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"I know this is all weird, all right? Do you know anything about this?" John B pulls out the compass, showing it to the man. "Look, it- it says Redfield on the back, in my dad's handwriting. Yeah, I don't know why I'm here, but I feel like I'm supposed to be here. Do- do you have anything to give me, or to..."
The man turns away, walking away from us.
"Where are you going?" I ask.
The man opens a hatch, crawling through. John B follows him, climbing up the ladder. "Wait a minute.' Look... Look man, I know this is weird. I just thought, hoped, you would know something about this, all right?"
"Sir, you won't believe what he's been through in the past 24 hours." I speak up. " I mean, threatened, shot at, home-invaded."
"Home-invaded?"
"My rooster was killed. Look, man, my dad wanted me to talk to you, okay? So if there's anything you could think of that could help us, please, just tell us." John B says desperately. "Look, man, please!" John B grabs the collar of the mans shirt.
"John B, stop!" I tell him.
"If you know anything, just- just-"
The man's radio beeps, making me jump. "Wanda, I got two kids on drugs up here at the lighthouse. Call the police!"
John B starts to get physical with the guy.
"Okay, John B! Let's go! Stop!"
John B slams the man's hand into the window.
"John B!"
"It was an accident." He tells me.
"John B, let's go!" I demand.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"
We take off down the stairs, running away from the man. I breathe heavily as I make my way down the stair. We could still hear the man yelling into his radio.
I hear sirens as we run out the front door. I see the van pulling out of the parking lot, going down the street.
"Oh, shit." I say frantically. I grab John B's hand and pull him with me. "This way!"
We hop the fence on the opposite side from before. I follow John B as we run far away from the lighthouse. When we get far enough away we stop running but continue to keep walking.
"Hey, look, you have to admit, that was kind of promising. I mean, my dad, the Royal Merchant, the ranger, the Royal Merchant. I mean, coincidence? I don't- I don't think so."
"John B, he works in a lighthouse. He's supposed to know about shipwrecks, it's his job." I point out.
"But the Royal Merchant?"
"That's literally one of the most famous shipwrecks of all time. And it was in Outer Banks, of course he knows about it. Redfield is a really common name, here. It could mean anything."
"Look, I don't know. Maybe we missed something at the lighthouse. We- we should go back." John B stops walking and turns to me.
"John B... no."
"You believe me, right?" I look down at the ground, avoiding his eyes. "Right?"
"I want to, I do. But-"
"Really?" He cuts me off.
"Oh, for gods sake. Would you listen to me? I understand that you miss your dad. How can we know he put the clue in a compass?"
"'Cause he knew it'd come back to me!" John B yells.
"John B..." I trail. A sad look crosses his face. "Come here." I pull the boy into a hug, wrapping my arms around his neck. His snake around my waist, pulling me close. "You've gotta get it together, John B. You're starting to lose it. I need my best friend back, okay?"
The brunette pulls away just enough to look at my face. I watch his eyes scan over me. He leans in, slowly separating my lips with his own. I reach up to cup his cheek. I let myself get lost in the kiss for a brief moment before quickly pulling away.
"I-"
"Shit, um.. I'm.. I'm sorry." He steps away from me.
"John B, I love you, but only as a friend. You're my best friend."
"God, I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey, hey. Listen to me. This doesn't change anything between us if we don't want it to."
"I want us to stay best friends." John B says looking at me.
"I do too."
He pulls me back in for a hug. "Nobody has to know about this. And no hard feelings, okay? It was just a heat of the moment thing."
"Yeah, 100%."
A police siren pulls up behind us. John B stops in front of me.
"Routledge! I got you, son!" Shoupe announces, getting out of the car. "Now, why don't you just be chill and not make me chase you?"
John B discreetly reaches into his back pocket, pulling out the compass. He hold it out for me to take. I do and pocket it as John B holds his hands up in surrender.
