Gone | JJ | Outer Banks

part 5 - i screwed up

I snacked on a bag of popcorn, sitting in the back of the Pogue mobile, as my brother liked to call it. We pulled up to the hotel and I hopped out of the van first.

"Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than It will solve," Pope said to JJ, who had pulled out the gun.

Kie stuck her head in between the front seats. "I swear to God, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ."

"Not if I do first," I mumbled.

"Put it back," John B grabbed it out of his hands.

"Hey hey, you can't just grab a gun like that," JJ said to him. "Gotta grab my badge, professional busboy you know?"

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

"We're getting the internet because only rich people have electricity right now." JJ started towards the building.

JJ greeted the cooks, leading us through the kitchen. The smell of gourmet food made me drool, despite the fact that I had just finished a bag of Skinny Pop.

JJ's voice interrupts my thoughts. "See, they got the backup generators going. Kooks don't miss a beat."

"Sweet lord, the internet!" Pope rushed to a computer as soon as we got through door.

"Gotta check out my insta models," JJ smirked.

Kie swatted his arm. "Shut up, we don't have time."

Kie and I settled into the chairs on either side of Pope as John B pulled out the map. He told Pope the coordinates and we watched the map zoom into the location and drop a red pin there.

"Boom, continental shelf right there," John B leaned in between Pope and I to take a closer look at the map.

"Well if it's off the deep end then it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?" Pope asked.

We watched in silence as the screen continued to focus in on the red pin.

"Shit it's on the high side. That's only 900 feet." John B said. I leaned back into my chair, resting my chin on my knuckles.

"Is that doable or something?" Kie asked.

"Yeah, totally doable," JJ said.

"Okay, will we be taking your personal submarine then?" Pope couldn't hide the scorn in his voice.

John B crossed his arms over his chest. "How do you know this, Mr. Dive Master?"

"The salvage yard." JJ shrugged. "They got a drone that can drop a thousand. It's got a 360 camera and everything. It's for like deep dives and stuff. It's exactly what we need."

"And how exactly do you plan on getting this drone?" I mumbled.

"Could your dad get his grimy little hands on it?"

"Well my dads grimy little hands got his ass fired. Turns out the salvage captain frowns on showing up shitfaced to work. But the drone's there, in the impound yard out back."

I groaned, realizing what he meant.

There's no way we're stealing a drone. I swear if this is what we've come to then I don't want it.

Kie sighed and looked over. "How much did you say is on the Royal Merchant again?"

"400 million," my brother and I replied at the same time.

Pope ran to cover the door. "No, absolutely not. There's no way."

"400 million dollars?" Kie pulled his arm away from the door. "Pope, move."