Bʟᴀᴄᴋʙᴇᴀʀᴅ

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The teens walk cautiously through the home. JJ leading them down a hallway before turning back toward the man, "Just, uh..."

"Just right in the next room." Chandler says

"Okay." JJ says as they enter a room

"This place smells like dead bodies." John B mutters

"I'll, uh..." Chandler chuckles, "I'll let Wes know you're here."

As he walks off to another door, Estrella looks over to Pope. His eyes widening for a second as he looks to her. Her brows raise in understanding as the men walks in and motions to the door he just came out of.

"Come in. Please, please, warm yourselves by the fire." Wes says as they walk into what they could assume was the living room, "Good to see you."

Cleo touches the spiderwebs on the lamps before frowning, "Ew."

"I... I apologize for dragging you all out here, but I... I don't think I could speak about this in public." Wes says as the girls take a seat on one couch. Estrella sitting on the arm beside Cleo. While the boys take place on the couch opposite them, JJ stands beside them, "I know I mentioned Blackbeard, but I assure you all, my interest is not for treasure. My ancestor, Francis Genrette, was the British officer who caught and killed the notorious pirate."

"Wait. Your... your direct ancestor?" Pope asks

"Mm-hmm." Wes nods, "Yes, unfortunately. After he'd beheaded Blackbeard, he killed the pirate's wife, Elizabeth. And since then, for 300 years, generations of Genrettes have been haunted by Elizabeth's ghost and have died violent deaths, including my daughter."

Wes looks up toward a painting of a woman before turning to Chandler, "Larissa, Chandler's wife. My daughter saw Elizabeth a week before she died. Now... I've had a visitation. So I know I don't have much time."

John B clears his throat, "Right. Uh... so we're really sorry that that happened to you, but what do you want from us?"

"Of course, you're right. Let's get down to business." Wes says, "Chandler."

"We believe that we've found a way to break the curse on this family." Chandler says, "Right before she was murdered, Elizabeth begged Francis to retrieve from her husband's ship a keepsake that he'd given her. Her most prized possession. An amulet. He denied the request
and then murdered her."

"But if we find that amulet, fulfilling Elizabeth's last request, I believe it will break the curse that has haunted my family for over 300 years." Wes adds

"Okay. Um..." Kie starts, "I'm sorry. Where did you say that the necklace thingy is?"

"Oh." Chandler chuckles, "Blackbeard's last ship, the Adventure."

"Perfect."

"According to all records, the amulet was still on it when it was scuttled right off Goat Island."

"Right, yeah, but the Coast Guard excavated that site years ago." Pope says

"The excavation team didn't know what we know. They didn't have this." Wes says before handing a book to Pope, "There's a secret lockbox hidden behind the headboard in the captain's chamber. Do you dive?"

"We dive. All... all of us do." JJ nods. Estrella looks to him bewildered, "It's just, we only do it if the price is right."

"Excellent." Wes says, "We are prepared to offer you a premium for your services. Fifty thousand, plus expenses. Five thousand up front. And we would very much like your immediate answer."

"Well, I think we kind of..." JJ's cut off by John B jumping up and placing his hand over his mouth

"Uh, we'll just need to think it through." Pope says

"We'll be right back." John B says leading JJ into the other room. The girls following quickly behind them

"Only take a second. One sec." JJ mutters

"Thank you." Pope says

"Okay, guys, um..." Sarah whispers

"What was that?" Kie says

"We have to think." Cleo says as John B closes the door behind him

"This is weird. We could just slip out through the back." Kie says

"Are we really going to listen to the guy who should be in a white padded room?" John B asks, "Visitations? Curses?"

"He's a madman." Cleo says

"Okay, obviously, he's batshit, but he's in there crying about his daughter." Sarah whines, "Like, he needs help."

"He needs therapy, Sarah, not a necklace thing." Estrella says

"Obviously, this guy is nutty. We don't even know if anything he's saying is true." Pope says

"We cannot ignore the fact that there is a ghost and a curse." Charlotte says, "Y'all aren't getting a weird-ass vibe?"

"Okay. Guys. Let's just say we take this job." Cleo says, "Is it even possible?"

"Yes." JJ says

"I knew what you would say. Everybody else?" Cleo says turning toward the others

"That shipwreck is probably 80 to 100 feet down. The currents are probably ripping." Pope says

"Guys." JJ says, "Are we really gonna worry about the details right now?"

"Yes!" Cleo and John B exclaim

"That's 100%." Pope says

"Guys, in our time of need, are we gonna turn down free money?" JJ asks, "No. That's not like us."

"It's not free." Kie says

"The worst that can happen is we walk out of here with five Gs in our pocket." JJ says putting his hat back on and walking toward the door, "End of discussion."

"That's not the worst." Estrella says

"We can go to jail, get arrested." Cleo lists right before JJ opens the door

"Sir, we've come to our conclusion, and we'll do it." He says as the others walk out behind him, "We'll take the job. Now, that initial 5K, is that that right there? You can go ahead, fork that over to me."

"Welcome aboard." Chandler says holding it out to him

"Hey, you know what? Actually, I think I'll take this for safekeeping." Pope says taking the envelope, "You know?"

"All right. Sure." JJ says

"Thank you." Pope says

"You won't regret this, sir. I promise you." JJ says shaking his hand, "We'll get the job done."

"Hey, JJ." Chandler says, "I believe in you."

Estrella eyes the man as JJ nods, "Thank you."

JJ walks through the group to the front door. The teens looking to each other before following him out.

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