Part 22

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"Ok so obviously it's a map of some sort right?" John b says as we all look at the map but at the house "Yeah but looks like a trippy mosaic" jj says "It's so weird

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"Ok so obviously it's a map of some sort right?" John b says as we all look at the map but at the house
"Yeah but looks like a trippy mosaic" jj says
"It's so weird. It's all scrambled" kie says
"What are we supposed to do with this?" I ask
"Decode it. That's what we're supposed to do." Jj says
"But how?" Kie asks titling her head
"With the code breaker that's how. All right everythings coming into focus now. You've just gotta let your eyes go out focus to focus in" jj says as John b passes me the cigarette and I grab it
"I think we're mind melding" John b says
And kie looks at me
"What are you doing?" She asks with a face
"Shit shit I forgot here" I mumble quietly and give it to her
"Sorry" I mumble but everything goes silent when we hear something outside

"What was that?" Jj asks and we start to hear more noises
"I knew we shouldn't have come back here" kie mumbles
Jj and John b both quickly grab something ready to fight, kie puts a jacket over the map as we all look around. Jj looks out the door one way, while John b looks the other way.
"Nothing on your side?" Jj asks
"No nothing. That's so weird. It kinda sounded like maybe it was-" John b starts to say and someone comes into the house
"I'm sorry I'm sorry." He says as we all let out sighs, it was groff

"Jj. You made it. I uh I'm sorry to bother you here. I swam... I swam all the way in." He says and starts to cough
"What are you doing here?" Jj asks
"I had no where else to go son" he says and we all look at jj, so it was true. Groff was JJ's real father.
Jj looks at us then walks over to help him







"So you're JJ's real dad?" Kie asks
"I don't deserve the title. But yes I am JJ's biological father. I could have done better by him, I know that. I look forward to telling you all about it. Especially telling you your part of it" he answers saying that last part to me and I look at him confused then I look at jj
"What are you talking about?" I ask and groff looks at jj
"You haven't-?" He asks
"No I haven't, now you ruined it. I haven't exactly had time yet" jj tells him and I'm left there confused
"Well it's for another time then since time is short. We're all in danger here" he says but I was still on the other part

"When are we not" I mumble
"Let me guess. You opened that packing tube over there, and found a scroll inside. But you can't read it. That scroll is encrypted." He tells us
"How do you know that?" John b asks
"Because if you took that from the corsairs, I suspect that you are in possession of the Mogador scroll. Created by Barbary pirates in 1703. The lupine corsairs are dangerous mercenaries. Now you've stolen from them." Groff says
"Ok so what...what the hell is this Mogador?" John b asks
"It's...a map." He answers
"To where?" I ask
"Well if I knew the answer to that, I'd be a very rich man. But I can tell you who made it. Murad the younger." he says
"Murad?" John b says
"Yeah you know him? Barbary pirate, slaver. In 1703 a Berber shepherd gave Murad a gold coin as tribute. He asked the shepherd where he'd gotten the coin, and after some persuasion, the Berber told him about a hidden vault in the desert filled with gold. And one other very special item." Groff says
"The blue crown" John b finishes
"So you know what it is?" He asks
"Uh it's a- my dad was a historian. Um it was just like a bedtime story." John b says

"What is it though? The crown thing" kie asks
"A mythical artifact. And if you trust the legends, a dangerous weapon capable of granting wishes and rendering enemies defenseless." Groff says
"And you believe that?" Kie asks
"No of course not, but it's invaluable. Im looking for it just like you, and if I could help find it, I'd just want to get my cut. Nothing more." He says
"If they found it 300 years ago, there's no way that magic can is still there." Jj says
"Maybe, maybe not. See Murad was encamped in Essaouria in what's now Morocco. But before he had a chance to follow the map, it was stolen by an enterprising young woman named Elizabeth Howell. Who later became blackbeards future wife." He says
"Elizabeth Teach" I mumble
"Very good. Blackbeard helped her elude her captors, and the two of them escaped to the Carolinas with the map. The rest of their lives they wondered, was there really a vault in the desert that held the crown? On the day he died-" he says
"He left Elizabeth the map." I finish
"And now you have it. But you can't read it right? You need a lens, a special lens. A piece of refracted crystal encased with a chain. Elizabeth teach had that lens when she was killed at black stone." He tells us
"So uh let me guess yo have that lens?" John b asks
"Not in my possession no. But I know where it is" he tells us
"Where?" Jj asks
"You're mothers grave" he answers









After a while I saw jj standing by himself and took that as my chance to go talk to him.
"Jj" I say walking up to him
"Oh hey uh what's up" he asks knowing why I was over here
"The sky. Now what the hell was he talking about jj?" I ask him
"What was who talking about?" He asks
"Jj you know damn well what I'm talking about. What did groff mean when he said especially my side of the story?" I ask him
"You're not gonna believe it. And honestly I'm not sure if it's even true or not, I mean I'm taking groff and Luke's word for it" he tells me and I just look at him and he realizes I'm not gonna leave until he tells me

He lets out a sigh ducking his head.
"You're my cousin" he says and my heart stopped
"What?" I ask wanting to make sure I heard him right
"You're my cousin. By blood, we are related" he tells me
"What-how? That doesn't make any sense" I tell him
"Look I know it doesn't but that's what they told me. My real mom's sister, which would be your real mom supposedly got drunk one night with ward and she got pregnant with you." he explains to me
"I don't...what" I mumble quietly trying to understand

"He's telling the truth Stella" Groff says walking up
"Explain. Right now" I tell him
"Your mom and JJ's mom were sisters. Ward was married to some other lady who was pregnant with their second child at the time. But he was friends with her, they got drunk one night and she fell pregnant with you. Wards wife went crazy when he told her and he panicked saying he wouldn't care for you when you were born. Which was true until your mom and jj's both died in a boating accident. I came to him with you and he took you in." He explains to me
"So jj is my cousin, my siblings are my half siblings, and you're my uncle?" I ask him
"You'd be correct" he smiles
I just stood there taking it all in. So who I thought was my mom trying to kill me when I was younger was technically my step-mom. My mind felt like it was going to explode taking in all of this.

"You're mom loved you so much. She was the one who named you actually, she said you were her star. You look a lot like her" groff tells me
"Thank you. Uh can I talk to jj alone... please?" I ask after a few seconds of staying silent
"Of course" he nods then walks off

I just look at jj before taking a deep breath.
"So you're really my cousin" I laugh
"Guess so" he smiles
"Holy shit I couldn't be happier" I smile with a couple happy tears in my eyes
"Come here cus" jj laughs then brings me into a tight hug
I just hold him tight for a while, i actually have a family member who hasn't left me, or hurt me. But someone who truly loves me. Finally.

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