𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒 ¹

VI.

The air quickly filled Julia's lungs the moment she got above the water. With her brother next to her they let out occasional coughts while taking deep breaths in and out.

Their three friends on the boat let out sighs of relief and chuckles as they saw them.

"There they are!"

"Oh, God! Jesus Christ!"

"Don't scare us like that!"

"How'd it go down there?" JJ suddently asked as he offered Julia a hand.

She swam towards the boat slowly as her breaths were slowing down. She smiled a bit as she accepted his hand and he pulled her up.

"Did you find anything?" He asked as Julia sat down on the edge of the boat with her feet in the water.

"Did I find anything?" John B had a grin on his face as he moved towards the small metal ladder of the boat.

Suddently he put a wet black bag onto the boat.

"Yeah, there we go! That's my boy!" JJ cheered as he grabbed the bag.

John B let out another cough as he leaned against the ladder.

"You okay?" Kie asked while looking down at the boy.

John B nodded as he looked up. His eyes squinting due to the sun. "Yeah, I ran out of air."

"You scared the shit out of me." Kie glanced at both of the two siblings.

"Yeah, the cops were up here, but, uh... took care of 'em." Pope stated as John B climbed into the boat.

Julia nodded a bit. "Thanks."

"My bad." John B sat down.

"You're all good."

"Yeah, you kinda missed the show." JJ added.

"Hey, guys?" Kie suddently called out to the Pogues while looking ahead at the water. Julia looked in the direction that she was looking at.

"Guys, bogey, two o'clock."

Julia could see a boat driving towards the HMS Pogue in the distance.

I'm not diving into the water again.

"What?" JJ looked in the same direction.

All the Pogues were now looking towards the boat in the distance, trying to analise if they've seen it before. Julia turned and lifted her legs off of the water and sat down onto the ground of the boat, as she reached for her white towel. Her eyes haven't left the boat.

"Do you recognize that boat?" Pope suddently asked no one in particular.

"I've never seen it. What are they doing here? The marsh is closed." Kie added.

"I don't know. But let's not stick around to find out." JJ stated as he looked away from the boat.

"I've seen it." Julia suddently spoke up. "It's the two men that talked to Shoupe at the docks."

"Should we wait on them?" Pope asked as he glanced at her.

"No we're not gonna wait on them." John B replied quickly.

"Are you joking?" Kie glanced at the curly haired boy.

"Go get the stern. Go!" John B motioned to JJ.

"JJ, hurry up." Kie glanced at the blond boy.

"Guys, don't wait for me. Go." JJ spoke to the Pogues as he was pulling the anchor up, out of the water.