CONTINUANCE - John B Routledge

007.

"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟖𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐄𝐦?" Pope asked.

"Buy a brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, livin' off passive investments and pulling on permits." Emerson sadly chuckled, remembering her parents and Big John's dream. After her and John B's breakdown, the Pogues decided to go sit down at the dock. 

"We better get going." Kie said checking the time on her phone. "You staying, JJ?" she asked. "Nope. Let's roll, folks." he said as he stood up along with Pope and Kie.

"Don't get into a car accident." Emerson joked, but was also somewhat serious. A couple seconds later, she heard an engine starting up, and the car driving down the road. 

"Do you really think they're dead?" Emerson whispered after a moment of silence. "If I'm being honest, I have no clue." John B answered. He looked into her eyes and saw nothing but sadness. 

After awhile of looking at each other's eyes, they eventually leaned in and locked lips. Emerson hooked her arms around this neck, making the kiss more deeper. Emerson couldn't help the butterflies that just erupted in her stomach. As their soft lips moved in synced, they eventually pulled away to catch their breath.

"John B?" Emerson whispered. "Yeah?"

"What if we never see them again?" Emerson asked, getting teary-eyed. "Then, when we finish what they started, we'll get our sugar-shacks down in Costa Rica and drink away our problems." John B chuckled. Emerson couldn't help but smile, part of it being he sees her in his future. They both ended up sleeping on the dock, dreaming about what their lives would look like in Costa Rica.

···

The next morning, the Pogues decided to go on a boat ride before they continued their adventure with the Royal Merchant. Emerson frowned when she looked down at her exposed stomach, filled with bruises. 

"You still look beautiful, don't worry." John B said as he hooked his arm around her shoulder, noticing her examining her bruises. Emerson gave him a soft smile until JJ whistled, catching everyone's attention.

"You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter. Number one in luxury, quality, and performance. 200K, easy." JJ admired the boat. 

"We picked the wrong parents." 

"Looks pretty sweet."

"I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend." Kie said, making Emerson roll her eyes. Topper to her was the definition of dumbass.

Sarah lifted her sunglasses and glared at all the Pogues, but when she saw Emerson her eyes softened and she smiled at her. Emerson smiled back at her, but when her eyes met Topper she glared at him.

"You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch." Kie said, loud and clear.

Emerson knew what had happened between Kie and Sarah. She remembered Kie telling her everything that happened, while sobbing. Although she knew what happened, she didn't personally know Sarah so she wasn't gonna judge her for how she treated one person. 

···

"Pope we're not stealing the drone. We're borrowing it." John B said as the Pogues made their way towards the salvage yard. After getting the coordinates of the wreck from a hotel in Figure Eight, they realized that the drone from the salvage yard would be great to see the shipwreck. 

"Humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality." Pope responded. "Wait, did you come up with that?" John B asked. "Albert Bernstein did!" Emerson said looking at Pope for confirmation. He smiled and nodded. Although Pope was the smartest in the group, Emerson was extremely close behind.