MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

the royal merchant

JUST AS JOHN B SAID, THEY WENT OUT AT DEAD CALM. The location of the wreck was farther off the coast than Karolina expected, causing her to glance nervously at the GPS every once in a while from where she leaned next to the controls, simultaneously watching JJ steer. 

Finally, John B gave the word. "All right, JJ. Pin it here."

"Roger that!" called the blonde boy in response. Karolina stood, shooting JB a mock salute. "Aye aye, Captain." JJ stopped the boat, letting his sunglasses slide down his nose to offer Karolina a fist bump. She, of course, obliged.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen," John B announced, holding the drone over the water by its cord, "To going full Kook." He lowered the machine into the water and it had already begun to make its descent. Kie continued to follow the tether as Pope guided the drone to the ocean floor, John B watching to make sure they didn't miss the coordinates.  "JJ, we're right over it. Ten seconds northwest."

"Got it! Ten seconds northwest." 

The boat began to turn, just as Kiara announced, "One hundred feet." 

Pope continued lowering the device. "And to quote The Hobbit, 'down, down, to Goblin Town. Down, down, you go, my lad.'" 

Anxiety made Karolina's fingers tingle. This would either change their lives forever, or be the greatest disappointment of all time. She prayed it wasn't the latter; she didn't think John B could take another blow like that. 

A while later, Kiara exclaimed, "Four hundred feet!" Karolina noticed the worried look on her face. "The tide's turning."

Karolina eyed the black storm clouds in the distance, thunder rumbling overhead. She glanced at JJ. "Dead calm, huh?"

He had taken off his sunglasses, perching them atop his red baseball cap. "Hey, JJ?" called John B, "Ten seconds easy. South-southeast."

"Copy that."

Karolina wandered over to Pope and John B, leaning over the screen; there was nothing but empty water. "20 seconds, mid-speed, south," John B ordered. The waves were picking up, and Kiara almost lost control of the tether. "Keep the tether out of the prop!" John B told her. "I'm trying!" she cried in response, tugging on the cord. Leaning over the edge to help Kie pull it back a little, Karolina felt the soft sea spray on her face. 

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, closer this time. "700 feet!" Kie noted, making another mark with her chalk on the railing. The anemometer was spinning like crazy, windspeed picking up considerably. Karolina spit Kie's hair from her mouth. A wave pushed the boat back about ten yard, nearly pitching the girls overboard. 

"John B, if we get too far away, we'll lose the drone," Karolina warned, stumbling back to glance at the screen. He didn't answer her, calling for JJ again, "JJ, hold it steady!"

"900 feet!"

Staggering over to JJ, Karolina nearly fell when the boat lurched again, gripping his shoulder to keep from tumbling into him. "We're gonna turtle in the storm! Crank it north by northwest, ten seconds!" she hollered, the wind getting louder. Without hesitating, he started to crank the wheel, Karolina's hand on his steady shoulder. 

"Almost there," she heard Pope declare.

"There's too much current! We're gonna lose it!" asserted Kie, struggling to keep hold of the tether. Thunder boomed over their heads again, making Karolina and JJ jump. 

"South-southwest JJ, hard!" John B hollered. Karolina grabbed hold of the steering wheel, helping JJ to hurl the boat sideways, fighting against the current. "Half speed! Steady at this bearing!"