🇪🇸 The Salty Spain Special — Chapter 7

🍹 The Mojito Alliance

The Salty Gang had a problem.

Patel was ahead of them.

The treasure map was becoming increasingly mysterious.

McFinleyyy was still protecting the chips.

And Ye Olde Large Lad had spent the last twenty minutes asking when the chips were going to be released.

Nobody had a plan.

Then Sarah stood up.

“I've got an idea.”

Everyone turned.

Sarah disappeared into the kitchen.

A few moments later, she returned carrying a large pot.

Salty looked at it.

“What is that?”

Sarah smiled.

“Mojito.”

There was silence.

Dinkz stared at the enormous pot.

“That's not a glass.”

“No.”

“That's a saucepan.”

Sarah nodded.

Susan looked concerned.

“How many people is that for?”

Sarah shrugged.

“Everyone?”

Captain Morgan looked impressed.

“Now that's preparation.”

Sarah began adding the ingredients.

Mint.

Lime.

Ice.

And the other ingredients needed for her enormous holiday creation.

The smell of fresh mint filled the room.

Vicky laughed.

“This is either going to be brilliant or a complete disaster.”

Salty smiled.

“With this lot, it's usually both.”

🍹 The Salty Mojito Incident

The first glasses were poured.

Everyone took a taste.

Sarah smiled.

“Not bad.”

Susan nodded.

“Very refreshing.”

Dinkz took another sip.

“That's dangerous.”

John Daniels nodded.

“Far too easy to drink.”

Captain Morgan raised his glass.

“To the treasure.”

“TO THE TREASURE!” shouted Large Lad.

He took a sip.

Then another.

Then looked at Sarah.

“IS THERE FOOD IN THIS?”

“No.”

Large Lad immediately put his glass down.

“I'm going back to the chips.”

McFinleyyy tightened his grip around the bowl.

“Absolutely not.”

Large Lad stared at him.

“You can't guard them forever.”

McFinleyyy looked determined.

“Watch me.”

😵 The Mood Changes

As the afternoon went on, the atmosphere became increasingly cheerful.

Dinkz was laughing at absolutely everything.

John Daniels had started telling the same story for the third time.

Captain Morgan was attempting to explain treasure-hunting strategy using a napkin.

Susan was trying to keep everyone organised.

Sarah was proudly defending her mojito recipe.

Vicky was enjoying the spectacle.

And Salty was sitting beside Patel.

Patel looked across the table.

“Your team is…”

He paused.

“Unique.”

Salty nodded.

“That's one word for them.”

Patel glanced towards Large Lad.

“Is he always like that?”

Salty sighed.

“Unfortunately.”

Large Lad suddenly appeared beside them.

“WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”

“Nobody,” said Salty.

“GOOD.”

He walked away.

Two seconds later he returned.

“WHERE ARE THE CHIPS?”

McFinleyyy shouted from across the room:

“STILL WITH ME!”

Large Lad shouted back:

“THIS IS UNFAIR!”

🤝 An Unexpected Proposal

Salty looked at Patel.

“You know…”

Patel raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

Salty leaned closer.

“Why don't we work together?”

Patel looked surprised.

“Together?”

“Yeah.”

Salty pointed towards the treasure map.

“You're ahead of us.”

Patel smiled.

“Very observant.”

“And we're clearly not getting anywhere on our own.”

Patel looked around the room.

At Sarah and Susan.

At Vicky.

At Captain Morgan.

At Dinkz.

At John Daniels.

At McFinleyyy guarding the chips like national treasure.

And finally at Large Lad, who was attempting to negotiate with him.

Patel laughed.

“You have a strange team.”

Salty nodded.

“But we're good.”

Patel thought about it.

“What do I get?”

Salty smiled.

“Half the treasure.”

Everyone nearby suddenly went quiet.

McFinleyyy slowly lowered the chip bowl.

“Did you just say half?”

Salty nodded.

Patel extended his hand.

“Deal.”

They shook hands.

The entire table erupted.

Captain Morgan stood up.

“We have an alliance!”

Sarah raised her glass.

“To Salty and Patel!”

“TO SALTY AND PATEL!”

Large Lad raised his glass too.

“AND TO THE CHIPS!”

McFinleyyy looked horrified.

“Why are the chips involved?”

“They're always involved,” said Dinkz.

🗺️ The New Plan

Patel unfolded his copy of the map.

“There is one thing you don't know.”

Salty leaned forward.

“What?”

Patel pointed to the harbour.

“The next clue isn't on land.”

Captain Morgan frowned.

“Then where is it?”

Patel smiled.

“Out on the water.”

Everyone looked at one another.

Vicky smiled.

“A boat?”

Patel nodded.

Salty grinned.

“Now this is getting interesting.”

Large Lad raised his hand.

“DOES THE BOAT HAVE A RESTAURANT?”

Nobody answered.

He lowered his hand.

“IT BETTER.”

And with their unlikely new alliance formed, the Salty Gang had a new destination.

The harbour.

The treasure hunt was back on.

But this time, Salty and Patel were working together.

And somewhere beyond the harbour, another clue was waiting.

The only question was whether the Salty Gang could actually reach it without getting distracted by food, drinks, chips, or Large Lad.

Judging by the look on Large Lad's face…

probably not.

🇪🇸🍹🗺️🚢 TO BE CONTINUED…