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 ''Okay. JJ and Kie go down. Me, Pope, and Mimi stay up. Sarah and Cleo, you guys drive out to the lighthouse by the Coast Guard base. Stand watch. Do this right, we're home by midnight.''

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I SAT ON the couch between JJ and John B, feeling the warmth of their bodies next to mine. You didn't really get space when you lived this close, figuratively and literally.

Pope was sitting across from us, his brow furrowed as he studied the schematics of the Adventurer. The rest of the group stood around, leaning in to get a better look at the blueprint.

"Okay, so, looking at the schematics of the ship, it'll probably be best for you to enter in around here." Pope circled an area on the blueprint, his finger tracing the lines with precision.

"Right." JJ nodded, glancing over at the map like it was a treasure chest, ready to be opened.

"Genrette wasn't kidding about this stash," Pope continued as he flipped through the pages of the captain's log. "Look, in the captain's log, there's a secret compartment. Right here behind the headboard in the captain's quarters."

The mention of the secret compartment made me sit up straighter. My mind raced, but I kept quiet, not wanting to break the flow of conversation.

"Are we still talking about this?" John B asked, sounding exasperated. He sat back against the couch, hands behind his head, as if already tired of the whole discussion.

"Yep," JJ replied.

"The ship's been down there for 300 years," John B reminded us, leaning forward. "It's been salvaged, we know that."

I agreed with him. The idea of going after something that had been at the bottom of the ocean for centuries felt like a bad omen.

"Come on, not gonna hurt to check," Cleo chimed in.

JJ snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Yeah. It feels right," he declared, his enthusiasm infectious. He glanced down at the map, spreading it out on the table in front of us. "And also, we know where it is. It's right in this area."

"Except we don't know exactly where it is," John B pointed out, crossing his arms.

''True,'' I agreed, glancing at my brother. 

"What about the Coast Guard?" JJ suggested, turning his attention to the rest of us. "I bet they know where it is. Plus, I've heard coasties are quite chill, so we could probably just ask them." He leaned back, flicking his lighter in his hand.

The idea of asking the Coast Guard didn't sit well with me. They weren't exactly the kind of people who would casually give out classified information.

"Hey, wait, Pope, isn't your uncle in the Coast Guard?" John B suddenly asked.

Pope froze, his expression morphing into one of disbelief. "My Uncle Roger?"

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone processed the suggestion. Sarah, who had been leaning against the counter, spoke up, almost in a whisper. "Uncle Roger."

"No, no, no. That's not gonna work," Pope replied, his voice low and dismissive. "My Uncle Roger is the most straight-laced, by-the-books person in the history of the world. It's not gonna happen."

"More straight-laced than you?" Sarah asked, her eyebrow raised.

"First, I didn't graduate high school. I had to get a GED. That's... that's pretty loosey-goosey," Pope replied, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. JJ whistled.

"So, other options," Pope continued, his posture more relaxed now. He leaned against the railing, shifting his weight. "Wait, JJ, isn't your, uh, your friend in the Coast Guard? Boogie?"

"Oh, boy," John B muttered, his body now fully leaning against the couch next to me. 

"Boogs? He's in the reserves, bro," JJ said, almost defensively.

"Yeah, but he'd probably know," Pope pointed out, still looking for a way out of this.

"That's not what I'm saying," JJ replied, his tone sharp as he shot Pope a look. "He's a marina rat. Living paycheck to paycheck. So if we're gonna get any intel out of him, he's gonna need to be bribed. Which, look, I'm totally fine with doing. It's just—"

"No," both John B and Sarah shut him down in unison, shaking their heads.

"All right," JJ said, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "There's your answer right there." He leaned back again, visibly annoyed. "So, in my mind, the best-case scenario is if I had an uncle who knew where the wreck was, would maybe tell us for free. Oh, that's right, you do. So that should be our first stop."

Pope was having none of it. "You're not listening," he muttered, crossing his arms tightly. "I dropped a cracker in that man's garage one time, and he made me clean the whole thing." We all laughed softly at that, and it made the tension ease just a little.

"He is not the person who will give out classified information. He's just not."

"Not with that attitude," Kie replied, her voice light, but with an edge of encouragement.

"Dude." JJ got up and moved over to Pope, leaning in as if trying to convince him with sheer force of will. "Your uncle might literally know where it's at, he might even tell us for free, but you just gotta try."

"No, I—I don't think you're listening," Pope insisted, shaking his head.

"He could say yes," Kie added, her voice hopeful.

"Also, I thought all pogues were all team players here, so..." JJ added, giving Pope a knowing look.

"No," Pope answered immediately, his voice firm.

"Not even a single woogity?" Sarah asked, holding her hand out like she was expecting him to cave.

"Whatever happened to 'pogues for life?'" John B quipped, leaning forward with a smirk.

"Absolutely not," Pope protested.

"Take one for the team," Cleo suggested.

"That's it. I'm done. I'm not asking him," Pope stated firmly, throwing his hands up in defeat.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE SUN HUNG low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the parking lot as we huddled around the Twinkie. W eleaned against the van, waiting for Pope to come back from his visit with his uncle. 

It didn't take long before Pope walked up, his posture slumped.

''What happened?'' Cleo asked, a frown tugging at her lips as she eyed her boyfriend.

Pope exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. ''I don't think he's ever gonna look at me the same way again. Great.'' 

Cleo's tone softened, and she stepped closer to him, her hand resting on his arm. ''Don't take it too bad, Pope. He probably gave up on you a long time ago.''

I could tell Cleo was trying to lighten the mood, but Pope just shrugged, clearly not buying it.

''It was still worth a shot,'' I said, offering him a small smile. I wasn't sure how much it would help, but it was all I had in that moment.

Pope gave me a half-hearted smile, his shoulders still tense.

''Plan B?'' John B asked, his voice calm. It was clear he was already thinking ahead, never one to dwell on setbacks.

JJ glanced over at us, his fingers drumming on his bike handlebars, a grin spreading across his face. ''Let's find Boogie.'' 

With that, we piled back into the van, heading back towards the surf shop. The drive felt like a blur, but I could feel the heat of the day pressing down on us.

Once we arrived, the group split up, me, Sarah and Cleo stayed behind the counter. Sarah was on the phone, Cleo was cashing out a customer while I kept track of the baits and wrote numbers on the clipboard.

Sarah hung up the phone. ''No, we don't. I'm sorry,'' she told the person on the other end. ''Thank you so much for calling. All right, have a good one.'' She set the phone down, giving Cleo a quick nod.

Cleo handed the receipt to the customer, her smile friendly but automatic. ''Your receipt. Thanks.'' She called after him as he walked away.

''Come back anytime,'' Sarah added. ''Except when the surf's good.'' She shot Cleo a grin, and the two of them shared a quiet laugh.

''Smell that?'' Cleo asked, her eyes lighting up as she leaned in closer.

''Money,'' Sarah and I echoed in unison, our voices almost perfectly in sync.

I couldn't help but smirk at the easy way they fell into that banter.

But then the door opened, and a familiar voice broke through our little bubble of routine.

''Hello.'' Sarah greeted the customer at the door, but her expression shifted when she recognised him.

''Good afternoon, ladies,'' Dale greeted with a smile that made my skin crawl. ''Y'all remember me?''

''How could we forget?'' Cleo remarked dryly.

''Mm. I like that accent,'' Dale said, his gaze lingering a little too long on Cleo. ''Welcome to our country.''

I rolled my eyes at the comment, leaning against the counter. ''Seriously?'' I muttered, giving him a pointed look. It was all I could do to stop myself from calling him out right there.

''How can we help you?'' Sarah asked placing a hand on my shoulder.

Dale didn't seem to notice, or maybe he just didn't care. He placed a piece of paper on the counter, a smug grin creeping across his face.

''I've got something for you here,'' Dale said, his tone like he was offering us some grand gift.

Sarah gave him a sweet smile, though I could see the irritation flickering behind her eyes. ''You shouldn't have.''

''I can take this place off your hands at any time,'' Dale continued, his words dripping with insincerity. ''For a fair price.''

I crossed my arms, my jaw tightening as I watched the exchange unfold.

''I don't think that's necessary,'' Sarah replied. ''But can we offer you a keychain? Maybe a... glass bong, a pipe?'' She gestured to the shelves behind the counter. ''You look like you need one.''

Dale chuckled, but the laugh didn't reach his eyes. ''You know, y'all are gonna lose this place. You might as well sell now.'' He paused, giving Cleo a pointed look. ''And you have safe travels back to your homeland.''

Cleo just smiled, but I could tell it was all an act. She gave him a polite wave as he walked out, and the moment the door shut behind him our faces fell.

Sarah rolled her eyes, grabbing the paper Dale had left behind.

''What is it?'' Cleo asked, her voice soft as she leaned in.

Sarah took a moment to read over the document, her expression growing darker. ''One second,'' she muttered, before handing the paper to both of us.

I scanned it quickly, my stomach sinking as I processed what it said.

''My dad used to do that all the time,'' Sarah explained, her voice tight. ''It's changing the zoning. It's a way to force owners out of their property.''

''Is that legal?'' Cleo asked, her brow furrowing in disbelief.

''If you have the money to do it,'' Sarah replied. ''We're gonna need a lot more than $5,000.''

I felt a wave of frustration wash over me, and without thinking, I muttered, ''What a dick.'' The words slipped out before I could stop them, but they were true.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE SUN DIPPED lower on the horizon, casting a rich amber hue across the dock. The salty breeze tugged at my hair as we made our way toward the boat. JJ stood at the edge with a smirk. ''You all ready? All aboard!''

John B strode ahead of us, his tone steady as he rallied the group. ''Let's do it to it. All right. Listen up. We've got the nav points, and we've got the gear.'' He pointed to Pope and Cleo, who exchanged a quick, affectionate hug. ''We're in and out, all right? This is one night only. We slip down under. We stay under the radar. All right? JJ, you're going down. Sarah, Cleo—''

Kie interrupted. ''Um, actually, I'm going down too.''

John B paused, glancing at her before nodding. ''Okay. JJ and Kie go down. Me, Pope, and Mimi stay up. Sarah and Cleo, you guys drive out to the lighthouse by the Coast Guard base. Stand watch. Do this right, we're home by midnight.''

JJ clapped his hands together. ''Clock's ticking,'' he announced before hopping onto the boat and firing up the engine. The motor growled to life, and the scent of gasoline mingled with the salty air.

Sarah lingered on the dock, exchanging a soft goodbye with John B. Her eyes briefly met mine as I stood by the boat, leaning on the rail.

''Be careful,'' I said.

Sarah offered a reassuring smile. ''Always.''

With that, the boat pulled away, leaving Sarah and Cleo to handle their part of the plan. The rest of us settled into a tense silence as we cruised further out.

The atmosphere grew heavier the closer we got. JJ  broke the silence, glancing at each of us. ''Yo, guys, lighten up, okay? All right? You're making me nervous.'' His grin widened as he leaned against the console. ''We're gonna slide down there, take a peek. Worst that can happen, it's not there, old fart's disappointed, we go home. Pogues win. Okay? That's the worst.''

Despite his words, the unease remained. JJ pulled a beer from the cooler, cracking it open with a dramatic flourish. ''Meantime, though, who wants to crack one with me?''

Before anyone could answer, John B swiftly intervened, swiping the can from JJ's hand. ''No. Hey, hey. No,'' he asserted.

JJ shrugged, unbothered, and took it in stride. ''All right. Just takes the edge off,'' he quipped, leaning back with a carefree shrug.

Minutes passed, and the landscape began to shift. The water grew darker, reflecting the faint starlight overhead. Pope broke the silence, his voice laced with concern as he pointed out the looming sign ahead. ''John B, we're in Coast Guard territory now.''

Everyone stiffened slightly.

''Should be 20 yards. One o'clock. Okay, that's close enough. Hey, slow her down,'' Pope directed.

JJ eased back on the throttle, the boat's pace slowing to a crawl as Pope peered over the edge. ''We're at the drop site now.''

''JJ, what's our depth?'' John B asked, leaning over to check the readings.

JJ glanced at the monitor. ''78.''

John B nodded. ''Okay. Ready?''

''Here we go,'' Pope murmured as he began to ready the gear. ''Switch out. You guys get ready. John B, keep us in position.''

JJ and Kie pulled on their wetsuits as the rest of us worked to keep everything steady. I walked over to JJ, helping him adjust his gear, my hands moving quickly but carefully.

''Don't die,'' I remarked, trying to keep my voice light.

JJ flashed me a grin. ''Damn, I was planning on it tonight. Might need to reschedule.''

I smirked, shaking my head. ''Stop stealing my lines.''

He gave me a wink before stepping toward the edge of the boat. I moved back to my seat, sitting next to my brother as we watched Kie and JJ prepare for the dive.

After a few minutes of preparation, JJ leaned against the railing, his tone casual as he tried to reassure us. ''Honestly, it's kind of like surfing The Point, you know? We're upstream, and then the rip is just gonna... take us out.''

John B gave a curt nod, his jaw set but his expression focused. ''Yeah.''

''Yeah,'' Pope muttered.

''Right,'' Kie echoed.

JJ busied himself with a speargun, its sleek, metallic gleam catching the dim light. 

''Is that necessary?'' Kie asked, her brows furrowing as she crossed her arms.

''Yeah, yeah,'' John B cut in. ''Reef, fish—''

JJ smirked. ''And the man in the gray suit.''

''That too,'' John B added dryly.

Pope's voice broke through with a note of authority. ''Don't forget your safety stop, all right? Fifteen feet for three minutes. Hear that, JJ? Fifteen feet, three minutes.''

''Copy that,'' JJ responded with a mock salute, his grin lingering.

''What happens if we don't?'' JJ asked with a casualness that bordered on reckless.

Pope didn't hesitate ''The bends, remember? Nitrogen gets in the blood, excruciating pain, death, et cetera.''

I leaned back, my arms crossing over my chest as I quipped, ''Positive spirits. Love the energy.''

JJ glanced over at Kie, his smirk fading slightly. ''Hey. You good?'' 

Kie nodded, though I caught the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. ''Yeah,'' she replied, her voice steady as she reached out. JJ clasped her hand firmly, pulling her up.

''Okay,'' JJ murmured. ''Let's do it, then.''

''Yeah,'' Kie agreed. The two sat at the edge of the boat, finishing their gear checks. Their movements were precise, mechanical almost, as they secured their masks and regulators.

''Diver down,'' Kie announced, a small smile tugging at her lips.

''Diver... down,'' JJ echoed with exaggerated seriousness, earning a chuckle from her.

JJ hit the water first, his splash breaking the surface. Kie followed a moment later. The boat rocked gently in their wake as they disappeared into the depths.

Pope leaned over the edge, his brow furrowed as he tracked their descent. John B glanced toward the horizon. ''Hey, Pope. The tide's turning.''

Pope nodded, his eyes darting back to the instruments. ''They've only got about 45 minutes of air, so it should be quick.'' He picked up the radio. ''Hey. You all good over there? See any cutters?''

Sarah's voice crackled through the speaker. ''Nothing yet. No sign of Coast Guard, but we've got some fog moving in. Once that hits, we're blind.''

''Copy that,'' Pope responded, his grip tightening slightly on the radio.

John B exhaled sharply. ''One night only. In and out,'' he muttered under his breath.

''Hey, we're drifting,'' Pope announced, his gaze shifting to the compass. ''Take it back to starboard.''

John B adjusted the controls.

''Your other starboard,'' Pope corrected, earning a faint grunt from John B.

''All right, hold it there,'' Pope instructed. ''The tide's definitely turning.''

''How much time do we have, Pope? Where are we at?'' John B asked.

''Fifteen minutes.''

I glanced at the fog curling closer, its thick fingers stretching toward us. ''This fog's getting thick,'' John B muttered. ''Come on, y'all.''

Pope raised the radio again. ''Are we all still good up there? Talk to me. Do you see anything?''

Sarah's voice came through, sharper this time. ''Guys, guys, guys, there's someone else out there. Get out of there right now. Bogies coming your way. It's not Coast Guard.''

The three of us froze.

''Do you hear that?'' Pope asked, his voice dropping as he strained to listen. ''It's a boat.''

''Chill. Just chill.''

I snorted, unable to keep the sarcasm at bay. ''Yeah, 'cause that's so easy.''

''Pope? John B? Vivi?'' Sarah's voice cracked through the radio.

Pope barked, ''Cut the engine. Cut the engine.''

John B quickly obeyed. ''Okay. It's off.''

''Are the warning lights off?''

''Everything's off,'' John B confirmed. ''Okay, just get low, all right?''

We huddled low to the floor, the metal deck cool beneath us. John B reached over, pulling me down beside him. ''Nice and slow. Nice and slow,'' he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The distant hum of another engine grew louder, and we held our breath as a shadowy shape loomed in the fog.

''Let's make another pass!'' a voice called out from the other boat.

We stayed