𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐲𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧 ~ 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝐈'𝐦 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

"Absolutely not!" Heyward huffed.

I saw that one coming from a mile away.

"This might be our last opportunity to go get that cross," Pope tried to reason.

Heyward raised his brows. "Is that so?"

"Look, if I can just get to the mainland-"

"Oh, boy!" Heyward said, cutting off his son.

"Pop, please! Come on!" He begged. "This is about our heritage, our family! This is our thing,"

"You wanna know what our thing is?" Heyward questioned. "Doing what we say we're gonna do. Keeping our promises. Exceeding expectations. You used to understand that!"

"And I still do! I still understand that! But, Pop, please, this is the last opportunity and I won't ask you for anything else!"

I turned to Cleo, who was sitting next to me on the counter. "He most definitely can't promise that," I chuckled.

"Not at all," She agreed, twirling her knife.

"Please, please let me do this!" Pope begged. He turned to his mother. "Mama?!"

She shook her head, walking away. "Uh-uh,"

"You on board with this?!" Heyward asked Cleo and I.

"Gotta strike while the iron's hot, Mr.Heyward," Cleo shrugged.

I nodded in agreement. "What she said,"

"Get off my counter!" He yelled.

"Our bad," I said, getting down with Cleo, who was looking at me with a 'yikes' expression on her face.

Pope followed his father outside, Cleo and I trailing behind.

"Pop, I know appearances are against me right now, but please, I will do anything I have to!" Pope promised. "I'll work triple shifts. I'll never leave the house again! Just please let me go to Wilmington with your truck,"

"Please, Mr. Heyward," I spoke up. "You know how important this is to Pope,"

He glanced at me then looked back at his son, sighing. "Get out of here before your mama talks some sense into me. But, you can't take my truck,"

"Pop, we're gonna need transportation," Pope said.

Heyward shrugged. "That is not my problem. I got deliveries. Somebody's got to keep the lights on. You know? Just in case you don't make it big,"

Pope nodded. "Alright. Thank you so much. I promise I won't let you down!"

"Don't break any laws!" Heyward called from behind us as we jogged away.

"Can't make any promises!" I replied.

"Aspyn, you're on thin ice right now! You hear me?!"

"Loud and clear!" I said. "We'll be safe, don't worry!"

"You better be!"

-

After getting permission from Heyward, and Kiara shockingly getting permission from her parents, we found ourselves on a ferry to the mainland.

"Honestly, the hardest part is gonna be security, alright?" JJ told us as we planned out our heist. "So most of the guys are gonna be at the rail yard,"

"Right, so, we're gonna need to find someplace and guard it," Pope said. "Maybe a little further down the line, like a whistle-stop or something,"

Cleo shook her head. "You guys are getting ahead of yourselves per usual. We don't have a way to transport the cross. What you think? On JJ's motorcycle?"