𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐄𝐖, ʲʲ ᵐᵃʸᵇᵃⁿᵏ

xxxi. more money more problems

Chapter Thirty-One: More Money More Problems

AVA WALKED OUT of The Chateau with three cold beers in her hands, making her way over to the bus and setting them on the floor of the car. "Here you go." Ava handed one to Sarah. "And for the love of my life." She gave Kie another before popping open hers. "And one for me." She smiled as she took a drink then sat next to Kie in the driver's seat.

She looked at the blueprint of the well that two girls had been studying when Ava showed up. "He said this is what it looked like." Kie explained. "Bout a fifty foot drop, with a one hundred foot rope. So I guess this little wagon will go straight to the gold room."

Sarah began laughing. "Who drew this?"

"Who do you think?"

The back door of John B's swung open, JJ walking out. "Kie! This better work." He threw three gold bars on the bus floor. "We can't pawn this if there's a giant wheat symbol on it."

Kie smirked then held up a blow torch. "It's gonna work." She nodded confidently.

"Let's do this shit." Ava got up and hopped out of The Twinkie. She took the joint resting between JJ's fingers. "I knew I could count on you." She slipped a lighter out of the pocket of her shorts, lighting it before passing it back to him.

"Of course you can. When have I ever let you down?" JJ took a hit with a smirk.

Ava thought for a moment. "Remember that one time we were surfing, you wiped out, crashed into me and gave me a concussion with your big, fat head?" The group burst out into laughter, except JJ, who looked bad as he remembered the accident. Not one of his best moments, he cringed thinking about it.

"That wasn't even my fault!" JJ frowned. "Stupid waves were fighting against me!"

Ava laughed. "Sure, J. Blame the waves."

Kie grabbed a pot and set it on a portable burner, she dropped the bars of gold into the pot. Lighting up the torch, hovering the flame over the gold. The Pouges watched excitedly as it began to melt.

When they got it melted down they all got into the bus and drove down to a pawn shop in hopes to get the gold off their hands and get some actual money. JJ pulled open the side door and got out, examining the gold as he wrapped in a rag. "Hell of a job melting it down Dr. Frankenstein." He complained, as everyone else got out of the van.

Kie rolled her eyes. "Like you could've done any better." She scoffed.

"I could have actually, I took a welding class." JJ told her, matter-of-factly.

She looked at him in disbelief. "You took a welding class? When?" She asked.

"Hey, chill out," John B said.

JJ shook his head. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one pawning this shit off." He waved the large chunk of gold in front of his friends. "How did I get this job anyway?" He questioned, beginning to walk into the store.

" 'Cause you're the best liar." Pope told him as they followed after JJ.

Once JJ was inside he made his way up to the front counter while the others loitered in the main room, looking around. "I see you buy gold." JJ stated.