𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞- 𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

5.

🦋☀ 🌊 - 5

Kiara tapped her bangos sitting on the table in front of her. Pope watched, JJ randomly threw pebbles at the floor, and Olivia sat quietly, her mind spinning with thousands of thoughts. Mostly, she wondered how JJ could be so careless.

"Look, I'm calling it off," John B announced, stepping out of the small shack with a giant stick in hand. "Peterkin said she'd help me with the DCS if I stay out of the marsh."

Olivia blinked in surprise. John B was calling the mission off completely. Then again, he did need an extra hand with the DCS, so maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. "Okay, that's it."

"And you believed her?" JJ's voice cut in, sharp as ever. Unlike the rest of the group, he kept pushing for what he wanted.

"Yes, I believed her," John B shrugged, casual but certain.

"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop?" JJ chuckled under his breath, tossing another pebble in irritation.

"All I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days and she'll help me out!" John B exclaimed, frustration lacing his words. "Doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting the gun."

Olivia knew he was right, but she didn't want to argue-speaking now would only make JJ angrier.

"I should've let Topper drown your ass," JJ muttered under his breath.

"JJ, seriously?" Olivia scoffed.

"Yeah, because Topper was going to drown me," John B rolled his eyes at JJ, who seemed impervious to reasoning.

"Sure looked like it. I mean, have you looked in the mirror?" JJ snapped back.

"Come on, tell me some more," John B egged him on.

"They always win. Don't they? Kooks vs. Pogues-they always, always win!" JJ slammed his hand down on something nearby.

"JJ, it's okay," Kiara tried to calm him.

"No, it's not okay!" JJ spun to face her. "It's not! They don't want us going down to the marsh, which means there's something valuable down there, and you know it."

John B shook his head. Everyone knew JJ was right. If the body of Scooter Grubbs and the sunken ship were there, there had to be more the cops didn't want them to see.

"I know why you don't want to go down there. You're the golden boy-you've got too much to lose," JJ jabbed at Pope. Then he turned to the girls. "And you two? Already rich as fuck. Why bother? But you and me, man-we've got nothing to lose. And I know it didn't use to be that way for you."

"I don't want to talk about this," John B muttered, storming past JJ.

"So that's it? Listen to me-I have a plan." JJ followed him, relentless.

Kiara, Pope, and Olivia exchanged knowing glances. JJ was up to no good, as usual. Whether they followed the plan or not, it didn't matter-they had nothing left to lose anyway.

John B listened carefully to JJ's idea. When he finished, John B turned, eyes gleaming. "Alright then. Let's go."

He stepped off to grab something, leaving the rest of the group behind. He returned shortly, carrying scuba gear. John B had learned long ago never to listen to JJ-he always convinced him to do something reckless, even when it worked out.

The Pogues set course for the wreck in the HMS Pogue. The sun was dipping low, casting a fading glow over the marsh. John B handed the scuba gear to Kiara.