MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

the lords of tannyhill

CHERRY SLUSHY IN HAND, Karolina walked happily alongside Kie and Sarah as they waited for Pope to finish talking to his great-grandmother.

"Of course I thanked Topper," Sarah sighed, as they made their way back to the van. "He saved my life, and I'd already put him through so much already— and you'd think that that is the crime of the century..." She rolled her eyes.

Kie laughed scornfully. "Tell me about it... All of this crazy shit's happening, and Pope's giving me the silent treatment for not being in love with him."

Sarah grinned at her. "And we're the dramatic ones."

Karolina lowered her slushy, opening her mouth to speak, but Sarah hushed her. "No, nope. Those in happy relationships get no input," she said, with a smile.

Kie shook her head. "I can't believe Karolina and JJ are the happiest relationship in this group..."

Karolina smiled at the thought. "Well, it was not without trial—"

"No! No! No input!" Kie and Sarah laughed as they squished Karolina between them with their hips. She rolled her eyes playfully as they all climbed back into the van.

A few minutes later, they picked up Pope in the same place they dropped him off. He sighed as he clambered in, the key wrapped tightly in his hands. He shut the door and sat down.

John B stared at him. "So... How'd it go?"

Pope sighed again.

"Shit just got way more personal."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★ ｡･:*:･ﾟ

"I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE RELATED TO DENMARK TANNY."

Later in the day, they lounged around on the docks, drinking soda (and not beer, for once) after Pope told them what his Mee-Maw said.

JJ giggled (because he was drinking from a flask, not a soda can). "Uh-huh!"

John B stopped and grinned, gasping fauxly. "Are we in the presence of a royal?"

The girls started to cheer, and JJ whooped. "A king!" He mimed dubbing Pope, lowering an invisible crown on his head. "We shall crown him," he said, in a decent British accent, "All hail the lord of Tannyhill!"

"We're not worthy!" John B cried, as Pope tried to settle them. Everyone laughed and bowed to Pope, until he laughed too.

"Everybody relax, can we relax, please?" he shook his head.

Sarah twirled her fingers at them. "Relocate to Cat's Ass, question mark?"

Karolina swung her feet and hopped off the railing. "I am so down for that."

Pope grew somber, suddenly, looking at his feet. "I just... I keep thinking about the letter, the one Limbrey sent." He looked at John B. "It had the wheat symbol on it. That must mean it has something to do with the Royal Merchant..."

JJ nodded, leaning on the railing. "Yeah... something seems fishy."

"But," Pope said, smiling again, "If we find that cross, we can split it like we were gonna split the gold—"

"And live happily ever after?" said a new voice.

Everyone sprung to their feet, turning to gape at Carla, who stood under an umbrella with Renfield and Karolina's father at her side.

Pope grit his teeth. "You assaulted my father—" He set towards the lady and her stooges, but Renfield pushed him back.

"Oh, I didn't assault anybody," Carla said innocently.