Luna was a sweet girl. Despite their current predicament, Karina found herself enjoying the young Mer’s company immensely. She often wondered what Kera was like back before Karina had met Nero, but she liked her mate’s sister as she was now a lot. Luna was mischievous and tussled with Riley and Katie, but she was always quieter around Nero and Karina herself. She wondered if the girl was just shy because she was not yet comfortable around them, or if it was a disconnect from her brother that brought on the more subdued behaviour, but Luna was almost always smiling when she was comfortable, and she got braver with every interaction.

The human man that had been coming in twice a turn for the last few to bring them food had also on occasion brought other things. He had called them ‘toys’ and though they had seemed a little strange and pointless to her, she supposed he was trying to appease them. It did not feel like the most logical way to make friends, but there was no harm in it. One of the things he had brought had been a small red and blue sphere that Katie had named a ‘ball’. It had a strange texture to the touch and was about the size of a coconut, though much lighter and squishier, as if filled with air.

While they waited for the time to put Riley’s plan into action, they were trying to keep a calm, unsuspicious air about them, so Luna had picked up the ball where it previously laid discarded in the corner and had asked if Karina would play with her.

So now Karina was sitting pushed back from the edge of the pool of water with just the tips of her fins dangling into it. She was leaned against Nero, who was sprawled on his stomach and purring lazily as she rubbed the flat of his dorsal casually with one hand. In the other, she held the ‘ball’. It was dripping wet from being in the water, where Luna was lurking. There were not too many things Karina could do to be playful right now, since her energy sapped far faster now that she was nursing her son, and it made her too nervous to try anything rough in case the baby was to get injured with any excessive jostling. So instead, she and Luna had invented a game where the young Mer would lurk beneath the skin of the water and Karina would throw the small object high. If Luna could catch it midair, she won the round, but she lost it if the ball hit the water first.

It was casual and not the most stimulating game Karina had ever played, but seeing Luna leap and contort herself to reach it was amusing enough, and it was keeping a smile on the girl’s face, so Karina was happy to play. It cost her nothing to do so.

Deciding she had kept Luna waiting long enough, she pulled her arm back and threw the ball with as much strength as she could muster. It sailed easily towards the far side of the pool, and just as gravity began to pull it back down, Luna leapt from the water and caught it, pulling it close to her chest before plummeting back down into the water.

When she resurfaced, it was right at the edge of the pool, and she reached out to set the ball on the edge before nudging it so it would roll closer to Karina. Karina picked it up and shook some of the water free from its surface. “You are very quick,” Karina praised. Luna was not yet at a proper health for her age, and all of her physical attributes and abilities suffered for it, but she was fast. Not as fast as she could be, but if she were at her full potential, Karina imagined there would be few who could outpace her.

Luna puffed up with pride at the praise, and then her twinkling blue gaze shone with a fresh eagerness. “Again?” she inquired.

Karina had barely finished nodding her head by the time Luna had vanished to the bottom of the pool once more. It made Karina giggle. It was sad, if she thought about it too hard, how much Luna was throwing herself into youthfulness because of all the time she had lost, but it was also incredibly heartwarming. Nero had been right about one thing when he had talked to her about his sister all those times; she did have a very infectious smile and Karina loved it. She hoped Luna would get along well with their son, despite the age difference.

Behind her, Nero shifted and took her hand in his. “Are you sure you are not getting too tired? She will understand if you need to rest.”

Karina glanced down at him and hummed, but shook her head. “I am relaxing,” she assured him. “It does not take much effort to toss this.” She held up the ball to show him. “Unless you are saying you want a turn?”

Nero shook his head and settled back down. “No. You two play. Just do not overwork yourself.”

“I will not,” Karina assured him. She threw the ball again. When Luna jumped up this time, she jumped too far and fumbled for the ball as she stretched, only to miss and flop back down into the water.

Though her flailing had been unfortunate, Karina could not deny it had also been funny to observe and she could not keep from laughing as Luna surfaced with an annoyed scowl marring her previous grin. The scowl deepened as she noticed Karina laughing and her cheeks flushed as she snatched the ball off the surface of the water and swam it back over. “You missed,” Karina pointed out around an amused chuckle as she took the ball off Luna, whose blush deepened and she stuck her tongue out in response.

“I will catch it this time,” she protested.

Karina’s smile softened and she nodded. “I am sure you will,” she agreed.

She waited for Luna to dive back down once more before lobbing the ball back into the air. This time, she did not throw it quite as hard. True to her word, Luna caught the ball almost right away, and when she dove back down, she slapped her fin on the surface of the water. Karina squeaked in surprise as the motion caused water to splash up at her.

Now Luna had a cheeky grin on her face as she surfaced again with the ball clutched between her fingers, so Karina chuckled and stuck her tongue out right back at the younger Mer. “Very funny,” she called.

Nero huffed and when Karina glanced down, his eyes were narrowed in Luna’s direction but his expression was not unfriendly. “Are you picking on Karina, Luna?” he inquired. “Because sister or no, if you are abusing my mate, I will have no choice but to beat you down into the sand.”

“What sand?” Luna taunted. She cocked her head to one side and stared at her brother with wide, innocent-looking blue eyes despite how the tip of her tongue was poking out between her teeth, and it broke Karina down into a fit of laughter. She hoped one day their son would be just like this.

Nero growled softly in response and Karina put a hand on his dorsal. “Good practice,” she reminded gently, though she knew he was not cross.

He sighed dramatically and flicked his wrist. “Come over here,” he instructed.

When Luna swam over and pulled herself up out of the water to sit on the lip of the pool, Nero sat up too. It was unexpected, and Karina nearly fell backwards, but she caught herself on her hands and watched in amusement as Nero lunged forward and pulled Luna into a headlock.

Luna’s enthusiastic laughter filled the room as he pinned her and began to tickle her. Her fin lashed and she squealed and pawed at Nero’s arm holding her in place. While they wrestled, Karina pulled her arms in under her fins to cradle her son. The baby had been silent and still for a while now, but when she held him in her arms, he stirred and she could feel his tiny fingers kneading at her skin. She began to purr at the sensation. She wished this particular feeling could last forever.

“Now settled down,” Nero scolded gently as he released Luna, who sat panting beside them. Karina felt Nero’s arms wrap around her as he gently tugged her back until she was leaning against his chest. He hummed and tangled his fingers in her hair, and Karina’s purring grew louder. Her lingering nerves of their impending conflict melted away as he cuddled her.

Karina’s gaze slid lazily to Luna. She did not want the younger Mer to feel forgotten, but Luna looked comfortable and content sprawled over Nero’s tail. She smiled brightly when she met Karina’s gaze.

Karina took a moment to find everyone else. Katie and Riley were huddled together and talking in whispers. They were likely going over the final details of their plan. Karina was not sure of everything they had in mind, but she was not in the best position to fight, so it did not matter. She intended only to stick close to Nero and keep an eye on Luna as well. It would be easier for her to watch over the youngest so the others would not be distracted.

Rebecca and Ixion were on the far side of the pool, hovering at the surface and leaning against the wall. They were all struggling to find a place to be – ready and at the surface – without appearing suspicious.

Karina was trying not to dwell on it, but she was nervous about the upcoming conflict. There were so many ways it could go wrong and she feared the consequences that would follow if it did not go their way. She closed her eyes and took a breath, leaning into Nero’s touch as she did. She was not the strongest or bravest Mer, and did not care for aggression, but she trusted her family and she knew this was a necessary fight. Their freedom depended on it and she wanted her baby’s first breath on his own to be in the ocean, not in a tank with an uncertain future looming over him. That was something she was willing to fight for.

Karina loosened her tightly wrapped fins to peek in on their child. The baby was fast asleep against her, pale and fragile and small. She worried for him.

Likely sensing her distress, Nero’s purr deepened and he leaned over her shoulder to nuzzle her cheek and kiss the nape of her neck, just below her gills. She hummed. “Do not worry,” Nero whispered. “He is going to be fine. You are protecting him, and I am going to protect you.”

Karina sighed softly and slumped against him. “Thank you,” she purred. “Despite everything else…this is still perfect. You and me, and him. I want that part to last forever.”

Nero chuckled and pressed his nose to her cheek. “He is beautiful, just like his mother, and I will never stop being so grateful for you both.”

“If you want it to last longer, you can always have another one,” Ixion called from the water. Karina looked up to see him smiling warmly at both her and his son.

“You just want more merlings to spoil, admit it,” Nero shot back. But then he shrugged and hugged Karina more tightly. “But he is right. Not right now, but we could have another baby once our son is a little older.”

Karina grinned and shook her head. “Oh no,” she refused. “No, no, no, I am done after what happened. You want more, it is your turn to carry.”

“It probably would be dangerous for Karina to attempt to carry again after the problems she had. She would have been fine if circumstances were different, but the body tends to remember the physical stress,” Rebecca warned. “You would need to give yourself a more significant interval of time to heal first.”

Karina nodded. She already assumed that would be the case. It did not bother her too much, however. She and Nero had been blessed with new life and he was perfect. Karina would be thrilled with as big a family as they could have, but she did not feel she was lacking anything at this time.

Nero nuzzled her and kissed her cheek again. “There is no rush,” he agreed. He always seemed to know her thoughts without her needing to say anything. “Our son is all we need now, but if you decide you want to do it again in the future, I am more than happy to take a turn.”

Karina sighed happily and shifted against him to press a kiss to his lips. She often faltered for the words to express how she felt about him, but her heart ached when he was not close, and yet it ached all the more when he held her. When they had initially discussed having a family, it was her desire. She wanted children, to grow and continue her family despite her loss. Nero had been more than happy to help her realize that dream, and he had been nothing but doting and protective of her through the pregnancy, just as he always had been.

She knew he did not care for feeling vulnerable, not since he had nearly died before they met. What he was offering was incredibly selfless, and it genuinely touched her. She purred but shook her head. “I am happy,” she murmured as she settled against him and closed her eyes.

“Hey, Riley?” Karina opened one eye as she heard Katie speak. The girl seemed like she was trying to be quiet, but it only made Karina more curious. “What did they mean about Nero carrying? Did they mean a baby?”

Karina giggled and nodded. “Yes,” she called.

Katie’s face flushed brightly and she ducked her head. “But how can you do that?” she inquired.

“I assume humans cannot then,” Rebecca muttered. “Katie, Mer have the means to play either role when joining.”

“What?”

Riley scoffed and leaned back on her hands. She flicked her fins in Katie’s direction. “Katie, we have both,” she stated. “Nero can carry as easily as Karina can.”

“Not quite,” Rebecca corrected. “It will be more taxing on his body, but he can safely and successfully carry a child.”

“Both…” Katie echoed before her blush deepened. “Oh.” Then her brows dipped together and she frowned. “Wait, but I thought you said the baby was a boy? How can you tell if Mer have both?”

“We are only born with one,” Riley corrected. “We develop as we grow from adolescence to adult. I believe you and Sophie called it…puberty?”

Katie coughed and flushed. “Wait, do you mean that just a few days ago, it was not just the sail that I-” Katie’s eyes were wide as she broke off.

“Yes,” Riley agreed.

Katie brought a hand to her head. “My head hurts.”

Rebecca pulled herself out of the water and reached out to place a hand on Katie’s shoulder. “Later on, when we are more secure, you and I shall have a chat about the species differences. These are things you should know and I will teach you.”

“I would appreciate that,” Katie agreed.

Riley cleared her throat and Karina tensed as she did. Riley’s posture had tensed and she had twisted to fixate on the door. “The lesson will have to wait. We are about to have company,” she reported.

Rebecca slipped back into the water to rejoin Ixion, and Luna tucked herself closer against Karina’s tail. Karina felt her heart stall in her chest, and she reached down to place a hand on Luna’s head. She could taste the uncertainty spilling from the sapphire Mer. She tucked her other hand up under her fins to hug her baby closer to her chest. It made her feel better to know he was secure.

Her first instinct was to head for the water, but Nero tightened his grip around her waist. He leaned over her shoulder and pressed his cheek to hers. “Just breathe,” he whispered to her. “I have you, it will be okay. I know you do not like violence, but just in case, if something happens and any of them get too close to you, bite, okay?”

Karina swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “Okay,” she agreed. She nuzzled him back and forced herself to relax. She wanted to flee, but they knew that the man would take an interest in her and linger longer, which was important, so she forced herself to swallow back her anxieties. Instead, she focused on Nero’s heartbeat, steady and strong in his chest. He held her closer and she hummed and fell slack against him. She trusted him, she trusted all of them. And she did not want to spend her life in a tank surrounded by humans who wished her ill or wished to peer at her like a pretty shell. They had to do something, and no one had a better plan than Riley’s.

When the doors to their room finally did open, the man that walked in was tall and skinny, and his hands were full. He had a pile of sandy-blond curls atop his head, sun-kissed skin, and dark brown eyes. In one hand, he was carrying a container that smelled strongly of fish – which did not surprise her since he had not once come without food – and it made her belly gurgle. She found that she was almost always hungry now. In his other hand, he was carrying a strange black bag of sorts that had no real identifying scent to it at all. It was just a human device that smelled as such. She eyed it warily.

As the man walked deeper into their space, the guard remained at the door watching with a bored, sleepy expression on his face. Karina supposed that was going to change soon. The man walked right up to her, Nero, and Luna as they all anticipated, and wore a cheery smile on his face as he did. When he got close, Nero growled at him in warning, and his grip on Karina tightened. She knew it was not all an act. He was still incredibly protective of her.

“Easy there, Shade, I don’t want to hurt her,” the man said. He spoke calmly and raised his hands in a peace gesture. “I just want to check on our new mama. How are you feeling, Willow?”

Karina shifted her weight and remained pressed against Nero’s chest. She maintained eye contact with the man but made no move to speak. She did not like the way English felt on her tongue and just because he was smiling and not seeking her immediate harm did not obligate her to engage with him.

The man’s smile faltered for a moment, but then returned and he continued without missing a beat. "You’re up and out of the water today,” he commented. “You must be feeling a little better and a little braver too. Are you hungry?”

He pulled the bucked close and tipped it towards her. It was full of more sliced up pieces of fish. Karina chewed her lip and her belly rumbled. She was hungry, and it was probably better to eat something before everything got chaotic. Hesitantly, she reached into the bucket and pulled out two of the strips. She then offered one out to Luna, who was still hunched behind her tail. The young Mer was no longer smiling as she cowered. Luna did not like the scientists getting close and Karina did not blame her for that.

Luna glanced at the fish and then shook her head and curled up on the floor where she could watch the man warily.

It had been worth a try. Karina quickly gulped down one of the strips before turning to look at Nero. Before she could ask if he wanted some, he leaned in to rub the side of her face with his nose. “You eat,” he whistled.

It did not take further prompting for her to swallow down the other piece as well. The baby was taking a lot of energy from her – which she did not mind – but it was hard to resist the temptation of food when she was feeding an infant that seemed more stomach than Mer.

“See? You have nothing to worry about,” the man encouraged. He set the bucket down within reach and then pulled his other bag closer. “Now, I’d like to get just a quick look at you and the baby if you’ll let me. Just a check-up, it won’t hurt.”

As soon as he suggested it, Karina instinctively tightened her cocooning fins and shied away. Nero reacted immediately by sitting up better and leaning in so that he was nearly nose to nose with the man. “You will not touch her,” he growled in English.

The man pulled back a little in the presence of Nero’s anger, but he did not move away. “I won’t grab, I promise,” he replied. “Willow, hon, I don’t want to take your child from you, I don’t want to hurt them, or you, I just want to make sure there are no health problems. Will you let me do that? The baby doesn’t have to leave your arms.”

Karina shook her head. She was not going to let him near her baby, no matter the plan or potential consequences. She did not trust them. Even if the man meant no harm, her son was incredibly delicate and frail, and could easily be hurt unintentionally. She would not take the risk.

The man sighed. “Alright. We’re not there yet, I understand. Can you at least tell me how the baby is doing? Any wheezing or coughing or difficulty nursing? Anything abnormal. We can help if so; I just want to make sure your child thrives.”

Karina shook her head, though a soft smile touched her lips as she glanced down at the bundle her fins were holding. The baby was fine.

In the time the conversation had taken place, Katie had dragged herself over, and now she reached out to tug on the leg of the man’s clothing. “Mister?” she called.

He turned when she did and Karina could see his smile return. “Hey there, Bailey, what’s up?” he asked.

Katie chewed her lip for a moment and then glanced back towards Riley, who was hunkered on the floor at the edge of the pool. “I am worried about Ri-Carmen,” Katie stammered. “Her stomach has been bothering her for a while now. I am not sure if she ate something bad or if she is getting sick, but she is too stubborn to say anything, so I am saying something for her.”

Just beyond her, Riley hissed irritably, but Karina knew it was just a ploy. They had discussed something like this earlier.

The man rose and picked up his other bag and took a few steps towards Riley. “Carmen, do you have an upset belly? Will you let me take a look?”

Riley shuffled her gliders before folding them tightly to her tail. She grumbled under her breath and then reluctantly nodded.

With permission granted, the man walked up to Riley and crouched down in front of her. He opened his bag and began rummaging through it. “You’ve been a prickly rose since I got here, Carmen, I’m glad you’re starting to come around. Have you realized I’m just here to help? Think we can be friends? Or at least have a better tolerance of one another?”

There were a few heartbeats of silence in the room as Riley slowly picked herself up into a partial crouch and smiled almost ruefully at the man. “No,” she replied in English. “I am afraid that is not possible.” The moment she finished speaking, she lunged and the man’s startled cry was cut off as she snaked her tail around his torso and squeezed. She hugged him from behind to pin his arms and parted her jaws to press her fangs to the side of his throat. Karina genuinely felt sympathy surge in her chest as she watched the terror flicker in the man’s eyes. Riley’s weight had been enough to bring him to his knees and keep him held down.

The guard took two steps into the room before Katie held up a hand and glowered. “Another step and he dies,” she hissed. “Riley can tear his throat out faster than you can get to us, you can be sure of that.”

The guard hesitated, then took another step towards them. Riley growled viciously and the man wrapped in her grasp whimpered. “Joe, wait. Carmen, you have to let go,” he begged. “You don’t want to do this, it’ll get you into a lot of trouble.”

“We’re past that,” Katie hissed. “And her name is Riley. I suggest you start using it. Start using all of our names. We’re not pets and we’re tired of being treated like it. Now, are you both ready to listen or is there going to be bloodshed?”

“What do you want?” The guard – Joe, apparently – finally inquired.

Katie glanced back at the man Riley was holding down. “What day of the week is it?”

“Friday,” the man replied with a shaky wheeze. “Why?”

Katie did not reply immediately and a blank expression crossed her features as she seemed to ponder something. She then nodded her thanks and turned her attention back to the guard. “I want you to go down the hall, but through the bathrooms to the administration wing. Go to office seventy-two and bring Charles Westfield back with you along with one of the public use wheelchairs from the park. There should be a few in the admin storage. Don’t bring anyone else back with you.”

“That’s against protocol,” the guard argued.

Katie flicked her fin and her sail raised as she hissed. “Well how about we paint the room with his entrails and then yours? Will that clash with your protocol too? You cannot stun all of us with that prod of yours.”

The guard remained frozen in place just long enough that Karina’s heart began to sink. How barbaric could they be that they could still hesitate with the death of one of their own looming like a tidal wave?

Finally, the man nodded and fled the room. Katie slumped as soon as he was gone. Rebecca had pulled herself from the water and she placed a hand on Katie’s shoulder. “It will work out,” she assured her. “Riley, are you alright?”

Riley gestured with a hand in response.

“You do not need to remain so tense, Riley. He is not going to go anywhere,” Rebecca stated with a low warning rumbling in her tone.

Riley did not respond, nor did she release her grip around the human male’s throat.

The man squirmed in her grip. “Carmen, I…ahem, Riley,” he corrected when Riley growled at him once more. “Listen, hon, could you consider loosening the vice grip just a little? It’s getting hard to breathe. I’m not going to move, I promise.”

Riley growled again, but she did shift and lift her head away from his neck. Immediately, the man raised a hand to his throat and rubbed the flesh. “You’re all making a mistake,” he whispered. “I don’t want to see any of you get into trouble for this. It’s not too late to call Joe back, I won’t hold this against anyone and we can leave it at that, alright?”

Nero snorted, startling Karina. His grip tightened around her waist and she hummed again. “There is no turning back from our chosen direction. We will not spend our lives in a clear box for the amusement of your people.”

“Lemuria has made it very clear we will have to fight for our freedom,” Riley hissed. “So we are going to fight.”

Katie shrugged regretfully. “I am sorry that we’ve had to take some extreme measures and that we’ve dragged you into this; you’re not so bad, but Mer are people, not pets, and no one in this room – no one anywhere – deserves to suffer through what Luna and I have endured.”

“Who did you send Joe after?” the man inquired.

“Charles Westfield. He is one of the workers here, he is usually buried in a mountain of paperwork by Friday afternoons, so I know he will be in the back offices,” Katie replied.

Karina watched the man’s brows furrow. “But how do you know that?”

Katie smiled darkly and leaned back on her hands. “Because Charles has worked here for years, and because my mother owns this place. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Lemuria hadn’t shared that piece of information with you, but I used to be human. They’ve been using Luna as a resource farm for their genetics experiments, of which I was the unlucky test subject.”

“Actually, I did know,” the man replied. “I just didn’t know you came from here specifically. I know a lot about all of you; at least regarding our knowledge overall. Suzie was far too young to endure all that she did and regardless of age, she should not have had to endure it at Dr. Patron’s hand. He was unnecessarily cruel and often it was not in an efficient pursuit of science. And I’m ashamed that Willow nearly died because two selfish individuals wanted front row seats to a private party.”

Katie nodded and her previous anger faltered on her features. “Then maybe you can understand why we are doing this,” she replied in a tired, bitter tone. “The only future we have with Lemuria is one of cages and pain.”

The man inclined his head towards her. “I know you believe that and prior experience gives you every right, but things will be different this time. You’re going to be taken care of properly. After everything that happened, you’re all far too valuable to lose or risk. Lemuria wants to ensure your safety as well as your confinement so there aren’t any more of these wild goose chases across the globe.”

Katie shook her head. “Even if I believed that, I still would not go back, not after everything that’s happened – that’s still happening – and no one else here is inclined to surrender their freedom either. As long as we are merely animals to Lemuria, you could never guarantee our safety or well-being.”

Karina hugged her arms to her chest, cradling her infant close. The fin atop her head lowered with distress and she bit her lip. She was tired of being here and being treated as something lesser, but mostly she was terrified at the thought of the life their son would lead if he grew up a captive, gawked at and unable to explore his freedoms and passions the way he was meant to.

She loved Nero dearly and was so grateful that his family had welcomed her the way they had, but this young baby of hers was the last connection she had to her own pod, a continuation of her kin, a bloodline that would have otherwise ended with her. She wanted a better, fuller life for him.

“You have to know that this is not going to end well,” the man argued, breaking Karina from her thoughts as he spoke. “You’re a smart girl, you’ve shown that, you have to know this is a desperate gamble more likely to backfire. What even is your plan? You’re having one person brought back as though that’s going to change that you can’t all just drag yourselves down the hall or blend in.”

Katie shrugged. “We are not. Charles has worked for my mother for years, and he won’t be afraid of Lemuria. He’ll help us. And since smaller numbers are less likely to be noticed and six o’clock – am or pm – always has a lull both in the park and this wing, it means we’ve got a path that should be relatively clear of unwanted attention. One wheelchair, taken back and forth a few quick times. You and Riley will take a ride too. There are a few water routes out of here that we can take, and once we’re all safely in the water, we’ll release you and be on our way.”

“You’ve put some thought into this,” the man observed.

“Yes,” Katie agreed. “We’ve had to. It will work. It is taking your buddy longer than I thought to get back though.”

“It would be a shame if he abandoned you,” Riley growled. Karina watched her muscles shift and then the man wheezed sharply again as he was constricted.

“Riley, do not hurt him unnecessarily,” Karina begged in a whistle. She refused to switch to English. “It is not his fault that it is taking longer.”

Riley glanced up and dipped her head once, and the man began to gasp as her grip loosened. He glanced at Karina with gratitude in his gaze. He did not have to know what she said to know she had argued on his behalf. She looked away. Just because she did not like violence did not make her friends with this man. He was still part of a group responsible for so much suffering and she found that hard to forget or forgive.

“It’s not a bad plan for what you have to work with,” the man acknowledged when he caught his breath. “But there’s a fatal flaw in it.”

“And what is that?” Katie inquired.

The man pursed his lips. “I’m wired.”

Karina did not know what that meant, but she knew it was bad because Katie reared back with surprise and her eyes widened. Then they narrowed and she growled. “You are bluffing,” she accused.

The man shook his head. “Check for yourself, then. It’s threaded through the tie.”

When Katie hesitated, Riley frowned. “What does he mean?” she asked.

“If he’s wired, then they’ve been able to hear us the entire time. It means the plan was doomed from the start.”

Riley growled. “Go ahead and look. I have got a good grip and it is better we know for certain. If he is lying, he will regret it. And if he speaks the truth, Lemuria should know it is not a bluff. We have a contingency in place. You will die and we will resort to it.”

Katie set her jaw and nodded. She crawled up to the man and began to fuss around the piece of dangling fabric wrapped around his neck. Karina found herself holding her breath as she watched with a rapidly beating heart. After a moment, Katie yanked free a shiny, slender black tendril and her face paled. She threw it to the ground and hefted her tail, bringing the scaled appendage down on the small thing with a harsh thumping sound. When she pulled away, pieces had been broken off of it. “He was telling the truth,” she confirmed.

Before any of them could react or work out what to do with the newfound knowledge, the doors pushed open once more and Karina shrunk back as the scientist entered. Though he had helped her to the water when she was in labour and had been keeping others at bay for them, she was still intimidated by his presence.

He surveyed the scene with a frown, but his hands remained casually stuffed into the folds of the fabric he was wearing. Nero gave Karina a tight hug, then released her so he could position his body between the scientist’s and hers.

“Dr. Auldon,” Katie whispered as she sunk low to the floor and bared her fangs. “You knowing doesn’t change anything. We’re not going to stay here!”

Dr. Auldon pursed his lips and shrugged. “Well of course not. We were getting ready to move you all soon anyway. It looks like you’ve just accelerated the timeline is all. Let him go, Katherine. I will congratulate you that it was a half-way decent plan, better than I would have expected you to concoct, and the initiative is what counts, but I won’t tolerate senseless violence of that magnitude. Release him, or your opportunities for diplomacy and security disappear. If you thought last time was bad, killing him will make things far worse for you.”

Katie glanced around at the rest of them with dismay on her face. Then she shook herself and straightened up a little higher. She lifted her chin defiantly at the man. “I’m not going to be controlled anymore. I’m not afraid of you.”

The man shrugged and a smile pulled at his lips. “Good,” he replied. His hand pulled free of his fabric folds and he levelled a small black thing at Katie’s face. She flinched but continued to glower at him and a growl rose in her throat. The growl was cut off with a startled yelp not a heartbeat later and Katie’s hand flew to the back of her neck as she winced openly. In the short time that it took her to brush the nape of her neck where her collar was, something had shifted. She shuddered and her eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.

From beside Karina, Luna called out to her sister, but it was Riley that reacted.

“Katie!” she shouted. Riley sprung away from the man she was holding with such force that it knocked him back and his legs skidded into the water. He caught himself on the edge and pulled himself up and quickly out of range of Ixion, who had lunged for him.

Riley threw herself over Katie’s collapsed form and parted her jaws. Karina did too, though there did not seem to be any harmful scents wafting from Katie. Once her inspection was complete, Riley remained hunched over the amethyst Mer and growled up at the scientist. “What did you do?”

Instead of answering, the scientist swung the remote in Karina and Nero’s general direction, but it was Luna that whimpered. It took only a heartbeat for Karina to glance at her and see the young Mer drop. Karina lifted her tail and gritted her teeth as she took Luna’s weight to keep her from smacking down on the floor. She gently lowered the girl until she was prone. Ixion surfaced beside them to look over her.

Karina’s heart was pounding in her chest and she tightened her grip on her baby frantically. It was going very wrong.

“Get your collars off,” Riley whistled. It was a pointless suggestion, though, because all around Karina, the others began to drop too. It was like an instant reaction. Rebecca and Ixion each faltered and their eyes rolled back, and Nero’s warmth was gone from beside her as he collapsed on his side away from her.

Tears watered in Karina’s eyes and she called for him as she frantically shook Nero’s shoulder. She did not know what to do. The only other one left conscious was Riley, but she was slumped down on top of Katie and shaking, with her lips warped into a pained grimace.

As Dr. Auldon walked forward in the wreckage he had caused, Karina shied back but kept a desperate grip on Nero’s hand. It was just like the last time when they had incapacitated all the others and left her to watch as they boxed them all up and brought them here. It had been terrible.

Riley was still quivering, but forced herself back up on shaky arms and spread her gliders as Dr. Auldon approached. She snarled at him.

“Are you alright, Jacob?” Dr. Auldon asked.

The other man nodded and stepped over Rebecca’s limp tail to stride back over to the scientist. “Battered, but it could have been worse,” he reported.

The scientist nodded. “Good. Sorry about the risk you faced. Go and prep the transports, now’s as good a time as any.”

Jacob dipped his head and then left the room. Dr. Auldon took a few more steps forward and crouched in front of Riley. She growled at him again, but she was panting heavily and did not look like she had the strength to attack even if she wanted to.

Dr. Auldon reached out and tucked some of her hair behind her ear and Riley’s growl deepened, only to break off with a groan as she hung her head and shivered. “I was wondering if you would be able to resist,” the scientist stated. “After you did with the last drugs we gave you, I did wonder. You have a curious strength of will. Shock collars were never going to work this time. They’re far too noticeable and they can be endured, and the public didn’t like seeing them. They would hate seeing a whole family wearing them. I had samples taken from all of your friends when they were brought here, and you offered up many of your own, willingly to save Katherine.

“All of it has been immensely helpful in developing my research. I needed a sedative that could drop any of you instantly, just in case. Lemuria wanted to make sure that you could be safely and harmlessly incapacitated in case of an incident. I’m glad to see it’s working well on the others, but you were my particular challenge. How to account for that sheer, stubborn will to resist that you possess? I will say, you harness it beautifully.”

“I hope eels pick at your rotting carcass,” Riley bit back. Her brows were furrowed with concentration and her shaking was getting worse. Karina did not know how to help her, but she knew Riley was not going to be able to resist much longer.

“Perhaps one day that will be what happens,” Dr. Auldon acknowledged. “But not today. You are going to sleep whether you want to or not. I put a contingency in place for you.”

He pointed the little device at Riley again, and instantly, Riley dropped with nothing more than a pained whisper. Dr. Auldon caught her as she fell and Karina hissed at him as he held the other blonde sprawled across his arm and lap. His free hand petted back some of her long locks and he hummed with satisfaction. “Never underestimate the effectiveness of a second dose when the mind is already stretched thin.”

He shifted Riley so that she was sprawled limply over top of Katie, and then rose. He dusted off his hands and Karina curled her tail close to her body as his attention turned to her. He took a step forward and Karina hissed. She was not normally aggressive, but now she was cornered with a threat coming at her fallen mate and her baby.

Another step and she growled. The man paused and regarded her calmly. “Motherhood seems to have brought out a little spark in you, hasn’t it? That’s good, you’re going to need it.”

“S-st-stay a-away,” Karina stammered. Her English really was not very good. She had never learned a human language and her mind was struggling more than she thought it would with it. But she supposed she did not practice enough for fluency to come naturally.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s not an option, my dear. I won’t sedate you; I don’t want to risk the chemicals getting into the baby’s bloodstream through your milk, we have no idea what sort of effects that could have, but you are going to cooperate now.”

Karina bared her fangs again and hissed, but it felt weak in the face of her fear. The scientist did not seem intimidated either, because he walked right up to her despite her attempt to lurch back. She was pinned between him and a wall, and while she could dive into the water, it would only prolong a bad situation and she was reluctant to leave the others.

As the man knelt in front of her, Karina remembered what Nero had advised. She hated violence more than most anything else, but she knew she was on her own now and she had to protect her child and her family as best as she could. She growled again and then lunged at him with parted jaws.

Dr. Auldon raised one arm and Karina’s teeth collided with it. Instead of sinking into muscle, however, there was a loud clang and Karina’s teeth bounced off. She yelped and pulled back as the force shot through her jaw. As she faltered, Dr. Auldon caught her around the neck by her collar. He stood back up and pulled. Karina felt her throat close as he pulled her up by the circlet and her hands came up to claw at it.

She wheezed and whimpered, but he held her until she felt dizzy and stopped resisting. As long as she did not move a muscle, there was just enough slack to allow her to breathe shallowly. She whimpered.

Dr. Auldon shook his arm so that the fabric sleeve rode up enough to reveal a long, shiny strip. Metal. No wonder she had not been able to bite him. “Just a precaution,” he informed her. “A valiant effort though, but I cannot risk you injuring yourself or your infant.”

Tears pricked in Karina’s eyes and she tightened her grip on her baby. “Pl-lease,” she whispered. “Let us g-go.”

Dr. Auldon placed a hand on her head and began to stroke her hair, just behind her fin, which was now flat to her skull in her distress. “I’m afraid that’s not an option. Your options are to hang like this until I’m ready to move you, or you can sit quietly and wait patiently, and I’ll allow you to remain with your mate through transport if you do. So what is your choice? Are you going to be a good girl?”

Karina felt her tears begin to spill over as she glanced at Nero. He did not appear injured, but her heart still squeezed with distress as she saw him lying there, helpless and exposed as he was. She was not going to win the fight alone and even if she could, there was no point. She could not get them all out by herself. Suddenly, all she wanted was not to be alone. She hated being alone. “I want to s-stay with him,” she pleaded.

The pressure on her collar disappeared and Karina caught herself on her hands. Dr. Auldon’s foot nudged into her scales and Karina did not need further prompting as she pulled herself back over to Nero. She curled up beside him with her head resting on his hip and hugged him as best she could. Her tears smeared on his skin as she rubbed her face against him. “Please be okay,” she whistled.