𝓢𝓟𝓘𝓡𝓐𝓛 // 𝒪𝐵𝒳 𝒯𝐻𝑅𝐸𝐸

𝟎𝟒𝟑: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Saylor was sat on the very back row clapping just like the others in the audience as the Pogues stood from their seats.

She never wanted anything to do with the gold and that included the fame and recognition that came with it. No one knew that she was with them in El Dorado, they all believed that she was with her mother back on the mainland because that's the story that was told.

Everyone began to separate into their own little groups and Saylor was about to leave until she was stopped by a unknown older man wearing a suit. "An interesting route to take, not wanting people to know you were there."

Saylors breath hitched, no one had questioned her make belief story until now and it wasn't that this man was doubting her, he spoke as if he knew it was a fact. "Sorry, I don't know what your talking about." She shook her head before trying to get past him.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about." His voice was now harsh as he held out his arm in front of her so that she couldn't walk any further. "I know that you...."

Saylors heart drummed harshly against her chest as he told her something no one else could know. It was something she had done after returning to the island. Something only Barry knew and something that would get her in massive trouble if anyone else found out.

"You've been watching me." It was the only way he could know the information he did.

She was being stalked.

"I've been conducting research." He corrected her.

Saylor stood in shock at his revelation as he walked over to the table her brother and the Pogues were gathered around. It dawned on her that all this time she was being watched and she never knew.

She took a second to collected herself before following after him, not caring that the Pogues who she very much so was on bad terms with we're going to be involved in the conversation.

The Pogues all looked at Saylor completely baffled as she joined them at the table staring daggers at the man who was yet to reveal his name.

"I was wondering if you would all be so kind as to look at an item of mine." He lifted his briefcase onto the cloth covered table.

"Oh yeah? What type of item is that?" Cleo asked intrigued.

"It's a manuscript." He revealed. "I would investigate it myself, but I'm too long in the tooth. I need partners and you all were first on my list."

"You know, after all your 'research' you'd think you would be fully aware that I am no longer in the treasure hunting business." The Routledge girl gave him a cocky smile using her hands to push herself from the table before walking away.

"Need I remind you of the severity of the consequences if I were to go public with the information I have collected on your re-." He didn't turn away from the others as he spoke knowing full well that his words had stopped her in her tracks.

"Blackmail." Saylor cut him off walking back to the table not wanting him to overshare and raise any more questions with the Pogues than he had already created. "Very classy of you.... Wes Genrette." She held up the ID she had grabbed from his wallet as she passed him a few seconds prior and revealed his name.

Wes maintained his knowing smile as the Routledge girl only further proved to him with her actions why she was required on the team to find what he was searching for. "I prefer the term powerful persuasion." He leant across the table and took back his ID from between her pointer and middle finger.

"I'm sure you do." Saylor scoffed unimpressed. "Let me guess, you also prefer the term 'intense researcher' to creepy stalker." Her eyes narrowed in his direction.

Wes ignored her comment and decided to put an end to the conversation. " I'll leave you all alone to discuss." He nodded his head at the Pogues before focusing on Saylor. "I look forward to working with you." With that he left but not without leaving a note with his contact details on the table.

Saylor clenched her fists and ran her tongue over the front of her teeth. Shit. She turned on her heels not wanting to be in close proximity with the pogues anymore and in desperate need of talking to Barry but she didn't make it far as John B had grabbed her by her arm.

"Where are you going?" He asked his sister as he removed his hand from her arm before running it through his much shorter than usual hair.

"Home. I got shit to deal with." She replied but could tell by the look on his face and the glint of adventure behind his eyes that he wasn't going to let her walk away from them.

"We need to talk about Wes, about the hunt and about his so called intense research." John B argued, his sister had basically declared to them all she had a stalker and he wasn't about to let that slip under to radar.

"Fine, whatever." Saylor sighed, not that she had given in she was just desperate to leave. She could feel JJs gaze and it felt hot, scorching her skin. "Come to mine when you've finished shaking hands and eating tiny food."

"It's called Tapaz." Pope informed her speaking for the first time since they had collected themselves around the table.

"That's nice Pope." She sent his a sarcastic smile. "But I really couldn't give less shits if I tried." After grabbing the note from the middle of the table she hastily made her way towards Carlton and away from the Pogues. "Can you give me a ride home?"

"I've been waiting for you to ask me that for about the past..." Carlton turned his arm to look at the watch on his wrist. "Since we got here." He joked but he was dead serious.

"Come on then, what are you waiting for?" Saylor questioned looking over her shoulder at the boy as he trailed behind her on their way to his motorbike. "You really were waiting for me to ask for a ride huh." She laughed picking up her helmet from the left handle bar of the bike.

"I know you like the back of my hand Saylor Routledge." Carlton told her as he pulled his own helmet of the other handle bar and placed it on his head. He then swung his leg over the bike Saylor doing the same before wrapping her arms around his back and resting her head between his shoulder blade.

Without so much as a second glance to the event they were leaving or the Pogues watching them they rode away and towards the cut.

.·:*¨ ✘♚✘ ¨*:·.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 𝟏𝟏𝟓𝟖