Scales of Justice

by Brett Humphrey

  I told Nick about the party and how the little girls squealed when they ran out of the house and saw mermaids in the pool. My employees Brooke and Sarah were swimming in the water, and I was on the bottom of the pool waiting for the kids to come out. Nick laughed when I described how I swam towards the surface and came up and out of the water, doing an impression of a breaching whale and soaking the children standing along the edge of the pool. For a moment, as Nick listened to my story, the years melted away from his face and I could see the person he’d been before whatever horrors he had witnessed twisted his mind. An easy smile graced his face and there was an air of lucidity that wasn’t there moments before.

  “Why do you care?” he asked softly, “why do you spend so much time with me?”

  “Because you’re worth it,” I smiled back at him.

  “I know I don’t say it enough, Cyndi, but thank you. Thank you for treating me like a person and not an embarrassment.”

  “You’re welcome, Nick. I’d like to do more for you if you’d let me,” I said hoping he would accept my offer this time.

  “I appreciate that,” he smiled crookedly, “but, I can’t stand feeling trapped. And no matter where you’d take me to get help, I’d be trapped.” He stood, looked around and dug into his shopping cart as though he’d forgotten something. “Here it is,” he cried as he pulled a doll with a mermaid tail out from the depths of the cart and held it out to me. “I found this for you, as a way to say thank you. Her tail isn’t as pretty as yours, but she doesn’t look as scary as you do when you transform.” Nick said as he looked me in the eyes.

  “Thank you, Nick,” I said as I took the doll from him. “When did you see me?” I asked softly.

  “I don’t remember days in the past that well, but it was after you met that bus full of people here that one time. Maybe we could swim together some time?” He looked embarrassed as he asked.

  “Wouldn’t you be afraid?”

  “You’d never hurt me, and I’d never do anything to hurt you either,” he said determinedly then quickly walked away pushing the shopping cart holding his most precious belongings.

  “I know you wouldn’t,” I said softly to his retreating back.

  July 23

  Newport Coast, California

  “Mermaids,” squealed a young girl’s voice, followed by the high-pitched screams coming from a herd of children.

  I looked up, startled, and dove off the rocks I was sitting on and splashed into the water. I could still hear the shrieks through the water as I dove down to the bottom and pushed off with both my arms and legs. I jumped out of the water and did a dolphin backflip, my tail spraying water at the children along the edge of the pool. They were also splashed as I came back down and sent a wave of water in their direction. The kids were still giggling as I popped out of the water and leaned my chin on my arms which I’d rested on the side of the pool.

  “Hi kids, I’m Cyndi and these are my friends Gwendolyn and Astoria,” I said with a bright smile. The other mermaids smiled and waved, also. “We heard Avery was having a birthday today and we wanted to come celebrate. It’s not every day someone turns six.”

  “I’m Avery,” said a blonde girl with wide eyes wearing a princess dress, complete with a crown and a birthday girl sash. “Are you really a mermaid?”

  “Yes, I am,” I answered truthfully.

  “Is that tail real?” A slightly older boy asked skeptically. Since he looked similar to the birthday girl, I assumed he was her older brother.

  “Don’t be mean,” Avery turned to her brother in anger.

  “That’s okay Avery, I don’t mind the question. No, this isn’t my real tail. I don’t like the way chlorine itches my scales, so I wear this one when I’m in a swimming pool. It looks just like my real one though,” I answered as I flipped the tail in the air and again splashed the kids with water.

  As they screamed, I backed away and allowed Gwendolyn and Astoria the opportunity to answer questions and share their backstories with the kids. I smiled in pleasure as I watched the kids interact with the mermaids. I laughed inwardly when I thought what would happen if I transformed into my true mermaid form. The children might be frightened by my fierce appearance but would accept I was really a mermaid; the adults would deny what they were seeing was real.

  After an hour, the birthday girl and all her friends were ushered into the house so they could have cake and open presents; and we could get out of the pool. It was important to me that kids never saw us removing our mermaid tails. I made sure it was written into every contract that the children would move to another area so they wouldn’t be able to see us when we left. That didn’t stop creepy guys from hanging around though.

  “Hey, I’m Terry. Are you girls available for another kind of party later?” he asked with a leer.

  Terry was in his mid-forties and although he looked fit, he was starting to go soft in the middle. His expensive haircut couldn’t disguise the fact he was losing his hair and although he was trying to be charming, it just came across as sleazy. He was wearing a pair of red slim-fit chinos, light blue polo shirt and a pair of deck shoes without socks. The way he stared at Gwendolyn and Astoria changing out of their tails made me angry and I stepped into his line of sight, so he couldn’t see my friends.

  “We’re not that type of entertainment,” I said matter-of-factly.

  “Let’s see if this changes your mind,” he said in a condescending tone as he pulled a wad of money out of his pocket and waggled it at me.

  I laughed and ignored him as I grabbed my gear and began to walk away.

  “Don’t walk away from me,” Terry said through clenched teeth and grabbed my arm.

  “Uh, oh,” Gwendolyn said as I pulled my arm out of his grasp and turned towards him. Unfortunately for Terry, I was holding my silicone tail and it hit him in the arm and knocked him into the water. I might have used some of my mermaid strength, so that’s probably why he flew a ways before splashing into the pool.

  “I think we’re done here,” I said brightly and helped Gwendolyn and Astoria gather their things. Terry was still floundering in the water as we made our way towards the gate which would take us to the front of the house. I was the last one out of the yard and turned to make sure he had gotten out of the pool, which he had.

  “Next time, I suggest you keep your hands to yourself,” I laughed and let the gate shut behind me.

  .

  Chapter 3

  July 25

  Phoenix, Arizona

  “Uggh, it’s hot,” I complained to no one in particular as I sat in the VIP lounge at Sky Harbor airport waiting for my ride. It’s a myth that mermaids can’t survive long out of water but right now I was wishing it were true. When Josef called and asked me to make a trip to the headquarters of Rex Industries to discuss what I’d found in the shipwreck, I tried to convince him we should just teleconference, but since he was the boss, I didn’t win that argument.

  How far away are you? I asked mentally.

  I’m about five minutes out, there was an accident on the 202 and we had to take side streets, Josef sent back.

  You do realize it’s one-hundred and sixteen degrees outside today, don’t you? I asked.

  Are you sitting outside? Josef sent innocently.

  That’s not the point, I grumped, mermaids aren’t built for this kind of heat.

  You’re fine, Josef said, and I could sense the laughter in his sending.

  I narrowed my eyes and shot back, just because gargoyles aren’t affected by hot or cold doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t suffer.

  You are crabby today, Josef replied. Does it help to know there’s an In-N-Out only fifteen minutes from the airport and that’s our first stop?

  Yes, I sighed, I think I might be able to make it now that you’ve given me hope.

  You’re ridiculous, Josef teased and we both laughed.

  Rex Industries

  Phoenix, Arizona

  Josef parked the armored SUV
in the parking spot reserved for the CEO and I finished my lunch. He was silently amused, with my sound of disappointment when I polished off the french fries.

  “Better?” He chuckled and got out after I nodded.

  “Sorry I was so irritable earlier,” I apologized as we walked to the elevator which led to the executive suites above.

  Josef waved away my apology, “I get it, first of all you’re a mermaid far from any significant body of water, and you’re always cranky before you get your first In-N-Out for the day,” he teased.

  “Jerk,” I laughed, and we rode up the elevator in companionable silence.

  Rex Industries is a multinational conglomerate of companies, all of which are on the cutting edge of technological development. It’s also the front for Tionchar, a Therian secret organization dedicated to the monitoring, protection and development of worlds across dimensions. Most of the technological advances on Earth have been directly influenced by Tionchar operatives working behind the scenes. Prior to the recent changes implemented by King Alister, members of Tionchar would serve on their assigned planet for fifty years and then be recalled to Theria, unable to share their experiences with others.

  Josef and Brian had both served previously but King Alister and An’Ceann called them out of retirement after a recent betrayal where many members of Tionchar had been exposed and murdered. Jason and I had been recruited to replace two of the members who died. In the past few months King Alister had increased the number of Tionchar operatives on Earth from twenty to fifty with five extras being added each to the United States and China. He was concerned about the rising hostilities between these two superpowers. Josef and King Alister still had plans to further increase the number of operatives on Earth once those candidates finished their training. Earth was a dangerous place.

  We stepped off the elevator and turned to the right to walk to Josef’s office. I smiled at the two people sitting at the desk guarding the entrance.

  “Hey, you two,” I said and stepped up to give them hugs.

  “Yoli, you’re looking good,” I smiled at the Hispanic woman grinning at me. “Carlos must be taking care of you,” I laughed and winked.

  “And she is taking care of me,” Carlos said and hugged me back. “It’s good to see you.”

  “How’s your training going?” I asked the werewolf couple. They were two of the newer Therian recruits and were close to taking on field assignments unmonitored.

  “Right now, it’s boring,” Yolanda laughed. “We’re supposed to be guarding a certain gargoyle shifter but today we’re watching over an empty office.” She raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Josef.

  “Sometimes I need to get out on my own,” he smiled and held up his hands in surrender. “To make up for it, I’m going to ask you to guard Cyndi while she’s here.”

  I turned to Josef and poked him in the chest. “While I’d love to spend time with Yoli and Carlos, I’m not going to be here long enough to need a guard.”

  “We’ll talk about that,” Josef promised and continued to his office.

  Carlos and Yoli smiled at my look of frustration so I stuck my tongue out at them and they laughed, as I’d intended.

  Josef’s office took up half of the twentieth floor since he used it as an office and apartment. He had a home in nearby Scottsdale but usually only slept there on the weekends, preferring to stay here so he could run the company as well as direct the activities of Tionchar across Earth. We stepped down into a sunken sitting area and I sat on one of the buttery brown leather couches, sighing in comfort as I did. I stared out the window admiring the view while Josef busied himself at the coffee bar. The tinted windows kept out the summer heat but afforded a beautiful view of Camelback Mountain.

  “So, why was it so important for me to rush here this morning?” I asked as Josef handed me a cup of coffee a few minutes later.

  “Two reasons,” Josef began after sitting down and sipping his own drink. “We were able to smelt the gold from the shipwreck into bars and converted half of those into cash as you asked. You now have an extra two-hundred-forty-seven million dollars in your accounts.”

  I whistled as I thought about the amount.

  “We are still working to convert the silver and jewels, but you should expect about twice that amount within the next few weeks.” Josef continued.

  “I’ve done some research on the Flor do Mar and it’s estimated the ship was carrying two point six billion dollars in gold, silver and treasures. We left more behind than we took.” I tapped my lips in thought for a moment. “Rather than convert everything to cash, could you have the real estate division purchase the houses surrounding mine? My neighbors would be willing to sell if we offer them the right price. I would like to make my beach truly private and create a place of refuge for our kind and our human friends.”

  “Absolutely,” Josef nodded and made a note on his tablet.

  I finished my coffee and leaned back, the leather creaking softly with my movement. “And where will I be going that I’ll need Yoli and Carlos to accompany me?”

  “I think that will become apparent once I give you the second reason why it was important for you to rush here,” Josef answered smugly.

  I could feel my lips compress together as I thought about what he did and didn’t say. Finally, I huffed out a frustrated breath, “you’ve been taking lessons from the king on how to be enigmatic, haven’t you?”

  “Young one,” Josef laughed. “I’ve been keeping secrets for the Crown for longer than you’ve been alive.”

  “How ancient are you, old man?” I asked.

  “You know it’s not polite to ask another shifter their age,” Josef frowned but since he had a twinkle in his eye, I could tell he really didn’t mind.

  “It’s only fair since you know how old I am,” I grinned unrepentantly.

  “Let’s just say, I was at King Phillip’s side when he ordered the dimensional gates sealed.” He smiled at me.

  Even though I’m aware shifters are long lived, Josef’s declaration caught me by surprise. King Phillip closed the gates to restrict movement between dimensions because he was concerned for the safety of Therians. Since that happened over five hundred years before, Josef truly was ancient.

  “Do you have your affairs in order,” I asked with a grin, “you could keel over at any moment.”

  “Very funny,” he replied drily, “I don’t plan on going anywhere for quite a long time. Unless my body is destroyed, and it’s very difficult to harm a gargoyle, I’ll live until I get bored with life and choose to join An’Ceann in his kingdom. That’s not something we normally share with people other than gargoyles; consider it a sign of my trust for you.”

  “I’m honored,” I said as I bowed my head in respect. “Still, you're old as dirt.” I laughed and looked longingly at my empty cup. “Okay, hit me with the rest of your reasons.”

  “How much do you know about the wreck of the Flor do Mar?” Josef asked as he reached over to refill my cup.

  “Are you asking about the state of the ship when we found it or the events leading up to its sinking?”

  Josef saluted me with his cup, “I’ve read your report on the condition of the ship. I wish you had a camera with you to record what you saw but no matter,” Josef shrugged his shoulders dismissively.

  “Then the only things I know about the events leading up to the wreck have come from searches online. There have been many treasure hunters over the years looking for the shipwreck, but since they’re searching about four-thousand miles from where the ship actually went down, they’ll never find it. It was well known at the time that the ship was carrying gold, silver, jewels, spices and the treasure taken from the Sultan of Malacca; today the treasure is worth billions of dollars. This is the type of shipwreck hunters search for because if they discover it, not only will they become wealthy beyond belief, but they will also earn fame. Unfortunately for those hunters, they’re looking in the wrong place based on the eyewitness account
of the sole survivor, Afonso de Albuquerque.”

  Josef made a ‘go-on’ gesture, so I continued.

  “According to Albuquerque, the ship went down the afternoon of November 20, 1511 after being caught for three days and nights in a terrible storm. The Flor do Mar was taking on water, but still might have survived except the foremast snapped and fell along the length of the ship, smashing the pilot’s wheel. Albuquerque claimed he abandoned the ship in a makeshift raft and somehow survived until he was rescued.

  “He never could explain how he survived while the rest of the crew perished. The Flor do Mar was known as an extremely unstable vessel so the King and Queen of Portugal didn’t hold him responsible for the loss of the ship and treasure. Shortly after his audience with the reigning monarchs, he disappeared. Some speculate he couldn’t live with the survivor’s guilt and slunk away to live his life in obscurity.”

  “I agree with the living in obscurity part, but we think that is about to change.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

  “One moment,” Josef said, then leaned over and pushed a button on the console next to the couch. “Please ask Hillaes to come in.”

  A moment later a door on the opposite end of the office opened and a woman walked through. She had curly shoulder-length chestnut colored hair and an olive complexion. I stood to greet her and noticed she was a couple inches shorter than my five-foot eleven inches. She was wearing a green tailored linen pantsuit that was perfect for the weather in Phoenix. Her sparkling reddish-brown eyes were punctuated with laugh lines and her expression was open and friendly. She held out a hand for me to shake and when our fingers touched, I felt she was powerful; she smelled like a cat shifter of some kind but was also something more.