CHAPTER 8

"WHAT DO YOU WANT OF ME?"

Frankie laughed in spite of herself and accepted the rag. She was surprised to find it dry and then realized, but for her tears, her face was dry, too. Looking up sharply, she was about to comment on this when she noticed they were moving through the water. In as even a tone as possible, she asked, "Wh…where…are you taking me?"

"I'm taking you back," came the calm reply. "You're obviously still terrified of me. And that's the last thing I want." Unwinding all but a few of his tendrils from around her, Jason began slowly rising to the surface. "Now blow your nose," he added firmly.

Giving him a self-conscious smile, Frankie did as she was told, wiping away her tears at the same time.

"I truly am sorry if I frightened you," the Alterran went on in the same calm, soothing voice. "I never intended you to think I was punishing you for keeping me prisoner. I don't blame you for not understanding. Honestly, I don't."

"Oh, I don't know what to think anymore," Dr. Albert sighed resignedly. "I'm so tired. And I hurt all over," she moaned, rubbing her bruised and shredded wrists.

"I'm not surprised." Indicating her wrists, the Alterran said, "You'd better get those lacerations seen to when you get back. They could become infected if you're not careful."

"Now you're starting to sound like—" Frankie caught her breath. "—a doctor."

Puzzled by her expression, Jason stopped moving. "What's the matter?"

"I've just remembered. There was this man at the Center tonight. He said he could tell me all about you."

"What man? When?"

"He called himself the Doctor," Frankie went on. "To tell you the truth, I thought he was a nut. Now I'm not so sure. He said that, if what he suspected were true, then you were more than just a new form of marine life."

The Alterran gave an amused grunt. "That's probably the understatement of the century."

"He's coming back in the morning to see me. And you."

Jason was skeptical. "Are you sure he wasn't just one of High Priest Brogan's murderous minions trying to throw you off?"

Dr. Albert did a double take. "Y'know, for a creature from the sea, you certainly have a phenomenal vocabulary."

"Haven't you heard?" Jason grunted. "We travel in schools." So saying, he resumed his rise to the surface.

Again, Frankie laughed in spite of herself, and this time Jason felt her relax slightly. Perhaps she was starting to trust him after all.

"As for this doctor," Frankie went on, "I'm sure he wasn't a part of…eh, tonight. He didn't seem the type. He struck me as being very well educated, and not without some intelligence."

Breaking the surface at last, Dr. Albert looked around in amazement. They were further from shore than she expected, yet she could still make out the Freeland Center, which would have been difficult to miss. There were a dozen or so police and emergency vehicles around the main building, their red and blue lights flashing wildly against the night sky.

"Incredible…" she breathed.

Once the initial shock of the spectacle on land had passed, all Frankie wanted to do was swim towards it as fast as she could. She did not try, however, fearing she might provoke the fearsome creature holding her.

Oblivious to the fact that his companion was contemplating escape, Jason slowly started towards shore. After only a minute, he stopped short, and actually backed up slightly.

These few short minutes above the surface had done wonders in restoring Dr. Albert's confidence. She suddenly realized she wasn't nearly as frightened as she had been in the unfamiliar blackness of the ocean depths. "Now look," she said firmly, "you promised to take me back."

The Alterran's sensors glowed more fiercely than she had ever seen before, and for a single, terrifying instant, Frankie felt sure she had provoked him to anger. She was relieved, therefore, when the reply came in the same calm voice as before, "I also said I wouldn't let anything happen to you," Jason reminded. "Don't you know who that man is? The one standing where they fished out your coat."

The puzzled oceanographer squinted in an unsuccessful attempt to even see the person he meant. "No," she said at last.

"He was with Brogan and the others tonight," Jason informed startlingly. "He's one of the ones you pull a hood off of."

"What? How can you possibly tell from this distance?"

Now it was Jason's turn to be puzzled, his amnesia having blocked the knowledge of his own incredible powers. "I can see him perfectly, can't you?"

"No, I can't," came the relieved reply. Looking up at the sky, Frankie added, "And he won't be able to see us, either. Not as long as the moon stays behind those clouds."

Inside the Freeland Center, Alex Grove had been giving the police a complete account of the evening's events as far—as he knew them. The main building was swarming with investigators by this time and he reflected wistfully on how upset Frankie would have been with all these strangers tromping around upsetting her fish.

A uniformed officer came into the room and interrupted the interview just as Alex felt he was about go to pieces again. The welcome delay gave him a chance to collect himself. As the officials conferred for several minutes, he sat staring out the window, wishing he'd had the courage to tell Frankie exactly how he felt about her. He'd had so many opportunities to do so, and now… Now it was too late.

Out in the ocean, Frankie was having similar thoughts. What was going on in her Center? And how was Alex taking it? As far as he knew, she was dead. They all thought she was dead. But she didn't seem to care about that. If only she could let Alex know she was alright.

Frankie was so lost in thought she actually forgot where she was and jumped when Jason gently asked, "Is there anywhere—?" Breaking off, he quickly apologized for startling her. "I seem to frighten you no matter what I do," he sighed. "Do you still want to go back? I'm not about to go near the place again, but I won't stop you." So saying, he released the dumbfounded woman, leaving only one tendril loosely wrapped around her waist to keep her above water.

Frankie's first inclination was to get as far away as possible before he changed his mind. Pulling away, she swam as fast as she could for several yards before finally slowing down. Dry land was still some distance away and she did not want to wear herself out. Luckily, she had two things on her side. She was a strong swimmer, and the sea was calm. Throwing a quick, nervous glance back to make certain she was not being pursued, she continued toward shore in earnest.

Jason watched as the oceanographer swam away, an overwhelming feeling of sadness and isolation washing over him. Without her, he was completely cut off and totally alone. He didn't think he could feel any worse until he saw the terrified look Frankie threw back at him. Heaving a sigh that sounded very much like a sob, he silently submerged.

As Frankie drew nearer to the shore, she saw, to her horror, that Jason had been right all along. The man on the intake was one of the men who'd attacked her. Her heart jumped when she saw Alex and she was about to call to him when Johnson suddenly appeared. If she called out now, she felt certain the men would kill both her and Alex. Unable to bear this thought, she turned back, letting out a small cry of alarm when she saw the Alterran was gone. She swam back to where she'd left him, floundering in the water in a panic. "No! Don't leave me!" she cried, searching the water frantically. "Crystal, where are you? Come back! Please, come—"

Frankie let out a scream when something touched her bare ankle. A second later, she was unceremoniously yanked beneath the waves.

On shore, Alex looked sharply as what sounded like scream drifted in across the water. He stood perfectly still, straining to hear the familiar voice once more.

"Mr. Grove, are you quite all right?" came a polite voice from behind him.

Alex came to his senses with a jolt. "What…? Oh, yes, I'm…I'm fine, Detective. It's just…I could've sworn I heard…" Shaking his head, he turned to go inside. "Just my imagination."

The Detective nodded understandingly, a sinister smile coming to his face. He exchanged a knowing look with Johnson and then turned his gaze back to the black water below.

Things were going even better than they'd planned.

"Quiet!" Jason scolded as he pulled Frankie underwater. "Do you want the whole world to know we're out here?" He had been keeping a close watch on her from below the surface and was appalled when she suddenly started shouting.

"I…I thought…you'd abandoned me," she responded shakily.

The Alterran was so incredulous he used her pet name without realizing. "Frankie, you begged me to let you go. You pleaded with me, remember? I'm some horrible monster who—"

"I'm sorry, okay!"

"Sorry! I have feelings too—" Jason cut himself off, his voice suddenly filled with concern. "Frankie, you're trembling."

Dr. Albert looked down at the hands the Alterran held so gently, clasping them together to try and steady herself. "You were right," she said finally. "I can't go back. They'll kill me, if I do."

"So, what do we do now?" Jason asked practically.

"I don't know!" Frankie cried helplessly. "I'm so tired."

Being careful not to startle her, the Alterran gently entwined the exhausted woman once more. "Dr. Francesca Albert, what do you want of me? I'll do what ever you ask. It's just…I don't know how to help you. Please, tell me."

Drawing a deep breath Frankie tried to think, finally shaking her head. "I just want to go home," she muttered.

"Home…" Jason echoed softly. "I can't take you there."

Dr. Albert looked up sharply, a knowing smile coming to her face. "Oh yes, you can," she replied happily. She lived in a beach house located several miles down coast, and he could easily take her there without anyone seeing them. And since she was supposed to be dead, no one would be around to bother her.

Pleased to finally be of assistance, Jason started along the coastline, following the directions to the letter. He tried not to make any sudden movements that would startle his already nervous passenger and traveled much slower than he was able to. He felt Frankie's body relax and hoped it meant she was beginning to trust him, which, in fact, she was. His gentle, soothing voice was hypnotic, and the more he spoke to her, the more relaxed she became. She suddenly felt strangely secure in his embrace, the gentle rocking motions caused by their progress through the water soothing her frazzled nerves.

Within a few minutes, and without realizing, the exhausted Dr. Albert drifted off to sleep.