Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

71

We've got the map from the tube spread out on a table in the surf shop.

"Okay, so, obviously, it's a map of sorts, right?" John B offers.

"Yeah, but looks like a trippy mosaic," JJ says.

"It's so weird," Kie states.

"It's all scrambled," I reason.

"What are we supposed to do with this?" Sarah asks.

"Decode it," JJ states. "That's what we're supposed to do."

"Okay but how?" I ask.

"With the code breaker? That's how," JJ tells us. "All right, everything's coming into focus now. You've just got to let your eyes go out of focus for it to be in focus."

"I think we're mind melding," John B tells him.

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"We got a mountain range," JJ states.

"Waterline, right?" John B offers.

"Yeah. Good job," JJ tells him. "The blue's water."

"The jungle..." John B starts.

There's a sound outside the surf shack.

"What was that?" I ask.

"I knew we shouldn't have come back here," Kie states.

John B grabs a bat from under the counter. JJ grabs a paddle from the wall. Kie covers the map with a shirt. The guys slowly step out of the shack.

"Nothing on your side?" JJ asks.

"No. Nothing," John B tells him. "That's so weird. It kinda sounded like maybe it was..."

I nearly jump out of my skin when I see someone come in through the other door. I let out a breath when I realize it's Groff.

"Holy shit!" I remark.

"Oh. Sorry," Groff says. "I'm sorry."

"Jesus," Kie remarks.

Groff turns to JJ. "JJ. You made it. I, uh, I'm sorry to bother you here. I swam... I swam all the way in."

"What are you doing here?" JJ asks him.

"I... I had nowhere else to go, son," Groff insists.

Regardless of my better judgment we let Groff stay. I mean it can't get any worse right? He already got JJ and I kidnapped and almost got us killed.

"So you're JJ's real dad?" I ask.

Groff sighs. "I don't deserve the title, but yes, I am JJ's biological father. I could have done better by him, I know that. I look forward to telling you all about it."

"Right," Kie remarks.

"But I'm afraid time is short. We are all in danger here," Groff warns. "Let me guess. You opened up that packing tube over there and you found a scroll inside, but you can't read it. That scroll is encrypted."

"How do you know that?" John B asks.

"Because if you took that from the Corsairs, I suspect that you are in possession of the Mogador scroll, created by Barbary pirates in 1703," Groff explains. "The Lupine Corsairs are dangerous mercenaries. Now you've stolen from them."

"Okay, so what... what the hell is this Mogador?" John B asks.

"It's... a map," Groff informs us.

"To where?" I ask.