Ocean Eyes

Chapter 20

JJ said" Nice work, John B. You know these things lock from the outside, right?"
John B said" Okay, I was just trying to get us on the boat, JJ. I wasnt thinking that far ahead."
" Well, now we're stuck in here like rats."
Kie said" It's hot."
" In the death cage!"
Pope said" Okay, JJ, you're not helping."
" You don't have a whole lot of room to talk right now, Pope. You said you had a plan, but what happened to thinking ahead?"
" I find your lack of self-knowledge disturbing."
" Last I checked, you literally shot an oil container with the gat." They started arguing,
Kie said" Oh, my god! Shut up. Shut up!" She put her leg between them," Pull it together." I walked to them, standing between them, JJ turned around, Pope backed away.
" Okay."
Pope said" Let's try to find a way out of here."

JJ said" Hey, Pope, how do you kill a snake?"
Pope said" You go for the head."
" Exactly. But the head, in this instance, is the bridge. To take the bridge, we need maximum firepower. And I happen to know that there's an armory on this ship in case of pirate attacks."
Kie said" Pirate attacks."
" So, if we take that- I'm not just talking pistols."
" You lost me."
" I'm talking knives."
" Killing everybody here is not a plan."
" Alright, we lost her. I'm serious. If we get to the armory, I'm talking AKs, pistols, knives, double-barrels..."
John B said" JJ!" Grabbing his shoulders, trying to ground him,
" What?"
" We gotta get out of here first. We can't do anything if we're still stuck in here."
" If I can get enough pressure, I can Spartan kick that thing open."
" You're not kicking shit."
I said" JJ, you'd break your leg!"
Pope said" Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"
JJ said" Then what do you got, Einstein?"
John B said" Shut up!"
Kie said" Guys!"
I said" Just relax." We all looked at Kie, she nodded over,
Pope said" She's got something. Quiet."
JJ said" Oh, I'm so sorry."
" Just move with her." We walked to her and saw a window... ha, nice.
Kie said" Can we fit through that, yeah?"
John B said" Hell yeah. Nice one, Kie."
JJ said" What was that about a Swiss army knife not coming in handy?"
" Just stop it."
Pope said" Go." JJ climbed up, beginning to get the window open.

JJ said" Okay, we raid the armory, get weapons, roll back here, and plot the next move. The armory is on the third deck, aft, near the laundry room. Let's roll."
Pope said" JJ. Hold up. I don't think we should all go out there. It's too risky."
" Why?"
John B said" Okay, I gotta be honest, I think you should stay here."
" What?"
" I have Sarah that I'm gonna go after. And Pope has..."
Pope said" The cross."
JJ said" Yeah. Let's go get it."
John B said" Also, if you go out there, there's 100% probability that you're gonna do something stupid."
" Okay, first of all, I think the correct terminology is ballsy. That is it."
Pope said" Okay, get down here."
" No. Get off! I'm a field player." Kie and I shushed them,
John B said" If we go out there, and we get in a bind, we need somebody to look out for us. That's what we need."
" Okay. I get it. I get it. I get it. I'll be on the B team."
" I never said B team."
I said" Hold up, hold up."
Kie said" Sorry. Are you calling me B team?"
" Seriously?"
Pope said" Hey, JJ."
JJ said" Didnt mean to offend you."
Kie said" Did B team not just find our way out, or am I totally tripping?"
Pope said" JJ, just hang back. Hold down the fort."
JJ said" Great. Looking forward to it. Mm-hmm."
Kie said" I'll babysit."
" You guys have fun. It's your funeral, your game. I'll be in here, on the bench..." He walked away, I followed him, shaking my head," Chilling." He sat down,
" Hey... Don't get shot. That's all I got."
John B said" Um... Don't get shot."
Pope said" Well, that's disheartening and scary."
" Positive affirmations, Kie."
Kie said" Yep. No problem." They gave the window to Kie, and John B looked out then climbed out.
" Oh, jesus!" As Pope basically pushed him out by his feet, Pope climbed out, Kie put the window back on. JJ sighed,
" It's just me and you."

JJ said" I've been thinking. When all this is over, and we're just rolling in the dough, I'm gonna get a new board. I'm gonna deck it out, and I'm gonna go on a surf trip. I don't know where, but, like, the world's calling. I don't know. Name a place."
Kie said" Spain."
" Then after Spain, South America or South Africa."
" You're gonna go to South Africa?"
" One of the south places. Then Micronesia maybe, and then... and just ride. Wherever the wave takes you, you know?"
" So that's the plan if we were to get a ton of cash? That's the dream? Surf trip?"
" Ripping jungle break all day long. Bamboo hut, cooking a fish on a fire, and after that, you go back out and just hit the waves again. That's the dream."
" Sounds perfect."
" Yeah."
" Got room for one more?"
I said" Make that two."
JJ said" You got your passport?"
Kie and I said" You don't have a passport." We laughed,
" Hell no, I don't got a passport. Kookiest thing ever." Pope whistled," You don't need-"
Pope whispered" Hey. Hey. Open it." JJ opened it and gave it to Kie," Oh, thank god."
Kie said" You need help?"
" I'm good." Pope pulled himself in,
" I thought Rafe got you guys for sure."
" No, we're chill." John B began climbing through,
" Alright. Okay, let's put the grate back on."
" No, wait. Hold it."
" What? No. Put it back." Then I saw Cleo, I smiled,
She said" Jesus Christ! I kill you, John B!"
" Who is this?"
John B said" Just relax. Just relax, okay? I told you I had a surprise."
" Who is she? What's going on? John B!"
" Hey, hey. Kie, relax. Relax. Remember I told you about the girl we met in the Bahamas that saved us?"
" Uh... Cleo, yeah?"
" Cleo. She's gonna help us, alright?"
Cleo said" Next time, ask me."