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TWENTY-NINE FAMILY
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Defeated, what remained of the group returned to the Wreck. Eating in silence as everyone was worried about JJ. Norman had never seen him act like that. Sure, JJ had always been a little bit of an asshole, but not so much so that he became practically unhinged. They were less offended by the behavior and more worried about it. JJ was practically family to the Pogues, so Norman could understand the fear within the group now that JJ had broken off on a rampage.
The silence surrounding the group was deafening as Norman, John B, and Sarah sat around the table. Pope was leaning against the window, not looking at anybody. He and JJ had always been closer than the rest, so Norman couldn't imagine how he was feeling. He imagined this was what it would feel like if Alisha decided to go off on a bender and he knew that would utterly destroy him with worry and fear.
"All right, look," John B broke the silence, "He'll come around. It's... he's doing a JJ thing."
Kie's expression didn't change as she asked, "Do you think he'll go home?"
"There's about a zero percent chance JJ goes home," Pope cut in and Norman couldn't help but wonder why. Judging by the somber expressions on everyone's faces, Norman thought it best not to ask. Some things he would have to figure out via context clues because at least he knew how to read a room.
"Are you okay?" Norman asked John B quietly, leaning to have one hand casually resting on the boy's thigh in an act that almost didn't seem purposeful, but still acted as a comfort.
John B shrugged, "I mean, I'm in one piece, so..."
Pope sighed, interrupting the conversation to set the record straight, "Okay so it's too dangerous to pawn this thing off piecemeal. So our best bet is to go down there and get the rest of it. Bring it all up at once. Put it in-in a safe or a vault or something. I-I don't know, just until we can find someone who won't rip us off."
"I can always have my mom get in contact with lawyers and see if there's any way we can claim ownership of the gold, then we don't have to worry about anyone asking questions where we got it from and just... go to the bank or something, I don't know. I've never tried to trade in gold bars for cash," Norman shrugged as he suggested the first thing he could think of.
John B shook his head, "It's stolen gold that we took from someone else's property, I don't think we have very much claim over it."
"Finder's Keepers?" Sarah added meekly, a half-smile on her face that faded quickly.
Pope shook his head, "No, no. I can figure it out tonight, get it done, and we can be out there tomorrow morning."
John B nodded, "And then we'll go from there. Yeah, let's do it."
