{Tannyhill Plantation}
'Hey, guys. So, like, my dad's already gonna kill me. So what's the mandatory meeting about?' Pope asks tapping his hand off his knee as we all sit around the fire in the forest. 'So what's the mandatory meeting about?' Pope asks again nervously. John b shoots finger guns at JJ. 'Might as well tell him, man, before we're gaffed.' JJ shrugs. 'You ready for this?' My brother asks us and I lean forward on the log nodding my head.
After a moment of silence I roll my eyes. 'Come on, Johnny, I'm impatient.' I shout and they all look at me before laughing. 'So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant.' He states and my eyes widen. 'Oh my god. Here we go again with this.' Pope sasses and I roll my eyes before shushing him. 'No. All right, wait. Hear him out, all right?' JJ says to Pope. 'It's been here the whole time.' My brother reveals with a smirk and I jump up off the log in excitement.
'It's here! Oh my god, the gold is on the island.' I say excitedly as JJ and my brother look at me with a smile plastered on their faces. 'Oh my god.' Kie says astonished. 'I'd like to voice my skepticism.' Pope states and I let out a sigh. 'I'm sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence, sir?' John b asks him and he nods. 'Proceed.' He says.
'All right. So, in my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny.' John b explains pulling out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. 'Who the hell is that?' Kie asks. 'Denmark Tanny was a slave who survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Slaves weren't mentioned as crew members in the ship, but our dad, he found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery.' John b explains as he hands the piece of paper to me, I couldn't help but smile, our father really did it, all his time and effort put into this research and he finally found it. I just wish he was here to celebrate with us.
'So Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom. After that, he bought his farm.' He continues explaining as we hand the paper around. 'Drumroll, please, because that farm is..Tanny Plantation.' John b says excitedly. 'Tannyhill?' Kie asks and John b nods in confirmation. 'Yeah. So, after that, he used his money to free even more slaves, and then he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pisses of all the white planters, and then they decide to lynch him. So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes a letter to his son as a farewell, and in the last line of that letter, he leaves a coded message where to find the gold.' John b explains. 'Where?' Kie shrugs and he chuckles.
'Harvest the wheat in parcel nine, near the water.' He says as I glance over to JJ and he's like a kid on Christmas morning about to open his presents listening to my brother. 'Except, there is no wheat.' John b points out. 'You see, wheat is code for gold. Check this out. The gold is in parcel nine, near the water.' He repeats his words as Kie laughs. 'Holy shit!' Pope and I say in unison.
'All we need is an original survey map of the property. And we've found the gold.' John b finishes holding his arms out. 'Okay, so this might have a small chance of being actually true.' Pope states and I roll my eyes. 'Guys, it's like Ling Tut.' Kie points out and I chuckle. 'I am a genius.' John b says happily as JJ walks over to him, I let out a laugh as I see the two most important men in my life embrace each other in for a hug, JJ lifting John b off the ground.
'Whoa! Fire! You're near the fire.' John b panics as JJ places him on the ground. 'Bro, I'm so proud of you right now.' He says happily tapping my brother on the shoulder. 'Thank you.' John b replies as JJ walks over and pulls me off the log and kisses me passionately and deeply. I chuckle as we pull away from each other, resting our heads against one another with the biggest smiles. 'I love you, baby.' He whispers and I blush. 'I love you too, J.' I reply as he kisses my forehead before sitting down, placing me on his lap, resting his hand on my waist, as I rest my head on his chest.
'Okay, so, guys. What's the plan?' Pope asks speaking up. 'Good question.' John b points at him. 'So, Sarah Cameron's coming tonight. She'll bring an original survey map—' John b begins to explain, I furrow my eyebrows in confusion as Kies eyes widen with anger. 'Wait, wait. Hold on. Sarah? Wh-why Sarah?' Kie asks quickly and I glance up at my brother as he nervously strokes his hand through his hair. 'Um..' John b mutters. 'This is gonna be good.' JJ says looking at me. 'Sarah, um, she..she got me into the archives in Chapel Hill yesterday, and that's where I got the letter.' He explains nervously. 'You were in Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?' Kie asks starting to get angry.
'That's why you never came home? I was so fucking worried about you, Johnny!' I argue and he sends me an apologetic look. 'Yeah, um..' He tries to speak but JJ cuts him off. 'He was macking on her.' JJ smirks and I shove him. 'Shush.' I whisper to him and he puts his hands up in defence. 'I wasn't macking on her.' John b denies. 'You were totally macking Sarah Cameron.' JJ insists and I glare at him.
'I wasn't macking on her, okay? I was using her for access.' John b defends himself. 'There was an access, all right.' JJ mutters under his breath, only I heard and roll my eyes. 'Did you tell her about the treasure?' Kie asks. 'I was just trying to get into the archives.' John b defends looking at Kie. 'Is that a yes?' Kie argues. 'I-I left out key details.' He stutters. 'Yo, what? You let a Kook in on our secret?' Kie starts to freak out. 'Seriously, Johnny? This is our father's mission and you're involving Sarah Cameron. This was supposed to be a Pogue mission.' I defend standing up.
'Yeah, what about Pogue lyfe? Are Jackie and I the only ones who care?' Kie yells. 'What about the T-shirt company, bro?' Kie asks. 'I was just using her for information.' He lies. 'You're lying.' I argue. 'I can't believe you're lying right to our faces.' I yell at him. 'I'm trying to make us filthy rich here. Okay, so that we can pay off a boat, or—or, uh..send you to autopsy school to study dead bodies.' He states looking at Kie and Pope. 'Jackie, this money will solve all our problems. We can finally get DCS off our backs. And you, JJ and I can finally catch a break for once in our lives.' He states and I look at JJ as he gives me a soft smile.
'Do I look like the type of person to fall for Sarah Cameron?' He asks and I nod. 'Yes.' Pope and I answer in unison. 'Just—just stop!' He glares at Pope and I. 'Look. You don't know her yet. I do! You can't trust her!' Kie explains and I sigh looking at her. 'Her brother did hit Jackie and I repeatedly with a golf club.' Pope points out and I nod in agreement. 'Rafe and Sarah are different human beings.' John b sighs. 'What did she do to you, exactly?' JJ asks directing his question towards Kie. 'She's like—like a spitting cobra.' She stumbles on her words and I give her a sympathetically look.
'Listen to me!' She shouts at the boys. 'Whatever we get, she's gonna try take!' Kie tries to reason. 'Johnny.' I speak up and everyone looks at me. 'Are you sure about this? Because if she turns her back on you and us then we get nothing. The Kooks will win like always.' I say and he sighs before nodding. 'I do. I believe we can trust her.' He assures me. 'Then okay, I won't say a thing but if this turns upside down and we lose everything, it's on you.' I point at him before walking towards the van, the others follow momentarily behind me.
To Be Continued...