THE five Pogues sat around a fire at Rixon's Cove, adrenaline still rushing through their veins from the great escape they'd just managed to make.  

Eden, despite the home situation she now found herself in, regretted nothing. Instead of suffering next to her mother, sipping flutes of champagne to get her through the night, she was now sitting next to her friends, smiling and laughing just as they always got her to do.  She wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

As JJ tossed a log into the fire they had going, Pope spoke up, "Hey, guys," he took a seat on a fallen log, just as everyone else had done, "So, like, my dad's already going to kill me.  So, what's this mandatory meeting about?"

There was a beat of silence and John B. looked over at his blonde friend, sending small finger guns his way—as John B. usually did.  Meeting eye contact, JJ replied, officially starting the meeting he'd deemed mandatory, "Might as well tell him, man, before we're gaffed."

"You ready for this?" John B. asked.

"Yeah." Kie replied.

Eden nodded, "Spill the beans."

At their words, the Routledge did as they'd asked and finally brought up what he'd found out, "So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant."

Pope let out a groan, annoyed that he'd gotten himself in trouble just to hear more on the gold, "Oh my god.  Here we go with this again."

JJ eyed his friend, "No.  Alright, wait. Hear him out, alright?"

"It's been here the whole time." John B. admitted with a small, knowing smirk, looking between his friends, "It's on the island."

Both girls looked at one another, Kie speaking up, "Are you serious?" as her friend nodded in response, she exclaimed, "Oh my god."

Pope, who'd been the most weary of finding the gold to begin with, folded his hands together, bringing them to his lips, "I'd like to voice my skepticism."

John B. stood up, "I'm sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence, sir?" He stood in front of everyone as if he was getting ready for some class presentation, which he almost was. 

"Proceed," Pope waved his hand.

"Alright. So, in my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny—" John B. started, only to get cut off by confused looks and voices coming his way.

Eden raised her brows, "Am I supposed to know who that is?"

"Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Check this out."  At the end of his sentence, John B. handed his friend the letter in which he'd been speaking on, allowing her to get a good look at it, "Okay, slaves weren't mentioned as crew members on the ship, but my dad, he found he complete manifest.  That was his big discovery. So, Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom."

Eden handed the letter over to Kie, who snatched it.  John B. was right; Denmark Tanny was indeed a passenger upon the Royal Merchant.  As the letter got passed around the group like a note in class, John B. continued, "After that, he bought his farm. Drumroll please, because that farm is...."

All four participated, slapping their knees in rhythm to mimic the sound of drums, all curious of where his farm could possibly be on the island.

"Tannyhill Plantation."

"Tannyhill?"  Kie asked, surprised that the gold had truly been hiding under their noses the whole time. 

The brunette boy continued speaking, "Yeah. So, after that, he used the money to free even more slaves, and the he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pisses off all the white planters, and then, they decide to lynch him." Everyone sent him a small look, but he continued on anyway, "So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes a letter to his son as a farewell, and the last line of that letter, he leaves a coded message about where to find the gold."

As if they were little children listening to a scary story, Kiara questioned, "Where?" with a childish smile on her face.

"Harvest the wheat in parcel nine, near the water.  Except...there's no wheat.  You see, wheat is code for gold. Check this out."  The Routledge shined a flashlight down on the letter so Pope could see it better, pointing out the hidden message, "The gold is in parcel nine, near the water."

"Holy shit." Pope exclaimed.

"All we need is an original survey map of the property, and we've found the gold."

Pope, though still slightly skeptic, said, "Okay, so this might have a small chance of being actually true."

"It's like King Tut."

"We're gonna be filthy rich." Eden drawled, Kie giving a small 'whoop' from beside her.  Maybe the dream of going full Kook wasn't so distant anymore, maybe it was in reality growing nearer, "Full freaking Kook." She smirked.

 "All because I am a genius," John B. gave her a small smile, proud of himself for this minor Pogue victory. They were so close.   As he spoke, JJ got up from his spot on the lone log and came right up to his friend, wrapping his arms around the boy, as well as lifting him off his friend.  When his friend slightly teetered, John B. called out, "Hey—whoa! Hello, fire! Fire.  You're near the fire.  You're near the fire.  You're gonna burn."

Setting the Routledge back on his feet, the Maybank spoke, hands lingering on John B.'s waist, "I'm so proud of you right now."

"Thank you. That's really sweet of you." John B. cupped the side of his friends face.

Pope brought attention back to the gold, "Okay, so, guys....What's the plan?"

John B. was quick to become on task again, "Good question.  So, Sarah Cameron's coming tonight.  She's gonna bring an original survey map—"

The boy didn't get too far as Kie and Eden both sent him shocked glances when he so casually mentioned the name of the Kook Princess herself.  The two girls looked at one another, eyes wide before commenting.  Eden was first, "I'm sorry did you say Sarah Cameron? As in the 'Kook Princess who ratted you out the other day' ?"

"Sarah? Why.....Why Sarah?" Kie was just as confused.  Out of all of them, she had the worst history when it came to the blonde.  Back in her freshman year—her Kook year, if you will—she'd befriended the girl, but come sophomore year, friends they were no more.  Eden still remembers the day where Kiara showed up unannounced at her door, crying her eyes out because Sarah had 'back-stabbed' her.  Ever since then, Kie was quick to turn down any idea or sentence that involved her, like she was now.

JJ muttered, "This is gonna be good."

At those words, which almost insured that John B. was hiding something from both girls, Eden sent him an almost annoyed look, "You might as well tell us now, John." 

The brunette boy put a hand on his hip, wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out an explanation that wouldn't leave him getting yelled at by his friends, "Uh....Sarah, um, she—she got me into the archives at Chapel Hill yesterday, and that's where I got the letter."

"You were at Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?" Kie inquired, brows raised in slight disbelief.

"Yeah, um—"

Eden put her face in her hands, "John Booker Routledge, don't tell me you were out macking on Sarah Cameron when we were stuck here fighting with the Death Squad."

John B.'s eyes widened, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said I was macking—"

"Oh, you definitely were." JJ spoke up from the side.

"I wasn't macking."

"You were totally mackin' Sarah Cameron." the blonde stated without hesitation.

Eden put her hands out, trying to get everything clear, "Okay, so let me get shit straight.  You were off macking with the princess herself while JJ was literally in a jail cell? Cool, really cool, John B—"

"No, I didn't know! And I wasn't macking on her, okay?" John B. said firmly, trying to stop the arguments that were happening.  He hadn't called them all out to talk about his trip with Sarah, nor about how he was M.I.A for the past day,  "I was using her for access."

"There was access, alright." JJ muttered under his breath.

Kiara looked at her friend with a hint of betrayal in her eyes, "Did you tell her about the treasure?" Macking around her was one thing, but if he told her about the treasure—about their little dream, their secret hunt—Eden was sure Kiara was going to kill him. 

John B. stammered, "I was just trying to get into the archives!"

"Is that a yes?"

"I-I left out key details!"

"Yo, what?" Kiara exclaimed, visibly upset and angry at the boy. Beside her, Eden stared daggers into him to show her emotions.  John B. knew his two friends wouldn't take this information well—he'd gone over the outcomes—but he didn't expect to get totally ambushed, "You let a Kook in on our secret? What about 'Pogue Lyfe'? What about the T-shirt company, bro? "

"I was just using her for information." the Routledge defended.

"I think that makes the situation worse." Eden stood up as well, "Not only did you let her in on this stupid gold hunt, but you used her.  Now she's running around with information, and I bet you she's running right to daddy with it as we speak." She was getting angrier as she spoke.  While she couldn't really choose who John B. spent his time with, she at least hoped he'd know how to act around the Kook. He couldn't just spill any secrets to her—Kooks could never be trusted.

"Why don't I believe you?" Kie rolled her eyes, talking in a mimicking manner, "And for the record, I agree with Eden."

"I'm trying to make us filthy rich here." the brunette insisted, "Okay, so we can pay off a boat, or-or, uh—" he gestured towards Pope for his next words, "—send you to autopsy school so you can study dead bodies—Look, you guys know me! Do I look like the type of person to fall for Sarah Cameron?" He laughed at himself towards the end, looking out towards his friends, who didn't agree one bit with him.

JJ scratched the back of his neck, "Uh...."

Pope questioned, "Do you want us to answer that or....."

"Just—"

"Yes, you do." Eden said, the most dead panned expression she could master on her face as she gave an honest answer.  While she hated to admit it, John B. was someone who would fall for the princess. He was a lone Pogue looking for romance and she was a Kook charmer who still hadn't found the right person, "I saw how you looked at her at the boneyard the other night—"

"Eden, just stop." John B. stopped her, getting the opposite of he'd wanted.

Kiara brought the conversation back to knowing Sarah, "Look, you don't know her yet. I do!" She shook her head, exasperated, "You can't trust her."

Pope nodded, "Her brother did hit me in the back of the head with a golf club once."

"Oh, and don't forget: him and his squad beat JJ and Pope up the other night—oh, wait, you weren't there." the Bexley sent him a look, gesturing towards her bruised nose afterwards to state her second point, "Rafe also happened to be the cause this nasty ass bruise, too."

John B. defended the Kook once again, "Rafe and Sarah are two different human beings."

"What did she do to you, exactly?" JJ asked the Carrera girl.

Kiara replied fiercely, hands moving with her words, voice loud with frustration, "She like a—like a spitting cobra.  First, she blinds you and then—"

"This is a bad analogy." Pope interupted, as if it truly mattered.

"Listen to me!" Kie exclaimed.

"Stop being such a smart ass, she's trying to state a point." the brunette girl besides Kie shook her head towards the Heyward boy.

Kie gave a thankful nod towards her friend before continuing, "Whatever we get, she's gonna try to take."

The girl  fell into silence, waiting for her friend to comment.  But, he had nothing to say.  John B. knew that Kie and Sarah had rocky history, he knew everything, yet he still ended up becoming close with the blonde, and he knew Kiara saw that as a betryal.

Eden sighed, "Look, John B., you're my best friend, my brother.  I want you to be happy, to have someone, and I'm sure Sarah looks like that person, but after what she did to Kie....."  She trailed off, "Just don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart and moves on to the next single boy in a heartbeat."

About an hour later, the Twinkie pulled into the Hawks Nest, the local state park where John B. had told Sarah to meet him.  Coming to a halt right in front of the entrance, John B. opened his door with a sigh, "Alright..."

"Hit it boys! We're goin'." JJ called out as Pope opened the side door, "Little recon mission."

Noticing his friends were beginning to file out of the van, the brunette boy turned towards then, "Yo, uh....So, I, uh, think I'm gonna do this one by myself...."  He watched as the four looked towards him, annoyed looks plastered on their faces, a big one on Kie's in particular, ".....tonight."

"Really?" JJ pulled his hat off, sending a look towards the boy.

"Of course you do," Eden sighed, leaning back into her spot.  She felt slightly replaced, though she knew it was wrong.  It was just.....John B. was her best friend.  Eden had been tagging along on his missions since elementary school and now she, as well as the rest of the Pogues, were getting replaced with the Sarah Cameron, whom he'd just recently gotten to know.  None of it sat right with her, not at all.

John B. frowned when he noticed his friends expressions, "What?" 

"Nothin', brother." the blonde twirled his hat around in his hands.  Thunder rolled from above them as the conversation continued, signaling that a storm was approaching. 

"I just don't want to spook Sarah with the peanut gallery." John B. tried to defend his words once again, which only angered the girl sitting beside him.

Kiara's voice was sharp, "I just don't understand why we're involving her at all." No matter what John B. said, she wasn't giving in to the idea of Sarah joining them, even if it was just for one night.

John B. replied, "Kie, we're not involving her, okay?"  He continued to make an attempt at explaining, which failed as he stammered to find the right words, "It's—it's just, uh, like a......like a business meeting.....thing."

"I love how you had hesitation in that entire sentence." Eden raised her brows at the boy. 

The Routledge boy sighed at her words, "Look, once we get what we need, we cut her loose, alright?" He nodded his head, "Plus we need the map." 

Still not giving in, Kiara shrugged his shoulder and sent him a knowing look, "Promise me nothing's happening between you two."

John B. suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and mimicked, "I promise nothing's happening, Kie."

"I'm being serious."

"Okay!"

"This isn't about you, and this isn't about us. This is about her." Kiara looked at her friend, lightning flashing behind her, "Dude, she's gonna get inside your head.  Just promise me nothing's happening between you guys."

"I promise." John B. muttered.

"That was really believable." JJ said, seeing right through his friends lie.

Pope agreed, "A hundred percent believable."

Eden messed around with the buckles of her heels, "Your a shit liar, bro."

John B. ignored the incoming comments and placed a hand on the door, "Anyways, um......I'm gonna take care of business."

"You're gonna take care of that business so well." JJ drawled.

Pope turned to look at the brunette boy, "We'll just sit here.....in the hot-ass car.....while it's lightning."

Eden shrugged, sarcastically saying, "Maybe we'll get lucky and the lightning will hit us."

After John B. climbed out, the van fell into silence.  No one really knew what to say.  No one wanted to say Kie was being dramatic—she had a reason not to like Sarah Cameron—but they all knew simultaneously that she was more than likely going to become a bigger part in this, and that they'd have to get used to her.

So, while Kie sat, arms crossed and Eden took off her heels—heels that were beginning to cause her feet to ache—Pope broke the silence barrier, "Eden, Kiara, holding on to your grudge is like drinking poison and thinking Sarah will die."

"Exactly." the Maybank chimed in.

The Bexley sighed and leaned against the Twinkie wall, feeling the cool breeze of the outside hit her skin.  Since the car was rather hot, JJ had opened the door, allowing some air inside, which was appreciated.  Beside her, Kiara stayed silent, so Eden decided to comment on Sarah instead.

"I don't hold a grudge, more so just an overall 'i don't like you in general' sort of thing." Eden replied, "Has she done anything to me personally? No. But, has she and her family hurt the people I love? Yes.  I'm not about to forgive and forget everything that's hurt Kie, or any of you that quickly.  I don't want her to start problems."

It was true.  While Eden had never befriended the blonde girl, she knew how bad things could get.  Not only had she cut ties with Kiara for no apparent reason, her father had fired John B., her boyfriend beat him, JJ and Pope up on more than one occasion, her brother included.   So, was Eden going to just allow her in? Not at all.  There would have to be some trust gained first.

"I mean, that's actually fair." JJ nodded, "Rafe and Kelce—"

Kiara was quick to cut them off, quickly sitting up in her seat,  "Wait, do you guys hear that?"

"What?"

As thunder crashed, the four listened, finally hearing the words, "Please, somebody help!" in a rather panicked tone. 

The moment those words hit her ears, Eden jumped up. Something had happened.   Her eyes locked with the others, who had also heard the calls for help, and the four Pogues quickly exited the van to see what had happened.

Running barefoot—she'd left her heels in the Twinkie—through the grass, a few steps ahead of her other friends, she followed the panicked screams all the way to the Hawks Next, her breath hitching once she caught sight of the scene ahead.

The moment she saw John B.'s body on the floor, the calm and content Eden turned panicked and concerned.  With Sarah cradling his head, tears falling from her face, the Bexley knew that something bad had happened to her friend.  If Sarah had caused this—

"Sarah!" Pope yelled, "What happened?"

Pope's words had taken Eden from her train of thought and she quickly stumbled forward to get a better look.  Sarah replied to the question through trembling lips and a cracky voice,  "I don't know what to do.  He needs help. Topper shoved him."

"Where the hell is he?" JJ asked furiously.

"Oh, please, please, please get help.  I don't care who. Just call someone." Sarah cried, practically begging.  Without another thought, Eden took out her phone to call 9-1-1, Pope snatching it away to dial the numbers himself, saying something along the lines of 'you know more than us, go help!'

Eden wasn't sure she was exactly right for the situation, but she'd saved his life once, right? All she had to do was make sure he wasn't dead and then wait for professional help to come.  Simple enough, but maybe not too simple as Eden had anxiety flooding through her.

Cautiously, Eden approached the crying Cameron girl, watching as she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips.  A quick pang of betrayal flashed through her—as well as in Kie, who stared down at the two with nothing but anger in her eyes—but Eden made an attempt at shutting it out for the moment being.   While she was pissed off at John B. for lying on multiple occasions, it wouldn't do her any good while trying to save him.

She let out a quick breath, kneeling down to meet the blonde girls level, "Sarah? Are you listening to me? I-I'm gonna try and help him as much as I'm able too."

"Please, he needs it." Sarah stared up at the brunette girl though watery lashes.  Whatever vendetta the two girls had against each other wasn't existent at the moment, not when a boy they both found close was in danger.

"Okay, uh, first put his head down." Eden tried to think of everything she'd gotten taught over the years.  Almost cautious to do so, Sarah hesitated, causing Eden to slightly explain further, "If the fall broke his spine or something, you holding and rocking his head could make it worse."

Sarah was quick to set his head down once she realized she could be hurting him, "Oh, I-I'm sorry."

Eden was quick to gently place her hand on his neck, feeling for a pulse, which there was one of this time.  She then started to feel around, checking for any sort of bleeding or fluids, but she was met with nothing.  The only thing that looked off was his arm, which was swollen around his wrist—it was more than likely broken. 

 Until the ambulance arrived, there was nothing Eden nor her friends and Sarah could do but wait.  

mara's misc!

i don't really have any comments on this chapter!  i think it turned out pretty good, it's a ton of dialogue tho.

also, eden would totally have a vendetta against sarah whether or not she's done anything.  eden cares abt her friends more than anything, and since sarah hurt kie—her family+bf hurting the rest of them—she just wouldn't like her for that

hope you enjoyed<3 see you back with chapter 14