⤜---⤛ 𝔽𝕀𝕊𝕊𝕌ℝ𝔼 ⤜---⤛ ▬▬ 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕤 ∗ 𝕛𝕛 ▬▬

⤛ 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕝𝕚𝕡 ⤜

The sun beat hard down from above, creating a warm, humid, and sticky atmosphere that clung to JJ like a weighted blanket. After arranging Talia's 'outing' with Noa at the Wreck, the Pogues had returned to the Routledge home, affectionately referred to as the Château, which was really nothing more than an old fish shack on the marsh.

John B and Sarah were swinging softly in the hammock outside, while Pope, Kiara, and Talia were lounging on the back porch. JJ had found himself inside the small surf shack that sat in front of the porch, hard at work doing a full clean and re-wax of his surfboard. The thought of possibly having found a lead on the Royal Merchant still lingered in his mind as he finished up. Although he felt uneasy about sending Talia alone with the new guy, they had no other options, and she seemed capable enough at least.

The scorching weather had caused sweat to drip down his forehead. "Fuck, it's hot," he muttered to himself. Once he finished with his board, he tucked it away and joined the others on the porch. They had the whole day to kill before their plan could be executed, and he wasn't going to let it go to waste.

JJ hopped up the stairs two at a time and let out an obnoxious groan as he neared them. The three of them turned their heads and raised their eyebrows, clearly anticipating the usual from him.

"Yo, if I stay out in this heat any longer, I'm going to shrivel up and die," he complained, "Like a prune, dude."

Pope grinned and nodded in agreement. "Oh, you're definitely a prune, bro."

Kiara let out a sigh and leaned her head back over the side of the couch. "Same here, but more like a sun-dried tomato."

JJ sat down next to her, but only for a split second before feeling restless and immediately jumping back up again. "We've got to do something, man," he groaned again loudly, waving his arms back and forth in front of them. "Anything, guys. Come on, I need suggestions."

Talia furrowed her brows, lost in thought for a moment before she spoke up. "Did you finish your board?"

JJ sighed, leaning on the wall. "Yeah, but I already tried a dawn patrol this morning. Ankle slappers at best, dude."

"Do you think there'll be fish out by Guffy's?" Pope asked.

Kiara shook her head and scrunched her nose. "I really don't feel like smelling like guts today, guys."

JJ banged his head against the side of the house in frustration, blankly staring straight ahead at the calmly frothing ocean. His gaze then shifted towards the dock, where a boat was moored at the end. He narrowed his eyes slightly and turned his head over towards the hammocks.

"How's the Pogue lookin', John B?" he asked.

John B called back, "I fixed her up the other day, she should be good to go whenever."

A smile tugged at the corners of JJ's mouth. The HMS Pogue, their pride and joy, was a Carolina Skiff 21 - about 21 feet long. After a small and entirely unavoidable incident where JJ bet Pope he could drive with his eyes closed and then immediately backed her over a sandbar, she had been out of action for a few days.

JJ shot his friends a grin and raised an eyebrow questioningly. They responded with nods, and JJ excitedly yelled back to John B, "Whenever is right now, buddy. Ándale!"

The rest of the group rose from the couch as John B and Sarah joined them on the porch. John B stretched and yawned as he scratched the back of his neck. "Watcha thinking, Mr. Divemaster?" he asked.

JJ draped an arm around his shoulder as he pointed out into the water. "I'm thinking we head out into the marsh, hang a left around there, and find that really sweet swim spot. You know, the one where we saw Miss Amy in a bikini for the first time?"