too many kooks, not enough money
FLOATING DOWN THE BANK, its waters still filled with dead fish heads and another nasty garbage, the HMS Pogue coasts along with the current.
Marty fans herself with her hands as the sun pelts down on the hot surface above her. She's currently tanning in a new suit that her mom had just bought her. A light blue two-piece with red floral detailing, and it came with a beach skirt.
Marty cranks her head back to squint at what Kiara was laughing at. Apparently, Pope tells good jokes when they aren't about dead people.
Kie is in a black bikini, with a top that's a little too snug for Martha's bisexual panic, sitting on the edge of the boat. Pope was standing right next to her, and John B laid back in his captain's chair. JJ was in front of Marty, being point-lookout.
But he is currently failing that task.
The beautiful girl in front of him has his eyes compelled. Not only does her body look terrific but he also couldn't tear away from the hickeys he gave her a few nights ago.
Her bruised neck is almost gone, but it is still discolored and still healing, constantly reminding her of that God-awful brunch. Not to mention, her wrist is visibly swollen and bruised from earlier.
"J," Marty remarks, startling the boy from his gaze.
"Hmm?" His eyes flicker down to look at them again, noticing that some rose-colored bruises were peeking out from the top of her bathing suit bottoms. He looks back up to her breasts and then her green eyes as she sits up to personally talk to him.
Marty smirks as she rubs her hand downwards to collect the sweat building on her neck and chest, knowing his faulty eyes are following her every movement. "Am I makin' you nervous?"
"You wish, McFly," he lies, licking his lips as his hair behinds to stick to the back of his neck. He turns his head, trying to look away, trying to control himself from displaying public affection.
But Martha won't let him get away with ogling her, not that easily.
His head snaps back as he feels her sit on his lap, so fast he might've just got whiplash. "Martha.. what are you— did the sun go to your head or somethin'?"
She clicks her tongue under her breath, only for JJ to hear. Wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes flickering the green hues on his neck. They were enticing, not that she ever blames him. But teasing him in public is such a thrill.
"Your face is getting real hot, J," her smirk dropping to play the part of a worried mother. She pats his forehead with the back of her hand, his eyes glinting a new shade of dark blue as he feels her grind into him as she leans closer to his face. "You sure you're okay?"
"Peachy keen, baby, peachy fucking keen," he mutters through his teeth, fake smiling as pecks her cheek.
"Good, just next time," Marty grins, immediately pulling away and sitting right next to him, her feet dangling in the cool water below. "Take a picture it would last longer," she mentions, earning a side snicker from John B.
JJ scoffs, grabbing his sunnies off the top of her head and putting them on as he notices a boat sailing their way. He whistles in astonishment, causing everyone to cease chatter. "You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter."
He turns back towards the group, continuing to impress Martha with his nautical knowledge. "Number one in luxury, quality, and performance." He looks back behind his shoulder to get the money estimate right, "200K, easy."
"We picked the wrong parents," Pope observes, watching the maroon-colored boat.
"I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend," Kie asserts, causing Martha to turn her head to look at the boat sailing by.
"Hi, Sare!" She happily waves, not noticing the judgmental glares everyone else is throwing towards her best friend.
"Hi, Martha!!" Sarah smiles warmly at her childhood friend, pulling away from her irritating boyfriend to go to the edge of the boat. "Did Nicki tell you about the party tonight? You comin' right?"
"Oh, uh" she looks back to her pogue friends before turning around, "I'm not really comfortable with the party scene anymore, so I don't know."
"Please come! We'll stay with you the whole night!" She yells, startled by Topper not slowing down the boat.
"I'll try! Love you!" She frantically waves goodbye.
"Love you too!" Sarah shouts back, causing Kiara to scoff at the transaction.
"You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch. I mean, we're here too!" The curly brown hair girl calls out too late, Topper is already gone.
"I'm sure she didn't mean to ignore y'all"—
"Don't try to defend her, M. That's what she does."
➵ ➵ ➵
"ALL RIGHT, KEEP A LOOKOUT," JJ says as the gang pulls up to his and Martha's job. The Inn was still closed to the general public because of the lack of communication and support of its lower-class workers still trying to repair from the storm.
"We're behind enemy lines," he pulls out his gun, loading it up like it wasn't a literal gun.
"Yo, come on, man. Just put it back," John B sighs, regretting ever bringing JJ along to that grimy motel, putting the van in park, and turning off the ignition.
"What? You can never be too careful," JJ says, offering the gun.
"People thought you could never be too stupid, and yet, here we are. Put it away, J." Martha states, leaning forward between the two best friends.
"Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve," Pope states, making an extremely important point.
"Thank you, Pope," JJ responds, still not letting the gun go.
"I swear to God, I'm going to throw that thing into the ocean, JJ," Kiara adds, leaning on the side of the van door. "Put it back."
As JJ looks at it a second time, John B grabs it, puts the safety back on, and locks it in the glove compartment.
"There you go," Pope says, patting JJ on the shoulder.
"You can't grab a gun like that," JJ complains, grabbing his worker badge from the dashboard. "Can't forget my badge." He jumps out of the vehicle, waiting for Marty and grabbing her hand as soon as she does so. "Professional busboy."
"Where's yours Mars?" Pope asks the brunette, curious about why she didn't have one.
"I just started a month ago, and then Agatha hit," she laughs under her breath, realizing that her relationship with J only started about two weeks ago.
"So, where are we going now?" Pope nods, taking in her account and continuing with his own.
"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now," JJ states walking quickly to the employee back-entrance, by the kitchen. "This way!"
"Andrew!" JJ yells, excited to see his long-time coworker and friend. "What's up, bro?"
"Nothing much man, just makin' food. Hi, Martha! A long time no see," Andrew, a lanky guy with blue hair and pajama pants greets the pair.
The group walks through the kitchen, JJ automatically going for a bowl of food that Chef Mama L had already prepared. "Mama L, good to see you!"
"Hey no!" She yells, whacking him on the hand as he tries to steal some shrimp. "JJ!" She scolds, smirking as she does so because she honestly missed the boy.
"Martha, darlin'," she greets Marty, taking her in a fast side hug. "Is JJ treatin' you right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"He better! If he does anythin', you send 'em over!"
Marty nods, catching up with the group who walked out of the kitchen and further into the hotel.
"See, they got the backup generators going? Kooks don't miss a beat." JJ mumbles, waving hello to the host upfront and walking to the office area. Quickly scanning his membership card, he sneaks the group in.
"Sweet Lord, the internet!" Pope sighs in relief. "I've missed you."
"Lemme get in there. Gotta check out my Insta models," JJ whispers, squeezing behind Pope and Kiara, Marty right next to him.
"You better not be following Sommer Ray," Marty mumbles, jealous spite dripping from her tongue.
"I meant you, Marty, we are taking pictures, I don't care." JJ smiles at her blushing cheeks.
"Hey, hey, hey! I got the map!" John B interrupts as soon as he sees Pope logged in on Google.
"Coordinates, please?" Pope asks, his fingers ready to comply.
"34° 57' 30" north. 75° 55' 42" west."
Click.
The computer zooms in from outer space and on OBX. "Boom, continental shelf right there."
"Well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?" Pope sighs, their probability looking slim to nonexistent. He zooms in, slowly but surely until he can't increase the frame anymore.
"Well, shit. It's on the high side. It's only 900 feet." John B whispers, voices can be heard just outside the door.
Pope and Marty turn their heads, giving the kid a puzzled look. "Only?"
"That's not too deep," JJ states.
"Is that doable or something?" Kie asks, unsure of this whole idea in general.
"Yeah, totally doable."
"Not with the HMS Pogue it is," Marty shakes her head.
"Will we be taking your personal submarine?" Pope asks sarcastically, knowing that this is impossible.
"How do you know this, Mr. Dive Master?" John B adds on, possibly calling his friend out on his bullshit.
"The salvage yard. They got a drone that can drop 1,000. It has a 360 camera and everything," JJ professes as if he was hiding this valuable bit of intel from everyone. "It's for, like, deep dives and stuff. It's exactly what we need."
"And, can your dad get his grimy little hands on that?" John B doubts his friend's idea, knowing that Mr. Maybank isn't exactly reliable.
"Well," JJ's smile drops at the mention of his father, he can feel Martha hugging him from behind.
She knows how difficult his father has been lately. He didn't want to tell her and put this burden of daddy issues upon her but she's the only one he could talk freely about this stuff.
"My dad's grimy little hands got his ass fired." He taps on her hands, signifying he's alright. She pulls away. "I guess the salvage captain frowns on showing up shitfaced, turns out. But the drone's there. It's in the impound yard out back."
"How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?" Kiara quizzes the group, trying to reassure that the devilish idea in her head will work.
"400 million," Martha replies, her smile growing as Kiara repeats and runs to the door, only to be stopped by a rationalizing Pope Heyward.
"No." He states, standing in front of the closed door with his arms stressed out, blocking her path. "Absolutely not. Absolutely not. No!"
Pushing him out of the way, easily, Pope continues to fight his side —even if it's already been decided.
"Can't we do anything legal for money?"