049
you did good, for a mathlete

With no contact from John B and Sarah, the Pogues were forced to believe they were already on their way to El Dorado.

Unfortunately for the others, they still didn't have a boat ride up to the Orinoco. This was why, when JJ offered that he had an idea, the group knew they shouldn't have listened but they were wasting daylight the longer they stood around arguing.

"Who'd you say this guy was again?" Cleo whispered over the dead leaves crunching beneath her boots.

"Barracuda Mike," Kiara's eyes flickered to the large man as he led them toward the river. "He helped us get here. JJ's dad used to work for him."

"Barracuda Mike?" She swatted the branches scratching at her arms as they waded through the dense shrubbery. "What is he, like a fisherman? He catch barracuda for a living?"

"Yeah, if you call barracuda; cocaine, and fisherman; drug smugglers," Pope shifted past her to walk ahead.

"We supposed to trust him?" Cleo eyed the man wearily.

"No," Kiara sighed, sweat sticking to the back of her neck from the sweltering heat. "We trust them."

Cleo followed her gaze to where Bianca and JJ were quietly conversing with Barracuda Mike. He had been leading them further into the forest for half an hour. Cleo debated whether he was just taking them out there to kill them.

"Got anything to protect yourself?" Barracuda Mike's gaze flickered around the forest.

Not only were they dealing with Singh's men but also the creatures of the Orinoco. Every time they heard a bush rustle or a bird cry out, Bianca would jump a little closer to JJ. After assessing their little posse, Barracuda Mike could pinpoint their odds of survival out here as slim to none and he needed them alive if he was ever going to see his cut of that El Dorado gold.

"Oh, kinda workin' on that part," JJ adjusted his bag strap just as Barracuda Mike thrust a tattered old bag in front of his face.

"Here," He muttered without looking.

"What's this?" JJ lifted the hefty bag filled with some kind of metal.

"Machetes," Mike explained as they neared their ride. "You'll need 'em."

Their boat was docked haphazardly on the river bank. Well, 'boat' was a generous term for it.

This was more like a metal bowl propped up with a couple of bamboo sticks and a plastic tarp to shield them from the weather. A single engine clung for dear life on the back of the vessel and netting hung from the edges. If Singh's men happened to stumble across them on this thing... they didn't stand much of a chance.

Barracuda Mike stood on the shore as the Pogues boarded, "I'm adding the cost of this rig to what you already owe me," He narrowed his eyes at JJ. "I don't expect to see it again anyway."

Pope's eyes shifted wearily to the blond boy, wondering what kind of trouble he got himself into this time. Barracuda Mike was notoriously known back on the island as a sort of debt collector and if JJ made some kind of deal with him, this wasn't going to be the last time they saw him.

"Look, I- uh, asked around at the landin' today-"

"Yeah," JJ dropped his bag onto the boat.

"Your buds did leave this morning," Barracuda Mike nodded and pulled a folded paper out of his back pocket. "But I was able to get directions to El Tesoro. Pretty loose. Only Jose knows the real way but- uh, get you in the right zip code, maybe."

Kiara nodded, sharing an impressed look with the girls, "It's a start."

Bianca took the map, scanning the faded, worn-down paper. She was afraid to open it in case it disintegrated in her hands, "Thank you."

"Yeah," Pope agreed before helping Cleo on the boat.

"No," Barracuda Mike chuckled sarcastically. "Don't thank me. Start prayin'."

JJ made a move to follow his friends onto the boat but a rough grip on his shoulder forced him to stumble back. He could feel the older man's breath behind his ear and gulped thickly.

"Not so fast, kid," Barracuda Mike dropped his voice to a low warning. "Let me give you some advice. You better find a way to keep this one 'round 'cause the Lord only know who else would put up with your sorry ass."

"Yes, Sir," JJ stood stiff, watching Bianca help Pope load the boat.

"Good, that's what I like to hear," Mike patted JJ's back roughly before shoving him forward. "Oh, and Sweet Pea?" Bianca perked up at this. "If that sewer rat ever comes back to bother you, just give me a call, alright? You know where to find me."

Bianca gave him a small smile, "I will."

"And JJ?" Barracuda Mike arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" He glanced over his shoulder.

"You owe me, dude. Ten times," Barracuda Mike took a step back, allowing JJ and Pope to push the boat into the river and hop on. "Don't fuck it up, Maybank or money ain't gonna be the only thing I'm collectin'! Good luck!" He called over the running motor.

JJ rubbed his neck and waited for Barracuda Mike to disappear into the shrubbery. He turned to Bianca, "You know, I can't bring you anywhere."

"Actually," Pope snorted, having watched the whole interaction. "I think you need to bring her everywhere."

The Pogues laughed and it echoed through the trees of the Orinoco. A few colored birds took flight, soaring across the clear sky and a quiet chirping settled across the river after that.

The sun cast an amber hue across the water's reflection, rippling behind them. Bianca leaned her chin on the edge of the boat, watching the almost waves the boat made across the river.

The mud wasn't clear by any means and the humidity frizzed her hair but it was so peaceful here. Well, despite the occasional alligator sighting and bug bite, of course.

It was at times like these, that Bianca was reminded that her world was so much bigger than just the Outer Banks. And as she glanced over at her boyfriend, she couldn't help the shiver of excitement up her spine at the thought of exploring it all with Him.

When night fell, the Pogues decided to take shelter at a nearby rest stop beside the river.

It was lucky they found it when they did because the sun was setting at an alarming pace. The rest stop was a quaint wooden dock illuminated by fiery torchlights on tall bamboo sticks. A couple of hammocks were already occupied by some locals travelling in the same direction to El Tesoro but there were also a few empty ones.

One of the locals was a river guide and told them the story of how El Dorado came to be both a myth and a legend around these parts—

"The story goes that the Guajiro King who found El Dorado as he was dying, said he would not just give the gold to his sons. No, the gold would only go to one who was worthy. Those who sought the gold would be tested by the Jaguar God.But for 500 years, the Jaguar God had found no one worthy. The gold still remains. And if you are good, if you are wise, and if you are lucky, maybe you will be the one."

The Pogues settled into their hammocks not too long later. They would take turns keeping watch once the moon took reign over the sky but until then, they huddled around, sharing stories.

Somehow, Bianca got roped into spilling all the insanity that had gone down over the past few weeks. Everything from how she got Barry and Rafe arrested, to Barry wanting revenge and crashing her car to the showdown in the motel with Barracuda Mike.

"And then I gave him the duffle bag," Bianca shrugged, recounting the events from a night ago. "Sorry, Po'."

"It's okay," Pope shrugged, staring at his boots with his knees pulled up to his chest. "I never cared 'bout how much the cross was worth. It was-"

"Priceless," Bianca pursed her lips. "I know. It just sucks."

A somber silence swept between the Pogues as they sat on the dock in a circle. It was almost as if they were grieving the cross. Finally, Cleo broke the tense atmosphere.

"Girl, you can hold your own," She scoffed.

"Yeah, I don't even recognize you, B," Kiara nudged her with an elbow. "You went from refusing to step foot in the marsh to basically running in the same league as drug smugglers."

Bianca groaned, dropping her head into her hands, "Yeah, don't get used to it."

"And here I thought JJ finally found a new plug," Pope snickered, causing the other girls to burst into giggles but JJ didn't seem to share their amusement.

When they sobered up again, Kiara sighed, "I feel like shit, dude."

"What?" Bianca frowned. "Why?"

"No, me too," Pope agreed, nodding frantically. "I can't believe you let me act so gripped about the cross that I didn't even notice any of this was even happening."

"Yeah, you had us fooled," Cleo scoffed.

"Guys-" Bianca's eyebrows drew together. "I wasn't trying to make you feel bad or anything-"

"We know," Kiara shut her down with a smile. "But we're your friends. Best friends," She corrected. "We're supposed to have your back on like, everything."

"And you have," Bianca insisted, leaning her head on Kiara's shoulder. "Even if you didn't realize it. Founding principle, you guys-"

"Ooh- I know this one! No secrets amongst Pogues!" Cleo burst with a snap of her fingers.

"Sounds familiar," Kiara rolled her eyes playfully.

"You know," Bianca hummed in thought. "When you say it like that, it kinda makes us sound like a cult."

"Yeah, I guess we are a little bit," Pope stretched before yawning, an indication it was time to head to bed.

"Does that make John B the cult leader?" Cleo scowled.

"Please, John B got framed for a murder he didn't even commit. You think he's going to be the mastermind orchestrating criminal indoctrination?" Bianca rolled her eyes.

"They could probably make a movie about us. You know, when we find the gold," Kiara pointed at Pope as he slowly rose to his feet. "Or like, a TV show."

"Yeah, right," Pope snorted, outstretching his hand to help Cleo up. "It'd be like the bootleg Goonies."

"What's Goonies?" Cleo questioned, which started an entire movie analysis for her by Pope and Kiara.

While the other three departed to the hammocks, Bianca turned to JJ who she noticed had become quiet during her story time. She shifted closer and gently nudged him, "...Hey, I-"

"No, B-" JJ ripped his gaze away from the spot on the wooden deck he was staring at. "Just- I need a second..."

Bianca frowned at his abrupt outburst, not meaning to startle him. It was then, through the dim torchlight, she made out the slight furrow between his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"

JJ let out a heavy sigh, "It's like..." He trailed off, swallowing thickly. "I knew you were keeping things from me and I'm trying really hard not to make this about myself but this is..." He could barely look at her. "This is a lot..."

Bianca's heart pounded and she shifted to her knees to reach for him, "I know, but-"

"No, you don't," JJ snapped harsher than he meant to and began getting to his feet. "Bianca, you..." His eyes squeezed shut out of frustration. "You are the only person in this world who knows me better than I know myself and sometimes, I think that way about you too."

Bianca's mouth dried up as she stared up at her boyfriend. She thought he'd be happy to finally hear about everything she hid from him but now she realized she was wrong.

Of course, she was wrong. She'd been lying to JJ for months.

"But sometimes..." JJ's eyes flickered briefly to her, flexing and unflexing his fists. "Like right now? It feels like I don't even know you."

"JJ..." Bianca swore she heard her heart crack behind her ribs. The cage of bones, meant to be a protection from the outside, failed to take into account that JJ's words held more weight than any weapon.

"I..." The blond boy trailed off, casting his gaze toward the darkened river. "I just need some space."

"JJ, wait-" Bianca tried to follow after him but he already turned away.

Guilt welled up in the girl's gut and her eyes but she blinked it away before it could fall. Bianca had a lot of things to feel sorry for herself for but she wouldn't let JJ be one of them.

This was her doing- this was her fault. She wouldn't let herself wallow away when her boyfriend had forgiven her time after time. JJ was trying hard not to make it about himself but this time, it really was.

Like the sun over the horizon, it seemed like Bianca's lies were catching up to her faster than she anticipated. While the Pogues slept, rather restlessly, John B, Sarah, and Big John set out for the site at the crack of dawn since they had to be there by moonrise for the solstice.

Ward claimed he wouldn't be able to make it up the mountain on his injured leg. He told them he would hang back and shoot up a flare as a warning in case Singh showed up.

Little did the others know, Ward would be the very person to lead Singh right to them. While they were sleeping that night, he sent a text message to the treasure hunter, letting him know of their exact location and where they planned to be by the solstice in exchange for sparing Sarah's life.

The group soon realized just how sweltering the humid South American jungles were as they trekked through trees up the mountaintop. It didn't help that Big John kept yelling at the kids to keep up pace either.

Meanwhile, the remaining Pogues began making their way upstream once again, narrowly dodging Singh and his men by hiding in the shrubbery.

"JJ, you were right," Cleo quipped, ducking her head down. "That's Singh and his men. But they're not looking for us."

"Yeah, they're moving real quick," JJ's eyes trailed the speed boat. Then, realization struck him and he quickly scrambled to his feet, "They're looking for John B and Sarah. They're gonna know where they're headed."

"Big John's not with them," Bianca took his outstretched hand as he helped her to her feet. "You think that means...?"

"Yeah," Pope nodded quickly. "John B and Sarah found him for sure. They're going for the gold."

"We gotta go," JJ untied the boat from the mangroves and reached for the engine next. "They're gonna need us."

"Well, then giddy up Saltwater Cowboy," Kiara sighed, adjusting the bandana on her head like a cowboy hat. "Let's get this show on the road."

"Stay back," Cleo warned as JJ revved the boat engine and began following Singh's men. "Don't get too close."

The Pogues set off again, following their trail from a safe distance. The atmosphere was tense, and not only because they had gone almost an entire twenty-four hours without food in the sweltering humidity.

Bianca and JJ still hadn't spoken and with the rest of the Pogues trapped on their little fishing boat, it was clear something had transpired after their catch-up last night. Finally, after hours of traversing through the river, they reached another boat pit-stop.

This dock had locals milling around and through wooden huts. Engulfed by the setting sun's amber hue, the Pogues could tell their daylight was waning. It wouldn't be long before night fell again and they needed to stop for the night.

"Okay, guys, I think this is El Tesoro," Kiara glanced up from the map in her hands. "The trailhead to the mountain's supposed to start here."

JJ glanced over his shoulder, spotting a familiar face amongst the boats— Fenton, "Oh, shit. That's one of Singh's guys," He turned back to the group. "What are we gonna do? Alright- we gotta get past them somehow."

Pope's jaw set and he turned to Cleo who was manning the engine, "Pull over."

"Aye, aye, Captain," The girl saluted and turned the boat around.

When they were safely hidden between the mangroves again, Pope shifted forward, "Alright, what do we have to work with?"

The group immediately jumped into action, scouring the boat for resources that they could use. They needed to cause some kind of distraction to lure Fenton and their river guide away from the dock.

The good news was that Singh and his guards weren't around, leaving the trailhead open for the Pogues to follow. The bad news, however, was that it meant they may have already reached Solana by then.

"Uh- some rope," Bianca answered, lifting the brown twine entangled around a metal can. "And some bait."

"I got a fishing rod," Cleo raised it.

"The machetes," JJ pulled off the blanket covering them. "We-"

"We can't mad-dog them, JJ," Bianca deadpanned.

"Why not?" The boy pouted. "We have machetes."

"And they have guns."

"Alright, fine, what if we- we disguise ourselves?" He offered.

"With what?" Kiara scowled. "A fishing net and some fireworks?" She lifted the wired material to reveal the box labeled, 'Peligro!' in bright red and yellow.

"You know what- never mind-" JJ flopped backward with his arms crossed over his chest. "You guys can think of your own plans for all I care," He glanced away like a child throwing a tantrum. "Actually, no- why is it whenever I say something- anything at all, everyone always gangs up on me?"

"What?" Pope reared his head back. "Dude, what are you talking about?"

"No one's ganging up on you, JJ," Kiara shot back in a harsh whisper.

"No- no, but you are-"

"Can you guys keep it down," Pope tried to reach over and cover his friend's mouth but JJ slapped his hands away. "Please!?"

"Shh!!!" Cleo interjected, afraid Singh's men would hear the commotion.

JJ was still trying to argue behind the palm of Pope's hand when Bianca snapped, "Wait, wait, wait- shut up- everyoneshut up for a second!" She glared causing Cleo to shush them until their voices died down. "Remember what I said about the fireworks...? To Barracuda Mike when we got off the plane?"

She glanced over to Kiara who shrugged and then to JJ where Pope was still covering his mouth. Finally, the Heyward boy rolled his eyes before releasing his grasp.

"That they should be legalized in the OBX?" JJ elbowed Pope away before turning back to his girlfriend.

"What? No," Bianca frowned and shook her head. "That they sounded like gunshots," She turned to Pope who was staring at the floor of the boat intensely.

Moments later, his head shot up, eyes wide, "I know what to do."

Within minutes, the Pogues set themselves up in a small fishing shed not too far from the dock. It was there that they had a clear view of Fenton, Singh's guard, lounging in his boat while the river guide, Miguel rested under the shade.

Cleo threw the fishing line into their boat while Kiara held the rod. Bianca and the boys waited with bated breaths, watching as Fenton groggily sat up and picked up the note attached to the end of the line.

Fenton placed his gun down and read the note— "In five seconds, you will hear a gunshot. That's your warning. The next shot will be at your head."

"Now," Bianca ordered JJ who flung the first firework, which exploded with a loud bang in the air.

"Ah!" Fenton yelped, reaching for his gun, and searched for the river guide. "Miguel! They are shooting at us! Where are they!?"

"No los veo!" Miguel ducked to the ground while Fenton surveyed the area.

JJ glanced over to the girls, holding a machete in his other hand, "Is he buying it?" To which Kiara turned around and nodded quickly.

"Pope, now- another one," Bianca instructed, causing the boy to bring JJ's lighter to the end of the firework.

Pope threw the small firecracker, this time, aiming right beside the boat. It burst abruptly, causing Fenton to cry out in shock, and duck down again, trying to shield himself from the fire.

"Ah, shit!" Fenton leaped from the boat and onto the dock. "We are surrounded!"

"Oh, shit- oh, shit- oh, shit-" Kiara's eyes suddenly widened when she realized the guard had whipped out his gun again and aimed toward the river.

"Get down!" Cleo grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her away from the window.

"Get down!" JJ shouted, taking Bianca's arm and dragging her to the ground with him.

His body practically curled around her, shielding her from Fenton's open fire as it ricocheted off the water. The sound, piercing as ever, reverberated through Bianca's mind as she squeezed her eyes shut.

This is not your fault. You're perfect. I love you.

Her father's echoes were so sweet, yet taunted her like purgatory. It reminded her that no matter what happened, the blood was still on her hands. Bianca's chest rose and fell with shallow breaths but it was JJ's voice, between the bullets, which brought her back.

This is not your fault. You're perfect. I love you. This is not your fault. You're "-okay. You're okay. You're safe. You're here, you're with me. Just breathe..."

Bianca gulped down breaths, afraid of looking up. JJ's hands brushed through her hair gently, soothing her frazzled nerves. Her throat felt too tight to speak but her boyfriend's subtle kisses against her temple reassured her that she didn't need to.

"Pope, return fire!" JJ commanded for her when the gunshots stopped so the guard could reload. "Return fire!"

Pope threw another firework which landed on the dock beside the boat, causing the wood to splinter and crumble. Singh's men scrambled to get back onto the boat, shouting curses and ducking down to avoid being hit.

"There's too many of them!" Fenton yelled, signaling for Miguel to get on the boat. "Let's get out of here! Go! Go! Go!"

JJ passed Pope another firework, one to drive them away for good, "Come on, get 'em- get 'em!"

The firecracker exploded just before hitting the water, causing Miguel to speed up as the boat engine revved louder. Fenton kept his head down, "Go faster! Faster!"

"Bye-bye," Pope watched them disappear down the river.

Bianca could sense the others slowly getting to their feet, indicating their enemy was retreating into the water. She tried to as well, despite the tremors wracking through her body but JJ held her closer for a moment longer.

"Hey, relax," He whispered low enough so the others couldn't hear. "Take your time. We're not going anywhere."

Bianca felt the rubber band around her chest unravel ever so slightly, and the hand gripping JJ's t-shirt loosened. She wasn't back on the Coastal Venture. She wasn't covered in blood. And although they were still running for their lives, she wasn't alone.

"They're gone. I think we can stop here for the night," Pope glanced away from the river and toward Bianca and JJ stillhuddled on the floor. He outstretched his hand for her, "You okay?"

Bianca nodded and took his hand, "Yeah."

JJ arched an eyebrow, holding his arm out expectantly, "What about me, man?"

Pope stuck out his hand again but just before JJ could reach it, he swiped it back, causing the blond to fall back again with a grunt. JJ scowled at his girlfriend and best friend who looked more than amused.

"Good aim, Po'," Bianca let out a shaky breath, referring to the fireworks. "Did you play baseball in school or something?"

"Believe it or not, Pope was on the math team," Kiara stood behind them, her hands planted on her hips.

"You were on the math team?" Bianca's eyes widened.

"Well, I for one," JJ turned to his best friend with a knowing smirk. "Think we're getting better at this."

"Oh, yeah," Pope shared the grin, clapping their hands together to do the Pogue handshake.

"Hey, hey!" Cleo interrupted, pushing in between them. "Ain't no time for celebrating. We didn't do nothing yet."

"That's fair," Kiara brushed passed the boys with her lips pursed.

"I think you did good," Bianca whispered from behind the girls, giving Pope a small smile. "For a mathlete."

"Hey, I was there too, you know!" JJ called after his girlfriend, throwing his arms up with a scoff. He turned to his best friend, "I thought we did somethin'."

"We did," Pope agreed, dapping him up. "We did."

"Well done, soldier," JJ grinned before following the girls.

When evening fell again, just before the moon peaked, John B, Sarah, and Big John finally stumbled upon Solana, the site of the solstice. It was just as the legend predicted it; four tall stone pillars marking the cardinal directions around a concrete raised table— the temalacatl.

The trees bristled in the wind as the group inched toward it. Big John couldn't believe it; a thousand years of astronomy and mathematics were all contained in the scriptures etched into the stone table. The temalacatl proved that the Kalinago were every bit as equal to the Mayans.

Right in the center of the structure was a spot just for the gnomon and when the moon hit its zenith, everything would be rewritten. Big John put John B in charge of translations and handed him the letter from Denmark Tanny while he told Sarah to gather up some mud so they could mark which glyphs to translate.

When the moon finally hit the head of the gnomon, it reflected the rays so brilliantly, that the three were in awe. One by one, the glyphs of the gnomon began glowing and Sarah would mark it while the boys translated.

"Brave traveler, if you have wisdom, I will reveal the wealth of the earth. I am nothing but hold everything. I have no tongue, but I'm always speaking..."

When they asked Big John to reveal the rest of the translation, he hesitated. Sarah quickly picked up that he still didn't trust her and when John B demanded his father tell them both, the man remained silent.

It was Big John's lack of trust that led them to a standstill. He was using them, he was using his own son.

John B was furious. This is what Big John did. He pulled them in and pushed them away, just like he did with John B, with his mom, with Ward, Michael and now he was doing it to Sarah.

While they argued, Singh and Ward took it as their chance. They appeared over the hill, as it poured down rain and thundered lightning. Singh's men aimed guns at their chests.

Now, Singh too, demanded Big John tell them the secret of the Gnomon. Ward then revealed the deal he made with Singh,in exchange for their location, they would spare Sarah's life. Little did he know, this betrayal would never absolve him in his daughter's eyes.

It was then that Singh revealed the Guajiro king executed the slaves who mined El Dorado at the stone of Solano, right where they all stood so they could never reveal the secret location. And with that, Singh's men turned their guns to point at John B while he demanded Big John tell him the secret of the Gnomon.

John B begged his father to tell them but Big John remained silent, to Sarah's and even Ward's horror. It was clear, as Singh counted them down, that Big John would rather watch his son die than give up his life's work.

It wasn't until Sarah threw herself at the gun aimed at John B, that chaos erupted. Ward shot the man who threatened to kill his daughter, which caused enough of a distraction for Big John, Sarah, and John B to escape but not without injury.

Big John was slowing them down, gripping his side, which was odd because he was the one who kept barking at them for being slow pokes. He couldn't hide his graze from the bullet for too long though, as they headed northwest.

John B was still upset his father would've sacrificed him for the treasure but Big John claimed Sarah merely beat him to the punch. As they headed up the mountain, it was becoming more and more clear that Big John was the father John B once thought he was.

Suddenly, as they were trekking, Sarah heard an eerie whisper, one which forced her to stop in her tracks. It brought her back to the riddle— I have no tongue but I'm always speaking.

Sarah followed the sound, leading the two to a cave, chirping with bats. They stood in front of the dark entrance— I am nothing but hold everything. I have no tongue but I'm always speaking.

It was a cave. They were one step closer to El Dorado.

They went inside, and split up, searching for the city of gold. At first, they thought it was just a dead end, a hole in the ground that doesn't go anywhere but it was Sarah who shined the flashlight into the water below, realizing that if there were fish then it definitely went deeper.

John B waded through the water and found a small but narrow passage. And right above it was a hand, imprinted onto the stone wall.

The Kalinago symbol for home was the hand. This was it. They found it. El Dorado.

The city of gold.

author's note. hi besties !!!!! what did you think of this chapter? question for you guys; what is your favourite book trope or microtrope? i am a SUCKER for enemies to lovers and fake dating. it might also help me write a new book (maybe lol). drop a comment about literally anything; your day, your plans this week, life updates, i'd love to hear it.