff and watched as he readjusted his glasses. “I’m Dr. Marion from up at USC. Paleogenetics mostly. Anyway, I’m interested in seeing some items you have in your collection.” John B raised his eyebrows at his father’s lies. “Specifically pieces retrieved from the excavation at Trinity Church back in the 1880’s.”

“You could submit a written request to get access to the archives.” Big John sighed with a disappointed shake of his head. 

“I was really hoping to poke around there today. I got one of my students with me.”

“They don’t let folks down there after that Egyptologist weaseled in and proved a bunch of the Pharaoh collection were fakes.” 

“I remember that.” The two adults chuckled. 

“You’ll have to go through the protocols.” 

“Well, where… where are the archives? Are they… are they here on-site?” 

“No, downtown museum storage, end of Broad Street, uh, near the Battery.” John B shook his head as the man walked right into his father’s trap. “I’d take you, but they won’t give me one of them key cards. Above my pay grade. You got to be a director like Ms. Flannery here.” He gestured to a stressed out looking woman walking by. “Hello, Ms. Flannery.” The three waved.

“Good afternoon.” The woman said snappily with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“Key card, huh?” Ms. Flannery walked to a room with a plaque that read director and she swiped the key card over the reader before she entered the room. “Understood. All right.” Big John shook the man’s hand and smiled. “Well, thank you for the information. You’ve been most helpful. Have a good day.” 

Big John glanced at his son and with a final nod to the man and a glance to the door, the pair went down the stairs and out of the door. 

-

Pope, Cleo, JJ, Sarah, Kiara and Elizabeth had all made it on the ferry and settled down on a small table in the middle of the deck. 

“Honestly, the hardest part is gonna be security, all right?” JJ spoke up. “So most of the guys are gonna be at the rail yard.” 

“Okay, so, we’ll need to find some place and guard it, maybe a little further down the line, like a whistle-stop.” 

“Yeah…” Kiara nodded. 

“You guys are getting ahead of yourselves per usual.” Cleo said and Elizabeth smiled at her, agreeing as she picked at the skin on her hands. “We don’t have a way to transport the cross. What you think? On JJ’s motorcycle?” JJ took off his cap and ran his hand through his hair as he grunted. 

“That’s not my fault. Oh, everyone. All right, all me.” Elizabeth glanced from JJ to Sarah who seemed to be focused on something behind her and she turned only to see Topper. 

“Oh my god.” Sarah suddenly leaned forward. 

“Oh my god, what?” 

“Topper.” Ellie replied as she gestured to Topper behind her. 

“Why… is he everywhere?” 

“Perfect.” 

“Hey, JJ.”

“What?” The blonde turned to Pope. 

“I bet you Topper has a way to transport the cross.” JJ stared at Sarah with his eyebrows raised and the teenage girl shook her head, silently pleading. 

“Actually, Pope’s right. He does have a rig.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No. Absolutely not. Can you-?” Sarah asked Elizabeth as she gestured to JJ. 

“Yes, come on.”

“I’m not getting into this.” The brunette gestured to the two blondes. 

"Didn’t you say earlier that you could get a truck?” Kiara asked and the brunette nodded. 

“Yeah, I did but it fell through. So,” Ellie sighed and rubbed Sarah’s shoulder. “I guess Topper’s our way to go.” 

“You just said you weren’t getting into this.” 

“It is a necessity, Sarah.” 

“Is it really?” She asked the group and they all nodded. 

“Sarah, you already got him whipped anyway, all right? So why don’t you just take one for the team, huh?” JJ added. 

“What would John B say?” 

“I think John B will completely understand.” Pope said calmly and Ellie snorted a laugh. “Think about the circumstances. It’s about treasure.”

“We can handle John B… We’ll hand him off to Ellie or something.”  Kiara said before she eyed her friend who shook her head. 

“I mean, I hate it but they’re right. Just talk to him.” 

-

 Big John drove around the museum and towards the back entrance and parking lot reserved for employees. Both father and son waited in silence after Big John shared his idea with his son. 

“So this is your master plan, huh? Rob an old lady.”

“Not… rob.” The adult shook his head though he himself seemed unconvinced. “Appropriate, all right? Temporarily acquire an object that has no value for her and is essential for us.” 

They noticed movements by the gates and turned their attention towards it. Ms. Flannery walked with a colleague while both of them made their way to their respective cars. 

“Hey, there she is. It’s game time, kid.” Big John slapped his son’s knee before he reached in the glove compartment and pulled out a firearm he loaded. 

“No.” John B sat up and twisted towards his father. “What are you doing?” 

“Do you know where we are? We are on the hot damn Hillary step, okay, boy?”  John B sighed as his father once again justified himself. “One step away from the mountaintop. We can’t let a little thing like federal armed robbery get in the way.” 

“A little t-”

“I taught you how to shoplift, right.” Big John stated. 

“Are you seriously bringing that up right now?” 

“But that came in handy when I was gone, didn’t it?” 

“Oh Jesus. Come on, man. What really helped was working jobs and Ellie and Robin helping out.” John glared at his son. 

“So here’s another little lesson. A little baby step.” Big John’s eyes were trained on the two women chatting in the parking lot. “J-bird, hey, you gotta let that thing go out there at sea, kid. Lighten up a little.” John B scoffed. “It was us or them. What did you want me to do? And right now, we got another thing that needs doing.” The father took a beat before he stared at the wheel. “I think it’s better if you do it.” 

John B stared at his father with his mouth opened in shock. For sure he’d gone insane or crazy during that year, right? 

“Oh, me. You want me to go, your son? You want me to go hold up that old lady?” 

“That’s right. I assure you, once we get to Orinoco, it will get harder.” The magazine was pulled out and John B glanced down at it. “Hey, see? It’s empty.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I get it.” 

“You trust me now?” No. “Now I need to know that I can trust you.” He grabbed the firearm and wrapped his son’s hand around the handle. “Okay? And don’t ask for her key card specifically. All right?” John instructed as they eyed the victim. “Get her whole wallet. We don’t want anybody to know what we’re after. She’s leaving now.” The father said after the woman unlocked her car. “This is our only chance. Go on. It’s game time, son. Go! Get that bag, boy.” Big John pushed his reluctant son out of the van and watched as John B creeped up behind the woman. “That’s it.” 

John B scratched the back of his head with a sweaty hand before he looked back to his dad. 

“Ma’am.” The teenager cleared his throat and the woman yelped. 

“Ooh, goodness.” She eyed the teenager. “You snuck up on me.” 

“Yeah, sorry about that.” 

“Can I help you with something?” 

“Look, I was just wondering, uh–” John B sputtered. 

“Wondering what, son?” The woman asked softly before her eyes moved to the empty gun in John B’s hand. “What are you doing?” She asked. The woman’s tone made John B stop for half a second as it reminded him of the tone Robin used to use whenever she would catch him or Ellie doing something bad. 

“I just need your bag, please.” He asked. 

“You’re not getting my bag, son.”

“I will bring it back with everything inside of it. Can I please just have your bag?” 

“Oh, shit.” Big John sighed and swore as he witnessed the interaction. 

“You’re about the most pitiful excuse for a thief I’ve ever seen in my life.” The woman stared at the boy’s shaky hands and nervous demeanor. “What’s the matter with you? Does your mama know where you are?” She opened her car door wider and set a foot inside. “You need to be ashamed of yourself.” She said before closing the door and leaving John B standing next to the car, defeated. 

Big John slammed the wheel with a groan and John B almost waved to the woman as she drove away. With his hands on his hips, John joined his son and stood next to him. 

“Aint exactly Jesse James, are you, kid? Come on.” He slapped his hand on his son’s back and led him back to the van. “We’ll just get into the archives the old-fashioned way.”

-

The pogues stared at Sarah up on the higher deck while they all stood behind near the short flight of stairs. Elizabeth leaned back against the railing, glancing back and forth between Topper and Sarah and the horizon behind Kiara and JJ’s heads. 

“I just can’t believe you’re here. I saw the news. I … I texted you.” Topper couldn’t tear his eyes off his ex-girlfriend. “I didn’t even know if you were alive, Sarah.” The blonde’s eyes snapped up to the teenage boy. “How are you? You okay?” 

“You know, Top, um, things are a little tough right now.” Sarah gazed out at the sunset.

“Yeah?” She nodded. “Tough how?” 

Sarah took a second and glanced at the Pogues behind Topper and Elizabeth squinted as JJ and Pope gestured for her to lay it on thick. 

“We’ve been after this… family heirloom of Pope’s, which is why we were gone. And we ended up losing it, and unbelievably there might be a chance that, um, we could get it back tonight. In Wilmington.” Topper listened intently to the girl. 

“Okay.” he nodded slightly confused. 

“It’s crazy.” 

“Okay. How… how can I help?” He asked and she shook her head. 

“No, I can’t ask you to do that.” She turned away. 

“No, seriously.”

“Topper, I feel like if I ask you, just, like, the person that you are …” She repeated the words Ellie had told her. 

“What do you mean, “the person that I am”?” 

“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” She shook her head. “I guess I mean you’re such a giver, Topper. You’re such a helper, and I feel like if I ask you–”

“Sarah, that’s just who I am.” He replied with a smile. “That’s just the way I was raised.” He sucked in a breath and Sarah took half a step closer and Pope had to slap his hand over JJ’s mouth as the blonde let out a mocking laugh. “And anyway, remember when I said I would do literally anything for you? Remember that?” He asked as he stared right in her eyes. 

“Yeah.” 

“I meant it.” 

“Oh, vomit.” Elizabeth groaned as she glanced away from the sunset and to Topper and Sarah. “Poor guy.” 

“Oh my god, she’s touching his shoulder.” Kiara leaned closer to Elizabeth and made a gagging noise. 

The brunette tore her eyes away from the pair as Topper talked with his hands a lot and she sighed. 

“I’m sorry about everything.” She slowly let her hand fall down to her sides before she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I totally understand. You have no reason to help us. Actually, you have all the reasons not to help us.” 

“She got him.” JJ stated and Ellie turned around and stared as Sarah smiled victoriously at her ex-boyfriend who simply shook his head. “She got him good.” He added when she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. 

Teasingly, the Pogues sent her thumbs up and she flipped them off. 

“I’ve never seen a guy be so whipped.” JJ mumbled with a shake of his head and Pope raised his eyebrows as he subtly looked between JJ and Beth. 

-

Big John parked the van outside the building holding the museum storage and he looked at the entrance over the rim of his glasses. 

“Figured out a way to get in without using a key card?” 

“No plan yet. Just got to wait for the night to settle. Less people around, the better.” John B nodded. “We’ll wait till the witching hour and then get down to some serious cat burgling.” The man grabbed something out of his bag and his son turned at the movement. “Grit?” He asked with the rolled up joint in his hand. 

“I’m good.” 

“Ah, attaboy.” The father winked before he brought the lighter up to his lips. “You know what is true though?” He took a drag and held the smoke in for a few seconds before releasing it out the window. “All faults aside, it is nice to be back together with you.” 

“Yeah, it is.” John B agreed quietly. 

“It sure is.” The back door to the building was opened and a yellow-ish light illuminated the body of a security guard coming out. “Oh, three o’clock, eh?” 

The security guard rushed past the van and right next to a couple. 

“You know, I’m on the board of directors.” The man informed the giggly woman and John raised his eyebrows. “Being on the board has its privileges. I could show you to the archives.” 

“This is it. This is our chance.” Big John undid his seat belt and grabbed the door handle. “Let’s go.” He hurried as the drunk and touchy pair climbed up the stairs that lead to the archives’ back door. 

“My God, are we allowed to go in here?” The woman slurred. 

John B and his father followed them as they chatted and walked on the balcony. The man grabbed the key card out of his jacket pocket and swiped it over the reader. 

“Let’s go.” Big John whispered and he ran as quietly as he could up the stairs. 

The man started to feel a nervous shiver climb up his spine when the door came dangerously close to shutting in their faces. John B tore off a branch from a nearby plant and lodged in into the opening as his father caught up to him. 

“Nice catch!” Big John smiled brightly at his son before he opened the door. 

The door creaked when they opened it wide enough for the two of them to pass through and John B winced while they peaked inside. 

-

Elizabeth finished climbing up the ladder to reach the top of the wagon and she groaned when her shoulder started to throb. 

“You okay?” JJ asked when he noticed she stopped moving. 

“Yep, yep. Just a little pain.” He nodded, walked a few steps towards the edge and held out his hand. 

“C’mon.” he shook it and she grabbed his left hand with her right one and he helped her up. “Good?” She nodded with a small smile before they joined the others in the middle. 

Ellie stood next to Sarah who stood with her hands on her hips as she looked out at the train yard.

“Well, there’s like a thousand trains here.” 

“We know it’s car 750X on the track to Raleigh.” 

“Yeah, so now we just gotta find it.” 

“Well, new flash. We’re not getting out of here unnoticed with a giant cross.” 

“No shit.” Elizabeth said very quietly that only Sarah heard her. 

“We won’t have to. We can nab it somewhere further in the country.” Pope said. “Just gotta figure out how to stop the train.” 

“Right.” Kiara nodded though she was unconvinced. 

“Leave that to me.” JJ spoke and a few pairs of eyes with raised eyebrows stared at him. 

“Mmh?” Elizabeth blinked. 

“I got an uncle up in New Bern, right? When he got 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.” 

“How much family does JJ really have?” Sarah questioned Elizabeth and the girl shook her head in a dismissive way. 

“A chain?” 

“He’s actually right. 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.” Pope explained. 

“Science. I knew my science.” JJ wiggled his eyebrows at the four girls and they rolled their eyes. 

“Well, we don’t have a chain.” 

“I do.” Elizabeth raised her hand and Pope eyed her. “Just in case we needed to tie or attach something… Like the cross.” She shrugged. 

“Where is it?” 

“Yo what’s going on?” The teens turned around to see Topper on the ground, looking up at them. “Are we doing this or what?” 

“In the truck.” Elizabeth replied and Cleo nodded. 

“All right, you all wait here. Me and Pope will go look for it and send a signal once we find it.”

“Do we actually have a plan right now?” 

“Think we do.” 

“That’s impressive.” Sarah scoffed. 

“Let’s not jinx it. Come on.” 

One after the other, the Pogues all went down the ladder and back on the ground. 

-

John and John B snuck in the building and the only sounds they could hear were the giggles of the woman and the quiet whispering of the man as they grew closer. The two men walked through the storage space, looking at every poster that seemed to give directions. 

“Psst.” Big John moved to the staircase and pointed to a plaque on the wall. “Upstairs.” The father gestured with his head and followed by his son, they made their way up the creaky metal staircase. “Look at this place.” John B looked around while his father scoffed in amazement. “It’s a gold mine.” 

There were a lot of artifacts, some protected in glass cases, others in wooden boxes, some were simply on a shelf. 

“Check everything, just check everything. Look for anything Trinity Church.” Big John turned to face the shelves and rummaged through boxes. “Anything late eighteen hundreds. Habitats, biodiversity. Antiques. Pretty cool stuff… But not what we’re looking for. Tiles, grass dividers, come on.” The father sighed disappointed.

John B opened a drawer and frowned at the spiked metal handcuffs in close to perfect condition. 

“Underground Railroads, rocks. What we got? Uniforms, coats, buttons?” John B swallowed thickly and closed the drawer. “Swords, scabbards.” Big John bent over with a quiet grunt, his finger glided along the identified containers. “Some porcelain, silver plates. Pottery.” 

It was silent for a few minutes, both of them on opposite sides of the storage room looking through dusty boxes. 

“Religious.” Big John muttered. 

“Huh?” 

“John B, hey.” He called out. “The Trinity Church.” His son slowly made his way closer. “This is it, buddy.” 

“No way.” 

“Okay.” The two grabbed the large plastic bin and brought it up on the table. “Look at this. Look at this, boy. The mother lode.” With a knife from his pocket, Big John sliced through the seal. “This could be it, Bird. Five hundred years in the making.” John B stared at his father with a large smile. “Here we are.” He said as he slipped his fingers in the packing hay.

-

Cleo and Pope stepped over the rails, walking past trains with flashlights in their hands, looking for the right track. 

“It’s this track here.” Pope said, illuminating the second track to his right. “Remember, it’s car 750X.” Cleo nodded, before glancing at the paper in the teenager’s hand. 

“All right, 2-0-4-5.” They walked past a few cars. “2-0-1-7.” Cleo looked back nervously thinking she’d heard footsteps but she shook off the thought. 

Still on top of the train with the truck parked behind them; Kiara, JJ, Elizabeth and Sarah sat, staring at where their friends disappeared to. 

“What’s taking so long?” Elizabeth nervously tapped her fingers on her knees and she turned when she heard Topper whisper. 

“You okay, Top?” She asked quietly and the attention was turned to him and he nodded. 

Pope jumped a little bit as they neared the car they were looking for. Their flashlights shone on every car they walked past as Cleo read them out loud. 

“7-2-6.” 

“Hold on.” Pope searched the number on the dark wagon before he sucked in a breath. “750X, baby. This is our car. He started climbing the ladder. “Run and tell the other Pogues.” 

“Careful up there.” 

Kiara and Elizabeth had started their third game of Tic-Tac-Toe on the dusty train roof when Sarah called out their names. 

“Hey, hey.” Elizabeth stared at where Sarah was looking and smiled when Pope appeared and flashed his light towards them. 

“Well done, guys.” The brunette muttered. 

“That’s it. We’re green.” Kiara announced before wiping her hands off. 

A look of worry appeared on their faces when they heard a horn blaring. 

“What’s happening?” 

“You hear that?” 

Something hissed in Pope’s ear and suddenly he was thrusted forward against the train as it started to move. 

“Train’s moving. Train’s moving.” JJ said. 

“Shit. Shit.” 

While Ellie, Kiara, Sarah and JJ were getting off the train, Pope urged Cleo to jump on with him. 

“Yo, B! Where’s the cable?” 

“In my bag! I’ll grab it.” She spoke before jogging to the truck and shoving the backseat door open. 

She ruffled through her back, feeling a presence behind her as her hand wrapped around the statue she’d snatched. She glanced back at JJ, who was close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him and sent him a tight lipped smile before she found the tied cable and jumper cables she had grabbed from John B’s place. She got them out and gently shoved them against his chest before she had to walk away. 

“... I’m not even close to being okay with this.” Elizabeth heard Topper say as she walked past him and Sarah, though Sarah did not miss the deep breath the brunette took and the way she could see her red cheeks in the dark night. 

“What is he not okay with?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Illegal activities.” Ellie nodded and Topper noticed JJ carrying the large chain and jumper cables.

“What are we doing with this, now?” 

“Do you really wanna know, Top?” The Kook didn’t reply and Ellie let out a small amused chuckle while JJ and Kie moved closer to the blonde’s motorcycle.

“Hey, I just wanna make sure everyone here is okay with ending up in federal prison.” Topper asked. 

“If you don’t wanna be involved we can take the truck, drop you off somewhere…” Elizabeth trailed off. “We won’t even mention you, at all.” 

“What she said.” JJ added. “But uh, if it gets to that, yeah, we’ll do it for Pope.” 

“Top, give Ellie the keys, she’ll drive. If we get caught we’ll just say we kidnapped you, yeah?” Sarah offered while the brunette walked to the driver’s side under Topper’s gaze. 

“She an okay driver?” Topper asked Sarah and Sarah looked at Elizabeth who nodded with a nonchalant shrug. 

Topper sighed defeated and tossed Elizabeth the keys while he climbed in the backseat. JJ and Kiara were walking to his motorcycle when they saw the brunette climbing aboard the high raised truck. 

“Beth, you can’t drive.” JJ called out as Kiara climbed behind him. 

Elizabeth closed her eyes for a second as the image was burned in her mind. She closed the door and turned on the engine before opening the window. 

“What do you mean she can’t drive?” Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shared a glance with Sarah before she looked back at JJ. 

“I can drive just fine, I’m self taught.” She raised her eyebrows. “I’m kidding.” She told Topper who grew worried. “Buckle in, Cameron.” Elizabeth muttered to the teenage girl and she could hear Topper do the same. 

“You okay?” Sarah asked. 

“Peachy.” The brunette sighed before JJ saw her arm go out the window and gesture for him to ride ahead. 

Pope and Cleo were hanging on for dear life as the train gained speed and the air was knocked out of their lungs  and JJ tried his best to follow the train.

-

The first box wasn’t the right one, neither were the next five… Big John stood to his full height and kicked one of the boxes. 

“It’s over!” 

“No, stop.” John B stood and put both of his hands on his father’s shoulders. “Hey, hey,hey. It’s okay. Relax. Shh!” 

“That’s the last of it.” 

“No, it’s okay, Dad. Calm down.” The father shrugged off his son’s comforting hold. 

“What’s the point? That’s the last of the Trinity boxes.”

“Shh. Shh.”

“It’s over.” Big John exhaled. “It’s over. It was a long shot anyway.” Big John cried silently. 

Something shiny grabbed John B’s attention and he frowned when the box his father kicked was turned over and objects had fallen out of it. 

“Goddamn it.” The man swore. 

Next to the silver cup was an old cloth, thin and worn but it looked like something was wrapped in it. And so, John B took a few steps towards it before he crouched down and reached for it. 

“There’s so much disappointment, you know?” His father added between sobs. “Near misses.” 

The teenager stopped himself as he was about to call out for his father. He glanced at the man a few feet behind and frowned. His shaky hands unwrapped the statue and he sucked in a breath. 

“Shit.” he whispered under his breath. 

Elizabeth took the first half of the idol from his father and apparently she had split from him too. So, would it be a good thing for him to tell his father or should he bring it home and share with the Pogues? Maybe he should just leave it there… Maybe his father would give the whole thing up and be just his dad… The teenager shut his eyes tightly and inhaled. 

“Hey, Dad, we missed one.” His hands held onto the handles and he lifted the box up, the objects inside clattered as he walked up to his father. “Uh, Dad, we actually missed a box.” Big John’s sobs quieted. “What is this?” He questioned the man after quickly and badly rewrapping the idol. 

“What?” His father turned, heart in his throat as he set his sights on the object. 

“Some sort of rock?” The teenager said even though he knew the answer. 

His father started breathing heavily; like he had stopped breathing for a handfuls of minutes. The man frowned and reached for the object in his son’s hands. 

“Look.” 

“What’s it labeled?” 

“Trinity Church, miscellaneous.” John B read off the label before his eyes snapped to his father almost cradling the statue. “Um… Dad?” 

“This… this…” his father stuttered, bringing the statue near the window so he could see properly. “This is Kalinago. A vanished Indigenous people.” The man plucked the picture of the piece Elizabeth had out of his backpack and put it next to the statue he had. “Look, look. The stones, they’re the same color.” John B stared at his crazed father with moderate to heavy worry but he couldn’t deny that the pieces seemed to fit. 

“Holy shit.” The teenager whispered excitedly.

“We gotta get that first half back from Lizzie, no matter what.” Big John said and John B’s excitement subsided. 

“What do you mean no matter what?” 

“C’mon, John B, I won’t hurt the girl…” Big John moved the piece around as he inspected it. “Look at this,” He traced his finger over the picture and the stone. “This is the cat serpent.” Big John’s finger traced over the picture, over the upper half of the statue. “This here, I think, this is a skylight. We’ll have to see when we get our hands on the other half. Oh birdy boy. You did it. You found it, boy.” 

-

The train’s horn blared loudly in the night and Cleo and Pope’s arms were starting to feel tired after holding on for so long. 

“Hey!” Pope shouted over the loud noises surrounding them. 

“What?” 

“Just so you know, I’m not normally this crazy. It’s just getting this cross back. It means a lot to me. I have to do this.” He finished in a louder shout and Cleo smiled. “It’s worth it.”

“It better be after all this shit, man.” 

Kiara and JJ jumped off the motorcycle, the chain and cables  in the blonde’s hands as they started to run towards the crossing light. A snort left Kiara’s mouth when, as they ran JJ tripped over air and fell face first on the gravel. 

“You good?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He said. “All right?” The train blaring reached their ears as it got closer. “Oh God, you can hear it coming.” JJ threw the chain across both tracks and waited for the lights to change color. “Let’s fry this sucker.” 

“It’s not working.” Kiara said. 

“I can see that, Kie!” The blonde said loudly before he glanced at the jumper cables close to the lights. 

Quickly, he got on his knees and connected the cables to the pins at the base of the light post before running back to the tracks.

“Don’t get electrocuted, please.”

“Yeah, no promises with that. Three, two, one.” He said before connecting the cables to the tracks.

“Moment of truth.” They waited a few seconds but the lights stayed green. 

“Come on, man. Come on. Come on.” JJ stood up and readjusted his cap nervously. “Okay. That’s what he would do. That’s literally what my-” 

He stopped pacing  when Kiara moved to the tracks and unclipped one of the cables only to clip it on the other side of the track. 

“Uh, hey. Train touches both sides of the track…” They stood in the middle of the line and silently prayed for the lights to switch to red. “Come on. Come on. Please we don’t have a plan B.” She said just before the light turned red. “Yes. Yes. Yes!” “That’s what I’m talking about!” JJ jumped a couple of times before he faced Kiara. He held his hands out and she high fived him hard with a grin on her face. “You’re a genius. I was gonna do that.” 

“Science!” She said as her finger touched her temple. “But no, it’s all you.” 

“And now we wait.” The blonde panted as the horn rang again. 

They had been waiting a couple of minutes, crouched down in the trees near the tracks but they were growing impatients. 

“It’s gonna work. It’s gonna work.” 

Pope held on, his arms burned and sweat accumulated on his hairline when he was once again shoved around along with Cleo. 

“The train’s stopping. It’s stopping. They did it.” 

“Shit.” 

“Come on.” 

The train was coming to a full stop right next to where Kiara and JJ were waiting and Cleo and Pope jumped off, their legs and arms feeling like jelly. 

“She’s slowing down.” 

“We got brakes, dude.” Kiara smiled proudly. 

The driver reported the red lights to the dispatch, requesting for them to follow up on what he thought was unusual. 

-

John B and his father walked out of the building and down the flight of stone stairs. 

“This is it, my boy. There is blood on the tracks.” Big John cheered. “We are hot on the trail.” 

“Yeah, feels great.” The teenager said with much less enthusiasm. 

“Ha, you’re right about that, boy. It feels great!” 

“Wait, wait, wait.” John B slowed them down when he noticed the empty parking spot on the street. “Where’s the car? Dad? Where’s the car?” “It’s–” The father turned on his heels. “Somebody must have stole it.” 

“Why would somebody steal the Twinkie?” Big John frowned when he noticed an out of place piece of paper on the parking meter. “That’s all I’ve got. That’s all I’ve got, Dad.” John B stopped when in his hand, his father held a perfectly square piece of paper. “What?” 

“Oh boy. Looks like Carla found us.” 

Been looking all over for you.

Carla Limbrey

“Great.” The two of them sighed, defeated. “Limbrey stole the Twinkie.” 

“Come on, I know where she lives.” Big John stated before he started to lead his son down the street.

-

Cleo and Pope groaned and stretched as their limbs ached. 

“I almost broke my arm.” The boy said, shaking off the ache in his limb. “Can you pick the lock?” 

“Sure.” Cleo nodded confidently. 

She grabbed her knife and a thin wire and started working on the industrial lock. 

Kiara and JJ heard a car pull up and the blonde leaned forward. 

“Is that Beth?” He asked just as orange flashing lights illuminated his face for a second before he was pulled back by Kiara. “Nope, not Beth.” They saw the rail security truck pull up next to the lights. “Shit.”

“No, no, no. That’s not part of the plan.” 

Cleo was almost done picking the lock when a flashlight was shone on them and the teenage girl started swearing. 

“Hey! Hey!” 

“Shit.” 

“Stay right there.” 

“Oh shit.” Cleo threw her knife and wire on the ground before the two faced the officer. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” 

“Sir, I’m so sorry. It is not what it looks like.” Pope stepped forward with his hands up. “I know it looks like we’re criminals, but that’s not our intention. I promise, sir.” 

The two officers walked around before they reunited at the tracks, under Kiara and JJ’s nervous gazes. One of them moved their flashlight over the jumper cables that had turned a hot shade of red. 

“What is going on, here?” 

“Hell if I know.” “What is this bullshit?” The train’s driver shook his head. 

Cleo and Pope squinted at the bright light in their eyes. 

“What are you doing here? It’s very dangerous.” 

“We’re just trying to get to the next town over. We’re running away from home. That’s it.” Cleo spared a glance at her friend. 

“You know what? I’m not buying it. I’m sorry, I'm calling for backup.” Pope had a chill run down his back and he sucked in a long breath. 

“Sir, please, I see you’re married.” He stated when the light hit the silver band. “Sir, please. We’re in love.” He let out and Cleo struggled to hold back her surprised face. “That’s all we’re trying to do. We’re just trying to get married and we can’t do that here.” His voice broke and he shared a look with Cleo who nodded. 

“Please, this is my fiancée. Please.” He added and Cleo grabbed his hand and interlaced their fingers. 

“Our parents won’t let us be together but…” 

“Sir, we can’t get married in this town, but I love her so much.” Pope calmed down, less defensive as Cleo wrapped her arms around his. “And if you’d just let us get to the next town, we’re gonna find a priest who’ll marry us. And we just wanna start a life together. Please.” 

Kiara and JJ had hidden a little bit deeper in the trees. 

“Unhook that for me, please.” One of the workers asked his colleague. “What is going on?” He asked himself as the cables were taken away from the tracks and the light post. 

“Throw that in the back for me.” The man asked his colleague and she nodded while he waited for the lights to change color.

The rail worker stood in front of Cleo and Pope with a fond expression at the young love. 

“You guys hopping the rails, it’s illegal, okay?” They nodded. “But…” He glanced back to make sure they were alone. “I can’t stop what I don’t see. So listen, just… go.” The teenagers breathed out relieved. 

“Thank you. Sir, what’s your name?” 

“It’s Jimmy.” 

“That’s gonna be our first child’s name, Jimmy.” Pope nodded as Cleo tried to hold back her laughter. “Because of what you’ve done today. Thank you so much.” 

“All right. Go.” 

The worker sighed when the light finally turned from red to green. 

“You’re all set over here.” The worker told the conductor through the radio. “Some asshole put jumper cables on the tracks.” 

“There you go.” 

“They’ve had enough time, right?” Kiara questioned JJ who had his head between his knees. 

As soon as the man was far away, Cleo picked her tools back up and continued picking the lock. 

“Got it.”

“You did it! All right.” He tore the lock away and the metal creaked loudly as he turned the handle and they slid open the doors. “It’s gonna be in here somewhere.” Pope turned on his flashlight and pulled himself in the train wagon. “Start looking.” He instructed before he helped her up. 

Elizabeth had started looking for her friends the second she knew the train had stopped and so, the teenage girl slowly drove next to the train, with the hope that she would find her friends soon because Topper was seriously getting on her nerves. 

“Who the hell are we right now, Sarah?” He asked, poking his head between the two front seats. “This is ridiculous.” 

“There they are.” Elizabeth said snappishly before breaking quick. 

Sarah was out of the truck before it was completely stopped and Topper let her name slip past her lips worriedly. 

“How’s it looking?” 

“Still searching.” Cleo replied, eyeing Elizabeth and Topper in the truck. 

Pope pulled Sarah up while Elizabeth drove forward to align the cargo bed with the wagon’s door. 

“Hey.” Sarah turned to Cleo who stood next to a container. 

“What?” “This one says Cameron. It might be this one.” Sarah and Pope hurried and Sarah sighed in relief at the logo from her father’s company. 

“Cameron Development. This is it. This is the cross. This is it!” Slapped on the box and hearing the noise from the truck, Elizabeth walked out. 

“What’s going on? Y’all go it?” 

“Think we do, yeah.” 

“What are we doing now?” Topper asked after also stepping out of the truck. 

“We’ll put this in your truck bed.” 

“No, no, no.” The Kook shook his head and Elizabeth sighed annoyed. “That’s gonna scratch the paint.” 

“Topper, we genuinely do not care.” Elizabeth told him. “I’ll pay the fucking job paint after all’s done, I promise.” 

“That? You wanna get that?” He pointed to the wooden box. “In here?” 

“Just help us spot it, okay?” Sarah asked and the young man opened the truck bed’s door. 

Elizabeth moved aside so that Topper would take her place near the door as they argued over how to handle the box. The teenagers froze for half a second when the train horn blared once again but this time signaling it was ready to leave. 

“That can’t be good.”

“Ellie get back in the truck.” Sarah shouted and the brunette was already at the door. 

“Quick!” 

“Hurry up, let’s go.” They all grunted, pushing the heavy box and Elizabeth turned on the ignition, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. 

The box was more than halfway in the truck and Pope and Topper were bickering, while the truck bed wasn’t long enough to hold all of the cross. 

“Ellie, where's the cable you had earlier?” Sarah shouted at the girl through the open window in the back. 

“JJ!” The girl shouted back, hand on the transmission stick. 

“It’s stuck!” 

The horn blaring made Kie and JJ jump.

“All right, all good to go.” the conductor said before the engine hissed. 

“The train’s starting.” 

“We gotta go get them.” Kiara nodded. 

“There goes the plan. We gotta go help them.” 

On his way to his motorcycle, JJ lost his cap which he retreated back to grab and when he reached his vehicle he rummaged through his pocket for his key which came out along with Kiara’s father's money clip. 

“Hey, you dropped your-” The teenage girl recognized the initials sewn on the brown leather and she picked it up just as JJ turned around, curious as to why she had suddenly gone silent. “Why do you have this?” JJ swallowed thickly before scrunching up his nose.

“If I’m gonna be accused of being a thief, might as well get something out of it.” he mumbled. 

“You’re just giving them ammunition.” 

“Ammunition for what, Kie? They’re already against me. So who cares?” 

“They didn’t have a reason.” She raised the clip to his eye level. “You’re giving them a reason.”

“Who cares, Kie? Know what? We don’t have time for this. Get on.” He demanded. 

Elizabeth was nervously looking back in the rearview mirror when a man with a white hard hat and a yellow and orange safety jacket walked out from between train cars. 

“Shit. Shit. Guys!” She shouted when the man seemed to speak into his walkie talkie. 

“Hey, stop!” 

“We gotta go!” The brunette shouted as they secured the box as best as they could. 

“The cops are coming. Let’s go!” Topper shouted before getting in the backseat while Pope and Cleo stayed in the truck bed. Sarah nodded to Elizabeth and she put the car in park while Cleo and Pope held onto the box. 

“Sarah!” Topper shouted when he was thrown back against his seat when Elizabeth floored the gas pedal. “How the hell can you live like this? You come from a good family.” 

“Don’t be a backseat driver, Thornton.” Elizabeth put both of her hands on the wheel and lowered the window. “Get out of the way!” She shouted to the man in front of her while Sarah reached sideways and honked. “Is he okay?” The brunette asked calmly and Sarah nodded. 

“They took something off the train. The cops are in pursuit.” The man spoke on the radio. 

“Police’s here.” Pope shouted from the truck bed. 

“It’s fine.” the brunette tightened her hold on the wheel. 

She glanced to her left mirror and nodded to herself before pressing the pedal more. Elizabeth made it to the front of the train and she barely glanced to her left before gesturing to Kiara and JJ to go with a roll of her wrist. 

“Shit, that’s Beth.” JJ said worriedly and Kiara frowned. “And that’s the cross. Get on!” Kiara obliged though she pouted the whole time. 

JJ took off after the truck and both were followed by the local Sheriff’s department. The tires screeched and dirt flew off when she made it from the dirt road to the asphalt. 

“Somebody’s following.” Topper as he could hear another engine. 

“That’s JJ and Kie, Top.” Sarah told him.

“J!” Kiara called out, scared and the boy revved the engine. 

“I know. I know.” 

JJ got to the left of the truck, eyes glued to the side window where he recognized Elizabeth's collected but focused expression. 

“What the fuck is he doing?” Topper shouted and Elizabeth grimaced, pushing down the reflex to open his door and let his body flop down on the road. 

Her green irises glanced to the mirror and she sucked in a breath when JJ’s eyes were already on her. The boy quickly glanced and gestured to the truck with his head before his right hand left the handles and he quickly cut the air in a straight line. Elizabeth sniffled a little and frowned, licked her lips nervously before she looked back at him and nodded and he mirrored her. 

“He’s trying to get Kie on board.” She told them while JJ started to move closer to the truck. “Top, tell them to get her, okay?” The Kook nodded and turned in his seat. 

“Get ready to jump.” JJ told Kiara and she gasped. 

“What?” 

“It’s okay. Beth’s gonna hold while you get on board. Pope and Cleo are waiting for you.” 

“How? What?” JJ looked up as Elizabeth looked back at him through the mirror and she nodded. Kiara noticed the interaction and frowned. “Have you lost your mind?” 

“Probably.” He shouted back and saw Elizabeth hold out her splayed out hand, five fingers out. “Get ready to jump!” JJ kept his eyes on the brunette’s hand as it counted down and she got closer. 

3, 2, 1. 

“Now!” JJ and Beth shouted at the same time. Pope held Kiara’s hand as she stood on the seat slowly and was pulled on board by Pope and Cleo. 

“Oh shit!” Topper swore before he glanced between JJ and Beth. 

“She good?” The teenage girl asked calmly. 

“Yeah, she is.” Sarah confirmed but Elizabeth still checked in her rearview mirror and she let out a breath. 

She frowned when she couldn’t see the blue-ish headlight from JJ’s motorcycle anymore and she realized he had fallen behind. 

“He stopped.” Kiara shouted and Elizabeth sat up straighter. 

“He what?” She asked. 

“What’s he gonna do?” Cleo shouted. 

“I don’t know. I don’t think he knows either.” Elizabeth glanced quickly and saw that the blonde had turned around on his moto and was now facing the police.

“He’s tryna get killed.” Kiara said and Elizabeth slowed down. 

“Okay, maybe he’s just trying to get rid of the cops.” Topper added while JJ picked up a large rock.

“Eyes on the road, Ellie.” Sarah reminded the girl and Beth simply tightened her hold on the wheel though her hands were starting to get slippery from the nerves. 

“Let’s dance.” The blonde teenager nodded before his ringed hand revved up the engine. 

He sped up, as quick as he could and when the time came to cross them he threw the rock in the windshield. 

“He did it.” Pope shouted for everyone to hear. “They’re chasing him.” Elizabeth’s eyes snapped to Pope’s in the rearview mirror. 

“What? I’m turning around, hold on.” She warned them. 

“No you’re not. I'm not going to jail as accessory because of you guys.” Topper said.

“Topper you don’t have a choice, I'm driving. I’ll pay for whatever repairs you need, okay just-” She breathed out as she accelerated. “I’m not leaving JJ.” The brunette could feel Sarah’s eyes on her but she simply focused on the road ahead. 

Elizabeth arrived at a crossroads the one JJ had just left and turned left to get back on the service road they were on. She could see him, on their right as he tried to outrun the police. Her mouth went dry and she started to sweat, the teenage girl shook her head, trying to get the feeling to go away. 

He was too far away from where they were, a few patches of green separating her from getting to him. 

“Turn right!” Pope shouted and she did so without warning, her body on autopilot. She breathed out sharply. 

Her eyes followed his silhouette when she found him again. The blonde made his way off the service road and up to the overpass,

“No way, he’s way up on the overpass.” Sarah told them and Elizabeth nodded.

“What are you doing, JJ?” She whispered to herself when she noticed him going for a face to face with another car. The boy grew bigger and bigger until he was right in front of them on the overpass. 

And then, the motorcycle crashed through the stone lining the overpass and JJ’s body fell over it.

She barely registered her friend’s pained groaned as her foot hit the brake and her hand slammed the car into park, the destroyed motorcycle near the truck’s tires. She felt a burning sensation on her throat, not knowing that the seat belt had cut through her skin. Her hands shook as they struggled to unclip the seatbelt but her hand was steady when she opened the door and her jellified legs hit the ground. 

“Pope! Go!” Kiara shouted before she jumped off. 

“JJ.” Elizabeth called quietly, blinking away the tears. Kiara started to walk towards the crash site and she frowned when her arm was held back. 

“Let her go.” Pope told her as softly as he could, Kiara stared at him, confused but he simply pointed to the brunette who was walking to where she had seen JJ’s body fall, because she truly never let him go from her sight. “Let her, go.” Kiara nodded as she watched her best friend from afar. 

Elizabeth could faintly hear Kiara’s cries but her eyes were glued to the tuft of blonde hair that stuck out from the dark green grass. 

“JJ?” The girl’s voice broke when she noticed he didn’t move. She wiped her cheeks and looked back to her friends, silently begging them to join her. “Please.” She cried and kneeled next to him as she started to feel hot all over. She could barely see his chest rise and fall and she whimpered. 

The brunette reached for his hand and barely smiled when she found it sweaty and warm. 

“JJ, please.” She begged quietly and his hand twitched in hers.

“That was the gnarliest powerslide I’ve ever done.” He croaked out and she chuckled wetly.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He tightened his hold around her hand. 

“He’s okay!” She shouted to her friends behind them and she smiled when they all sighed in relief. “Sit up, sit up.” She muttered quietly and he did so as she looked him over.

 They stared at each other for a few seconds and the feeling of guilt started to take over JJ’s body. He stared at her red eyes and the way their friends seemed to try and sneak a peek. 

“Did you hit your head?” He blinked and shook his head. “Okay that’s good.” 

“Help me up?” He asked and she nodded before standing up and helping him to his feet. 

For a couple of seconds they stood in front of each other and she sniffled a few times before he tutted and brought her in his arms. Kiara watched them from a few feet away and sighed, crushed. The pair shared a few words as they walked back to the group. 

“You’re alive!” Pope shouted before wrapping his friend in a bear hug, knocking the wind out of him. “Dude!” “I know, I’m surprised too!” 

“Shit, that was gnarly.” 

“That was trucking, dude.” The boy laughed before Sarah shoved him and Elizabeth flinched, worried he was injured. “Oh Jesus. Oh God.” He muttered when Sarah stood before him with a scowl before she wrapped her arms around him tightly. 

“We really thought you did it this time, JJ.” She said muffled and he pulled back just in time to see Elizabeth wipe her eyes. 

“The pleasantries are nice, but we should really get out of here.” 

“Yeah, let’s roll.” Elizabeth threw a look at Kiara who eyed JJ with worry. She smiled at her friend and made her way to the truck. 

“Don’t ever do that again.” Kiara scolded and JJ’s mouth twitched in guilt.

“Hey! Hey, you kids, don’t move.”

“Go! Come on!” Elizabeth shouted. 

“You okay to drive?” Sarah asked and Ellie nodded. 

“Yeah, of course.” She made sure all of her people were safely in the truck or the bed of it and she took off even though the officers shouted at them not to move. 

-

They had been walking for almost an hour during which Big John reminded his son of Carla Limbrey’s involvement. 

“So,yeah, in return for helping me find you, I told Limbrey I’d get her shroud.” 

“Right, you’re talking about the healing garment, the one that cures all maladies, supposedly in the cross. Is that what you’re referring to?” 

“That’s the one. It wasn’t in the cross. She checked. That’s how I was able to convince her I had a bead on it.”

“And do you have a bead on this magic healing garment, dad?” John B asked as they neared the house. 

“Currently, I have zero beads. I don’t have a single magic garment that can heal all maladies.” 

They arrived in front of a gated house and Big John pushed his way through. 

“Oh, and by the way, that shroud she’s after, it’s a known hoax.”

“Yeah,” John B scoffed. “I could’ve guessed that. Do you have a plan?” 

“Sure, always have a plan.” His left hand moved to his son’s right shoulder and he gently squeezed it. “We are gonna prevaricate our way out of a pickle, son.” 

“I don’t know what that means.” The teenager shook his head while his father walked up to the front door. 

“You’ll figure it out. Play along if you feel like it.” 

“Yeah. I’d play along if I knew what the word meant.” John B said as he waited by the van. 

With his left hand, Big John grabbed the door knocker and slammed it four times on the wooden door before he waited. Big John snuck a peek through the window right next to the door and just as he did so, Carla appeared in front of him. The woman glared before she opened the door. 

“Hi.”

“Hi.” 

“Uh, you got my ride, right?” 

“Yeah, I was tracking you, first on your boat, then on your phone.” Carla stated. “I needed to get your attention.” 

“Just checking. I came down here to see you, of course.” The woman nodded slowly, unconvinced. 

“Oh.” she chuckled. “Is that so?” 

“That is so… so.” He looked at her over the rim of his glasses. “But first, lookee there.” He pointed to his son. 

“Oh, hey, Ms. Limbrey. What’s up?” The teenager waved, bored.” Carla stared at the boy and she smiled genuinely happy that the father had found his son. 

“You found your son.” She glanced from Big John to John B. “And you found your father… and your sister too.” She smiled and John B joined them. “How fortunate. That bond, so precious, so… fleeting.” 

John B’s eyes flitted between his father and the woman, sensing a double sense to her words. 

“Come in.” she invited. 

“Here, let me help you.” John pushed the creaking door open. “You heard her, come on.” 

“Can’t do this on the front porch?” John B asked his father who’d already entered the house. 

“Just come on. Be cool, be cool.”

“Be cool?” 

“It’s okay.” 

John B had one foot on either side of the threshold, staring at the front porch he let his head fall against the door before he closed it and followed his father to the balcony in the backyard. 

“So, as the Spaniards were coming downriver out of the headwaters, they were attacked. The Kalinago warriors began to loot the ship. And the priest was…” Big John spared a look to his son who nodded in acknowledgement. “was terrified that the shroud would be taken if the natives got the cross, so he… he took it out of the cross. See?” Carla’s eyebrows twitched. “That’s why it wasn’t there when you looked. Yeah? And then that priest kept the shroud. And he fled. He took cover. Eventually–”

“So what my dad is trying to say is that the priest ended up on the Royal Merchant cause he was the sole survivor of the San Jose fire.” John B interrupted and leaned back on the pillar. 

“That’s right.”

“Oh.”

“And we know all this because of Denmark’s diary, which my son here found.” The father said proudly as he moved to stand beside his son. 

“With a little help.” John B sighed. 

The boy just wanted to go home… 

“Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, you know? Then later, the priest, see, he got dysentery, and he died.” Big John leaned forward and sat on a low chair on the balcony, facing the woman. “He was… he was buried here in Charleston.”

“But if he had the shroud, why didn’t he just touch it and heal himself?”

“That,” John B pointed to the woman a couple of times before he sighed and ruffled his hair. “very valid question. You know, I was thinking the same time but–”

“That’s part of the story.”

“Yeah, continue please.” 

“Because he was so devout, he was so looking forward to being reunited with his Heavenly Father.” The chirping of insects grew louder in the handful of seconds it took for Limbrey to process the information and nod. “We dug up his effects at the Charleston Museum.” Big John announced and the woman’s face lit up with hope when Big John looked at her with a victorious smile. “And yes, we have it.” John B looked at his father with uncertainty. “We have the shroud.” 

Carla Limbrey took a few seconds to stare at Big John’s son and the teenager simply nodded while his father dug through his old backpack. 

“We were just on our way to bring it to you when you left your… invitation.” Big John finished, bringing out a tied up piece of cloth in which the counterfeit shroud was wrapped. The woman sucked in an audible breath and her eyes fell on the man’s hands. “I wrapped it up the best I could with… with what we had on the way.” Limbrey nodded. “That is…” he chuckled. “the shroud right in there.” 

The teenager sat to his father’s left, breathed in and held it for a few seconds and the cloth was passed over. 

“Thousands of years to finally be in your hands.” 

Carla’s fingers lightly grazed the wrapper while they shook in anticipation and Big John started to feel relief since the woman seemed to believe them but John B was racked with guilt as he and his father lied to the woman who had been suffering for years. 

“There she is.” Big John spoke slowly while the woman started to unwrap her once in a lifetime gift. “Behold a thing of magic.” The man let out a sharp and noisy breath as he rubbed his arm. “You feel that?” He asked his son who seemed to hesitate in playing along. “I just got chills. Look at that.” He added when Carla spared a glance his way. 

“Yes, wow.” John B said in a tone that lacked excitement. 

Carla Limbrey closed her eyes and lifted up her head when the tip of her fingers grazed the aged fabric. She tightened the hold she had on the soft material and brought it up to her face only to press it against her skin. 

“Do you feel the power of that?” Big John stared at his son who had covered his mouth in surprise and he raised his eyebrows. 

The woman lowered the cloth against her chest and her eyes snapped open. She cleared her throat and grabbed ahold of her crutches that she’d left on the side. She made a few steps with them before her left hand released the handle and the aid clattered on the deck at John B’s feet.

“I’ll grab it.” John B offered but his father shook his head. 

“You can just-”

“I’ll just leave it, yeah.” He sat back in his seat with his lips pressed tightly together. 

“I don’t need your help.” She told John B as she kept taking small steps. 

John B saw his father stand up from the corner of his eye and he could hear the woman’s sharp breathing. He balled up his fist and let his mouth lean on it while the woman walked away. It’s when the second crutch hit the ground loudly that the teenager flinched. He waited for a few seconds for the sound of her body hitting the floor or for her to ask for help but it never came.

“Oh.” She said and the teenager looked over his shoulder. 

Big John stayed alert, close to the woman ready to catch her if she were to fall but she didn’t. He smiled happily to his son who nodded, though both of them were baffled. A smile split her face in two and a few tears ran down her cheeks but she looked up at Big John and she laughed. 

“I’m healed.” She spoke softly. 

“Hallelujah. Look at you, darling. How about that?” Big John clapped his hands together which made his son flinch once again as he held his head in his hand, unable to look up at the woman. 

After Limbrey thanked them repeatedly, the father and son bid their host adieu and walked out of the house and got their van back. 

“She walked. It worked.” Big John said as he stuffed his belongings in the van. 

“What the hell was going on there?” John B asked, joining his father in the front. 

“Hey, you have to believe in miracles if you want them to happen.”

“It’d be a miracle if this thing starts up.” John B pointed out as the engine struggled. 

“Gotta believe, boy. I believed it.” He said before pulling out into the street. “El Dorado, here we come.” 

-

Elizabeth’s eyes were on the road ahead of her but she could feel the stress of her back seat passenger and she rolled her eyes. 

“Top? Calm down.” 

“Shit,” the teenage boy panted as he kept looking back. “they definitely called it in.” 

“Yo, B, turn here.” JJ spoke from behind Sarah. “Beth? Turn here.” He repeated but she kept going and he scoffed before he leaned forward and Sarah slapped his hand away as he tried to grab the wheel.

“Don’t backseat drive, JJ. Either we switch places or you stay there.” She said and he sat back in his seat squeezed between the door and Pope. 

“Okay, but just go faster.” He leaned forward.

“JJ…” she warned. 

“No, but really if they do catch up just-” The blonde’s hand grazed her shoulder as he rested his hand against the back of the seat.

“JJ! Enough!” She stepped on the break and a chorus of swears echoed through the car. The brunette undid her seat belt and turned around in her seat coming almost face to face with the blonde. “You gotta make a decision right now.” He nodded as he pressed his lips together to suppress an amused smile. “Either we switch or you stay there and shut your hole.” She waited, eyebrows raised as he muttered something under his breath and went back in his seat. “Thank you.” She said. “Everyone okay?” She asked and they all nodded after checking up on Pope and Cleo who were still in the bed of the truck. “Okay, good.” She put the car back in drive as she buckled up and pressed down the gas pedal as much as possible throwing the passengers back against their seats. 

“Are they always arguing like that?” Topper asked quietly and Kiara threw him a look without answering. 

So the brunette sped up and drove over an speed bump that’d lost the painting over it. Everyone in the car went flying out of theirs seats and it took Elizabeth a few mili-seconds to noticed the box had jumped out. 

“Shit!” She swore and stopped the car once again. 

“Are you serious, right now?” JJ shouted and she ignored him as she got out and ran to the back of the truck. 

“Are you guys okay?” She asked Pope and Cleo who had gotten out of the bed. 

“Yeah, kinda hurts a little.” The boy said as he rubbed his ribcage. 

“Shit, I’m sorry, Pope.” She eyed the cross on the ground. “It wasn’t painted over and there was no warn-”

“I don’t care about that, Ellie.” He waved her off as he walked closer to the cross where their friends had already walked to. 

The boy took the last few steps to the box before he pushed off the cover that’d gotten damage in the fall and he frowned. 

“What the hell?” Kiara asked when their eyes fell on the tires filled with cement. 

“Shit.” 

“It’s fake.” Pope breathed out, defeated. He crouched down under his friends’ stares. “It’s all freaking fake.”

“Of course, we did.” JJ stepped forward. “Of course, we stole a fake.” he chuckled breathlessly. 

“Pope, I’m so sorry.” Sarah apologized and Elizabeth shook her head. 

They watched as JJ took off his cap and walked to his friends to put a hand over his shoulder in support. All of them sighed in that moment when the sirens reached their ears. 

“Y’all hear that? Okay, I can’t be here. My grandfather’s a judge.” Topper started as he backed up towards the truck. 

“Dog, would you relax? They’re not gonna think some dude in flip-flops is part of a robbery.” JJ snapped. 

“Oh yeah, with the crate sitting right next to my truck.” 

“Pope, we gotta go.” Kiara called. 

“Y’all coming?” 

“I’m sorry, P.” Elizabeth said as she wrapped a hand around his arm. “We gotta go, bud.” Elizabeth eyed Cleo who stared at Pope with defeat and she cracked a small smile and gestured for the girl to come. 

“We gonna find it. We gonna find it later.” Cleo whispered in the boy’s ear with her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Pope nodded reluctantly and followed Cleo. 

“Yo, Maybank!” Elizabeth shouted and JJ’s head appeared on the other side of the truck’s bed. 

“What?” 

“You drive.” She said before throwing the keys and he nodded as soon as the words slipped her lips a grin appeared on his face and Sarah jumped out of the front passenger’s seat, leaving it open for her. 

Cleo sat on Pope’s lap, while Sarah sat on Kiara’s lap and Topper found himself pressed up against the door. 

“This doesn’t seem safe.” He muttered and Elizabeth simply reached back and slapped his knee. 

“Shut up.” 

Pope tried as best as possible to look back at the crate left in the middle of the road for as long as possible before JJ turned a corner and he lost sight of it. 

-

Rafe had arrived to Barry’s place almost half an hour earlier and the latter was still gushing about the valuable object he was able to get his hands on. 

“This shit is straight out of the Pope’s vault, bro.” Barry scoffed while Rafe took a sip of the liquor. “You don’t think we can get more for it as it is? I mean, this straight out of church, bruh.” Rafe didn’t say a word at that, only pushed the half empty bottle against Barry’s chest. 

Rafe grabbed a piece of sheet metal and brought it over the large fireplace they had constructed.

“This is how we turn the cross into untraceable money.”

“Untraceble, huh?” Barry questioned as he helped Rafe cover the cross. 

Rafe frowned and bent over the brick edge of their pit and reach in the middle of the cross for the unlocked trap there. He reached in and pulled out a small key with a red ribbon tied to it. 

“You know, I heard some crazy shit that happened last night.” 

“Is that right?” 

“You know that fake cross we put in there?” 

“Yeah.” Barry nodded.

“It was stolen.” Rafe said as the shadow of an amused smile reached his lips. 

“Does sould like them Pogues, don’t it?” “Oh, no doubt.” Rafe agreed, putting on the last piece of metal. “I mean, I’d pay half the value of this just to see the look on their faces when they opened the box.” The Kook wrapped his hand around the neck of the bottle Rafe had handed him back. 

“I bet you would.” The two crouched down in front of the hole. “You what the melting point of gold is, Country Club?” Rafe didn’t answer, just kept staring at the cross like a starved man. “1,948 degrees. Hot enough to melt me and you.” Rafe scratched under his nose as he waited for the man to set the fire. “I got to be honest with you, dog. I don’t know if I got this in me, bro.”

“I do.” 

“Yeah,” Barry chuckled. “i knew you did. It’s all yours, Country Club.” 

Rafe lit the match and stared intensely at it as it flew from his hand to the underside of the cross. He and Barry stood up but Rafe grabbed a heavy piece of metal and closed the small opening, concentrating the heat of the fire in the small, enclosed space.

“There it is.” Rafe spoke quietly as he stared at the slowly melting cross with a pleased smile.

“We’re going to hell, that’s for sure.”

************************

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[r0s3mm]

The Diary // Outer Banks series

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Pairing: OC!Elizabeth Miller x JJ Maybank

A/N:  they're here, in the same room. nothing out of the ordinary for obx, i guess. kissing breaking up-ish, big john, firearm, language, father and son being attacked, angst

Let me know what you think 💭 and pls comment and reblog ;)

John B held Sarah’s hand as she led him outside. 

“Okay, well, while you’re out looking for your city of gold, I’m gonna go home and steal some clothes and maybe a phone if I can find it.”

“See you later. Road to the mother lode.”

“I’ll be back.” She said softly before blowing him a kiss. 

“Six o’ clock, back here. Don’t be late.” 

“Toodles.” She grinned as she rode on her bike. 

Half a second later, Big John snuck out the front door and John B frowned when he went back inside and noticed his father’s absence. It’s when he heard a familiar revving that he jogged back outside just in time to see his father park the Twinkie in front of their house. 

“Brought an old friend to see you.” 

“Where’d you get this?” “The impound lot. Where do you think?” Big John replied, not liking his son’s tone. 

“Where do I think? Um, I don’t know. I’m trying to figure out why you didn’t say when Sarah was here.” 

Big John stayed silent as he exhaled deeply. 

“Oh, Dad, come on. Seriously?” 

“Hey. Just you and me.” 

“You and me, okay, great.” John B pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay. Well, did you at least find the diary?” 

“Yeah, I found the diary, all right. It was a big pile of mush. The window was left down. It got rained on.” Big John leaned forward as he searched for his son’s gaze. “You could have shut the window.” 

“Well, uh, there were some complications. I wasn’t planning on being gone that long.” John B raised an eyebrow, annoyed. 

“Yeah, well, that diary’s done.” He scolded and his son scoffed. “But I got another idea. Plan B. Come on.” 

“Plan B. Okay.” 

“Riches and glory. Come on.” With his hands on his hips, John B sighed. 

“This is great. This is great.” He whispered, joining his father. 

John B opened the passenger door, grabbed a piece of paper and a marker. 

“What are you doing? Let’s go.” 

“Take care of your people. You said it best.” John B bit back softly. 

Found the Twinkie. Off w/ my Pops. See u soon -JB

“Speaking of my people, dad,” John B started as he got seated next to his father. “Why didn’t you tell me you and Ellie were together?” The son didn’t miss the way his father tightened the hold he had on the wheel. “Where is she dad?” Big John shrugged and it took everything in the teenager not to get out of the van at that moment. 

After a few silent minutes on the road John B sighed. 

“Just so we’re clear. We’re not keeping anything from Sarah. Okay? She’s one of us, Dad.”

“You lost the gold, right? To her father. And the cross to her brother.”

“It was a coincidence, Dad. Okay?” The teenager said before he clenched his jaw. 

“Just a coincidence?” John B sighed. “Yes, Dad!” 

“Look, it’s… it’s better to keep intel on a … a need-to-know basis. Trust me. I learned that the hard way.” Big John saw the sighs his son released and he noticed the clear annoyance on his face. “Look, Bird, it’s just you and me. Okay, Buddy?” He slapped his son’s back in a fatherly way but John B simply stared at his dad with worry and slight annoyance. “For now.” 

“Yeah, okay. So where we going?” The son asked his father once they turned onto a dirt road. 

“We are stopping by your history teacher’s house, John B.”

“Mr. Sunn?” He looked around with curiosity. 

“Well, he had the original diary, right?” Big John threw a glance at his son. “Then vanished once word got out that he had it. I doubt it’s here, but it ain’t gonna hurt to check.” The engine was stopped, keys pulled from the ignition and the pair jumped out of the van. “Let’s go!” 

The two of them jogged to the front door and peeked in the house through the front door windows. 

“Oh, look at that nobody’s home. We should probably get outta here.” John B started to walk away when he saw the empty dining room. 

“Hey, hey, hey, John B. Come on, we’re here already.” Big John pulled his son back by his shirt’s collar. “Let’s have some fun. Take a look around. What do you say?” 

“Have some fun?” The teenager questioned. “I thought you said he was in hiding.”

“I said he was missing.” John B followed his father around the house while the adult excitedly looked through all the windows he could. “He could be in hiding or he could be…” Big John made a gun with his fingers before pointing it at his temple. “y’know, done. But seeing as how he’s not here,” Big John grunted as he shoved a pocket knife in the lock of the patio door. “I don’t think he’d mind if we looked around a little bit.” 

He went mad. Is what John B thought as he watched his dad force the lock. 

“Haha! Still got it.”

“Oh, a little B and E with my pops, right?” The teenager stared at his dad. “Just add it to the list of felonies.”

“Come on.” 

“Mr. Sunn? Is anybody home?” John B called out. 

“The original diary, what’s it look like?” 

“Leather-bound, about yea big.” John B replied as he showed the size to his dad. 

“All right, check everywhere.” Big John instructed while he started with the fireplace. “Leather-bound, leather-bound.”  

The teenager moved to the adjacent room where there was a little desk and on it was an orange, padded envelope that piqued his interest. With his lips pursed, curiosity tickled he reached the table, grabbed the envelope and pulled out a book, Poetry on the Cape Fear. The book was between his hands when someone snuck up behind him and hit him with a hammer. His body fell forward, knocking down a framed picture to the ground which alerted Big John that something was wrong. 

“Hey, John B!” He shouted before he grunted when another hammer grazed the side of his head. 

Big John was shoved against a dresser and John B was pulled back by his collar and thrown to a nearby wall close to the shower curtain which he ripped, falling face-to-face with his teacher, Mr. Sunn. 

“Mr. Sunn.” The teenager panted before he was grabbed once again and pulled to his feet. He could hear his dad’s groans in the next room while he was thrown against a wall and strangled. 

Father and son were thrown to the ground and held at gunpoint while their attackers stood above them. 

“Stay down.” Big John’s attacker warned. “Don’t even think about getting up.” John B coughed as he struggled to catch his breath. “Is this what you’re looking for?” He asked, showing the leather bound book. 

“You son of a bitch.” 

“Sorry, buddy. You’re too late.” The man mocked while he and his partner slowly backed out of the house. 

“Hey, hey!” John crawled to his son. “Hey. You all right?” John B nodded much to his father’s relief. “Come on. Come on!” The father moved quickly, joints and muscles hurting more than usual as he ran after the bad guys. “Hey! Hey!” He cursed under his breath, watched them drive away on their boat. 

Mr. Sunn’s coughing got John B’s attention and he made his way towards him and helped him get the gag off. 

“Hey, hey! You okay?” 

“Yeah, I’ve been better.”

“I got you.” The teenager assured his teacher as the latter had difficulty walking. 

“I came… came out of hiding to meet those two gentlemen.” He announced as they reached the kitchen chairs. 

“What? Those guys? They’re smugglers.” John B informed and Mr. Sunn nodded with a humorless chuckle. 

“They said they were from the historical society.” He leaned back and let his head rest on the back of a chair. “I guess my professional vanity got the best of me.”

“Was that the diary they took?” Big John came barging in loudly and Mr. Sunn winced. 

“Yeah.” 

“Shit!” John swore. “Come on! John B, let’s go!”

“Go!” 

“We’ll get it back, okay, Mr. Sunn? We’ll get it back.” The teenager assured before he followed his father out of the door, leaving his teacher on the chair. 

With the teenager behind the wheel, the father and son sped down the roads on their way to the bay in hopes of catching up to the two smugglers. John B looked around before his foot pressed down on the accelerator. 

“We gotta get to the Wando bridge!” 

Tires screeched when John B made a turn and he could almost hear his father’s voice in the back of his mind, commenting on his driving. Though not five minutes later, the teenager barely avoided a head on collision with another vehicle as he tried to pass the SUV in front of them. 

“Come on!” John glanced to the right. “That’s the boat. That’s it!” “Come on.” Begged the Twinkie. 

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” 

“Dad, I’m going!” “John B they’re getting away!” Big John’s shouts seemed louder in the small space. “They clear that jetty, we’re never getting that diary.” He added once the smugglers passed under the bridge. 

“All right, all right.” John B spluttered before he noticed the red paint near the dock. “I got an idea. Okay, hang on.” John B warned before he made a sharp left turn and they went down a small hill. 

John B jumped out along with his dad. 

“I know a guy. I got this kid a fake ID. He owes me one.” John B jumped in the shallow water and ran to the vehicle. 

“A WaveRunner? What you want to do? Stop by the Ocean Club?” 

“These things are fast as shit, old man.” John B grunted while he climbed aboard and started the engine. 

“All right, come on then.” Big John said from the grass. “Hurry it up, John B. We’re gonna lose them.” His son drove to him and made him climb aboard. 

“Get on! Let’s go.” 

Big John whooped and laughed when the engine gained speed. 

“Listen, I know these guys. They’re dangerous. What are we doing?” 

“Just keep going.” 

The Routledges were catching up on the smugglers.

“Hey!” The father shouted and the two criminals turned around. 

“That’s them!” 

“We ain’t gonna outrun them.” One warned the other. 

The two smugglers slowed down and turned their boat around to face the father and son. 

“We just wanna talk.” Big John shouted.

“Okay, okay. They’re turning around. What’s the plan?” 

“Show them your hands, John B.” Big John said with his own hands raised in the air. “Show ‘em your hands, son! You wanna get shot?” 

“Jesus…!” One of the smugglers scoffed as they stared at the pair. “What the hell are they doing? Let’s get rid of them. What do you want?” He shouted back.

“You know this guy, right?” John B nodded to his father’s words. “What’s his game?”

“He’s a smuggler. He moves cargo.”

“Highest bidder type of guy.”

“Yes, exactly.” 

“All right. Okay.” Big John nodded and if his son had turned around, he would've seen a plan forming behind his father’s eyes. “No sudden movements.” He mumbled before he stood up. “Hello! Just wanna talk to you for a moment. We’re unarmed, sirs. We bare no malice.” John started and one of the smugglers readied his gun. “We didn’t… we didn’t have a chance to converse back at Mr. Sunn’s. We just wanted to avail you of an opportunity to compound your winnings, as it were.” The father finished and the smugglers shared an unconvinced look. 

“You got thirty seconds. Talk.” 

“You have in your possession an old book? A… a diary, correct? And I presume that you procured that diary at a client’s request, and I’m assuming that client is a mister Sing from Barbados, huh?” One of the men nodded, slightly impressed. “Okay. Do you know why the great and powerful Singh would want this old book so badly? Well, it’s not because of the book’s inherent value, sir, no. It’s what the book leads to.” Big John took a breath, waiting to see if his bait worked. 

“What is that?” The father tried not to smile at his small victory when the smuggler questioned him. 

“Something worth a lot more than what he’s probably paying you, my friend.” John B shouted. 

“The boy’s right. You two are in a unique and potentially profitable position. You have in your possession a vital piece of a very valuable and old puzzle. But the thing is, I have a piece of it as well.” The man lied. “Now if we put these two pieces together, then the value is compounded. I believe we need each other.” John B glanced back at his father as he noticed the boat getting closer and closer. 

“Who are you?” “I’m Big John Routledge.” One of the smuggler’s faces fell. 

“You’re Routledge?” 

“The treasure hunter? The guy who went missing?” 

“Guilty as charged. This is my son. The one who found the Cross of Santo Domingo.” The teenager looked at them and waved. 

“Remember me?” and they nodded. 

“I’m afraid we do know a bit about the subject of treasure. Rather than threatening the two only guys that can make you filthy rich, I’d like to propose a way that we work together to our mutual benefit.” He ended with a car seller’s smile. “How does that sound? Sounds good?” 

The two partners shared a look and they shared a few words before a nod was seen. 

“Yeah. Come on, we’ll talk!” 

“All right!” Big John chuckled. “All right. We’ll talk. That’s good. This is good.” John B’s hands moved back to the handles while his father’s hands stayed in the air. “Take us on in, boy.” John B listened to his father though something told him to proceed with extreme caution. “All right. All right, here we come.” 

As they got closer, the man in the red t-shirt drew up his gun and pointed it at the father and son. 

“Hey, hey. Easy partner. It’s just a simple business proposition. That’s all. We’re gonna work together.” 

“Tie off.” They were instructed and John handed his son the rope. 

“This is gonna work out well for all of us.” 

It took a split second for the boy’s instinct to alert him. His father’s instinct was much quicker though, he noticed the lingering look to his son, the way the gun’s position shifted down ever so slightly and the smallest nod the man sent his partner. John B flinched when the gun went off beside his ear and when one of the smugglers' brains went flying everywhere and his body fell backwards. Under his son’s terrified look, Big John shot the other smuggler and jumped onto the ship. He grabbed the pistol out of the injured man’s hand with ease and pocketed the journal from the other. 

John B’s eyes were filled with tears as he watched his father approach the unarmed man from behind. He begged and begged but with a trembling hand, his father pulled the trigger and the teenager bent over and emptied the weak content of his stomach out in the water. 

“I had no choice.” Big John panted while son avoided his look. “They were gonna do it to us.” 

John B stayed put while his father asked for help with wrapping the weighted down bodies and throwing them in the water. The teenager stared at his father in disbelief, surprise and growing fear; his eyebrows furrowed when he noticed the lack of emotion or care in his father’s actions and expressions.

-

The two teenagers were in the middle of the room, stomachs twisted, hearts out on their sleeves and knees weak. Neither of them had properly breathed since their eyes met but the tension in their bodies dissipated as quick as the speed of light.

“Okay, okay.” Elizabeth’s lips and hands trembled as she cupped JJ’s face and held back her own flood of tears. “None of that.” She sniffled and pulled him up to his feet. 

Her eyes analyzed every inch of his face, committing to memory any changes that had happened in their time apart. Her two thumbs started caressing his jaw and he closed his eyes, his legs starting to feel like putty again. 

“JJ…” she spoke his name softly and her own heart skipped a beat when at the sound of her voice, his lips pulled into a soft and relieved smile. “Please look at me.” She pleaded and his eyes fluttered before they opened fully and fell on her. 

In that precise moment, that precise second, he couldn’t have found her more beautiful and he couldn’t have felt more nervous.

“Hi.” he croaked out. 

“Hi,” she cried softly and he brought her back against him with his lips pressed to her forehead. “Oh god.” she whispered, her hands slid to the back of his head and she looked up at him once again, pulling him closer. Their lips were inches apart and JJ swallowed thickly as he could feel her breath on his own. 

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asked quietly, trying to distract himself from his most primal instinct. “Beth?” She let out a laugh, an exhilarated laugh that seemed to come from the deepest part of her. 

“Say my name again.” She requested in a whisper and he chuckled before putting both of his hands on either side of her face.

“Beth Miller, are you okay?” She nodded with a smile as his hand slid down to her waist. 

“What about you? How’s your head?” she asked and stood on her tiptoes, looking for the small scar. 

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Couldn’t be better.” JJ breathed out, relishing in the shivers her touch brought to his body.

The blonde looked at his boots for a few seconds before the grieving he went through hit him like a truck. He sucked in a breath and took a step back under her confused look. 

“Shit.” He swore before he sat on his bed. “I thought you were dead.” He mumbled and she chuckled nervously. 

“What?”.

“We heard, we heard the gunshots and- we, we thought you were dead. We hoped you weren’t fuck, I hope you weren’t and I guess I knew you weren’t but-” Elizabeth cocked her head to the side and her heart squeezed at his distressed rambling.

“Hey, no, I’m fine. In one piece.” She reassured him. “Not as much in one piece as before but I'm okay, sweet boy.” She spoke and he paused, almost stopped breathing and stared at her. 

“But you are okay?”

“Apart from a few cuts, bruises, bullet holes, yeah, I’m fine.” He nodded and then stopped, he stared at all the skin he could see which wasn’t a lot so he frowned, heart beating a little bit faster as he searched. 

The brunette leaned back and pulled his sweatshirt she had on and her shirt over her head with a pained wince which didn’t go unnoticed by him. She sat up next to him, in her sports bra and he glanced at her left shoulder. His hand moved without much thought, the dark red patch of skin felt rough against the pad of his finger and she sighed nervously. His eyes followed along the length of her arms and ended on her wrists. 

“Here.” he muttered as his fingers touched the reddened and irritated skin. “Does it hurt?” “It’s a little sensitive, but I think it’ll be gone in a few days.” 

“What else?” He asked worriedly and her head tilted to the side in awe. She stared at him and felt a warmth in her chest at how concerned and worried he was even though she sat next to him. 

“My thigh.”  She grabbed his hand, interlaced their fingers with hers on top of his much bigger hand and she moved to the spot on her leg where a bandage was taped to her skin. “Hm,” she swallowed. “The stitches busted a few days ago actually, but it’s good now, doesn’t hurt as much.” 

“What happened?” He asked. 

“I shot one of Eberhimi’s guy, this was his response.” He bit back his lower lip in slight frustration because she had shot someone and had gotten hurt because of it. He glanced at her face quickly and noticed the way she was biting the inside of her cheek nervously.

“Two for one?” JJ tried to joke though neither of them smiled. “He only got my thigh, apparently I did this one all on my own.” She pointed to her shoulder and he stared at her as if she was deranged. “I think I kinda lost it when you went overboard.” She admitted. 

He stared at her and shook his head, as if to wake himself up from a dream. 

“I don’t know what I would’ve done-”

“I’m okay.” She reassured him with a soft kiss to his cheek. 

B, if you get hurt I’m gonna lose my goddamn mind.

With their close proximity and two of her fingers to his jaw, she moved his mouth right in front of hers and she pressed their foreheads together once more. If she were to lick her lips, she’d for sure graze his and a shiver ran up her back. She noticed the way his chest moved faster and the way his nose rubbed against hers. His hand that had fallen on the bed right next to her knee moved to envelop it with his hand before he slid it up just a little bit. The point and middle fingers from her right hand moved from the side of jaw to underneath his chin. 

The teenage boy swallowed thickly as his skin became warmer. The brunette’s head felt like it was starting to spin being so close to him after what felt like forever and her patience was wearing thin. Her hand moved to his on her knee and with a soft grip, she moved it up on her thigh and she gave it a light squeeze. 

The ball was in his camp and boy did he take it. It didn’t take a second, as soon as Elizabeth’s hand squeezed his, he lurched forward, bringing her down with him, her back against his mattress. Their lips collided and they sighed in each other’s mouths. His tongue licked its way in her mouth, she made the softest moan and JJ chuckled against her lips. She uncrossed her legs and moved them on either side of his body and it didn’t take more for the blonde to place himself there, fitting in the space like two perfectly made puzzle pieces. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him impossibly closer to her for a few seconds. He leaned back and stared at her grinning. 

“What are you doing?” She whined, he shook his head and sat back on his heels. 

“We should, huh, slow down.” he breathed in with a quick squeeze of his nose before the smile left his lips. 

“Wha- wh…” she sputtered with her head on his pillow. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, great.” he nodded. “Couldn’t be better.” he sighed and his hands absentmindedly started massaging the surface of her legs he could reach near his hips. 

It was truly a sight to behold; Elizabeth Miller was laying on his bed for the first time in forever and the house was quiet, his father nowhere close to kick her out or disturb them. Her hair fanned around her head and when she looked up at him there was a wide and enamored smile pulling at her lips, his hand moved over his heart as he searched for its beat. The blonde had her in a position he had dreamed of for so long but something was keeping him from going all in. 

Elizabeth sighed and pushed herself up to his level, his hands fell to his sides and his eyes focused on the wall behind her.

“JJ,” she called quietly. “Hey, c’mon.” she poked his cheek with her finger until he looked at her. “What’s going on?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Nothing.” she mocked trying to imitate the way he spoke. She reached out slowly and brushed a few strands of his dirty hair away from his eyes. “What happened?” 

“What do you mean?” he finally looked at her and she sent him a tight lipped smile. 

“I know you, Maybank and I’m starting to figure out that mind of yours.” She whispered. “That beautiful and crazy smart but complicated and sometimes twisted mind of yours.” she spoke and he glanced at her apologetically and she sucked in a breath. “Did you, huh,” she cleared her throat as she shuffled backwards. “You met someone?” JJ’s eyes snapped to her and he felt like wrapping her in his arms forever. 

He wanted to shield her from whatever adventure awaited them and he wanted to keep her to himself. 

JJ stared at her as she waited for an answer, her eyes wouldn’t reach his anymore and she had physically distanced herself from him. She eyed her sweatshirt and shirt at the foot of his bed and he reached behind him and handed them to her, averting his gaze while she got dressed.

“I’d understand.” she said though no one on the planet would believe her. 

JJ scratched the back of his head and grimaced when his fingernails collected dried skin under them. 

“I’m gonna shower.” he mumbled. 

“Yeah.” she breathed out. 

She stared at him; he walked around his room, digging through his drawers and bringing shirts to his nose to see if they were wearable. He grabbed a towel from the back of his bedroom door, threw the girl a quick smile before he disappeared in the hallway. 

Elizabeth laid back against the mattress and shut her eyes for a few seconds…

…Which turned into two hours. 

She woke up with a frown, not fully knowing where she was until she recognized the walls and remembered her reunion with JJ. She looked at the old alarm clock on the chair he used as a nightstand and huffed when upon seeing the clock turned off remembered the electricity had been turned off. 

“JJ?” she called out. 

Elizabeth stood up and walked to the now closed bedroom door before she opened it and made her way to the front of her house. Her head turned towards the backyard when a car door was closed loudly, she kneeled on the old couch and opened the ripped curtains. She stopped in her tracks when Kiara sat on the stool in front of JJ. The window frame was broken and because of that warm air slipped in the house along with Kiara and JJ’s conversation. 

“... But I told them I had to come check on you.” Kiara said and JJ’s shoulders dropped as a deep breath left his lungs. 

“Well, it’s not me you have to worry about.” JJ replied as he put a wrench down on the old, homemade wooden table and leaned on it as if the whole world’s weight was on his shoulders.

“Jayj, what’s up?” 

“Why does everybody keep asking me that?” he asked, frustrated. 

“I-” she sputtered. “Is it something Pope said? I know he’s not all obsessed about what happened between me and him. We’re both past that, but something’s bugging you.” Kiara’s eyes followed JJ’s as he glanced at his house before they fell back on his conflicted expression. 

“It was just weird.” He said much quieter and Kiara frowned. “what almost happened on the boat with us.” Elizabeth’s head tilted to the side and she bit the inside of her cheek. “It was just weird.” He inhaled and looked back at the house once more. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Kiara played with the piercings on her ear and stood. “Yeah, I mean it was… it was weird for me too, but…” She trailed off and both Elizabeth and JJ swallowed thickly. “Not bad weird.” 

The brown haired teenage girl watched her best friend and the boy she loved step toe-to-toe and she inhaled shakily. 

“No.” he said lowly and though Elizabeth couldn’t hear him properly she noticed the way he took a small step towards Kiara. “Not bad weird.” She fell back against her heels and her mouth opened in shock. 

The brunette sped-walked to the door that led to the backyard’s balcony and opened it quietly and found herself hidden behind the pillars holding up the balcony’s roof. When she got them, it was always in slow motion that JJ and Kiara moved to stand inches apart. Her best friend looked up at the boy with newfound adoration while the blonde struggled to regulate his breathing and nothing but conflict behind his blue irises.

“What are we doing?” he asked and Elizabeth leaned on her knees. “What are we doing? We shouldn’t be doing this, nah.” JJ shook his head and took a step back. “We shouldn’t do that.” 

“Yeah.” Kiara said, using the same unconvinced tone Beth had used hours ago. 

The blonde walked a few feet behind Kiara and turned to face her. 

“We shouldn’t!” he almost shouted.

“If you say so.” 

“I mean, it would all blow up anyway! Look at you,” Kiara stared at her legs and feet. “You got your new threads on, already.” He pointed out. “Look at me. What do I got?” He panted. “This?” He shouted and pointed to his house, not seeing Elizabeth crouched down against the veranda’s wall, heads between her knees. “This piece of shit?” JJ shouted, he picked up a light metal tube and threw it right above Elizabeth’s head and she jumped. “Getting kicked out of this place in three weeks anyway. Shit, I don’t even got a family right now.” 

Elizabeth wanted to jump up and scream that he had her, that she was his family and that she would always be there but she didn’t because the pain in his voice made her sob and her salty tears fell on the green painted wood. 

“Why would you care?” JJ spoke. “Why would you care? I’m just some loser that–” 

“JJ.” Kiara interrupted when he kicked an old carburator. 

“You don’t care.”

“I do care!” She argued. 

“No, you don’t!” He snapped at her before turning around and seeing her close enough that he could smell the perfume on her skin. “No, you got parents that live in Figure Eight, you know?” He sniffled. “You know…”

“That’s not my fault.” Kiara shook her head. 

“That’s your future. You got that.”

“Look, if you need us, we’re gonna help you. I’m…” Kiara cried and Elizabeth couldn’t hear it anymore and so she stood up quickly and slammed the door behind her, body dropping back on the old couch. JJ swirled quickly, heart dropping in his stomach and when he glanced at Kiara she wiped her nose and frowned. “I’ll help…” she trailed off. 

“It’s that right there. Okay? Like–” He shouted angrily before stopping himself and breathing heavily. “It’s so easy for you to say that. You know why?” He asked her and Kiara shook her head, already  knowing what he would say. “Because you’re a kook.” he let out with light disgust. “You’re a Kook, Kiara.” he said factually and she took it with a slight nod and trembling lower lip. 

“Yeah, I’m a kook.” She stated. “I was such a Kook when I was living in a cave with you for a month.” JJ started pacing back and forth in front of her. “Soaking in the Kook life.” she added and he sighed frustrated. 

“That’s not what I’m talking about, God!” he said before tightly fisting his hand around his hat. 

“What the hell are you doing?” She called when he ran away and up the stairs to the balcony, slamming the door behind him. 

“Fucking sh-” He stopped and almost stumbled over the black backpack when he saw Elizabeth on the couch. “Beth.” he stated with shock. 

He breathed heavily and stood in front of her and when she looked up from her trembling hands, he inhaled so hard that it was almost painful. Her initially tanned face was spotted with blemishes and red patches. Her lips a deep red almost violet from all the biting, she even didn’t try to hold back the tears anymore and they silently rolled down her heated cheeks and her eyes seemed sunken in because she was truly tired, completely exhausted and drained. She used her hands to push off her thighs and stand up from the couch and he noticed the way her right hand was balled up in a shaking fist. The brunette took a few seconds to stare at him, the way his eyes were wide open as he still struggled to control his breathing and she grew worried. He tried to subtly wipe his hands on his jeans and her eyes snapped to the movement. He took half a step towards her and she took a whole step back. 

“I-” He started but she raised her left hand up to stop him. 

“Shut up.” she said harshly and he looked taken aback, “Sorry.” she mumbled right after. 

JJ gazed at her, only hoping she could see the thousand apologies in his eyes. The teenage girl tucked her short hair behind her ears and put her hands on her hips while he started to pull at the top of  his freshly washed head. 

“Don’t pull at your hair.” She scolded in a soft voice and he only changed his position. She took a few small steps towards him and grabbed his hand before pulling it away from his mop of blonde hair. 

With her hand in his and after the thought passed in her head she pushed her chest against his and pressed her wet lips against his. As soon as their lips came in contact, tears started to flow again down her cheeks and she fisted his shirt tightly with one hand. JJ held her head against his, not wanting the pressure of her lips to leave his and as the tears flew, his thumbs wiped them off. 

“I’m sorry.” he mumbled with difficulty against her lips and she only kissed him harder. 

It’s when he gently moved her head to the side and started kissing her cheek and jaw did she pull away, leaving behind a wrinkled shirt. He stared at her with adoration and his lips were, in Elizabeth’s opinion, the perfect shade of red. 

“You gotta-” she stopped when her voice broke and she swallowed thickly. “You have to know that I’ll always be there for you, whenever you need, day or night, at four in the morning or at four in the afternoon.” She took a second to inhale and think her next words through. “And it’s okay, JJ, if things change.” The brunette started touching each finger to her thumb as she silently counted them. “I- huh, if she is what you need that’s okay, I’ll let you guys be and if she’s not, that’s okay too. I just want you happy.” 

“No, no she’s not-” 

“It is okay.” she sniffled and grabbed his hand in hers but he shook his head. “I am not going anywhere, right? I am just so tired and I’m not…” The brunette cut herself off and moistened her lips. “Things are changing and if something is meant to happen, it’ll happen.” She walked back to her bag and grabbed it. “I just can’t do whatever this is anymore, the treasure thing, whatever we’ve been doing for the past years and now Kie…” Elizabeth made her way to the door and wrapped her hand around the door knob. “Give her a chance, okay? She can do so much for the people she loves.” She added before walking out of the house. 

JJ stayed silent before he let out a yell and trashed the kitchen. He started to stomp towards the backdoor but he stopped and stared at the cigarette burned living room coffee table. Most importantly the two objects on it; the thick, silver ring that’d been attached to her hand for two years and the shark tooth necklace he had gifted her over a month ago. 

The blonde started to run out of the house and towards his bike before he turned the engine on and left the house, ready to fuel his frustration, anger and overflow of emotions on something else.

He rode to a random pontoon, to the very edge of it before he stopped, turned off the engine and paced around. 

Beth. Kie. Beth. Kie. Beth. Kie. Beth. Kie.Beth. Kie. Beth. Kie.Beth. Kie. Beth. Kie. 

I am just so tired… He kicked an empty crate people used as a seat.

I was such a Kook when I was living in a cave with you for a month. He held onto a plank of old wood before smashing it against the railing. 

I am not going anywhere

I am not going anywhere

I am not going anywhere 

“Where the fuck are you?” He screamed until his throat burned and he found himself  leaning on the railing before the already very weak contents of his stomach found itself in the marsh below him. 

-

In Guadeloupe, Ward was finally back on his feet much to his wife and youngest daughter’s delight. He watched closely as two men carried the heavy, gold crusted cross to the patio where a stand was brought. 

“Thank you.” he nodded solemnly. “You can go.” He stared at it, glowing under the sunset’s light. The man closed his eyes and reached forward, feeling the stones and engraving beneath his fingertips. 

With a deep breath, Ward Cameron turned around after hearing what he thought was a young girl laugh. He blinked and there she was, his daughter, his little girl. Her blond hair flew as she whipped around trying to see if her father was close by as he chased her on the beach. The call of his name with her little voice made him break down, hot tears rolled down his cheeks as he held onto the railing and his cane. 

It’s when his wife appeared and called him in that he wiped his tears and followed her in and on the couch. 

“This is judgment, Rose.” He stated, the woman had her arm wrapped around his neck in comfort but he shook his head and stood. “I’m sorry.” he said. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

“Of course, I understand.” The blonde woman sighed and stood. “Ward. You are a good person.”

“No, I’m not. Rose.” 

“Hey!” she grabbed his head between her two hands and made him face her. “You’re a good person.” Her thumbs rubbed his cheeks. “Besides, what were we gonna do with that cross anyway? Seriously, it’s identifiable. It’s traceable. You think the Spanish government wasn’t gonna come looking for it?” 

“It does us no good.” 

“No.” 

“It doesn’t.”

“We already have the gold.” Rose reminded her husband. 

“Yeah, maybe it can help someone else.” Ward started to walk away but stopped and took a few seconds to think. “I’ll find a museum.” He hummed satisfied. “Rose. It’ll be a gift from us and the whole family.” 

“It’s a hell of a write-off.” She grinned, leaning back. “Not that it’s why we’re doing it.” 

“Of course not, yeah.” Ward chuckled. 

“Obviously.” Rose crossed her arms on her chest and stared at her husband. “Ward.” He turned around. “What about Rafe?” 

“He’s not gonna like it. He’s just gonna have to understand. It’s what I’m doing to atone for all of us.” He sniffled.

- 

Sarah found it weird to be back in her childhood home, even if it was just to gather a few things. She grabbed the opportunity and showered, shaved, and packed a few bags with everything she needed before her head snapped up and she remembered the cell phone she’d hidden in the jewelry box. 

The front door slammed and she strained her ears to catch any more noises.

“Yeah, they said, um, two days on the transfer.” Rafe’s voice echoed to the house’s third floor. “It’s in the works though, so no worries. Yeah, yeah. Yeah I’m upstairs, why?” The teenager tried her best to see her if the path was clear. “You said you wanted to talk about something. What’s up?” Sarah tried to be as silent as possible, picking up her bag and making her way down the stairs. “Wait, wait, wait. Are you being serious?” Rafe asked and Sarah was finally able to see him sitting on his bed. “I was just with you. What changed since then?” Sarah tried her best to quiet her breathing as she went down the flights of stairs. “What are you talking about? Dad, no, no, no, Dad! This cross is mine” Sarah was able to sneak past Rafe successfully but stopped when her brother mentioned the cross. “You’re taking it from me. Listen, this is something that I got through my work, and now you’re trying to make yourself feel better by giving away my shit?” Sarah hid just on the other side of the wall while Rafe spoke with their father. “And you didn’t even tell me?” “Settle down. This is me telling you right now, son.” Rafe threw his hand in the air in exasperation. “We’ve done some things, Rafe, you and I, all right?”

“Oh my God.” 

“Things that we need to atone for, and donating this cross, it’s a good first step in the right direction. I know that in my heart. Okay?” The teenage girl leaned in even closer. “I don’t know. Maybe if Sarah finds out–” 

“Sarah!” Rafe shouted and his sister gasped, afraid she’d been seen but she breathed out, relieved when his brother continued his rant. “There it is! That’s it!” Rafe slammed his hand onto a dresser nearby. “Yep, knew it. There it is, Dad!” Rafe screamed. “Any more of my shit you wanna steal from me to impress Sarah? Who, by the way, doesn’t give a shit about you.” 

“It’s Wilmington. It’s tomorrow night. Get a pen. I’ll give you the cargo information.” Rafe sighed and cleared his throat as he sat down. His body tensed up with the frustration of being his father’s second choice, always. In one hand, he held the cellphone while the other pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to contain the boiling anger. 

“For the record, this is bullshit. Okay? This is my thing. But of course, you can count on me.” Rafe said defeated.

“Okay, so listen.” 

“One second.” The young adult mumbled, as he wrote down the information. “Okay, Wilmington. Tomorrow night. Car 750X. Got it.” Sarah took a step further, repeating the information in her head to memorize it when the floorboard under her feet cracked and she walked away from one door to the other just in time. “Hey, hey. Hang on. Hang on. One second.” She slipped in the room from the other just as Rafe walked out. “Hello?” He called out from the top of the staircase. 

He could hear breathing and he could hear the familiar cracking from the old floor and so he followed it, unknowingly hot on his sister’s heels before she hid in the corner of the room, safe and sound. 

“Yeah, from the wharf to the train yard.” Rafe said after picking his phone back up and jogging down the stairs. “Yes. I got it. Okay?” Rafe turned around and Sarah used those few and precious seconds to sneak past him and out of TannyHill. 

“Shit.” Sarah swore when her brother appeared in the middle of the hallway just as she was closing the door behind her. 

-

Elizabeth’s bag made her back feel too warm and sweaty as she walked down the streets of The Cut. But the second she set her eyes on the business, a teary smile appeared on her face. She tried the shop’s door but found it was locked. She even snooped through the windows but the smell of barbecue let her know where the people she wanted to see were. 

“...on a huge container ship in the middle of the ocean. And what do I hear from down below but-” Pope made his parents jump as he imitated the gunfire. Elizabeth crept up near the family with a smile on her face as Pope animatedly told them the story.

“Oh no!” His mother gasped worried. 

“Gunshots shooting right back up at me.” The teenager jumped up and down. 

“True story.” Cleo spoke after swallowing her bite. 

“Mom, gunshots.” Pope sat back down with his family. “That’s when I knew there was no way we were getting off that boat with the cross. So, dropped it in the ocean.” Elizabeth leaned on a beam with her arms crossed. 

“You did what?” Elizabeth and both of Pope’s parents said at the same time but all the attention turned to her. 

“No way!” Pope jumped up and away from the table before sweeping the girl off her feet. 

“Elizabeth?” His mother called.

“Oh my god.” 

Pope put her down, pulled away before he wrapped his arms around her again with a delighted laugh. 

“How- when-” 

“Hi, P!” 

“Where were you? How did you get away?” Elizabeth smiled, rubbed his arm and tilted her head. 

“Maybe later, yeah?” She asked and he noticed the slight redness in her eyes and how hoarse her voice was. 

“Elizabeth!” His mother called before she separated the two teenagers and greeted her with a bone crushing hug. “Beautiful, beautiful girl! Are you okay? Were you with them?” The teenager shook her head. “Are you okay? Injured?” Again, she shook her head. 

“Miller.” Pope’s father nodded. 

“Heyward.” She did the same before the man smiled and brought her in a hug with a fatherly kiss to her forehead. “Glad to see you’re back home.” She smiled, though this time she didn’t have energy to make it reach her eyes. 

“Are you hungry? Yes, you must be, I’m making you a plate!” His mother shouted from the barbecue and Elizabeth waved in thanks. 

Pope’s father led her to the table but before she could fully reach it, Pope wrapped his arms around her shoulders again and squeezed. 

“P, careful my shoulder’s hurting!” She warned softly, he apologized and stepped away, leaving Elizabeth to face Cleo. 

“Hi,” 

“Glad to see you alive, girl.” The young woman smiled before making her some space where Pope’s mother set down her plate. 

“Thank you for taking care of this one.” Elizabeth half joked as she rubbed Pope’s back. “So, what were you saying about the cross?”

“Yeah, I mean we couldn’t do anything better. And get this after we jumped off and got into the safety boat, I look back and they’re pulling it back out.” Pope said and Elizabeth’s head moved forward.

“Wait, who?” 

“Rafe.” 

“Rafe?”

“Yeah.” 

“As in the Rafe I spent a month with, Rafe?” Elizabeth frowned. “That’s why he was always on the phone…” She mumbled.

“What?” Pope’s head turned to the girl and she nodded with her fork in her mouth. 

“God, this is good food.” 

“I’m kinda glad he got it, though.” Pope said to everyone’s surprise. 

“You on air?” Cleo commented and Elizabeth pointed at her in agreement. 

“Yeah, I’m with Cleo on that.” His father added and the brunette chuckled. 

“I’m just saying, at least it’s not at the bottom of the ocean. There’s a chance, you know? Some hope that maybe we can get it back from them.” His father hum disapprovingly.

“Well, let’s hope not. I had enough of this treasure hunting.” Elizabeth scoffed with eyes wide as she raised her glass of water. 

“A-men!” She said and her and Heyward clinked their glasses together. 

“I want people to know that story, Pop. Denmark Tanny who got probably one of the most valuable objects in all the world, and he gave it to a church full of freed slaves, and it was theirs.” Pope argued calmly and his father looked as though he was convinced. “It’s a beautiful story. I think it deserves to be told.” he finished as he looked at Cleo for a few seconds too long and both his mom and Ellie shared a look. 

“Thank you so much for helping my boy.” His mother reached out and grabbed Cleo’s hand. 

“Mm. We helped each other. Right, Pope?” The boy once again glanced at his new friend with a look Elizabeth hadn’t seen often and she bit back a smile. 

“Yes.” 

While Pope showed Cleo her new room, Elizabeth stayed behind to help clean up and put away the food. 

“You don’t have to help, honey, you can go with them.” Pope’s mother cupped the side of the girl’s face. 

“No, uh, I think I’ll give them a few minutes, I like cleaning up anyway, some kind of normalcy after the last month.” she chuckled and the mother nodded. 

“Are you really okay, though? It’s okay if you’re not.” She stated and Elizabeth found herself to be taking a shaky breath. 

“I will be okay, with time. You know?” Both parents nodded and sent her comforting smiles. 

“Cleo’s settling in, now. If you’re ready to talk.” Pope appeared in the kitchen’s door frame and the girl nodded. 

“Sure. Let’s go.” 

They walked to the back of the building where the Pogues hung whenever they would be there and they sat on the picnic table there. For a few minutes they stayed silent, Elizabeth simply let her head fall on her friend’s shoulder along with the tears she’d been holding back for over an hour. 

“When did you arrive?” 

“Like, super early in the night, you?” 

“Sunrise.” She hummed in acknowledgement. 

“Where were you?” 

“At which point? I kinda moved around a lot; hospital, then the Cameron's summer house where I was surveilled twenty-four-seven. I found a way out, hiked a while, stole a car-” she glanced up at him and he sent her an impressed nod. “Right? Then, I guess Barbados.” She shrugged. “You guys?” “Deserted island. Survived off coconuts, fresh fish, berries.” 

“Survivor’s diet, huh?” “Yeah…” he trailed off. “You know you look like you’re on the verge of death, right?” 

“How I miss your bluntness at times, P…” she chuckled as she leaned back on her hands. “Well, you look good. I don’t know why, but you do, a little bit brighter.” she mumbled and he grinned. “How’s Cleo with everybody?” 

“Good, we had a good thing going, as good as being on a deserted island can be. She knew lots of things about poisonous berries or plants.” 

“Mmh, that’s nice. I’m glad you guys had her.” 

“Me too.” he said shyly and Elizabeth poke him with her elbow teasingly. “I guess you saw JJ first?” 

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Don’t think it went the way either of us had in mind…” she glanced down at her ringless thumb and bit the inside of her cheek. “I mean, it started great and when Kie showed up it-” 

“Didn’t y’all reunite or something?” 

“I couldn’t.” she spoke too quickly and he nodded in understanding. “Can I ask you something?” “Sure.” “What happened on that island?” She asked and Pope’s head turned and he faced her but he didn’t say anything and she nodded when she glanced up and saw his sad expression.. “Yeah, okay. Thanks for your honesty, I guess.” She stood from the table and hugged him. “I’m gonna go home or something. I’ll see you later, yeah?” he nodded and held out his hand and she grinned as they did the Pogues’ handshake. 

“I really missed you, Pope Heyward.” She smiled just as she walked away. 

-

The sun had begun to set when Sarah knocked on Kiara’s door and asked for them to talk and while her parents weren’t thrilled they let the girls walk down the dock for a few minutes. 

“So I went back to grab clothes and a phone and you’re not gonna believe this.” Kiara moved her head as a silent way to tell Sarah to keep going. “Rafe is back.” Kiara inhaled and stared at the horizon, disbelief written all over her features. “Yeah. I saw him at the house. I don’t think he saw me, but I think the cross is coming back to Wilmington tomorrow night.”

“What?” Kiara finally spoke. 

“Yeah.” 

“Does Pope know?” “No. I was gonna tell him at the Chateau.” Kiara grimaced and shook her head. 

“He can’t. He’s on lockdown.”

“Okay. Um… Then… I’ll hit up Pope, and then maybe you go to the Chateau and tell John B.” Sarah offered. “And JJ?” Sarah hesitated when she saw the pout on Kie’s face. 

“Yeah, I gotta talk to him anyway.”

“Yeah.” 

“Okay. My parents are gonna kill me.” Kiara added as they walked back to the house. 

-

Rafe Cameron walked into the little restaurant, adjusted the belt around his hips and made sure the firearm hidden behind his back stayed in place. He quickly glanced around the room before he found his target and made his way towards the man. 

“I’ll be damned.” Barry spoke. “Look who is it! Look at the country club walking in!” He added loudly and Rafe could feel every pair of eyes on him at that moment. “How you doing Rafe?” 

“Just coming to have a little powwow. I come in peace.” Rafe replied in a disturbingly calm tone before he walked away. 

“You come in peace.” Barry repeated unconvinced before he followed after the young adult. 

“I think I was up for murder one because of you, right?” Rafe squinted as he stared at his old dealer. 

“Yeah, that sounds right.” 

“It’s all good.” Rafe shrugged with his hands up. “I’m ready to get past it if you are.” 

“Yeah.” Barry chuckled. “So, why don’t you run it by me?” 

“My family is giving away something of mine, a historical artifact.” With a shake of his head and a mocking sparkle in his eye, Barry snorted. 

“What you think I give a shit about that for?” 

“This thing is worth a lot of money. Okay? A lot. I can’t stop them. At least not without looking like i’m going back on something, so… I want you to steal it.” Rafe told him seriously.  “From me.” he added. 

“Ah.”

“From my family.” 

“Oh… It just gets better don’t it?” Rafe’s ex drug dealer laughed and shook his head. “You must think I’m the stupidest son of a bitch under the sun.” Barry articulated. “It’s either you trying to set me up,” Rafe grinned at the words. “or you the one that’s the stupidest because then let me ask you this, Rafe. How you gonna stop me from stealing it and keeping it?” 

“Well, you know, one thing… one thing is, If you screw me like that, i’ll … i’ll come after you.” Barry nodded as he shoved a few pretzel in his mouth. 

“Mm-hmm.”

“What I’m confused about, though, is why you would fight it.” The blonde of the two interlaced his fingers and let his arms fall in front of him for him to lean on. “I’m offering you a job, it’s high-risk, it’s high-reward. This is the thing Barry, you know. When this very valuable and irreplaceable thing gets jacked, um, there’s gonna be suspicion on me. I’ll have an ironclad alibi, so they’ll be looking for who I hired. But no one’s gonna suspect you.” Rafe tilted his head and spoke condescendingly. “Right?” He tapped on the table once. “You’re the guy who turned me in.” he tapped on the table twice. “You ratted me out.” and then on the table again for a third time. “I mean, you’re the perfect guy for this job. It’s a free play.” Barry leaned back against the chair and raised an eyebrow, acting as if he was in deep thought. “You take this on, you don’t mess it up, you’re gonna come out the other end with a really big pile of dough.” Rafe’s words were like music to the poor man’s ears. 

“Mm. I do like money. Let me give you my terms.” Barry said before he himself tapped the table a couple of times. “I’m gonna get half of this bitch. Right down the middle, fifty-fifty. I ain’t taking no bullshit payout, Rafe.” Rafe’s eyebrow twitched as he nodded. “Okay?” “Okay.” 

“And if we doing this…” Barry cleared his throat. “it would behoove you not to be seen talking to me.” Barry finished, avoiding Rafe’s grimace as he left. “He got my check.” The waitress simply nodded and walked to Rafe who stayed put with a small smile on his lips. 

-

Kiara had been waiting on a lawn chair facing the marsh at the chateau when the revving of JJ’s bike reached her ears. She stood up just in time to see him stop and look around in search of someone. 

“John B!” he shouted before licking his lips and whistling loudly. He turned off and got off the bike before calling out one more time. “Yo!” 

“Hey, Jayj.” Kiara said softly from the little outdoor workshop and he jumped before he turned around. His eyes fell on her and he sighed quietly while she smiled, though it did not reach her eyes. 

“John B not here?” He asked as he stepped closer. 

“Nope.” For a few seconds the only noises that they would hear was the insects chirping and the grass underneath JJ’s boots, but then Kiara cleared her throat. 

“What up?” the teenage boy let out in greeting as he held onto the roof’s support beam from the workshop. 

“Uh, Rafe’s what’s up.” she replied, tucking her braided strands of hair behind her ear. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Rafe’s back on the island.” JJ swiveled around and let his arms fall at his side in annoyance. “Sarah saw him.” 

“Spectacular.” The teenager scoffed, walking past the girl. 

“It’s not just that.” Kiara waited for JJ to stare at her before she continued. “She overheard him saying that the cross is coming to Wilmington tomorrow night. Figure he must be trying to sell it.” 

“Great. Does Pope know?” JJ paced back and forth in front of Kie as his anxiety filled mind tried to steer clear of the early day’s event. 

“Yeah, Sarah went to tell him. He’s locked down and I guess John B and his dad went and got the Twinkie.” JJ’s blue eyes glanced at the piece of paper in Kiara’s hands and he approached before snatching and reading it for himself. “They’re off to God knows where.” 

“Yeah, of course.” He chuckled though he did not find the situation funny. “Just when we need them.” 

JJ took a few steps and his hand moved to his hair but he stopped himself before he started to anxiously pull at it. He turned on his heel within a second and held out a finger. 

“Wait,” JJ spoke just as Kiara was about to say something but she stopped herself. “hold on though. We know where the cross is gonna be. That means it’s still on the field.” The blonde nodded to himself as he started pacing again. Kiara stared at him though she did not seem to pay attention to what he said as she pulled on her fingers. “Okay, alright. So, we can come in and swoop. We’re still in this, Kie. We gotta get everybody together, then we’ll come up with a plan.” He walked past her as his mind moved too fast for his lips to catch up. “Gotta get out asses to Wilmington-”

“Hey, Jayj.” Kiara ran after him, calling out for him in a soft and quiet voice and he turned around. “Before we formulate some crazy plan, can we talk?” She stopped when he did and she pulled the sleeve of her shirt back on her shoulder. 

He stared at her for too long and Kiara could see how nervous those few words had made him. He looked away, at his bike, put his hands on his hips, breathed in deeply before he started to fidget with the shark tooth pendant on his neck and when Kiara noticed it, she frowned. 

“Yeah, yeah we can talk.” he almost croaked out as he looked around at everything but the girl in front of him. 

“Something almost happened between us on the boat.” she started and the blonde found himself making holes in the grass with the toe of his boot. “And I know that’s got to freak you out. It caught me off guard too.” She admitted and he looked up at her. “And I know, your whole life, I know you freak when people get close, and there’s only one person who had that very rare chance and I get it. I don’t blame you.” JJ kept his mouth shut, lips pressed in a thin line as his eyes moved back to the grass under his boots. “Just please don’t ever say that I don’t care about you.” He nodded. “And you called me a Kook.” she added and he scrunched up his nose. 

“Okay. Well, hold on.” he scratched his forehead. 

“Which is lame.” She pointed out with her hands raised in the air. 

“I know. That was lame.” 

“It was uncalled-for.” JJ nodded. “It’s a low blow.” 

“All right, Kie. Look, Kie.” he interrupted before he placed both of his hands on her shoulders. “You’re right.” he admitted before fidgeting with the hat on his head. “I flipped. You know how I be.” he added and Kiara nodded. “Just, uh… Just. It’s been a lot.” JJ said as he thought of the previous weeks. “So much. We should just… just call it a truce.” JJ offered and Kie nodded enthusiastically. “Just Etch A Sketch it.” JJ shook the imaginary toy in his hand and Kiara cracked a smile. “Clean slate. Truce?”

“Truce.” Kiara held out her hand first, he slapped his palm and the back of his hand against hers before the side of their fists collided as their fingers snapped. 

Their heads turned when a familiar bicycle bell echoed in the air. Elizabeth got off her bike and pulled out the kickstand before she stood in front of her two friends. All three looked at each other for about five seconds before the latest’s finger moved between the two and a fake knowing smile was plastered on her lips. 

“Did I walk in on something?” She raised her eyebrows. While Kiara seemed ecstatic to reunite with her best friend, JJ frowned, confused. 

“You’re here!” Kie stated surprised.

“So are you!” Elizabeth replied with the same energy as Kiara before she walked ahead and wrapped her arms around her. 

In all of their years of friendship this was the least comfortable and natural hug the girls shared.

“So, what were you guys saying about the cross?” Elizabeth quickly changed the subject back to their original topic before Kiara could ask her any questions which the teenager noticed.

“Rafe’s back and the cross will be too but tomorrow night.” Kiara replied. 

“Mmh, here we go again, I guess.” The brunette shrugged.  

“How we gonna jack this cross?” “I don’t know.”

-

My pops always said nothing good comes easy, and nothing worthy is given. It’s not what can be gained. But what you’re willing to risk. How far will you go for your treasure? 

“So, the diary says there was a … a survivor of the San Jose.” Big John said while his son drove the Twinkie down the road. “A… a priest. Captain Limbrey, yeah, he thought it was bad karma to kill clergy, so he stuck the priest down in the cargo hold.” John B sat behind the wheel, still feeling very uneasy because of what his father had just done. “The captain left it me to tend to the priest’s swamp fever. In his delirium, he implored me to pass on a letter and a stone object of native origin to the papacy.” The adult read off the pages. “A stone object of native origin! This is why Singh wanted the diary so bad. He’s talking about the idol here, the one we lost.” 

“You mean the one Ellie took from your partner’s?” 

“Oh my God.” Big John gasped, ignoring his son’s comment. ““The captain refused to make the delivery, and when the man of God died, he was buried with his belongings.” They were docked in Charleston. There was only one Catholic church in Charleston at the time. Ten to one that priest is buried in the church plot with his belongings. That’s gotta include the missing piece of the idol.” Big John thought out loud. “We put the two halves together and translate it…” John B stared ahead at the road while his father rambled and laughed victoriously. “Are you kidding me? This is it, John B. John B, Charleston leads to El Dorado!” His father announced and the boy shook his head before pressing down on the break. 

The Twinkie’s tires screeched on the dry dirt road and both of them were sent forward before being thrown back against the back of their seats. Big John frowned, about to scold his son but John B put the van in park and with a hand on the van’s handle looked at his father. 

“I’m done.”

“John! Wait a sec.” Big John followed after his son who’d started walking away. “Hold on now. John B.”

“No, you killed those guys, Dad.” The teenager said loudly with an accusing finger pointing. 

“Oh,” The man hesitated. “Hey, I had no choice.” 

“What?” John B scoffed. “What are you talking about? You pulled on them first!” His heels dug holes in the ground as the teenager turned to face his father. 

“They’d have taken us to Singh who would’ve done that same thing. It was us or them!” 

“Oh, come on!” 

“That guy was gonna shoot you, okay?” Big John slapped his hands on his son’s shoulders. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t let that happen. It ain’t as fun as it looks, kid, okay?” John B’s hazel irises avoided his father’s gaze as he struggled to even out his breathing. “Hey, hey.” Big John flattened his son’s hair before he wrapped his hands around the back of his neck, forcing his son to look at him. “I couldn’t lose you again. I couldn’t.” He repeated as his boy started to cry. “If you wanna hold that against me, you go right ahead. I’m guilty as charged. I’ll bear that burden for eternity.” 

“Come on.” The curly haired boy scoffed. 

“But what’s done is done. And we got work to do. And none of it means anything if you aren’t along, understand?” John B sniffled without giving his father a real answer. “So, you can head on down that road and go back home or you get on that bus and come with me to Charleston on a five hundred year old quest.” John B finally looked at his dad on his own. “What do you say?” The father took his hands off his son as the latter’s expression stayed stoic. 

“Let’s go.” John B finally spoke with a soft sniffle. 

“Attaboy.” They walked towards the van, the father’s arm wrapped around his son’s shoulders. 

That time, Big John got behind the wheel while his son stared out the window as the familiar houses and shops flew by. All of it doused in a deep shade of orange as the sun set behind them.

************************

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The Dark Forest // Outer Banks Series

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A/N:  hi :) life happened

badly edited. nothing that (i think) wouldn't happen in obx. swearing, underage alcohol, strained friendships, jj, beth and john b being my absolute babies, big john's an ass. firearms, kidnapping, description of physical fights... idk???

please, do comment and reblog i wanna hear your thoughts and all of that ;)

When I was a kid, my father was always talking about the epic quests. Lewis & Clark, Cabeza de Vaca, Magellan, Marco Polo. He told me about their triumphs, their discoveries. But there was something about those adventures he didn’t tell me. Treasure hunting, exploring… It’s not all victory parades and gold loot. On every great quest, even the famous ones, there comes a time where all roads lead to disaster, and every step seems a misstep. And every choice, a trap. 

John B sat at the kitchen table, analyzing the upper half of the Idol they had found the day before…

“We gotta be hush-hush about this, JB, you know that, right?” John B looked up at his father with confusion. “We can’t tell your friends.” 

“No, come on. Dad, they’re just as much a part of this as you are.”

“Want to put them in danger?” Big John chuckled as he walked closer to his son. 

“What? Dad–”

“Would you knowingly put them in harm’s way if you could help it?” The father raised his eyebrows. “If you could help it?” The boy sighed and let his head fall on his crossed arms on the table. “Didn’t think so. Splits are still the same. We’ll tell them later, but for now, for safety…” Big John whistled as he held a finger in front of his lips. “got it?” 

“Yeah…” 

Elizabeth and JJ arrived first a couple of hours later, Kiara had gone home to shower and change while Pope and Cleo had gone to Heywards. The brunette’s eyes set on the Twinkie and she gasped before wrapping her fingers around the blonde’s wrist. 

“He’s here!” She exclaimed and JJ frowned until he saw the beat up van and a smile appeared on his face. 

“John B?” He shouted as they walked faster. 

The pair could hear heavy footsteps from inside the house before the doors opened and John B appeared on the balcony and he found JJ and Elizabeth. 

“John.” The girl breathed out before she jumped into his arms as soon as his feet touched the dried grass. 

John B stared at JJ with wide eyes as he wrapped his arms around the girl. JJ could see the immediate relief in his best friend’s face as he had felt the same way not that long ago. 

“We gotta stop meeting like this, huh?” Elizabeth chuckled when the teenager burrowed his head in the crook of her neck. 

“Aw, you guys!” JJ borderline cooed before he wrapped his arms around his friends, leaving Elizabeth in the middle with a beaming smile on her lips. 

When they pulled apart, John B quickly wiped away a tear on the girl’s cheek before flicking it off into the air. 

“Are you okay?” He asked seriously and she nodded. 

“Guess so, yeah.” She searched the outside of the house before her gaze fell on the two boys in front of her. “You?” 

“It’s been a little crazy.” She hummed in agreement.

“Your dad here?” She questioned and he nodded before he pointed to the house. 

“Office.” 

“M’kay, thanks.” She leaned on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek and left her bag on the steps before she disappeared in the house. 

John B made sure she was inside before he turned to face his best friend who was still focused on the direction the brunette disappeared. 

“So?” John B raised his eyebrows and JJ pursed his lips out of frustration before he scratched the back of his head. 

“Nah.” He replied dryly as he waved John B off.

“What happened?” John B sat on the steps and JJ followed him. The blonde chuckled humorlessly and shook his head. “Dude…?”

“Started out fine, s’not-” JJ stood up and took a few steps. “Kie showed up…” he trailed off and John B waited, confused. “There was a thing on the boat on the way home.” He admitted and his friend’s eyebrows reached a new high on his forehead. 

“Shut up!” He let out a laugh and JJ flipped him off. 

“Fuck off.” JJ mumbled as he let himself fall back on one of the hammocks. 

“So what? You guys fought? You always fight.” JJ nodded slightly in agreement but he dug in the inner corners of his eyes with his fingers. “What did she say?” 

“Gave her blessing or whatever.”

“For what?” 

“Me and kie. Said I should give her a chance.” 

“What?” John B exclaimed and JJ gestured for him to lower his voice. “Dude, you probably didn’t hear right. Girl’s been crazy about you for years, literal years-” John B groaned as he bent over to pick up a rock and throw it away “it has been a nightmare.” He enunciated slowly and his best friend stared at him. 

The blonde stayed silent for a few seconds, biting the inside of his cheek as his heart started to beat faster in his chest. The front door slammed shut loudly and the two boys’ heads snapped to the same side to see the brunette storm out of the door.

“Fuck off, John!” She shouted, voice cracking as she aggressively wiped her tears away and JJ stood up as if he had been stung in the butt. 

Their eyes were trained on her as she walked to the Twinkie and leaned against it. She clenched and unclenched her fists, nails digging in the skin of her palm. She sucked in a large breath before she whirled and kicked the van’s tire a handful of times. 

“Son of a bitch!” She let out, the teenage boys had made their way closer to her, leaving a few feet between them. 

“Everything good?” John B asked and her head snapped so she could glare at him. 

“Everything good?” She repeated mockingly and John B raised his hands defensively when she took a step closer. “No, it’s not, John. Nothing is, honestly and I am so fucking over it!” She shouted and she tried to ignore the way JJ flinched when she raised her arms in defeat, but it made her stop and take a breath. She threw the blonde a quick glance and her heart broke. “I am so tired.” She breathed out with a sob. 

John B and JJ shared a glance when the girl bent over as she panted with a hand over her heart. 

“What happened?” 

“Well, huh, you know that guy Singh?” John B nodded. “To get back at your dad,” she pointed at him. “he took my mom.” 

“What?” they both let out at the same time. 

“Yeah.” Elizabeth sniffled. 

She interlaced her fingers and held her arms over her head while her eyes flitted between the two teenagers; while John B stared at his house with a frown, JJ had his eyes trained on her. 

“I dreamed-” she started but stopped and peeked at JJ before focusing on the tree behind them. “I dreamed-” her voice broke. “of being back home with you guys, almost every night for over a month. I was agonizing at the thought of something happening to you.” She said and John B knew the last few words were meant for his best friend. “I prayed that I would come back and my mom’s blue car would be in the driveway and she’d be on her lounge chair in the backyard or something.” She nervously started to pull at her fingers before her hand slid up her arm and towards her chest. She barely hid the grimace when her fingers grazed her naked neck and JJ’s nose scrunched up at the sight. “I just want this done with. I had all these expectations of when we’d be all home…” She mumbled.

John B took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders as they shook in his hold. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and mumbled a few words in her ear which made her giggle. 

“I missed you so much.” She said out loud when John B released her. Her eyes moved to JJ who stood a couple of feet away, avoiding her eyes and she shook her head. She took a step towards him and grazed his elbow with her fingernails. JJ’s flesh felt hot and goosebumps appeared on it. He stared at his elbow before he looked up at her. “Both of you.” She added and a smile cracked through. “Come on.” She held out her hand to him and he grabbed it before she pulled him to her sides. 

Almost like a reflex, the brunette’s head fell to the side and rested on JJ’s shoulder, John B witnessed the interaction and smiled like a madman before they once again shared a group hug. 

What they didn’t know was that Big John had also witnessed the conversation from the window in his office. 

Almost fifteen minutes later, the rest of the Pogues had arrived and made themselves home. Elizabeth walked to the door, joining John B just as Pope and Big John shared a hug and a small giggle slipped past her lips when JJ gave himself a swing and jumped on the man’s back. Ellie handed her friend the handful of beer cans before she grabbed the two bowls of chips. They shared a small and quick look as Pope, JJ and John rough housed for a little. 

“C’mon.” She nudged him and he followed her out into the yard. 

Elizabeth watched half an hour later as her lifelong friend dug a hole for himself right in the middle of his front yard. 

“Yeah, yeah, so we… um, we went to the archives in Charleston, and uh…” John B’s gaze shifted from his friends to his father before he looked at Elizabeth. “it was… it was a dead end. A dry hole.” He added with his eyes glued to the grass.

JJ listened to his friend, mouth half opened in thought before he threw a look to Beth who stared at him, both shook their heads lightly. “So…” 

“So, that’s the gold, the cross, and now El Dorado.” Pope enumerated, playing with a piece of wood. . “We’re three-for-three, guys.” The teenager chuckled humorlessly as a way to hide the whimper that threatened to slip past his lips. “The streak continues.” 

Elizabeth’s eyes moved from Pope who had thrown a small branch a few feet away from them to John B and then, his father and she glared at the man, disappointment in her eyes. Kiara stood up, bit her lip and nodded. Her eyes lingered on JJ for a few seconds while the blonde stared at Elizabeth. She sighed in defeat. 

“See you, John B.” Kiara muttered quietly. 

Pope followed Kiara leaving JJ, Elizabeth, John B, Sarah and Big John all sat in a semi-circle.

“That was a nice reunion, wasn’t it?” Elizabeth sighed. The brunette slapped her hands against each other and pushed off the log she was sitting on. 

John B looked as guilty as a human could. He could feel the eyes of his two life long friends on him and if he could, he would’ve disappeared. 

“Nice to see you again, John.” She pointed to the man that watched the scene unfold. She stepped right behind JJ and put her hands on his shoulders. “I am gonna get a few things here and huh, move out, I guess… Y’all are gonna need your rooms back.” She spared a look to Sarah before looking down at JJ. “You come over if you need something, yeah?” She offered and he nodded, not seeing the look of slight relief Sarah and John B shared when Elizabeth squeezed the blonde’s shoulders and he reciprocated the gesture by squeezing her hand. 

JJ turned and watched the brunette disappear in the shack before he pushed off the chair and stood. 

“I’m going fishing.” He slapped his best friend’s shoulder. “Thanks for the beer.” He breathed out before he jumped on his motorcycle and rode off. 

Disappointed in himself and the outcome of their latest adventure, John B stood up from his seat and walked a few feet away from his father and girlfriend. 

“We’re together, right?” Sarah asked as she walked up to him. 

“Yeah.” he cleared his throat. 

“So that means we always tell each other the truth.” 

“Sarah, I am telling the truth.” She sighed silently as her eyes never left his face. “What, you think I’m… I’m lying?” He faced her fully. “Is that what you think? No, I…” 

“No, no. It’s just…” The blonde bit the inside of her cheek before she glanced back at the teenage boy. “The story that you told us isn’t really adding up. You guys get the Twinkie and go off to Charleston without telling anyone, and I’m just trying to understand why.” Sarah reached down and grabbed his hands, interlacing their fingers. “If there’s anything that you can’t tell the others, you can tell me.”

“Mmmh.” He nodded, eyes boring into hers. 

Sarah pushed off the sweaty curls off his forehead before she cupped the back of his neck. 

“Look, look at me. What happened? You’ve just been acting so off since your dad got back.”

“What happened?” He repeated. 

“Yes, John B. It’s me. I’m on your side.”

“Okay, Sarah, you know what happened?” He asked, his tone dry. He wrapped his fingers around her wrists and pulled her hands away. “My dad came back. And he’s trying to help all of us.” 

“Uh-huh.” Sarah nodded. 

“And meanwhile, your dad tried to kill you.” She gasped; soft, choked gasps left her lips. She raised her eyebrows before furrowing them in confusion. “And I’m sorry that you can’t deal with that.” 

John B watched the blonde avoid his gaze as her eyes filled up with water. She pressed her lips together, nervously looking between him and the marsh over his shoulder. She sniffled and tucked her hair behind her ears. 

“Am I wrong?” She’d stepped back, wanting distance between their bodies and her tongue pushed against the inner wall of her tongue. 

“Well,” she exhaled. “then call me when you wanna tell the truth.” 

Elizabeth walked out, one bag in each hand filled with her things and many of her friends’ things too. She went down the couple of stairs and her eyes fell on an upset looking Sarah who walked past her without a word, got on her bicycle and rode off. Her bags fell to the ground and she eyed the son and father standing near the tree. 

“You okay?” Big John asked. 

“Yeah, I’m doing great, Dad.” 

“Come on. We got work to do.” Big John said with no words of comfort towards his son. 

The father turned around and stopped when he saw the glare on the teenage girl’s face. 

“What did you do, John B?” Elizabeth asked and the boy sighed. 

“Why am I the one that messed up?” Elizabeth put her hand on her hip, arched an eyebrow and scoffed. “Fuck off.” He sighed with a wave of his hand. 

Big John watched the two teenagers without a word. 

“Let’s go, John B, a five hundred year quest waiting.” The man spoke up and started to walk away and Elizabeth’s head turned so slowly to stare at the parent, John B actually grew slightly worried for his father. 

“Enough!” She threw her arms in the air which made the adult falter in his steps. 

-

Rafe walked out of the house and onto the large balcony, cell phone in his hand as he waited for the line to clear. 

“Can you hear me?” Ward asked on the other side of the line. 

“Yeah, I can hear you now.”

“The cross is not on the train, Rafe. It did not arrive. Somebody stole the cross.”

“What?” The young adult asked, a smile his father couldn’t see breaking through. “Oh my god, who stole it?” He said though he stayed very nonchalant.

“I don’t know who stole it, Rafe!” 

“That’s rough. I mean, it could’ve been anybody, really, right?” 

“Not really, Rafe. It could be one of a very few people.”

“Well, I mean, you know, we were just giving it away anyway, so who cares?” Ward exhaled. 

“Okay, Rafe, okay. That’s done for now. I need you to finish the list I gave you. I want you to sign for the East River property. When that’s completed, shut down the offices-”

“Yeah, no, I-” Rafe turned and looked at a bunny running across the yard. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I’m thinking maybe we should keep the offices.”

“What?” 

“Yeah, I’m thinking, maybe I should stay down here for a while, really grow the company.” Ward’s hand moved to his forehead and he sighed at his son’s words. “I think it’d be good for us, right?” 

“Listen to me, Rafe-”

“No. No, no, you listen, okay?” The young adult stopped talking for a couple of seconds as he pulled the phone away from his ear. He held the object between his fingers as his nail bitten finger clicked on the speakerphone. “You listening? You remember when you told me to make myself useful? Well, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m making myself useful, all right? I can do shit, you know? Explore options, so for the …” the palm of Rafe’s hand slapped against his thigh. “for the benefit of all, I think I’m gonna hang out for a while, okay?” 

“Rafe, listen to me. You are there for one reason and one reason only.” Rafe blinked repeatedly as his father’s tone changed. “You are to act as my proxy to shut down the companies, okay? That is our one play. It’s our only play. And if you cannot do it–”

“If I can’t do it?” The young adult scoffed and stood up from the balancing chair he was sitting on. “If I can’t do it, then what? Then what?” Rafe walked around and moved to the edge of the balcony before leaning forward on its railing. “You gonna hop on a plane? Huh? Come down here? I mean, it’ll be like a goddamn Elvis sighting.” Ward shared a look with his wife and the woman shook her head. “Ward Cameron, everyone!” Rafe shouted dramatically towards the empty front yard of Tanny Hill. “Oh my God! He lives! He’s back from the dead!” Rafe scoffed, amused by his own dramatic outburst. 

Rafe quieted down and Ward frowned on the other side of the line. The young adult put the phone back to his ear as he cracked a few of his knuckles, eyes glued to the gold band around his finger and he breathed in. 

“I got the family ring now, Pops.” Rafe stated quietly. 

He could remember the way his dad would use the family ring to explain the power he had and how his father used to say that one day Rafe would have it and it would be his time but it had never come. 

“Yeah, I’m wearing it, and it’s my time to step up, okay? You’re dead.” Rafe said before the pad of his thumb clicked the red button on the touch screen of his phone. A soft click noise reached his ears and Rafe breathed through his nose. 

-

The Twinkie’s motor roared as it rolled down the highway. John B and Big John were sitting in silence ever since the van pulled out of its parking space at the Chateau.

“Hey.” Big John moved his attention from the road to his son for a few seconds. “There’ll be plenty of time to make it up to her. You’re going to be hoeing that row your whole life.” The father nodded as he reminisced of his time with his son’s mother. “Trust me, I know.” John B blinked and glanced at his father. “Right now, we got bigger fish to fry.” 

“I don’t like lying to them, Dad, especially her.” 

“Yeah.” Big John nodded in agreement before he shrugged. “But El Dorado, kid. Eyes on the prize. And afterward, I’ll make it up to her. I promise.” Though his father chuckled, Big John wasn’t more convinced.

“All right, who are we going to see?”  

“An old bud of mine from grad school. Her name’s Kelly Kepler. We took a trip down to Chichén Itzá to the pyramids, camped out, got shit-faced. She went crazy for all things Mayan once she saw the glyphs on the ball court, and maybe she can translate the part of the piece we got. 

They drove through a handful of smaller streets before Big John turned to a small house. The father frowned when he saw people walking out with furniture. 

“What’s going on here?” The father asked as soon as he turned off the engine and walked out of the van. “Eric, hey, it’s John Routledge.” 

“Oh, hey… hey, John.” A man was sitting on the front steps, watching the movers work. 

“Y’all are moving?” He asked, gesturing to the people carrying furniture out. “Where’s Dr. Kepler?” The man called Eric whimpered at Big John’s question. 

“Dad, we should probably leave.” John B muttered to his father when the man started to cry. 

“What?” 

It took a few minutes for Eric to tell the story before he pulled out his phone and showed him an article about Dr. Kepler’s passing. 

“How did she pass?” 

“A heart attack. Out of nowhere.” Eric stepped to Big John’s left and pocketed the cell phone. “I just can’t stay here. Too many memories.” 

“That’s tragic. So sorry to hear that.”

“Nothing could kill Kepler. She’d just gotten back from an expedition, made a major new discovery.” Big John frowned at his old friend’s words. 

“What was that?” 

“A ruin in the jungle. South America somewhere.” The father and son shared a look. 

“Do you know where exactly?”

“No, she wouldn’t tell me.” Eric scratched the dried patch of skin over his eyebrow. “The members of the expedition swore to keep their location secret until they could publish.” Big John hummed in acknowledgment. 

“Can you give me any information? When they left, who was she with?”

“Yeah, the head of the expedition, Professor Sowell. He lives nearby, not far from here.” Eric said before he stood up, ready to help Big John. 

Eric came out a few minutes later with a piece of paper and an address written on it along with the names of the other members of the expedition. 

“Wait, Dad.” John B followed his father down the driveway. “I’m assuming you know this Sowell guy? You know everybody on Kildare, right?” 

“He was my mentor. He got me started on El Dorado.”

“Oh, perfect. So maybe he can help us decipher this thing?” John B asked. 

“There’s a reason I didn’t go to him first. Let’s just say he wasn’t real happy when I left the program.” Big John exhaled. 

-

Sarah rode her bike through the streets of Figure Eight before stopping in front of her best friend’s house. She wrung her hands, twisting and pulling her fingers as she walked up the stairs and around the wraparound balcony. 

“He’s a thief! Why would he steal my money clip?” Sarah heard Mike scream from outside. 

“Okay, but we’re not gonna press charges with him, right?” Anna asked. 

“Dad, please.” 

“Okay. No charges, but you’re dropping that little gangster JJ. Aren’t you?” Kiara nodded. 

“I know. He stole.”

“Good.” 

“I’m gonna back off.” 

“I’m proud of you, Kie. This is the first step. You’re starting to see more clearly.” 

Sarah waited for some silence before she knocked on the door. 

“Sarah?” Anna said and Kie stood up. 

“I got it.” 

Kiara walked quickly to the door, worried etched on her face when she saw how fidgety Sarah was. 

“Hey,” Sarah greeted once the door was opened. “Sorry, I don’t mean to bother if this is a bad time.” Kie frowned and scoffed. 

“No, you’re good.” 

“Okay, um–”

“What’s going on?” Kiara watched her friend’s eyes well up with tears.

“John B and I kind of got into, like, a little fight.” 

“Yeah, he’s been acting so gripped since his dad got back.”

“Yeah, and basically, I don’t have anywhere to stay, and Rafe’s at Tannyhill, and I was just wondering, like, maybe I could stay here with you?” Kiara started to nod even before Sarah finished her sentence. 

“Yeah. Of course.” 

“Hey, hey. No.” Mike practically shouted as he got closer to the door. “No, no. What did we talk about Kie? Boundaries.” He added without sparing a glance to Sarah. 

“Honey, come on. You got to try and respect our time. We’re trying to respect yours, right?” Mike sighed and he glanced at the blonde. 

“Look Sarah, I’m sorry. You’re always welcome here, but come tomorrow. Right now, we just need some family time.” 

“It’s fine.” Sarah shook her head as her voice trailed off into a high pitched tone. “Yeah, no, I understand.” The blonde’s voice broke. 

“I’m sorry.” Kiara whispered. 

“I’ll probably just hit up JJ or something.” She said quietly when she saw Mike scoff at the boy’s name.  “Sorry to bother you.” Sarah waved to Kiara’s parents before she sniffled and walked away. 

Just like she said, Sarah made her way to JJ’s but she frowned when after looking around there were no signs of life. She walked to the door and noticed a bright blue sheet of paper taped on the door. 

always welcomed at mine if you ever go hungry or just bored. B x 

She smiled at the red sharpie and looked to the other side of the paper and chuckled quietly. The eviction notice had been decorated with a few “fuck you’s” and a few badly drawn penises in the same red sharpie. The blonde walked back the same way but this time noticing the old couch with the old dirty pillow and the thin gray blanket on which the teenage boy slept on. She recognized a bright burnt orange blanket she knew was in the guest room at the Chateau a couple of hours prior. 

The ride from JJ’s to Elizbeth’s was shorter, much to her pleasure. She arrived and smiled when she recognized the potent smell of JJ’s cousin’s weed stash. There the brunette was, sitting on the small front porch of her house on an old and cracked white plastic garden chair. Her head was thrown back and her eyes closed as she enjoyed the unusual quiet of the neighborhood. 

Elizabeth held the joint between her two fingers as she took a drag from it. Sarah parked as Ellie held the smoke in and when she heard the bike stand click in place she stared at the blonde and slowly let the smoke out. 

“Hey.” Ellie croaked out. 

“Hey.” Sarah said without much enthusiasm and the corner of Elizabeth’s dry lips turned up in an unamused but knowing smile. She held out her hand, holding the butt of the joint with her thumb and pointer finger. “Thanks.” The blonde said before she sucked on it. When she coughed, her throat irritated by the smoke, Elizabeth laughed and moistened her lips. 

“Fancy seeing you here.” Elizabeth turned another plastic chair around for Sarah. 

“Yeah,” Sarah said before taking another drag with more ease and handing the joint back to the brunette. “I saw the cute little drawing you did at JJ’s.” 

“Right?” Elizabeth chuckled as she eyed her friend. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, just- John B.” 

“Yeah… He sucks right now.” 

“It’s his dad, I feel.” Elizabeth nodded, eyes unfocused on the dried patches of grass. 

“He’s- quite intense.” Sarah hummed in agreement. “Hey, what did you go to JJ's for?” 

“John B and I fought so I don’t feel like staying there tonight and Rafe’s at Tannyhill, so I thought I’d stay with Kie but she’s having family time.” Sarah said as she did air quotes around the work. 

“Her words or her parents’ ?” 

“Parents’...” Ellie nodded, offered another drag of the joint to the blonde but she refused so she took the last drag before letting it fall in the bucket next to the door that she knew had a little water at the bottom of it. “Wanna stay here?” She offered and Sarah smiled, grateful. “I don’t have AC or anything but I got food and uh, like a couple of beers I snatched from the fridge at the Chateau.” 

“That sounds amazing.” 

The two teenagers walked inside and moved to the fridge and Elizabeth sighed. 

“You wanna go get day drunk or something?” 

“Sarah Cameron!” Elizabeth gasped dramatically. “You are a bad influence.” 

“Shut up.” 

“But yeah, let’s go, lemme get my fake.” Ellie muttered and Sarah followed her when she moved to her room. 

The blonde leaned against the doorframe and waited for her friend to find the piece of plastic. She used the time to observe her room. She had never been but once she saw the room, it didn’t look like she thought it would. 

The green pastel walls were bright as the window didn’t have curtains to cover it, the bed unmade with the black duvet was kicked near the wall in a ball. She knew Kiara’s bedroom walls were decorated with pictures and such but it was nothing compared to Elizabeth’s bedroom walls. There were polaroids, and printed pictures, drawings with JJ’s messy signature scribbled at the bottom, old posters that had tears in them, handwritten notes passed in class that the brunette kept. The dresser was scratched and one of the handles was falling off, held together with a screw that didn’t fit quite right in the hole. 

“Found it!” Elizabeth stood up from the shoe box hidden under the desk in the corner of her room and she found Sarah looking at the pictures near the ceiling. “What?” 

“I don’t know, your room isn’t what I was expecting.” 

“I mean, it’s the same color we painted it when we moved in so…” Elizabeth’s nose twitched nervously. “It’s gonna change soon anyway, I kinda want it dark blue or gray.” 

“No, I like it, it’s lived in.” Sarah smiled as she thought about her room at Tanny Hill that seemed like it just came out of a furniture magazine. 

Elizabeth mentioned something about going to the bathroom before they left and Sarah nodded as she glanced at the pictures. Some were from when John B and Ellie were seven, somewhere along the way a head of blonde hair appeared in the pictures along the two brunettes. Kiara could be seen in a majority of the pictures, Pope had snuck in here and there… There were a lot of birthday pictures of Robin and Big John with the kids. She stared at the ones near the door and a smile appeared on her lips when she recognized her own face. 

“Hey,” Elizabeth called from the hallway. “you ready to roll?” Sarah nodded with a smile before she followed Ellie out of the door. 

The two teenage girls got on their bikes and rode through the streets before stopping at a convenience store Elizabeth knew weren’t careful with ID’s. 

“How was that so cheap?” Sarah asked once they came out of the store with two bags. 

“Did some deliveries for them and also, they think we’re less likely to snitch on them if it’s cheaper.” Elizabeth explained as she put one of the bags in her bicycle basket. 

“Why would we snitch if they’re the only ones selling?” The brunette shrugged, her right leg moved over the seat of the bike and she moved the pedal around.

They were almost out of figure eight, riding on the edge of the water when a boat pulled up next to them and the ex Kook’s name was called. 

“Sarah?” The two girls slowed down and turned, seeing Topper behind the wheel of his small boat. 

“Top… hey.” 

“You ladies need a lift or something?” He asked and Elizabeth raised an eyebrow as she glanced between the two. 

“Sure, Topper, thanks.” He helped them aboard, grabbed their bikes and brought them with. 

The teenage boy glanced at their bags and he chuckled.

“S’hot day, yeah? You guys thirsty?” He asked, eyeing the cooler in the corner of the boat.

“Got two bags full, but thanks.” Elizabeth raised a bag higher. 

“These are cold,” he showed the bottle in his hand, condensation wetting his fingers. “those aren’t.” 

Sarah saw the little nod her friend did and she grabbed the plastic out of the brunette’s hand, deposing it near the cooler before she opened it and grabbed two beers out of it. 

“Hey, huh, actually where are you guys headed?” Topper asked. 

“The Cut. My place.” 

“Ah, that’s great.” He stole a glance at Sarah who looked out at the horizon. “Where are you staying right now?” 

“Ellie’s.” The blonde smiled at her friend. 

“Not- not John B’s?” Topper asked, confused and Sarah escaped his gaze as she took a sip from the beverage. “I’m.. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to insert myself in your business or anything, just…” He eyed Elizabeth who watched him carefully, almost saying that if he put a toe out of line she’d push him off the boat and drive off with it. “Just friendly concern.” he finished. “I have a girlfriend now.” He added and Sarah silently gasped after swallowing yet another sip.

“You have a girlfriend?” Topper grinned and nodded. 

“Yeah. You’re surprised?”

“Of course you do. Who?” 

“Um, you know, Elena.”

“Reedy?” Sarah and Elizabeth said at the same time and Topper and Sarah stared at the brunette, confused as to how she knew her. 

“What’s wrong with her? You don’t like her?” Topper asked the two girls.

“No, it’s just,” The ex-kook chuckled. “When we were together, she was just always up your ass. It was just weird to me, and…”

“Oh, you’re jealous.” He stated and Elizabeth flicked his ear as she walked behind him and next to Sarah. 

“I’m not jealous.”

“You’re jealous. No, it’s fine. I get it.” 

“She would just linger. She was just always ready to pounce.”

“Well, you left and broke up with me, so…” Topper chuckled humorlessly. 

“Hey, yo Top.” A man said, the voice coming from behind the two girls. “What’s up?” Ellie and Sarah turned around and Kelce’s face fell a bit before he grinned at Sarah. 

“Holy shit.”

“Hi, Kelce.” 

“Is that Sarah Cameron? Back from the dead for a second time.” His brown eyes moved from the blonde who smiled at him to the brunette who stayed stoic though he could see a glare behind her detached behavior. “Princess.” He winked and she flipped him off while she crossed her arms over her chest. “Are they coming?”

“Where?” Sarah asked. 

“So we’re all headed out to Mase. We’re gonna, you know… Kelce, Phebes, not Elena, by the way.” He said and Sarah glanced at Elizabeth. “Just going to do a little surf and sun action, a little fellowship by the break, come on. You guys should come, it’ll be fun.” 

“We all had fun together once upon a time, Miller.” Kelce shouted. “Let’s bury the hatchet, yeah?” 

Topper saw the unease in Elizabeth’s eyes and the way the two teenagers had a silent conversation. “Ellie, if you wanna go home I can drive you, no problem.” Elizabeth glanced at the teenager and smiled. Sarah tilted to the side and Elizabeth cracked a small smile. 

“Nah, let’s go. It’ll be good for us, a night of normal, yeah?” The brunette smiled, avoiding the other boat next to them. 

“Yeah!” Sarah cheered, wrapping her arms around her friend. 

“Alrighty then.” Topper said as he turned the boat around and followed Kelce. 

-

The school bell rang and Pope felt at home in a weird way, walking through the halls of the school. 

“Hey, Mrs. Hunter, I’m back and I’m ready to get right back on track.” He took off his bag and dropped it on the chair beside the one he sat in. “Now, I know I missed a little bit of time, but I'm ready to kick it into warp drive, and I'm thinking we go for the Vanderhorst Award again, Model UN.” The woman stared at him over her glasses. “You know, something to help me build my résumé. I was already ahead. Should be no problem getting back into it.” 

“Uh, yeah no. Pope, you didn’t just miss a little bit of time. You missed twenty-seven days of school. That’s almost six weeks.”

“I’ll take summer school. I’ll do whatever it takes.” The teenager chuckled nervously.

“Pope, it’s C-time. Look, you don’t have enough hours to legally advance into the next school year. Even if you pass all the classes.”

“Then I’ll just test out.” 

“Test out? Yeah, okay.” The woman scoffed and she took off her glasses. “Look, let’s get to the world of possible. And this is what’s possible.” She handed him a schedule and he shook his head. 

“These are all lower-level classes. I took these my eighth-grade year.”

“Yes, because the spots in the higher-level classes are taken up by students who didn’t miss half the semester. Pope, I believe in you. All right? But you gotta get back to being focused.” 

With a sigh, the teenager walked to class and sat down after he was handed a book from the teacher. 

“So you all have your celery in front of you and you’re seeing that process just like that.” Pope groaned quietly, he was utterly bored. He picked the celery stick out of the glass filled with colored water. “That’s exactly what’s supposed to be happening.” Pope scoffed and dropped the vegetable on the table before he leaned down and grabbed his bag. “Hey, Pope. Where are you going? Excuse me?” She said though her voice was soft and quiet. “You need a bathroom pass.” She added just as Pope slammed the door behind him. 

Multiple teachers tried to stop or slow him down on his way out but he ignored all of them. Once he was outside he wiped his hands on his pants before he raised his right arm up and lifted his middle finger towards the school sign. 

-

JJ’s nerves were acting up as he appeared in his old boss’s office. 

“...I’m back now, so I'll make it up. I’ll do anything. I’ll scrub boats, clean fish, pump fuel, anything.” The back of his hand hit the other’s hand’s palm as he enumerated the tasks. “I’m your guy, except for the bathrooms, ‘cause, see, I got a condition, like a gag reflex comes up.” The man scoffs at the teenager’s words. “Anything else, I’m your dude.” 

“I dunno, J.” The man shook his head. JJ let out a small swear when the man walked out of the office but still, he followed.

“You do know, Billy. Come on, it’s me, man.” The blonde ruffled his hair. “You know I got this. All right? I’m your best bet.”

“You see all those boats out there?” Billy asked as he pointed to them. “Those are Kook boats. The Kooks pay my bills.” JJ dropped his head, he knew where Billy was going. “You and your friends aren’t exactly trusted by that crowd.”

“They, but they’re the ones saying that. You know that’s bullshit, Billy.”

“Perception is reality, brother.”

“Oh my God.” JJ grumbled. 

“And rumor has it, along with everything else, you stole that catamaran out there.” 

“I didn’t s- I was with Sarah Cameron when I was on that boat. That’s their family’s boat!” 

“Not according to the registration. It’s Rafe’s boat, and he says you stole it.” JJ chuckled humorlessly, his brain already trying to find other ways to survive. “He’s keeping it here because he doesn’t want you around it.”

“Okay, Billy, come on. There’s got to be something.”

“I’m sorry, kid. Guffy put the nix on it. Okay? I can find cheap help that doesn’t piss my clients off.” JJ leaned back against the railing, head hung low and he nodded in acknowledgement. He breathed in deeply and briefly waved to the man when he bid his goodbyes.

The blonde walked away, the sole of his boots scraped against the wooden dock and he nervously ran his hands through his blonde strands. 

“Damn, Rafe. Come on, Country Club.” Barry’s voice echoed to JJ’s ears and he stopped. “Bro, how are you gonna have this and not even tell me!” The young adult shouted. JJ looked ahead, through the moving boats on the water and he saw the Catamaran Billy was talking about a few minutes prior. “You got a whole damn YMCA up on this bitch, dude.” JJ crouched down and made his way closer. 

“Barry!” Rafe shouted hoarsely. “Time to think. All right, we need to make a move.”

“That’s all we do, bro. We been making moves.”

“Yeah, well, we don’t have much time.” He added as he shrugged on a loose button up. “Come down here.” Rafe said, sandal cladded feet going down the small steps. “You’re not going to believe this shit.” 

JJ glanced around, but he couldn’t find a way to be closer to the boat without being seen by Rafe and Barry. He glanced at the water, nose scrunching up in thought before he balanced himself on one leg. He pulled both boots off, leaving them on the dock with a loud and heavy thud before he got in position and dove in with a loud splash. When he emerged, he shook the excess water off his face and hair. 

“I’m just saying we need to take this shit seriously.” JJ swam closer until he was under the boat, as close as he could be. 

“Dude, bro. I should get a tooth made out of this, huh?” 

“Look, don’t be touching the shit. Just put it back.” Rafe said, exasperated as he uncapped a beer. “So paranoid, bro.” 

“I don’t care about the cross.” JJ’s head snapped up and he frowned. “I’m trying to make money.” 

“I told you, my aunt, she got some contacts. She gonna help us move these little bitches.” JJ moved to the front of the boat where he held onto some ropes and holes in the boat’s foundation and he held himself up. “The gems, the nuggets, the whole damn melted enchilada.” 

“The gems are mint, man. The gold’s bullion.” Rafe said. “We’re selling it in bars, man. I’m not gonna deal with some half-assed Pogue shit with some reject from Zales, bro.”

“Watch how you speaking about my auntie, dog.” JJ breathed heavily and he sucked in a breath before plunging underwater and swimming away, anger bubbling in his veins. 

-

Cleo stared at her friend, eyes wide opened and absolutely stunned as he swept the patio as usual.

“You did what?”

“Quit school.” 

“What about your scholarship?” She approached him. 

“I lost it.” He said, defeated. “I lost all my old classes. I’ll be lucky if I even passed the grade. My transcript is ass.” His sweeping became more harsh and aggressive as he spoke. “Everything I had going on for me, gone. And do you know why I’m screwed? Because I tried to do the right thing. I tried to help John B with his treasure, to get my family’s inheritance back, and you know what I got for it? Kicked in the dirt. It’s over. I’m done.” 

“Pope!” JJ shouted as he ran towards Cleo and Pope. 

“Pope, it’s not like you can just give up like that.” 

“Yo! Bombshell.” JJ arrived, out of breath. “What’s going on? What happened?” He asked when he saw Cleo and Pope’s somber looks. “Detecting a real heavy vibe. What’s going on?” 

“Pope’s quitting school.” Cleo answered after a few seconds of silence. 

“Being a coroner’s kind of weird anyway.” 

“Shut up, wrench dick.” Pope let out. 

“Right, great.” He panted, still trying to catch his breath. “So it’s definitely not the time for this. Okay, shit.”

“What?” Cleo snapped. 

“So I was down at Guffy’s, all right.” Cleo shook her head, not knowing who or what Guffy was. “I was trying to get my job back. And I see the catty across the way, and on it…” he breathed heavily, heart hammering against his ribcage. “is Rafe and Barry. I sneak over to hear what they’re talking about. Pope, he has the cross. And he melted it down.” He finished, waiting for his friend’s reaction. 

Pope’s eyes shut, his shoulders slumped forward and he let out a quiet whine. The teenager stood up and turned his back on Cleo and JJ before he leaned forward on the banister. 

“I’m sorry, bro. All right. I know. I know.” 

Pope sucked in a deep breath and tightened his hold on the plank of wood. “Fuck!” He shouted. “Of course it was Rafe.” Pope said, his voice a little bit hoarse from the screaming. 

“Yeah, I mean, we probably could’ve guessed that.” 

“The Cross of Santo Domingo, desecrated! For money?” He paced back and forth between Cleo and JJ. “God!”

“I know. We need to stay calm to make a plan, but we got to stay–” JJ and Cleo covered their faces with their arms. The blonde’s upper body twisted away from his friends as Pope smashed the broom against the freshly swept patio. “Getting better at that.” JJ spoke after Pope walked away from the broken broomstick. 

“This is messed up, man. Even for them.”

“I know. Couldn’t agree more, man.”

“They’re just gonna keep getting away with it. They’re gonna keep doing that shit. Gonna keep winning.” 

“I mean, Pope, is that new to you?” JJ asked as he finally looked up at his friend. 

“No. But I’m sick of being the good guy.” 

“Pope.” Cleo called, worried about her friend’s tone. “Pope, where are you going?” Pope ran back inside, leaving his two friends behind.

-

Once again, the Twinkie drove through sandy roads before Big John parked in front of a house. 

“All right, so what’s this guy got against you, Dad?” John B asked. 

“Nothing. Except I refused to be a cog in a corrupt academic system.” Big John replied while he was getting ready to get out of the van. 

“Right.” John B sighed. “So you, what? Wised up, went out into the world, and stuck it to the Man by slowly starving yourself?” 

“Hey, we may strike it big yet, wise ass. We got the idol, don’t we?” John B sent him a look with his eyebrow raised. “Okay, half of the idol but I’m working on the other half.” 

“Good luck with that.” John B muttered. 

“Anyway, Sowell here is the foremost expert on pre-Columbian glyphs in at least three states.” Big John kept bumping into his son as he stared at the dried grass. 

“Shit.” 

“He was a real stickler about everything, especially his lawn.”

“Lawn freak. Cool. So weird you guys didn’t get along.” John B mocked. 

The pair made its way to the front door but Big John slowed his already easy pace.

“Hey, Dad, why don’t we come back when he’s actually here?” 

“It’s all right. Look at this place. Something ain’t right. He could be in trouble, we should check.”

 His footsteps were light, his eyes noticed the way the windows were covered in thick dust, a couple dozens of newspapers were piled next to it and the curtains were drawn. Big John moved to a window on the left side of the front door and he jiggled it a little bit before sliding it up. 

“Remember the last time we started poking around other people’s houses?” 

“Vaguely.” The father dropped his bag inside the window once it was sufficiently opened. 

“Vaguely, yeah. That didn’t go so well, did it?” John B looked at his father’s lower half since he was already more than halfway into the house. “Hey, can we just think about this for a minute?” John B asked quietly, slightly frustrated. “Just a quick minute-long conversation. That would be great, Dad.” 

He waited for an answer from his father but it stayed quiet and the teenager grew worried for half a second before he flinched. His head snapped to the right and there his father was, with the front door opened, hand on the handle. 

“Only way out is through, kid. Come on. Straight on till we hit pay dirt.” John B shook his head but still followed the adult in the house. “Tommy, you in here? Professor.” Big John could hear the noise of flies buzzing around and it worried him. “Hello? Anybody home?” 

The adolescent walked by the kitchen, he grimaced at the scent coming from the dishes and food filled sink. 

“Dad.” John B said quietly as he traced a line on a dust covered shelf.

“This is… this is strange.” The man looked through his old acquaintances' belongings. “Sowell would never keep his place like this.” 

After being instructed by his dad to check further back in the house, John B found a door that he knew could only lead to a closet. The hair at the back of his neck stood and he felt like calling for his dad but he abstained. The door was ever so slightly ajar and as soon as the knob creaked when he started to twist it, a screaming man came out. The attacker wore a feathered hat and something resembling wooden but pointy finger tips. The man screamed and screamed as he pushed the teenager against a wall and for a second, the teenager wanted to shout a big ol “I told you dad.” to his father. 

Quickly, the boy recovered and pushed the man back which made him stumble back and fall  on the couch.  

“No! No! No, no, hey! Whoa! Chill!” The teen shouted and he raised his hands defensively when he read the name on the jacket the man wore. “I’m so sorry.”

“What the hell’s going on?” Big John came running at his son’s screams. 

“Sowell, Dad, Sowell.”

“Tommy? Tommy!” Big John’s teacher took a second to blink and sit up on his couch. He blinked a few times more before his eyes fell on big John. “It’s me, Johnny Routledge.” The father  sputtered. “I’m your student. Remember?” 

Sowell frowned and looked at the two people in his living room. He shook his head, let out a sharp exhale and squinted. 

“Routledge is dead.”

“I’m not- I’m not dead. Look, here I am in the flesh.” Big John opened his arms and raised his eyebrows. “Big John, your greatest failure, remember? Youthful promise squandered, brilliant beginnings ending in disaster, et cetera.” 

“Oh, yeah.” he nodded. 

“Remember that time I left you–”

“In Mexico. On the Mayan dig. How could I forget?” The man stood up, there was a certain shortness of breath as he spoke. “We had mechanical–” Sowell’s head snapped up and he glared at the father before eyeing the son. “You abandoned us.”

“Abandoned? That’s a strong word.” Big John quickly glanced to his right to notice his son’s eyes on him. “My CB radio went out. There was complications and unexpected potholes.”

“Yeah, now it’s all coming back to me.” Sowell sighed, the man stared at John Routledge with revolt. “The excuses.” His eyebrows were moved closer together as he frowned, the corner of his lips pulled down in a grimace. “You are Routledge.”

“Yes.” Big John chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood. “And this.. this is my son, John B.” His hand slapped the back of the teenager’s shoulder and the boy blinked, focusing back on the conversation. 

“Hey, sorry about that, Dr. Sowell.” John B spoke lowly before sending the man a tight lipped smile. 

“What’s with, uh, the get-up, Tommy? You expecting the Sun God?” 

“I thought someone was breaking in. Well, someone was…” The man took a few steps away from them before walking back to his original spot. “I had to protect myself somehow. Divert and attack, it worked for the Mayans. Sorry about the … big entrance. I thought you were someone else.” 

-

As soon as they’d arrived, the two teenage girls noticed the amount of people on the beach, the low music that was playing but what was the loudest was the unusual noises of carefree, normal teenagers. Ellie and Sarah were handed LaCroix by a friend of Topper’s with a quick invitation to help themselves to the coolers. So, Elizabeth grabbed the bags from Sarah’s hands and dropped them back in the Kook’s boat with a wink. 

“If I can drink for free off the Kooks’ backs, I’m gonna indulge fully.” The brunette mumbled as she hooked her arm onto Sarah’s. 

They clinked their cans together before they pulled the tabs and took a sip. The girls’ eyes were moving around as they moved away from the boat and towards the other teenagers. 

“Anything official?” Peeler asked, Elizabeth and Sarah started to move in their general direction.

“It’s not official.” 

“I swear you had the biggest crush on Topper last time, now it’s his best friend. I cannot keep up.” The girls giggled to themselves and it brought a nostalgic feeling in the brunette’s chest. 

“You wanna sit there?” Sarah asked and Elizabeth nodded nonchalantly and so they sat. 

“Hi.” the blonde greeted as she hiked up her bikini top strap higher. 

“Hey,” Peeler smiled before her eyes moved to Ellie and she waved. 

“Get some Topper!” A boy shouted from far away. 

Their attention was turned to the water where Topper was surfing under the stare of so many admirers. 

“Oh my God. I would die.” A girl commented. 

“I’ll give you that.” 

“Normally, we don’t have the same taste, but Topper…” Elizabeth noticed the way Sarah seemed to follow her ex-boyfriend’s movements and she nudged her. 

“I don’t mean to pry,” One of the girls started and Elizabeth and Sarah turned their heads to look at her. “But were you really on a deserted island?” Sarah nodded. 

“Yeah, for a month.”

“Holy shit.”

“The only plus side is no parents, right?” Peeler asked and Sarah chuckled humorlessly while Elizabeth scoffed. 

“No school?” 

“Okay, but you were with your boyfriend, so it makes up for this.” 

Sarah smiled politely at the girls while Elizabeth faced away from them as she grew irritated. 

“My God, y’all, come on, relax.” Topper arrived just as the questions were about to start again. “You’re just drilling her with questions. Feel like the gestapo over here.” He stood in front of them as he dried off with a towel and Ellie and Sarah could almost feel them drool. “Just maybe give her a little room to breathe? Okay?” 

Topper’s attention moved from the Kooks to Sarah and then Ellie who was still facing in the opposite direction and he leaned down and poked her knee. When her eyes snapped to his, he raised his eyebrows defensively. 

“Hey, Ellie, you mind if I steal your friend for a sec?” Ellie’s head tilted to the side and she glanced at Sarah who shrugged. 

“Don’t go too far.” The brunette started as she stood to her feet along with Sarah. “I know how to take down your boat.” She teased and he stared at her. One side of her mouth turned up in a lopsided smile and she licked her dry lips. “Too soon? Yeah… We’re dealing with a lot right now.” She added and Topper shook his head before his eyes moved back to Sarah. 

“I think you’ll like it.” He told the blonde. 

Sarah stared at Elizabeth who stared right back and the brunette winked. 

“You go, see what he wants.” Sarah grabbed Topper’s extended hand and she rose to her feet. “Always two feet at all times between the two of you.” She shouted as they walked away. 

“Were they okay?” Topper asked Sarah once they were out of ear shot. 

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t they be?” 

“Cause they’re totally jealous of you.”

“Me? Homeless?” Topper chuckled before he quickly looked at the sunset to his right. 

“Listen, let me break this down.” He watched as Sarah took a sip of her can. “You, Sarah Cameron, have lived this adventure already. You were on a deserted island. That’s insane!” The teenage girl bit back a smile. “They’re jealous, I’m jealous, everyone is jealous of you. Like, how did you eat, sleep, shower? Like…” He stopped himself and took a breath. “I don’t know. I have so many questions. I dunno, it’s so cool to me.”

“Poguelandia.” Sarah spoke up after the boy finished his monologue. He stopped in his tracks and raised his eyebrows. 

“Poguelandia?” 

“Poguelandia.” She repeated with a firm nod of her head. “That’s what we called it. JJ named it. I wanted to take a vote but Poguelandia just stuck. He made a flag with a chicken on it, in a coconut bra, smoking a joint.” She started playing with the tab of her can. “We, huh, speared for fish every day. And Cleo nearly lost a toe, and then Pope found out that you can make bandages out of fig leaves, so he did that for her…” Sarah started to feel self-conscious with Topper’s intense gaze on her. “and then, um, of course, Kie knows all about leaves and herbs and plants and shit, and… we survived together.” 

Topper had been listening, intently and he noticed how different she really was to the girlfriend he had months ago. 

“What about John B?” He questioned, as if unable to not mention the girl’s current boyfriend. 

“He was there.” She simply stated and he opened his mouth, noises coming out as he spluttered. 

“Sorry. You don’t need to talk about it.”

“No, no.” 

“Just want you to have a fun day. Worry-free zone here, Sarah.” He turned towards the light house that stood in the no-surfing zone of the water. “But, um, see that? That’s where we’re going.” 

“There?” 

“Yeah. You ready? Let’s get on the boat. Come on.” He said and he watched as she followed in his steps. 

“Okay.” The girl said softly. 

It took a few minutes for them to arrive at the Lighthouse’s dock. Topper parked the boat and tied it off before he shrugged on a long sleeve shirt. He got on the metal flooring first before he gave Sarah his hand. 

“You got it?” 

“Maybe. Oh my God.” 

“Whoo!” 

“This is incredible.”

“Right?” 

“Oh my god.” He walked with her for a few feet and they stopped at the entrance of the light house. 

“Be careful, but let’s take a seat.” He gestured to the edge of the small bridge that separated the dock from the lighthouse. “Not too shabby, huh?” 

“This is crazy, Topper.” Sarah grinned. “I didn’t even know you could come up here.”

“No, I mean, uh, I know it’s no deserted island or anything, but it’s pretty… pretty cool, right?” 

Sarah wasn’t a total fan of how her stomach fluttered then. She kept repeating Elizabeth’s words in her head. 

“I’m glad I got to show you this.”

“Me too.” 

-

JJ’s stomach grumbled at the scent of grilled meat and he slapped a hand over it before he kept going on wiping down the picnic table. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Cleo make her way towards him with placemats, multicolored striped straws, utensils and napkins.

“Well, I appreciate the help, you two.” Pope’s mother said, turning away from the barbecue. 

“You know I ain’t missing Mrs. Heywards’s cooking.” The blonde smiled, wiping his hands on the rag before he threw it over his shoulder. 

“Unlike my derelict son. He’s usually here by now.” While setting down what she had in her hands, Cleo saw Mrs. Heyward slap JJ’s hand away as he tried to nab a piece of food. 

“I’m sure he’ll be back any second, Mrs. Heyward.” 

“Either one of y’all moved the pistol from in there?” Pope’s father asked as he came out of the shop. Cleo and JJ shared a look. “The one I keep under the register? JJ?” The teenager almost rolled his eyes. 

“Whoa, okay! I didn’t touch it. Okay?” 

“Yeah, well, somebody did.” Mr. Heyward leaned forward, staring at the teenagers. “Cause it’s gone.”

“Wasn’t me.” The blonde raised his hands defensively. 

“You see? I– Dang it. I gotta find it.” The man looked one last time at the two teenagers before he stormed back into the house. 

“All right, I’m sure it’s somewhere. Heyward, I’m sure it’s somewhere.” His wife tried. 

“It’s him.” Cleo leaned over the table as her and JJ whispered. 

“Yeah, he’s going after Rafe. I’ll check Tannyhill.”

“I’ll take the marina.” 

-

A tea cup was held between trembling hands as Sowell walked from the kitchen to the window in the corner of the cluttered dining room.

“You seem a little jumpy there, doc.”

“You’d be jumpy too if you were me.” Sowell freed one of his hands and reached up to pull down the curtain. “I took a trip last year, uh, in the mountains of Venezuela.”

“The Orinoco River Basin.” John B muttered and the teacher glanced at him, slightly surprised. 

“Yeah, that’s right.” 

“Solana, the site of the signpost?” The Professor’s eyes moved from the father to the son before he chuckled. 

“You told him.” Big John looked at his son with pride before he pushed his glasses with his index finger. 

“Where- where is that site exactly?” He spluttered. 

“There were five of us who found this site. Since we’ve been back, three have died.” Sowell panted. “Just two of us are left.” 

“We were just at Kepler’s.” 

“They said it was a heart attack. She ran triathlons. Give me a break. We are being targeted to silence us.” Sowell leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, teacup still held between shaking hands. “You should both just go for your own sake.”

“Yeah, well, we heard about this.” Big John sighed as he straightened up. “It’s kind of the reason we’re here, see.” John B’s arm fell to his side and he grabbed the black backpack. 

“No, no, no.” Tommy Sowell stood to his feet, dropping the full cup of tea on the table, cracking the small plate underneath the cup.

“Yeah, yeah…” The teenager sighed. 

“I dunno what that is, but I don’t wanna see it.” 

“Oh, yeah, I think you do. So why don’t you-” John B stood, standing at the same height as the adult and unzipped the bag. “Just take a second and look at it?” 

“Come on, Tommy.” Big John grabbed the bag from his son’s hold. “You remember why I ended up abandoning the PhD. The Review Committee accused me of being obsessed with suspect conspiracy theories about El Dorado.” John stated as he stared in the man’s eyes. “Well, they’re not so suspect now. Even my harshest critic is won over.” John B was pointed at. 

“Yeah, I thought it was all fantasy. Delusional dad. And then we found this.” Big John stared at the man he once called his teacher as he pulled the lower half of the Idol out of the bag. 

Tommy Sowell’s eyes grew thrice in size as he stared at the familiar broken piece. He gasped, moved closer and sat on the chair, right in front of it. 

“That’s the Gnomon of Solana.”

“Well, the bottom half of it.” John B sighed and Sowell frowned. 

“Where’s the other half?” 

“My–”

“Hidden. Safely. Can’t trust anyone with it. You know how it is.” 

“Yeah, of course.” Sowell nodded. “I thought it was destroyed.”

“No, split in half, separated, not destroyed.” Big John pointed out. “Soon to be whole again.” 

“This is incredible.” The professor said, his fingertips glided over the ridges, bumps, and carvings of the base. “You found it. This is the missing piece.” 

“We just need to find out where to put it. And I think you know.” 

“Professor, you called it the Gnomon of Solana.” John B looked between the two men. “What, uh… what is a gnomon?”

“It’s a stick that casts a shadow, like the spike of a sundial. The shadow gives lots of information, the time of day, the time of month.” Big John’s hands moved as he explained the use to his son.

“Legend has it that if it’s put in its proper place and viewed at exactly the right time, it can give a clue or directions to-” 

“El Dorado.” Big John and Sowell said at the same time. 

“Okay.” John B sighed overwhelmed but his father smiled. 

It took Big John a half second for his attention to be pulled to the professor when he started to speak in a language John could not understand. He frowned when he saw the teacher read off the base of the statue. 

“What… What is happening?” John B asked. 

“John, you need to walk away from this. I know that I sparked an interest in this subject in you and Kepler, but look what it got us.” John frowned. “There are forces here.” 

“I just need to know where Solana is and what the glyphs say. Then we’ll be on our way.” Big John stammered as his hopes started to shatter. 

“You don’t understand.” Tommy started before he went back to reading the glyphs on the statue. 

“Tommy, what’s it say?” Big John’s fists balled up and he almost slammed one on the table. “You know what they say. You’re reading them.” His voice came out annoyed and when he was met with silence. “Hey!” Big John shouted before fisting the collar of his old mentor’s shirt. “What’s it say? Don’t hold out on me!” 

“Hey, hey, hey!” John B shouted, voice hoarse as he tried to pull his dad off. “Stop!” 

“Okay,” Sowell panted. “I’ll tell you.” 

“Just sit down and let him do his job.” John B grabbed onto his father’s shoulder. 

Tommy stepped away from the father and son duo to ruffle through his drawer, papers fell out and onto the floor while others were slammed on the wooden top. 

“Okay, so here’s the Solana site and the temalactl.” He held a drawing in front of their faces.  Three pillars that looked to be made of stone along with a round table in the middle. “You put the gnomon here.” He pointed to the round table. “It asks a question.”

“Uh-huh.” 

“The gnomon-” A high pitched whistle noise reached their ears but it was ignored before Sowell started to slur his words. 

“What… what the…” The piece of paper slipped from the teacher’s fingers and it slid under the small desk while Big John questioned the man. “The gnomon… the gnomon what, Tommy?” John B followed the movement of the professor’s hand and he gasped when he seemed to pluck out a dart from the skin underneath his ear. 

“What is that?” John B asked, worried. 

“Kalinago.” Sowell panted. 

“Get down.” John instructed his son while his friend collapsed on the table. 

“Holy Shit! Let’s go.” John B crawled to a closet not far from where they were and seconds later, his father was closing the door behind them, both of them breathing heavily. 

“Shh, shh. Shh…” 

The two Routledge men stood, their whole bodies shaking with nerves. They tried to be as silent as possible but still a gasp left the youngest’s mouth when the latch from the door clicked and the hinges creaked, telling them that someone had walked in the house.

“Stay silent, stay still. Okay, Bird?” Big John mouthed to his son and he nodded. 

“There it is.” Ryan, also known as Singh’s right hand man, walked in the house. He lowered his gun ever so slightly when he noticed Sowell, laying face down on the table but cupping protectively in his hands the bottom half of the idol. 

Through the crack from the door, Big John was able to see a little bit and hear the intruders more clearly. 

“Check the house for the other two.” Though hearing this put John B on edge, it’s his father reaching in the bag and wrapping his hand around the handle of the gun that made bile rise in his throat a little bit more. 

“Dad, what are you doing?” 

“You trust me, right?” His father asked, loading up the firearm. 

“Yeah.” 

“Okay, I’m gonna go find the gnomon.” Big John stated. 

The closet door creaked while John walked through. John B saw his father crouched down just a little bit, careful not to make too much noise or attract too much attention. Before he took off in another direction after seeing that the Idol wasn’t on the table anymore, Big John instructed his son to go and help the professor. The teenager’s breaths were short and he leaned back on the inside wall of the closet for a few more seconds before he quietly walked out. He could hear Singh’s men talk amongst themselves in another room. 

Big John walked into a new room, arms locked straight in front of him as he held the firearm high. He glanced down at the stair that led to the basement and at the same time heard Ryan tell his colleague to head there. 

“Make sure you clear the basement.” 

“Copy. I’m gonna check back here.” As he said that, Big John’s foot reached the first step. 

On his own side, John B walked up to the unconscious body of Professor Sowell and he looked at it warily. 

“Professor.” He kneeled beside his hips and leaned in, ear close to his face to see if he could hear him breathing. He pulled away and nervously, moved two fingers to the man’s throat, hoping to feel a heartbeat. A strangled gasp left John B’s lungs when Sowell’s hand wrapped tightly around his wrist. 

The professor panted and he fought his heavy eyelids as he tried to utter a word. 

“Neville.” He let out before he exhaled deeply and his eyes closed. 

“Who’s…” John B’s eyes snapped to the professor’s closed ones and he sucked in a breath, feeling the tears fill up his eyes. “Neville? What does that mean?” 

Armed and on edge, Big John walked down the wooden steps and through spiderwebs before he was grabbed. The man kicked his knee in the father’s stomach and he dropped the gun loudly which attracted his son’s attention. 

“John B! Run! Run!” Big John shouted. 

John B apologized profusely to the body of Professor Sowell before he leapt up and took a handful of steps towards the exit only to be grabbed from behind. A hand muffled any sounds or shouts that John B tried to let out. The father was brought to his knees and he swallowed when he heard the clicking of a gun behind him and he stopped moving. 

“Stay down, or I’ll shoot.” Ryan said and the man nodded, hands raised in the air. Singh appeared in front of John with the piece of the Idol. 

“I wanted to thank you, John, for finding the other half of the gnomon.” The man smiled. “Despite all your faults, you are resourceful, you know. Almost makes up for you stealing from me in the beginning.” Singh looked at Ryan and nodded. “Finish him.” 

“Hold on a sec! Hang on!” John shouted. “Hang on now. There’s a missing half.” Singh smirked as he stared at Ryan deliberately and John tried his best to look back at the man holding him at gunpoint. “And how you gonna translate that idol, huh? Cause if you’re thinking that Mayan, it’s not. It’s Kalinago.” He told them. “And no one has fully translated Kalinago, okay? You know that. I’m the only person alive who can translate that thing. You just killed the other one.” He groaned. “You kill me, you kill any chance of ever finding El Dorado. So, unless you’re sure that you got it figured out, I wouldn’t ice me just yet.” Singh stared at the bottom half of the idol he had between his hands and he sighed. He nodded, acknowledging the man’s words before the left side of his mouth pulled up. 

“Take him to the boat.” Singh instructed. 

John B struggled, trying to free himself as he called for his son and he could only hear the muffled calls of his son. 

“Bring me the boy.” Singh requested.

“No! Let him go! He’s got nothing to do with this!” John B was pushed down the stairs and grabbed by the back of his hair before he was shoved and tripped at Singh’s feet. “Just let him go! John B!” Big John shouted, as he was brought in the black truck. 

“The loose end. John Booker Routledge.” Singh started and he seemed to be waiting for something. He smiled when the truck’s ignition started and he could hear the truck drive away. “Your father will join me on the great quest, and you will have the privilege of dying in the old way.” Singh raised his eyebrows and the enforcer stuck the gun nozzle to the back of the teenager’s head. 

“Go.”

“No.” 

“Move.” 

“No! Singh!” John B begged, his voice echoed in the cold basement as he was brought away. 

“Actually.” Singh raised his hand and the man stopped and retreated back a few steps, stopping in front of his boss. “Does Ms. Elizabeth still have the second piece?” He asked and chuckled at the way John B’s eyes grew and worried and anger appeared in his eyes. “I paid a visit to our mutual friend, Arjun, he wouldn’t at first, really, but he broke.” Singh caressed the marks on the statue. “So? Does she?” 

“No.” He seethed, his arms were down his sides, blunt and dirty fingernails digging into his palms and his skin felt hot. 

“Ah, I don’t appreciate liars, young Mister Routledge. I know for a fact your friend still has the Idol in her possession, see I have someone following her every movement.”  

“Singh, please.” He begged. “She-” 

“Has my property. I want it back.” 

“Elizabeth doesn’t have shit to do with that.” 

“Once I retrieve it, I believe it will be a good incentive for your father, yeah? Seeing as her mother did not motivate him more.” 

“You don’t know what you’re doing.” he groaned when his arm was twisted behind his back. 

“Are you threatening me?” John B looked away. 

“She’s got people that care for her, that owe her.” He said before he was carried away. 

-

Sarah’s smile dissipated and turned into a curious frown  when the crowd cheered and shouted her friend’s name. She glanced at Topper and they walked closer. She heard a squeal and moved faster, the crowd moved as she walked through. She arrived face to legs with an upside down Elizabeth as she was held up by two guys. 

“Okay, okay!” The brunette giggled and she was let down. Her feet touched the warm sand, her hand reached for one of the guys and she pulled him to her before they both leaned in and shared a quick kiss. She turned to look at Sarah, rosy cheeks and a carefree glint in her eyes the blonde had never really seen before. Elizabeth wiped her beer and spit covered lips with the back of her hand before she let out a laugh. 

“You having fun?” Sarah asked and Elizabeth shrugged. 

“Guess so.” She raised an eyebrow. “You?” 

“Was okay.” Sarah said but the brunette saw the way Topper eyed her friend. 

“I feel a little bit fuzzy though.” Elizabeth giggled and Sarah shook her head before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. 

-

They drove for a while before they stopped and John B was once again dragged by Singh’s men. 

“Don’t move.” He said as he threw the teenager to the ground. He grabbed a fistful of John B’s locks and pulled his head back. “Look straight ahead. It won’t hurt at all.” John B could feel the man’s weight on his back as he used him for support. Ryan’s shaking hands approached the teenager’s hand with a poisoned dart. 

John B looked at the sandy grass under him and he dug his fingers in. He exhaled, shifted his weight and threw the largest handful of sand he could in the men’s face. 

“Me eyes!” Ryan shouted, his accent thick. The grip he had on the boy was loosened, the dart dropped and John B was able to jump to his feet and run away. Instinctively, Ryan reached in the back of his pants, pulled out the gun and pointed it in the general direction he knew John B ran in. 

-

The sun had set, fires had been lit all around the beach and tents had been put up. Elizabeth and Sarah’s hands were wrapped around cold water bottles Topper had given them. 

“It is nice to be back on Mase.” Sarah said as she sat next to Topper. 

“Mmhh.” Elizabeth nodded. She nudged Topper with her foot and he scooted away from Sarah, leaving a space big enough so that Ellie could sit between them. 

Sarah watched Elizabeth eye them both before she leaned back and fell back on the sand, a sigh leaving her lungs. 

“Can we have a second?” She asked Topper and the boy obliged with a soft smile. Sarah mimicked the brunette and laid next to her. The two friends stared at each other for a few seconds before they both cracked smiles. “What?” Sarah questioned. “What are you thinking about?” She asked quietly, Elizabeth could barely hear her over the sounds of the waves. 

“We should totally kiss, right now.” Elizabeth chuckled and Sarah shook her head. 

“I think you’ve kissed enough people tonight.” Sarah said. “Drink up.” She added in a motherly tone, nudging the water bottle in the brunette’s hand. 

The pair stayed in silence for a few minutes and the blonde was almost asleep when Elizabeth cleared her throat quietly. 

“How was it? On-” she stopped herself when a giggle interrupted her. “On Poguelandia? Really?” Sarah smiled. 

“Nerve wracking. Free.” She sighed. “I mean… we fought a lot, nothing bad but tensions were high and at first we were all scared but then we kind of got used to it.” 

“To being stranded on a deserted island?” The ex-kook. nodded. 

“I think you would’ve grown to love it.” Sarah spoke quietly. “It was just us, so pure. We could do almost whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.” 

“Pogue life in its purest form.” Elizabeth said and Sarah couldn’t but hum in agreement. 

“What about you?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The Kook life…” 

“Oh, quite the contrary I guess. I mean, there was a curfew, I couldn't go outside at all at first, then I was allowed in the front yard, then the beach in front of the house. So many pain medications, so many.”

“How’s Wheezie?” Elizabeth smiled at the concern the blonde showed towards her younger sister. 

“She’s doing well. She’s strong, a lot more aware of the situation than I thought. She’s very curious.” 

“That’s good.” 

“Yeah, she was kind of my pillar when I was there, before I left.” Elizabeth snuck a glance to the blonde staring at the night sky. “Hey, Sarah…” 

“Yeah?” 

“Remember last time we were here? Both of us?” 

“End of school year party.” Sarah mumbled. 

“Mmh, yeah.” Elizabeth closed her eyes, bringing herself to a few months back. “You and Topper were wrapped around each other all night, it was a bit much.” 

“A bit much?” 

“Oh my god, Kie and I were just so over you guys. People were whispering about y’all and stuff but I saw you sneaking looks at John B.” Sarah gasped.

“I wasn’t sneaking looks! He was just everywhere.”

“He was, that’s true. He was sneaking looks at you, anyway.” Sarah shrugged, slightly amused. 

“What about you and Jayj, huh?” 

“Ew, no! Is no one calling him by his name anymore? Why did y’all leave that island and everyone started calling him Jayj?” 

“You called him that before…”

“Yeah, because he doesn’t like it.” Elizabeth sat up and crossed her legs. 

“Okay, but really, huh? You and JJ, every single party the Kooks and Pogues attended together, there you guys were, wrapped around each other, chasing any and all potential hook-ups for the other, whispering to yourselves.” Sarah watched as a smile appeared on the brunette’s face and she sat up too, legs extended out in front of her. “How did that start?” 

“I couldn’t tell ya. I think we were always close, it just shifted when we got older.” 

“And nothing ever happened?” 

“Apart from that night when John B was being searched like a criminal and we hooked up? Nah, not really.” 

“Do you want to?” Elizabeth looked at the blonde like she was stupid; her head was tilted to the side with a frown, her head moved forward. 

“Are you for real?” 

“Yeah, okay stupid question. But you’re like, in love with him, right?” 

Elizabeth nodded without a thought and a small, subtle smile pulled at her lips at the thought of the boy. 

“Look at us, pogue and kook princesses.” 

-

John B reached the Twinkie with his heart in his throat and right before he jumped in, bile came out of his mouth. The smell and taste foul. 

He rinsed out his mouth with an old water bottle that he’d forgotten in the back of the van. Feeling utterly defeated, he pushed the key in the hole and turned on the ignition before pulling out of the parking space. 

-

Big John couldn’t tell how long they’d been on the water for but he’d grown tired, thirsty and hungry. 

“You know, Mr. Singh, I can’t just read this thing like a newspaper. It’s complicated. I- I only got half of it- It could take me a week to translate one of these glyphs.” Big John said as he stared at the half of the statue. 

“Well, good thing for you, we have a week before we reach the Orinoco, and if you can’t translate it before we reach the site, I’ll know you can’t do it. If you do translate it, you’ll live. If you can’t, you’ll die.” 

-

He knew he’d messed up in a way, acted impulsively, in a way that wasn’t his own. But the teenager still sat there, glaring at the young man a few years older and his blood boiled. 

“Hey, brother, I haven’t talked to you in a minute, all right?” Rafe said through the phone. “No, look, listen. Okay, the situation is we got… I got it, I got it right here. It’s bars, in bullion.” Pope leaned back, the firearm moving between his hands. “I got the gems, all right? They’re mint, okay?” Rafe kept talking to someone on the phone, someone Pope now knew would probably be buying the gems Rafe melted off the cross. 

Pope tilted his head to the side and closed one eye, bringing the gun high and aiming at the kook. The gun was cocked, the noise now slightly familiar to the teenager’s ears. Pope recognized the footsteps approaching him and a few tears of anger slipped out. 

“You sure you want to do that?” Cleo asked as she stayed at a safe distance from her friend. “It’s gonna feel real nice. Only for a second.” 

“I don’t care.” Pope said, his voice low and quiet though his hands were trembling and his eyes shone with unshed tears.

“Care about your mother.” She took a step towards him. “And your father. What would they think?” Cleo stayed quiet when a sob broke through the otherwise quiet night. 

“I think they would understand how I feel.” A tear ran down the teenager’s cheek. 

Pope could feel his heart batter in his ribcage and he could taste the salty water on his lips. His mind ran a thousand miles an hour; how would this affect his parents? How would this affect their quest? How would Rafe retaliate? Because he knew the young adult would somehow survive this and seek vengeance. 

“For once,” he sniffled and raised the firearm to his eye level. “He would lose like we always do.” Pope stared at Rafe through tear stained eyes.. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve lost everything.” 

Cleo scoffed and shook her head. The young woman stepped forward and steadied herself with a hand on the bench before she sat behind Pope. 

“Are you joking me?” She waited for an answer. “You have a family. And a home.” Cleo swallowed thickly, staring nervously at the gun Pope still held tightly. “And friends that would take a bullet for you. I’d give anything to have the things you have. You got a lot to lose before you have nothing.” She added and watched as more tears slid down his cheeks. 

Without another word, Cleo slid her hand around his back and down his left shoulder.

“Just let it go.” She said quietly, her chin rested atop his shoulder and she waited. 

Pope’s upper body leaned forwards and the hold on the gun was loosened and lowered to the space between his knees. He gasped and then exhaled harshly before slumping back against his friend’s chest. Tears poured out of his eyes and his skin grew hot. 

“Just…” Cleo started with her cheek pressed against the top of his head. “Just breathe.” She finished and the gun fell on the dock with a loud thump. 

Pope clutched his head with his hands, elbows against his knees before he was pulled against Cleo, with his head in the crook of her neck. 

“Just let it go. I got you.”

Cleo and Pope walked home and Cleo was dropped off at the bottom of the stairs that lead to her room. She went up the first couple of steps and stared back at her friend with a small smile. 

“You’re gonna be okay.” He nodded, looking from his feet to her eyes. 

“Thank you.” 

“Good night.” She waved shyly and their eyes never broke eye contact. 

“Night.” 

The two teenagers parted ways. Cleo snuck a glance at the boy over the banister once she made it to her bedroom door and Pope walked inside his home with a soft grin. 

-

Kiara had been up in her room for most of the day as she had fought with her parents once again and she was bored out of her mind… She read, she watched TV, she even cleaned her room a little bit and while doing that, fell on some old and more recent photographs of her and her friends. 

The girl chuckled, the picture before her was taken when summer started and before everything went down. The two friends in the photo; Kiara and Pope were both grinning at the camera in Kiara’s hand as he leaned on her shoulder. Her eyebrows twitched and her smile dissipated when she moved on to the next picture; Elizabeth and JJ stood side by side, his arms wrapped around the brunette’s as Kiara photobombed them in the background with her middle finger raised jokingly. She chuckled when she recognized the next one that was taken two years prior; Elizabeth and Kiara had their arms wrapped around each other while a bucket of water was emptied over their heads, John B, JJ and Pope all smiling widely behind them just as soaked.

If she’d focused, she would still hear their screams and the boys’ laughs as Robin snapped pictures after pictures. 

-

The familiar revving of the Twinkie pulled JJ out of his reverie and out of the couch he laid on. He stood and stretched before making his way to the front of the house. His eyes fell on his best friend and he leaned on the door frame, waiting. 

John B kept his glance low, in shame and got out of the vehicle as JJ walked down the three steps and onto the grass. 

“Well, look who it is.” JJ spoke up accusingly. “Nice of you to show up.” He gestured to the darkening sky. “You gonna spill the beans? You gonna tell me the truth about what’s going on?” John B took a breath and sighed. 

“Look, I know I’ve been a little shady. And… Stretched the truth a little bit.” 

“Yeah, that’s called lying.” The blonde pointed out, kicking a rock with the tip of his boot.  

“Yeah, I know.”

“John B, what’s going on?” 

“My dad killed two guys.” The teenager admitted as soon as his friend finished his question. 

JJ didn’t make a noise, worrying John B even more as he wasn’t used to his best friend being quiet. The blonde’s blue eyes moved from John B to a tree near the dock before they settled back on the other teenager. A quick look of worry, fear and judgment flashed in JJ’s eyes as he quickly thought of the consequences this could have on his loved-one and John B took a step forward with his hands raised defensively.  

“He was trying to protect me.” 

“No, no, no. Hold on, okay?” JJ started to fidget. “You serious?” 

“Yes.” The blonde wiped the bottom half of his face before he covered his mouth in shock. “It was the guys from the Coastal Venture. They came here looking for Denmark’s diary.”

“And your dad capped them for that…” 

“Yes, and then Singh showed up. And they took my dad, and then tried to kill me. They took him to South America, alright?” 

“Whoa, South America?” 

“They’re on their way.”

“Okay, hold on.” JJ said but John B kept rambling. 

“Then what? Huh? Off him? I don’t know what to do.” 

“John B, stop!” The brown haired boy stopped and breathed quickly. “Just breathe for a second. I need to think.” JJ announced before his fingers went through his overgrown hair. 

He turned on his heels and stepped away only to sit down on a step. Without looking up, he slapped the space behind him so John B would come and sit, which the boy did.

They sighed, foreheads were rubbed nervously and legs were jumping up and down. 

“I don’t know what to do, JJ.” The blonde raised his eyebrows in agreement with a quick shake of his head. “How the hell do we get to South America?” 

“No clue.” The boy replied before pressing his lips together. “But…” His arm moved around John B’s shoulders before he brought his head on his shoulder. “we’re gonna figure it out.”

“Yeah…” 

“We’re Pogues man. We always do.” 

-

Elizabeth patted the space next to her and a quiet giggle left her mouth when her hand fell on Sarah’s face. The ex-kook groaned before swatting the hand away. 

“This feels good, huh?” Elizabeth said quietly as she grabbed Sarah’s hand tightly. “Being normal kids, for once.” 

“Yeah…” Sarah gazed up at the sky and smiled. “It looks so nice.” 

“It does.” 

The two teenagers sat up and wrapped their arms around their knees before looking up at the sky. 

“Do you know any constellations?” 

“Don’t think I can remember any right now.” Elizabeth blinked slowly. “Still a bit drunk, I guess.” 

The loud noise of a plane flying overhead interrupted their star-watching and Sarah frowned. 

“No…” She mumbled. 

“What?” 

“I think that’s my dad’s plane.” Elizabeth’s green eyes followed where Sarah was watching with a frown. 

“Fuck…” 

-

The stairs unrolled and touched the tarmac so that Ward Cameron could reach the ground. His cane touched the steps first and he held onto the railing in added support while he stared ahead of him wearily and sighed. 

“Welcome home, Mr. Cameron.” The flight attendant smiled from the plane’s door but she was ignored as the man walked to a car. 

************************

TAGLIST: - @jjxobx - @moonylantsovs - @k-k0129 - @jaxxandcomet - @taaniesha - @sunflowerbecca - @itssoweirdyoureher - @scenesofobx - @just-chilling-stuff - @nikfigueiredo - @mirellef2001 - @kahhorri

[r0s3mm]

Poguelandia // Outer Banks series

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General Masterlist

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Pairing: OC!Elizabeth Miller x JJ Maybank

happy valentine's day, lovers !

A/N: here we are! we are back for a third season!!! sorry it took so long! as always hope you enjoy, let me know your thoughts, reactions, comments whatever and yeah!

“Now, tell me which one of them is your girlfriend, huh?” the man asked, and JJ scoffed.

“I don’t—” he groaned when his head started to throb.

Eberhimi grabbed the top of JJ’s head, tightened his hold on the mop of blonde hair and he started to swing in the girls’ directions. A very shallow cut was made on Kiara’s arm when she took a step forward, her hand balled up in a fist.

“Kie!” JJ shouted once he saw the curly hair girl bend forward.

He twisted his body and yanked the knife out of the man’s grab before he held it to his throat. Eberhimi leaned his head forward before swinging it back and hitting JJ with it, he made the blonde lose his hold on the knife and it clattered to the ground, loudly. In an effort to help him, Beth aimed at the knee of the man who was attacking her friends and she pulled the trigger. The bullet flew out of the gun and lodged itself in the man’s thigh. He swung at her but missed once she dodged the hit, twisted her wrist, and pulled her to him, his hand wrapped around her throat.

“JJ...” Elizabeth realized when she heard the splash of the water.

“JJ!” Kiara shouted, running to the edge.

“Tut, tut, tut.” He shook his head. “Her or him?” he asked, and her eyes went over Beth’s face; her eyes were rolling in the back of her head, and she seemed to be gasping for air.

“JJ, K... Get him.” She struggled to say as she scratched the man’s hand around her airway. “Pl... lease. Take ca—" She begged, and Kiara sobbed before she jumped over the edge.

The man threw her down against the side of the edge of the boat and she felt her body crack, a pained moan was released. She laid on her side, body racked with sobs and about three feet away from the man, she saw her gun. She crawled to it as best as she could though her body yelled at her to stop but she pushed through, determined to make it back to her friends. Elizabeth could very faintly hear their voices, almost like a quiet echo in the back of her mind. She crawled under his stare, and he laughed, almost like a snort and he put his booted foot on her hand, stepping on it while he reached down for the gun.

“Please, JJ. Take care of JJ.” She cried as he aimed the gun towards her.

John B had been able to retrieve Sarah, Pope and Cleo and was now looking for the last three, his three oldest friends.

“Where’s J, Kie and Ellie?” he asked.

“I thought they were with you.” John B nodded.

“I sent Ellie off to find JJ and Kie.” He said. “We gotta find them, all right?”

“Last time I saw them was on the other side of the ship.” Cleo said. “Your sister wasn’t with them, though.” John B breathed harshly and nodded, driving around the boat.

“JJ, please, stay with me!” Kiara begged the blonde who was slowly but surely drowning her. “Stay with me.” She panted. “John B’s coming. John B’s coming, okay? John B! Help!”

“That’s Kie.” Sarah said.

“Where are they?”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” The dark-skinned girl cried as the burn in her muscles became too much.

“There they are!”

“JJ!” they all shouted. John B’s heart started to beat faster once he saw the state his best friend was in.

“Oh my god!” Pope gasped and he crawled to the front, ready to pull the blonde up.

“JJ!”

“No! No! No! No! No!” John B shouted and his voice cracked.

The two of them were quickly pulled into the lifeboat, while Kiara gasped for air and coughed out the water she had breathed in, JJ laid his head on top of her chest, barely breathing. He knew they had to leave fast, and nobody really thought about her until the sound of a firearm shot echoed through the atmosphere and John B slowed down, his face showed clear panic when he cast a look over JJ.

“Where’s Ellie?” he snapped his head towards Kiara who held back tears.

“She, she told me to get JJ. She told me she’d be right there but—” she cried, and Pope grabbed her hand.

“We gotta go back.”

“John B! John B!” Cleo shouted. “We have to leave, man. I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no!” Sarah stared at something that was back on the ship and she frowned.

“We have to go, John B. Rafe!” she pointed towards the man who held the gun in his hands.

“Fuck!” John B shouted, Pope moved him aside and took control over the driving of the boat.

“I’m sorry, man.” John B whispered to the blonde.

“JJ, please wake up!” Kiara begged. “J! Please! Get up! Please!”

“Dude, you gotta wake up!”

His blue eyes shot open, and he started to cough up the leftover water that was in his lungs.

“There you go. Yeah, yeah. Cough it out. Cough it out, baby.”

“Hey, buddy, there you go.” All the eyes were on his as he laid back against the inflated side of the lifeboat.

“Welcome to the land of the living, dude.”

“No CPR needed, huh?” JJ stared at all of them, feeling hands on his neck and chest and he smiled before he turned his head around and his eyes fell on Kiara.

“What?” he stuttered; the smile fast gone from his face. “Where’s—”

“She got caught.” Kiara told him and he moved out of her grasp.

“What?” he asked louder and coughed.

“She asked me to go after you and I just—”

“There was a gunshot, JJ.” John B told him, and he frowned, his eyes never left his best friend’s face as he blinked away tears.

“Who?”

“We don’t know. We were getting you when it happened, and we couldn’t get back.”

“You left her?” he shouted as best as he could. Sarah leaned forward to press a wet torn up piece of clothing to his head.

“What the hell happened?” he asked seeing the blood on his fingers.

“The blunt end of a machete.” Cleo answered.

“Machete, huh?”

“The blunt end. Next time duck.”

“I’ll try to remember that next time.” He sat up, keeping the wet cloth on his forehead. “So, we gonna make a plan to get her back or what?”

“The cross or Ellie?” Pope asked.

“Both.” JJ replied.

“This shit ain’t over.”

“No, it ain’t.”

- “You know what?” John B stood up. “Guys this is it. This is the Pogue Life. We are in the Caribbean. It’s our own little slice of paradise. With my best friends, with my family.”

“Minus one.” JJ added and John B sent him a sorry smile.

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t wanna do it with anyone else. Look, and while you guys were complaining about every little thing... JJ?” the blonde stabbed the tree with his knife.

“Hmm?”

“I was looking at those burly lefts.”

“There’s some slabs out there.”

“Just a few.” John B snickered. “Kie, see that? I know you wanna get out.”

“No boards.” She rolled her eyes.

“Well, we can bodysurf till we make some boards.”

“Lame.”

“Pope? Come on, man.”

“They do look pretty tasty.”

“Oh, yes, they do.”

“There’s nobody around. We could squat here for a bit. Kind of belongs to us now, huh?”

“You got a point.”

“Six-way split?” Pope said as him and John B did their handshake.

“Poguelandia.” JJ said in a posh accent.

“Oh boy.”

“I claim thee Poguelandia.” He said in the same accent before clearing his throat and returning to his usual voice. “I like the ring of it. I’m gonna make a flag. It’s gonna have a chicken on it. With a coconut bra, smoking a J...” he said watching the girls laugh. “in crocs.”

“I could use a J.”

“Can we vote on that?”

“Shall we get to work?”

“We should get to work.”

“Let’s start working on provisions.” John B told Pope and they fist bumped before going their separate ways. “Set up shop.”

“To going full Pogue?” John B asked Sarah and she nodded.

“Going full Pogue.” Kie repeated while JJ helped her to her feet.

“What is a Pogue, anyway?” Cleo asked.

“From the very beginning, it was always kooks and pogues. Some people with everything. And some with nothing. That’s the way it’s always been. And that’s how they wanna keep it. Some people make the best of it. And some people fight against it. The merchant gold was a part of that. For my father and me, the treasure was our way out. How we evened the scales. How the Pogues win. But at some point… you kinda have to wonder… …was the treasure an escape? Or was it a trap?” 

-Week 1-

Six pairs of eyes looked up to the stars that first night.

The fire kept them warm throughout the night while they talked, shared stories and looked back on their last forty eight hours. Once they grew hungry, the three teenage boys were tasked with searching for any source of food. 

The Pogues ate many coconuts that night… 

“Enjoy the night guys, because tomorrow we’re going into survival mode.” John B said, the reality of their new lives slowly sinking in. 

Their makeshift beds put together with leafs and patted down sand surrounded the fire, offering them a false sense of security and of normalcy.

Their first night was short lived, after a weak four hours of sleep, they woke up, one after the other as the sun shone brightly in their faces. When JJ’s eyes opened he noticed John B and Kiara staring at him with concern.

“What?” He croaked out, throat dry and mouth pasty. “You spent most of the night shouting Ellie’s name in your sleep.” Pope commented, his voice coming from behind JJ. 

JJ licked his lips, grimaced when sand made it on his tongue and he spat it out. His feet started to take him to where the dry sand was mixed with the wet sand and where he could feel the ocean wash over his feet. 

“We gotta find a way off the island, man. We gotta go get her.” JJ said to his best friend who had followed him. “We will, JJ.” 

Quickly enough, John B took the reins, distributing tasks because “they would not be able to get off the island if they were dead and dried up.”

“Sarah and I will set up shop here. Get anything to build huh, little huts of some kind. JJ, do what you do best and go fish, get us some meat and take Kie with you and Pope and Cleo, explore the island? Any other foods you guys find, feel free to bring it back-” “That means coconuts, guys!” Sarah shouted from a few feet away. 

Sarah spent most of the week tying and pulling together leaves, John B busied himself by chopping tree branches and planks as best he could trying to create a roof of some kind near the entrance of the cave they would be squatting for an undetermined amount of time. When the couple decided to stop for the day, their hands were almost raw from all the pulling and tying of the rough materials. 

JJ and Kiara made makeshift spears from rocks tied with solid tree branches. When he was not scaring away the fishes since he and Kiara had not yet mastered the subtlety of spearfishing, JJ was tucked away in a corner of their beach. 

Unlike their friends, Pope and Cleo were successful in providing for their family. Each day of their first week, they came back with arms full of coconuts and safe-to-eat berries and plants, easy smiles on their faces from discovering the island and its wildlife. 

-Week 2-

Most mornings, JJ woke up with his heart beating out of his ribcage and a new pain coming from his chest. Most mornings, someone, mostly Kiara ran to his side, makeshift cup in hand to give him water and calm his pulse, reassuring him that though they were stranded, they were safe, that they were home… Together. 

He would do his part, try and catch fish with Kiara before the sun became too much and they had to retreat under the shade but as soon as they were done, he’d disappear and come back later with his hands stained dark and scratches on his skin. 

John B too, felt the loss of his home, his friend, the somewhat messy routine since the loss of his father. 

Kiara felt a liberation from being stranded away from home. Sure, she missed her parents but she was with her family, her real family, the family who knew the real her. She felt free. 

Pope, after a few times where he spiraled into a spluttering mess, made the best of the situation, learning from Cleo all that he could about the forest and their surroundings. 

“What are you doing?” John B once called out when JJ came back from god only knew where. “Nothing. Just letting out steam.” The blonde had mumbled after grabbing the neck of his shirt and throwing it over his head. “I’m going for a swim.” 

He jogged to the ocean before disappearing in the waves, usually emerging from another spot hours later with his blue eyes a bright red. 

“Knowing my brother and knowing he possibly has her-” “Or Eberhimi and his men.” “Whoever has Elizabeth she’s not safe.” Pope whispered, not knowing that his blonde friend was making his way back to them. “Who’s not safe?” He sniffled. “No one.” “Fuck guys, I’m not stupid I know you’re talking about Beth.” “We’re thinking Rafe and Ward might have her or Eberhimi.” “I swear to god Sarah, family or not, if they touched one hair on her head I’ll kill them.” “Come on, JJ sit down.” Kiara whispered, grabbing his hand and rubbing the back of it. “I’m fine.” He said getting his hands out of her hold. “We saw the raft, JJ.” John B looked at his friend. “What do you think you’re doing?” “I’m getting off. I’ll go get us help, I’ll get Beth and we’ll be home.” “Come on, JJ, that thing isn’t gonna last five minutes.” John B sighed. 

-Week 3- 

When the third week rolled in, it took a toll on the group of friends. 

Maybe… they thought. Maybe we’ll be here forever.

Maybe I’ll never see my parents again. 

Maybe I’ll never get to travel the world.

Maybe I’ll never get to go home again. 

Maybe this is it for me.

Maybe I’ll never get to sleep in a real bed. 

Maybe I’ll never have a peaceful sleep again.

John B woke up one day and noticed something floating up in the sky and his tired eyes thought it was a plane for a split second before a laugh erupted from his throat. 

The chicken, with a coconut bra, smoking a J in crocs. 

“That’s great, JJ!” he shouted at the blonde perched high in the three. “You did it, Jayj! Poguelandia!” Kiara screamed at the top of her lungs. “It’s perfect.” 

Their minds were in high gear, looking for ways to entertain themselves, they carved a checkers board and played for hours as soon as Pope taught them. They put together wind chimes with hollowed logs of wood, set up a drying station for the fish that JJ had finally been able to grab, and a homemade clothing line to dry their clothes after a much needed wash. They had found ways to make cups, bowls to gather the food they would harvest. 

The Pogues were finally settling in their new lives, coming to terms with what happened. 

-Weeks 4 & 5-

It was late in the morning when JJ’s laugh resonated in the cave and a smile pulled at his friends’ lips except Kiara who limped back to their home. 

“A crab just pinched me!” She whimpered. “Stop laughing, JJ!” “I’m sorry.” he said, trying to keep a straight face though the corners of his mouth pulled up each time his eyes fell on her. “Do you need assistance, ma’am?” “It’d be much appreciated, young man.” “Young man?” he scoffed. JJ wrapped an arm around her shoulders, helping her on the edge of a rock where she could sit down. 

In silence, he made water drip on her leg before grabbing a couple of the leaves Pope and Cleo gathered saying that it was a good medicinal plant. 

“Shit!” She swore when her butt slipped off and she was caught by the blonde who raised his eyebrows. “What just happened?” “I slipped.” “Mmh.” He nodded unconvinced. He cracked a smile and shook his head. “Thanks.” She whispered. “For what?” “Catching me.” Kiara leaned forward, tightening the wrapper around her shin. “My leg.” “I was told, multiple times, that you saved me from an early death. I’m just repaying the favor.” He said and the girl smiled, just as a shadow appeared near them. “Am I interrupting something?” Sarah asked and the pair shook their heads. - Kiara pulled on the cord, tightening the sharp rock at the end of the long stick while JJ sharpened his spear as much as possible, a light breeze making their hair move around.

“Sarah talked about seeing a rescue boat yesterday morning.” “Rescue? From what? From… from paradise?” JJ chuckled as he gestured to the view around them. “I’m not going back, ever. I mean, look around. We got everything we need.” “What about Ellie?” “I’d only go back to get her and come back here… You guys keep saying that she’s probably dead…” he muttered and Kiara frowned at the coldness behind his words. “How’s yours looking? You ready to keep providing for the family?” “Yep.” “Let’s go kill something.” “You don’t have to say it like that.” “Yeah, but it’s exactly what we’re gonna do.” “It sounds so barbaric, like…” “Well, that’s the circle of life, Kie. Unless you wanna eat the same fish and coconut forever.” “After the past few weeks, I think I’m good on coconuts for the rest of my life.” 

Pope and Cleo were deep in the woods, walking around, harvesting the leaves and the fruits that they’d been eating. 

“So you’re telling me you had your own house, your own room, and they was gonna give you money to read books?” Cleo asked, shocked, staring up at the birds chirping in the trees. “Well, it was a scholarship.” Pope panted, trying to catch up with the girl. “And I don’t know if I’d have gotten it. It’s whatever now.” “So you just throw it away to chase treasure with your dropout friends?” “They’re not all drop-outs and it wasn’t just about the treasure. That cross belongs to my family. It’s important to me. And I still haven’t lost it.” “Better off keeping what you got than searching for something you ain’t gonna find. Did daddy ever teach you nothing?” She chuckled. “Sunken treasure. You had the real treasure in your hand, and you just let it go.” “Okay, well, what about you, huh? You had a job on a boat,” he started, watching while Cleo picked fruits. “a life, I’m sure, before all of this. You gave it all up to scrounge for berries in the jungle. Just saying.” “Well, what I had wasn’t better than this. You can’t say the same now, can you?” 

JJ rid himself of his shirt, armed himself of his spear and walked to their fishing spot. 

“You ready?” “Yeah.” “All right. Today’s the day. All right, remember, watch your shadow. They see that, they’re gone.” He pointed out to Kiara who nodded nervously. “All right.” “Here we go. Just like we practiced, okay?” JJ positioned himself, aware of Kiara’s eyes on him. 

He called out her name quietly, seeing a much larger target than intended. 

“It’s a skate, all right! You see him?” “All right. It’s all me!” “He sees me! He’s coming over by you.” JJ narrated calmly. “He’s coming towards you.” “Yeah, it’s me.” The girl said, hyping herself up. “This is it. This is the time.” “I can’t. I really can’t.” she grimaced. 

JJ noticed her hesitation and surged forward, stabbing the sand. 

“Shit, I missed it. Where is it, where is it?” Seeing how determined he was, Kiara followed the animal with her eyes before moving her upper body and stabbing through the thin body of the animal. “Oh my god.” she breathed out. “You did it!” JJ cheered her on, bringing her body to his. “We’re having skate tonight!” “Oh shit!” “Full pogue!” The blonde screamed, taking the spear out of the water. “That’s food in your bellies, right there.” 

-Week 6- 

Sarah walked to the entrance of the cave, picking up a branch that had fallen off during the day because of the wind. She glanced to the horizon, eyes unfocused and blinded by the harsh sun but she was sure that she had seen something. 

“John B?” “Yeah? What’s up?” “Do you see that?” the blonde asked, pointing to a spot far away. “See what?” “That boat.” “Boat, where?” “Right there! Eleven o’clock. Just under the horizon.” She looked back at her boyfriend, recognizing the expression on his face. “I think it’s just the whitecaps on the reef.” “You don’t know that. It’s right there. I see it.” “Sarah, Sarah, hey, hey.” “What if it’s…” “No, it’s… it’s not your dad. It’s not your brother. Okay? I promise.” He said calmly, hating to see her like that every time she felt like they were being rescued. “No, I’m sure.” “Trust me. It’s okay.” John B kissed the back of her head. 

It’s a little later that they gathered around the fireplace to play a game of truth or dare. 

“Okay, John B, your turn. Truth or dare?” “All right, all right. Truth.” He stood just as he was thrown a hat. “If you could do it all again… What would you do different?” “Uh, get the gold out before Ward did.” JJ said with a pout. “Maybe hide the cross a little better.” “Not yell “murderer” at Ward, maybe.” “Uh, steal a couple bottle of rum before we jumped off the boat?” John B offered. “Yeah, why didn’t you do that, actually?” JJ said, glancing to Kiara who giggled. “I don’t know, maybe ‘cause I was in a fight to the death?” “I would look both ways before crossing the street.” Cleo said with a raised eyebrow, which led to the others laughing. “Your turn chief.” “All right, Kie, truth or dare?” John B asked, plopping the hat onto her head. “Truth.” “All right,” John B smacked his lips together in thought. “Um, if you could go home to your parents’ house on Figure Eight this instant… Would you?” JJ’s eyes were on Kiara as she pondered, eyes holding a little something his friends hadn’t seen in a little while. “Mmh, no chance.” “Seconded!” “No chance!” “Hear! Hear! To no chance!” “The shower’s tempting though.” “Ooh, I could use a fat shower right now.” John B nodded. “JJ, truth or dare?” “I mean, do you even need to ask?” he scoffed, putting the hat on his sun bleached hair. The girl grabbed the skewer she held and pointed to the cliff up high. “Big jump. Nobody’s done it yet. Dare.” 

JJ sighed heavily, as if she had tasked him with the most impossible dare ever before he snickered and ran away, throwing his shirt back. 

“There he is.” “There he goes.” Pope added, seeing the head of blonde hair moving around near the edge of the cliff.

Their cheers were carried by the wind. Mixing with the cries of the birds and the waves crashing against the rocks. 

“He’s not gonna do it.” Cleo shook her head. “Oh, I won’t, huh?” JJ shouted. “No way.” “He’s gonna do it. It’s highly dangerous and uh, zero reward? Yeah, he’s doing it.” Pope assured them. “Ellie would’ve jumped with him.” He added looking at John B over Sarah’s head. “Would she, though?” Sarah asked with raised eyebrows. “After bitching about safety and recklessness…” John B spoke up thoughtfully. He glanced at his friends before his eyes looked up at the blonde on the edge of the cliff and a smile appeared on his lips. “Yeah, she would have totally followed after him.” He chuckled and Pope nodded. “To recklessness!” Sarah shouted and JJ raised his arms in the air. 

The blonde breathed in deeply, looked up at the sky, thought a quick prayer and stretched. He threw one last glance at his friends before backing away from the edge and giving himself more momentum. His feet pushed off the ground and he was gone, body colliding with the waves below. 

He was quickly met by his friends, his head broke the surface and he gasped but rapidly felt multiple pairs of arms around him as they cheered. 

“I actually thought I was gonna die for a moment!” he shouted out of breath. “You looked like you were gonna die.” Pope joked.  

That night, they feasted; the harvest was good, Kiara and JJ had been more than successful in their hunt… A sense of finality loomed over them but no one dared to speak of it. So, they went to bed, happy, with bellies full and warm, the fire still crackling when Kiara and JJ went to sleep last. 

In the morning, Pope thought he was dreaming, but his eyes opened and his ears adjusted and what he hoped for was confirmed. 

A plane was flying overhead. 

“Plane.” he breathed out. “Guys. Guys, guys, wake up. There’s a plane.” he panted, waking up his friends. 

He grabbed his shoes, grabbed the flare and ran because his life depended on it. 

Cleo woke up with a frown, unhappy to have been woken up but when she came to the same realization as Pope, she gasped and woke everybody. 

What was unexpected was that for some, the plane wasn’t the good news they wanted… Making them frown and doubt as they looked up to the sky. 

Pope ran, climbed and finally reached the bonfire they made for this very occasion. The lighter wouldn’t work, his hands were trembling and the wind wasn’t his friend. Cleo arrived by his side, cupped his hands and isolated the flame of the lighter, letting Pope fire up the dried pieces of wood. 

“Hey! Hey! We’re here!” they shouted, raising their arms in the sky. “Hey, we’re down here! Help us!” “Look. He’s turning around.” “He sees us. Guys he sees us!” “He’s gonna go to the pond. Come on, come on. Come on!” 

Sarah and John B started running, hearts in their throats, trying to reach Cleo and Pope while it took Kiara and JJ a few more seconds. The pilot quickly landed in a shallow body of water before opening the door to greet the survivors. 

“We did it!” Cleo shouted once they were faced with the man. “Hello, hello.” “Hey there.” “We’re finally getting out of here.” Pope celebrated, while Sarah stared at the man warily. “Well, well, well.. Who do we got here?” “You know, just some castaways.” “Well, I’ll cross that off the grocery list.” The pilot joked. “Uh, hang on. I got just the thing for y’all. Just one second.” “Hey, no. Look at this guy! You think he works for you dad?” “Two things you need on a deserted island.” The man said as he grabbed a bottle and first aid kit out of his plane. “It’s okay.” John B tried to reassure Sarah. “First aid and rum! Incoming!” he said before throwing the bottle towards Sarah and Kie who simply stared at it as it fell in the water. The first aid kit fell into Pope's hands. “So, what’s the story? You guys sank a boat?” “Uh, jumped off one.” John B said hesitantly. “Her dad’s.” He added, receiving a glare from Sarah who just recovered the bottle of rum from the water. “In-laws, man. They’re tough. Well, have no fear. Jimmy’s here. I got you.” The pilot said with a smile. “Well, all hail Jimmy, guys! Let’s go!” Cleo slapped John B’s shoulders. “Welcome aboard the flying fish y’all! I’m Jimmy Portis. I’ll be your captain today.” Jimmy said as he helped them up. “Is this all. Six of you?” He asked counting the last two that seemed reluctant in jumping on. “Uh, yeah. That too heavy?” “Nah. Uh, technically maybe but i think old Fish here’ll probably be okay. We could always throw somebody overboard, right?” He said and Kiara scoffed. “That’s a lot of probably’s, reassuring.” “See you, island!” Cleo shouted before leaving it behind. JJ crouched forward, throwing one last look behind him before he walked ahead of Kiara, gesturing for her to follow him. “Come on, it’s okay.” Jimmy encouraged them. “I got it.” 

Kiara stalled for a few seconds. Feeling her heartbeat against her ribcage. 

“Bye island paradise.” She said before getting on the plane and sitting down. 

************************

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Fight or Flight (encore) // Outer Banks series

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Pairing: OC!Elizabeth Miller x JJ Maybank

A/N:  last part of beth's journey alone, somewhat emotional reunions, angst, mentions of injuries, death, language, fluff??????,

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The sun was beaming down on her hair and she was tired. She had sold the truck to a couple of men for a measly hundred bucks on Sunday and so the night from Sunday to monday was spent on a bench at the exact location of the departure. 

“Ticket?” The man asked. “I don’t have it. I won a contest.” “Do you have a confirmation number?” “Huh, yeah. Fifty six, forty six.” She said and the man’s face lit up. “Oh! Our special guest.” He nodded. “We have your suite all set up and ready for you.”

Suite? Damn John…

“Your arrival with us was very last minute but we are more than happy to have you with us.” He smiled and Elizabeth could hear the other passengers become impatient behind her. “Give your name to the woman right inside and she’ll help you get settled in.” Elizabeth nodded, a little bit stunned before she walked forward. “Hi!” “Hello, the guy over there told me to come and see you. I’m Elizabeth Miller.” “Yes! Lizzie, John’s girl.” She nodded and she had to swallow the tears that threatened to fall out. “Yeah, exactly.” John’s girl“Follow me sweetheart.” 

She didn’t know what to expect, would he be on the ship? Would the lady lead her to a room where he would be waiting for her? Was this all a trap and John had called at gunpoint? 

The woman unlocked a door and Elizabeth held her breath when she stepped in.

“Our next stop is Barbados, rest up.” 

Before she could say anything, the door was closed behind her and the lock was engaged. She stood in the middle of the room, staring at the door utterly confused. 

“What the fuck?” She was tired of freaking out, tired of stressing out about shit she couldn’t control so she took advantage of the situation. 

The ensuite bathroom had a fluffy robe with slippers, expensive shower gel, hair and skin products so she took an hour long shower. Cleaned herself up from her to toe as her skin and hair had suffered from the cheap hospital soap. She opened the television but couldn’t find anything interesting to watch until she switched to a news channel where her picture stared back at her. She had been seen in Guadeloupe, the woman hadn’t said anything to her, for sure Elizabeth would’ve stayed there if it meant that she would be home now. Food was delivered halfway through the trip and her worries lessened when the waiter brought her favorite food on a silver platter, quite literally. -

She was dropped off at the terminal and a shuttle picked her up only to drop her off downtown. 

“What am I supposed to do, now?” She whispered to herself. She held her bag against her and looked around, trying to see if John was picking her up. 

She walked around for hours, not knowing that she was being watched, that two pairs of eyes were on her from a safe distance. The teenager stopped for a few minutes, watching children run through a water hose that was spraying water in the air. An easy smile fell on her lips and she let her guards down just enough for another body to join her. 

“Isn’t that a nice picture, huh?” She froze, unsure if she should be annoyed or scared. “What are you doing here?” Elizabeth turned around and as soon as she saw his face, the annoyance took over. “Escaping, clearly.” She said matter of factly, she took three steps before she felt the now familiar feeling of a gun nozzle against her ribs and she heard the click that told her the gun was now loaded. “What was that?” He muttered in her ear before she could feel him right behind her. 

She had a few options: scream, try and run, hit him… It had somewhat been therapeutic the last time… But her chance came when a kid took off running and fell flat on his face right in front of them. The mother was close behind and Elizabeth used the distraction to blend into the crowd. For a while she walked through small streets, street vendors' carts. She put as much distance between her and Rafe but at all times, she made sure she knew in which direction he was. She watched a woman who stood a few feet away. The teenager’s green eyes followed the woman’s hand movement and the way she slipped her phone in her jacket’s pocket microphone first, vertically. The woman’s whole cellphone fit in the pocket which told the teenager that the pocket was deep and seemed to be able to hold a lot of stuff.  

She took a breath and took off running before almost shoving the woman with her left shoulder which caused her real pain, enough pain to make tears appear in her waterline. 

“I’m so sorry!” She cried out as she raised her hands in front of her. “Can’t you just watc- Oh honey are you alright?” the woman asked, concerned for the distraught looking teenager in front of her. Just as she expected, the woman took a step closer to Elizabeth, staying to her left. “Do you need help?” Elizabeth nodded, wiped her eyes and held her right hand in front of her mouth while her left snatched the cellphone out of the woman’s pocket. “There’s a man!” She pointed to where she had just come from. “He stole my bag, I had all my stuff inside. All my documents! Oh god my mom’s gonna kill me! It was my last chance before she sent me off!” She kept rambling while the woman stared at her hysterical outburst. “And I hit you! I’m so sorry! I just tried to run after him but he’s already gotten away.” She cried. 

The woman tried to reassure her, led her away from the crowd and suggested she helped her find her fictional stolen bag. While the woman went to a vending machine to get the brunette a water bottle, Elizabeth wiped her tears, rubbed her arm and checked her surroundings for Rafe one last time before she once again got lost in the crowd and walked a few streets away, pocketing the cell phone properly but not before she saw the phone case contained a few bills of money. 

-

She hooked the bag strap higher on her shoulder as she tucked her newly short hair in the hood of her sweater. She made her way in the nearest shop as she was able to hear Rafe’s shouts of her name getting closer knowing he was a street over. Her green eyes wearily covered the store, scanning the employees’ faces and how it was made. With a determined step, she made her way to the back; grabbing a pair of shorts, a man’s button up shirt that was a few sizes too large, a lacy bralette, a branded T-Shirt, a couple pairs of sweatpants, two randomly picked bras and a pair of shoes. With a nod to the teenager that stood at the fitting rooms’ entrance, she slipped behind the curtain of the cabin.

“How many pieces?” the girl asked on the other side of the hung drape.

“Oh my god,” she gasped obnoxiously. “I totally forgot, I’m so sorry. I don’t know where my head is! Let me count.” she moved the hangers around with a roll of her green eyes before she pulled the sweatshirt she was wearing over her head. “I have five.” she replied and before she knew it she could hear the plastic number being hung on the hook right outside the cabin. 

Elizabeth stared at her half-naked upper body, fingers tracing the necklace that hung around her neck and she sniffled. She eyed the gray sweatshirt she had just taken off before she bent down and took off the matching sweatpants. 

“Yeah, hello?” she said out loud, picking up the white bralette. “Sorry, mom. I can’t hear you well. I guess the service isn’t as good here as in the villa.” she groaned quietly, her fingers working quickly to secure the top to her body. “Huh, I’m in the store near the café we tried yesterday… The one with the lit up neon signs?” She tore the tag from the lacy garment and the shorts, stuffing them under the cushion of the seat in the cabin. “Oh, okay.” she mumbled. She pulled the black shorts up her legs and buttoned them. “Can you order me the chicken sandwich I had yesterday? And ask Mike if he wants to share a plate of nachos, please.” She also tore the tag off the men’s black button up shirt, her fingers turning a deep red color as she struggled. She added some muttering of acknowledgment to her monologue as she tied the ends of the button up together, leaving her middle part bare. “Oh, mom!” she said loudly and she opened the bag’s zipper. “Guess who I talked to earlier! Uh, I’ll get a lemonade I guess.” she slipped the pair of shoes in the bag tearing off the tags and the sticker under it. “Hey, I gotta go. I'm trying on some clothes for tonight’s dinner. How formal do I have to be?” Elizabeth grabbed her gray top and pants and put them back on. “Okay, I’ll be there in like ten minutes. Alright, love you!” 

She stayed another two minutes in the cabin, shuffling around, taking things off the hangers before letting them fall on the floor. 

“Is everything okay, miss?” a voice said on the other side and she stopped breathing. 

“Huh, yeah. Thanks.” 

“Alright, let me know if something’s wrong.” The voice said and she guessed it had to be an older employee by the maturity of the voice. 

“Actually, I seemed to have grabbed the wrong bra size.”

“Want me to get you another one?” 

“That’d be so nice.” She pulled the sleeve of the sweatshirt up to her elbow, grabbed the bright green bra and slipped the garment out of the cabin, only letting the woman see to her naked mid forearm. “Maybe a 34C if you have them for that model?”

“I’ll go check.” 

“Thank you, you’re so nice!” she gushed with an emotionless face. 

She heard the clicks of the heels get quieter and she opened the curtain just enough for her face to slip through. 

“Hi?” she whispered but no one answered.

She went back in the cabin and breathed out before shaking off the sensation of tingling she had in her fingers. 

God she loved the rush.

“Okay.” she sighed and grabbed her bag. She took the phone from the side pocket of the black bag and put it against her ear. “Fuck, mom! Are you okay? Where are you guys?” She jogged out of the cabin and into the store. “Okay, okay. I’ll be there soon, I’ll get an uber or something. I don’t know if they do Uber here! I’ll just find a taxi!” she shouted. “Yeah just,--” she turned to the employees who stared at her with wide eyes and she covered the microphone of the device. “Hey, I gotta leave, family emergency. I’ll try and come back tomorrow or something, but I just wanted to thank you so much! And I wanted to apologize for leaving the cabin in this mess I just-”

“It’s completely fine, honey. Go with your family. We’ll see you tomorrow?” the woman asked with the right bra size in her hand.

“Yeah,” she sighed. “hopefully. I know that bra would have driven my boyfriend crazy.” she said timidly. “What mom? Yeah, I'm on my way!” she spoke on the phone before waving to the employees and walking out of the store. 

The warm air hit her face and a loud gasp left her lungs. 

Caffé, seafood restaurant, surf shop, restaurant, restaurant… 

“Shit.” 

“Elizabeth!” she heard and whipped around only to see the now too familiar buzzed hair that belonged to one Rafe Cameron. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” She, once again, pulled the hood over her head and cowarded between two buildings. 

Her palms started to sweat when she saw the man right in front of her, staring at the street she had just come from. He had his phone to his ear, though she couldn’t hear what he said she could easily guess he was speaking to someone else who was looking for her. Without really thinking, she lowered her head and started to walk in his direction and once she was close enough to swing a fist in his face, she turned right and walked in the direction she came from half an hour earlier. There, she sighed in relief after finally seeing two public restrooms and she jogged the remaining distance before locking the rusted door behind her. In a way that seemed almost excessive, she tore the heavy and warm garments away from her body, stuffing them underneath the plastic bag in the trash can. She arranged the knot she had made earlier with the ends of the black button up. She switched the shoes, leaving the one size too big shoes Rose bought her with the joggers and hoodie, instead putting on the red vans she picked up at the clothing store. 

“Are you almost done?” A chill ran down her spine when Rafe’s voice came from the other side of the door and she scrambled to put the other things in the bag. Grateful Wheezie had let her leave with her sunglasses she slipped them on the bridge of her nose before she fluffed her hair and parted them in the middle. “Hello? I saw you come in here. Are you done?” he said loudly, pressed against the door. 

“Un instant!” she stalled, the french words slipped off her tongue with ease and she could hear him groan on the other side of the door. 

When she remembered the bag she used to escape out of the mansion she groaned. Throwing it on the floor, she opened the black backpack and emptied its contents out on the tiled and gross floor. She sighed in relief when she realized that the inside of the bag was colored before she flipped it inside out. Filling it back up, she left a small opening for the handle on the top so she could hold it like a handbag. She put a smile on her face and unlocked the door before opening it harshly smacking him in the face.

“Oh! Merde! Je suis désolée!” she apologized when the blonde groaned in pain. She waved to him, her eyes never really meeting his as she kept her head lowered. “Passez une belle journée!” She smiled, turning the corner and hiding herself in the crowd. 

The top of her head felt hot after the first five minutes of her walk, she looked for shadow anywhere and her eyes fell on a burger stand that had seats and some umbrellas. She reached into her bra, pulling out two ten dollar bills . Her mouth watered at the sight of the meat patties, fries and the water that seemed ice cold. With large steps, she walked to the stand and smiled at the man. 

“Hi, how much for a double cheeseburger with everything you got, a side of fries and two gla- no three glasses of ice cold water?” 

“Huh, nine.” 

“Is American money good?” She showed him the valuable piece of paper and he smiled. 

“Yes, of course.” 

“Okay, great.” The teenager breathed out as she fell on the stool, her bag fell at her feet and she, as best as possible, secured it between her two legs. 

“Your water, ma’am.” he said as three cups filled to the brim with ice cubes and water appeared in front of her. 

“Thank you, so much!” she dipped her head forward before she tipped one of the cups over her hair. The cold water cooled her scalp quickly and she almost got teary eyed when the drops continued down her back and breasts. “Fuck.” she almost moaned quietly. “Sorry.” she chuckled when she noticed the man eyeing her. 

“It’s quite alright, sweetheart. It’s a hotter than usual day for the Island so I don’t blame you. You’re maybe the twelfth person I've seen do this in the past hour.” she chuckled, relieved. And she didn’t care if the man’s words were false, the water brought much needed relief to her overheated and nervous body. 

She sipped the first glass, enjoying the way it cooled down her esophagus slowly. She twisted around, watching as people came and left, she could hear little girls’ laughter, she could hear the waves from where she was placed and she smiled, the sound brought comfort to her heart and soul. 

“Hey, do you know if they rent boards?” she gestured to a large sign that said “Beach.”. 

“They used to, haven’t been there in a while myself but there’s no harm in checking it out, right?” she nodded and her eyes and stomach grew three sizes when the plate of greasy food came into her line of sight. “Double cheeseburger with everything and a side of fries. Need sauces?” 

“I’m all good, thank you!” Her stomach growled as she ate the first couple of freshly made fries. 

Her ears stayed attentive as she ate, worried that her name would be shouted once more. She bit into the burger and an appreciative groan slipped out of her otherwise full mouth. She raised her thumb towards the cook and wiggled excitedly in her seat which made the two men laugh. 

“So good!” she said gratefully and the man that was frying up what looked like some kind of ground meat blew her kisses. “Literally so, so good!” 

“We are glad you like it!” the cook said in broken english. 

After the fourth bite, she quickly rinsed her mouth with water before she dipped her clean hand in the glass and rubbed her cold fingers against her neck. She was about to dig into her fries when someone sat beside her and she tensed up, turning her face away from the new guest. 

“You do not need to hide from me, Ms Miller.” The voice sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “John Routledge sent me.” At the mention of his name she turned, the stool’s seat squeaking with the movement.

“Limbrey?” The name slipped past her lips as a question. “Yes.” The woman confirmed. “Wha-” Elizabeth hid a burp and she sighed. “How?” “I have been working with John Routledge.” The girl’s head moved to the side and she stared at the woman askance. “Huh…” Elizabeth straightened up and searched her surroundings while her fingernails tapped a nervous rhythm on the counter. “Why wouldn’t you say that before? Instead of manipulating and using my friends?” “I had my orders. John and I had a deal, part of it was to clear his son’s name, which I did.” The brunette scoffed. “How can I get you to trust me on this?” “You can’t. The amount of people I trust has been decreasing almost weekly for a few months now.” “He wants to see you.” The woman stated and Elizabeth licked her lips. 

Carla Limbrey waited for an answer, impatiently staring at the teenager who was biting and licking her lips raw. Elizabeth jumped when a small group of children ran past them and she clutched her bag. 

“Poor girl. Look at you, a shell of the girl I saw a month ago. Not so brave without your guy there to protect you, huh?” Elizabeth’s mind snapped back to the thin blonde sat next to her and she sucked in a breath. 

“What?” 

Elizabeth walked out of the Chateau with a large red cooler, pearls of sweat already forming near her hairline. 

“Hey, princess! Wait up!” JJ called from inside the house and she turned to him with a smile. “Hi.” he greeted once he jumped down from the balcony. “What is it, JJ? Heyward’s waiting for me.” “What’s in this?” He asked, taking a step towards her. The only thing that could fit between them was the cooler and even then, the teenage boy leaned in. “Take a break, B, it’s summer.” He said softly pulling at her fingers so she would release the handles. He took them out of her hands and held it in front of her. “You deserve a break.” “I am fine, JJ.”“Yes, you are.” He flirted, letting his eyes wander and she shook her head though a grin wanted to break through. 

“You giving me a ride, Maybank?” She raised her eyebrows, gesturing to the van they were approaching

“Of course.” He nodded before sliding the Twinkie’s door open with one hand and dropping the cooler in with the other. “And for you, my lady.” He curtsied before opening the passenger door. “My, my, what a gentleman.” “Lizzie!” John shouted from the fishing shack and the brunette looked out the window. 

“Yeah?” “What are you and your guy up to? Huh?” He shouted teasingly as he approached the car and Elizabeth threw JJ a glance as he walked around the van to reach the driver’s side. “John, c’mon!” The teenager groaned while the blonde chuckled knowingly. “Okay but seriously, I need you and your guy back in an hour, got a job for you youngins, John B’s gonna be back by then.” “Stop calling him my guy.” She whispered and he winked. 

“Nerver, your mom’s catching on.” He bent forward a little bit. “Bring her back safely, JJ.” John pointed at the teenager as a warning. “Always, Big John.” JJ nodded as he turned on the engine. “Sweetcheeks, I'm counting on you to actually come back. Don’t y’all go get lost in the woods like last week.”“We weren’t lost John. It’s a birthday tradition.” Elizabeth chuckled as JJ drove off on her signal. 

Elizabeth blinked before she grabbed her bag and stood on her feet. 

“Okay, yeah, let’s go.” 

Limbrey, surprised, took a few seconds before she nodded and led the girl to a car in which she was blindfolded while they drove. They made two left turns, seven minutes between each, then drove straight for almost half an hour. She felt a right turn and then a slight climb as they drove up what she imagined was a hill. The driver made a sharp turn to the left, drove again for a short five minutes before the truck slowed to a full stop. Limbrey spoke quietly to someone before Elizabeth heard the door open and the warm air of Barbados hit her cooled skin. 

“We’re here. Let me take this off for you.” Limbrey said before the blindfold was pulled off the teenager’s eyes. 

The brunette squinted as her eyes adjusted to the harsh sun and she analyzed her surroundings. An old and rusty green metal fence stood in front of her and behind it barely stood a small house. Vines came from the ground and wrapped itself around the outside walls, cracks had appeared through the years in the foundation, the windows were clouded over with grime. The front door was held by its last hinges and the doorknob seemed to be trying to leave it behind as it hung off the hole. 

“Where are we?” Elizabeth asked, she walked ahead with Limbrey close behind and she pulled the fence’s lock up and walked through. The grass felt scratchy against her pantless legs and she pulled at the knotted shirt letting it fall to her mid-thigh. “Some kind of brothel?” She glanced at Limbrey and the woman shook her head. 

She turned around, fully facing Carla Limbrey and the two goons by her sides, neither of them she recognized. She cast a look at her surroundings, old houses and busted windows, some had flowers on their balconies and kids’ toys. 

“Makes me think of home a little bit. Quiet place to hide out in.” Big John spoke from behind her and she swallowed thickly and sucked in a breath. With trembling hands by her sides, her feet moved of their own accord and she was faced with the image of a ghost. “Hiya Sweetcheeks.” He said before she started to laugh, tears streaming down her overheated cheeks. 

“Oh my god.” She bent forward, holding onto her knee with one hand while the other stayed on her chest in an attempt to catch her heart if it tried to jump out. “J- Wha- Da-” She spluttered as she ran in his arms, her head hidden in his neck. “Hi Lizzie.” He put her down, leaned back and let his large thumbs wipe away the tears on her face. “Look at you.” He said before looking at her with pride. “How are you doing, my girl?” He asked and she nodded enthusiastically. 

“How am I? How are you? Why are you?” She asked, squeezing his arms and confirming he was actually real. “I’m good, much better now.” “Oh my god.” She cried out quietly before going back into his arms. 

“I got your messages, Sweetcheeks.” He mumbled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

Part of her family was back… 

That same day, he helped her settle in, he told her about RJ, he told her about El Dorado and the ultimate treasure it held. Told her about the time he spent deserted, surviving on what his environment provided before he was found by Singh, a name she wasn’t familiar with. She stared in amazement as he animatedly told her about the short man, him and his ridiculously large estate that would put the Kook’s houses to shame. 

The father-like figure would move around the house’s main room, acting out the events just like he used to do when she and John B were little. 

“So what did Singh want?” Elizabeth asked after a few minutes, the few minutes it took for her to prepare the evening meal. 

“Everything.” He replied mysteriously and she arched an eyebrow as she sipped on the liquor she was given. “He wanted to know everything there was to know about it, about the treasure and its history.” “Mmh… Get in line” She spoke with her mouth full of beans. “And in exchange for the information he would keep me alive.” He said. “Yeah, right.” She snorted. “Bullshit.” Big John looked up and smiled at the girl who was a mirror of her own mother at that age but had the smarts he taught her. 

“And your old man isn’t stupid, Lizzie.” Elizabeth shook her head in agreement. “I figured it out. Blood was spilled on my way to freedom but I was able to grab onto what Singh seemed to value most.” 

“And what is that?” She asked with a cock of her head and he went through a drawer and pulled out a picture. 

“Some kind of stone piece.” He spoke as he watched her analyze the image, green eyes looking at the image bit by bit.

-

She huffed out, a strand of hair floated away from her face. 

“What do you need this time?” She asked and John handed her a list with scribbles on it. “Go and meet RJ, I heard Singh’s been visiting more and I need to know our deal’s still in place.” “What deal?” 

“He’s protecting something for me and I’ll collect when everything’s ready.” He answered. “Okay, what else?” She sighed. 

“Food. There’s a market at the docks, fish’s cheap and good, get a few things to last us the next few days, we’ve been going out too much since you’re here.” 

“We?” She sent him a look and he shook his head. 

“We send you out there because Sing and his men aren’t aware of your being here yet, he has the police on his payroll and you bet they know who we are.”

“Sure, fine. 

And so, Elizabeth started her short journey to the antiquarian’s shop where she met the man for the first time with her backpack on and a few bills John gave to her before she left. There was a high pitched noise that announced her arrival and it took a second before a man’s head appeared from the backstore. 

“Hello.” She waved and he disappeared only to come back a handful of seconds later. 

“Elizabeth Miller, what an honor.” He greeted before he extended his hand out. 

“Who are you?” 

“An old friend of John Routledge. We, huh,” He hesitated. “We worked together at some point.” 

“That’s not vague at all.” She mumbled as the tip of her finger dusted off some ancient looking statues. “How do you know my name?” “John spoke of you and his son often.” He stared at her for a second before he chuckled. “And you are the spitting image of your mother when she was your age. And I have a television.” 

“You knew my mother?” 

“I knew of her. Whether I like it or not, John and I go way back.” 

“Mmh.” The girl hummed in agreement knowing her father figure’s way of being wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. 

Elizabeth took a few steps away from the man, observing the artifacts and relics in his shops. 

“Are all of these real?”

“If you want them to be.” He joked and she slowly nodded. “So, why were you sent here?” 

“I don’t know details but-” Elizabeth noticed the way the man raised his eyebrows in a way that seemed to say that it was obvious. “John wants to know if your deal’s still in place because of a man named Singh? Apparently he’s been moving closer to y’all’s common goal.” 

“You can tell him that everything is safe and that yes, our deal still holds.” 

“Alright then, I will be on my way. Nice to meet you, sir and have a good day.” She nodded politely before making her way to the door.

“Please do come back whenever you’d like,” Elizabeth stopped with her hand on the doorknob. “if anything I was told is true, I have a few things that could interest you.” 

“I’ll think about it.” She said before letting the door close behind her. 

She then followed the signs to the marina where she knew she would find the market.. As soon as she approached the area she could hear the loud voices; some people screamed, others laughed, she could hear children squealing. People started to spill out from the marina, arms and baskets full of fresh vegetables, fruits and wrapped meats. 

Her green orbs eyed the prices and she huffed, thinking of the small amount that laid in her pocket. A customer and seller argued or rather negotiated the price of the bag of apples, on the next stand was a crate of bruised apples at half price and she stared at them before she reached out to the ones at the edge which she shoved in her bag. 

“Pretty sure I saw someone a few stalls down sell those same bags for half the price.” She chimed in when the seller’s eyes drifted to her and just as quickly the woman leaned back to see if the girl was lying. “You can go and see, it’s the woman with the green apron, she’s super nice too!” She smiled before gesturing to the woman. 

“I’ll do just that.” 

“Hey, come on!” The seller groaned and Elizabeth simply shrugged before continuing her way. 

The brunette was able to get a bag of green beans for half the price, she was able to get a couple of oranges for what would be considered free when she showed the vendor how mushy their oranges had gotten and before the man could argue she squeezed one that was particularly old that she got off the floor and her fingers broke through the skin and flesh of the fruit… She feigned disgust and the man tried to quiet her as he gave her three fresh ones he had picked that same morning. She paid for tomatoes full price since she couldn’t find anything wrong with them and she really craved them. 

“Miss! Want to try a fresh passion fruit?” A woman called her out before she was handed half of the fruit and she grinned with a nod. 

After it was softly dropped in her hand, she brought it to her lips and she sucked out the pulp and seeds and a smile appeared on her face at its freshness. 

“Good, huh?” The girl nodded. “You take this, okay? So tiny!” The woman insisted, she put a handful of the fruit in a thin plastic bag and pushed it in the girl’s hands and Elizabeth couldn’t do anything else except nod and thank the woman. 

The brunette stopped on a bench after she had been walking around for an hour and she watched the boats arrive and leave the marina whilst eating the fruits she was gifted. Stalls sold food while others sold everyday items and others sold clothing and jewelry. She was about to make her way to the fish vendor when a flash of blue caught her interest. It was her favorite shade of blue. 

She searched through her bag hopeful and she sighed when her fingers touched the money she had left. 

“Hi, how much for the blue dress?” She questioned the man. 

When Elizabeth left the market with a bag full of fruits and veggies and more fish than she asked for, a tall woman waited for her. 

“You know that if you keep stealing, you’ll attract unwanted attention?” The teenager stopped a couple of steps in front of the woman. 

“I’m careful, always have been always will be.” 

“This isn’t the cut, anymore, Elizabeth.” She spat out with what sounded like disgust. “You get us caught and you’ll have more to worry about than me. Don’t think for a second that John will not leave you here to save his own skin.” 

“It’s an instinct, Limbrey, it’s called flight or fight.” Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, arrogance all over her tone and features. The brunette’s arm was grabbed tightly before she was almost carried to the car that was waiting for them hidden away in a small alley. 

-

It had been a couple of days and the whole time, John kept Elizabeth inside the small house. Apparently Singh’s people were getting suspicious because the teenager had taken RJ up on his offer and she had visited him a couple of times. They talked about how to tell the real from the fake artifacts and he showed her a private exhibition he kept in the back for more exclusive customers while the rest was usually seen by tourists. He served her tea while they chatted about Singh and RJ explained to her the new enemy in their lives. 

“How did Carla Limbrey come into the picture?” 

“From what he told me it was years ago. She had been hiring investigators or something to find that supposedly magical piece of cloth, she had the ressources had the means to achieve what John had been trying to do for years. They cut a deal, if he helped her with it she’d let him have the gold and she only wanted the garment.”

“What about Singh?” 

“We always knew of this wealthy man out here in Barbados, I mean, anyone who’s looking for any treasure knows of this man but they met when John was stranded.”

“He told me about that, he offered John his life in exchange to help him find the treasure and John knew he wasn’t getting out of there alive whether he helped him or not.”

“Exactly.” RJ stared at the teenager while he sipped his tea. “You remember when I told you I had some things you might be interested in?” 

“Yes.” 

“I’ll go and get something in the back, be right back.” She nodded with a small smile and watched as he disappeared in the backroom. 

The high pitched bell rang throughout the room and Elizabeth turned to face the door and leaned on the counter she stood behind. 

“Arjun?” The man called out just as two other men walked in. “Oh, morning.” The man greeted and his accent made her cock her head to the side. 

“Morning.” She smiled politely before she started putting her things away. 

“American?” 

“Yes, my family and I are here on vacation.” She lied just as the backroom’s door opened and RJ walked through but the short man in front of her stared at her with uncertainty.

“It isn’t anything I usually sell but- Mr. Singh!” RJ exclaimed loudly who at the same time glanced towards the girl. “What brings you here?” “Just looking around.” The man mumbled. “But if you’re busy…” he trailed off and Elizabeth shook her head. 

“He’s not, actually. I was just leaving, he was nice enough to show me his vast collection.” Elizabeth’s hand gestured to the shelves around them. She grabbed her bag from underneath the counter and smiled nervously with her lips pressed together in a tight line.

“Take this before you go, Mrs. Connor.” He said and Elizabeth nodded unsure as to why he lied on her name. “I heard you were interested in different cuisines. This was my mother’s, please have it.” 

“No, I can’t take this …” 

“Please, my mother would love the idea of sharing our culture’s cuisine.” He said and she flipped through the cookbook where every pages were filled with handwritten notes. 

“Thank you.” 

“Now go.” He urged before she turned out and walked out with a certain urgency in her steps. 

“I wasn’t aware you sold cookbooks, Arjun.” Was the last thing Elizabeth heard before she walked out and the door slammed shut behind her. 

-

The brunette pulled the lock of the fence and walked in the barren yard only for the small house’s front door to be opened and Elizabeth was met with a furious looking John. 

“Where were you?” He asked and Limbrey appeared at his side. 

“It’s nice to see you, John. Was everything okay this morning? You were out when I woke up.” She said and John raised an eyebrow, waiting on her to answer. “Market for breakfast and then RJ’s, why?” 

“You were spotted.” The blonde woman added before they both stepped aside and let her walk in.

A very small television box was on the dirt encrusted counter and there her picture was. 

“I don’t even know where this was taken.” 

“They’re saying you ran away.” 

“Did they see? Back home?” The girl asked hopeful.

“Maybe.” Big John replied curtly.

“The Carrera’s stopped their TV appearances two weeks ago.” 

“...authorities fished the plane, belonging to a Jimmy Portis out of the water and are asking for Mr. Portis to turn himself in.” Elizabeth would’ve ignored the news but the look Carla Limbrey and John shared she turned to the television and listened. “Many witnesses present on the scene-”

“Lizzie I was-”

“Shh.” she raised her hand and John frowned. 

“-as four to six teenagers piled out of the plane along with its pilot that was carried to shore by one of them. We have images from the witnesses, videos that were taken on mobile devices that show the rescue.” 

Though it was blurry and almost imperceivable, Elizabeth recognized her best friend and her hand covered her mouth as she gasped. 

“The incident happened this morning before the teenagers escaped and left the man to die out on the beach. Jimmy Portis was brought to a local hospital where he is receiving the best possible care.”

“Like hell he is!” John let out. 

“John!” Limbrey scolded before she set her gaze on Elizabeth. The woman could see the girl thinking, could hear the engine running before she looked at John with betrayal. 

“Is this where you guys were this morning?” She questioned. “Did you know where they were this whole time? Why didn’t you go and help them, like you did with me?” 

“We couldn’t. Too many people and Singh’s people were already there.”

“Who cares?” She shouted and the two adults stared at her; one stared at her surprised by her outburst and the other breathed out deeply as a deep frown was etched on his face. “Your son was right there! Your own boy was right there and you let him go?” She jabbed her index finger in his chest. “What kind of father are you?” She shouted as unshed tears of anger appeared in her face 

“Show some respect, young lady.” John warned with a deep voice and usually, that type of angry paternal scold used to make the girl shut up, but she was boiling from the inside and her heart felt like it was being crushed. 

She took a few seconds, breathed in hoping it would calm her down, pushed her hair out of her face and groaned in frustration. 

She didn’t calm down and so she turned on her heels and put her hands on her hips. 

“Respect?” She repeated in a fake calm. “You’ve been away doing god knows what for a year while your son, your boy was struggling to survive. He was being threatened with child services, taken away from his home, failing classes because he thought you were dead, barely eating two meals a day and apparently you’ve known this whole time but you were too focused on your childish treasure hunt to care for your son and let it go?” Two words in and the tears started to flow but her voice stayed steady. “You had a chance to help him, him and his friends, my friends.” The brunette harshly wiped the tears from her eyes, looking at the ground before she stared at him with all the hatred she could muster. “You can shove your respect up high, sir.” She stated before she kicked a cabinet door. “Fuck!” She shouted and he stood there. “my- i- we-” she stuttered before taking a breath, nervously twirling the shark tooth pendant around her fingers. “My friends and I risked our lives for you because your son wanted to make your dream a reality and he hoped that by doing that he’d find you. John.” She whimpered. “We were put in harm’s way because you couldn’t let go of a myth-”

“John b never twisted your arm to go on that quest, girl.” The father spoke with raised eyebrows. 

“No, but someone had to look out for him, someone had to give him family and some resemblance to stability and we did that, together without you.” She grabbed her bag that she had dropped and moved to leave the house before she faced him again, her face destroyed by the tears. “Speaking of family, my mom’s gone, no news in over a month, not that you cared enough to ask and-” She stopped when he avoided her eyes and he blinked slowly. 

Elizabeth frowned when she noticed the lack of surprise on his face and she sobbed. She quickly glanced at Carla who stared at her apologetically though it would never change anything. 

 “Do you know where my mom is?” she cocked her head to the side and made a sound that resembled a squeak followed by a gasp. “Oh my god! Please…” She begged. “Was she, is she-” 

“She’s not dead. We believe Singh has her.” Carla spoke up.

“What?” Her eyes flitted between the two. “I met Singh this morning at RJ’s, John, he was right there.” 

“Robin isn’t the goal, Lizzie.” He said, voice void of emotion though his eyes were filled with tears. 

“You are an asshole.” She said, the girl shoved him and grabbed a few pieces of clothing before she walked out and slammed the door behind her. 

-

Elizabeth woke up startled before she shoved the scratchy covers off her and she looked around the rented room. 

“Fuck.” She groaned, glanced at the alarm clock and saw it was barely past seven. 

She took a quick shower and looked outside at the beaming sun and cloudless sky. She put on her new dress, paid for her room and went outside in search of food. She walked to the market and smiled at a woman and her child as they ate on a little table. She reached the stall she wanted and greeted the old couple she saw almost everyday. 

“Coffee?” The woman asked and Elizabeth nodded. 

“With uh, same thing as yesterday?” 

“The fish?”

“Yes, I don’t know what it was but god it was good!” 

“Thank you!” The vendors said at the same time. 

Elizabeth moved her hand to the top of her head where the sun was hitting harshly and she wiped the sweat that accumulated at her hairline.

“Take this.” The woman grabbed a pale straw hat that was hung on a hook and handed to the girl. 

“No, I can’t…”

“Just take it. Can’t have you die from heat exhaustion in front of my stall, now can I?” The husband insisted from the grill. 

“Come on.” His wife held the hat to the girl’s chest and Elizabeth took it but left a bill in a cup next to the cash register. 

“What? It’s your tip!” She winked just as she put the hat on her head. 

She heard commotion from behind her and quickly glanced at the marina and only saw a few workers shout orders and move around equipment. 

“That’s a nice blue.” 

“Right? It’s my favorite!” She smiled before she suddenly felt like she was being watched. Her smile disappeared and she turned around seeing a man look at her from far away and she shook the thought out of her mind before she looked at the ocean. 

Just as she received her food, she heard the bells form a familiar melody.

“Thanks!” She grabbed the plate from the man’s hands along with the plastic utensils. 

She could almost hear Big John’s voice calling John B and herself in when it was getting dark out. Her gaze moved to the church where the bells resonated from and she bit the inside of her cheek.

She moved to a more secluded part of the marina, so she could eat her meal in peace and she tried to ignore the bells calling her (and possibly John B) home. She stayed put for hours, watching the crowd come and go. 

What hadn’t moved was a large white boat, a Lagoon something she thought. She stared at it, lost in thought until half a dozen trucks appeared at the marina. Elizabeth could see the boat’s passengers move around to try and when the first few bullets flew, the people started to run away but she stupidly stayed when a very familiar voice shouted over the noises but it still sounded far away and she couldn’t hear it clearly enough to confirm her suspicions. She stayed put long enough to recognize Singh’s men, some she had seen around town or at RJ’s during her visits. 

A truck’s tires screeched to a halt near the market’s entrance and she gasped as she gathered her things in her bag and hid behind a cloth covered table a few stalls away.

“Show yourself, miss Miller.” A man spoke loudly and she swore quietly when the now familiar sound of a gun being loaded reached her ears. “My boss would like a word with you.” 

Elizabeth reached to the tabletop and grabbed a glass jar, making sure the man was not seeing her before she leaned her arm back and threw it in the opposite direction. The armed man’s head snapped towards the noise when the glass broke all over the pavement and she took the opportunity to slip out of the stall towards the back. She walked quietly behind the stalls, hidden by the large plastic tarps covering them. 

As soon as she was safe and out of the market, she kept her head low while she walked out of the town’s center. Her feet led her back to John’s house and she hid behind a car when a truck drove past it very slowly. 

The torn and dusty curtains were drawn, the fence locked, all the old windows were pulled down… It looked abandoned, which it was even if John had been hiding in it. She counted another five minutes before the truck came around again and she nodded to herself before she breathed out. 

“Quick in and out.” She whispered before she stood to her full height and took a few steps towards the house. 

“Not so quick, Miss Connor or should I say Miss Miller.” A man said behind her just as the nozzle of a gun was pressed against her head. The man’s accent told her everything she needed to know about his identity. 

“Mr. Singh.” 

“It is nice to see you again.” He said and she swallowed with difficulty when he applied more pressure to her skull. 

“Wish I could say the same.” She mumbled. 

“I wouldn’t be insolent if I were you right now, I do have a firearm pointed at your head.” He spoke and she heard footsteps coming up behind them before a pair of dry hands grabbed her arms harshly and pulled them out behind her back, tying them with what felt like zip ties. 

The man’s head popped in her sight and he pouted when a few tears started to silently fall down her cheeks. 

“Aw, is the little miss crying? Is she scared? Does she want her mommy and daddy?” He mocked before switching places with his boss. 

“Miss Miller, where is John Routledge?” Singh asked and Elizabeth avoided his gaze. 

“I don’t know, thought he might be home.” She spoke lowly. 

“But he isn’t so where could he be?” 

“I don’t know!” She shouted. “Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you shit.” 

“Huh.” The short man scoffed and at the same time the man behind her squeezed her left shoulder and she let out a pained cry. 

“I! Don’t! Know!” She shouted and if she’d looked up, she would’ve seen the neighbors close their door and windows or draw their curtains shut. 

“You’re telling me he left you behind?” He shook his head disapprovingly. “Tsk, tsk, tsk…”

“He never won father of the year, either.” Elizabeth commented, slightly bent over as the throbbing pain in her shoulder didn’t stop.

“No?” Singh questioned moving in a similar position. “What about your mother?” He said slowly. 

He watched as her green eyes snapped to his with a newfound anger and her lower lip started to tremble. 

“What?” 

“She’s quite pretty, you know?” 

“I see who you take after.” The man with his hand wrapped around her shoulder added and she grimaced and Singh sighed and shook his head at the man. 

“Well, miss Miller,” Singh started as he stood straight. “unless you have a trick up your sleeve I think you might be coming with us.” 

Elizabeth didn’t utter a word as they started to walk towards the black truck but she did try to shrug off the man’s hold on her injured shoulder which only made him grip the plastic ties around her wrists and hold them up, creating a sharp pain and pressure on both of her shoulders and down her biceps. 

“Enough!” Singh shouted when the teenager let out a sob. “Pain didn’t work for him, why would it work with her?” 

“Because she’s a girl.” The man stated and Elizabeth had to hold back a roll of her eyes. 

“Keep your energies and hers for later.” Singh ordered as another man jumped out the driver’s seat and held the backseat’s door open for him. In the meantime, Elizabeth was pulled around the truck and shoved into the seat next to Singh. 

Quickly enough, the driver had driven off and back towards the marina where they stopped for a few minutes while Singh and his men talked before they were all back in the vehicle. 

“Okay, let’s go.” Singh ordered once he nodded to the driver.  

The brunette shifted around on her seat, trying to change the sip ties’ pressure on her skin when the driver took a sharp left turn. 

“What are you doing?” The man sitting passenger barked while their boss leaned forward between the two seats. 

“I think we’re being followed, sir.” He whispered but Elizabeth still heard and hope bubbled in her chest. 

It took a handful of turns for the driver to confirm that they were indeed being followed and barely two stop signs before the car behind them pressed down on the accelerator and crashed into Singh’s truck. She really tried to not make up scenarios as to who the people might be but it was stronger than her. She didn’t know who to expect but she knew who she wanted it to be. Both the driver and the man sitting passenger jumped out to confront the crashers. Elizabeth flinched when gunshots echoed, when the car moved ever so slightly as if someone had been pushed against it she tried to look but couldn’t see anything. The brunette yelped while the man beside her covered his face when the window was bashed in and the door opened from the inside. A man she didn’t know gripped Singh’s collar and pulled him out. A scream left her lips when there was a knock on the window next to her head. 

Her savior definitely wasn’t who she expected it to be. 

“Come, come.” Carla Limbrey spoke through the window while the girl was frozen. “Elizabeth, we don't have time!” The brunette blinked and pulled the handle only for the door to stay closed. 

“Child lock?” She scoffed before she climbed over the console and moved to the passenger seat. The door was pulled open and Carla Limbrey helped her out. 

“We have a plane to catch.” She informed her while leading her toward her own vehicle a few feet behind. 

“Got anything to cut these?” Elizabeth showed her her wrists and Limbrey gestured to the car just as Carlos Singh pulled out a gun and shot a hole through the man’s head. 

“We gotta go!” Limbrey urged and she slapped the car so the driver would leave as soon as they were in the back. 

If they were in a cartoon, the tires would’ve smoked from how fast they left and Elizabeth’s eyes never left the recently dead man’s body as tears flowed down her cheeks. 

She turned to Limbrey once she couldn’t see him at all. “How can you leave him like that?” 

“He knew the risks, Elizabeth. He was offered a big sum if he got out alive, now it’ll go to his family.” The adult eyed the teenager before she reached in her purse on the ground. “Turn.” She demanded and Elizabeth obliged. Limbrey cut her wrists free and the teenager’s left arm fell to her sides and she winced. She rubbed her wrists that were marked with a thin line of almost raw flesh. 

“Thank you.” Elizabeth looked out the window and started to recognize the buildings and the shops. “Limbrey?” She called out and the woman arched an eyebrow in response. 

“Think we can make a pit stop?” 

-

Elizabeth brushed her hair with her fingers and fluffed it up a little before she checked herself out in the window and her reflection made her grimace. 

“Whatever.” She huffed before she walked a dozen steps and pulled the door open. The high pitched bell announcing her arrival rang loudly and she slapped a smile on her face when she saw the shop owner behind the counter. 

“Elizabeth!” She was greeted with a smile. “How nice to see you, I didn’t think I would see you again since Singh’s men’s been lurking around more often.” 

“It’s good to see you, too, RJ.” She said truthfully. “Listen, I-”

“What is that?” He questioned when the girl’s arms moved to the counter top and she leaned on it. “Is everything okay, Elizabeth?” 

“That’s what I’m here for, actually.” She let her arm fall down to her sides and Arjun didn’t miss the way she winced. 

“What can I do for you? Need a hiding place for a little while?” The brunette shook her head. 

“No, someone’s waiting for me.” She stared at him and she almost felt bad for the lie she was about to tell him. “I’m going home soon,” The man smiled at that and he sighed with relief. “and I wanted to know if you still had what we talked about ?” A smile spread across his face and he laughed. 

“Yes! Of course!” He turned and started to walk towards the back. “Come! Come!” So, she followed him to a small room in the back, a room in which she’d been a couple of times. “I knew you’d be back so I kept them safe.” He raised his eyebrows excitedly and she chuckled. 

Arjun stopped in front of a safe and he turned to her expectantly and she turned around. 

“There they are.” She faced him and he handed her a rather large drawstring pouch and she opened it and smiled at its content. “The pouch’s material is quite thick but be careful not to poke yourself with them.” She nodded. “Some of them are quite rare and are worth quite a lot, please don’t let me see them on internet in a few weeks.” He joked and she chuckled. 

“What- Wait how much are they worth? I can’t just take them!” “Yes you can and you will.” He insisted. “Okay…” He sighed. 

Elizabeth sucked in a breath, eyes flitting between the man in front of her and the safe behind him. She searched for one of the sharp and pointy ends in the bag and she pushed her finger against it before she dropped the pouch and brought her thumb between her lips with a hiss.

“Did you just…?” She nodded. 

“Jesus.” The adult sighed before he led her to the store’s front and brought out the first aid kit. 

She observed as he carefully disinfected the small wound on her thumb and placed a circular band-aid on it. 

“So, clearly you don’t follow instructions well.”

“Not really.” Arjun put the kit away and she patted her pockets before sighing. “I dropped the pouch in the backroom, I’ll be right back and I should go anyway, it’s getting dark.” She said before hurrying in the back. 

The safe was wide open and the only things in it were a relatively large and covered statue with an old rag and a small firearm. She grabbed the pouch, wrapped her hand around the object, slipped the gun in her bag and closed the safe’s door. On her way back she shoved the heavy thing in her bag and jiggled the pouch in her hand. When she looked up, RJ stared at her knowingly. 

“So, did you take it?” He asked and she stopped in her tracks. 

“What?” She frowned innocently. 

“Do not take me for a fool, Elizabeth.” He scolded and she looked at the floor. “If you had just asked for it, I would’ve given it to you, no questions asked. I much prefer you having it then me.” He admitted and she glanced at him. 

“I’m sorry.” She nodded. 

“Just go.” he sighed. “And take care of you, please.” He added and she smiled. 

“Thank you, for everything.” She backed up to the door and found the handle. “And again, i’m sorry.”

“Go home now, Elizabeth.” He smiled and she nodded excitedly before she walked out. 

She found Carla Limbrey who was waiting a few streets away for the teenager. 

“So, what did you risk your life for, this time?” Limbrey arched an eyebrow, eyeing the pouch in the girl’s hand. 

“A gift.” Limbrey scoffed before she told the driver to get them to the small airport where the seaplane was waiting for them. 

Elizabeth Miller was going home. 

Or so she thought. 

They had been on the road for almost an hour when gunshots rang through the air while the bullets broke through the windows. 

“What the fuck?!” she shouted. The driver started zigzagging in the street in an attempt to avoid the hits. Very quickly and after they were able to lose the shooters, they found a secluded little alley and turned off the car’s engine and lights. 

“We’ll hide here until they’re gone.” The driver said and Elizabeth felt her heart beat in her head. 

“I’m going to fucking die.” She whispered. 

“You won’t.” Limbrey said. 

“What do you mean I won’t?” She spat. “In the last twelve hours I have been held at gunpoint or shot at more than most people, I am going to die and my friends don’t know that I’m-” She stopped herself and cursed before she dug in her bag and retrieved the stolen cellphone. 

“What are you doing?” Carla asked. 

“Shh, shhh! It’s ringing.” Elizabeth waved her off. 

“Hi, you’ve reached the Routledges, we’re unable to speak to you right now but leave a message and we’ll get back to you.” 

“Hey, Johnny… It’s me. Look, I’m in trouble and- I don’t know if or when I’ll see you again but, your dad’s alive, okay? I’ve been staying with him the past few days and we’re in Barbados but I’m on my way home and-” Headlights lit the car up and the driver turned the engine back on. “Fuck! Shit, I gotta go. Tell J-” A gunshot cracked the windshield and she hung up. 

“Thank god for bullet proof glass.” The driver mumbled before putting the car on drive. 

-

Elizabeth stepped off the plane and onto the dock with teary eyes and a wobbly step. 

“We’ll drive you home.” Limbrey announced and Elizabeth shook her head.

“I’d rather walk if you don’t mind.” 

“At night?” 

“Yeah, I know my way from here, don’t worry.” Elizabeth reassured her. “Won’t take me twenty minutes.” She lied before she walked away with a final wave and mouthed thanks. 

She breathed in deeply once she walked off the airport grounds and as she walked to her home, tears stained her cheeks and she choked out a sob when she turned on her street and saw her house. The sun was barely starting to poke out through the horizon when she reached her house. She tried the front door but found it locked and of course she didn’t have her keys so she walked to the back. 

She shimmied the window to the side slightly and then she lifted it up. The brunette threw her bag through the opening and into her bedroom before following it. The first thing she did was grab the small statue that Big John was hiding and hiding it herself in the very back of her closet. And then, she laid on her bed for a good thirty minutes and cried, she cried until she was dry heaving over the edge of her bed before she tore the dress off her body. She grabbed a clean towel from the cabinet and a fresh washcloth and locked herself in the bathroom. When she walked out, her sun kissed skin was a light shade of red from the heat of the water and the force with which she scrubbed herself.  With the towel wrapped around her body, she walked back to her room and grabbed some clothes and underwear. When she was ready to walk out of her room, a balled-up sweatshirt was hidden in the corner where her bed met the wall. She sat on her bed and grabbed the sweater before bringing it to her nose. She inhaled and whimpered a little bit at the body wash smell and the barely perceivable car oil smell.  

“Oh, JJ.” She sighed before putting it on over her long sleeved shirt. 

With only the boy in mind, she slipped out of her bedroom window and started the short walk to the blonde’s house, hoping that by some miracle he’d be there waiting for her. When she reached the house, a wave of sudden sadness took over when she saw the eviction notice taped to the door. She walked up the few stairs and made her way to the door before opening the first one made up of framed wire mesh and banging on the second one with a closed fist. 

“Hello?” She called out. “It’s Elizabeth!” She added but there was no response just to be sure she tried the knob but found it locked. 

She did just like she did at her own home and entered through the window only this time she found herself in the kitchen. She looked around for a few minutes, glanced at the handful of pictures on the furniture or the walls and she smiled sadly. The floorboards creaked under her sneakers and she glanced to her left when she walked past Luke’s room; cigarettes and joints butts on the ground along with liquor bottles, she could remember the once beautiful comforter had turned an ashy and duller shade and the window had a layer of grime on it. 

Her face contorted into a grimace when she stepped on broken glass from a picture frame she knew Luke had thrown at a fourteen year old JJ. This place, this house hadn’t seen a moment of love for years and her heart ached at the thought of it since she knew that once upon a time the most heard sound between these walls was the giggles of a little JJ. When she reached his room she twisted the door knob and pushed the door open and she stayed in the door frame for a few minutes. His bed was always unmade, always ready for an afternoon nap… That’s what JJ had once told her when she commented on it. She shut the door behind her, leaving it a couple of inches open. Her head fell to the side as she walked and she recognized the two pictures on his dresser; Elizabeth was holding onto JJ’s neck while his hands were under her knees, making sure she wouldn’t move from his back.  The other one made her tear up a bit; Pope, John B, Kiara, Elizabeth and JJ were sitting in the HMS with wide grins on their faces. The two girls had their arms linked and the first four were staring at Elizabeth’s mother behind the camera while the blonde had snuck a glance at the brunette with a grin on his lips. The tip of her finger gently moved over his form and she found it difficult to have a smile on her lips. 

“Please, be okay, sweet boy.” She pleaded to whoever would hear. 

She glanced at the drawings on the walls back from when JJ drew everything that appeared in his mind. The maps, the pinned photos on the bulletin board. She frowned when she saw the framed fossilized butterflies on the floor and she bent over, grabbed it and hung it back on the wall. Out of nowhere she remembered JJ had a copy of her house keys somewhere in his drawers. She rummaged through them, shaking her head whenever she would come across adult magazines before moving on. When she reached the last drawer, her eyes opened wide in surprise when she found a small blue box with her name written in his handwriting on it. Her curiosity got the best of her and she wrapped her hand around it, finding not far from it the keyring with her house key along with a few articles of clothing of hers she had once brought over to stay over with JJ in case he needed her. 

She was still crouched down in front of the drawer when the door knob jiggled and she froze. Not even a minute later, heavy and quick footsteps made the old floor slightly tremble. When she heard empty beer cans falling to the ground and the same footsteps hit the floor she stopped. She opened her mouth and focused her breathing. It was silent for a couple of minutes and she sighed before closing the drawer as quietly as she could but the thing was old and creaked. Elizabeth placed the small gift box to the top of the dresser before she walked to where her bag was, on his bed. She unzipped it and pulled out the pouch and placed it right next to the box. She gave herself a few minutes and let herself fall backwards on the bed which made a framed picture fall between the wall and the bed and she sighed. The teenage girl was about to retrieve it when and she couldn’t mistake it for anything else, boots wearing heavy footsteps started to make their way towards her. 

“Shit, shit, shit!” She swore quietly as she quietly hurried to her bag and pulled out the gun, ready to shoot whoever dared squat JJ’s home. 

She stood in the middle of the room, gun out in front of her when the door creaked and was pushed open. She felt like throwing up when she let her finger fall on the trigger and a head of blonde hair appeared in front of her once the door was properly opened. 

“JJ, just, if you finish that sentence, neither one of us is getting out of this container, I won’t have it. So, just add that to the list of thoughts to hold, yeah? Until we’re safe?” God they should’ve stayed in the fucking container. 

Her arm fell to her sides as her whole body relaxed for the first time in over a month and a silent sob  left her lips. He looked up and it felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest when he stared back at her with red, tear filled and tired eyes. The only thing she could see was the exhaustion in his body. The world moved in slow motion as she noticed that he seemed thinner than before, his skin was tanned but also sunburnt, his hair was sunbleached. What struck out was how he seemed amazed that she stood in front of him. 

The air was knocked out of her lungs when he reached forward and their bodies touched. She was breathless for a few seconds before realizing that she could now breathe properly. She closed her eyes until he pulled away just enough to look at her again. 

God did she miss his eyes. 

He blinked slowly before he uttered her name in a broken tone. “Elizabeth.” He whimpered just as his legs gave out and his knees hit the ground.

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