Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2015 10:10:00 +0000 (UTC) From: Andrew Bailey <feare909@yahoo.com> Subject: Aquata Cove - Chapter 39 Aquata Cove Chapter 39: Reunion Adam zipped up his leather jacket while his shoes crunched on the gravel. Merrick follows closely, before playfully groping Adam's jean rump. He smirked and turned around, right before Merrick kissed him. "Come on~!" Merrick said, "Just skip work and stay home with me all day! I wanna see you do that, um... What did Jamal call it again?" He pondered, "A strip-tease?" Adam laughed. "Babe, I'm no professional stripper. And the Captain will have my balls for bait if I played hooky." "Awwwww!" The merman moaned, "I've seen some of the humans dancing at the place Jamal works in. Wanna see YOU up there!" "Hahahaha!" Adam lightly slapped Merrick's cheek, "You fishy pervert~" Merrick giggled as he kissed him again. "MAYBE, sweetie." Adam said as he stroked Merrick's blonde hair, "I'll think about it..." Merrick smiled as he felt Adam's freshly shaven cheek. Adam smiled softly as he nudged his lover. Merrick gently lapped Adam's lips, very softly rubbing his tongue on the upper lip, pushing his lips on his lower lip, "Mmmm...." Adam tilted his head and rolled his lower jaw to deliver a passionate push into the kiss. He put his arms over Merrick's bare shoulders as he closed his eyes. Merrick moaned weakly again as he put his other hand on the back of Adam's head, before their tongues met in their conjoined mouths. Adam slowly ended the kiss, one lap at a time. He rubbed his forehead against the other as their noses touched. "I love you." Adam whispered. "I love you too." Merrick responded. Adam backed up, and rubbed Merrick's shoulder, "I'll be back in the afternoon." "Ok~" Adam took out his helmet, put it on, and straddled onto his motorcycle. He turned the keys to roar it into life, revved it a few times, before setting his feet to it, and driving off. He glanced at his rear mirror, and chuckled as he saw his boyfriend waving Goodbye from the driftwood wall-fence around the house. ~~~ "Ok, if you can please sign this for me?" Adam said as he held out his clipboard for the manager of the Claws & Hammers restaurant, having made the last delivery of live crabs on the first two hours of the day. "Thank you," He said as he signed for them, and gave Adam a $5 tip. "Thank YOU sir, and have a nice day." Adam tipped his cap to him, climbed back into his cart, and drove back along the dock. He parked the small vehicle along with the other carts, and hopped off. He sighed as he took off his cap to loosen up his hair, before putting it back on. Break time -- he's going to hit the dock for a quick catch for his break before getting back to work. He walked along the Fish House, when he heard the Captain ranting, "Uh-oh..." He muttered, "Whose in trouble now." He mumbled. "Look, I ain't turning over any of my Fishboys to some fancy-suit flunkies, ya got it?" Adam passed by the Captain's office, just thinking about going fishing. "Sir, we simply need to have Adam Bryant come with us." Adam froze in his tracks. "Why? Has he done sumthin wrong?" "That information is classified." "Then you ain't gittin' him. Simple as that. Now git out." The Captain growled. "We are not leaving, sir, until Mr Bryant comes along with us." "Then grab a seat, kids. Cause you in for a loooong day." "Sir, I should warn you we have a warrant to seize him from your establishment, whether you let him or not." "Yeah? Well I got a Restrainin Order for the two of yas." CLICK-CLACK "It's called a Harpoon!" The Captain said. Adam gasped, and hurried into the room. "Captain, wait!" He said. Two men in black suits turned, and saw Adam come in. One of them turned completely around, looking directly at him. "Who are you, sir?" "I'm Adam. Adam Bryant?" "Alright," The man brought out a badge, "Agent Kevin Tyler, I'm with the Agency of Oceanic Research. I'm going to have to ask that you come with us." "What?" "Ohhhh, no ya don't!" Captain moved over, and stood in front of Adam, "I ain't letting a couple of suits drag one of MY employees to God knows where! You just get back in yur van, get the bloody blazes outta here!" "Sir, we should warn you as well," The other man said, "We are authorized to close your establishment if you fail to cooperate. We will close this whole place down if that's what it takes." "Yeah, go ahead and try it, ya grunts," Captain snarled, "I'll first string the two of yas up for tresspassin!" "Captain, stop, it's ok." Adam said as he stepped around the old, fat seadog. "Just, I'll hear them out, this probably won't take long" "Adam," Captain put his large hand on Adam's shoulder, "Ya don't have ta do this. My gut's tellin me these suits ain't no good." "It's ok, Captain..." Adam said, "I'll be back in a couple of hours, don't worry about me." "Adam... I don't trust these guys..." "I'll be ok, Captain." Adam said calmly. Captain sighed deeply, before patting Adam's shoulder. "Alright. But I better see yur skinny ass by tomorrow, or I'll have yur ass on a hook." "Yessir." Adam nodded. He turned and faced the men, "I'll come with you, but can I at least get changed first?" "Yes, but we'll escort you to the lockerrooms." "Fine..." Adam turned, and left the office, with the two men in suits following closely behind. Captain shook his head as he was left on his own. Something tells him in his head that he should've fought harder to keep Adam here... ~~~ Adam is walking down the hall with two security guards. As soon as he arrived, they had him change his clothes right on the spot, and watched right to where he stripped to his underwear, and had him put on a stiff white garment -- it kind of felt like an inmate uniform. They confiscated his shirt, jacket, pants, his shoes, even his keys, wallet, and cell phone. They came to a door, which opened to a plain old cell, with a small bathroom and shower connected to it, a meager cot at one of the walls. "This is where you'll be staying." "Wait, wait, hold on," Adam turned around, "Will you please tell me what's going on? I feel like I'm being arrested here." "You're not in trouble with the law, but we do need you detained here until further notice." "But WHY? Why am I here?" Adam asked, "I'm no Marine Biologist, or Ichthyologist, or any kind of expert. I'm just a delivery guy for fish." "That information is classified." "Oh come ON!" Adam complained, "You won't even tell me that much?" "I'm not authorized, Mr Bryant. In." The guard said as he gestured for the cell. Adam sighed as he obediently entered the cell. While one guard locked the door, another picked up his communicator. ~~~ "This facility in particular," Said Nigel to the young blonde male, "researches new and undiscovered animals of the ocean. We learn their biology, their anatomy, how they function, and how they influence the ocean." "And what does that have to do with me?" Merrick asked. "Heh heh heh." Nigel raised a brow, "Do you REALLY need to ask?" Merrick sighed, as Nigel reached into his coat, and withdrew three photographs. He laid them out for Merrick to see. One was of a beachhouse with a driftwood wall, with Adam carrying a naked Merrick over off the rock. The next one was Merrick laughing, wearing a white fishnet tanktop and white jersey shorts on a dock, and the third is of a blue and silver merman, laying down upon a rock over at Aquata Cove's waterfall, "We've been tracing you for a long time, Merrick." Merrick stares at the three pictures -- a cold heat played across his face as a dark chill fluttered about his body. His arms shook as he sat still, just looking at these photos. He glared up at Nigel with defensive eyes -- there's only one thing he can perceive that could have taken these pictures, "Are you the government? Adam told me of you -- you're the all-controlling power that humans bow to without choice. You group of humans do all you want without concern of the people." "Hahahaha, not exactly, Merrick," Nigel said, "Agency of Oceanic Research-" A small beeping rang out from the man's coat, "Oh, excuse me," He took out his phone, and put it to his ear, "Yes?" "We have secured Adam Bryant, sir. He's in Cell #05" Said the guard. "... Alright, that's good" "We will keep a close eye on him, and see if he shows any physical anomalies." "... Carry on." Nigel closed his phone, and put it in his pocket. "What was that?" Merrick asked. "Just maintenance check, it's nothing," Nigel said, "Now, where was I?" ~~~ Adam huffed as he looked around his cell. It's sort of cramped, and there's really nothing else in here other than the bed and the bathroom, not even a nightstand. "Can I at least get a TV or something??" He called out. No response, "I'll settle for a coloring book!" No answered. Adam groaned as he rolled into the cot, and just looked up at the ceiling. ~~~ Adam huffed as he bounced the racket ball against the door, catching it, and throwing it again. An old security guard was nice enough to give him this little ball to play with. Yeah, that's a show of human decency -- give him a little ball to... Bounce around a cramped room. Hey, at least he could take it to the bath and pretend it's a round rubber duck. He bounced it once against the door. Twice against the door. Thrice. He was about to throw it once again, when he heard the door click from the other side. The door opened to a guard. "Alright, let's go. We've got a job for you." "Oook?" Adam said as he got up, and followed the guard out of his room. ~~~ Adam had a dread feeling as he looked upon a desk full of Fish House cans, hooks, tackle kits, oil containers, and what seemed to be frozen or fresh game fish and shrimp. "We have arranged for you to sustain your employment with the Fish House Cannery," The guard said, "You are to report here and manufacture the merchandise here while you are detained." "Wait, how long am I supposed to be doing this?" Adam asked. "As I recall, it is a FULL-time job. So I would assess for 8 hours." "What??" Adam groaned as he looked at all of the hooks, materials, and various supplies. Long, tedious, boring, perpetually never-ending, "What if I run out? Can I at least leave for break?" "You're not authorized to go about on your own. If you wish to go somewhere, one of us have to be with you at all times." "Why? What's this all about?" Adam asked, "You guys locked me in here for about 2 days now! What about my roommates? One of them is a convicted felon under the law, and I have to be there for when his monthly councilor stops by for a progress report!" "I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to say anything about your home." "Why not?!" He said out, "As far as they know, I fell off the face of the Earth!" "We've notified them that you have been detained for classified reasons. The only thing you need to worry about is putting this merchandise together." The guard reported. "Please, just tell me SOMETHING!" Adam persisted, "Am I in trouble with the law or something? I feel like I've been arrested and put in jail!" "No, you haven't. We just need you here. When the time is right, we'll notify you." "Hmph..." Adam shook his head, "Great. Fantastic." Adam huffed as he went to the desk. "Someone will come and bring you lunch in a few hours." "Great." Adam said as he took a sardine can, and opened one of the frozen boxes. The guard, shook his head, feeling bad that he's now allowed to fill this guy in on what's going on, but Nigel will have his ass if he lets in one clue. ---Ten Days Of Captivity--- "Nnnnnhhhh..." Adam groaned as he worked the next fly hook, and placed it into the container with other colorful fly hooks. KGH "Gah!" Adam hissed as a sharp bit of metal severed his skin on his finger, "Dammit..." He took up the Neosporin tube, and a band-aid to patch his finger up, "Guess this is karma punishing me for stealing the occasional thing for Belinda." He mumbled tom himself. Once he finished up the pack of Fish House fly-hooks, he leaned back in his chair, and sighed. "Nnnnhhhhh..." He moaned as he closed his eyes, "What am I doing here..." He leaned his back a little further, until the edge of the chair pushed against his spine. K-KKCCL "Ah yeah..." He said as he cracked his back. He stayed at the position for a couple of minutes, just pushing for that meaningless few moments of procrastination, "Well..." He leaned back forward, and continued on the next set of fly-hook materials, "At least the Captain can't complain that no one's on Canning Duty..." ---Three Weeks Of Captivity--- Yuri walks into the house, carrying in the email. She sighs as Roxas purrs and nudges her legs, "Hey, Roxy..." She said as she put the envelopes onto the coffee table, and picks up a pair of scissors for the package that was in the mailbox. It's been half a month since Merrick disappeared on that day. Jamal has been more than a little aggressive since that day. He apologizes if his attitude becomes too hostile, but Yuri can tell what it is: He blames himself for Merrick's disappearance, and he feels guilty about not standing up for him. Heck if Jamal, like any other man, ever feels the urge to share his personal feelings with anyone, let alone a roommate. Because of that, he's been working overtime at the club, just to keep himself busy. And then there's Adam's absence. Yuri received a phone call that Adam has volunteered for various treatment tests, but something's not right. Both Merrick AND Adam disappeared on the same day. She can't help but suspect this has something to do with merfolk... Yuri cut out the package, and pulled out a DVD jacket, with a bare disk in it. She took it out, and slid the DVD into the PS3. It activated, and it showed someone fumbling, and then Adam sitting in front of the screen. ="Hey guys." He said. Adam tilted his head back, and scratched into his hair, "So... It's like, Day 17 since I was..." He shrugged, "I dunno, captured?" He said, "Detained, arrested, I don't know." = Once per week, Yuri and Jamal receive a DVD message from Adam. Of course, Yuri always Googles the mail address, but it's never the same location. Whoever's doing this clearly doesn't want to be found. = "So uh... Nothing to report, as usual. Just making merchandise for the Fish House, which is ALWAYS long and boring... Oh God..." He moaned, "And knowing the Captain, this isn't going to bother changing the rotation of Canning Duty." He sighed and scratched his unshaven face. "They still won't tell me what the hell I'm doing here, still have to beg for a newspaper, let alone a razor. At least they're nice enough to give me a meal everyday. But one of the guards at least took me fishing once in the middle of the night, so THAT was a big event. BESIDES the part where this random seagull tackled me out of nowhere!" He chuckled, "They're still taking small blood samples each week, doing some sort of study and all, but have no idea what's going on. They've had me doing a little exercise in these weird labs, having me swim laps in an indoor pool for some reason, while attaching some suction cup things on random places of my body." He blushed at that recalling that each time he goes into the labs for strange tests, they have him either strip naked or down to white brief underwear that they provide for him, "Really wish you were here, Yuri. You can at least tell me what they're doing -- as no one here will tell me jack-squat. "Anyway, just letting you guys know I'm ok, and still alive. Yuri, keep up with your studies, even though you're already an amazing medic. Jamal, make sure you have plenty of condoms, I'm sure Nick will be waiting for you when you screwed all the girls at the Waltz. And Merrick," He smiled, "I love you, sweetie. I'm keeping you in my thoughts every single day that I'm here. I miss you so, so much... Jamal, if he's not watching this, give him this for me, please," Adam put two fingers to his lips, kissed them, and put them to the camera's lens for a second. "I miss you all. Hope everything's ok on your end. Bye"= Yuri sighed as she put her hands on her forehead. Roxas mewled as he hopped up on her lap, to whom, Yuri wrapped her arms around, and held her cat close. With Ryo busy with his own schedule, Jamal taking on extra work, Adam and Merrick both missing, it gets so lonely around here nowadays. ---27 Days Of Captivity---- "Rrrrgggh... HHHRRRnngg... HHHnnngg..." With his feet tucked under the cot, his hands behind his head, his bottom to the floor, Adam passes the time by working out by himself. Not that he ever went to a gym to keep in shape, but his arms and legs have been feeling restless. `297... 298... 299... 300...' He huffed as he laid himself down, panting. He breathed in and out for several minutes before getting up, and rolling into the cot, exhausted. He slowly dozed off, still confined in his stuffy white inmate uniform. ~o~o~o~ Faceless colors whirl and dance to unheard sounds and rhythms in the darkness. Adam groans as he feels himself flow down a slow river of wind. He feels as if he is falling through the void, endlessly speeding through nothingness, yet it feels as though he's going nowhere at all. Nothing makes sense, it's all a bottomless blur. Within the entire blur of infinite space and clouds, Adam can make out a bright streak of light. He smiles peacefully as he can recognize the light as his one and only love. His angel of the sea drifts in the endless void, glowing a brilliant golden light. Adam reaches for his love, but from just one move of the arm, he just seemed to move away. Bright blue droplets twinkle from his love's closed eyes, and his color immediately changed. His golden light shimmered into silver, shrouded in blueness. His legs extended into a fish-like tail as he fell through this empty sky. Adam gasps as bits and pieces of his merman sparkled as they broke away. The merman swam slowly through the void as his form drifted and vapor away into the spiraling mist of naught. Adam opened his mouth to call for Merrick, to tell him he's turning into diamond dust, yet nothing came out. His body can't move, he's falling headfirst into an endless darkness, with Merrick continuing to whither into starlight. The merman swam around, and spoon spotted Adam. His eyes lit up like a pair LED light bulbs. A vicious aura overcame the merman before he suddenly shot to the human. Adam screamed in silence as his love's jaws pried wide open to ravage him! ~o~o~o~ "Hhh!!!" Adam awoke suddenly. His heart is pounding rapidly in his chest as he distinctly remembers the flash of terror in his sleep. He can feel himself sweat while tears brimmed around his eyes. Shaking, he rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. He closed his eyes, and groaned sadly, "Nnnnnhhh... Merrick..." He held back a little cry, "I miss you, baby..." Whenever he had a bad dream, he could just cuddle up close to Merrick, and find comfort in his fear. The door of his room clicked, and opened up. He quirked up, and saw an older man step in. He kept down his impulse to stare at the obvious bandages that occupied half of the man's face. Outside the doorway is a woman in office attire, and short blond curly hair, and another a skinny, orange-haired security guard. "Good morning, Mr Bryant." Said the older man. Adam turned his head, and looked at the old man standing at the doorway, with his face half bandaged. He moved his legs over on the bed, and sat up, looking rather irritable, "Hi... Who are you?" He asked. "My name is Nigel Quinlan, and I am the head of the Agency of Oceanic Research." "So you're the boss here?" The young man asked, standing up. "Yes, that is correct." "Ok, great." Adam crossed his arms, "So is someone finally going to tell me why I've been sitting around, doing nothing all month long?" "Yes," Nigel smiled softly, "We are ready for you now." ~~~ Showered and fed, Adam now sits in a smaller room, at a table with a box on Nigel's end of the table. "Ok, Mr Bryant. Can I call you Adam?" He asked. Adam shrugged. "Sure, I guess." "Alright, lets get down to Brass Tax." Nigel began, "This is the Agency of Oceanic Research." "... Ok..." "Heh. You seem confused, Adam." Nigel said. "Yes, I am." Adam retorted, glaring at the man, "And pissed off too. I've been sitting locked-up around a dingy cell like a criminal, filling up cans and hooks for my job for hours and hours at a time, I haven't seen a second of sunlight the whole time I've been here, and I don't even know what the hell I'm doing here! I've got a life! I've got friends who're probably worried sick about me! I have a boyfriend, sitting at home and crying his eyes out because I just up and vanished! WHY AM I HERE?!" Adam demanded, "I'm not a Marine Biologist, I don't study fish, I'm nobody!!" "Hmph," Nigel gave a soft smile, "Oh, I think you know more than you're letting on..." He leaned forward, "Have you ever considered taking up Photography Classes, Adam?" "What?" "Because we found some interesting photographs from this old treasure of ours..." Nigel picked up, and placed an old camera on the table. Adam's face felt cold as he looked at the old-fashioned contraption -- a bulky camera so out of its time, it practically belongs in a museum. The initials `H.D.' written on the top of it. "That's..." Adam took the camera, "This is my grandfather's camera!!" He looked back up at that half-bandaged face, "What are YOU doing with it?!" "We found it broken almost 7 years ago when we were following a lead on an undiscovered sea animal." Nigel reported, "We've seized it for evidence, and we've taken the liberty of repairing it and developing the pictures inside it." "And it didn't occur to you to give it back to my grampa?!" Adam said, "He wouldn't even LOOK at me for a week after I lost it!" "For that, I offer my humblest apologies. Our search for this creature has taken a lot of set backs, but we're closer than we've ever been before." "So what's the creature? And what does it have to do with me?" "Hmhmhmhmph, tell me, Adam," Nigel leaned forward, "What do you know about mermaids?" Adam blinked, showing a confused expression, when he really feels his stomach turning inside out. "So that's it?" Adam responded, "You mean to tell me you've been keeping me locked up for a whole month for a fairytale?" "I notice your tone has calmed down, Adam." Nigel said with a smirk, "I can already tell that you're a terrible liar." Adam sighed as he looked aside. "Fine, you got me. But I don't know anything." Adam said, crossing his arms, "I've only seen one in my life, and that's it." "Have you now?" Nigel asked as he plucked up a photograph, "Well, did she look anything like this?" He placed the picture in front of him. Adam gazed at the image, making out a red and purple mermaid sitting on a rock in the middle of the water. No doubt about it -- Merrick says all Sirens are that color. "Yes, that's the one." No point in denying this one anyway. "Interesting." Nigel said, "What else is interesting is that you claim this was your grandfather's camera -- very important from the sound of it - and yet we found it discarded on the ground. It's a miracle the film wasn't damaged at all." He raised a brow, "What would make you leave behind such a precious item of your grandfather's?" "... To be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly sure myself..." Which is half true. That was the day he and Merrick first met, and he says that Adam was hypnotized by a Siren's singing, but it just seems like a big blur to him now, up until he woke up in a watery cavern with a young naked teen. "Are you sure about that?" Nigel asked. "Yeah... Why?" "You sure you don't have any... informatives about the blue world, Adam?" `Does he mean Belinda?' Adam thought, `How much can I cover this up?' "No, I don't know a damn thing." Adam denied, "The only mermaid I've ever seen is on that picture." "Alright. So you've never seen any other mermaid..." Nigel took out another photo, "But, how about something a little more... Masculine?" He places the other photograph onto the first one - a blue and silver merman, sitting upon a rock over at Aquata Cove's waterfall, "Have you seen this merman before?" Adam felt his stomach sink lower as he looked at it. His face feels so much heat and pressure just from looking at it, as if a secret has been found out about him for the first time ever. "... No..." This one pained Adam to say, "I've never seen him before in my life..." "Hmph." Nigel sneered at him, "You ARE a terrible liar. I'd hate to see you in a poker game." "What, why?" "Because he seems to know you." Adam's face felt stone cold from that statement, "Wait... You've talked with him?" "To put it loosely. I try and talk, but he doesn't like to cooperate." "What do you mean??" "Here at the Agency of Oceanic Research, we strive to learn every mysterious sea creature that dwells in the ocean. And for the first time in human history, we have a living, breathing, and intelligent merman in our midst. Think of all the possibilities of such a creature could present to the human race! Think of everything we could achieve if we formed bonds and ties to society in the ocean!" "Fat chance of that." Adam commented. "HAhhh" Nigel shook his head, sighing, "Can no one really see the beauty of my vision?" "No, I meant that contact with humans of any kind is strictly forbidden. Even a single word towards any human is grounds for banishment right there." "Really." Nigel raised a brow, "And how would you even know that? Not five minutes ago, you claimed ignorance about the existence merfolk." "Yeah, I think we're passed that," Adam said, "Alright, cards on the table. Yes, that merman is my boyfriend, and I know about merfolk. What I want to know is where and when you questioned my boyfriend." "Are you sure you want to know?" Nigel asked. "Stop talking in riddles!" Adam demanded, "What did you mean when you said that he doesn't like to cooperate?" "We've kept him detained here for as long as you. I've asked him many, many questions about his kind, but he refuses to help me whatsoever." "Hmph. Wise move." Adam said, feeling his anger grow as he glared at the old man, just learning his own lover has been contained in this prison. "Excuse me?" "In case you haven't noticed," Adam said, "We don't have the best track record for affiliating with other people." "Once again, ye of little faith," Nigel responded, "How do we know if we don't even try. You and he seem to work just fine, and one of you is human enough." "I'm not a nation wanting to rule over anybody." Adam said, "I think merfolk are fine the way they are -- AWAY from all the drama and chaos of human society." "Worse statements have been said to greater feats achieved, Mr Bryant." Nigel said wisely. "Whatever. Now where IS he?!" "You want to see him?" "YES I want to see him!!" Adam shouted, "I've been locked up here for a month, and according to you, so has he!! He hasn't seen me for so long, he's probably been terrified the whole time! Alone, being bombarded with all sorts of questions, probably kept in a tank like a pet Beta Fish! Are there anyone else you're keeping prisoner here, while I'm at it?!" "Heh heh, no." Nigel said, "Just me and the employees." "Then take me to see him! Now!" "I'm not so sure you want to see him right now." Nigel calmly said. "What do you mean?" "Over the time he's been here, there have been some... Complications..." "Like what?" "Recently, we had put him in a huge tank that allowed him to swim a mile out to sea," Nigel pointed to the gauze and bandage on his face, "See right here? After the tests, he slapped me with Box Jellyfish stingers. I almost died, right on the spot." "What..." Adam gazed in shock at Nigel, "No... I've known him for years... He would NEVER do such a thing!" "Really." Nigel untied the bandages around his head, and lifted the white fabric off of his wound. Adam gasped as he looked at the raw red flesh streaked along the man's cheek, "And I suppose this could be an allergic reaction to a new shaving cream I've been using?" He rewrapped his injury. "Listen, I know him," Adam said, still shocked at what he just saw and heard, "He's a kind, gentle, and understanding guy. He would never harm anybody unless he had a good reason." "If you really want to see him," Nigel picked up the walkie from his belt, "You can ask him yourself." Adam breathed deeply, before nodding. ~~~ A couple of guards escorted Adam down the hall. As they walked, Adam's chest feels like it's about to explode. He hasn't seen Merrick in a whole month, and now he's just finding out that he's been trapped here just like him. `Poor Merrick...' Adam thought. Curled up in a tank, all alone, no one but scientists poking and prodding him for a month, away from everyone he knows and loves. It's like the movie Splash in real life! `How are we going to get out?' Adam shook as one of the guards stopped at a door. First, he unlocked it, and took out a strange device. Once Keith entered into the room, a weird, low-rhythm sound came from inside. "What's that noise?" Adam asked. "During the research, they found out the merman reacts and associate with sound. They were able to make a noise to keep him from moving." Said the guard. "Keep him from moving?? How? Why???" "I don't know, I'm no egghead. We were just told to unlock him when we take you to him." "Unlock him???" Adam said, right before the guard came out. "Fagfish is all ready..." Keith said, "We're going to be out here in the meantime." "Ok..." Adam walked to the door, and entered the room, and barely noticed the guards closing it shut behind him. Adam gasped as he looked at Merrick -- backed up against the wall, sitting with his face down to his knees, and his arms around his legs. Adam covered his mouth as Merrick sat there, shaking, mumbling lowly in a dark tone. "Oh my God..." Adam whimpered as he observed his lover wrapped in many bandages. His eyes teared up as he looked at the blond hair -- once vibrant and bright, now matted with several red spots on his scalp. He huffed as he made out the cuts on the sides of his head, around the ears in particular. ---8 Years Ago--- Adam paces on the rocks over above the grotto. It's been six months since he met a merman! I real, live merman! It's been so long since he's last seen this guy; he's still not sure whether or not it was real to begin with! But he has noticed that he can hold his breath underwater for up to an hour. That's how he and this Merrick managed to escape that cave anyhow. He looks towards the crystal clear water again, and gasped as he saw a large shape glide its way into the pool from the rocky entrance. Adam skidded to the edge of the rock, onto the one closest to the water, before the spiky-fin head broke the surface. He looked and grinned as he saw the human crawling up to the water. "You... You came!" The merman said. "Yeah... So did you!" Adam responded, his chest pounding with excitement, "I still can't believe you're real." "So you... You remember me? ... Adam?" "Yes! You're name's... Merrick, right?" "Yes, it is!" The merman nodded with glee. Merrick put his hand out, and Adam took it. They both smiled as Adam's hand examined Merrick's webbed one. --- --- Adam shook with horror as he looked at Merrick's individually wrapped fingers, which also joined his hands in the bandages, wrapped up all up to his elbows. He also spotted the chains next to him on either side, with the discarded cuffs on either side. "Oh baby..." Adam whined as he looked at his muttering lover. "Humans..." Merrick mumbled indistinctly, barely audible at all, "Humans... Everything..." ~~~ Nigel watches closely onto the surveillance screens, keeping his ears sharp as he observes the two males. ---7 Years Ago--- "Adam..." Merrick said as he blushed, "I... I don't know how it is with humans..." "What do you mean, babe?" Adam asked as they sat with each other in the luminous cove. "That's another thing," Merrick pointed out, "That's not my name." "I know." "So, why do you keep calling me that? This is the fourth moon we've met, and... Recently, you call me these strange names -- Babe, Baby, Sweetie... I don't get it." "Oh, uhh..." Adam blushed as he scratched the back of his head, "See... Those are just terms of endearment... Some humans call each other little nicknames when they..." He chuckled nervously, "Well, I call you those things because... I like you..." "Huh?" "Or... I don't know..." Adam looked at the naked blonde teen, "I know we've only met a few times, whenever either of us have the time, but..." Adam smiled sheepishly, "... I think I love you..." Merrick's sapphire blue eyes beamed up at him with happiness. "Every morning, I wake up thinking about you... You're on my mind almost constantly, I-I can't stop thinking about you..." Adam continued, "The days just seem slower ever since I met you, because I keep anticipating our next meeting..." Adam looked away, totally embarrassed, "I-I understand if I sound really stupid right now, I just-" "N-No!" The blonde crawled a little, "I-I actually..." Adam looked back at him, feeling a little surprised, "I..." Merrick blushed as he looked at the human, "I feel the same... I... I love you... Adam..." Adam smiled with glee as he looked at the humanized merman. "Since..." Merrick nodded, and looked up at Adam, "Since the day I met you..." --- --- "Humans... Are beasts of..." Merrick snarled as he stayed in his spot, still trembling in pain and spiraling hatred. "Merrick...?" Those blue eyes looked up at the human wearing white sails on his body. Adam cringed as he saw Merrick's blue, pinkish eyes. "Oh my God..." Adam croaked as he trembled head-to-foot, "Merrick..." "... Humaaannn..." Merrick growled as his fingers tightened and pressed onto his leg. ---6 Years Ago--- Merrick and Adam snuggle on the smooth, stone floor of the glowing cavern. Both men are naked, sweating, and spent. A discarded condom wrapper and a slimy white rubber tossed carelessly aside. Merrick moaned as his ass still feels the satisfying sting deep inside him as he cuddled against his lover. "Mmmm..." Merrick murred as his hand rubbed and interlaced with Adam's hand as they snuggled together. Adam has his eyes closed as he had his head back, "What was that thing for again?" Merrick asked lowly, "What was it protecting?" "Don't worry about that..." Adam groaned, his dick feeling a little sore from the harsh pounding he did into Merrick's beautiful bottom, "Just a... Human thing for sex, you know..." "Mmm..." Merrick kissed Adam's smooth chin as he cuddled close. "I'm glad..." Adam said, "That I gave you my... First time..." "First time?" Merrick asked while resting peacefully on Adam's chest like a pillow. "Never mind... It's not important... I just love you, Merrick..." "I love you too..." "I know... We're always having to wait so long to see each other, but..." Adam huddled in his boyfriend lovingly, "We'll always be together... Right?" Merrick's hand tightened around Adam's, "... Yes..." Merrick kissed Adam's chest, "Always..." --- --- "Merrick?" Adam said, sniffling as he slowly came closer, shuddering as he looked at his legs, which held a lot of red blotches where the skin has been severely damaged, and his butchered feet. "Merrick... It's me... Adam..." "Humans..." Merrick mumbled, "Are liars..." "Merrick... Can you hear me?" Adam said once again. "Humans... Want... Everything..." "Merrick..." Adam's voice is so thick with emotion as he crept closer, "Merrick, are you..." "..." Merrick's body tensed as Adam approached closer, "Stay back..." He whispered harshly, so Adam could hear. "Merrick... It's me..." Adam's heart is breaking... Shard by shard. "Don't touch me..." Merrick growled as he looked up, "Or I'll KILL you." Adam's stomach lurched at the death threat. "Mah... Merrick, please..." Adam begged softly, moving a hand toward the blond, "We have to-" Adam placed his hand on Merrick's shoulder. WHHHH! CRACK! "GAHHHH!!" Adam screamed as he was knocked onto the floor. He curled and seized his knee -- it feels like it was broken in half! "MERRICK!" He moaned, "Why did you- GGHHEEHHH!" Merrick's arm slowly lowered, his index and middle knuckles firmly stuck out, as they have struck a severe blow to Adam's kneecap. Keith smirks outside their door. The other guard takes his communicator, and holds it to his mouth, "Mr Bryant has been injured, sir. Should we separate them?" "Negative." Nigel responded on the other side, "Let's see how this plays out..." "Sir, with all-" "DON'T." Nigel interrupted. The guard opened his mouth to protest, but sighed and obeyed, putting the communicator back onto his belt. "Nnnnhhh!" Adam panted and whined in pain. He looked, and saw Merrick glaring at him, but not making eye contact as he slowly stood up on his legs. Merrick's mouth opened like a ravenous tiger, "Merrick-" "HHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEGGGGHHHHHH!!" "AHHHH!" Adam covered his ears as the merman fiendish, unleashed a blood-curdling roar. The shriek ended almost as soon as it began. Adam whined and grunted as he tried to move away, while still looking at his lover. "Merrick! It's me! Adam! Look at me!!" "Monster..." Merrick snarled, "You would dare..." Nigel studied closer as the merman advanced closer to Adam. In Merrick's eyes, all he can see is white hot fury, and another human, who would dare touch him after everything they have done to him. He can't even look at this monster's face. "Merrick, stop!" Adam pleaded as he was backed up against the wall. "Humans... Are monsters..." "Merrick, listen to me!" Adam said, shaking with terror as he attempted to stand himself up, careful not to even touch the leg with the busted knee, "It's me! Your Adam! I'm your boyfriend! I love you!" "LIAR!!" Merrick sent a punch to Adam's stomach, before grabbing his throat. Adam gagged as he felt Merrick's hand press on his neck, "You would dare..." Merrick's arm pressed on him, and Adam felt his feet leave the floor. "Interesting..." Nigel said as he watched the merman lift Adam up against the wall by his throat, "He's a lot stronger than I thought..." He mumbled, noting the face that Adam's build is taller and a little wider than Merrick's own figure. "You would dare..." Merrick's hollow, wrath-filled blue eyes looked up at Adam's face, "Talk about him... After everything you humans have done..." Sparkling tears flowed down his cheeks. "Merrick..." Adam panted, his hands trying to hard to pry Merrick's bandaged fingers off, "It's me... You save me from the... Siren...!" "These words... Are your last... Human monster..." Merrick growled as he held Adam a little higher, and tightening his grip. "I-I..." Adam's voice is hoarse from the firm one-handed chokehold. "Monsters..." Merrick pushed his palm against Adam's Apple, "Deserve to die." "Merrick... I'm the mistake... You never should've made..." Adam wheezed out, "But I... Love... You..." "..." Adam's sense is beginning to fade, "... Adam?" Came a softened voice. Suddenly, Adam felt himself drop from the wall. He gasped and coughed as he cringed on the floor, clutching his neck from the harsh pressure, still feeling dizzy. Adam's body tensed as it attempted to recover itself. "... Adam..." Merrick looked down in horror at the human, looking directly at his head, "Adam, my Adam..." He fell to his knees as Adam attempted to compose himself. "You're my Adam..." His voice shook as he looked at his long-seen mate. "Merrick..." Adam coughed a few times, still rubbing his neck, "Why..." He can barely speak, both from emotion and physical pain, "What happened to you..." The next thing Adam feels is a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him, "ADAAAAAMMMMM!!!" Merrick shrieked. The merman sobbed hysterically as he clutched onto his human, "Ahhhhaahhhhh!" Merrick cried uncontrollably as he held onto his boyfriend. Adam, pushing the pain of his busted knee out of his head, hugged Merrick back tightly, with emotion running down his cheeks as well as he held Merrick close. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Adam sobbed as Merrick tightened his arms. Keith rolled his eyes as he heard the noise and drama from inside the cell, while the other guard kept himself stoic, feeling a little overwhelmed himself from the powerful hurt those two men probably feel. "I'm sorry, Merrick!" Adam said, "I'm so sorry!" "Hahhh... Ihhh" Merrick wept, "I almost killed you..." He cringed as he clutched onto Adam's uniform, "I was going to KILL you!" Merrick whispered harshly. "I know, baby, I know, I'm sorry," Tears ran down his face as he squeezed his lover tightly, "Oh baby, wha..." Adam put his hands on Merrick's face, and held it up, "Oh Merrick," His eyes are bloodshot, darkened from lack of sleep, his skin is pale, and those cuts around and near his ears look deep, "What have they done??" Merrick pulled his face away and sobbed into Adam's chest. Adam looked at the door, and roared, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!?!" Merrick cringed and cried more. Keith hit the door twice. ~~~ "If you have a shred, any kind of trace, of human decency." Erin said behind Nigel as they watched the heart-breaking scene, "You stop this insanity right now." Her voice thickened as she struggled to contain her emotion. "Miss Conally..." Nigel said, his hand turning to a fist, "For the last time..." He turned, and gave her a very deadly glare, "Know your place, and keep silent, or I will rip you apart..." Erin glared at him as she shook her head. ~~~ "Adam..." Merrick sobbed, "My Adam..." His hands tightened around the stiff fabric, "You can't..." He shook his head against Adam's chest, "You can't see me like this..." "Merrick..." "Not now... Not when I almost ended you..." "I don't care, baby..." Adam moved Merrick closer to him, "I love you, I'm so sorry... I couldn't protect you." "No..." Merrick shook his head again, his voice a little muffled, "You didn't do this... You didn't do this to me... Please don't... You found me... You always find me..." "No, Merrick," Adam said, "They've kept me here too, and I'm just now finding out why." "Adam..." Merrick sniffled as they huddled closer, "They want to know everything about merfolk." "Yeah... I figured..." Adam mumbled as he stroked Merrick's back. "I won't let them know anything, but they won't stop torturing me... They won't stop asking, testing, lying, ripping, hurting me..." Merrick's grip tightened on Adam's uniform, "They won't stop, they won't stop, they won't stop, they won't stop, theywon'tstop, theywon'tstop, theywon'tstoptheywon'tstoptheywon'tstop -" "M-Merrick!" Merrick stopped himself, gasping and whimpering as if he almost choked himself. He shook his head as he pushed against his love's chest. "Merrick, what if you just tell them a few things?" Adam inquired. ~~~ "Theeerre we go..." Nigel said, nodding. ~~~ "Just tell them a few facts, and maybe they'll let us go-" "NO!" Merrick sobbed, "They won't!" He cried as he pushed closer, "Adam... They've tricked me!" He held up his bandaged hand, "They took me apart... That should be enough for them..." Merrick whimpered as he put down his arm, "And then they feigned kindness... They reached out, and I gave them answers they didn't even ask for... And it all went straight to HIM!!" He whimpered as he curled up, "Adam..." Merrick sobbed in fear "They will never... Let us go..." "Merrick... They will, they have to..." Adam shook his head as he caressed the merman, "Please... They have to let us go..." Merrick whimpered as he clutched onto Adam, "... If you won't tell them then..." Adam said, "I will-" "NO!!" Merrick demanded, "No, Adam, PLEASE!!" He shook his head harshly. "Think about it!!" He begged, "Humans society connecting with merfolk! You told me all about what happens when humans make those sorts of connections!" "Merrick, look at you!" Adam cried, "They've butchered you up, and they've kept me in the dark all month! Is it really worth all of this pain?!" "I don't care!" Merrick said, "Adam, please don't tell them anything, please!!" ~~~ "I think we finally got ourselves a Trump Card..." Nigel said. "Nig- Mr Quinlan," Erin said, "Please, just put a stop to this-" Nigel ignored her, and brought a walkie to his mouth, "Alright, separate them. Take Mr Bryant to the interrogation room, and I want him securely bound." ~~~ "Merrick..." Adam croaked as he held tight onto Merrick, "Please... They've done enough to-" The door unlocked, and opened up. Keith and the other guard stepped in, inspiring a surge of fear into Merrick. "Time's up." "No!" Merrick said. "Visiting hours are over, Faggots." "NOO!" Merrick clung to Adam tightly, and Adam held onto Merrick as best as he could too. "Don't make this harder than it has to be." "I'm so sorry for this." The guard said as he pushed his baton between the two males. "NOOO!! STOP IT!!" Merrick demanded. "LEAVE US ALONE!!" Adam shouted as Keith wrapped his arms around his torso, and his shoulders, and pried his arms off. "ADAM!!!" Merrick exclaimed as his human was dragged away from him, holding onto his hand as long as he could, "DON'T go, pleeeaaassee!!!" "Merrick!" Adam winced as his hand was slipping, "GGhhhhh!" The other guard yanked Merrick back, and their hands disconnected. "NOOOO!!!" "Let get go of me!!" Adam struggled and writhed in pain as he knee seared with agony, "Let me go, you bastards!!" "Calm down, Drama Queen," Keith said as he pulled Adam away towards the door. "I almost killed him!!" Merrick yelled in tears as his mate was taken away, "I don't want to kill him! I DON'T WANT TO KILL HIM!!!" He yelled as he kicked and writhed the best he could. Adam cried and struggled more as this homophobic guard locked his hands in handcuffs, still hearing Merrick's cries and shrieks from outside the cell. "Merrick..." He whimpered, "I'm sorry..." "Egh, don't get all-" "EEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH!!" Came the sound of a ravenous war cry. Adam jumped as he heard a man scream in pain, before the other guard was thrown out the cell, and crashed on the wall. Merrick appeared soon after, snarling as he sank his fist into the guard, breaking several ribs. "Humans are monsters! ALL OF YOU!!!" He proclaimed. "Merrick, stop it!!" Adam called. The injured merman turned his attention to Adam and Keith. "Monsters..." He let go of the guards, and sprinted right at Adam, "DESERVE TO DIE!!!" Adam stood, terrified as his one and only love charged at him, his eyes blaring in the low light like illuminated cat eyes, his jaws opening up as he zero'd in on them. "MERRICK, NOOO!" EEEPEEPEEPEEEPEEPEEEPEEPEEEPEEPEEEPEEPEEEPEEP A loud, strange, chirping noise rang out in the hall. The guard Merrick has just pulverized is holding his gadget out and emitting the harsh noise. "AHHHHH!!" Merrick clutched his ears, screaming in pain as the fell to his knees, subdued by the new sound. "S-Stop!" Adam wept as he watched his Merrick writhe and cover his ears, "STOP IT!! You're hurting him!!" "You WANT him to eat you alive?!" Keith said as he yanked Adam back. More guards sprinted in as Merrick groaned in agony of the continuous noise. They yanked him up to his feet, and dragged him back, with him barely moving at all. "YOU'RE GOING TO FUCKING KILL HIM!!!" Once Merrick was locked back in his cell, the noise stopped. Adam cried as he was carried away, forced to limp as Keith lead him to the interrogation room. ~~~ "JUST LET US GO ALREADY!!" Adam roared, standing up, his fists clenched as he seethed at Nigel, "What are you trying to prove?!" Try as he must, his wrists are no match for the titanium cuffs that bind him to the table. "A lot." He simply replied. "What, how much of a great tormentor you are?! Congratulations, YOU MADE YOUR POINT!!" "No I haven't, and I will tell you if you will just calm down." Nigel said sternly. Adam breathed deeply, glaring at total hatred at this man. Eventually, Adam forced himself to sit down. "Fine. Tell me why you're doing this... Why are you torturing him?" "I have a dream, Mr Bryant. And I'm very, very short on time..." Nigel said as he turned around, and looked out the window of the interrogation room -- this one has a view of the sea. "When I was about 6 years old, I saw a mermaid. She looked real enough to me, but who can recall from so long ago?" Adam said nothing, but listened, "Of course, I can't wait to tell any and everyone who would listen." Nigel shook his head, "As you can guess, on how cruel kids can be..." He sighed, "Of course, I made myself a laughing stock of the whole school, from the 2nd grade, to the 6th grade, when I finally stopped hearing about." "So lemme guess," Adam said aggressively, "You swore revenge on everyone who laughed at you, and devoted your life to revealing the existence of merfolk." "Hmph." Nigel huffed, "That WOULD be the end result, wouldn't it." He said. The old man shook his head, and turned back to Adam, "No, eventually it got out of my head, but I did take up Cryptozoology -- my own little way of searching without anyone really knowing what I was looking for -- I did not want anyone getting in my way, or mocking me for my passion. "As you can imagine, Cryptozoology doesn't provide much of a living, and I couldn't let anyone know what I was after, so I focused my time and energy to Marine Biology. Half-way through my education, my parents enlisted me in the Navy. And thus began the decline of my heath..." "What?" Nigel walked back to the window, and gazed longingly into the ocean, "Through all of my dedication and hard work, I was given the Honorary Privilege to run the Agency of Oceanic Research. A government funded facility where we research and study new, exotic creatures of the deep. Yet sadly..." He took a deep, ragid breath, "A few years ago, I was diagnosed with an old, severe case of Mesothelioma. I'll spare you all the technical mumbo jumbo, and call it Lung Cancer. I can thank the Navy ships for that." He coughed a little, "Even with treatment and kemo... I have 5 to 10 years left to live." "Well you're not exactly a Spring Chicken." Adam retorted coldly. "Hmph," Nigel turned back around, and approached the table. He put his hands on the table, and looked down at the young man, "Tell me something, Adam. Have you ever gone to the doctor, and discover that your life has an expiration date? Have you ever looked in the mirror, and think to yourself that that can be very well the last time you ever see yourself? Everything you are, everything you were, everything you were going to be, every goal and aspiration snatched up away from you in just a blink of black." He glared at Adam bitterly, "Regardless of age, would you ever want to know how much precious time you have on God's green earth." "And how does that excuse the way you've been abusing my boyfriend?!" "The ends justify the means, Adam." Nigel said, getting up, "I have a real live merman, here, in my facility. Tell me though, what do you think will happen if I made this discovery public?" Adam shook his head and shrugged, "An uproar, that's what. If I were to reveal to the world that I have contained a real merman, everything would be seized, the papers would overload with news, skeptics will take every once of the day blabbing about how much of a hoax it is, debunking every once of evidence that is shoved right in their faces." Nigel shook his head, "No... I simply don't have that kind of time. And besides, with doing something like that, the news would be old in a year, and what would I have to show for it?" "So you're mocking and maiming the love of my life because you're short on time," Adam said, "But WHY?? What are you trying to achieve???" "I want to make my mark on history." Nigel said, "I want to be the man who not only discovered the existence of merfolk. Oh no, I want to be so much, much more." "What, you want to be a merman yourself?" "If you would let me finish." Nigel retorted, "I'm taking whatever steps necessary to get every ounce of information I can get, from any source. The guards have spoke with him in turn, my assistant has accumulated very fine details, and my scientists are in the process of analyzing Merrick's genetic code. "But it's not enough, you see. I must learn any and everything about the culture, their religion, their different body types, I must find MORE merfolk to question, and break down THEIR DNA, but I must know where they are, where they go, how to speak with them, everything there is to know about merfolk!" "Why??" Adam said with disgust, "What do you hope to accomplish??" Nigel gave a smile "With what little time I have left, I will do everything in my power to become the Ambassador of the 7 Seas." He stated, "I will go down in history as the man who created bonds and ties between humans and merfolk. I will establish society into the deep blue see. I will pave roads into the trenches, where we could never wander into before!" "So that's your plan?!" Adam snapped, "You're torturing my Merrick for an impossible dream?!" "Nothing. Is impossible, Adam. You have your proof sitting in a cell. You and your boyfriend is living proof that humans and merfolk CAN work and live together." "Not in YOUR lifetime!" Adam said, "And not in MINE either! I told you, contact with humans is strictly forbidden, Nigel!" "Perhaps. But I know they worship and obey the will of their goddess. I believe they refer to Her as the Sea Mother?" "They'll NEVER believe you!" Adam snarled as he rose up, his bindings snapping straight, "Even if you convince them to even LOOK at you, there are mermaids out there that can always tell when you're lying!" "Oh I'm sure there are, but I'm sure they'd never cross the word of their goddess." "Did you even hear me?! Besides, they won't even talk, or look at you!!" "That is why as soon as I find them, I will set the better example. I will establish myself as a man of peace, who can and will provide with anything they want to know about us." "You're delusional!" Adam shouted, "In all my years I've known Merrick, I've learned that merfolk believe in completely ridiculous atrocities about humans! They think we can make weapons out of hot lava! They think we're masters of the skies! They believe that a single human can destroy and reshape mountains at any given time!" "Even so, Adam," Nigel said, "I have come too far to give up now." "Even if your dream was possible, what YOU want to do would take more than 10 years!" "So you understand why I've done what I have to." Nigel said bitterly. "No, I don't!" Adam said. "Really." Nigel leaned down, "Tell me. When all of your dreams and aspirations have completely vanished, wouldn't YOU do whatever it takes to make them come true?" "Not if it meant mercilessly torturing an innocent person!" Adam spat out. "Well, that's one opinion. But at least now that you're here, I can get things back on track." "You..." He hesitated, "I won't let you use me!" "Of course you will." Nigel said, "I'm sure you don't want anything else to happen to your Merrick?" "You bastard!" Adam growled as fresh tears formed in his eyes, "I love him with all my heart, but he doesn't care happens to him! He'll die if it meant protecting his kind! He'll sacrifice himself 100 times over if it meant keeping all that holds dear from falling apart! And if I have to lose him because of that," His chains snapped straight again, "I'll kill you first before he has a chance to die!" "Such drama." Nigel said, shaking his head. "I think I need to show you a little something..." ~~~ Adam is escorted down a flight of stairs, with one guard keeping behind him, and two medics following closely. Nigel has the only key to the door they are about to enter, "I like to call this my..." Nigel said, "Mausoleum Museum." He chuckled at that, before unlocking the door. They entered, and Adam shuddered as he looked around, half in awe, and half in fear as he looked at the many glass cases, domes, and coffins, all of which contain one or few extremely strange sea creatures. "Are these your previous... `Guests'?" Adam asked. This place is like a freezer, it's so cold. "You COULD say that. Another way I'd put it are discoveries this Agency has found over the years. We learn all we can about them, and bring them to this secret garden right here." Adam turned his head, spotting an octopus with spiky skin, about 6 feet in circumference, pinned up in a glass case on the wall. He saw a dome with a spiral-formation of dead fish that are almost completely transparent. Another model he spotted was the strange Ruffle Shark. He gasped as he spotted a familiar creature in a large glass case -- a bunyip. Almost like the one that belongs to Atarah, only this one is larger. "Ah, here's one you might be familiar with," Nigel said as he came to one of the glass coffins. Adam gasped as he looked upon a dead mermaid -- one of the Primate mermaids from the documentary, The Body Found. It lay there, freshly preserved inside the coffin. "Sometimes, when I'm not coughing up a bucket of blood, I like to come down here, and look at all these treasures." Adam irked as he closed his eyes. This icy room just makes him feel like he's in Death's lounge room. "But that's not the one I like most." Nigel said. "My favorite... Is over here." They walked to another glass coffin, but this time, he opened it. Adam quaked as he gazed upon the creature -- a reptilian being with dark green scales, pale yellow underbelly down its front, and along its long, coiled, snake-like tail. Its hands are long and sharp, and the face looks near-human, with a head full of smaller, clearly dead snakes. "Ain't she a beauty?" Nigel said as he gently caressed the corpse's head, "A living myth, just like your boyfriend." "I-Is that... Is that Medusa?" Adam asked. Nigel chuckled at that. "Oh, I doubt that. Might be a descendant though -- I discovered this one myself 5 years ago off in a rocky area near Athens, Greece." `Merrick did mention that merfolk mutate when there's a Solar Eclipse,' Adam thought to himself, `Maybe this thing -- if there's more of them -- came from ancient Greek times from mutant Holsiens...' "Did you interrogate uh... Her too?" Adam asked. Nigel smirked and shook his head. "It's a little difficult to question a dead girl, wouldn't you agree?" "You killed her?" "No, actually, I founder her recently deceased on that trip." He tilted her head to the side a little, "Interestingly enough, some of the snakes on her head were still alive when I found her. It took a few hours before they died too, one by one. Sad, really." Adam breathed deeply as he fought the urge to shed tears. This sick monster is just pawing around this poor dead creature like she was a puppet. "You want to know what I love most about her?" Nigel asked. He tilted the gorgon's head up, and put two fingertips to its eyes, and moved them up. "Hhhh!!" Adam gasped as he looked into those silver, reflective orbs. "Her eyes are most enchanting." He said. Adam immediately felt a cold wave hit his body. His breathing suddenly became extremely difficult -- he's unable to take a breath! His hands started to lose feeling, along with his feet. His legs turned to jelly as he fell back, and collapsed right on the floor! He gagged and gasped raspy huffs as his torso quickly lost all feeling, up to his chest, until his very face felt like cold clay. As the young man rasped and huffed, Nigel closed the gorgon's eyes, and closed the glass coffin. He walked around the coffin, and squat himself down to Adam/ "Mythology states that the gaze of a Gorgon would turn its victims into stone. Well, maybe in ancient times, maybe they did, and maybe they didn't." Adam can still hear and see him, but his body is completely numb. He lay there, unable to breathe at all! "But the science of it is just fascinating. See, instead of turning to stone, the victim's brain actually shuts itself down after seeing a refraction of light from the Gorgon's eyes. The victim would become entirely paralyzed. So, either they died from suffocation, or they were eaten alive, completely painless." Adam's face began to turn blue as he remained there, helpless, "Alright, get the valve in him, and get the stretcher ready. When you come back up, bring him to the life support." One of the medics knelt down, and put Adam to a bag-valve mask, and started pumping hair into him, while the other began to set up the stretcher. ~~~ Adam shook a little as he lay on the bed, still unable to move or feel, only an inch from gagging up a lung with a plastic tube down his throat. A respirator gently rises up, and pushed down, pushing air into his lungs as he lay there, paralyzed. His eyes looked, and watched Nigel come in, looking very grim "Alright, now here's what we're going to do," He said, "First, while you're immobile, we're going to take another blood sample -- it's that time of the week again." "And then, when you have some feeling back in you, we're going to inject a dose of Sodium Pentothol." Nigel said as he held up a small, glass bottle. Adam looked at him with expressionless eyes -- he can't even move his eyebrows, "The more commonly referred term is `Truth Serum'. " Adam inwardly gasped. "As I said, I am very short on time, so I can't afford to play Mr Nice Guy. So when you recover tomorrow, you are going to tell me everything you know about merfolk whether you like it or not." Nigel placed the bottle on a small metal table, and turned to leave, just as a doctor came in, with a needle and a pouch to take the blood sample.