Sophie hugged Riley tightly. She’d had to bite back laughter when the female worker had mentioned Riley’s ceaseless complaining. She’d known instantly why the girl had done it; so that there would be an incentive to leave Lewis alone. The woman was going to return to an empty room. “Thank you,” Sophie whispered as she stepped away from the cot and moved towards the pool where Katie and Luna were.

Riley hummed in response and shifted in Sophie’s grip. Her breath was hot on Sophie’s ear as she responded. “You should go. There are very few of them here right now. No one properly in command. It is the best time.”

Sophie tensed, though she tried not to show it. She wasn’t ready to leave. She still wasn’t sure about this plan.

“Please,” Riley added softly. “When they discover Lewis gone, they are going to be incredibly vigilant. It is now or never, and you must go. We need you to.”

Sophie took a breath and continued walking. She crouched down and carefully lowered Riley down onto the side of the pool so that her fins could trail in the water. “Remember not to overdo it; I mean it this time, I don’t want you hurting yourself,” she stated at a normal volume. Riley was staring at her and Sophie winced but pursed her lips into a determined pucker. Riley nodded and relief claimed her expression. “I will,” she agreed. “Thank you.”

Sophie licked her lips and glanced at Katie. While she loved Luna too and would always be overjoyed to have her around, Sophie acknowledged the younger girl had her parents. But Katie and Riley were her daughters, that would never be a question, and it pained her to leave them in danger. Her hands shook. She wasn’t sure if she could do it.

There was sorrow in Katie’s eyes, but she nodded. Sophie couldn’t argue. Her family had made their choice on the matter and just this once, Sophie had to let them even if she yearned to remain with them.

They had to fight, she agreed with that. Sophie had no idea how she might amass aid for them if Lemuria succeeded. Fighting might be their only option, and while she felt she should stay and join them if they considered her a liability, she couldn’t justify getting in the way.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, squeezed Riley’s hand tightly between her fingers, and mouthed an ‘I love you’ to Katie. Both their smiles were forced, but then Katie dove under the water and began chasing Luna around as if nothing were wrong.

Riley’s fingers pulled from Sophie’s grasp and she slipped into the water while keeping one arm braced on the side. She hummed and rested her chin on the deck. “See? Being careful,” she stated. “You do not have to hover.”

“Well, I should get back and check in on Dr. Patter,” the woman announced.

“I’ll keep an eye on things here,” the older man agreed. Sophie didn’t know their names, but they weren’t so terrible.

Once the woman was gone, Sophie counted out thirty seconds in her head before clearing her throat and calmly approaching the guard. “I need to go down the hall,” she told him.

The man eyed her and pursed his lips. “I’m not supposed to allow you to leave the room,” he stated after a moment.

Sophie nodded in agreement. “I know, and I don’t want to complicate your situation…but there isn’t a bathroom in here,” she pointed out. “And it would be nice to get changed with a little privacy while I’m there.” She grabbed the small pile of clothing that had been brought for her from off the opposite cot where she had set them down and lifted them for him to observe.

He coughed and nodded. He looked a little flushed. “I suppose that’s fair,” he agreed. “I’d rather if you were escorted to avoid the risk of a conflict, but I shouldn’t leave these ones here unattended,” he stated as he gestured around the room at the Mer. “When Debbie gets back, I’m sure she’ll be happy to go down with you, she should only be a few minutes.”

Sophie grimaced. She needed him to let her go alone. “Normally that would be fine and I hate to let my composure slip, but it’s been hours. I really need to go now or I’m going to have a problem. It’s just three doors down, you can watch me go,” she suggested. She was sure the others would be quick to invent a distraction if he hovered in the doorway looking for her anyway.

The man’s face reddened and he nodded. “Alright, go,” he relented. “But please be quick about it.”

Sophie nodded her thanks and hurried to the doorway. It wasn’t a total lie that she’d told him, but she still felt bad for deceiving him. He was almost certainly going to get in trouble for this when both she and Lewis turned up missing.

Her heart fractured into pieces when she left the room without so much as a backwards glance. She bit her lip to keep tears at bay as she pushed through the door into the bathroom. She had been escorted twice before, but going alone gave her the perfect opportunity to slip away, given that the bathroom opened into two different hallways, the one she’d just come from, and one on the other side where the administration offices were.

She took a breath and quickly changed and tidied up as best she could. She paused as she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror. Though she’d run her wet fingers through her curls, they were still matted and dishevelled, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She looked like crap, but she imagined going on the run like she was about to that it would be that way for a while. She only hoped she could meet up with Lewis quickly. They’d made some hushed plans about how they’d get in contact if they left separately, but the sooner the better. They could watch each other’s backs that way, and she would feel better if she wasn’t entirely alone.

She closed her eyes for a moment and reached up to unbuckle the collar from around her neck. She pulled it away from her throat and stared at it with a deep hatred. She wanted to chuck it in the bin, but just as she turned to do so, the tag caught her eye. Her ‘name’ was on the front, but the back had Lemuria credentials on it. She sighed and stuffed it into the pocket of the hoodie they’d given her. It was a size too big, but that played in Sophie’s favour as she tugged the hood up over her head. It was unusual for people to wear hoodies this late in the dry season, but it was pushing evening now, the park was going to experience a flood of visitors leaving, and hopefully, she’d just blend in enough to slip away without anyone recognizing her face.

Now that she was ready, Sophie knew she had to move quickly. It wouldn’t be long before someone came looking for her. She hadn’t heard any commotion, but she imagined there were only seconds before they noticed Lewis was missing and raised the alarm.

Thankfully, the admin hallways were virtually desolate and she managed to slip down them without running into anyone. The sun was setting when she stepped outside into the public areas, and crowds were beginning to shuffle towards the exit. Sophie took a breath and stuffed her hands into her pockets. She kept her gaze averted slightly downwards to make it harder for anyone to see her and merged with the crowds.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she walked, convinced someone would grab her and haul her back. She needed to only hope that no one would recognize her. At least she wasn’t too far from the main gate. She would feel a lot better once she was out of the park. Lemuria had taken away Lewis’ phone and wallet when they’d apprehended him, and she no longer had her cell either, but Dr. Auldon had either forgotten to take her ID or hadn’t thought it mattered that she had it. She supposed it logically didn’t. She herself had never anticipated leaving. But she’d given Lewis one of her credit cards and some cash. The credit cards would be in case of an emergency since they could be traced, and she didn’t have a lot of physical money on her, but it would be enough to get herself a shuttle lift to the next town, where she planned to get to the bank and withdraw as much as she could, and then go to her and Lewis’ agreed-upon meetup place.

Her walk was short and she was so wrapped up in her concerns and next moves that Sophie barely even noticed as she left the park without a hitch. She was halfway down the street when the gravity of her actions finally slammed into her. She bit her lip, but couldn’t stop the tears that blurred her vision and began to slip down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the sleeve of the sweater and shook her head. She had to stay focused. It was breaking her inside to know that she had just left them behind. Katie and Riley and Luna, and the other Mer. She felt terrible, but it was too late now. She just wished it hadn’t been so easy. Part of her had been hoping she would get caught so that she could stay with them.

But there was no turning back now. She had to trust them to manage for a while on their own until she could get some proper help. There had to be a way to combat Lemuria. She just had to find it.

***

Sophie shifted on her stool and tried not to appear as uncomfortable as she felt on the inside. The room was dimly lit and desolate, and the faint smells of beer and bacon grease lingered in the air. There was only one other patron milling about the small restaurant bar. There weren’t many planning to party at noon on a Tuesday. It was why she’d picked the time. She winced and lifted a glass of iced tea to her lips, ignoring the odd looks she kept getting from the tired bartender who was currently polishing glasses while soft, old jazz music played from behind the bar.

She didn’t want any alcohol in her system, but she’d had to order something, so iced tea and a bowl of pretzels was good enough for now, though she’d hardly touched the latter. It had been just over twenty-four hours since she’d slipped away, and she felt guiltier every minute she was away from Katie and Riley. She’d have no way of knowing if they were okay.

Questions just kept swirling around in her mind. Had Lemuria taken their frustrations out on any of the Mer after she and Lewis disappeared? Or had it been the semi-decent staff who’d taken the fall? Had Karina gone into labour yet? Were they going to move them back across the world sooner now that she and Lewis weren’t an issue, or would they stay longer and hunt them?

She hadn’t gotten much sleep that night and everything tasted like sand in her mouth when she tried to eat something. She hated how everything had gone so far. She chewed her lip and bit into a pretzel to distract herself enough that she wouldn’t start crying again. That would get her more than an odd look.

Sophie sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall. Twelve-twenty. She’d arrived early just in case, but was now beginning to lose hope that she’d see Lewis today.

They’d agreed on this as a meetup spot, but that they’d only linger for an hour between noon and one on weekdays. Once a week went by, they’d move on and there’d be another meetup.

But Lewis had left before her, and she desperately hoped he’d gotten away. She didn’t think she could go through with this on her own. Being alone was always one of her worst fears, and she was fighting with that desperation now. It was only exacerbated by her fears for everyone she loved, none of whom she knew were safe.

She took another sip of her drink when she finally noticed the doors open. She’d angled herself so that she could see the entryway without needing to turn to look.

It was just a young woman that walked through the door, however, and Sophie’s spirits sunk. The girl had her red-brown hair tied back in a tight braid and she was wearing dark clothes with the bar’s logo on the breast of her shirt. Just an employee.

Before the door had fully swished closed behind her, it swung open again, and Sophie’s heart stalled. He was dressed in a dorky tourist shirt with a cartoonish rattler on it – though she hardly blamed him for needing to seek out a cleaner set of clothes since he hadn’t been able to change – and he looked more worn down than she was, but he could have looked like death warmed over and still been a beautiful sight. She forced herself not to spring up and fall into his arms, and instead waited to see what he would do.

They made eye contact briefly as he passed her to move to the far end of the bar. He waved the bartender over and began asking the other man a few questions about how one might reserve a space for a party. It was a rather brilliant way of stalling without having to sit and order, and Sophie’s tab was already paid, so she tipped the iced tea back to finish it. Setting her glass on the counter, she rose from the stool, stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jeans, and walked calmly from the bar.

It was hard to maintain the façade of composure when her heart was hammering in her chest, and once she was clear of the front entrance, Sophie slumped against the wall. She bit her lip and took a breath, and a moment later, she saw Lewis leave the bar.

Her composure slipped and she hurried over to him. Before he could get a word in, she threw her arms around him. “I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered.

Lewis’ arms came up and he squeezed her to him. “Are you alright?” he inquired.

Sophie swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. She felt choked and didn’t trust herself with words. All that mattered was that he was there, unharmed and with her.

“Alright, come on then,” he urged. His arms fell away, but he captured her hand in his and pulled her around the corner and into the bar’s parking lot. Just like the establishment, the lot was quite barren, with only a few vehicles parked.

Lewis led her towards a white work van and she frowned. “You took a van?” she inquired.

Lewis nodded. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the vehicle. “Yeah. I snuck down to the underground lots and took one of the unmarked ones in the back. Figured the logo was anything but subtle, but this was the best way to get around.”

“It was smart,” Sophie agreed. She pulled open the passenger door and climbed in. Lewis followed in suit with the driver’s seat. As he was settling in, Sophie was struck with a thought. Her hand moved to her throat with a wince. “Are you sure there’s no way for them to listen in? It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I doubt Lemuria would have felt the need – or had time – to bug all the vehicles. None of the staff knew what was going on, not really, and they wouldn’t have expected us to leave. But I did a sweep anyway. I didn't find anything.”

Sophie nodded. It made sense, and they were much better off with a vehicle. She couldn’t help the deep hole that gaped in her heart and she bowed her head. She had been forcing herself to keep everything together up until now because she couldn’t afford to have a breakdown, but now everything came bubbling back up to the surface and it was like an incredible weight on her chest she could hardly bear. Tears brimmed in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, and she felt the shudders begin to wrack her body as she struggled to suppress the sobs scalding the back of her throat.

“Soph?” Lewis inquired.

Sophie shook her head and brought a hand to her mouth to smother a whimper.

She felt Lewis’ arm drape across her shoulders and she leaned into him across the gap between their seats. His other arm came up to hold her and he rested his chin on his head. “Oh Sophie…” he trailed off and she shuddered.

“I just…I wish I knew if they were okay.”

Lewis nodded and squeezed her more tightly. “I know. But they are. They have each other, all of them. And Lemuria isn’t going to hurt them; they’re too valuable.”

“You don’t know that,” Sophie protested. “You didn’t see what I saw…If Luna hadn’t…” she trailed off and hiccuped. She couldn’t bring herself to complete the thought. She was terrified to think of what Dr. Patron might have done if Luna hadn’t incapacitated him; what he still might do to get revenge.

Lewis was silent for a moment. “We have to trust them, Sophie. We had this conversation several times. They all wanted us to leave. If getting out of the way lets them deal with the situation the way they need to, then we need to respect that,” he said, though his tone sounded strained.

“Do you think we made the right choice?” Sophie asked. She twisted to gaze up at him and watched as his jaw tightened and he stared unblinkingly through the windshield.

“No,” he answered finally.

Sophie’s heart stalled in her chest and she licked her lips. “Should we go back?” she inquired.

There was another moment of silence before Lewis sighed and shook his head. “No,” he repeated. “No. I don’t like it – I hate it – but it is for the best. We were no good to them there and we both know what happens if we go back. There are no second chances this time; Lemuria won’t put any trust in us to ‘behave’,” Lewis growled. “I hated leaving them behind, but at least we can try to do some good from the outside. We’ll know right away if they reopen the aquarium tank, and we’ll make a plan. People we pick and can trust this time.”

He was right. Having Lukshia’s betrayal confirmed had been a blow. Katie had seemed so downtrodden when she reported it, but Sophie felt worse. She’d allowed the woman into her home, to take control of the situation, and she’d put her family at incredible risk because she was naïve and scared. It wouldn’t happen again. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “I couldn’t do this alone. I need you.”

“I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” Lewis agreed. He pressed his lips to her cheek and she sighed. She was immensely grateful to have him. “How did you get out of there anyway?”

Sophie shrugged and grinned bitterly. “When Riley came back and it was mentioned that you stayed behind, it opened up the chance. It meant that woman had to go back for you. I just made out a bathroom emergency and walked down the hall. Got changed and slipped out the other door into the administration hall. I just followed the crowds right out the front gate. You?”

“Her name is Debbie. She wasn’t terrible, but she was impatient. Riley’s more cunning than I think she gets credit for because she noticed and exploited that the moment I said I wanted a closer look at her x-rays. I was stalling, I was hoping she might leave me alone, but I never said a thing to Riley. She just…did it. Whined obnoxiously until Debbie got frustrated and took her back. I left and went the other way, took the stairs down to the underground lot, and lifted a set of keys from the office. We might have to rethink some of the security measures at the park when all this is over, but it was easier than I was expecting. I was just worried that they were going to take it out on you. No one in charge seems to have much care in what the Mer have to say unless it’s specifically necessary. They would have come after you for details about a plan though. I’m glad you got out before the alarm was raised.”

Sophie wiped at her eyes and glanced up at him again. His dark eyes were glistening too and she knew he shared her pain. He’d always loved Katie too, would have moved mountains for her when she was young. And despite how Riley enjoyed harassing him, he’d taken a shine to her. He tried to be subtle about it – probably because Riley was rather independent – but it showed in all the little ways he joshed with her and tried to make her smile, and how he jumped whenever she was hurt and worked extra hard to get her up and moving again as quickly as possible because he knew she hated staying still. The way he’d stood up for her the other day had seemed to really surprise her in a good way.

“We’ll see them again,” Lewis insisted. “But right now, we have to focus on getting out of here. We’re going to help them, but we’re no good if we get caught again.”

“I know,” Sophie agreed. She squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just miss all three of them already.”

“Me too,” Lewis agreed.

Sophie took a breath and forced herself to sight up and put her seatbelt on. “So what’s the plan?”

“I got in contact with an old buddy of mine down at the marina. He works in the shipping business now. Told him I was in a jam and needed to lie as low as possible. He offered to get both of us on a ship. It’s not like we can go back to the house for our passports or anything, so it’ll be a serious solid, but he can get us at least to Spain. I have a cousin who migrated up that way who might be willing to help us out a little. It’s a lot further than I’d like, but sticking around is asking for trouble and we’re not exactly equipped to hole up inland.”

“No, we’re not,” Sophie agreed with a sigh. “You’re right, this is the best course of action. I don’t like it, but I don’t think we have a lot of options.” She paused for a moment and squeezed his hand again. He’d really gone above and beyond lately with everything she’d managed to drag him into. “Thank you, Lewis. You have no idea how much it means that you’re still in this. I’ve never needed you more and I’m so grateful for everything.”

Lewis nodded and grinned. “I’m never going to run, no matter what you and our crazy backwards family drag me into,” he promised her. “We should get to the shipping yard.”

Sophie took another breath and nodded. She reluctantly relinquished his hand and focused her attention forward. “You’re right, let’s go.”