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Estrella wiped her forehead before rubbing her hands on her jeans. Charlotte and Kie stayed sat by the window while JJ sat on a shorter crate across from Estrella.

"I've been thinking." JJ says pulling Estrella's attention, "When all this is over, and we're just rolling in the dough, I'm gonna get a new board. I'm gonna deck it out, and I'm gonna go on a surf trip."

Estrella smiles as she nods her head, "I don't know where, but, like, the world's calling." JJ shrugs, "I don't know. Name a place."

Estrella looks around before she sighs, "Spain."

"Then after Spain, South America or South Africa."

Estrella chuckles, "You'll go to South Africa?"

"One of the South places. Then Micronesia maybe, and then... and just ride. Wherever the wave takes you, you know?"

"So that's the plan if we were to get a ton of cash?" Estrella asks, "That's the dream? Surf trip?"

"Ripping jungle break all day long. Bamboo hut, cooking a fish on a fire, and after that, you go back out and just hit the waves again." JJ smiles, "That's the dream."

"Sounds perfect."

"Yeah."

"Got room for one more?" Estrella asks looking down at him

"Always got room for you, Star." JJ laughs. Before he tilts his head, "You got your passport?"

"You don't have a passport." Estrella frowns

"Hell no, I don't got a passport. Kookiest thing ever." He says causing her to laugh. His eyes linger on her as her laughter dies down to giggles.

Kie looks over to Charlotte as she adjusts her seating. She noticed Charlotte was extremely quiet and had made an effort to keep her eyes closed.

"You okay?" She asks softly

Charlotte's eyes open as she turns to her. Kie eyes her with concern. Charlotte tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, "Yeah, just not a fan of tight spaces."

Kie watches as Charlotte takes a deep breath, "Then this is definitely not the place for you."

"Yeah." Charlotte chuckles

Kie looks down as Charlotte sighs. JJ and Estrella laugh causing Charlotte to look over at them, "Have they always been close?"

Kie looks up at Charlotte and follows her line of vision. Estrella shakes her head with a smile on her face as JJ chuckles. Kie smiles, "Yeah. Pope's her best friend, but her and JJ are a lot closer."

"So, they like each other?"

"Love." Kie corrects, "But they won't admit it."

"Why?" Charlotte frowns

"Because JJ's stupid." Kie says before looking down, "I'm stupid and said something out of anger. Now, it's just another waiting game."

Charlotte nods, "Have you ever been in love?"

"No." Kie shakes her head before turning to her, "You?"

"Once or at least I thought I was."

Kie furrows her brows, "What happened?"

"Um," Charlotte pauses, "She wasn't ready to come out and I was tired of being kept a secret."

Kie's brows raise, "So, you're-"

"Bisexual."

"Oh." Kie nods, "Why did she want to keep it a secret?"

Charlotte sighs, "Because her parents were perfect and wanted a perfect family. They were so worried about how the town looked at them. She didn't want to ruin that."

"Why would that ruin it?"

"Because their daughter was supposed to be with a stand-up guy. She would've followed her parents' footsteps. She couldn't do that if she openly dated me."

"So, you broke it off?"

"Yeah." Charlotte mumbles as she looks down at her hands, "I'm proud of who I am and had come a long way from when I came out. It would've been 100 steps back if I would've continued to secretly be with her."

Kie nods to herself, "Well, that's a good thing. You shouldn't have to hide who you love. You deserve better than that anyway."

Charlotte smiles at her earning one back. A knock is heard causing all of them to jump up.

"Hey. Hey. Open it." Pope whispers

"Okay." Kie says as she rushes to pull the window cover off. JJ and Estrella notice the girls jump up and immediately rush over, "Here."

JJ takes it from her as she steps down.

"Thank God." Pope says as he climbs in

"You need help?"

"I'm good."

"I thought Rafe got you guys for sure." Kie says as Pope steps down and John B climbs in

"No. We're chill." Pope pants

"All right. Okay, let's put the grate back on."

"No, wait. Hold it." Pope says

"What?" Estrella says, "No. Put it back."

"Jesus Christ! I kill you, John B!" A girl says as she climbs in

"Who the hell is this?"

"Just relax. Just relax, okay?" John B says as he holds his hand out to the girl, "I told you I had a surprise."

"Who is she?" Kie exclaims, "What's going on? John B!"

"Hey, hey. Kie, relax. Relax." John B says before turning to the girls, "Remember I told you about the girl we met in the Bahamas that saved us?"

"Uh... Cleo, yeah?" Kie says as the two look up to her

"Cleo." John B confirms, "She's gonna help us, all right?"

"Next time, ask me." Cleo sasses

•••

"You seriously didn't grab nothing, not one single gun?" JJ scoffs

"We tr... we tried, okay? I got attacked." John B says

"This is why I should've gone with."

"Let me get this straight." Cleo interrupts, "You six, with no weapons, decided you were gonna hijack this tramp steamer on your own? Do you have any idea who these people are? Eberhimi, if he catch you, he's gonna kill you. Dead. Cut off your fingers."

"Okay. What about waiting until we get to port?" Kie suggests, "At least then, if something goes wrong, we have a place to run."

"No. No, we can't do that." Pope says

"Why?"

"Because I've run the scenario over 1,000 times in my head, and our best chances are on this ship. There's 21 crew members and 7 of us."

"Exactly."

"Three-to-one odds. That's the best it's gonna get." Pope says, "We wait till we get there, they'll trap us."

"We have no chance."

"No, Kie, there's something else." John B interjects, "Ward's alive. He's alive, and he's on this boat."

"What?" Estrella exclaims

"Yeah.

"You gotta be kidding me." JJ says

"Are you serious?" Pope says

"It was all a setup, blowing up the boat, the confession to Shoupe. Think about it." John B says, "That was to clear Rafe's name. And he does what? Goes to the Druthers. And what's on the Druthers?"

"Scuba." Estrella sighs

"Bingo."

"So, Ward's alive, huh?" JJ says as he jumps down from the crate, "And he has the gold and the cross and Sarah."

"Thanks for rubbing that in." Kie says

"So he's just gonna get away with everything again, huh?" JJ scoffs, "Not happening. We're not watching this movie again, right, Pope? You said we need the win. And with her, we're going to the bridge, and we're gonna take it right now. You with me?"

"Let's do it." John B says

"I'm with you, and I wanna be the one to take that bridge." Pope says

"That's what I'm talking about."

The teens turn towards Cleo as she starts chuckling, "He's gonna take the bridge?"

"Yeah."

"He couldn't even take me."

"First of all, I was going easy on you." Pope argues

"Seriously?" JJ mumbles to Pope

"I went easy on you." Cleo says

John B shushes them, "Shut up."

"She didn't even--"

"Relax, all of you."

"If you're really with us, if we use that knife, we can go up into the bridge, hold it up against the captain's neck, then we go on the intercom and make him tell the rest of the crew to meet up in the forward hull." JJ explains, "Once they're in the same place, bam, we lock them in there, and we take back what's ours."

"I like it. It could work." Pope nods

"Are you with us, then?" JJ says to Cleo

"No." Cleo says. Estrella sighs as her head lulls back, "This is stupid."

"All right, let's open these things up!"

"They're checking the containers." Kie says

"Shit." Estrella says as Cleo starts to climb to the window

"Uh-oh." Pope says

"Wait. No. Cleo."

"What are you doing?" Kie asks

Cleo shushes them while waving them away. She hands the grate to Kie before climbing out. As soon as she's out Kie places the grate back.

"Macias!"

"She's gonna tell them." Pope whispers, "Shit!"

The teens go silent as they listen to Cleo talk to the rest of the crew.

"Hold up! This one's clear, sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Went through it inch by inch. Nothing but tubing and plastics in there."

"What if the stowaway had been in there?"

"Well, he wasn't, so..." Cleo pauses, "Come on, man. We have work to do. Move your bumper, man."

"Okay, she's on our side. That's good." Pope says as smiles take over their faces

"Pope, you're up. We'll wait for your signal, okay?" JJ says

Cleo whistles as Pope pulls the grate off, "Come on."

As Pope slides out, Kie steps up to put the grate back on.

"Wait." Cleo says as she steps onto the box outside of the window

"What?"

"I need one more of you." Cleo says. The teens look around at each other, "It's for the plan."

"I'll go." Charlotte says. Cleo waves her over as she steps down.

"Are you sure?" Estrella asks

"Yeah." The girl says as she steps up to the window. As she climbs out, Kie steps closer to place the crate back on.

"Be careful." She says

Charlotte nods to her, "I will."

Kie gives her a small smile before placing the crate back on. Charlotte turns to Pope and Cleo.

"Okay, come on." Cleo says, "Follow my lead."

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