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I got to the Chateau before the other Pogue's. I walk into the Chateau to find John B sitting on the pull out with his head in his hands. He looks up as me as the front door clicks shut. An angry expression was on his face.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Peterkin came this morning. We can't go out into the Marsh."
"Why?"
"Tit for tat."
"What?" I ask confused.
"If I stay off the Marsh she won't tell DCS about my uncle."
"That's bullshit." I exclaim. "She's blackmailing a minor?"
"Mila, we can't. I can't go into foster care."
"I know. We'll call it off if we have to." I shrug.
When the rest of the Pogue's arrive John B announces the plan being called off.
"Look, I'm calling it off. All right? Peterkin said if I stay off the Marsh, she'll help me with DCS."
"And you believe her?" JJ questions.
"Yes, I believe her." John B states.
"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop." JJ throws a rocks.
"All I gotta do is stay out of the Marsh for a couple days, and she'll help me out. It doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting the gun."
"You know what I should have done? I should've let Topper drown your ass!"
"Okay, JJ." I say cutting him off.
"Topper was gonna drown me?" John B asks
"Sure looked like it." JJ answers.
"Funny."
"Have you looked in a mirror?" JJ questions, standing up from where he was sitting. He walks over to John B.
"Tell me more. Come on."
"They always win, don't they, man? Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win. Goddamn!" JJ punches a buoy that was hanging from the rafting above us.
"JJ! Relax!" I say as he walks away.
"It's okay!" Kie calls out.
JJ whips around quickly, looking at her. "No, it's not okay! It's is not! They don't want us to go down into the Marsh. That means there's something valuable down there, and you know it. I know you do!" The blonde turns to my brother. "And I understand why you don't wanna go. You're the golden boy. You got way to much to risk." He then turns to me. "And you, you're not even around half the time and you're off doing your own thing." Finally, he turns to Kie. "And you- I mean you're already rich as fuck anyway. Why would you bother?" He turns back to John B. "But you and me, man. We got nothing to lose. We really don't, all right?"
"JJ-" Pope tries.
"And I know it didn't use to be that way for you." JJ continues.
"I don't wanna talk about this, I don't wanna talk about this." John B tries to get JJ to stop. He begins to walk past JJ who tries to stop him.
"So, that's it?" JJ asks.
"Just, get out of my way, bro." John B shrugs him off.
"John B, listen to me." JJ calls after him. "I have a plan."
"JJ, just leave him alone." I try.
"You got the key to big Cameron's big boat, right?" JJ asks following the brunette.
"No."
"There's scuba gear. We just borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what's gonna save you, man. You don't see rich kids going into foster care, do you?"
John B walks back over to the group of us. He looks down at me. I raise my eyes, questioning him.
"Can we talk a second?" He asks.
"Uh, yeah." I follow him inside.
I hear the other Pogues questioning us.
"What was that about?" Kie asks.
"I don't know." Pope answers.
John B has me sit at the table across from him. He stays quiet a moment, staring at the table. I'm about to speak up when he finally looks up at me.
"Do you think we should do it?" He asks.
"I think JJ's plan isn't bad, as long as we don't get caught. I know this gold thing is really important to you, so I think it's worth a shot."
"You'll be there?"
"Of course, I'm always here for you." I say.
"I don't have much to lose." He points out.
"Just us and the chateau." I agree.
"And the Pogue." He jokes.
"If you had to go to the Mainland, I'd watch over the Pogue." I smile.
