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CHAPTER THIRTY Social Worker ‿︵‿︵‿︵
(PRESENT)
The next day, the Pogue's took the ROV out.
The grey cloud of thunder had already started to pass, leaving the island under the sun once again. Pope had somehow managed to get his father's boat and set everything up with ease, and a little help from Avery. The waters were still occasionally rocky, Pope confirmed that they would still be fine with using the device.
Standing next to JJ at the controls, Avery watched Kiara gradually drop the drone into the water. Her hands guided the thick yellow wire, watching the red tape appear when they hit a milestone. John B and Pope had eyes on the monitors, calling out directions and reassurance.
"Okay, seven hundred feet!" Kiara called out, her voice almost getting lost over the sound of the wind and distanced thunder claps.
"I don't like this" Avery mumbled. Her body jolted with the short, harsh movement of the boat. JJ stumbled into her and his hand instinctively reach up, pressing against the wall next to them and behind her head. They shared a look before JJ sighed, putting both hands on the controls again.
"JJ! Hold it steady!" John B yelled out.
The wire was rapidly spinning and Kiara was starting to struggle with controlling it. The wind was picking up as they neared the storm, causing the waves to shift underneath them. Avery looked over her shoulder at Pope, who seemed like the only that was thinking the same as her.
"JJ, we're going to turtle into this storm, man!" He shouted out, making Avery frantically nod her head.
"We are going to die" Avery whispered under her breath, clinging onto JJ's side as the boat rocked again, forcing her into him.
After another few minutes of demanding directions and measurements, Avery was relieved to feel the steadiness of the boat under her soles. She looked over her shoulder to see her friend's huddled around monitor, staring at it silently. JJ called out to ask if they saw anything.
"Okay, you're killing me with this suspense!" She yelled out and wobbled over to them, wiggling her way between Pope and John B.
Displayed on the monitor was the Royal Merchant. Hundreds of feet, on the ocean floor, it was there. Avery's eyes widened at the sight. She had listened to so many stories, mostly those that Big John told, about the shipwreck. It had started to sound like a myth, some fairytale story. But now, it was real and they were sitting above it, just like John B's father marked.
