Conjugated - A Jonnor Tale

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Worth More Than Gold

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Worth More Than Gold

"I guess I know what I'm calling my school paper," Connor said. "It'll be 'I Looked For Treasure On Easter Island And All I Got Was A Smelly Old Book,' what do you think?"

Jude grinned. "Well I know where my treasure is, and it's worth more than all the gold in the world," he said, jumping up and putting his arms around Connor. "I got it right here."

"Awwww," Connor said, his cheeks turning pink, unable to suppress a smile. That was one of the cutest things about Connor, he seemed so jock-like with his muscles and sports playing, but he was truly the softest of softies and even the slightest display of affection turned him into mush. "I agree babe, you're the best treasure I could have." He kissed Jude.

"How was soccer?" Jude asked. "Oh, I mean football." He smiled.

"It was hella fun, the guys here are really good. My feet are sore though."

Jude sat on the edge of the bed. "Give 'em here."

Connor pulled the chair up and sat in it, and lifted his feet into Jude's lap. He sighed happily as Jude rubbed them. "That feels so good. Oh man, boyfriends are awesome." He picked the diary of Michael Stevens and thumbed through it. "He sure wrote a lot for a pirate."

"He sounds more like a mercenary, from Taylor's description," Jude said, rubbing his thumb into the ball of Connor's foot. "You should read it, find out what he was like."

"Yeah," Connor said, turning back to the first page. "I really don't know much about my ancestors. Do you?"

Jude shook his head. "Not really. I didn't even know that T.J. were the initials of my grandpa." He watched Connor exhale as he rubbed his toes. "I'll get my book," Jude said. "Want to sit on the couch?"

"Yeah," Connor said, continuing to read as he moved over to the couch. He sat down and Jude sat next to him. He looked at Jude. "You think it'll be like this when we're old men, sitting on a couch somewhere reading?"

"Sounds nice," Jude said. He propped his book open. "Just don't start with that whole granny thing again, please."

Connor laughed.

***

The squad had their final dinner on Easter Island, and the bus took them back to Mataveri. Jude climbed into Selfridge's jet with Connor behind him, his nose still buried in Michael Steven's diary. "That must be better than we guessed," he observed.

"It's so good," Connor said. "I'm surprised. He's different than I would have thought." He and Jude went to the back this time, and sat next to each other on the couch. "It also says in here how he got to Easter Island, he came with Peruvian slave traders."

Jude crinkled his nose. "He was a slave trader?"

"Oh no!" Connor hastily corrected. "He wasn't at all, he was actually trying to stop them. They thought he was on their side, but he actually sabotaged one of their ships. He was discovered and put off at the island, which was thought to be hostile at the time. There was a native girl he liked. He also spent time with the elders on the island, learning from them. He wrote lots of stuff down. Look at these," Connor showed him some pages.

"Wait a minute," Jude said. "Hey Taylor!" he called out.

Taylor came over. "Yeah, did you find something?"

"Didn't you say something about Rongorongo on the note you gave us? Look at this."

Taylor took the book and looked over the pages. "Whoa. This could possibly help translate Rongorongo! That's something nobody's ever been able to do before! There are only a few samples in existence. Let me show this to Jefferson." She went up to the front of the airplane.