Hello! It's been a long time... I spent the past few years helping my company through an aquisition process, finding a new job, getting certified as Zumba instructor, and going to Business School while working full time. I recently graduated with my MBA, but due to COVID-19, I suddenly have much more time at my disposal (no long commutes, no evening or weekend classes, and no Zumba classes…) So I am planning on getting back into the Ocean Girl universe, writing this continuation to Neri - Princess of the Oceans (A Continuing Story.) As always, Ocean Girl and its characters and places belong to Jonathan M. Shiff Productions. Enjoy this first glimpse at my new story :)

Jason held out a hand to help Neri off the helicopter that just brought them back home, to ORCA. It's been a rough week, and it showed in Neri's face. Usually a small smile would grace her lips and her eyes would shine at the prospect of seeing their family and Charley, but today, her face was serious.

They just returned from a journey to the West Coast of the U.S. It has been a few busy days with back-to-back meetings at a conference in San Diego, two large technology companies in Seattle, clean water activists in Vancouver, and lastly an in-person meeting with the new President of the Global Union in San Francisco.

Madame President, a trusted long-time ally of Neri and Jason's, succumbed to cancer after a short illness. A new President has recently been appointed, a large man who looked at them rather impatiently. Their initial meeting at the San Francisco Headquarters was off to a bad start. The new President massaged his temples while Neri and Jason briefed him on the biggest environmental challenges. They didn't get far though, as the President cut them off rather quickly. He expressed that plastic pollution, dying corral reefs, and overexploitation of resources were not issues high on the Global Union's priority list for the forseeable future.

"I'm dealing with far more pressing matters at the moment," he said, but did not elaborate. His assistant interrupted the meeting right then, saying that the President of the European Commission needed to urgently speak to him. The President nodded and asked his assistant to walk his guests out. As Jason walked towards the door, he turned around once more. The President had picked up the line, without a parting word or glance for the Bates.

"Well, that one will be a tough nut to crack," Jason said once the elevator doors closed, giving them privacy to speak.

"What is more," Neri tried to remember the words the President used, "pressing matter than healthy oceans?"

Jason took her hand and shrugged. "I don't know. Economic interests, maybe?"

"Money?" Neri asked, wanting to make sure she understood Jason right.

Jason nodded, and sighed. He pressed a kiss on Neri's hand. "Let's go back to the hotel to pack. Time to go home."

While on the plane back home, Jason found out what may have been so much more important to the President. A news report he watched talked about several hot spots of an apparently highly contagious mystery illness across Europe and Asia. Medical professionals indicated that there was no treatment, and while not always fatal, the course of the disease caused the patients intense suffering. Jason woke up Neri, who had fallen asleep with her head leaning against his shoulder.

"You should check this out, this sounds serious," Jason said, sharing one of his earbuds with his wife. They both watched the footage silently, tightening the hold around one another the more they found out more about this fast-spreading illness.