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''No, I don't have a grappling hook. We're not Batman.''

''Speak for yourself, I'm the one protecting the city at night.'' 

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MAVIS

I HADN'T SLEPT much, the encounter with Rafe still playing on a loop in my mind, his words creeping into the quiet moments when I wasn't distracted enough to forget. I'd told Pope, but only him. We'd made a promise, a pinky one. He'd keep my secret and I'd come to him if anything like that ever happened again.

When we pulled up, Kiara and Sarah were waiting for us at the broken boat we left them on with their arms crossed and looking amused at the sight of the HMS Pogue approaching. I could see Kiara rolling her eyes as we got closer, her expression saying more than words ever could.

''Uh-oh! You forget your keys or something?'' John B hollered, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he adjusted his grip on the wheel.

''You need a tow?'' Pope added, glancing at me with a grin as we pulled right up next to them.

Kiara shot us a look, her hand on her hip, her gaze narrowing slightly at John B. ''You gotta admit it was kinda funny, right?'' he tried, only half-apologetic.

''John B,'' Kiara replied. ''You really think you're a mastermind, huh?''

John B pulled the boat up as close as he could, his hands going up in defense, chuckling. ''Hey, I'm always planning. Got to keep things interesting.''

Kiara scoffed, glancing at Sarah who shook her head in amusement. ''Some patriarchal bullshit,'' she muttered, nudging Sarah with her elbow. ''Right?''

''Yeah, that sucked,'' Sarah chimed in, crossing her arms.

''You still love us, though, don't you?'' JJ laughed, leaning over the railing.

''Yeah, whatever,'' Sarah tossed back with a laugh.

John B angled his face to her. ''So... you still hate me?''

''A little,'' Sarah shrugged, though her eyes sparkled. ''But we're both gonna get you back when you least expect it,'' she promised.

Kiara turned her head towards JJ and John B with a mischievous smile. ''Watch your back, boys.''

JJ raised a brow, feigning offense, pointing dramatically at me. ''Hey, why just the boys? Mave here was in on it, too!''

Kiara laughed, reaching over to give my shoulder a light punch. ''Despite the betrayal, I still love my sister.''

I laughed, catching her eye, and nudged her back with a grin. ''Good to know some of us are still in your good graces.''

Pope rolled his eyes at the banter, taking his chance to break in. ''Well, I welcome the challenge.''

''Me too,'' added JJ.

Pope eyed Kiara and Sarah, shifting slightly on the deck as he said, ''So, did you two, you know—'' He paused. ''Reconcile your differences?''

Kiara exchanged a look with Sarah, both of them shaking their heads. ''Not even close,'' Kiara answered.

Sarah stepped forward, nodding. ''But we're willing to work together,'' she said.

''That's victory right there,'' John B declared, his smile widening as he clapped Pope on the shoulder, and JJ joined in with an exaggerated handshake.

''Woogity-woogity-woogity!'' JJsang out, mimicking the old Pogue handshake with a high-pitched voice, making us all laugh.

''Know why?'' JJ threw in with a smug look. ''Hydroponic.''

Pope groaned, his face twisting as he looked away. ''Don't say that, man.''

John B shot JJ a look before grinning back at us. ''All right, enough, you guys ready?''

''Yeah,'' Sarah and Kiara replied in unison.

The two girls hopped onto the boat, settling themselves beside us as we pushed off from the dock. The motor roared to life, sending a spray of cool water up as we picked up speed, the wind catching in our hair.

We parked the boat at the dock and walked to the Chateau. The sun was lower now, casting warm, golden light across the old wooden house.

I was about to head inside with the others when I felt John B's hand catch my arm, gently stopping me. I glanced at him, a questioning look on my face, but his expression was serious.

''Mavie, hold up,'' he murmured, glancing around to make sure the others were already inside. He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice. ''I heard Rafe sneaked into your place last night... Is that why you want to live with the Camerons with me?''

The question stunned me for a second, my mind racing. I immediately thought of Pope, who was the only one I'd trusted with the whole story. ''Did Pope snitch on me?'' I asked, my voice a little sharper than I intended. I didn't want John B worrying about this, since nothing really happened.

John B shook his head, his expression softening, but there was still a hint of worry there. ''It's not important who told me,'' he replied, brushing off my question. ''What matters is... what's going on between you and Rafe?' I'm a bit concerned. A lot actually.'

I could see his jaw tense as he watched me closely, waiting for an answer. The weight of his gaze made me feel exposed, like he could see right through any excuse I might try to give.

With a sigh, I looked down. ''John B... he litteraly like, I don't know, attacked me?''

His face fell. ''Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me?'' His voice was gentler now, a raw edge to it, like he couldn't believe I'd kept something this big from him.

''He didn't really 'attack' me, listen, I just... I didn't want to worry you, all right?'' I tried to explain, my voice softening as I went on. ''He sneaked into my house, high as a kite, and started ranting about how I'd been ignoring him, how I didn't 'respond' to him. He claimed he left me some letter,'' I shook my head, still baffled by it all. ''But he never did. I don't know what he thought he left me.''

John B's face darkened, and I could see his fists clench slightly at his sides. He was quiet for a moment, processing what I'd just told him, then looked back at me. ''And you're okay with still staying at the Camerons' place? You know Ward agreed you can stay there to help me while I heal, but...'' He trailed off, waiting for my reaction.

I met his eyes and nodded, trying to project a confidence I didn't fully feel. ''Yeah, I'm fine,'' I replied, attempting a shrug. ''I'm not afraid of him.''

It was mostly a lie, one I told myself, too. Rafe had the physical advantage; he was taller, stronger, and far more volatile. I'd seen what he was capable of, and he'd proven he could be unpredictable. But fear wasn't something I'd let myself show, not now. Instead, I forced a small smile, hoping John B wouldn't see through it. I had ways to cope—I wasn't about to let Rafe Cameron have that kind of control over me.

John B studied me for a second longer, as if trying to figure out if he believed me. But he finally nodded, his features softening, his hand reaching out to give my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. ''All right,'' he murmured. ''But if anything happens, I want to know about it. Got it?''

I nodded, giving him a small, grateful smile. ''Got it.''

He gave me a firm look before letting out a breath and motioning towards the others with a smirk. ''Come on, everyone's already crammed into Twinkie, and you know how JJ gets if he doesn't get his pick of seats.''

We laughed as we walked toward the old, beat-up van. The others were already waiting, their voices mingling together. JJ, true to form, was calling dibs on his seat, half-sprawled in it like he owned the place.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

WE CREPT THROUGH the dark toward the old Crain house. The place loomed ahead of us, just as eerie as the legends had painted it.

''All right, you guys got rope?'' John B's voice broke the silence as he glanced back at us from his seat in the van.

Pope patted his backpack confidently. ''Got it.''

John B nodded, glancing down the list in his mind. ''Grappling hook?''

Pope frowned, his eyebrows furrowing as he shot John B a look. ''No, I don't have a grappling hook. We're not Batman.''

''Speak for yourself,'' I added with a smirk. ''I'm the one protecting the city at night.'' My remark got a chuckle from JJ, who gave me a nudge.

''Pulley?'' John B continued.

''Check,'' Kiara replied, sounding almost too calm, but I could tell by the way she kept adjusting her grip on the straps of her bag that she was as tense as the rest of us.

''Dark clothes?''

Sarah held out her black hoodie as proof. ''Got it.''

''Flashlights?''

JJ gave a small wave with his, the beam flickering on and off. ''Check,'' he grinned.

John B seemed satisfied, nodding slowly before taking a deep breath. ''All right, good. Let's go get rich, guys.''

''Wait, wait.'' John B held up a hand, stopping us just as we were about to pile out of the van. He glanced around, his expression softer than usual. ''I just want to say thank you, guys. Seriously. It means a lot to me that you're here tonight.''

I rolled my eyes, though there was a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. ''I'm only here because you bribed me with Skittles, let's not forget that. Now quit talking like a TV host and let's get inside.''

John B shook his head. ''Well, that's what I get for trying to give a thank-you speech for my best friends.''

''Save the thank-you for when we actually get the gold,'' I quipped, and JJ nodded in agreement, holding out his fist for a quick fist bump.

''Good point,'' JJ chuckled.

''All right, let's go,'' Pope said, jumping off the van. ''Let's get that wheat in the water.''

''Weed?'' JJ gave him a mischievous grin. ''I'm up for weed.''

I rolled my eyes, nudging JJ with my elbow. ''Per usual.''

Pope sighed. ''I said wheat, JJ.''

We all climbed over the wall surrounding the house, one by one, moving carefully to avoid any sudden sounds. Suddenly, a light on the front porch flickered on, illuminating us in a spotlight of unwanted attention. Everyone quickly turned off their lights—everyone, that is, except JJ.

''Flashlights!'' we all hissed at him.

''It's on strobe!'' JJ muttered back in frustration, fumbling with the switch until he finally managed to turn it off.

I shook my head. ''Next time, you're getting no flashlight at all,'' 

Pope exhaled quietly. ''Okay, so... she has motion sensor lights,'' he whispered, scanning the porch warily.

JJ raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. ''We could, uh... move really slowly, maybe?''

I rolled my eyes, my patience running thin. ''Did you skip the part where he said 'motion sensor'?'' I asked, crossing my arms.

Pope just shook his head. ''Yeah, that's not how it works.''

John B scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. ''What if we throw a rock at it?''

I stared at him, eyebrows raised. ''Do you guys share the same brain cell?'' I asked, glancing between him and JJ. ''Because this plan sounds like something you'd come up with together.''

John B threw up his hands. ''Oh yeah? You got a better idea, Miss Smarty Pants?''

I smirked, trying to hold back a laugh. ''Um, yeah, actually. Anything but that.''

Sarah, watching us bicker, stepped forward. ''What about the breaker?'' she suggested. ''There's a circuit box on the porch. We used to play hide-and-seek here as kids, and if we were brave enough, we'd go all the way up to the porch. I'm pretty sure I remember seeing it.''

John B shook his head firmly. ''No, you're not going in the house alone.''

Sarah gave him a look that spoke volumes. ''Watch me.''

''Crain chops people into pieces,'' JJ whispered like he was reciting an urban legend.

Sarah rolled her eyes, unimpressed. ''You really believe that? She's what, 85?'' She gave him a wry smile. ''She's probably barely still kicking.''

''Then I'll go with her,'' I said. ''You know, just in case the granny stands up from her wheelchair and decides to become a demon.''

JJ shot me a look, his eyes wide. ''Did you skip the part where I said she chops people into pieces?''

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. ''No, I just choose to willingly ignore that.''

As Sarah and I moved toward the porch, John B called after us, his voice a harsh whisper. ''Hey! Be safe.''

Sarah nodded. ''We will.''

JJ cupped Pope's face with both hands, whispering, ''Be safe,'' with an exaggeratedly tender expression.

Pope leaned into it, matching JJ's tone. ''I'll be so safe. I'll be safe for you.''

John B rolled his eyes. ''Can you guys stop? Stop!'' He glared at them, and for a split second, I thought he might actually be annoyed. ''I'm gonna kill you both,'' he threatened in a whisper.

Pope snorted, giving him a mock-serious look. ''But how would that keep us safe?''

With one last glance at the others, Sarah and I slipped onto the porch, our steps cautious as we moved forward. 

Sarah nodded toward a small electrical panel on the wall. ''She must have a generator plugged into the main power supply,'' she muttered. ''Where are the breakers?''

I aimed my flashlight ahead, catching a glimpse of a metal box just inside. ''My guess is...'' I paused, glancing at Sarah. ''Inside.''

We slipped through the door, trying not to let the creaky floorboards betray us. I pointed my flashlight ahead, and Sarah followed, her eyes focused.

''There,'' I whispered, nodding toward the power box. ''Let's do this quick.''

Sarah moved in, flipping the switches while I held the flashlight steady. ''All right,'' I breathed, feeling a strange mix of relief and anxiety. ''Let's get out of here.''

Just as we turned to leave, we heard footsteps above us. My stomach twisted, and I glanced at Sarah, her face pale in the dim light.

''Shit,'' she muttered, taking a step back. ''Did you bring the gun?''

''No,'' I replied, forcing a dry laugh. ''But I brought my karate skills.''

She stared at me, incredulous. ''Really?''

''No,'' I admitted.

She looked like she was trying not to laugh, but there was terror in her eyes. ''Why would you lie about something like that?''

''I don't know why I said that. I'm freaking the fuck out.'' I shrugged.

Suddenly, a voice drifted down from upstairs, making my skin crawl. ''It's late, Leon. Too late.'' Mrs. Crain's voice filled the air, each word echoing through the house.

Sarah's grip on my arm tightened. ''Come on,'' she whispered, pulling me back as we began to edge toward the door.

''I can hear you, Leon,'' Mrs. Crain rasped again. ''I've been waiting all night!''

Just as she finished, Sarah's flashlight beam flashed across the old woman's face. She was gaunt and pale, her eyes wide and crazed. The sight of her sent a shock of fear through me.

''Go! Go! Go!'' I yelped, pulling Sarah with me as we bolted toward the back door. Our footsteps clattered as we raced down the hallway, hearts pounding in our ears.

''Where are you, Leon?'' Mrs. Crain's voice called after us, followed by the sound of shuffling footsteps. We didn't dare look back, sprinting as fast as we could, clutching each other's hands like lifelines.

We turned a corner, hoping we'd lost her, but she appeared out of nowhere, her eyes fixed on us. She swung a fire poker, barely missing me as I dodged just in time, feeling the rush of air as it whizzed past.

''This way!'' Sarah gasped, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward a door leading down a set of creaky stairs. ''It goes underneath the house!''

We tumbled down the steps, the sounds of Mrs. Crain's footsteps following close behind. The smell of damp earth surrounded us as we ran through the narrow hallway, finally emerging into a larger room where we spotted the others.

''Guys! Guys!'' Sarah gasped, relief flooding her voice.

''What's going on?'' Pope's concerned voice echoed in the walls.

''Mrs. Crain! She's up there—she tried to kill us with a fire poker,'' I managed, my voice shaking as the memory replayed in my head.

''We gotta go,'' Sarah added breathlessly. ''We locked her in the parlor, but we gotta go. Now.''

''Yeah, forget what we said about her being barely kicking,'' I muttered, steadying myself. ''That woman's kicking, and she's kicking pretty damn good.''

''Okay, code red!'' JJ declared, seizing the rope and glancing back at us. ''John B! Get back on, man!'' he hollered up toward the well.

Pope leaned closer, listening for any sign from John B. ''Hey!'' he called out again.

Suddenly, we heard John B's muffled voice echoing from the depths. ''Hold on, man! I'm comin'!'' But as we all pulled on the rope, we staggered backward, falling as it went limp in our hands.

Pope stared at the empty rope in frustration. ''Where the hell is he?''

A faint yell rose from below, and I could just make out his words. ''I found the gold!'' But his voice was faint, and I couldn't be sure if I'd heard him right.

''What's he saying?'' JJ's brow furrowed, squinting down the well.

Pope shook his head. ''I don't know.''

''Guys! JJ! Mavis!'' John B's voice called again, this time more desperate.

Kiara's eyes widened, and she grabbed my arm and leaned closer into the well. ''Yo, he's drowning! We gotta pull him up!''

Pope took a deep breath and shouted down, ''Hey, John B! Get back on the rope. We're gonna pull you back up, okay? Just hold on!''

''Shit! Hang on!'' JJ yelled, gripping the rope and bracing himself.

Finally, we heard John B's relieved shout. ''Okay, okay, I'm on!'' With everything we had, we pulled, inching him back up. The sound of a gunshot shattered the night air, making us all jump back in terror.

The crack of the shot echoed, and everyone scattered, taking cover wherever we could. Kiara and I ducked behind a column, my heart pounding as we peered out.

Kiara pressed her hand over her mouth, catching her breath. ''She can't aim for shit.''

Sarah crouched beside us, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward Mrs. Crain. ''Wait,'' she whispered. ''She's blind.''

''I don't care if she is,'' JJ muttered. ''That's buckshot!''

Mrs. Crain fired again, the blast tearing into the empty space just above us as we crouched lower, shielding ourselves. Meanwhile, John B scrambled up from the well, his muddy hands gripping the edge as he pulled himself over with a victorious gasp.

''I'm here!'' he shouted, grinning, out of breath and covered in dirt. ''Whoo!''

The moment he was clear, we dashed for the van, sprinting like our lives depended on it, dodging Mrs. Crain's sporadic gunfire. I threw myself into the back, John B still trailing, and heard Pope's exasperated shout.

''Why are we always getting shot at?''

Kiara poked her head out, yelling to John B. ''Come on! John B, run!'' The van lurched forward, and John B stumbled after us, barely managing to jump inside as JJ gunned the engine.

''Drive!'' Sarah urged, turning to JJ with urgency. ''Go, man!''

JJ let out a laugh, glancing at John B, who was sprawled across the floor of the van, his clothes streaked with mud and grime. ''Oh my God! Are you okay? Are you shot?''

John B shook his head, still catching his