Paradise on Earth

4-Star

The pretty late, drunken night turned into a really early morning until we all eventually crashed. Hell, if It wasn't for the roosters outside we probably would've slept the daylight away, and God knows we need all the time we could get if we're gonna find this gold.

"You guys see that?" JJ gawked at a boat going in the opposite direction of us. Made the U.S.S Pouge we were riding on look like a log in a swamp. "That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter. Number one in luxury, quality, and performance. 200K, easy."

"You would know that JJ." I groaned sprawled across some of the seats as I try to block the sun from my eyes. Between the swaying of the boat and this hangover, I'm about two seconds away from  leaning over the side of this boat and puking my life away. Not to mention it's like a thousand degrees and humid.

"We picked the wrong parents." Pope pouts.

"I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend." Kie sneers moving her sunglasses from her face to her head just to glare. I on the other hand hit the deck. The last thing I need is for the biggest mouth in the OBX to see me.

Sarah would happily tell her father that she ran into me today, who would in turn tell Allen, who would tell my mother. Trust me, nobody wants that. "Oh God, hide me!"

"You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch." Kie mumbles as they passed, even though everyone involved was avoiding eye contact. "Elle where exactly does your mom think you are?"

"Working a double at the Wreck." I admit crawling back up onto my seat.

"You do know the Wreck will eventually close, right?"

"Yeah. That's why I told her that I'm going to go see my dad after." Whenever I bring up the hospital to my mom not many questions followed. I think it's because of her guilt of never going to see him anymore, though she'd never admit it.
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Thanks to the van on figure-eight we made it to the hotel in record time. According to JJ it's our best bet at getting on the internet since all the on the electricity on the cut is still... well cut.

"All right, keep a look out. We're behind enemy lines." JJ reminds us all from the front seat as we pull into a parking spot. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the gun once again. I swear that thing is attached to his hip.

"Yo, come on, man. Just put it back." John B complained while the rest of us agree filing out of the car.

"What? You can never be too careful!"

Pope comes around and leans into JJ's window. "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve." Pope reminds sternly but JJ doesn't look every convinced.

"I swear to God, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ. Put it back!" I order before climbing out of the van myself and sliding the door shut. John B snatches the gun away by the barrel and throws it into the glove box making sure to take out JJ's busboy badge before slamming it shut and getting out.

Surprisingly someone was deranged enough to hire him and he is just good enough of a liar to have not been fired... yet. "You can't grab a gun like that." JJ pouts getting out.

"Buck up kiddo." I reach up ruffle his already messy blonde hair but he smacks my hand away and sulks towards the door leading the way.

"So, where are we going now?" Kie asks cautiously eyeing the well dressed people all around us. Luckily this is one of the only places I don't have to worry about running into anyone who knows me. Everyone I know is either too rich or too poor stay at a four star.

"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now. This way!" He replied. As soon as he opened the doors I almost cry of joy once the air conditioning hits my face. "See, they got the backup generators going? Kooks don't miss a beat."

After a bunch of weaving and dodging J lead us to a room that had at least 40 computers. "Sweet Lord, the internet! I've missed you." Pope cry's hugging one of the monitors.

"I still don't get why we couldn't do this at your house E." John B said. The two of us hung back to make sure we weren't being followed and shut the doors.

"I'm sorry, did you wanna have that conversation with my mom?" I ask knowingly. B begins stumbling over his words. "That's what I thought."

As we walked over I could hear Kie and JJ arguing over wether or not we had time for JJ to drool over insta models. "Alright merit scholar, start typing." I order Pope taking a seat on the desk and noisily peering at the monitor.

"Coordinates, please?" Pope asks. John B quickly pulls out the map from his bag and begins reading them off for Pope to type in.

"34° 57' 30 " north. 75° 55' 42" west." The computer takes a second to load before dropping a random pin The the ocean by the island. "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 grunts trying to get a more precise location. After zooming in as close as it'll let him we see it.

"Shit, it's on the high side. It's only 900 feet."

"Is that doable or something?" Kie asks from her seat next to Pope. JJ and John be both nod excitedly.

"Yeah, totally doable." JJ cheers.

"Will we be taking your personal submarine?" Pope rolls his eyes. "How do you even know this, Mr. Dive Master?"

"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."

"Do you think your dad can your dad get his grimy little hands on that?"

"Well, my dad's grimy little hands got his ass fired. 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."

Kie leans into John B to ask him, "How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?"

"400 million." He replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Dollars?" B nods. Kie and I shared a look, then the four of us headed for the door.

"No. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. No!" Pope pushes past us and essentially body blocks the door with his arms spread so we couldn't get through.

"Pope! Move."

"Can't we do anything legal for money?"

"Pope, the only way pouges get money is by stealing it or scamming it." I inform him just before JJ jumps in.

"Or winning the lottery."

"And you know what?" I check my non existent watch and shrug. "We just missed it." I took the chance with Popes annoyance and ducked under his arms to open the door and walk through. B tosses me the keys as they push past Pope to follow.