Chapter 16:Dangerous Game Part 1

Destiny was searching the selves when Riptide started gasping for breath causing her to rush to her brother's side. Long was there as well. "Shen hurry," the silver said.

Shen came to the bed and her eyes grew wide. "This is not normal for this type of poison," the blonde and violet hair girl shook her head. "Shit, someone did a change to it."

Destiny felt herself starting to panic. 'This has to be a nightmare. This can't be happening,' She looked over to Long who paused in his search and saw the fear in his eyes. He was scared, they both were. They couldn't lose their brother. Riptide was the strength for them he had always been there for them.

"Des," she became aware that someone had a hold of her arm giving it a slight squeeze. She shifted her attention to Shen and she struggled not to lose it in front of the other girl. "Shen, he can't die," she said her voice starting to break. "I can't lose my brother."

"There is no way in hell I'm letting that happen," Shen said. "I need to figure out how this poison was changed."

"The poison was changed?" Destiny looked at her brother who was getting worse with each passing minute. "Then he is going to die."

"Hey, I said he wasn't," Shen glared at her best friend. "My mom taught me the skills that run in the Tifite family and he won't die."

"Promise?" Both girls looked at Long who joined them. "Promise Rip won't die?"

Shen grinned. "Hey, he won't die." Seeing Masta, she made her way to the crab man. "Someone did changes to the poison and we need to figure out how and fast."

"Long, stay with them," Destiny said.

He looked at her, "What you do?"

"I'm going to get mother," she said.

Long nodded then he went to see what he could do to help. Destiny swallowed before she left the room knowing in her heart she was close to losing all control, emotionally.

~~.~~.~~

Marcus stared at the woman before him. Had he heard her what? "Arlong is what?!"

"The father our children," Nami said.

"The lad and the other two who came with us," Blade said. "They are yer children?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't Arlong even know that he has children?" Marcus asked.

He wasn't expecting the woman to actually slap him across the face. "That bastard has no right to even know, not after what he did to me," she said.

Marcus' cheek was still stinging as he stared at her, "What did he do?"

"He raped me," Nami said.

Blade looked at her in disbelief, "Ye had been raped?"

Marcus was horrified at her news. "Raped," he said. "My son...he raped you..." The mako suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

"Mother!"

The three looked up at Destiny who came running outside. "You need to come quick," she said. "Riptide! He's gotten worse!"

Blade and Nami rushed inside. Marcus didn't move his eyes were on Destiny, who stayed outside. She was upset, very upset as she hugged herself. He saw her starting to shake as she struggled to keep it together. Watching her, he felt a sudden pain in his heart. He never once thought about his past or what his actions would have caused. Marcus was at one time the kind of person who hooked up with a woman and slept with for a couple of years until she gave birth, then swam off, only caring enough to give the son she gave him a name. He showed back up when his son, Arlong was 15 and told him to watch his 3-year-old half-sister, and swam off again. He had never bothered with either child and he honestly had not really cared until this moment.

What have I done? Marcus thought watching Destiny and sadly realized the mistakes he made so long ago. I never cared about the women I was with nor did I even love them. I was only with them because I knew they could give me children who would be strong and healthy. You stupid fool, look at the mess you made! Hell, if I had been there maybe Arlong wouldn't have done what he did to that poor girl. This my fault.

Soon Long came out to check on Destiny and the moment he saw his sister, the young copper hybrid hugged his sister both breaking down. Seeing them crying opened Marcus' eyes and he felt an emotional pain in his heart. They were his family, his grandchildren and right now they needed him. They needed him to there for them and be there he would.

He approached the pair unsure what to say or even do. Hell, he didn't even know how he should even act toward them.

"Rip gonna die," Long said with a sob.

"Your brother is not going to die," Marcus said hoping he had some idea of what he was doing. "Don't you even think that. Neither of you."

Both Destiny and Long looked at him in surprise. "Who are you," Destiny said.

Marcus rubbed the back of his head. Why was this so hard to do? "I...I'm the father to your father," he said.

"Father's father?" Long blinked at him. Marcus managed a weak smile as he nodded. "You Sofu!"

"Yes..." The word had no sooner left his mouth before Long threw his arms around him, clinging to him tightly. Marcus was not expecting that type of reaction. Long clung to him so tightly just crying like there was no tomorrow that he had no idea what to do. "Why makes you say your brother will die?"

"Shen knows the poison, but she said it was changed," Destiny replied. "How can that even happen?"

"It can't," Marcus said. "There is no way to...wait, that may be the answer! There is a way!"

"Way that Rip not die?" Long asked.

Marcus grinned at him. "No, Rip will not die.

~~.~~.~~

"Masta, do you still have it?" Marcus asked as he rushed in with Destiny and Long.

The ancient crab man turned an eyestalk to him. "Have what?"

The mako shook his head. "Why am I not surprised."

"We need to find?" Long asked.

"Yes," he said. "We need to find an item I left with Masta if we are to save your brother."

Nami looked at Marcus. "Wait, you have something that can save Riptide?"

"Yes," Marcus said as he went to Riptide's bed. He could see that Riptide was getting worse and seeing that made Marcus confirm within the depths of his soul of the choice he now made. "Hang on," he said stroking the top of the hybrid's head. Brown eyes so full of pain looked at him and the mako saw the fear in them. "I swear I'm not going to let you die, grandson."

"Ma...Marcus..." Riptide managed a whisper. "You're my-,"

"Hush now," the mako said. "We'll have plenty to talk about later I promise."

Blade looked over his shoulder. "Marcus, ye better take a look," he said with urgency.

"What is it?" He stood up and the shock was clearly written on his face. "Ruby," he said.

Standing just outside the doorway was saw tooth mermaid in her human form. She had long curly red hair and light blue skin with wild green eyes. Ruby was very attractive for a female of her species with a body that would drive any man wild with the desire, of course, she still used this little trick on any male she set eyes on. She wore tan fitting tan pants and a very snug fitting black halter top. "Marcus," she nearly purred his name.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded.

She smiled as she held up a weather-worn canvas knapsack, "I know what you're looking for. So how about a trade hmm?"

Nami had one hell of pissed look on her face, but the look in her eyes was beyond anger. Her eyes glued to Ruby who seemed to be enjoying what this game was. She was angry for a reason. Riptide was laying there, fighting for his life. "Who do the hell do you think you are?!"

Ruby looked at the woman in amusement before she started to laugh. "Oh, isn't this so precious," she said. "A pretty little thing like you making demands."

"Have you no shame," Masta said. "You have no right to come in and act like this is a game." He gestured to Riptide who was nearing death's door. "What you have, we need to save this boy's life."

Ruby shifted her attention to where Riptide lay and strolled into the room up the bed. Her green eyes studying the white hybrid and she then looked at Marcus giving him a devilish grin. "I think I will keep this and not only will I keep it, but I will take him as well," She traced a finger down Riptide's arm in what was no doubt a seductive manner.

"Ye be a fool," Blade snarled. "Yer outnumbered and the lad's mother will kill ye." The sawtooth gestured to Nami who had murder clearly written in her eyes.

"Wait, are you saying?"

"He is a hybrid," Marcus said, eyes narrowing. "Now give me that sack or I swear Ruby, you will see a side of me that no one has seen before."

"Are you threatening me?" Ruby looked surprisingly amused.

"Bitch, I make no threats, I make promises. So if you're smart you will do as told before it is too late" he said. Marcus was clearly showing a very dangerous side and he would not hesitate to use it.

During that time elsewhere….

Tarlong stood at the window of the bedroom wearing only his pants, his mind lost in a sea of thoughts. Marcus was the name of the longfin mako who went with Riptide, the name of the one who was he and Garth's father. He kept referring to Riptide as his son. Was there a slight chance that this Marcus was not right in the head? It had to be for him to call Riptide Arlong. He looked back to the bed where Chizzara was sleeping and a smile grew on his face. Even after their years together, she had yet to stop surprising him. 'How in the world did I get so lucky to have her at my side?' He thought as he turned to look out the window once more and suddenly he spotted something, something heading toward the window.

"Oh shit," he said as he got the hell out of the way.

The glass shattered as a figured clad entirely in black came crashing through the window. Chizz woke up with a scream as Tarlong grabbed one of his revolvers.

"Who the hell are you!" Tarlong demanded.

"One of the followers of the Order," the intruder said.

Tarlong blinked as he realized that the intruder was a ninja, a fish-man ninja to be exact. "Order," he muttered. "Who the hell is this Order?"

"The Order of the True blood!" was the reply of the other, drawing two sias. "That is all you shall know! Now die!"

"Sorry, not today nor this lifetime," Talong said firing the revolver.

The ninja's death was quick which followed the slamming of the bedroom door opening and Garth with three protectors rushed in. They stared at the body as Tarlong knelt down pulling the ninja's mask off to reveal a black tiger shark Fishman.

"A black tiger shark," one the Protectors said as she stared in surprise.

"Go get Longtooth," ordered another. "He will want to know this."

Tarlong went to Chizzara who sat shaking wrapped only in a blanket. "Chizz, are you okay?"

"Tarlong, what the hell is going on here," she said clinging to him "What kind of nightmare have we stumbled into?"

"I wish to god I knew," Tarlong said. "Oh no! Riptide!"

Chizz looked up at him. "What about him?"

"If this guy was sent here," he said. "What are the chances this lot won't go after him or …damn it! Garth, find us somebody who knows this island and make it fast."

Garth nodded and left the room. Tarlong reloaded the revolver as Chizz looked at him. "The old man took Riptide and chances are pretty good that this Order goes right after him. That damn fool just put this family in danger."

"I'm going with you," Chizz said as she started to pick up their clothes from the floor.

"No, you're not!" Tarlong looked at her. "Your staying here where you'll be safe. Garth and I can take care of this."

"Tarl, this is not one of your jobs," the blonde said. "You have no-,"

"Chizz, I know this isn't," he said. "I don't know what the hell we've gotten into, but right now I need to focus on finding where Riptide was taken. If you're with me-,"

"Alright, you win," she said leaned toward him. "Promise me, you won't do anything stupid."

He leaned down to her giving her a little kiss on the lips, "Promise."

At the moment Longtooth came in with Garth. "I just heard," he said. "Are you-," The mako's eyes grew wide at the sight of the dead black tiger shark. "Strider!"

Tarlong looked at him, "Wait, you knew this guy?"

"Yes and his brothers as well."

"Brothers?" Chizzara looked from Strider's dead body to Longtooth. "How many brothers are there?"

"Besides Strider, there is Stryker and Ryder," the Protector said. "Stryker is far more dangerous than his brothers." He looked at the three his face a mixture of fear and worry. "I hate to say this, but I fear Stryker may be up to something."

"Like what?" Tarlong asked him.

"Whatever it is it's not good," Longtooth said.

Masta's home….

The standoff between Marcus and Ruby was wearing Marcus' patience thin, very thin. Ruby seemed to be enjoying this sick little game of hers while he was not. Everyone's patience was wearing thin. "I will not repeat myself, Ruby," Marcus said. "Give me that sack or you will regret this little game."

The saw tooth mermaid smirked as she walked from the bed knowing she had control. "Please what can you do?" she said paused just near the entrance that went into the hallway and the other rooms. "Just face it, Marcus, I won."

"Who says you won?"

"What?" Ruby turned around just as Shen lunged forward and did a backward somersault in midair.

"WHAM!" Shen landed a powerful kick to Ruby's head which sent her backward and knocked her out. "She was so annoying."

To Shen and everyone else's surprise, Destiny ran over to the girl and hugged her. "Shen, you did it! I'm sorry I doubted you."

Shen looked at Destiny who looked at her with shame. "Well, I did promise that Riptide wouldn't didn't I?" With a grin, she gave Destiny a bear crushing hug. "Besides I can't be breaking a promise to my best friend, can I?" Brief laughter erupted between the two.

"What shall we do with her?" Blade asked nodding to Ruby.

Marcus had knelt by her, opening the knapsack and retrieved a small black handcrafted box. He stood up handing it to Masta before he looked at Blade. "Tie her up and we will deal with her later. For now, let us focus on the recovery of my grandson."

"What is this?" Masta asked holding up what almost looks like a root from a tree.

"I do not know, but I do know that can be used to make any type of poison," Marcus said.

"You mean it's like some kind of universal root," Destiny asked as she stared at it with Shen.

"I need to study this," Shen said. "If that is okay?"

Marcus nodded. "I brought this for Masta to study but feel free to study it if you feel it will help,"

It was nearly two hours later that Marcus stepped outside needing some air and to gather his thoughts. God, what a day this has been.

"Are ye okay?"

The mako glanced over his shoulder at Blade. "I wish I could give an honest answer but that I can not."

Long came rushing outside. "Riptide awake!" he said excitedly. "Mother said get you. He come to?" the youngest saw tooth asked as he looked at Blade.

"If he wants to," Marcus looked toward the other sawtooth. "You coming?"

Blade shook his head. "This is a family affair," he said. "Ye need to there not me."

"You're right," he said. The mako slowly put an arm around Long's shoulders. "Let's go check-," The words were lost as his eyes widen in alarm. "Blade, behind you!"

The Protector had already sensed the danger and whirled around just as he felt something cutting into his flesh. He let out a cry of pain dropping to a knee. Marcus had shoved Long back to the house ordering him to get back to his family before rushed to Blade's side.

"Are ye a fool?" Blade asked through gritted teeth.

"Fool perhaps but I can't leave you unguarded," Marcus said.

"Sofu!"

Marcus heard Long and turned, his heart almost stopped at the sight before him. Long was frozen with fear as a karambit was at his throat as the black tiger shark man stood behind him his other arm wrapped around the young hybrid keeping him tightly against him. "Let him go!"

The other shark's face showed no expression. "I will let him go, unharmed as long as you do as I say."

Who is this other tiger shark and what does he want? What will Marcus do now that Long's life is being threatened? Read and Review.