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''What if we have to push a secret button or play a specific chord on the organ, and then, bam! The ground opens up and reveals a hidden catacomb?''

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THE DOORS CREAKED ominously as we pushed them open, the old wood groaning under years of neglect.

''Okay, you're telling me Denmark Tanny decided to hide the cross here?'' JJ's voice broke the silence as we stepped inside the church.

''Mm-hmm,'' Pope answered as he scanned the room.

''Everybody, just spread out,'' Kie instructed, her voice steady as she moved deeper into the church, her eyes already searching for anything out of place.

John B ran a hand through his hair, glancing around. ''Okay, well, if I was a cross and wanted to be hidden in an old church, where would I hide?''

JJ raised an eyebrow at Pope. ''Are you sure Denmark hid the cross here? Like, are we even at the right church?''

''It's gotta be here somewhere, guys,'' Pope insisted, pacing near the altar.

I crossed my arms, tilting my head as I looked around. ''It's a big-ass cross. It should be on display.''

''What if we have to push a secret button or play a specific chord on the organ, and then, bam! The ground opens up and reveals a hidden catacomb?'' JJ gestured dramatically, a grin tugging at his lips.

''How about we just look for obvious clues?'' John B suggested, shaking his head.

''Yeah, it's not an escape room,'' Kie added, rolling her eyes as she sifted through debris near the pews.

''It's gotta be in here,'' Pope muttered again, his frustration starting to seep through.

John B frowned, scanning the room. ''Look, I can't see where they'd hide a giant cross in here.''

''There's no way he'd send us on a wild goose chase,'' JJ cut in. ''Like, Denmark wouldn't waste our time.''

Pope looked back at him, his jaw tightening. ''I know that. I just... I know it has to be here.''

I stepped closer to him, my voice quieter now. ''Did we miss something? Any clue we overlooked?''

Pope exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. ''No. The clues led us here. The cross is in this church.'' He dropped onto one of the pews, visibly deflated.

''Pope, it'll be all right,'' John B said trying to reassure him. ''We've had setbacks before, and we figured it out. We're going to find it.''

''He's right,'' Kie agreed, giving Pope an encouraging nod.

John B rubbed his hands together, stepping forward. ''Let's think about this logically. Where else would you hide a seven-foot-tall cross made of gold?''

Pope's gaze drifted upward, his eyes narrowing at the wooden beams above us.

''What?'' JJ asked, noticing the change in Pope's expression.

We all followed his line of sight to the ceiling. The beams—some weathered and broken, others oddly shaped—formed faint slanted crosses.

''Oh, my God,'' Kie murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before I could say anything, Pope was already heading to the shelves lining the wall, using them as a makeshift ladder. My stomach dropped.

''Pope,'' I called, stepping forward. ''What are you doing?''

''Hey, no!'' JJ yelled. ''Now Pope's climbing the wall. Great.''

''Pope, wait!'' Sarah added, her voice tinged with worry. ''This is crazy.''

''This church is old,'' Kie warned, her brow furrowing. ''It's not safe.''

''Yo, this place has got to be at least 200 years old,'' JJ chimed in.

''Pope, seriously, you're going to break your neck,'' I said firmly, trying to keep my voice steady despite the lump forming in my throat.

Pope reached the beams and began knocking on the wood. ''This one's solid. I'm going to check the others.''

''Pope, you're going to hurt yourself,'' I pressed, stepping closer, my heart pounding in my chest.

''Hey, easy,'' Sarah said, her eyes darting between Pope and the fragile beams.

''That's rotten as hell, man,'' JJ pointed out, his voice rising.

Pope ignored us all, moving further along the beam.

''Bro, just look out for that giant wasp nest above your head,'' JJ called, pointing up.

Pope froze, glancing upward. Sure enough, a massive wasp nest hung precariously above him.

''Great. You're going to die,'' I muttered, shaking my head, a mix of frustration and fear bubbling inside me.

Before Pope could respond, the beam cracked loudly beneath him.

''Pope!'' Kie screamed as the wood gave way.

JJ lunged forward, grabbing my arm and John B's as we dove out of the falling debris's path. Dust and splinters exploded into the air as the beam crashed to the ground.

''Whoa, hey!'' JJ exclaimed, his hand still gripping mine as the dust settled.

Pope coughed, waving the dust from his face. ''Look. It's hollow.'' His voice carried a triumphant edge.

I gently pushed JJ's hand off and stepped forward, glaring. ''You could've gotten yourself killed, Pope.''

''Go get me a crowbar,'' Pope said.

''What are you going to do, Pope?'' JJ asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sarah turned and darted for the doors. ''I'll be right back.''

JJ threw up his hands. ''I don't want this entire church collapsing on top of us. That's all I'm saying.''

Soon enough, Sarah returns with a crowbar, jogging toward us with a smile. Pope is already working, carefully chipping at the wood blocking our path to whatever lies beyond. 

''Sarah!'' Pope calls, turning slightly to see her approach.

''Hey, Pope,'' Sarah replies, a slight smirk playing on her lips as she picks up her pace.

''Throw it.'' Pope stretches out his hand, expectantly waiting for the tool.

''Okay,'' Sarah agrees with a shrug, gripping the crowbar tightly.

''Oh, for real? Okay,'' Kie mutters sarcastically, crossing her arms as she takes a step back.

''Everybody, watch your heads, all right,'' John B warns, motioning for all of us to give Sarah some room. We all shuffle back as Sarah winds up and tosses the crowbar toward Pope. The metal arcs through the air before landing perfectly in Pope's hands.

''Got it!'' Pope grins triumphantly.

''Not bad,'' Kie comments, her tone laced with mild surprise as Sarah flashes a victorious grin. JJ claps enthusiastically, while I can't help but watch the whole exchange with an anxious knot forming in my stomach.

''Hey, Pope, there's the wasp nest right up there, okay?'' John B reminds, pointing toward the ominous cluster.

''Just move slow, all right?''

''Got it,'' Pope reassures, gripping the crowbar firmly as he begins striking the wood with controlled precision. Each hit sends small fragments tumbling to the ground, the sound of splintering wood echoing through the space.

''What is that?'' Sarah mutters, narrowing her eyes at the growing gap in the wood.

''Do you guys see that?'' John B asks, stepping closer as Pope's efforts reveal a glint of something behind the barrier. The rest of us edge nearer.

''Holy shit,'' Kie whispers, her voice barely audible as the outline of the cross becomes visible. We all stare, momentarily captivated by what's emerging. Pope continues, tearing away chunks of wood until the cross is almost fully exposed.

''You did it, buddy,'' JJ exclaims, beaming at Pope.

''What is that?'' Sarah's voice trembles with awe as we all cheer. JJ pulls me into a side hug, his arm heavy but warm around my shoulders. I can't stop the smile tugging at my lips, even as my nerves refuse to settle.

''Keep going!'' Kie urges, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Pope doesn't hesitate, knocking away the last bits of wood. Finally, the cross is fully revealed.

''Yeah!'' Pope yells, his triumphant shout filling the air.

''Holy shit!'' I shout, unable to contain myself.

''I thought you were crazy!'' Kie yells, her laugh ringing out. ''We did it! We did it!''

''Okay, they're stinging now. Ow!'' Pope's celebratory tone shifts as he begins swatting at the wasps buzzing furiously around him.

''Take it easy! Take it easy!'' JJ shouts as Pope drops the crowbar. It lands with a clang, narrowly missing Sarah, who lets out a startled yelp.

''Ow! Ow!'' Pope's voice cracks with panic as he loses his footing, tumbling off the beam. My heart leaps into my throat as he desperately grabs onto it at the last second, dangling precariously.

''Cushions!'' John B yells, springing into action.

''Move the pews! Move these!'' Kie commands. The five of us scramble, piling cushions and shoving pews aside to create a makeshift landing zone. My hands shake as I toss another cushion onto the pile, glancing up to see Pope's grip faltering.

''I'm slipping, guys!'' Pope's voice is strained, his knuckles white as he clings on for dear life.

''Hold on! Just hold on!'' I yell, closing my eyes briefly as if that will steady my racing heart.

With a final cry, Pope loses his grip and plummets onto the pile. Sarah screams, and I squeeze my eyes shut, the sound of the impact echoing in my ears. When I open them, Pope is sprawled out on the cushions, groaning but alive.

''Pope, are you okay?'' Kie asks, her voice trembling as we all rush to his side.

''You good?'' Sarah's brows knit together in concern.

''Dude! Anything broken?'' JJ crouches down, his voice unusually serious.

''Do you feel good?'' Kie presses, her hands fluttering uncertainly as if she's unsure where to help.

''You okay?'' John B asks, kneeling beside him.

''You did not tuck and roll, that's for sure,'' JJ quips.

Pope groans but manages to roll onto his side, prompting us to glance up just in time to see the cross teetering dangerously.

''Look out!'' John B yells as the massive relic crashes to the ground. JJ grabs my arm, pulling me back before it can land too close.

''Hey, you good?'' JJ asks.

''Yeah, I'm good,'' Pope coughs from his position on the floor, waving us off.

''Just give me, like, one second to, like, catch my breath.''

''You did it, Pope,'' John B says, clapping him on the back.

''Oh, she's... she's beautiful,'' JJ says, his voice filled with genuine awe as he gazes at the cross.

''I've never seen anything like it,'' Sarah whispers, her eyes wide.

''Man, the detail's insane,'' JJ adds, crouching closer.

''Well, here's why Limbrey wanted that key so bad,'' I say, pointing out the keyhole nestled within the cross. My voice is steady, but inside, I'm grappling with a mix of emotions—awe, confusion, and a lingering sense of unease. It's beautiful, but I can't understand the thrill, the obsession. Was this what my mother had died for? 

''Whoa. Good find,'' JJ comments, his grin widening. ''How much do you think she's worth? Like, if we melted her old bones down, dude, I'm talking like high billions.''

''This belongs in a museum—no! This belongs in a museum,'' John B interrupts, cutting off JJ's rambling.

''What? So no one sees her?'' JJ asks, raising an eyebrow.

''That's kind of the point of a museum. So that everyone sees her,'' I counter, crossing my arms as I look at the cross. JJ glares at me, but there's no malice in it.

''Are you kidding me?'' he scoffs.

''Hey! It's my ancestors' cross!'' Pope interjects, sitting up straighter despite his disheveled state.

''Right, okay. All right, all right. Well...'' JJ starts, but Pope cuts him off.

''This is bigger than money, and the world's gotta know the truth.''

''Yes, and if we don't get this shit outta here before Limbrey gets here, nobody's gonna know. So saddle up,'' John B says, taking charge. We all nod sharing glances.

''It's heavy like right here,'' JJ notes as we position ourselves around the cross. ''Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on. John B, you're gonna pull, all right? Pull down.''

''All right, I'm gonna pull down, you guys pull up. Ready? One, two, three,'' John B counts. We heave together, grunting under the weight. Sweat beads on my forehead as my hands grip the edge tightly, my arms straining.

''Okay. I got it,'' JJ chokes out, his chin barely clearing the cross. ''Who's... who's not lifting right now?'' 

''Sarah, are you seriously—''

The cross was heavier than I expected, and my arms ached as we maneuvered it through the church. 

''I'm lifting!'' she interrupted sharply, gritting her teeth as she strained to hold her end of the cross.

''Move forward,'' Kie instructed, glancing around to make sure we weren't about to knock anything over.

JJ, his face already shining with sweat, muttered towards Sarah, ''It doesn't feel like it.''

I couldn't hold back my irritation anymore. ''Maybe because the cross is fucking heavy, JJ? Ever thought about that?'' My voice was dripping with sarcasm as I adjusted my grip, my hands beginning to slip from the sweat.

''Okay, guys. I can't. I can't,'' Pope groaned, his voice strained.

''No, no, no, no,'' Kie objected, panic rising in her tone.

''No, no, Pope! Hang on there!'' JJ's alarmed yell filled the church as Pope's grip faltered. ''No, no, no, no, no! No!''

It all happened in slow motion. Pope let go, stumbling backward and crashing into one of the pews, while the rest of us lost control of the cross. It hit the ground with a deafening thud, shaking the floor beneath us.

''Damn it, yo!'' JJ shouted, giving the cross a swift kick out of frustration. ''You almost dropped it on my foot!'' He turned to glare at Sarah.

''Cause I'm the only one lifting it!'' Sarah snapped back, her chest rising and falling with exertion.

''I was about to get a colic from lifting that fucking thing!'' I argued, leaning on a nearby pew to catch my breath.

''Yeah, you weren't the only one lifting that thing,'' Kie chimed in, shooting Sarah a look of agreement.

''Okay, okay, okay, okay!'' John B stepped between us, raising his hands to calm everyone down. ''Listen, we'll make, like, a sling, like a little—''

''Yeah, yeah, and then we'll put it on the tail hitch,'' JJ interrupted, already nodding at the idea.

Before we could plan further, Pope's voice drew our attention. ''Guys! Guys, guys, I'm not okay. I'm not okay.''

I spun around to look at him, my stomach sinking as I noticed his swollen eye. ''Wait, are you allergic to wasps?'' I asked, moving closer.

Sarah's brow furrowed as she leaned in to get a better look. ''Your eye, it looks all puffy.''

''You good? You don't look too good, bro,'' JJ added, his concern poorly masked by his usual humor.

''I don't feel too good. I can't—'' Pope gasped, struggling to breathe.

I felt my pulse quicken as I stepped closer, assessing him. ''His throat is closing up.'' My voice was steady, but inside, I was panicking.

''Is it the wasps? How many times did you get stung?'' Sarah asked, her voice climbing in pitch.

Before he could answer, Pope's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground. We all yelled his name at once, rushing to his side. I slipped my arms under him, trying to support his weight. His skin was clammy, and his breaths were shallow. My heart hammered in my chest as I looked up at the others.

''What about the cross?'' Sarah asked, her voice filled with urgency.

''JJ, try and hide it,'' John B ordered, already focusing on the bigger issue.

''I got it. Go,'' Kie said, stepping in to take Pope from me as I struggled to hold him up.

''I got it. I got the cross,'' JJ muttered, rushing back toward it as we focused on Pope.

''Here we go. Come on. Come on.'' John B moved to Pope's other side, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Together, we hoisted him up, his weight sagging between us. Kie grabbed his other arm. I ran ahead to open the door, my hands shaking slightly.

Sarah darted to the truck, throwing the passenger door open. ''Wait, I didn't hide it well enough!'' JJ shouted, slamming the church door shut behind him as he caught up.

''Don't worry about that. We gotta get Pope some help,'' Sarah replied as she watched us maneuver Pope into the truck.

''Keep his legs elevated,'' I ordered, my mind racing through everything I knew about allergic reactions.

''Pope, what do you need?'' JJ asked, his eyes wide with worry.

Pope motioned weakly, mimicking jabbing his arm. ''A shot!'' Kie yelled, realizing what he meant.

''A shot? Okay.'' JJ's voice cracked slightly. ''Wait, I know where to go. Give me the keys! Kie, give me the keys!''

''They're in the ignition!'' Kie yelled back, climbing into the back with Pope, who stuck his head out of the window, gasping.

''Right! I knew that!'' JJ muttered, scrambling into the driver's seat. Sarah slid into the passenger seat while I climbed into the back, leaning over Pope to make sure he was still conscious. The truck roared to life, and we sped off, every bump in the road jostling us as JJ floored it toward our only hope of saving Pope.

"Where are we going, JJ?" Sarah asks.

"To Ricky's. Trust me, he'll have what Pope needs!" JJ replies, slamming his foot on the gas pedal.

"How far is it?" I asked, glancing nervously at Pope, whose face is getting increasingly pale.

"Not far. Just hang on, Pope!" JJ shouts over the sound of the engine.

"Stay with us, Pope. Keep your eyes open." I rubed his forearm trying to calm him down the best I could.

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