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Estrella didn't really know how, but Pope was driving them back to the church. He was still on his high from his shot and his speed was enough to make her anxious.
"Uh, Pope, you're driving pretty fast." Sarah says
"Pope, last to judge, but I think you should slow down a little." JJ tries
"That would definitely delay our arrival to the cross. We gotta get there."
"Why did we let him drive again?" Kie asks from the passengers seat
"I said I'd rip your ears off." Pope answers
"He said he'd rip our ears off." Charlotte confirms
"You did." Kie nods
"I was joking about that, by the way." Pope says
"That's a really funny joke." Kie nods
"Hey, how ya feeling, buddy? How ya doing?" John B asks
"Uh, fantastic. I don't know what JJ's cousin gave me, but I am moving!" Pope says moving his arms around
"We couldn't tell." Kie shakes her head
"Okay, well, um, there's five people crammed back here and you're going really fast right now." Estrella says
"Yeah, really fast!" Pope says turning back to her. All five of them scream out for him to turn back around as they begin swerving.
"I don't know if you noticed, but there's these giant oak trees all along the road." John B says, "They're like six inches off the road."
"Whoa, whoa!" JJ shouts
"You don't need to pass. You don't need to pass. You don't need to pass." Kie says as Pope swerves around the car in front of him. Estrella yells as he narrowly misses another. They all jerk around as he gets back on the right side.
"What an asshole, right?" Pope says
"He's going the speed limit!" Kie says
"We're not gonna get to the cross if we're dead, Pope!" John B says
Pope turns back to him, "We're not gonna die. It's our divine right to get that cross."
"Pope! Look at the road!" Estrella yells. Pope screams as he swerves and loses control of the truck. The trunk hits a tree before spinning out and landing in the ditch on the other side. The teens groan as the airbags deploy. Glass landing in their lap as the car stops.
"Is everyone okay?" John B asks
"I think so." Sarah says weakly
"Never better." JJ says
"I need to get out." Estrella says. JJ pushes his door open before jumping out. Estrella steps out and walks away as the others jump out, "That is the last time you drive, Pope."
"My dad's truck! No!" Kie whines
"Kie, one word. Totaled." JJ says shining his phone light on the front of the truck.
"My parents are gonna kill me for real this time."
"Yeah, well, weren't they already gonna do that anyway?"
"Helpful. Thank you."
"We're gonna have to walk the rest of the way." Pope says. Estrella's head snaps to him.
"Dude." Sarah says
"I'm going to get my cross."
"Pope, chill out." Estrella says as he starts walking away. John B steps in front of him.
"Hey, just relax for a second."
"Get off of me." Pope says pushing his arm away.
"No. I'm trying to help."
"Move. I'm getting my shit." Pope says
Estrella jogs over, "Pope. We just crashed the car."
"I'm trying to watch out for you." John B tries as Estrella reaches for Pope's arm
"Hey! No!"
"Pope!" Kie yells, "Pope!"
"There's a truck coming." Estrella says grabbing him
Pope immediately yanks his arm away, "Get off of me!"
"You're gonna get hit by a car!" John B says pushing him toward Estrella, "What are you doing? Pope, no! Stop!"
Estrella's heart drops as she notices the truck that was passing was Renfield and Rafe. Charlotte's eyes go wide as they pass.
"We gotta get back to the church!" Pope yells
"Pope!"
"Shit!" Estrella says as she and Pope start running
"No, no!"
"No, no, no, no!" Kie yells as they all take off to the church
Estrella could only pray that somehow they hadn't taken the cross. There was no way that they came this far for them to take what they had again. She and Pope barge into the church with the others trailing them. Her hope dissipating as they walk into the empty church.
"It's gone." Estrella mumbles
"Damn it! I knew I didn't hide it well enough! Damn it!" JJ grunts as he kicks a cushion, "Okay. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? Okay, think, think, think, think. We need a plan. We need a plan. What's the plan?"
Estrella plops down onto a bench as JJ continues on rambling, "All right, here's what we do. We'll grab some kerosene tanks from the Chat, then we... we go to my dad's shop and grab some dynamite. And then we drive down to Charleston and tell this lady who she's messing with! Because this is some bullshit, y'all!"
"That's not gonna help." Sarah says
"Well, what is, Sarah?"
"I'm thinking, okay?" John B says, "We can't just go blow shit up, JJ."
"Pope, I'm sorry." Charlotte says. The others staying quiet as Pope stands at the podium at the front of the church. She knew her grandmother taking the cross wasn't her fault, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible.
"Denmark would've stood right here..." Pope starts, "preaching to everyone he set free. A slave, the sole survivor of the Royal Merchant, he got the gold and the cross, and he brought them both to shore and used it to free every person who walked through those doors." He says as he steps down and walks toward the door.
"He made a church, a family, a congregation... a home. And the Limbreys took everything from him. They sicced dogs on his wife and his kids, and when he tried to get her remains, they hung him. Well, I'm done. I'm tired of that shit. That is not how this is gonna end. We need a freaking win, guys. I'm going to get my family's cross." He says as he opens the door, "You guys coming?"
"Well, if you put it that way..." John B starts
"Maybe we should think about it, you know?" JJ jokes
"Pros and cons?"
"Pros and cons list." JJ says as they all stand up with smiles on their faces, "Hell yeah, we're coming, Pope!"
Estrella giggles as she follows them out, "The speeches today were amazing."
