𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 | 𝑱𝑱 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌

[15] Angel | The Forbidden Zone III | Tease

Bright and early the next day we were on John B's dock, messing around with the water thing to be sure it worked. Pope and JJ looked at the screen, seeing John B's face up close as he rubbed his teeth. JJ kept trying to touch different buttons, earning scoldings from Pope. I sat on the ladder with my feet dangling over the edge of the dock, watching the bubbles surface from beneath the water.

"God bless geeks, Pope. Truly, man," JJ said, patting Pope on the shoulder. "What would we do without you to control the drones?"

"Technically it's not a drone. It's an ROV," Pope corrected. I was dazzled by the water, the sun giving it a sea green hue. It looked refreshing as I breathed in the hot, dry air of the Outer Banks.

"Shut up," JJ silenced Pope. I sensed JJ move to stand next to me. I turned to look at him, my face being the same level as his knee, and saw he was looking at Pope. "It's too early for that right now."

I turned away, watching as Kiara and John B swam around in the water. "Hey, look. Once we get the footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim," John B told us, bobbing around in the water.

"It's such bullshit. Why do we have to do that?" JJ whined as Pope got up from his seat and stood next to JJ.

"Maritime salvage law. You can't just go to the ocean floor and take a bunch of stuff up," I explained, fiddling with a bracelet on my arm.

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

"As soon as they see the footage, they'll work for a comp," John B chimed in, disturbing the water around him as he treaded it. I raised an eyebrow as Kie and him drifted closer together.

"How do you know all that?" She asked him.

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

They swam around a little bit more, splashing and dunking underneath the water. I smiled, admiring my friends. Suddenly, I felt a foot plant itself firmly on my back, pushing me forwards. I landed in the water, in my clothes, with a big splash. My scream of surprise was swallowed by the water.

When I resurfaced I coughed, trying to get the water I inhaled out of my lungs. I looked up to see a triumphant JJ and a laughing Pope. From out farther in the water, I could hear John B and Kie stifling their own giggles.

JJ smirked down at me, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Looks like I got you wet, Winslow."

I groaned at the joke, fighting against the corners of my lips that wanted to turn up. I climbed up the ladder, feeling weighed down by my jean shorts and crop top. Luckily, I wasn't wearing my sneakers when I got pushed in.

"I don't have enough middle fingers for you today, JJ," I told him. He smiled and tugged on a piece of my soaking hair before moving to the other side of the dock.

Shortly afterwards, Kie joined us on the dock. "That tether is like really long," Pope stated, taking in the length of the rope. "In the wrong weather, it could get pushed around."

"Maybe we should go at dead calm?" I suggested, wringing water out of my hair. I peeled off my wet clothes, lining them on the ledge to dry, leaving me in a cold, dripping bikini.

Thunder boomed in the distance. "At slack tide?" Kiara hummed.

"So now, we just gotta wait around for the right weather," Pope said, looking out into the distance. I stood by JJ, watching as dark storm clouds rolled towards us.

Pope wrapped his arms around us, flashing us a toothy grin. "Ready to go work for a couple hours?"

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