🇪🇸 The Salty Spain Special — Chapter 6

🌺 Hawaiian Shirts & The BBQ of Doom

The Salty team marched east.

The sun was shining.

The treasure map was safely tucked away.

Miguel the teddy bear was travelling in Large Lad's backpack.

And Vicky was walking beside Salty.

Everything was going beautifully.

Until Dinkz received a message.

He stopped dead.

“Guys…”

Everyone turned.

“What?”

Dinkz looked at his phone.

“We have intelligence.”

Captain Morgan immediately became serious.

“What kind?”

“Holiday intelligence.”

Salty frowned.

“That's not a thing.”

“It is today.”

Dinkz held up his phone.

“Ramadan Patel is in the area.”

Everyone went silent.

McFinleyyy's eyes narrowed.

“Patel?”

Dinkz nodded.

“And apparently…”

He paused dramatically.

“…he's holding a BBQ.”

Large Lad's eyes lit up.

“BBQ?”

Salty immediately understood the danger.

“Forget the treasure.”

Sarah stared at him.

“You're not seriously thinking about going?”

Salty smiled.

“I'm thinking strategically.”

Susan sighed.

“That means yes.”

🌺 Operation Hawaiian Shirt

The team needed disguises.

There was only one logical choice.

Hawaiian shirts.

They found a shop selling them within minutes.

Captain Morgan chose one covered in enormous flamingos.

Dinkz picked one featuring pineapples.

John Daniels chose one with palm trees.

Susan found a relatively sensible floral number.

Sarah laughed at all of them.

Vicky selected a bright tropical shirt.

Then Salty emerged from the changing room.

Everyone went silent.

His shirt was covered in gigantic tropical flowers, flamingos, pineapples and what appeared to be dancing parrots.

McFinleyyy stared.

“That's…”

He struggled for words.

“…loud.”

Salty smiled.

“Exactly.”

Then Large Lad emerged.

His shirt was even louder.

It contained so many colours that several nearby sunglasses spontaneously became necessary.

Dinkz stared.

“Large Lad…”

“Yes?”

“You look like Cape Fear opened a holiday clothing shop.”

Large Lad looked delighted.

“THANK YOU.”

Nobody had the heart to explain.

🔥 The BBQ

The team approached the BBQ location.

Smoke was rising into the Spanish sky.

Music was playing.

People were laughing.

And there, standing proudly beside the barbecue, was Ramadan Patel.

Patel looked across the garden.

Then he spotted them.

He smiled.

“Salty.”

Salty stopped.

“Patel.”

A tense silence followed.

Vicky whispered:

“Do you two know each other?”

“Unfortunately,” said McFinleyyy.

Patel smiled.

“I hear you're looking for something.”

Salty's expression changed.

“The treasure.”

Patel nodded.

“I thought so.”

Captain Morgan stepped forward.

“What do you know?”

Patel pointed towards the table.

On it was a copy of the treasure map.

Everyone gasped.

McFinleyyy stepped forward.

“Where did you get that?”

Patel smiled.

“I've been one step ahead of you.”

Salty looked horrified.

Dinkz looked impressed.

Sarah looked amused.

Large Lad looked at the BBQ.

He wasn't interested in the map anymore.

He was watching a tray of chips.

🕵️ Intelligence Report

McFinleyyy wasn't having it.

He grabbed Dinkz's phone.

“Give me the intelligence report.”

Dinkz handed it over.

McFinleyyy read it.

“Patel arrived yesterday.”

He scrolled.

“Visited the harbour.”

Another scroll.

“Stopped at the old fountain.”

Another scroll.

“Found the second clue.”

He looked up.

“He's been following the trail before us.”

Salty looked at Patel.

“You're good.”

Patel smiled.

“Very good.”

McFinleyyy slammed the phone down.

“No.”

Everyone looked at him.

“No?”

“No!”

McFinleyyy pointed towards Patel.

“We are NOT letting him beat us.”

Captain Morgan nodded.

“Agreed.”

McFinleyyy turned around.

His eyes suddenly locked onto the food table.

There was a huge bowl of chips.

He pointed.

“HOLD DA CHIPS!”

Everyone froze.

John Daniels whispered:

“What does that mean?”

Nobody knew.

McFinleyyy grabbed the bowl.

“These chips are now classified as strategic resources.”

Large Lad immediately moved towards him.

“GIVE ME THE CHIPS.”

“No.”

“GIVE ME.”

“No!”

“THE CHIPS.”

McFinleyyy hugged the bowl.

“THE CHIPS STAY WITH THE TEAM.”

Large Lad looked genuinely offended.

“This is war.”

🗺️ The Race Is On

Patel watched the chaos unfold.

He simply smiled.

Then he reached into his pocket.

He pulled out a small piece of paper.

Salty spotted it.

“What's that?”

Patel held it up.

“The next clue.”

Everyone rushed towards him.

But Patel was already walking away.

“See you at the finish line.”

Salty stared.

“He's definitely one step ahead.”

Vicky smiled.

“Then we'd better catch up.”

Salty nodded.

“Exactly.”

Captain Morgan gathered the team.

“We need a new plan.”

Sarah looked at their Hawaiian shirts.

“Maybe step one should be getting rid of those.”

Salty shook his head.

“Absolutely not.”

Dinkz nodded.

“We're committed now.”

Large Lad was still staring at McFinleyyy.

“CHIPS.”

McFinleyyy tightened his grip.

“NO.”

“CHIPS.”

“NO!”

And so the greatest treasure hunt Spain had ever seen entered a new phase.

The Salty Gang had a rival.

Patel was ahead.

The next clue was missing.

McFinleyyy was guarding the chips.

And Ye Olde Large Lad was preparing what could only be described as a chip-based uprising.

Meanwhile, Miguel the teddy bear sat quietly inside Large Lad's backpack.

Nobody noticed that the little teddy's stitched pocket had opened.

Inside was another tiny piece of paper.

And on it were four mysterious words:

“THE HARBOUR HOLDS SECRETS.”

🇪🇸🌺🗺️🐻 TO BE CONTINUED…