Internet
"Alright, keep a lookout." JJ joked to the Pogues, as the Twinkie pulled into the country club parking lot. "We're behind enemy lines."
For extra effect, she pulled out her gun and checked the chamber.
"Yo, come on JJ. Just put it back," John B said sternly, thinking she was serious. It's hard to tell when JJ looks for any reason to carry it.
"What?" JJ teased. She loves riling up John B.
"JJ," John B narrowed his eyes at her, still not sure if she's serious. She can't be serious.
"You can never be too careful," JJ shrugs, holding in a laugh at his exasperated facial expression.
Pope exited and stood outside her window, ready to lecture her. "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a 4 star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve."
"Thank you, Pope," JJ deadpans. Do they seriously think she was going to bring the gun?
"I swear to god, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean JJ," Kie nags at him. "Put it back."
John B snatches it from her hand and tossed it in the glove box.
"There you go," Pope sighed, relieved at the disappearance of the weapon.
She almost laughed, but settled for scolding John B for how he grabbed the gun. I mean that was just unsafe. "You can't grab a gun like that."
John B rolled his eyes, realizing she's just been playing with them, and they climbed out of the Twinkie. Last minute JJ turned around to grab her work badge. "Can't forget my badge. Professional busboy"
"So, where are we going now?" Pope asked JJ as she led the way.
"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now," JJ reminded him. "This way."
JJ led them through a back door and into a kitchen. She spotted one of her coworkers she actually got along with and waved. "Andrew! What's up bro?"
"What's up Mama L?!" She greeted a woman cook as they passed. She sometimes gave JJ leftover scraps of food.
"See, they got the backup generators going! Looks don't miss a beat" JJ told her friends as she led them into a lobby. Finally she led them into a small room with a computer aka her boss's office.
"Sweet lord, the internet!" Pope praised as he beelined for a computer. "I've missed you."
Once Kie and John B entered, JJ shut the door and locked it so they wouldn't be disturbed.
John B pulled out the map from his backpack. "Hey, I got the map!"
"Coordinates please?" Pope asked.
"34 57' 30" north. 75 55' 42" west" John B read off the the map, while Pope plugged them into google maps. He clicked enter and the map zoomed in on the coordinates.
"Boom, continental shelf right there," John B pointed out.
"Well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt is it?" Pope looked at John B.
John B didn't even want to think about that possibility so he just nodded for Pope to zoom in.
JJ felt antsy and murmured "come on, come on," under her breath. If her boss caught them in here she was so fired. She could hear footsteps and laughter outside the office.
"Shit, it's on the high side. It's only 900 feet," John B said when he saw up close where the coordinates landed.
"That's not too deep," JJ agreed, even though she knew he was being sarcastic.
"Is that doable or something?" Kie asked, doubtful.
"Yeah, totally doable," JJ replied confidently.
"Okay, will we be taking your personal submarine?" Pope asked sarcastically.
"How do you know this Ms. Dive Master?" John B eyed her curiously.
JJ was only too happy to share. "The salvage yard. They have a drone that can drop 1,000 feet. 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?" John B asked, not wanting to ask JJ's dad for anything ever.
"Well, my dad's grimy little hands got his ass fired," JJ explained. "I guess the salvage yard 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?" Kie asked.
"400 mil" John B and JJ answered simultaneously.
"400 million dollars," Kie repeated already standing up and making her way out of the office to the Twinkie, ready to break in to the salvage yard.
It was JJ's plan so she was quick to follow. "Yep."
"No. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. No!" Pope refuted, but it was a lost cause.
"Pope, move!" Kie chimed back at him from the front. John B grabbed his backpack and followed behind.
"Guys, that's too-" Pope continued to complain but was interrupted by Kie again.
"Come on."
"Can't we do anything legal for money?" Pope asked, knowing he'd lost.
"Go," John B ushered him on.
Meanwhile, at the Cameron residence, Sarah was holding back her sister's hair as she puke up her guts into the toilet.
"Ugh.. oh god, okay," Sarah groaned as she tried to ignore the sounds of her sister being sick. Her sister flushed as Sarah dried her hair. "So, what have we learned?"
"Never mix vodka with crystal light," Wheezie answered.
"Very good," Sarah scrunched her face as Wheezie threw up again.
"Please don't tell dad," Wheezie begged, once she was able.
"I won't. On one condition," Sarah said, happy to take advantage. She wouldn't have told either way, but Wheezie doesn't need to know that.
Wheezie sighed, "What's that?"
"You cover for me sneaking out with Topper tonight," Sarah replied. Wheezie sighed so Sarah added in a "please."
"Fine," Wheezie agreed regretfully.
"Do you promise?" Sarah asked, just to be sure.
"I promise," Wheezie said as she held out a pinkie. Sarah was about to connect her own pinkie when Wheezie started retching again, so she grabbed her hair instead.
Once Wheezie's stomach settled and was resting in her bed, Sarah left the room where she could hear her dad and brother arguing in her dad's office. Always fighting.
"I don't feel like you care," Her dad could be heard saying to Rafe.
"I said I do!" Rafe argued.
"Yeah you said," Her dad said pointedly.
"What do you want me to say?" Rafe asked exasperated. Sarah was almost to the doorway now and hid off to the side so they couldn't see her.
"I don't want you to say anything. Take care of business. Where are the backup generators?" Her dad demanded.
"Okay-" Rafe said.
"I gave you money for the generators. You said you would take care of it. Did you take care of it? Where are they?" Her dad asked Rafe.
"They're on back order," Rafe replied not looking at anything particular.
"Yeah of course they are," her dad answered, unsurprised.
"There was a hurricane," Rafe defended.
"I tell you what. You know that Pogue I just fired? Way more reliable than you," her dad pointed at Rafe and she could tell that comment stung.
"Really?" Rafe scoffed.
"Yeah really," her dad affirmed. "You need to get it together Rafe, or you can go live on the cut."
Rafe laughed, irritating her father even more.
"That funny to you?" Her dad asked.
"Wow," was all Rafe said.
"You can go live on the cut, Rafe," her father said louder, trying to drill it into Rafe's head. "As far as I'm concerned. Now get out of here. I'm sick of looking at you." Sarah thought that was kind of harsh, but her brother really did need to grow up a bit. She knew the real reason the generators weren't here, and she had warned Rafe this would happen.
Rafe stood up and stormed out while her dad added one more comment, "Make yourself useful somewhere, somehow."
Rafe turned at that. "Sarah's not working." And that was stupid. Sarah's 16 and in high school.
"This isn't about Sarah, Rafe. You're almost 20. You don't just get to sit back and have everything handed to you."
"Yes, sir" Rafe said angrily. He had been trying to help, but his dad will never see him as anything more than a failure, he thought bitterly.
"It doesn't seem you understand me," her dad stated annoyed.
"I'll take care of those generators okay?" Rafe promised, trying to appease their father.
"I'll believe that when I see it," her dad said finally.
Before Sarah could move to hide the fact she was eavesdropping, Rafe was already storming through the door. She crossed her arms when he looked her way, not even bothering to pretend.
"Told you. Shouldn't have bought that motorcycle with the generator money," Sarah said unsympathetically.
"Hm," Rafe hummed, then continued on down the hall and out the back door.
"Hm," Sarah shrugged smugly as she heard his motorcycle engine rev and drive away. With that, she decided she to head up to her room to decide what to wear for Topper's party tonight.