𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄 , 𝐣. 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 ⁽¹⁾

𝟑𝟗. 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

"Are you okay?" Elle looked up at Kiara and questioned her, as she sat on a large bucket tied to a tree.

After the events of last night, everyone regrouped and spent the night at the Maybank house. Luckily, Luke wasn't around. If he was, Elle would have had a few stern words with him. But, now they were now testing supplies to use for getting the gold from the well.

Kiara looked down and smiled. "It's fine! Sturdy!"

JJ set his beer against the hot tub. "John B pullin' a Houdini."

It was strange, the fact that John B never showed up. Elle was thinking about it a lot. He was late sometimes, but never this late.

"Yeah, where is he?" Pope asked as Kie got lowered down on the bucket. "I got my scholarship interview tomorrow."

Elle smiled at Pope. "You excited?"

He turned to her and shrugged. "Yeah, nervous too. I guess it'll be fine though."

"You'll do great." She replied with a laugh. "You're the smartest person I know."

There was a sudden interruption from JJ as John B stormed onto the property. "Speak of the devil!"

John B ignored everyone's efforts to get his attention, and just walked straight inside. He looked around frantically as the Pogues made their way behind him.

"John B! What's going on?" Elle asked, holding his shoulder as she tried to pull him back. He shook her off and she took a step back, right next to JJ.

JJ moved her aside as he mouthed a quick 'Sorry' before waking over to John B. "What are you looking for man—."

As he spoke, John B pulled a gun out from under a cushion. He took a long stare at it before bolting towards the door.

JJ ran after him and grabbed his arm. "What do you need the gun for man?!" Thag question resulted in John B throwing JJ to the ground with a loud grunt. The Pogue's yells filled the air.

He stormed out the door and started climbing onto JJ's moterbike, ignoring the stern voices from behind him.

"John B, what the hell!" Elle yelled as she stepped up to him. "What is wrong with you?!"

Suddenly, John B's voice broke through the yells. His voice cracked as he spoke. "Ward knows about the gold!"

Everyone stopped in their tracks, abruptly listening to him.

"He killed my dad. Yours too, Elle."

Elle stopped suddenly. Everything in her stopped. What had he just said? Her dad.. killed by Ward. No, Brady has died in a boating incident. He didnt- he wouldn't be involved in this. He wouldn't been involved with Ward.

Sure, he helped out Big John with Royal Merchant stuff, but.. no. He can't.. Murdered.

Brady's voice rang in Elle's ears. "I'm proud of you, Bug. And you're gonna' grow up to do amazing things. You and Bee. Watch each other's backs, alright? Just like Big John and I have. Friendships an important thing."

He had told that to John B and Elle only a week before he died.

And with that, John B rode off, leaving the stunned Pogues to chase after him. When they realized that it was no use, they stopped.

Everyone but Elle chased after him, of course.

——————-

Elle shivered in the cold air as the HMS Pogue pulled up into the dock at the Cameron's.