"You really think it's out there? Like no bullshit?" Pope asked.
Evelyn laid in the hammock with her head on JJ's chest and her feet on Kiara's legs. It was so dark out she couldn't seen an inch in front of her.
"My father thought it was," John B said.
"But do you?" Pope asked.
"After hearing his voice on that tape..." John B said, "I think I do."
"Only one way to find out," Pope said.
"Look, we're gonna find it, you know," Kiara said.
"Even JJ believes," Evelyn said.
"Oh my god, JJ, do you really believe?" John B joked.
"Totally," JJ said, "Wait. Are we talking about four mil?"
"Four hundred mil," Kiara and Evelyn said at the same time.
"Jinx," Kiara said.
"I'm gonna dream about shipwrecks," JJ said pulling Evelyn closer and nuzzling his face into her neck, "Goodnight, Bird!"
"Goodnight, bird shit," John B replied.
JJ flipped John B off laughing, his breath ticking Evelyn's neck, making her giggle.
"You smell nice," JJ whispered so only the girl could hear.
"That's not creepy at all," Evelyn laughed.
"It's true," JJ said.
- -
Evelyn sat at the front of the boat looking out at the water. Today was the day they were looking for the Royal Merchant.
"All right, JJ, pin it here," John B said.
"Roger, that! X marks the spot!" JJ said.
"All right ladies and gentlemen," John B said grabbing the drone, "To going full Kook."
John B lowered it into the water and Kiara fed the lead. Evelyn walked over to Pope where he was controlling the drone.
"All right, JJ, we're right over it. Ten seconds northwest," JJ said.
"Got it. Ten seconds northwest!" JJ repeated.
"One hundred feet," Kiara yelled.
Pope gasped as a squid came across the screen.
"What, what, what?" John B asked.
"It's nothing," Evelyn said making John B groan.
"Sorry, I thought I saw something," Pope said.
"Don't do that to me man," JJ said, "Come on, bro!"
"My bad. I just thought I saw something," Pope said, "And to quote The Hobbit, down, down, to Goblin Town. Down, down, you go, my lad."
Evelyn set her eyes on the screen carefully watching for any signs of the wreck.
"Four hundred feet," Kiara said.
Thunder rumbled in the background making Evelyn look up into the sky.
"The tide is turning," Kiara said.
"Hey, JJ?" John B asked.
"Yup?" JJ said.
"Ten second easy," John B said, "South-Southeast."
"Copy that!" JJ said.
"JJ, 20 seconds mid-speed, all right?" John B yelled, "South."
"Copy that! Aye-Aye," JJ said, "Keep the tether out of the prop!"
"I'm trying," Kiara said.
"JJ, keep going," John B yelled.
"John B, is that good?" JJ asked.
"We're good," John B said.
"700 feet," Kiara yelled.
The waves started rocking the boat as dark clouds started to roll in. Evelyn left Popes side going to help Kiara get ahold of the tether.
"JJ, keep it steady," John B said.
"900," Evelyn yelled.
"JJ, we'll turtle in this storm," John B said.
"920," Kiara yelled.
"Crank that north by northwest," John B said, "Ten seconds."
"Pope how is it going?" Evelyn asked.
"Almost there," Pope said.
"There's too much current!" Evelyn yelled as her and Kiara struggled to keep ahold of the tether.
"We're gonna lose it," Kiara yelled.
"South, southwest, JJ! Hard!" John B yelled, "Half speed. Stead at this bearing."
"Anything?" Evelyn yelled looking back at Pope.
"Nothing," Pope said, "A whole lot of nothing."
"You should be right above it, brother," John B said.
"Kiara, Evelyn?" Pope asked.
"We're at 960," Evelyn said.
"970," Kiara said.
"980!"
"I'm at the bottom! I'm at the bottom!" Pope said.
"Steady here, JJ," John B said, "Quarter speed, all right?"
"Evelyn looked back at the boys, hoping for some good news.
"You should be seeing something, man," John B said.
"I know, I know! Wait, wait," Pope said.
Evelyn walked over to the screen just in time to see the ship wreck on the screen.
"Oh good god," Pope said.
"See anything?" JJ asked.
"It's the Royal Merchant," John B whispered.
"We did it," Evelyn yelled.
"We're gonna be rich!" JJ yelled.
As Pope moved the drone closer to the ship wreck, exploring it, the fours teens smiled quickly started to fade.
"It's not there," John B said, "Look, just--just pull the drone up.
"Shit," Evelyn said walking away from the screen.
"Look, we can do another pass. Recharged the battery," Pope said, "We can-we can go back down."
"We've been through it three times," JJ said, "There's nothing there."
"Shut up!" Kiara yelled.
"What?" JJ asked, "It's true!"
"Maybe it's buried," Evelyn said, "We don't know. That ship has been down there for a long time."
"If it was there, it would have been found by the metal detectors," John B said, "Somebody beat us to it."
"Or it was never there," JJ mumbled, only Evelyn hearing him.
"Look, Kie. Just help me get the tether so we can get it pulled back up," Evelyn said.
--
The boat ride back was dead silent, none of the five teens wanted to speak. They had gone through hell and back already to try and get this gold. They had been so hopeful, especially John B. Now those dreams were squashed, there was no gold, and truthfully they all felt like fools for ever believing it was there in the first place.
"JJ," Evelyn said as she was walking to her car.
"Yeah?" he asked turning around.
"Do you need a ride home?" Evelyn asked.
"Umm yeah, thanks," JJ said.
JJ hoped into the passenger seat of her car and they drove toward his house.
"Do you think we were stupid for actually believe there was gold down there?" JJ asked.
Evelyn glanced over at him, "I don't think stupid is the word I'd use. Maybe we were all a little naive."
"I just can't believe we went through all of that work for nothing," JJ said, "I mean we almost got shot how may times?"
"Well at this point there really isn't much that we can do about it," Evelyn said, "I think we all just need to be there for John B. He's going to take it harder than all of us."
"I mean shit," JJ said, "He just pretty much got conformation that his dad is actually dead. And now he can't even finish out the one thing he told him to do."
"Child protective services are still after him too," Evelyn said, "John B needs us now more than ever."