good outcomes, all the time

"The Forbidden Zone"; pt.2

"Sweet lord the internet!"

"You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter. Number one in luxury, quality, and performance," JJ fangirled over the approaching Kook boat. "200K, easy."

At that Pope sighed, "We picked the wrong parents."

"I hate to break it to you guys," Kie said ruining their daydreaming, "but that's Topper and his girlfriend."

At that, we all stared. She might have well just said 'squirrel'. They drove by in their fancy-ass boat glaring over the top of their sun-glass-covered eyes.

"You don't have to act like you don't see us," Kie spat. "Bitch."

Our voyage to pick our friends up was short-lived. We all got back to the chateau as quickly as our little boat could manage. John B and I did a quick change by throwing some clothes over our suits then we all got in our van to find some internet.

We pulled up to the nearest Kook resort, knowing we would find power and, more importantly, internet access.

"All right, keep a lookout. We're behind enemy lines," JJ warned as he pulled his gun from the glove box.

I rolled my eyes at him but Pope was the first to comment. "Yo, come one man. Just put it back."

JJ became quite offended at the idea of not bringing in his new favourite toy. His excuse this time? "You can never be too careful."

"Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will most likely cause more problems than they will solve."

"Thank you, Pope," my cousin agreed.

"I swear to god, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ."

"That means put it back," I said in agreement with Kie.

I grabbed the gun trying to take it away but he pulled back, "You can't grab a gun like that." I just rolled my eyes and got out of the van.

We all filed out of the car but JJ reopened the door and leaned in grabbing something. "Can't forget my badge," he explained. "Professional busboy."

We made our way up to the front of the hotel but JJ began to lead us around the back.

"So where are we going now?" Pope asked.

"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now," he explained. "These ways," JJ joked.

As we were led through the kitchen JJ called out to all the people he knew from working at the hotel. I knew them too, I had stayed here a while with my folks, but I didn't say that.

"See, they got the backup generators going? Kooks don't miss a beat," JJ said resentfully.

We were quiet until we were behind the closed doors of the computer lab in the hotel.

"Sweet lord the internet! Oh, I've missed you," Pope exclaimed being a little bit more than dramatic.

"Let me get in there," JJ pushed past Pope despite the many computers in the lab. "Gotta check my Insta models.

Kie and I both rolled our eyes this time. "We don't have time."

Pope got on another computer while JJ was still being ridiculous and had a map of the island on his screen in seconds. "I've got the map!" he told us. "Coordinates please?"

"34° 57' 30" north. 75° 55' 42" west," my cousin recited.

We all waited anxiously for the computer to load and when it finally did, Pope interpreted the map. "Boom, continental shelf right there," he paused for a moment. "Well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?"

"Come on, baby," JJ said, drawn away from his Instagram models and focusing on the computer as it loaded every time Pope zoomed in on the map.

I turned to look behind us as we heard voices from the other side of the door. We didn't have much time if we did not want to get caught. I'm not quite sure that the hotel's residents would be over the moon to find five raggedy teens in their precious hotel, let alone using their things.

"Shit," my cousin sounded relieved, making me turn my attention back to the computer. "It's on the high side. It's only 900 feet."

I looked at him sceptically.

"That's not too deep," JJ agreed with him.

Kiara's eyebrows raised, "Is that like doable or something?"

JJ shrugged, "Totally doable."

"Okay, will we be taking your personal submarine?" Pope was just about as sarcastic as Kie.

"How do you know all this, Mr Dive Master," my cousin rebutted.

"The salvage yard," JJ stated plainly. "They got a drone that can drop 1,000. It has a 360 camera and everything. It's for, like, deep dives and stuff," he informed. "It's exactly what we need."

"Okay well, can your dad get his grimy hands on it?" I asked, slightly sceptical.

"Well..." he began and I rolled my eyes. "My dad's grimy little hands got his ass fired," he sighed. "I guess the salvage captain frowns on showing up shitfaced, turns out."

I opened my mouth for a sarcastic retort but JJ beat me to it. "But the drone's there. It's in the impound yard out back."

"How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?" Kiara chimed in.

"500 Mil," JJ, John B and I said in unison.

"500 million dollars?" she took that in and then began to walk.

As we all moved to leave the computer lab, Pope did his best to block the doorway only to be pushed out of the way by, well, all of us. His shouts of protest were very soon ignored.
"Can't we do something legal for money!" he whispered down the hall. We all ignored him though.

"Go," my cousin pushed. And very soon we were all out the door, in our van, and I was plotting how we could possibly get into that salvage yard.