Eastside ₒ OBX

4- Mystery Incorporated

The van pulls up to a dark looking cemetery. Jade peers out the window and shrinks back nervously. "I don't like this." 
   "If it makes you feel better, I have a gun with me," JJ says. 
   "You what?" 
   "Dude, not a good time," Pope hisses. 
   "We might need protection. I thought that it would bring some sort of comfort," JJ replies.  
   "Right. Because I feel so much safer with you having a gun," Jade mutters sarcastically. "Just like at the beach." 
   "Okay, can we not talk about that?" John B asks. "JJ, don't freak her out." 
   "Relax, I'm not taking it," JJ responds, hopping out of the vehicle. "Great to add a 'plus one' though." 
   "Are you always this hyper?" Jade asks. 
   "Are you always this hot? What's your deal?" 
   Jade looks at him for a second before ignoring him and walking towards the graveyard before them. "Where are we going here, exactly?" 
   "This place is scary," Kie states. "John B, what are we doing?" 
   "Shut up. You know how you're trying to remember a song and you can't remember who sings it?" 
   "Yeah." 
   "So, Redfield. This whole time I thought it was a place, but its not. Its my great-great-grandmother Olivia Redfield." 
   "Whoa, okay, back up," Jade says. "What are we doing? Looking for clues?" 
   "We're looking for a way into the tomb. There's gotta be something around here." 

   Jade turns on her flashlight and studies the monument of death. "If we see a ghost, I'm gone." 
   "There aren't any ghosts, you're good," Pope says. 
   "We need to move this door," John B begins pressing on the slab. 
   "Do you three need help?" Jade questions. 
   "Unless you can magically grow guns the size of The Rock's," JJ replies. 
   "This door is like 700 pounds," Pope points out. 
   "We didn't come this far to get this far, alright?" 
   "Snake," Kie warns. 
   "That's a moccasin. Ye ol' Dr Cottonmouth. Death in tall grass." Then he starts barking. 
   "Shut up, JJ. Shut up," Kiara hisses. 
   "You're going to wake the dead," Pope says. 
   "I thought you said there weren't such things as ghosts?" Jade questions. 
   "I didn't say that. I said we wouldn't run into any." 
   "Snakes are scared of dogs. Everyone knows that," JJ responds. 
   "Snakes don't have ears," the brunette tells him. 

She steps back to give the reptile room. "They can only feel vibrations and sense heat. Barking isn't going to help."
   "Stop barking at the snake," John B orders. 
   "The door isn't budging. Maybe we should just go," Pope prompts. 
   Kiara looks at the door and the opening in it. "I can get through." 
   "You think you can fit through there?" John B asks. 
   "I'm gonna be honest, Kie, I think 'gazelle legs' can fit through there better," JJ comments. "I mean, nothing against you for that." 
   "Gazelle legs?" Jade raises her eyebrows. 
   "It was a compliment." 
   "This is for your dad, John B," Kiara says. "I don't believe in it, but you deserve to know the truth." 
   "Do you need someone to go in there with you?" Jade offers. 
   "I'm good, thank you." She turns to John B, "what am I looking for again?" 
   "You'll know it when you see it." 
   "Hold my flashlight." 
   Jade watches as Kiara slips inside the tomb and disappears. When she comes back out, she's holding a Fed-Ex package and hands it to John B. 
   "Holy shit. This is from my dad," he utters. 
   "Code Red. Code Red. Square groupers!" JJ hollers. 
   "Square groupers? What are those?" Jade asks. She gets herded behind the tomb with the others and watches as a golf cart rolls up. 
   "Turn off your lights," Kie snaps. 
   "Homie's got a gun," JJ reports. 
   "Screw it. Go!" 
   "Wait, we're running?" Jade darts after them. "We're going to climb over that?" She slams to a halt as the iron gate looms above them. 
   "Jade, c'mon," John B says from the other side. 
   Jade takes a breath and begins scaling the obstacle. "Oh my God." 
   "You've got this," Kie encourages. "Come on, Pope." 
   Jade hops down clumsily and looks over as Pope is nearly straddled over the fence. "Just jump." 
   "My pants are stuck," Pope states. 
   "Pope, don't move," JJ takes out his gun. "I'm going to shoot you down." 
   "JJ, put that thing away," John B lowers the barrel. "Are you crazy?" 
   "Here," Kie and Jade try to help him down. 
   "No, you're going to rip them." Pope's pants come clean off and they bolt for the van. 
   "Nice dude," JJ laughs. 
   "Get in," Kiara shuts the door as they drive off. 

In Jade's perspective, the treasure expedition was far more eventful that she had predicted. Four-hundred million dollars. At what cost was the going to be achieved? 
   "Earth to Jade," Candice waves a hand in front of her face. "You good in there?" 
   "Yeah. Never better," she replies. 
   "You've been weird ever since yesterday." 
   "Have you been studying?" Sam asks. 
   "We're trying to have a serious conversation," Candice tells him. "Take your Shakespeare someplace else." 
    "I've been memorizing lines, Sam. Its all good," Jade assures. 
   Sam wedges himself between Candice and Jade on the bench outside the theatre. "You didn't answer my texts last night." 
   "I was busy. I'm not attached to my phone physically." 
   "Oh no, you've got that look." Candice reaches over Sam to put a hand on Jade's forehead, "you've got Pogue fever." 
   "What the hell is 'Pogue fever'?" she brushes her friend's hand away. 
   The sound of a car horn beeping causes them to turn and see the van pull up on the curb. 
   "Yo, Jade, want to go on a joyride?" JJ hollers out the passenger side window. 
   "Yeah, just let me grab my stuff," Jade goes to retrieve her knapsack. 
   "Wait, you're leaving just like that?" Sam questions. 
   "What have the other Pogues got that we don't have?" Candice trails behind the brunette. 
   "For starters, we know how to have fun, Candice," JJ says. 
   She raises her middle finger at him. 
   Jade hops into the vehicle, "I'll text you guys when we're done." She sits next to Kiara and places her bag on the floor. She was not entirely sure where they were going, but she was excited to be included. 
   "Keep on the lookout. We're behind enemy lines," JJ announces taking out his gun. 
   "Can you put that away?" John B says. 
   "You can never be too careful." 
   "We really don't need that," Jade agrees. 
   "I predict bringing a weapon into a four-star hotel will result is horrible outcomes," Pope states. 
   "I swear to God, I'll chuck that thing into the ocean," Kie tells JJ. "Put it back." 
   JJ surrenders his weapon to John B and gets out of the vehicle. 
   Jade leaves her knapsack in the van and follows them into the building. "What does this have to do with the Merchant Royal?" 
   "We're getting onto the internet because only rich people have electricity right now. So you and the Kooks must be living it up," JJ flips around his keys. 
   "I'm not a Kook." 
   "Nope, you're a touron. Big difference." 
   "We're putting in coordinates. Latitude and longitude," John B explains. 
   "Finding a ship is easy. Finding the right one is harder," Jade remarks. "I learned that from a famous archeologist once. The wreck alone is worth a lot." 
   "We're not here for the actual wreck, we're here for the dough," JJ closes the door to the computer lab.
   "I feel like if 'The Goonies' was made into a sequel it would be just like this, but on crack." 

Author's Note: 
JJ's always going to be JJ. A complexed being with multiple layers. Lets just leave it at that. 

If you liked this part, be sure to give it a vote! Byeeeeeeeeee! 

   ~ SHIELD-Avenger