{ LIVING THE POGUE LIFE }

{9}

"Okay," Kiara grimaced, "Gross, you two. Cut it out."

Pope and John B ignored them, continuing their debate about the money and the Grady White that Scooter Grubbs had managed to cop just before he showed up dead.

"Square groupers, bro!" John B said, "Flying under the radar, no aerial surveillance. They don't do that stuff during a hurricane."

The pieces formed together in JJ's head, realisation crossing his face. Brie and Kiara figured it out too and shared an impressed look at John B's interpretive skills.

"What does that mean?" John B asked, pointing to them. "JJ?"

"They were straight smuggling," he answered.

"Exactly," John B said, snapping his fingers, "And I guarantee that there's still contraband on that wreck."

"Contraband?" Brie asked, "Like drugs? Or are we talking like diamonds or some shit?"

"Only one way to find out," John B shrugged.

They all mused, trying to imagine what sort of things that Scooter Grubbs would be smuggling onto the island.

Later that afternoon, they all sat in John B's bedroom, still discussing the money and the Grady White. JJ swore that he didnt think the conversation would ever end.

"If there is illegal contraband on that wreck," Pope argued, "Then it belongs to someone else. And they might come looking for it. Taking it would be catastrophically stupid."

"Minor details," Kiara shrugged.

"Stupid things have great outcomes all the time," JJ reminded him, fanning through the bank notes in front of his face.

Brie turned the gun in her hands and smiled. She was still very comfortable in handling the fully-loaded weapon, and that kind of put JJ on edge.

"Well," she said, "At least we have protection now."

"Yeah except no one actually knows how to use a gun properly," Pope interjected.

"How hard can it be?" JJ asked, gaining him multiple dirty looks. He raised his hands in surrender.

John B and Kiara both went to agree with Pope when Brie cut in.

"What makes you dummies think that I dont know how to use a gun?"

JJ was shocked, and slightly impressed. He turned to face her and looked down at the gun in her small hands. He knew she looked way to at ease when she handled it.

"You?" John B questioned, "You know how to fire a gun?"

"Yes, I know how to fire a gun," she said, clearly offended, "I'm not a sweet as I look you know. I think you're forgetting that I was practically a Kook. I know a lot of things that you guys dont."

"Like what?" JJ scoffed.

"Like how to use a gun, for example," she snapped, placing it down on the table. "What? Do you want to see my dads old gun licence? He taught me how to shoot with a gun exactly like this. I know what I'm doing."

"Okay, we're not shooting anyone," Kiara reminded her, "Put it down before you blow JJ's brains out. Although I really wish I could at times."

JJ sneered at her and leaned back against the window frame.

"Look, for now, we just need to lay low," he told them, "Just act normal."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Pope asked.

Brie and Kiara smiled at each other, already sharing the same idea.

"Kegger?"

After some hardcore flirting, Brie and Kiara had successfully gained them a kegger and recruited the boys to carry it down to the Boneyard. JJ and John B each held a handle, heaving the heavy barrel over the fallen trees that lay across the beach.