"Hey." Skyler walked into the kitchen after getting out of the shower. The boys wore some of her uncles clothes to sleep while their clothes washed in the washer, Kie and Skyler wearing her cousins clothes. "You're still up?"

"Ugh, just thinking about Sarah and John B." Kie answered with a shake of her head. "I can go to sleep if me being up is, like, bothering you."

"No, I can't sleep either." Skyler said, pulling the freezer open. "How do you feel about mint chocolate chip ice cream?"

"Ugh, probably that it's literally the only acceptable answer in any situation." the girl said back as Skyler grinned, pulling the pint from the freezer. "The boys are missing out."

"They're out." Skyler laughed as she grabbed two spoons. "Did you know that woman actually need more sleep then men do?"

"Seriously?" Kie frowned her eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's because of our hormones." the girl hummed. "In some cases it's also said that our brains are wired to multi task so it makes us more tired."

"Well, that explains a lot." Kie said, sticking her spoon into the ice cream. "Thanks for letting us stay here."

"Yeah, it's not a problem." Skyler shook her head, taking her one spoon scoop. "I usually only come here alone, to clear my head, so it's not so bad with other people."

"Three strangers." the taller girl pointed out with a snort.

"Oh, come on." Skyler laughed slightly. "We aren't strangers. We hung out a few times with Sarah."

"There was also that time you got that nose bleed and I had to walk you to the front office." Kie laughed slightly. "That was one of the only good memories I had at the Kook Academy."

"Yeah, well, now i've gotta walk myself to the nurses office." Sky cracked a grin. "Is pogue school different?"

"I like it more." Kie nodded her head. "I feel like I fit in more, like i'm not having to constantly prove anything."

"Yeah, I feel that." Skyler nodded with a shake of her head. "I've only been at school for a week and so many people have already tried to pretend to be nice to me because of Sarah. I wanna be like 'You're the same bitch that made fun of me.' But, I don't."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I never thought you were like the other Kooks." Kie said honestly with a shake of her head, meeting Skylers eye. "You never made me feel like I had to pretend to be different, and I never thought bad about you."

Skyler smiled, nodding her head. "I'll eat to that."

They clinked their spoons together, going back to eating their ice cream.

"They're a bunch of fancy people. They've had three governors in the family." Kie spoke as they drove to Limbreys the next morning, riding in the fixed truck, "They've run Charleston for, like, three hundred years."

"These Kooks make our Kooks look like Pogues." JJ spoke as he looked out the window.

"Technology industries make the most billionaires." Skyler pointed out. "Maybe this chick is super good with computers. This is her house?"

"Pretty sure." Pope nodded with an exhale.

"All right." JJ announced, getting out after Kie and Sky did, "Fat city, for sure."

"Twenty-Seven Kings Street." Pope spoke as he stared.

"Talk about home security." JJ nodded toward the spikes at the top of the fence, "Those spikes to keep people out?"

Kie gave a sigh, "No."

Skyler looked around the gate. "You know, all this money and can't bother to get a new fence?"

"The slave quarters are over there." Pope said as he looked deeper into the fence, "Those spikes were keeping people in."

The gate opened for them as the four slipped in, walking up to the large doors. They were neatly cleaned and had gold handles. Pope gave a weary expression before raising his fist and knocking a few times. The door swung open as a man with dark eyed and a horrible scruff stared at them. His eyes scanned them before staring at Pope, "You must be Pope."

"Are you Mr.Limbrey?" Pope questioned nervous like.

"Mrs.Limbrey was expecting you yesterday." he spoke bitterly. Kie and Sky shared a look.

"Oh... I'm- I'm sorry. My car broke down on the way here." Pope stuttered over his words.

"Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowherevillie." JJ saved Pope quickly with a nod.

"It's pretty common when it comes to car troubles." Skyler nodded her head. "Even though, the main reason in the US for car troubles is a warning light."

"Yeah, she was real upset when you didn't show." He ignored Sky and looked back at Pope with a raise of his brows.

"We tried to call but there was no number on the invitation." Kie spoke with a nod of her head, "We got here as fast as we could."

"She also expected you to come alone." the man, yet again, ignored everyone but Pope.

"I mean, these are my friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too. I-" Pope began to explain.

"The instructions were explicit. Your friends can stay outside." he rolled his eyes with his answer.

"We're kinda a package deal, man." JJ nodded his head respectively.

"JJ. It's okay. I got this." Pope nodded his way as he swallowed, "I'll be good."

"We'll be right here." Kie reassured him.

The trio went back to the car, letting a weary Pope head inside. Skyler watched the door. "I forgot to mention that while 21% of kids know their kidnappers, 45% are strangers."

"Oh, comforting." Kie hummed in response. "If Limbrey is legit, then Ward gets arrested and maybe Sarah gets the gold."

They watched Pope and the man from the door walk toward the back. "Or that bitch ass Rafe."

JJ gave a small snort at her words.

"Does that look voluntary?" Kie asked as she saw the look Pope was giving them.

"45%." Skyler shook her head. "We gotta go get him."

"Hold on, hold on." JJ stopped them.

"What?" Kie looked back curiously.

"They're going into the alley." JJ watched with a point toward the walking trio. "We'll meet them on the other side."

"Hey, be chill. Be chill." Kie spoke quickly. "Skyler!"

"Sorry, sorry." the girl said, leaning back against the seat as JJ drove around. "I'm not seeing anything."

"Where did they go?" Kie gave a look as she clearly hadn't been seeing anything either.

"What if they went underground?" JJ suggested.

"Only 24.3% of houses have basements." Sky said in return.

"Not basements. In C.H.U.D, when they took people down into the sewers, it would turn the humans into humanoids cause of the radiation. And then all of a sudden-"

"Focus. That doesn't make any sense." Kie cut him off.

"I'd hope Pope isn't gonna turn into a humanoid." Skyler stared out the window for any sight of him. "That would be extremely un-fantastic."

Getting out of the truck, the trio rushed behind the house. They were met with Pope trying to hold down the blonde man, JJ hurrying over to kick the gun toward the girls before he could grab it. Kie grasped it. "Come on!"

"Pope, come on!" Skyler called as he hurried after, JJ close behind as they hurried to get back into the truck. "What the hell happened?"

"Those people are crazy as shit! Let's get out of here right now." Pope spoke quickly as JJ started the truck, speeding off as the four caught their breath.

Taking a right, Kie looked back. "I think he's following us."

"This is a one way. This is a one way." Pope shook his head as he spoke to JJ.

"They're following us!" Kie shouted in a panic.

"Give me the gun." Skyler took it from her, leaning out the window and throwing it. The gun hit the cars window shield, making it shatter as their car sputtered. "Yeah, baby!"

"There's another car! Turn now!" Pope shouted in a panic as JJ jerked the car to the right, Skyler yelling in a panic as Kie grabbed her waist to avoid her falling out of the car.

"Get out of the damn road!" JJ shouted as he nearly hit two people.

"Those were people! Jesus christ!" Pope yelled.

Kie yanked Skyler back in as she girl clutched her chest. "42,060 people died from car accidents last year! I don't wanna be the 61st!"

"That was a basic driving technical, yall!" JJ spoke through adrenaline. "Hang on, i'm gonna lose em. Skyler, hang on."

He took a harsh turn, the trio falling into each other before the engine blew. "He said he fixed the carbonator! He said he fixed it!"

"Okay, what now, Mario?" Kie asked in a panic.

"Number one rule. Never trust mechanics!" the Maybank boy panicked as Renfield pulled up behind them, "We gotta go around."

Skyler ran first, leading the way as the Pogues followed.

"Guys, I think he had a gun!" Kie yelled as she jogged close behind quickly.

"Get down." JJ yelled as they ducked.

"Hurry!" Skyler latched onto Kies hand, the pair running as they ducked under the delivery driver, only for JJ and Pope to run into it. "What'd I tell you? Multitasking."

"Sorry about that!" JJ called over his shoulder, running close to the girls as Skyler let them down the alley. "You know where you're going?"

"There's a space-" Skyler began, stopping as they nearly collided with an electric scooter.

She stopped when her eyes met Sarah Cameron's, a spread of chills running across her body as her eyes went wide. John B was with her, smiles spreading across their faces as it felt as though time was paused for a second.

"Get in! Get in!" John B explained quickly as Kie jumped into the back with Sarah. Skyler on her other side.

The trio of girls hugged each other tightly. John B began to peddle and JJ and Pope pushed from the back, the girls holding onto each other.

"He's behind us!" JJ yelled, making it up the small hill before jumping in.

"Pope, get in!" Skyler called after he'd fallen, running after them as Kie latched onto his hand, yanking him into the scooter.

"See ya later, alligator!" John B called over his shoulder as he peddled, having it come easy on him because they were going down hill.

•

kylie speaks

can't believe i caved and
updated twice just for
y'all