𝟷𝟾

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2020 MALIBU 24-MXC

"What's this right here?" JJ touches a button on the drone. We are on the dock testing out the drone, JJ and Pope on the dock, and I, Kiara and John b in the water.

"Don't touch that" Pope slaps JJ's hand away. "I'm trying to work out this thing"

"God bless geeks, Pope. Truly, man" JJ notes. "What would we do without you to control the drone?"

"probably die" I reply, just surfacing from the water.

"It's not a drone. It's an ROV" improves Pope.

"Shut up. Shut up" JJ turns to Pope. "It's too early for that right now."

"Look, once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim" John b explains, coming out of the water.

"It's such bullshit. Why do we have to do that?" questions JJ.

"Well, there is maritime salvage law. You can't just go to the ocean floor and scoop a bunch of stuff up." explains Pope, leaning toward JJ, on the railing.

"I know. I know. It's just lawyers aren't cheap, bro."

"As soon as they see the footage, they'll work for a comp" says John b sure.

"How do you know all of that?" asks Kiara, confused.

"Cause my dad said it like, a million times".

I swim over to the ladder and walk up onto the dock. JJ frowns and looks up and down my body as I come up, going through my hair. Acting like I wouldn't notice him staring at me.

"JJ." Pope says, but JJ doesn't respond, obviously distracted by me. "JJ!"

"Huh?" he turns around, confused.

"You got some drool there." Pope points to his mouth, laughing. "Yeah, right there"

"Wha- shut up, Pope!" replies JJ. He gives me another quick look and a quick smile as he turns his attention back to Pope.

"This tether is, like, really long. In the wrong weather, it could get pushed around."

"Then we'll go at dead calm" says my brother from the water. Kiara stands on the ladder. "At slack tide?" she asks.

"So now, we just gotta wait around for the right weather" Pope looks critically at the sky.

"Yeah and today is definitely not that day" I add.

"Yeah and today is definitely not that day" I add

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"Dude, you are not going to believe what just happened to us, man!" exclaims JJ as he and I run to Pope, who is on Heyward's boat.
"Whoo! That was the best 100 bucks I've ever made! When I say count me in on all the grocery deliveries, Pope, I mean it".

Pope starts the boat and we join him at the wheel.

"What's up, Pope?" I ask, giving JJ a confused look.

"Bro, you good?" JJ leans forward a bit to get a better look at Pope's face.

"Yo, what happened to your face, dude?" JJ stands up and raises his cap briefly as Pope tries to bring it back down. "Jesus!" There you see a couple of wounds on his head and dried blood.

"Pope, what happened to you, please?" I ask, upset.

"Rafe and Topper jumped me," Pope says, a tear rolling down his face. "They said no Pogues on their side of the island."

I notice anger building in JJ, and how he clenches his jaw. "What are you gonna do?"

I just know this can't be good.

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"2020 Malibu, 24-MXC. The world's finest weaksetter"

We stand on Heyward's boat, in front of Topper's boat.

"-number one in quality, luxury, and performance" Pope repeats what JJ said the day we saw the boat.

"This is war, Pope. They hit us, we hit them."

"JJ... i don't know if this is such a good idea" I doubt. "This is fucking illegal."

"Mia, look... look what they did to Pope's face! I'm not letting them get away with it" JJ pulls a scarf up over his nose and puts on his sunglasses. "Do it."

Pope jumps into the water and sabotages the boat while we wait tensely.

"Wow, you did it" JJ says to Pope who climbs the stairs smiling. "I'm so proud of you right now. Holy crap."

"Guys?"

"Yeah." We both say at the same time.

"You can't tell anybody," Pope notes.

"Oh, no, yeah. Totally, dude," JJ replies.

"No, I'm serious, dude. Not Kie, not John b, nobody."

"Oh my god." I sigh.

"Yup, my lips are sealed. Give me that, give me that" JJ throws the thing Pope removed from the other boat into the water.

"Em, what about you?" Pope looks questioningly at me.

"Look, I- yes I won't say anything... but if something happens, don't tell me I didn't tell you before".

𝐽𝑈𝑆𝑇  𝑁𝑂𝑇  𝑌𝐸𝑇  / JJ MAYBANKWhere stories live. Discover now