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"Where's JB?" AJ asked as she skipped in front of JJ, Pope and Kie. They were walking in the warm Outer Banks air to get to the HMS Pogue.
"He went to steal the scuba gear from the Camerons' boat," Kie said disdain dripping from her voice. AJ stopped skipping and turned to walk backwards facing her three friends.
"Steal? Scuba? Camerons? What did I miss when I was out?" AJ asked, bewildered at what Kie just said.
"He's not stealing the scuba gear, he's borrowing it without permission. They're going to get the gear back eventually." JJ tried to reason.
"That's stealing!" AJ argued back. It's times like this when she sees a glimpse of how reckless JJ is.
"It's not if we give it back!" JJ took long strides to catch up to JJ, who was still walking backwards. "John B gets the gear, we get the stuff inside, we get money, John B returns the gear. No problems at all."
"That's not how it's gonna go and you know it. I just got out of a shitty situation, I'm not just going to throw myself back into one." AJ's voice raised in volume as she spoke.
"Come on! What else do you have to lose?" JJ shouted back, desperately wanting AJ on his side on this adventure. They stopped walking as they spoke to each other, more worried about the topic at hand than getting to their destination.
"Me? Oh, nothing. My mom, my dad, my little brother, though? They have everything to lose. I won't put my family through losing everything just because you want to be some knock-off Goonies!"
"Nellie, baby—," JJ started, his voice softer.
"Boy," AJ scoffed at JJ, rolling her eyes.
"Please. This could change everything. Everything." JJ pleaded. Kie walked up to the pair, her face serious.
"AJ let's do it. It might be fun. Plus if we go to jail I won't be lonely," Kie said, a small smile growing in her face as she spoke. AJ sighed and began walking again to catch up to Pope who continued walking as AJ and JJ argued. JJ took her movement as a yes and pumped his fist in the air once as a celebration. He ran up to AJ and picked her up in his arms bridal style and ran the rest of the short length to the Pogue.
*•*•*•*
The Pogues were now on the water cruising above the crash site as Kie checked the tanks.
"This is empty. You took empty tanks?" Kie asked John B as he sat next to her. He threw his hand up in exasperation as an answer. Kie continues to check the tanks. "This one's a quarter full. It's enough for one of us."
"Love it when a plan comes together," JJ said sarcastically. AJ, who was laying on her back on the floor rolled onto her stomach, hands holding her head up and feet swinging behind her.
