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𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀

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John B drove the Twinkie, which they had conveniently left back at the church, down the road. They were planning on going to the Cameron household, wanting to confront Rafe along with Limbrey and Renfield once and for all for stealing the cross.

However, their plans to get there as fast as possible were foiled when they came up along the place where Pope had crashed Kiara's dad's truck. And since they seemed to have no luck at all recently, there were cop cars surrounding it.

"Oh, shit!" Kiara cursed. "They found the truck."

"Chill, chill, chill, chill," Pope said quickly as John B slowed down the car.

"Of course," JJ seethed as he put his cap on to hide his face. "Of course."

"I swear to God," Cassie sucked in an angered breath.

"All right, just relax, just relax," John B told them as Shoupe made his way up to the Twinkie, pointing his flashlight into it. "Good evening, Officer," John B greeted.

"Sheriff," Shoupe corrected him.

"Sheriff. Yeah. Yeah, that's right," John B muttered. "Speed kills, huh?" He nodded his head, trying to get them out of this.

"I pulled the tags, and I know whose truck that is," Shoupe revealed. "Why is it when something happens, it is always you six?" He questioned and they all pursed their lips before he shined his flashlight to the back of the truck, pointing it at Kiara who was trying to hide behind the seat. "Hey, Kie! You drop your weed pen back there?

Kiara got up and gave him a sarcastic thumbs up. "Found it."

"Sheriff, I just wanna say that this is all my fault. She had nothing to do with this. I take 100% responsibility," Pope told Shoupe, trying to take the fall for Kiara.

"Nothing to do with it? Uh-huh. You wanna try that again?" Shoupe questioned before he looked back at the Carrera girl. "Your parents reported the truck missin' four hours ago, and the keys were missin' from the house. I'm taking ya home. Or I can pull you all in for leaving the scene of an accident."

"Okay," Kiara let up, waving her hand in defeat.

"Good. Plumb." Plumb came over and slid open the side door, letting Kiara out.

"I got a deal. Hit me up later and make sure I'm still alive," Kiara told them once she stepped out next to Plumb.

"Good luck, Kiki," Cassie said to the girl and Kiara gave her a lopsided frown before Plumb slid the door shut right on Cassie's face. "Bitch," the blonde muttered with a scowl, crossing her arms.

"Come on. Let's get you home," Shoupe urged, walking Kiara over to his cop car.

The Pogues all watched as Kiara got into the back of Shoupe's car, their lips pursed. "So now what?" Cassie spoke up.

"We're still going to Sarah's," Pope replied.

"Without Kie?"

"Look, I wish she could be here but we can't waste a second. Who knows what they have planned now that they got the cross? Rafe could be wanting to fly it out to the Bahamas just like Ward did with the gold. We can't risk it," Pope explained determinedly.

Cassie released a sigh, knowing he was right. Although she wished she could have her best friend by her side while they confronted the slimy bitches, it just wasn't written in the cards on this one.

Once the cop cars had cleared the way, John B drove the Twinkie to Tannyhill and they all got out once he parked the car in front of the wall. They scanned the wall, trying to see if they could spot Rafe, Limbrey, or Renfield anywhere.

"He's got the truck," Pope whispered once he spotted the truck pulling up in front of the house.

"Shhh, stay low, stay low, stay low," John B instructed as they all crouched down behind the wall so they wouldn't be caught.

They peered over the wall, seeing Rafe pull the truck to a stop before he got out. However, Renfield was no longer with him. Hm, weird.

"How much do you wanna bet Rafe has the cross inside that truck right now?" Pope said to them as they watched Rafe step inside the house.

"I'm willing to bet, well, the cross," Cassie responded and JJ nodded along.

"There's only one way to find out," Sarah spoke up before she walked away from the wall, planning to head inside.

John B immediately went after her. "Hey, hey. Wait."

"What?" Sarah spun around, annoyance etched in her tone.

"Okay, look, before you volunteer on this death mission, I-I-I need to know a couple things," John B began.

"'Death mission,' that sounds familiar."

"Okay, look, Sarah, I just have questions."

"About what?"

"Us."

"Us?" Sarah repeated and Cassie, JJ, and Pope all rolled their eyes. Why the hell is John B doing this right now?

"Yeah, Sarah, come on."

"You wanna talk about us right now?" Sarah questioned, voicing Cassie's thoughts.

"Yes. I-I-I'm sorry, okay?" John B apologized and Sarah stared at him. "I'm-I'm sorry. And-and I should've said it sooner." John B reached into his pocket, pulling out a piece of his bandana. "I want you to have this back. Will you take it?"

"What the hell is that?" JJ muttered, making a face.

"It's what John B used as a ring to 'propose,'" Cassie told him, remembering that Sarah showed her and Kiara when they were drunk at the Château.

JJ made a face. "Brother..."

"I think it's kind of sweet actually," Cassie admitted and JJ looked at her without the blonde noticing, cogs turning in his mind before he looked back at the broken up couple.

Sarah glanced away from John B before she stared back into his eyes for a few moments. Instead of answering, she grabbed the back of John B's neck and pulled him into a kiss.

"Oh, we're doing that right now. Okay," Cassie muttered under her breath as she looked away, feeling like she was interrupting. Once she looked away, she spotted a car parked a few yards down the street.

It was a Cadillac Escalade, the one her mother had. In the same exact black color too. Cassie hummed to herself, trying to read the license plate but it was too far and too dark to see.

"What's wrong, princess?" JJ whispered next to her.

She looked over at the boy, their faces accidentally almost inches apart from being beside the wall. She subconsciously glanced down at his lips before back up at his eyes. "Uh, nothing. Nothing."

She then looked past him and saw Sarah pull away, keeping her forehead on John B's, she responded, "Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah," John B smiled.

"And yeah," she took the bandana piece out of his hand, "I want this back." She turned and walked off.

"Okay, be safe," John B said after her as he watched her walk off with a smile on his lips. He then wiped underneath his lip and turned around, limping back over to the others.

"Hey! Do you want me to perform your vows while you're at it?" Pope mocked.

"Did you say 'be safe'?" JJ questioned with wide eyes.

"Jesus Christ, could you take any longer?" Cassie shook her head.

"I did say 'be safe,'" John B confirmed, and Cassie and JJ shared a glance before they rolled their eyes. "What is she doing?" The Routledge boy asked as they saw Sarah looking near the truck.

The Cameron girl then turned around, holding her arms out and mouthing something they couldn't quite grasp. They started waving at her, telling her to come back but she pointed at the house.

"No. No. Don't go inside!" Pope immediately shook his head as Sarah went inside anyway.

"What the hell is she doing?" Cassie whispered.

"You said don't go in the house, right?!" JJ looked at John B.

"I-I told her," John B replied, holding his arms out.

"Do the birdcall!" Pope demanded and John B place his hands on the side of his mouthing, making a weird noise that sounded nothing like a bird. "What?! That's not what a bird sounds like."

"That was terrible!" Cassie insulted.

"Was that a dying chicken?" JJ remarked.

"It's a-it's a whistle," Pope told him before whistled to show him how to do it correctly.

"I'm going over." John B gave up on the birdcalling and pushed himself up over the wall. The others instantly followed suit before a horn honked behind them.

"Uh, excuse me?" The older man called out in his gold cart, making them all stop at the top of the wall as the man flashed his beams at them. "Can I help ya?" He cocked a gun at them, laughing. "I got a double-aught bucks in this thing, so, uh, I can't miss."

"Shit," Cassie muttered under her breath.

"All right there, buddy, off the wall," the man instructed and they lowered themselves down, holding their hands up. "That's it. Yeah."

"Sir, it's not what it seems," JJ began.

"You boys are on the wrong side of the island," the man pointed out before he gazed at Cassie. "But what I'm trying to figure out is why you're with them. The rest of you, on your knees."

It was clear by Kiara's outfit she stole, despite her jeans being ruined at the ends soiled at the ends from standing in the brackish water before, that she came from some sort of money.

"Me?" She pointed to herself and the man nodded. She glanced at the boys, who lowered themselves to the ground. She glanced back at the man, holding a hand out to her heart and stepping forward. "I'm Savannah Blake's daughter."

"Savannah Blake?"

"Yes. The one's whose husband was killed in a plane crash almost two years ago?" She reminded the man and he slowly nodded, hearing that in the news a while back. "You see, my mother's inside," she lied, "and I haven't seen her since Ward Cameron died. They were...good friends. She's been a wreck and I thought the only way I'd be able to get in was over the wall. With these boys, who were helping me."

"And who are these boys?" The man questioned.

"Them? They're, uh, they were Ward Cameron's yard workers, sir," she came up with.

"His yard workers?"

"Yes," she nodded. "But, uh, I really need to go see my mom. She's definitely worried sick about me. I mean, I haven't been the best daughter. I'm a rebellious teen, you know?" She shrugged innocently.

The man narrowed his eyes before he said, "All right, I'll let you in. But you boys, stay out here."

"Wait, wait, no," JJ tried standing up but the man pointing his gun at him, making him purse his lips and stay on the ground.

Cassie turned to the boys. "It's okay. I'll be okay," she assured them, but she kept her eyes trained on JJ. He looked worried. "Just tell the man about the work you've done here. He'll understand."

And with that, she backed up and sent the older man a nod before she made her way toward the house. She creeped inside, being careful not to make the door creak when she opened it up.

She made her way through the hall before she paused alongside the wall that separated the hallway and the living room, hearing two people conversing with one another.

"And you made sure our names won't be on the captain's log?" The voice asked and Cassie froze. She peered around the wall to see none other than Savannah Blake, her mother, conversing with Rose Cameron.

Turns out her lie before wasn't really a lie. Her mom was really inside.

She pressed her back up against the wall, blinking in shock. Why was her mother here? And why was she talking to Rose Cameron of all people? Shouldn't Rose have put signs all over the house saying "Savannah Blake may not step foot on this property?"

Why was she with her?

"Yes. I made sure, Savannah," Rose replied, her tone bitter. "We just have to get on it on time because they won't be waiting for us."

Captain's log? On 'it'? Are they talking getting on a boat?

Cassie couldn't dwell on it. She wanted to leave the room, not wanting her mother to spot her and she wanted to find Sarah. She peered around the wall again, seeing that their backs were turned so she quickly zoomed into another room so she wasn't caught.

"Sarah, where are you?" She muttered under her breath as she searched the house, being careful not to make any noise and to look around each corner just in case.

Suddenly, she heard glass shattering and screams coming from a few rooms down. Her eyes widened and she tip-toed over to where the screams were coming from, hearing Sarah shriek, "Rafe! Let me out!"

Oh, fuck.

Cassie looked around the corner, seeing Rafe leaning on the door that Sarah seemed to be pounding against from being locked inside. "I'm not letting you out, Sarah. Not until you calm down, okay?"

"Screw you!"

"I'm trying to be civil here. You're freaking out right now."

Cassie's face twisted and without thinking, she stepped out from behind the wall and demanded, "Let her out, Rafe."

Rafe spun around, blinking in shock to see Cassandra Blake standing in front of him. "Cassie?" He laughed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Cassie?! Cassie, get out of here! There's a-there's a body! It's Renfield!" Cassie heard Sarah shouting from behind the door.

Cassie furrowed her brows, looking at Rafe. "What the hell does she mean 'there's a body' and that it's Renfield? What the fuck does that mean, Rafe?"

Rafe's lips quirked up into an ironic smile. "It means nothing."

"Bullshit. Did you kill Renfield?" She gaped.

"I didn't kill him, no. But he is dead," Rafe revealed with an entertained smile.

Cassie tilted her head. "Why don't I believe you?"

He shrugged. "Fine, don't believe me. You're wrong, anyway." She sneered. "But you didn't answer my question. What the hell are you doing here?"

Cassie narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm here to make you let Sarah out. So let her out."

Rafe laughed again. "You think I'm scared of you, Cassie? Just because, what, you slapped me once?" He questioned, taking a step forward.

"You think I'm scared of you?" She countered, not backing down. "Last time I checked, Pope Heyward was able to beat you up pretty easily and he was a mathlete, so..."

She didn't mean for Pope to catch a stray, but the statement was still true. Rafe could talk all high and mighty, but he was still beat down by someone people would consider to be a "nerd."

Rafe hummed before he took out a knife from his pocket, making her eyes widen. "Scared of me now?" He asked before he began to make his way toward her, making her run off. "Now, come on, Cassie. Thought you weren't scared," he drawled as he chased after her.

That was before you pulled out a fucking knife asshole.

Cassie sped through the halls before she crashed into somebody, sending them both onto the floor. "Now, what?!" Rose shouted in shock as she looked down at Savannah and Cassie on the floor. "Wait, Cassandra?"

"Cassandra?" Savannah repeated from the floor as her eyes widened at her daughter.

"No, no, no, no," Cassie muttered as she stood up, going to run away again but Rafe had grabbed her from behind and placed the knife up to her throat.

"Rafe!" Savannah yelled as she got up, holding her hands out. "Rafe, what are you doing?"

"There was a pest. I found it," Rafe spoke with a psychotic smile and Cassie squirmed in his grasp, making him tut. "Do you want me to slice your throat open?"

"Rafe..." Savannah warned, her lip trembling. Rose stood frozen, staring at Rafe and thinking how the hell he got like this.

"You wouldn't," Cassie replied through clenched teeth.

"Oh, really? And how do you know that?"

"Because I know you've been talking to Barry nonstop about me for weeks now," she brought up, remembering what Barry had said back when they busted the Pogues' homecoming party.

Rafe sucked in a breath, placing the knife closer to her throat. "Shut up."

"Because I'm the only girl who doesn't want you and that makes you want me even more," she continued, stupidly trying her luck.

"Shut up!" He demanded louder.

"Because you'll never have me no matter how hard you try. You know why? Because that sex was lame as fuck and I wasn't even a virgin, I lied," she spat.

"SHUT UP!" Rafe screamed before he pushed Cassie against the wall roughly, making her bang the front of her head harshly and get knocked out onto the floor.

"Cassie!" Savannah called out as she bent down next to her daughter, checking to make sure she was okay but she wasn't waking up. She quickly checked her pulse just in case, feeling a heartbeat and she released a breath of relief before she glowered at Rafe. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Rafe looked down at Cassie, tilting his head. "Oops."

"Oops?" Savannah reiterated. "You knock my daughter out and all you say is 'oops'?"

He shrugged. "Well, that's just one pest down then," Rafe commented, rubbing his face.

"One down?" Rose questioned.

"Sarah's here. I locked her in the liquor pantry," Rafe revealed.

"You — What?!" Rose exclaimed before she looked down at Savannah, who was just shaking her head in disbelief. Rose sucked in a breath. "Savannah, get her in my car and wait for me. I'll deal with Sarah." She then looked at Rafe. "Come on."

The two of them left Savannah alone with the unconscious Cassie. She stared down at her daughter, her brows clenched together. "I'm sorry, baby," she whispered, planting a kiss down on her forehead.

She then moved to try to lift the girl up, but it was harder than it looked due to her body being limp. It took her so long that now Rafe was walking past her, giving her a look.

"Where are you going?" Savannah questioned as she held Cassie up.

"Getting the cross to the wharf," he answered.

"What about Sarah?"

"Rose dealt with her," he smiled before he walked outside, not even offering to help Savannah carry Cassie out.

Outside, JJ, John B, and Pope had hopped over the wall and were crouching down behind the grass. "Get down! Get down!" JJ hissed once they saw someone walking out toward the truck.

"Dude, that's Rafe," Pope realized.

John B immediately ran forward and JJ halted him, "No, wait! Hey, hey! Not yet!" Trust him, he definitely wanted to rush in there too since Cassie was in there and hadn't come out, but they couldn't risk it.

"Okay, then what do we do? What's the plan?" John B queried quickly.

"Well, he might have the gun, so, uh, what's in our favor?" JJ thought aloud. "The element of surprise, all right? That's what in our favor right now."

"What can we surprise him with, JJ?" John B pointed out frustratedly.

"Well, uh, I'm working on it!"

"Oh, come on."

"What if we threw something in front of it?"

"Throw what, where? You gonna take the tree?"

"Slingshot, yeah."

With their bantering, they didn't even realize Pope had run off before JJ looked over his shoulder. "Pope!" The blonde called out, seeing the boy jump onto the back of the truck and hang on as Rafe drove it off. "What the hell?"

"What was that shit?" John B questioned in disbelief before they turned back to the house. "We got the house right here."

"Well, Rafe's gone. Now let's just storm the fort," JJ said, wanting to get Cassie back as soon as possible before he saw the doors opening once more. "Yo, get down."

"Who's that?"

"Sounds like Rose. Wait, wait, is that...Savannah?" JJ squinted his eyes, seeing that Rose and Wheezie were carrying Sarah while Savannah was carrying Cassie. "Dude, they got Cassie and Sarah."

"What did they do them?" John B voiced, watching as the two older blonde women put a non-fighting Cassie and Sarah in the back of Rose's car before they hopped inside with Wheezie as well.

"John B, we gotta go get them. We gotta go get them, man!" JJ tapped on his arm before the two boys sprung into action, running after the car that was pulling out of the driveway.

Sarah was flitting in and out of consciousness in the car, noticing Cassie next to her. "Cassie?" She hoarsely said, but the Blake girl obviously didn't respond since she was knocked out.

Suddenly, banging was heard against the window. "Hey! Slow the car! Slow the car!" John B demanded. "Sarah!"

"Cassie!" JJ bellowed as he banged on the window she was closest to, seeing that she wasn't awake and was practically laying on Wheezie's lap who was in the middle of Sarah and Cassie. "Cass!" He screamed before he moved to the passenger seat window. "Savannah! Unlock the door right now!"

"What the hell?" Rose looked over her shoulders as she drove as Savannah kept her stare straight ahead, trying to block them out.

"Why can't you guys let them in?" Wheezie complained from the back as the boys kept on shouting and banging on the windows.

"They're bad people, Wheezie," Savannah said, her expression stone-cold.

"Open the fucking door, Savannah!" JJ demanded before he looked back at Cassie in the backseat, his gut wrenching and his heart aching at the sight of her. He didn't know what they did to her. For all he knew, she could have been dead. "Cass, come on! Wake up!"

"Go faster, Rose," Savannah instructed and Rose looked at her. "Go faster." Rose swallowed hard before she accelerated, causing John B to tumble to the ground.

JJ stopped running after the car and rushed over to John B, helping him up. "Come on! Let's get to the Twinkie, man! Come on! We gotta get them! We have to get them!"

The two Pogue boys sprinted over to the Twinkie with John B trailing behind a bit because of his leg. "Come on! You want me to drive?" JJ asked since he was determined to get Cassie back no matter what and if John B wasn't up to drive, he would gladly do it.

"No, I got it!"

They got into the Twinkie and John B put the key into the ignition, speeding to get their girls back.

authors note!
rafe is so silly 🤪 was lowkey laughing
when i wrote him calling cassie a pest
LMFAOO istg s2 rafe is just a whole
different being