𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 {𝚓𝚓 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚔}

𝚜.𝟷 𝚎𝚙.𝟻 -𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎-

"you were in town again / you'd come around again / you were dragging me down again with you."

When they reached Rixon's Cove, the first thing Tate did as Pope and JJ started lighting up a campfire was pull John B into another tight hug. The second thing she did was shove him away and punch his shoulder- hard. "What the hell, JB?" she said, her tone accusatory.

"Look, I'm sorry-"

"Where were you?"

John B looked slightly uncomfortable. "I- ahh- went on a bit of an... adventure. Look, I'll fill you guys in in a minute."

Tate rolled her eyes and stepped around the campfire to stand at JJ's side. He stood up and gave her an uncontrollable grin, putting and arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "Missed you, Theodora."

"Don't call me that."

Pope finished getting the fire started and then stood up too. "Hey, guys," he interrupted JJ and Tate, "So, like, my dad's already gonna kill me. So what's this mandatory meeting about?"

Tate looked at JJ expectantly, but all he did was sit down on a log behind them. She settled herself next to him and looked at John B, who was sitting on a log across from them. Pope sat down too, across from Kiara. John B looked up at JJ, eyebrows raised. John B held up finger guns and pretended to shoot JJ. Tate rolled her eyes, but looked back at JJ, who sighed. "Might as well tell him, man, before we're gaffed," he said seriously.

"You ready for this?" asked John B. He looked around the circle dramatically. Tate shivered in the night air and leaned against JJ's side, reveling in the fact that he was back. "So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant," John B said, just barely keeping his voice from cracking with excitement.

Pope rolled his eyes. "Oh my god, here we go again with this."

"No, alright, wait," said JJ. "Hear him out, alright?"

John B looked unaffected by Pope's doubts. "It's been here the whole time," he said softly. "It's on the island."

Kiara looked doubtful. "Are you serious?" she asked in a hushed voice. "Oh my god." She laughed in disbelief.

Tate turned to JJ. "Wait- actually?"

"I'd like to voice my skepticism," said Pope.

John B stood up to prod the fire. "I'm sure you would, Pope," he said through a sigh. "But can I please present you with my evidence, sir?"

Pope waved his hand sarcastically. "Proceed."

"Alright, so-" John B said with renewed purpose, "-in my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny." He unzipped his bag and displayed a very old looking piece of paper with loopy scrawl written all over it.