A/N: Thank you so much for the great response to chapter 1, everybody! Here is chapter 2 I hope you continue to enjoy. In this chapter the mermaids make each other a promise, one mermaid gets threatened and one scientist takes matters into her own hands with poison. Who is she after first? Read on and enjoy! : D
-
When Cora had called Lewis right after she had gotten off of the phone with Emma he had been at work. Much like Emma his first reaction had been for her to get out of her house as soon as humanly possible. Cora had felt bad about coming to stay with him because she felt like she'd be a little imposing, but she'd agreed and said that she would head over. But there was one problem: Lewis would be at work for at least four more hours.
"It's fine, Lewis, I can wait until you're done."
"No, I really think that you should be out of there now. It's getting dark out and I really wouldn't put it past this woman to try to come back again tonight."
"Okay, then I guess I'll come over now – is there someone there to let me in?"
"Yeah… but you're not walking over there by yourself. I'm gonna have Tyler come and get you."
"Lewis that's really not—"
"Don't argue with me on this one, please. I'm not risking her finding you again. Just stay put until Tyler comes, okay? For me?"
"All right… but you suck for that, you know." She grumbled quietly and sighed a little. This stupid Protector gene was a little annoying, especially since it was so easy to manipulate and her friends knew how to.
"Thank you, and I know. All right, I've got to get back to work. I'll see you when I get home, okay?"
"Okay. Are you sure this is okay? I really don't want to impose…"
"Cora, honey, you're not imposing. Tyler and Kyle love when you come over and they're hardly around anyway. And I don't mind, so it's fine. Don't even worry about it!"
"Okay, if you're positive. I'll let you get back to work! Don't work too hard!" He could hear her smile through the phone and it was contagious; before he knew it, he had a dumb grin on his face as well. The two of them had a joke about Lewis's job being too much work – he worked in a local pharmaceutical lab and while he was not the only person working there he seemed to be the only one who knew what they were doing. As a result he was stuck with the brunt of the work unfinished by his peers.
"Thanks, and believe me I don't think I'll try. I'll see you in a few hours – love you."
"Love you, too. Bye." Cora slid her phone shut and sighed, staring at the items she had strewn out on her bed to pack. A little over a month ago she had packed up her entire life into boxes and it felt like she had just gotten them all unpacked. Now she had to pack again, but at least it was to a less extreme extent. She head to her closet and pulled a duffel bag out and started piling her belongings into it and within a few minutes she was done. She dragged the bag out to the living room and dropped it on the floor and flopped down on the couch – now all she had to do was wait for Tyler.
*
Rikki had been the last of the mermaids to arrive at Lewis's apartment that night and when she did, things got underway.
"You've got to lay low for now, Cora." Rikki said, looking at the dark-haired girl from under her light feathery bangs.
"Not just me – you guys, too! This psycho is dangerous, and you all were the ones she was after originally, we can't forget about that… I know that you guys have your powers and everything and are more than equipped to defend yourselves but… I'm not going to be able to…" Cora trailed off a little and closed her eyes in frustration, "Well, you know."
"We know your Protector mode is in overdrive, and that you can't help it. But when it comes down to it, Emma is right – Denman hasn't seen any proof that the three of us are still mermaids and if she tries anything crazy then we'll have to protect ourselves, which we can do. Yeah, using our powers in front of her will give us away but at least we've got a way to fend her off." Cleo reasoned with Cora gently with a soft smile.
"Until we can figure out what to do about Denman, Cora you've got to stay out of sight. You're supposed to be dead, remember? That means that you go to class and come back, and that's it."
"I've got to go to work too, Emma. Thankfully I was able to keep both my jobs even though I missed a full week without telling anyone why. I can't risk losing my jobs again."
"Well all right, that's understandable I suppose. But at the restaurant it's not safe for you to stay a hostess, Cora. If anyone comes into the building you're the first person they'll see."
"I can manage, don't worry. I might not have powers, but I know what it feels like when Denman is around – I feel different. I can't explain it, but I know when she's nearby. And I'll stay out of sight but… the three of you. I won't ask you for anything else but please, please do the same. Only out for work and class, at least until we know what to do with her? Please… promise me?" Cora sounded a little nervous and they could hear it in her voice. She hated asking for things and this was the first thing that she had asked them for. They knew how to manipulate her status as a Protector so well but this was important – she needed them to stay out of harm's way, because if they were in danger she was useless power-wise. This was something that scared Lewis and the girls a little: if Cora didn't have her powers to try to protect the girls, then she may try to resort to a more dangerous alternative way of 'helping.' And, while it didn't necessarily scare her Cora did know this too, however there was nothing she could do to change that – and ignoring it had proved useless. Emma, Rikki and Cleo glanced briefly at each other for a quiet moment. Being cooped up wasn't their idea of a great time, but if they were going to ask Cora to do it then they couldn't say no.
"We promise, Cora." Cleo smiled confidently and Rikki and Emma nodded in agreement. If she would do it for them, they would do it for her.
"Thank you." Cora sighed in relief and smiled, letting herself lean back onto the couch finally relaxing. Rikki was the first to stand up.
"Not a problem. Well I don't know about everyone else, but I've got a ton of reading to get done tonight. I'll let you guys start playing house, now." She smirked her typical Rikki smirk and winked playfully in Lewis and Cora's direction. Cleo and Emma stood up as well.
"Yeah, we should get going too. Keep us posted, Cora – you too, Lewis. We'll do the same, don't worry." Emma said with a smile in Cora's direction, figuring that it would help put her at ease. It seemed to work and with a wave the three girls turned and left, leaving Cora and Lewis on the couch. Only a second or two passed before she pushed herself up off of the couch and started to move around into the kitchen. Lewis blinked and raised an eyebrow.
"Where are you going?"
"Making dinner."
"What? You don't need to–" Lewis began but Cora cut him off with a devious smile and quickly kissed his cheek as she passed him on her way into the kitchen.
"Come on – Let the poor powerless mermaid help you out somehow." She grinned and slipped around the corner into the kitchen and out of sight. If they wanted to manipulate her Protector status, fine – but it didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun of her own. Lewis smirked and shook his head, standing up and following her into the kitchen as his smile grew.
"Oh, you're playing that card, are you? Those girls have corrupted you already."
-
Four Days Later – Emma
I wiped down the counter carefully at work and glanced at the clock. There were only a few minutes until closing time and the last of the customers were having their drinks made. There were only a few people here today; Thursdays tend to be slow days here at the JuiceNet, but Ash has every Thursday off from work so I am left in charge. Not that I mind or anything – I like being in charge even though the new girl doesn't quite have a handle on everything yet, but she'll get there. I turned around to stack the cups by size when I heard the bell from the door jingle and sighed. I hate when these young kids come in three minutes before closing but as long as it's not 8 o'clock yet, they still have the right to come in and buy their drinks. I push my professional smile onto my face and turned around, wiping my hands with a small towel and the second I look up I can feel my face fall. It's not a young kid – rather, a tall, sophisticated blonde.
"Good evening, Emma."
"Hello, Dr. Denman. What will you be having?" I asked politely; for all I care this woman could drink poison and choke on it, but I can't change my mannerisms and risk drawing attention to myself. Denman's smile was curt and cold and she leaned forward against the counter, tracing her fingers up against the small decorative flower vase we keep near the register. There was something different about her… something off. This woman isn't right in the head.
"Not a thing, Miss Gilbert. I simply came to relay a message." Her voice was as cool and icy as it's always been and I looked hard at her. Then I realized what was off about her – her eyes were still cold and blue, but there was something strange behind them now – something manic and fierce in her stare. I gulped slightly and my smile faltered.
"What's that?" I asked. I watched the unforgettable Cheshire cat grin spread across her face and my stomach turned. She leaned forward across the counter closer to me and lowered her voice.
"I am watching, Gilbert. And this time I'm not playing any cat and mouse games. I will take you all, and I will take you dead or alive – and this time, I prefer dead. You're easier to deal with that way." And with a swift turn she was gone leaving only the scent of her expensive perfume behind her. I dropped my hand towel on the counter and glared after her: I was in fight mode. If this woman wanted to threaten my girls and I then so be it. But there was no chance that she would be taking any of the four of us, dead or alive.
Dr. Denman
I had warned that little brat Gilbert fair and square. I know that she and the other two are still mermaids, I know it; as for my sneak of an ex-intern I know she's not dead. It's just a matter of getting my hands on her. These girls must think I'm stupid but they have no idea the extent of what I know about them; I know Cora must have somehow cheated the polygraph, I know that she must know Cleo, Rikki and Emma – I'm sure they're all covering for each other. I would be merciless this time – I didn't need them alive. In fact, I preferred to have them dead. But as for right now I had something else to take care of. I needed to get into the girls' comfort zone – I needed to invade their lives, to break them down and get them right where I want them and I knew just how to do it.
A few years ago when I had first caught up with the girls I had watched them before I made any moves. I had watched them together and separately and through my watching found a very interesting common link – an old colleague of mine, Max Thomas. Long ago when I was still in college Max had worked above me as a senior lab coordinator at the lab I had interned with. He was such a kind man back then, willing to help anybody and everybody until the lab started doing some animal testing he didn't agree with and he resigned. Well now the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place – Cleo, Emma and Rikki spent an awful lot of time with the old man and so did somebody else: the McCartney boy that had worked for me a few years ago, too; another friend of the girls. I would get to him too, but first things first. I know that Max must know a lot – if these kids come to him so often, he must know. And I know Max, I know that he likes to keep records of everything. Those records will be mine.
I approached his small house from the back and peeked through the windows. The lights were off and his car is gone from the driveway – Good. That means he won't be around. Hopefully he's out enjoying the last night he has. I smirked deviously when I realized the old man was probably just out buying groceries. I approached the back door and jiggled the handle a little. It was locked, so I pulled a pin out of my blonde hair and very quickly picked the lock. In another second I jimmied the door open and found myself standing in his kitchen. I scoffed at the quaintness of this little house as I made my way into what appeared to be Max's study. Making myself right at home I approached his shelves and started leafing through his books and files until finally I found exactly what I was looking for. Stowed away on the bottom shelf hidden behind a stack of books was a thick file. I opened it and grinned – this was perfect. In this file I had all the information I needed about the powers that all four mermaids possessed, proof that they were friends, and how their powers were manipulated. I also found that indeed Cora was still alive and grinned when I read the next sentence: current loss of abilities, Protector status behavior remains incredibly strong. Not knowing what a Protector was, I read further. My smile just grew and grew – this was perfect and I knew just how to get to these girls.
I slapped the file shut and stuffed it into my black leather purse and pulled out a small bottle marked with an X - cyanide. I pulled a cotton swab out of my bag as well and head over to the small silver platter that held a few glass shot glasses next to a bottle of whiskey. I opened the bottle and made a face at the smell of the poison and quickly dipped the cotton swab into the bottle and then rubbed the soaked tip along the inside of each shot glass coating them all thoroughly – just for good measure. Once I was done I quickly slipped everything back into my bag and left the house.
One down, five to go.
-
A/N: Denman is such a… Now she is going after the girls and their loved ones. In the next chapter Cora and Lewis hear some disturbing news on the television, and we start to see a major change in Lewis. Reviews are beautiful, please let me know what you think, I love to hear from you guys! Take care everyone.