—
"All right, keep a look out. We're behind enemy lines." JJ told his friends, cocking his gun dramatically.
"JJ, put that shit that down." Kirsten muttered, getting out of the van, brushing her hands against the Maybank's shoulders.
"Yo, come on, man. Just put it back."
The blue eyed teen ignored him, "What?"
"JJ—"
"You can never be too careful."
Pope brushes past Kirsten, leaning against JJ's side of the van, "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve"
"Thank you, Pope." John mutters, sighing to himself as he leant his head up against the window:
"I swear to God, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ. Put it back." Kie snapped, getting out after Pope.
Kirsten reaches forward, snatching the weapon out of his hands and tossing it to John B.
"There you go."
"You can't grab a gun like that, Kirsten."
The girl mocked him, "Whatever."
"Can't forget my badge. Professional busboy." He flashed the badge to his friends, smiling brightly at Kirsten's chuckle.
"You think we'll see Evelynn here?"
"Nah, her mom wouldn't be caught dead at anything lower than a five star resort."
"So, where are we going now?"
"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now." JJ explain, gesturing forward before using that same arm to tug Kirsten closer by her shoulder, "This way!"
•••
"Mom?!" Luca called out, shutting the door behind him.
He looked around his house with a frown. He didn't like how quiet it was. Odd silences always freaked the teen out, it's why he was never seen alone.
While he enjoyed being quiet when he was with people, he just couldn't handle there being no noises. It was probably because of how much time he spent with Evelynn, someone that always had something to talk about.
Whether it be about other people, or random conspiracies, she always found something to rant on about that entertained him.
"Dad?!"
He huffed quietly, realizing that he was definitely alone. He wondered himself with what he could do until Evelynn and his mom got back from shopping.
•••
"See, they got the backup generators going? Kooks don't miss a beat." JJ told his friends in a hushed voice, smiling as he got them passed the kooks and into a secluded room.
Pope gasped as soon as they walked in, "Sweet Lord, the internet! I've missed you."
Kirsten turned at the sound of her sister calling out for John B. She was confused until she realized that he was lingering in the hallways of an establishment they weren't supposed to be in.
She sent the boy a look, earning an innocent shrug in response.
"Let me get in there. Gotta check out my Insta models." Kirsten rolled her eyes at her crush's words, moving away from him so she's stood behind Pope, getting a clear look of the computer.
Kie, taking his words seriously, shuts him down, "We don't have time."
"It was a joke, Ki-ara."
"No, it wasn't. And don't say my name like that."
"I got the map!" John B reminds them, setting the paper in the Hehward's line of sight.
"Coordinates, please?"
"34° 57' 30 " north. 75° 55' 42" west." Kirsten lists them off, earning a thankful nod from the teen.
"Boom, continental shelf right there."
"Okay, well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?"
"Come on, baby. Come on."
JJ moved forward, his chest pressed firmly against Kirsten's back, unaware of how her cheeks flushed at the contact.
John B shrugs his shoulder, "Shit, it's on the high side. It's only 900 feet."
"Only?" Kirsten scoffs.
"That's not too deep."
"Is that doable or something?" Kie follows, her look of confusion matching her sisters.
"Yeah, totally doable." The Maybank nods.
"Okay, will we be taking your personal submarine?" Pope asks sarcastically.
"How do you know this, Mr. Dive Master?"
"Did you not just say how it was only 900 feet?" Kirsten points at John B, "You made it seem like it was doable."
"It is doable." JJ says.
John B gestures to his friend, "How do you know?"
"The salvage yard. They got a drone that can drop 1,000. It has a 360 camera and everything. It's for, like, deep dives and stuff. It's exactly what we need."
"Can your dad get his grimy little hands on that?"
"Well, my dad's grimy little hands got his ass fired."
Kirsten raises a brow, "Much deserved."
"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."
The group grows silent, Kiara speaking up after a few seconds, "How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?"
"400 million." The Routeledge teen reminds her.
"400 million dollars?"
"Yep." Kirsten nods, watching with a small
smile as Pope immediately jumps from his seat to block the door.
"No. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. No!"
Kie rolls her eyes playfully, "Pope! Move."
"Guys, that's too—"
"Come on."
"Can't we do anything legal for money?" The Heyward frowns.
John B laughs, "Go."
Kirsten's voice suddenly echos through the halls,
"Can we pick up Ev on the way?"
•••
"Why do you always dress like you're going to a wedding?" JJ snorts, shutting the door after allowing Evelynn in.
The Connor girl scoffs, shoving him in the back of his head, "Why do you always dress like you're going to a yard sale?"
Kirsten chuckles at their banter, smiling softly in Evelynn's direction.
"Why does Pope look distressed?"
John B sighs at her words, glancing at the teen, "Pope, we're not stealing the drone. We're borrowing it."
"You guys are stealing?"
"Did I not just say—"
"Don't sass me, Johnathan."
"Humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality."
Kirsten hums, "That's deep."
"Did you come up with that?" John B asked, genuinely surprised with the statement.
"Don't be an idiot, Johnathan—"
"Albert Bernstein came up with it, but it applies to this whole treasure-hunting thing."
"Oh."
"So, which is it?" Pope turns in his seat, "Fantasy or reality?"
"Why are you so weird, Pope?" JJ asks, keeping his blue eyes focused on the blunt he was rolling.
Kie glances from the passenger seat, "It's fantasy, but possible reality."
"Reality." Kirsten and Evelynn agree with John B's words, to an extent, of course. The two share an odd look as they notice the eye contact shared between Kie and John B.
"Virtual reality."
"JJ, shut up."