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Estrella looks up at the house as the four teens approach it. It was definitely a home owned by kooks.
"They're fancy people. They've had three governors in the family." Kie says, "They've run Charleston for, like, years."
"These Kooks make our Kooks look like Pogues." JJ says as they all lean over to look out the window, "You sure this is the place, Pope ?"
"Pretty sure." Pope mumbles
"All right." JJ nods as they open the doors, "Fat City, for sure."
"Twenty-seven King Street." Pope says as they walk up to the house.
"Talk about home security. Are those spikes to keep people out ?" JJ says
"No." Kie mumbles
"The slave quarters are over there." Pope points
Estrella sighs, "These spikes were to keep people in."
The teens hesitantly enter the gates and walk up to the door. Pope takes the door knocker and hits it against the door a few times.
"You think that was too much ?" Pope asks as he steps back
"It echoed the entire house. That's for sure." JJ says, "So they definitely heard it."
"Maybe nobody's home." Kie says. Pope reaches forward again and hits the door knocker. The door swings open taking Pope by surprise.
An older man steps out and leans on the doorway. He eyes the four teens before turning to Pope. "You must be Pope."
Estrella furrows her brows as Pope turns to them, "Um..." He then turns back to the man, "Are you Mr. Limbrey ?"
"Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday."
"Oh. I'm... I'm sorry. My car broke down on the way up here."
"Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowheresville." JJ says, "Sorry about that."
"Yeah, she was, uh, real upset when you didn't show up."
"We tried to call, but there's no number on the invitation." Estrella says as JJ clears his throat, "We got here as fast as we could."
"She also expected you to come alone."
"I mean, these are my friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too. I-" Pope starts
"The instructions were explicit. Your friends can stay outside."
"We're kind of a package deal, man." JJ says
"JJ. It's okay." Pope nods, "I got this. I'll be good."
"Yeah. We'll be right here." Kie says as Pope turns to her and Estrella
"Keep the car running." Pope says as he takes Kie's hand
"Yep."
Pope turns away entering the house. Estrella keeping her eyes on the older man as he closes the door.
"This is so sketchy." Kie says
"Very." Estrella mumbles
Pope looks around as he walks through the home. The older man sighs as they stop by the living room.
"Just wait in here. Ms. Limbrey will be right with you."
Pope looks away as the man leaves the room. His eyes catch a few paintings on the walls.
"Hello."
Pope turns as a blonde girl around his age stands by the doorway.
"Hi. Are you-"
"No, I'm not Ms. Limbrey." She chuckles before she holds her hand out, "I'm Charlotte."
"Pope." He says shaking her hand
"Yeah, I figured as much." She says, "You and your friends found the Royal Merchant."
"Yeah." He nods
"Cool." She says before looking around. Pope stands there awkwardly as it goes silent. Charlotte turns to him, "Listen, Pope."
He looks over at her as she gets closer, "You're obviously a smart person. Don't let my grandmother get in your head." She says quietly. Pope furrows his brows, "Be careful."
Pope nods slowly as she smiles at him. She turns away just as an older woman enters the room. Charlotte smiles to her before walking off.
Pope watching her as she disappears around the corner.
"Mr. Heyward." The woman chuckles, "I'm Carla Limbrey."
"Uh, Pope. People call me Pope."
"Have a seat."
•••
Estrella sat between JJ and Kie as they waited in the truck for Pope. All of them extremely worried for Pope as they had no idea if he was okay.
"There's an extreme possibility that Pope could be in immense danger." Estrella says
"What happened to your optimism ?" JJ says
"Didn't have much of that to begin with."
"Look, if Limbrey is legit," Kie says as she looks out of the window. She sits up as the front door opens, "then Ward gets arrested, and maybe Sarah gets the gold."
They all lean over as Pope, Ms. Limbrey, and the older man walk out. Pope looking toward them. "Does that look voluntary ?"
Their question is answered as the man pushes Pope.
"That would be a negative." JJ says
"Come on." Kie says starting to get out
"Wait, hold on, hold on." Estrella says grabbing her shoulder
"What ?"
"They're going into the alley." Estrella says then turns to JJ, "Go around back ?"
"Yeah. We'll meet them on the other side." He says starting the car
"Okay." Kie says, "Hey, be chill. Be chill."
"Yeah, sure."
JJ turns the corner and Estrella and Kie keep their eyes on the sidewalk. They lost track of where they went.
"Look, where did they go ?" Kie says
"What if they went underground ?" JJ says. Estrella squints toward him, "Because in C.H.U.D., when they took people down into the sewers, it would turn the humans into humanoids
'cause of the radiation. And then all of a sudden-"
"JJ, please." Estrella says
"Focus. That doesn't make any sense." Kie says
"Right. Sorry. Did you see him ?"
"No."
•••
Pope and Ms. Limbrey stand in front of a headstone.
"Here lies Denmark Tanny, the famous ex-slave. You know the story." Ms. Limbrey says
"What... what story ?"
"Denmark Tanny was a freedman, a wealthy planter. He was able to buy the freedom of his three sons, but when he tried to buy his wife and daughter's freedom, my paternal ancestors refused. When his wife, Cecilia, tried to run with the baby, they set the hounds on her." Carla says
"Cecilia drowned trying to escape, the baby survived, and Denmark was hung... allegedly for abetting a slave revolt, but really for gathering the remains of his wife. Never heard this story ?"
"No." Pope says, "And I think once is enough."
"Hey !" She calls out as Pope turns away, "You think that I'm stupid ?"
"No. No, no, I don't."
"Why else would the Routledge boy involve you ? Your family has the key."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Hey. Did Ward get to you ?"
"No. Ward Cameron ? Are you crazy ?" Pope says backing up
"The key leads to the cross, the Cross of Santo Domingo. "The real treasure lies at the foot of the angel." Those were Denmark's last words. Does that ring any bells ?"
"No, it doesn't. It doesn't ring any bells and, um..." Pope backs up, "Uh, thank you, but I'm... I'm gonna go back to the 21st century now."
Pope's pace is quick as he walks away trying to find a way out. "Crazy people. Okay. All right."
He runs off toward a gate. As he tries to open it, he notices the chain and lock attached to it.
"You're not gonna get out." He hears. When he turns, he sees Charlotte standing there.
"Please-"
"I'm helping you." She says, "But we need to go now because he's right behind you."
Pope walks toward her and she turns to run. As they run away from the gate, the older man stops them.
Pope pants, "What you got ?"
He digs in his pocket and pulls out a taser. Charlotte breathes heavily as she looks up at him. The man runs toward them, but Pope smacks the taser out of his hand. As Pope runs to jump over a wall, the man pulls him back and punches him in his ribs.
Charlotte runs over and grabs the man to pull him off of Pope, but he turns and shoves her to the ground before throwing Pope beside her.
He bends down and grabs the taser. Clicking the button so the electricity crackles. "What you got ?"
Pope takes a deep breath as the man stands over him. Pope pushes his hand away as he tries to bring the taser down on him.
Charlotte gets up and knees him in his side causing the man to fall beside Pope and sends the taser to the side.
"Pope." Charlotte says as she tries helping him up. Pope sits up and crawls over the man as he tries reaching for the taser.
Charlotte looks up as a blonde boy comes around the corner. He runs over and kicks the taser to the side.
A girl with short hair bends down and grabs it. "Come on !"
"Pope !" The blonde boy says, "Pope, come on !"
Pope punches the man in the face before standing up.
"Come on !" A girl with a ponytail yells
"Go ! Just leave him ! Leave him !" The blonde says as the man groans
Pope runs toward the wall, but turns back. "Charlotte."
"Go." She says
"Pope, we don't have time for this." The blonde boy says
"Hold on, JJ." Pope says, "Come with us. At least to get away from him, so he doesn't hurt you."
Charlotte turns to the man as he turns on his stomach. She turns back to Pope and quickly runs over to him. Pope jumps over the wall first with JJ right behind him. Kie jumps over.
Estrella turns to Charlotte, "Go ahead."
"Are you sure ?"
"Yes." Estrella nods, "If Pope finds out you didn't come, he's gonna be extremely upset. Go."
Charlotte reaches up and jumps over before Estrella follows behind her.
"Estrella, come on !" Kie yells
"Go, go, go !" JJ yells running toward the driver's side. Charlotte and Estrella run over to the passengers side with Kie.
"Scoot over." Estrella says as Kie gets in. Estrella ends up in Kie's lap as Charlotte closes the door.
"Ow ! Who were those people ?" Kie says as JJ starts the car
"We're getting the hell out of here." He says
"That was crazy. Let's get out of here." Pope says. Everyone leans to the side as JJ turns and hurriedly drives off.
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