Paul flashed him a dirty look, gesturing to me and Nixie, “Are you sure you want to be alone with them?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Edwards snapped.
Paul stormed off, and Edwards sat down in a chair, inspecting his wet loafers with a scowl. He had just settled in with a magazine when there was a pounding on the door.
“You moron,” he muttered, getting up and sloshing over to fling it open. I saw the look of shock on his face when he saw the three people standing there. “Get out!” he bellowed, “This is private property!”
I looked over to see the face I thought I’d only ever see in my dreams, and the sight took my watery breath away. Ethan was framed in the doorway with a scared looking Max standing next to him. For a split second I questioned my own sanity.
Then he spotted the tank, and he came rushing past Edwards into the lab. Edwards reached out to try and stop him, but was instantly engulfed in a huge pair of arms and immobilized. Yuri was with them. All at once Ethan was there, standing up against the clear wall dividing us. He pressed his hands against the tank, his tortured eyes looking desperately into mine.
“Marina!” he cried.
When our eyes met my heart skipped a beat. He saw me– not an animal, or a thing– not even a mermaid.
He saw me.
~
Chapter Twenty-Five
RETRIBUTION
~
“Are you alright?” his eyes darted to Nixie, “Oh no…” Then he saw the dead doctor floating in the tank, and he looked back at me with a shocked face.
He started casting about frantically, looking for a way into the tank. I gestured to the stairs, and he was on top of us in a flash. I pointed to the hatch, guiding him to it from underneath his feet. I could see him struggle to turn the wheel, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Yuri!” he yelled down, “I need some help!”
Yuri was standing in the pooling water, holding Edwards immobile without any effort whatsoever. Max was frozen at the door, staring up into the gigantic aquarium, his mouth agape. I saw Yuri look around the lab, finally spotting the restraint chair. It was sheer poetic justice to see Nathan Edwards getting strapped down in the same chair that I’d so recently been tormented in.
“You Bastard! Get your hands off of me! Let me go this instant– This laboratory is private property!” Edwards yelled, “I’ll have you all thrown in jail!
Yuri reached over for a roll of gauze and some tape.
Nathan Edwards’ overly stretched face grew red as his tirade grew louder. He screeched up at Ethan, “That is my child! You stay away from her! My lawyers wi–” Yuri stuffed the gauze in his mouth and taped over it.
Edwards was not a man accustomed to being out of control. His eyes bulged, and his muffled screams of protest reached a hysterical pitch.
Then I remembered Paul, and I slapped my palms against the clear ceiling. Ethan looked down, the cords in his neck standing out as he struggled to turn the wheel. “Hurry,” I mouthed, afraid Paul might show up at any minute.
Yuri climbed up the ladder to help Ethan, putting his formidable back into turning the wheel. I could see the mechanism start to move from under the waterline.
“What’s happening?” Nixie asked me, hanging back.
I looked down at her, my voice shaking with relief, “You were right… They did come. The good guys are here.”
“Guys?”
“People,” I said, looking up as the hatch lifted and opened, “My people.”
“Can I go home now?” Nixie asked.
“Yes!” I said emphatically. I hesitated for a second, taking her hands, “I’m going to change back now… but I’ll take you home soon… okay?”
Her lower lip started to shake again, and she clung to me desperately, still afraid of Neuman’s bobbing corpse. “Don’t leave me alone.”
“I promise,” I said solemnly. “But I have to change back first.”
I looked up at the open hatch to see wavy figures through the watery distortion. I steeled myself for the agonizing pain I knew would come with the first few breaths of air, surprised to find myself more afraid of being seen by Ethan than I was of the transformation. I pulled away from Nixie and thrust my head into the bright cool rush of air.
“Ethan,” I gasped, and he reached for me, locking his arms onto mine. He pulled me out and I landed with a splat on the smooth acrylic lid of the tank.
“Marina… I’m so sorry,” his voice was anguished, “I…I...”
He knelt by my side, cradling my head as I choked and sputtered the rest of the water out of my lungs. I was ashamed, embarrassed to be seen for what I was, and I turned away as I started writhing in pain. Max climbed up to join Yuri on the roof of the tank, and Ethan pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me to shield me from their eyes.
“What can I do?” he asked, pressing his forehead to mine.
I could only shake my head; no words would come. I tried to turn away again, curling up into my misery, but he held me close, murmuring soothing words into my ear. I clutched my ring tightly in my fist, focusing on his voice.
“I love you,” he told me, “I love you, I love you.” He stroked my back and watched my face helplessly as my body uncontrollably spasmed, jerked and contorted in agony. As the worst of it subsided, I went limp from the effort, and he laid me across his lap, swiftly stripping off his shirt and dressing me like I was a rag doll. I clung to him silently while my bones ground into their final shape.
“Is she going to be okay?” I heard Max’s voice coming from far away. I pressed my face into Ethan’s bare chest, breathing in his warmth as I came back to earth.
“We have to get Nixie back home,” was the first thing I managed to get out.
I struggled to raise my head, looking down to see Nixie cowering in the corner of the tank, arms wrapped around her head. She was suffering the transformation secondhand, and I couldn’t possibly put her through the same terrible experience in the flesh. I had no idea what it might do to her… What if she couldn’t survive it?
“Nixie… it’s alright, I’m fine now,” I said, knowing she could hear me perfectly.
She swam to the top, and we all looked down to see the frightened face of a child. She glanced over at Yuri in fear and I saw him return her gaze with a stricken look, “Ees just baby,” he said, looking up to me in surprise.
I took a ragged breath, “We have to hurry!” I tottered to my feet, “Paul is on his way here…”
“Who’s Paul?” Max asked nervously. I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing; everything had taken on a bizarre, dreamlike quality.
I stumbled, and Ethan caught me. I looked up at him, “Do you have your truck?”
Before he could answer me, the bay doors behind the tank started to slowly groan open. Ethan and I exchanged a look, and he saw the fear in my eyes. He scooped me up in his arms and headed for the ladder. Max was already starting back down.
“No!” I cried, struggling to free myself, “I’m not leaving her!”
Ethan changed direction, following Yuri to put me up against the wall alongside the slowly opening door. The sounds of the truck backing up filled the air, and Yuri reached into his vest for a weapon.
I heard Paul jump down from the truck, his footsteps crunching on the gravel outside. He climbed into the doorway, guiding the boom with the sling attached. He took a few steps in, freezing when he saw the open hatch on the top of the tank.
In a flash, he pulled his gun, looking down into the tank to see Nixie. He raised his weapon in two hands, moving slowly to peer over the edge of the tank. I could hear Edwards’ muffled yelps when he saw Paul. He wheeled around with his gun to see Yuri’s weapon trained on him.
“Well, well,” Paul said acerbically, “Wonders never cease.”
Yuri took a step closer to Paul, “Drop eet.” Ethan moved to stand in front of me.
Paul sneered at them, “And the boyfriend too…Priceless. You are aware that I can shoot her strai
ght through you, right?”
Ethan looked like he was poised to lunge at him, but I grabbed his arm, stepping out from behind him. “Just leave us alone, and no-one has to get shot.”
Paul laughed bitterly, “Brave little Marina… I really have no idea how you keep screwing up our plans.” He glanced back over to Edwards, “I’m willing to let the three of you go.”
He kept his gun trained on us, and both Yuri and I knew how fast he was. I could see the weapon he had was fully automatic. We dared not make a move for him.
“I won’t leave without my sister,” I told him.
“Sister?” he said contemptuously, “We caught that thing fair and square. It’s Olivia’s property, and I won’t let Olivia down,” he said coldly. I knew he wouldn’t.
“You can’t have her,” I told him.
“That’s unfortunate. I’ll simply have to kill the three of you then.”
A flash of movement from behind him startled me, and I looked in amazement to see Max dart up over the top of the tank and grab Paul by the ankles, throwing him completely off balance. Paul’s eyes flew open in surprise, and he started rapidly firing the automatic weapon as he struggled to gain his balance. Bullets flew straight up, ricocheting off the ceiling, and Paul fell over backwards, disappearing over the side.
Chunks of cement rained down, and a pipe broke free from its bracket. It started to pull loose from the high ceiling with a groan, taking snapping electrical wires down with it. Max scrambled up the ladder as they fell onto the wet floor of the lab. We all rushed to the edge of the tank, and Yuri lowered his gun as the scene below us began to unfold.
The live wires arced and sparked, writhing on the floor like deadly snakes. Edwards’ body went rigid, and then started jerking like a ghastly marionette, with Paul lying motionless at his feet. We cringed, but there was nothing any of us could do about it. The restraint chair had turned into an execution chair; rendering its own gruesome brand of justice.
Fate had tried and convicted Nathan Edwards, sentencing him to capital punishment for his many crimes.
“Whoa,” gasped Max.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ethan held me up to keep me from collapsing.
“We can move her in that truck,” I said, watching numbly as Yuri went to go check it out.
I fell to my knees at the open hatch, “Nixie!” I called, coaxing her to me, “It’s time to go now… We have to take you back the same way they brought you…alright?”
I heard the engine start up, and Ethan went to try and figure out how to move the sling.
“I know how to work it,” said Max, joining in the effort.
Yuri returned, and the three of them labored together to lower the sling closer to the hatch.
Nixie bravely swam to the surface, allowing Ethan to lift her carefully out of the water. The three of them loaded her into the tank as the last rays of the sun dipped down below the horizon. I was tired, lightheaded and weak, but I focused on staying upright. I would not rest until she was back home in the sea. Back where she belonged.
I took one last look inside, peeking over the edge to see Paul’s body sprawled on the wet floor. His carcass was twisted in an unnatural attitude; his face was contorted in a death grimace. Looking down upon him were the charred remains of Nathan Edwards.
There, still strapped into his deadly throne, wisps of smoke rising from the top of his head, sat the man who had no intention of dying.
“C’mon,” Ethan gently steered me out with his arm around my waist. We all piled into the front of the big tanker truck, driven by Yuri. We lurched around the building, passing the deserted guard kiosk to drop Max off at his little car. I climbed out to thank him for his help, self-consciously pulling down Ethan’s T-shirt before shaking his hand.
“I don’t get it… Why are you here? How are you with them?” I asked.
Ethan smiled sheepishly at Max, “I kind of… hijacked him at school. I knew he could get us into the lab, so I had him drive me and Yuri here.”
“Yuri fit in the bug?” I asked, looking at the big man and the small car incredulously.
“Yeah,” Max laughed. “Barely.”
“Well, you saved us all,” I said, and even in the low light I could see bright red splotches appear on his cheeks.
He exhaled loudly, “I still can’t believe that I grabbed a man holding a gun.”
“He was a monster,” I said with conviction, “A murderer.”
Max nodded, swallowing hard. He looked with regret to the deserted lab building. “They cut us all off a couple of days ago… Said they had a bomb threat, and wouldn’t let anyone in the building… I guess my research project is ruined.”
“I’m sorry,” I said sincerely.
“We need to go,” Ethan said.
“Max… can you please not tell–”
He smiled wryly, holding up his hand, “Don’t worry. Nobody would believe what I saw here today. I’m not even sure that I do.”
Ethan guided me back into the tanker truck, putting me in and fastening my seatbelt. He directed Yuri to drive us to the dark night harbor, telling me how he’d called to San Francisco for help when he realized that something was wrong. With Boris and Evie in South America, Yuri was there alone, and Ethan decided he had to trust him.
I looked up to see Ethan’s apartment. There were no lights on.
“Is she gone?” I asked him.
“Yes,” he said grimly.
We backed the truck down the boat ramp, and shielded by the cover of darkness, hoisted Nixie out of the tank.
“I want you to find Lorelei and Nerissa right away,” I told her, “Warn them about the tricks they use.”
Yuri took her in his arms and walked her to the ocean’s edge, gently lowering her down and watching as she darted away into deep water. He stood still for a moment, watching the rising moon’s trembling reflection on the dark night sea, and I finally understood that Yuri had also completely transformed. He’d gone from the captor of mermaids to the savior of the littlest one.
I realized that I’d misjudged him, and as I stood leaning against Ethan, I wondered how I could have been so blind. A cool breeze was blowing, and I shivered, my bare feet aching on the cold cement. I was suddenly overcome by exhaustion.
“Let me take you home,” Ethan whispered in my ear.
Yuri got behind the wheel, and I went to the window to offer him my hand to shake. “Thank you,” I said solemnly, “I’m… I… I just want to thank you, okay?”
He nodded seriously, starting the truck.
“And Yuri?” I called out, getting his attention again, “Uhm… Sorry about that Tasing.”
He was smiling as he drove away.
And then the two of us were alone, standing in the cool night air. Nixie was safe, Ruby was gone and Edwards would never be coming for me again. I was with Ethan. My knees buckled and black spots clouded my vision. The last thing I remembered was Ethan’s worried face swimming before my eyes, his bare chest flying by as I slid down into the black abyss.
Nice abs, I thought randomly, right before I passed out.
~
Chapter Twenty-Six
RECOVERY
~
“Marina… Marina…” Ethan was calling me, and I struggled up from the depths to return to him. When I managed to pull my eyelids open I was surprised to find myself on the couch in the apartment, covered with a blanket.
“Are you alright?” Ethan’s tense face hovered over mine, “What happened? Do you need a doctor?”
I blinked a few times, mumbling, “Mm okay.” I struggled to sit up, and Ethan helped me, propping me up with couch cushions. “I’m just a little dizzy.”
“When was the last time you ate anything?”
“I don’t know… What day is it?”
“Oh God,” he groaned, springing up and returning in a few seconds with a granola bar and a glass of orange juice. “Here, eat this now. I’ll make you something.”
I smiled gratefully
and took the glass with a shaking hand. I downed them both and felt better almost immediately, leaning back on the couch.
“Really… what day is it?”
“It’s Tuesday night.”
“Wow.” I tried to piece together a timeline in my mind, but everything seemed to blur together.
“How long were you… um, like that?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. He probably found the thought repulsive. He’d seen me stripped bare, both literally, and in the truest sense of the word. I’d never felt so vulnerable and exposed in my life. I found it hard to believe that he could still want me after what he’d just witnessed. I looked down in shame.
After all, seeing it and hearing about it were two different things.
He tilted my chin up to look me cautiously in the eye, “What happened?”
I haltingly told him about my ill-advised break in, and my betrayal and capture by Paul. I stopped at that point, not really prepared to relive the rest of it.
“Oh no!” he bolted up. “Where’s Stumpy?”
“Don’t worry, he’s in good hands,” I told him. “I left him with Amrita. I was wrong about her. She turned out to be a lot nicer than I realized.”
“People aren’t always the way you think they are,” he said darkly.
I nodded my agreement, but said nothing. “I could use a shower,” I declared, struggling to my feet.
I headed for the bedroom to fetch a change of clothes, and when I opened the door, I stopped in my tracks. The room looked like a bomb had gone off in it. I spun around to find that Ethan had shadowed me down the hall.
“What happened in here?” I gasped.
He looked down, “I’m such an idiot.”
“What happened?” I asked again, worried.
He looked down at his feet, ashamed, “I thought… I believed… She gave me a letter… I thought it was from you… and I guess I kinda, I dunno– freaked out…” He winced at the thought.
I surveyed the damage, trying to imagine Ethan doing it. It was disturbing, and completely out of character for someone I only knew as calm, steady and controlled.
The Turning Tides (Marina's Tales) Page 24