-43-

They had made it to Essaouira, and were wading their way through the crowds when John B taps Stella's shoulder.

"We need to stop," He nods to Sarah, who was looking faint.

"Okay, yeah." Stella looks around and spots a crate," Here, here." As John B help Sarah, Stella yells at the others.

"What's wrong?" Kiara notices.

"Im really nauseous."

"Nauseous." Stella repeats, looking around to street.

"You probably just need food. It's been like, what? Two day?"

"You okay?" Pope asks.

"Im fine."

"No she's not okay." Stella says.

"She needs to eat. We gotta get her something." Kiara adds.

"Good luck with that. We don't have any money." Pope sighs. As the others try to come up with a plan, Stella stares at Rafe.

"I don't wanna hold up the group." Sarah sobs.

"No, we're good."

"Don't worry about it Sar." Stella says before walking up to Rafe and lowering her voice, "I know you have money."

"They seem to have it figured out just fine without me." He gestures as the Pogues go to find something.

"They're going to get in trouble. Please Rafe, just something. I can pretend I stole it or whatever but those guys are going to come back empty handed." Stella holds out her hand, "It's for your sister."

"We're gonna be right here. I promise." Kiara tells John B.

"We'll stay with her. She'll be fine." Stella calls to him. 

"I'll be fine. Go." Sarah agrees.

"Just hurry up with whatever dumb shit you guys are doing, all right?" Rafe yells to John B.

"Rafe!" Stella scolds and he looks at her. She shakes her head. "We're trying to be low-key, you yelling isn't low-key."

"You yelling isn't low-key." He mocks her.

"If you guys are going to kiss can you at least do it around the corner?"

Stella ignores Kiara and grabs Rafe's hand, leading him into the crowd, "You know this might be a good way of getting them to trust you."

"They won't even know its me." He glares before sighing in defeat, " Do you see anything she can eat?" He asks, grabbing money from the leather pouch around his waist.

"There." She points, "Substantial but also looks easy enough to steal."

"Are you going to eat too?"

"Later. Sarah is the priority right now... who is carrying your future niece or nephew might I add."

"I get it." Rafe defends. He walks over to the stall as Stella keeps watch.

"Rafe they're coming back. Hurry."

"How'd it go? Everything smooth?" Kiara asks.

"Yeah." JJ rubs his neck.

"So, uh, an apple a day keeps the baby hap-pay." John B says, revealing the food. 

Rafe scoffs grabbing everyones attention, "Oh, that's all you got?"

"Rafe, could you shut up." Pope grits. "Like you've been any help?"

"Yeah right. But Ettie has." He nods down at the girl who was holding a sandwich.

"PHD in thiefology?" Stella cocks an eyebrow at JJ as she hands Sarah the food, "I think you might need to redo the year."

"Feeling any better?"

"Mm. Mm-hmm. I'll be all right."

"If you're not gonna finish it, just let me know." JJ quickly pipes in.

"Okay, well, the Wharf's that way. Think you can make it?" Cleo kneels down next to her.

Sarah nods, "All right, we should probably get a move on." JJ states.

"Uh, are those cops?" Kiara looks over to where a whistle was just blown. Stella takes a step back from the group, nearer to Rafe as the cops seem to be heading straight for the Pogues.

"We gotta go. Double time."

"Yeah, uh, let's get going now."

"One more bite Sarah." Stella quickly calls out as the group starts to run. She stays with Rafe, who was too busy sulking to get the memo and run. 

Sarah looks back to answer just in time to see Rafe and Stella being man-handed by the police. 

Stella tries to motion for her to go, but the shopkeeper notices them.

"Dumbasses." Rafe mutters as he watches the police chase after them.

Stella chuckles, nudging him. "Come on, let's try to be useful in the meantime."

"I've been useful."

"Mmmh, we could have avoided that." She gestures to where the pogues had just run. "if you had been more useful and put your ego to the side."

Rafe shrugs, grabbing her hand and leading her in the opposite direction, "Maybe they should've trusted me."...

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"You have your passport too?" Stella quizzes, as Rafe puts his change away, "Okay boy scout."

"We need to find Groff." He says, ignoring her comment  her. 

"We need to find Groff." She mocks, "That's easier said then done."

"He- he gave me a pen... it had the name of a hotel written on the side."

"And...?"

"I can't remember it."

"Where's the pen?"

"Kitchen drawer."

"Useful." Stella tuts as Rafe hands her something to wear. They carry on walking around streets of Essaouira as Rafe tries to remember.

"It had a R in it... and like ending in something spanish...uno?"

"Riad Mimouna?"

"Maybe? How did you know-" 

Stella nods her head towards the sign of a hotel, "Lucky guess."

"Good. Great. Come on." He holds the door open for her, motioning her into the hotel. 

"Whoa....this is nice."  Stella looks over at the lobby 

"Yeah it's alright." Rafe mutters, more focused on the task of finding Groff then the design of the hotel. 

"Fucking Kook." Stella mumbles as Rafe pulls her to the side. "What?"

He holds his finger to his lips as two figures walk into the hotel. 

"Still don't trust him, Dalia." 

"We still gotta keep him around."

Stella's eye widened as she recognises that voice. 

"Come on, Lightner. We're doing playing nice with Groff."

"Bingo." Stella whispers. Rafe grabs her hand, heading straight out the hotel, "Someone's in a rush." She huffs, trying her best to take in the scenery whilst being dragged,  "Aw look Rafe a cat."

"Yeah cute." he says with no emotion, " Now focus."

They end up staring at up a building, well Stella stares up as Rafe attempts to climb it.  

"I feel like there were easier routes then this." Stella complains.

"Groff is up there."

She huffs, "Groff is gonna be the death of me."

"I've been holding back so far." A voice strains, Stella looks ahead to see the man holding Groff over the edge. 

"We could just leave him?" She suggests. 

"I want my money back."

"Of course." 

Rafe makes his way over to Lightner, as Stella keeps her eye on Groff. Noticing a knife in reaching distance, she kicks it away before smiling smugly at Groff. 

"It's your choice him or me." Rafe yells over to Groff.

"You." He chuckles. 

Nodding he points, "You owe me money." Before grabbing Lightners keys. "Let's go. Come on." he motions.  Stella takes a second to scan the ground, the knife was missing, "Etts let's go." Rafe yells.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Let's turn off here." Groff points, "Say goodbye to civilisation, kids. It's all pretty rough riding from here on out."

As they ride over a bump, Stella's arms tighten around Rafe.

"Hand." he mutters end his breath. 

"Huh?" She looks down, then smirks. Another rough patch, gives her an excuse to lower her hands.

"Ettie." He grits through his teeth.

"Sorry, I was holding on."

She hears Rafe scoff as they pull up to an old well,  he pulls out of her grip, "Tell me about this crown. What is it worth?" He asks, shoving Groff towards the well.  "Street value, rough estimate. This shit better be worth my time. Do you understand?"

"Your boyfriend sure doesn't mess around." 

"He's not my boyfriend." She crosses her arms. 

Groff flashes her a smile and  turns back to Rafe, "Oh, it's worth a fortune. It's one of the most sought-after relics in the world. Owned by Caesar. hunted by-"

"Holy shit! Holy shit! " Rafe cuts in, "That wasn't even close to answering my question. What is it worth?"

"Hundreds of millions."

Rafe slowly nods,  unconvinced. "You're full of shit."

"Am I?"

"Hundreds of millions." Rafe repeats.  "Wait I- What, do you got a buyer or something?"

"Yeah. I got a buyer." Groff says, remaining suspiciously calm. 

"Where?"

"Ever been to Lisbon?"

A smile appears of Rafe's face but Stella on the other hand wan't buying it, "Look at you, Groff. All right. Always got a plan." He pats his shoulder, "Well, you screwed me. And then you lost my money to those mercenaries, all right? So now you're gonna be my bitch..."

Stella suppresses her laugh.

".... And if you're lucky, I give you a little taste on the back end, okay? If i let you live." Rafe whispers while smiling.  Groff chuckles," Show me the map."

Stella leans against the rocks as Groff explains the map to Rafe, she had already heard it all before and quite frankly was getting bored. 

"A magic trick. Cool." Rafe says with no enthusiasm in his voice.  "What X marks the spot? It's that easy?" He asks, leaning over the map. 

"That map right there will take us to the crown. But it's not just riches, kid."

"Oh yeah? Well, what else is it?"

"The blue crown in power. It's revenge. Revenge on all those Kook in Kildare that treated you like trash."

Stella stands up straighter.

"Keep talking." Says Rafe Cameron, the man with the patience of a saint. Not.

"It's how you'd have them grovelling at your feet."  As he speak, he pulls something from his pocket.  "Maybe it's how you'd get back at that girl on Kildare too."

Stella slowly makes her way closer.

"What girl?" Rafe hums.

"The girl. The one we paid to give you a nudge. Not pretty pogue behind me. "

Stella pulls a face, but doesn't retreat back.

"Sonya?" Groff guesses. "Sofia something." 

The name distracts Rafe, giving Groff a chance to lunge at him. 

"Rafe!" Stella yells, still too far to help. 

Rafe turns to the sound of her voice, catching Groff's arm. He then swings, knocking him off his balance just at the edge of the well. Before Rafe goes any further, Stella steps between the two. 

Groff grins, "JJ's told me so much about you..."

She presses her lips together nodding, "Cool, so this shouldn't come as a surprise." She shoves him hard, and he falls back into the well.

Rafe leans over and laughs down at him, "Checkmate, bitch!"

But as he steps back, he grabs his hand and winces.  

"Fuck that looks bad." Stella notices the gash on his palm. 

"No shit Sherlock."

"Wait Rafe, hold still" She grabs his wrist, and he flinches, "Oh stop moving."

He hisses as she pours water onto his palm, "So, you and Sofia?"

"Jealous?" He raises an eyebrow.

"I thought you were just friends... she sounds like a pretty great friend to me." 

Rafe runs his tongue on his teeth as Stella rips her some fabric to tie over his hand, "I didn't realise.. I didn't realise that the other kooks were.." She starts. 

"Yeah well guess hating me isn't just a Pogue thing."

"Damn Kooks.  Always need to be one up on us." Stella jokes before looking up at Rafe, who's smiling down at her. "What about Sofia then?"

"What about her?" He shrugs, " She's not you."

"Wow... that was, that was almost romantic."

"I also have a reputation to uphold, can't be going soft now."

"But no ones here Rafe." She whispers.

His mouth twitches at the corner as he uses his free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, "Good." He mumbles before kissing her.

Pulling back ever so slightly he asks,  "Fancy a quick trip to Agapenta?"

"Agapenta?"

He nods, before stealing another kiss, "Heard it's very romantic."

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Okay, okay." Rafe pulls out the map, "We're here. Now what? What are we supposed to be looking for?"

"Fuck knows, I think I stopped listening by this point. You know Groff just likes to waffle... a bit like Singh actually. With their dramatics and flares. "

"Well for once listening might have been useful." He looks at the map again, "Aga. Agabullshit, okay? I mean I could dig here for a year and never find it. "

"That's commitment though, I'll give you that."

"Do you wanna help?" He angles the map to her.

"Yeah... okay, I'll help by saying those people ahead don't look too friendly." Stella points at the two truck driving towards them.

"Don't move!" Lightner yells.

"Fuck." Rafe mutters, moving ever so slightly closer to Stella.

"Stay where you are!"

Stella tuts at them, when they fire.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Okay, all right!" Rafe raises his arms and gestures for Stella to do the same .

"There's no need for a big show, son. We just want the map." Dalia says.

"No need for a big show? You started shooting!" Stella retorts.

"Okay, just take it easy, okay?" Rafe quickly says.

"Keep, your girl quiet and your hands where we can see them so we won't have to blast them off, yeah?"

"His girl?! Excuse me?" Stella snaps but Lightner points his gun towards her, quickly shutting her up.

"Ettie please."

"Good. You want to put it down."

"Put it down slow. Slow." Rafe explains what he is doing and they start walking closer.

"They're gonna kill us Rafe." Stella whispers, "They don't give a fuck."

"You're trigger-happy, yeah?" Rafe asks them.

"Just a little practice shot."

"Well, of course, we need that little lens as well." Dalia adds.

"Drop it Rafe." Stella hisses, "I don't think I can hold my tongue much longer."

"That's a first."

A beat later the trucks behind explode sending Dalia and her gang to the ground. Stella's head snaps around to see Sarah pointing a gun.