The next afternoon finds me lying on my back under the mid-day sun. Virgil and I had left Tracy Island late the night before for our vacation and I was determined to use the days off to the fullest - which meant a lot of sun tanning, good food, and hours of relaxation. Already I was enjoying it.

I let out a soft sigh of content, feeling the sun warm my body. Those evil yellow eyes were the farthest thing from my mind and I didn't plan on moving until supper.

But then. . .I didn't expect to have water dumped on me either.

I sit up, letting out a shriek of surprise as my sunglasses fall from my eyes and onto my damp stomach. As soon as I got a look at the person who was responsible for soaking me, I narrow my eyes and hide a smile.

"Virgil Tracy, you're a dead man!" I jump up and hop on his back, pretending to attack him. I suppose I shouldn't have been admiring his bronzed skin and muscular form, as I end up in the sand around the patio soon after.

He grins down at me. "You should know better than to go against me, Tin- Tin."

I stand up and brush sand off my skin, glaring at him slightly. "You should know better than to dump cold water on a sleeping girlfriend. She might decide to withhold certain things as payback." I grin and turn away from him, going back to lie on my lounger.

He pushes me over slightly to sit down beside me on the chair. "Come on, she wouldn't do that."

"Wouldn't she?"

He shook his head, the sun making his hair appear lighter than it was. "No, she wouldn't."

"And why not?" I ask, giving him an innocent, blank stare.

"Because she's on vacation and those things she'd be withholding are part of the agenda."

I roll my eyes. "What agenda would that be?"

"The eating, sleeping, sun tanning and swimming agenda."

"Oh, right, that one. I forgot about that one," I say dryly, pretending not to be amused one bit.

He pokes me lightly in the arm. "Come on, Tin-Tin. Don't be mad at me."

I offer him a small smile. "I'm not mad at you. I just don't like having my sleep disrupted."

He grins wickedly. "I hope you'll let me disrupt your sleep tonight. . ."

I feel my cheeks heating up and know I'm blushing beneath my sunscreen. "Of course."

"But what about all those things you plan on withholding?" He teases.

I chuckle. "I'm not going to be withholding anything. You were right, I'm on vacation. Now move; you're in my sun." I give him a playful push and stretch out on my back again.

He sighs and moves, deciding to leave me alone, I figure. That is, until the lounge chair is picked up and I'm thrown in the pool. I think I might have to kill him.

"Virgil!" I scream before I hit the water. Damn that Tracy man, with those Tracy muscles.

He just smirks down at me. "Oh, Tin-Tin, I don't think going swimming is going to give you an even tan."

I glare at him and splash water at his feet. He's standing beside the pool now, looking at me in the water, the smile on his face aggravating. "Help me out?" It sounds like more of a question to both of us, but as far as I'm concerned, being in the pool on my own wasn't part of his 'agenda'.

He smiles winningly, probably thinking I'll forgive him just because of his charm. He'll figure out that I won't soon enough. He reaches down to help me out. . .and I latch onto his arm, giving a firm tug, sending him head over heels into the water beside me.

He splutters as he reaches the surface, wet hair hanging in his eyes instead of being slicked back like he always wears it. I decide I like it loose and messy.

I grin widely at his soaked state. "Serves you right for being mean to me."

"I wasn't being mean; I was simply cooling you off on a hot day."

I roll my eyes. "Right."

He comes at me quickly, planning to dunk my head under the water. I save him the trouble and do it myself, trying to get of his way.

I swim beneath his legs, feeling him turn around above me, following me with his eyes. Just as I'm about to go back to the surface and splash him, my head begins to throb. What's left of the oxygen in my lungs quickly leaves and I take in water, trying to get it back.

"It seems I've caught you at a rather bad time." The voice is back, pulsing through my brain and flooding into my ears with the water around me.

I gurgle in response, choking on the chlorinated pool water, trying to get back to the air where Virgil is. But he won't let me go. He holds me down though he's not there, keeping me from speaking. It's the perfect time to make me do whatever he wishes; I can't fight back, I can't talk, and I'm afraid I may drown. He has me exactly how he wants me. Helpless.

"You will do as I say, do you understand?" He cackles wickedly inside my head, knowing there's no way I can say no. I can't even breathe.

The world flashes white, then red, and then white again, going in a continuous cycle, hypnotizing me. Blood roars in my ears and I try to scream, but nothing leaves my lips except water I've already taken in. As I try to breathe, more replaces it, sliding down my throat with cool, acidic tentacles.

I can see his eyes in my mind now, and if I was scared before, I was terrified then. They flash, holding me tighter in his mental grasp, suspending me in the water I was sure was about to bring death to me.

Virgil. . .I try to move my arms to reach for him, but they're locked at my sides. Why isn't he doing anything? Why can't he see I'm going to drown?

Everything happens in only seconds. Maybe he thinks I'm playing a trick, or I'm trying to beat Gordon at staying under water for a certain length of time. But Gordon isn't around. As far as I know, I'm alone. Virgil may have even deserted me. I can't feel anything, see anything, or even tell if I'm still alive.

Is this what death feels like?

"You will kill him." He's back in my mind, giving his orders, and I don't have time to think of anything but his instructions. The words are cold and emotionless, and they make me shiver despite the warmth of the pool.

I try to get a negative response out, but it just won't work. I know who he wants me to kill. It's too obvious, too plain to see.

"If you kill him, they will see that I mean business. My dear Tin-Tin, you must kill your stupid boyfriend for me. If you don't, it will be you that meets death."

Too late, I think to myself as the water seems to swallow me up. My head aches with the pressure and the lack of oxygen my lungs are getting.

And then, the white and red flashes stop. The eyes disappear. The voice is gone. I sink down, down, down into the black depths of my consciousness until I can't sink any more.