so i'm not going to do a crossover. Maybe later, but i think i'm going to finish this first. hopefully you enjoy this chapter as much as the the others.
The big chill
Another busy day in the juice net café. Emma is working hard when Wilfred calls her to him.
"Emma, I'm really glad I took you on for this job. I wasn't sure about some of your ideas."
"Like advertising the fruit?"
"Yeah, but it all works."
"Organization is my thing."
"Look, I have to go away for the weekend and I'll need someone to look after the café. Is that too much responsibility for you?"
"No, no, I love responsibility."
"Good, okay. And if you need to hire someone to give you a hand…"
"No, thanks Wilfred, but I'll be fine. I won't let you down, I promise."
Rikki is over at Cleo's.
"So I'm broke. And the worst part is that I can't effort this tickets."
"Well why don't you get a part time job like Emma or me?"
"Jobs have this hidden downside. They involve work."
Emma enters.
"Hey guys. You are looking at the brand new manager of the juice net café for the whole weekend."
"Perfect timing, Rikki was just saying she needed money to go to the this concert."
Cleo hands Emma the magazine.
"Eww, you actually like that band?"
"So anyway I was thinking that now you are the manager you could give Rikki a job at the juice net café."
"Euhm… I… don't really think Wilfred would want me to. No offence Rikki."
"No that's fine, I'm not much of a smoothie person anyway."
Rikki turns around to put the water back in the fridge leaving Emma to notice Cleo's disappointed look. Cleo takes Emma by the arm and pulls her away behind the wall.
"I can not believe you just did that. Rikki is our friend. Why wouldn't you hire her?"
"Look, this job is a big step up for me. I just can't go around and hire someone like Rikki. You know what she is like."
"She really needs this. Why don't you give her a chance?"
Rikki turns around the corner.
"Guess what, Emma just hired you."
"She did?"
"Euh… Yeah. Welcome on board."
"Thanks, I think."
"Well I might as well give you the schedule now. You better right this down." Cleo gives Rikki pen and paper. "We start work at precisely 7.25 am and we take deliveries until we open at exactly eight."
"Okay, I'll be there at 7.30."
"7.25."
"That's what I said."
Somewhere a red-haired woman is floating mid-air in an old cell as she talks with a guy.
"You don't seriously plan on spending the rest of eternity marooned here, do you?"
"I'll find a way off this rock on my own. Don't worry."
"Who are you kidding, Jackson? You've been stuck here ever since they executed you. Thirty-six long years, trapped between life and death."
"Big deal." He kicks the can on the ground towards the woman, but it doesn't hit her. "I've learned how to do things in that time, break the physical plane..." He passes through the bars. "prepare for my revenge."
"Revenge. How... mortal."
"Go to hell."
He kicks the can again.
"That's what I do, only never alone. I ferry souls there, every one I can get my little hands on, so to speak."
"Yeah, well, you're not gonna get your little hands on this one, lady, so just forget it."
"Don't worry, Jackson, I don't want your soul. I want magical beings. They're prize catches. Trophies."
"So what's that got to do with me?"
"If you, uh, let me get you off the island to... get your revenge, these magical creatures, more precisely a couple of mermaids will try to stop you. And the only way they can do that is to become vulnerable to me. Then I'll have them right where I want them."
"Mermaids? Like I believe in that."
"You are a ghost and you find it hard to believe that there are mermaids out there?"
She sniffs the air and smells something eagerly. In the background, voices and footsteps can be heard. They hear the loud clanging of the doors opening. A tour guide leads a small group into death row.
"Twenty-eight inmates died here, nine while attempting to escape and four by execution. Legend has it that one of them still haunts the prison to this very day. The Ghost of Alcatraz, believed to reside in this very cell." The tour guide stops in front of the cell where Jackson and the woman are in, but neither the group or the tour guide can see them. "Uh, let's see if he's in, shall we?"
The tour guide opens the cell door and steps into the cell. He closes the cell door. "Now if you listen closely, you can actually hear the ghost's cries. Shh." The group is quiet as they listen. They only hear the sounds of the howling wind. "There, hear him?"
Jackson comes closer to him.
"What an idiot."
The woman floats nearer.
"Look at him as your get-out-of-jail-free card."
The woman holds out her hand and suddenly grabs at the air in front of her, her fingers clenching. The tour guide falls to the floor.
"Oh, my god!"
"Somebody call 911, quick!"
The woman puts her hand down. "There's your ride off the island." She points to the body. "Hop in." With a grin on his face, Jackson sits and slips into the tour guide's body. The woman vanishes in fire and flames.
At precisely 7.25 Rikki is on her way to the juice net when she sees a familiar brown-haired guy waiting against a tree.
"What are you doing here?"
"Word got around that you have a new job. I wanted to wish you good luck for your first day."
"Well, isn't that nice?"
He takes both her hands and pulls her closer to him.
"Well if you haven't notice, I'm quite a nice guy."
"Really, could have fooled me."
"Maybe you need a reminder?"
"That would be nice yeah." They come closer towards each other and he kisses her sweetly. "Okay, but now I really have to go or my first day at work will also be my last."
"Alright." He lets go off her. "I'll come by later."
Rikki turns back around.
"Why?"
"Because I'm your boyfriend and that's what boyfriends do."
"Yeah, but I thought you were okay with the fact that we were going to keep us quiet?"
"Why do you need to keep us so quiet?"
"Why do you make such a big deal out of this?"
"I just want to show the world how great we are together."
"Well, can't that wait just a little while longer?"
"Alright, if this secrecy stuff is so important to you, I'll take it to the next level."
He turns around, angrily.
"Zane, Zane!"
She looks at her watch and decides to take care of Zane later, first Emma.
Emma is already busy at work when Rikki finally enters.
"Hey boss."
"You are six minutes and ten seconds late."
"Should I go stand in the naughty corner now or…"
"Let's get to work."
Lewis and Cleo turn the corner and find Rikki cleaning tables.
"How is live in juiceworld?"
"There is only so much controlfreakisness I can take."
"Think of the concert tickets and besides it's only one weekend."
"Okay, so what are you guys doing here, anyway?"
"Lewis caught some news and he thinks that it's meant for us."
Rikki sits down.
"So what is it?"
Emma comes out and sees Rikki sitting.
"Alright what's wrong with this picture, shouldn't you be working?"
"Lewis has a new mission for us."
"Oh no, not now."
"Well Em, you can't really choose when destiny bites you in the ass, so take a chair and just listen."
"Alright, but after the talk you and me are going back to work, no matter what."
"Yeah yeah. So what's up?"
"Ok." Lewis pulls up a chair and sits down. "A guy was stabbed thirteen times in the chest. The police found only a knife, other then that no evidence. They did found fingerprints on the knife that matches those from Jackson Ward."
"So what's magical about it?"
"He is a serial killer that was executed at Alcatraz thirty-six years ago."
"How is that possible?"
"Maybe it's another past life?"
"No because the fingerprints were ultraviolet. So I'm thinking it's a ghost."
"Okay, but what now. Do we find him and say Rikki's spell to make him solid?"
"No, I wouldn't do that if I were you. The guy already killed someone, so I vote for not making him solid."
"So what do we do next?"
"Trying to find the guy."
"Here is a picture."
"Alright, Lewis and Cleo scan the area. And we are going back to work."
"Emma, you can't be serious. This guy could kill again."
"Yeah, but if are not back in your apron in about three seconds, you are going to be next ghost."
Later on Rikki sees Zane entering, followed by Miriam.
"What are you doing here? And what is she doing here with you?"
"Why don't you go sit, babe. Well you want to keep us a secret, so I'm just keeping up appearances."
He passes her and sits down. Emma goes over to Rikki.
"Go and serve them. And be nice."
"Nice? Zane is a psycho and Miriam hates us, why should I be nice?"
"They are still two customers. Go."
Unwillingly Rikki goes over to their table.
"Why isn't Emma serving us?"
"Emma is the boss, so I get the dirty work. What do you want?"
"Euh, I'll have… a mango smoothie with a dash of mint."
"And I'll have a banana shake."
"Is that it?"
"Yeah, don't mess it up."
"I'll try me very, very hardest."
Rikki gets back to table with two drinks.
"One strawberry smoothie, one banana shake."
"Hey, hey, I ordered a mango smoothie."
"You said strawberry."
"No, I'm allergic to strawberry, so why would I order a strawberry smoothie?"
"Temporary amnesia."
Zane can't help but chuckle.
"That isn't funny. If I drank up this thing I would swell up like a balloon and explode."
"I'll get you a straw."
"What did you say?"
Emma gives Rikki a meaningful look.
"I'll go and get you what you ordered."
Rikki leaves with the shake, followed by Zane's eyes.
"How rude, why don't you do something to get those losers sacked?"
"Cause I don't care Miriam."
"Hey what's that funny little room up there?"
"The cooler room."
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom. Okay?"
But instead of going to the bathroom, she enters the cooler room and turns the power off. Unluckily for her, she has to hide in the cooler room because Emma enters.
Rikki brings the right smoothie to Zane's table.
"Here you go."
"Rikki wait."
"Sorry no can do. There are other customers waiting."
She turns away, but Zane takes her arm and turns back around.
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Hello you are sitting here being all googly eyes with your ex."
"She is not my ex."
"Oh, it gets better."
"No what I mean to say, we were never together and also never will be. Besides there is another girl I like."
He gives Rikki a meaningful look.
"Too bad that that girl doesn't like to be two-timed."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you were the one that wanted to keep us a secret."
"Look Zane, this is not the right time nor place to having this conversation. Meet me at the docks tomorrow evening, okay?"
"Yeah sure, it's a date." He gets up and gives her the money. "I'm looking forward to it." He gives her a little smack on the bottom and leaves. Rikki turns around smiling, but her face straightens right up when she sees Emma coming towards her.
"Why are they leaving, they didn't even finish their drinks?"
"But they left the money and that's all that matters."
"Rikki we need to have a discussion about your attitude."
"Why do I feel like I'm in school? Or is it preschool?"
"There are two rules to customersservice. Rule number one: the customer is always right. Rule number two: the customer is always right."
"Even if the customer is a lying gossiping Miriam?"
"Even then and oh another thing…"
"Leave it, nothing is worth this. I quit."
Rikki undoes her apron.
"You can't quit."
"Watch and learn, this is me…" She throws her apron in front of Emma's feet. "quitting." She walks away.
"But you need to fill out a resignation form."
Suddenly the beeper of the cooler begins the beep and Miriam hurries back in to the cooler, hiding behind a rack. Emma comes to take a look and notices the temperature is dropping. She puts the cooler back on and goes inside only to notice that everything is melting. Without even thinking, Emma puts out her hand and freezes the entire room. She closes the door behind her, not aware that she also froze Miriam.
Cleo and Lewis come back together on the beach.
"Any luck?"
"No, you?"
"Nothing. So what now?"
"I say we head home. It's going to be dark quickly."
"Or…" Lewis sits down. "we could stay and watch the sun go down?"
"Alright, I like that idea even better."
Lewis takes Cleo's hand and pulls her down next to him. He gives a kiss on her hand.
"Lewis are you ever scarred?"
"About?"
"About all this. I mean look at your arm."
His arm is still in a plaster.
"It was just broken Cleo, no big deal."
"It could have been worse."
"But it isn't. Stop worrying."
"It's just hard. This ghost already killed someone and you don't have powers."
"I'll be alright Cleo, now stop worrying and look over there."
Cleo looks back at the sun.
"Magnificent."
"Yeah, it is beautiful."
"I wasn't talking about the sun." Cleo looks back at Lewis. "I was talking about you."
"Aren't you the charmer?"
They come closer towards each other and their lips touch each other slightly. Their kisses start sweetly, but it doesn't take long before they are devouring each other.
Miriam goes back to her house to find her father again in his working room. He is sobbing over a picture. "Dad, why are you crying?" He doesn't answer or even looks up. She goes to stand behind him and she sees it's a picture of her. "Why are you holding my picture? Dad answer me, you now that I don't like to be…" She puts her hand out to touch his shoulder but her hand goes straight trough. "ignored. Oh my god what is happening to me. Dad, dad, can you hear me? Please turn around, please." Suddenly she hears a sound, but her father hasn't apparently. She looks up and sees a guy standing in the corner.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"
"Well, well, well, what have we here? A pleasure to meet you, you know I haven't ever met another fellow ghost."
"I'm not a ghost."
"You are partly right in that, it looks like you are still clinging to a body. But that will be over soon. Look I would like to continue this interesting conversation, but I have some work to do. So if you mind."
Jackson turns to Miriam's dad, who is still sitting at his desk, not aware of the ghosts. Jackson reaches out and turns the light off. Miriam's father reaches out and turns on his desk lamp. Jackson steps deeper into the office closer to Miriam's father.
"Judge Kent. Long time no see."
"What are you doing, how do you know my father?"
"He is the one who sent me to my death. I mean he could have shown some mercy, given me... life in prison, but..." He turns his attention back to the judge. "you wanted me put to death."
Jackson picks up the judge's nameplate and slowly lifts it up. The judge sees the nameplate floating and is alarmed. 'Uh... what's going on?" He stands up and slowly backs away from the desk. Jackson drops the name plate on the desk. The judge looks around. "Who… who's there? Ohh..." Jackson grabs the judge by his tie, choking him.
Miriam starts smacking him. "Stop it, stop it." Miriam succeeds in pulling Jackson off her father. "What's wrong with you?"
"I just want to make him suffer like he did to me. Do you have any idea how long it takes to die in the gas chamber and how much you suffer? What a cruel and horrible death it is?"
Jackson looks on the desk and picks up a letter opener. He holds the letter opener in front of the judge. The judge sees it and his eyes widen. Miriam stands in front of her dad.
"Leave now. This is not how you should handle things."
Jackson starts to laugh.
"You are right, this is the wrong way." He looks at Miriam's picture and the judge's red eyes and back to Miriam. "There is a better way." He puts the letter opener in Miriam's body, but it just goes right trough. "Alright then, I'll have to find your body and do it that way." He turns around and leaves right the same way as he came.
It's night and Emma and Cleo are at Emma's.
"Why should I take her back? She is rude, she gets orders wrong and she can't follow simple instructions."
"She was trying Emma."
"Well, she wasn't trying hard enough. And anyway she quit, I didn't fire her."
"Well you two are friends, can't you work things out?"
"I was willing, I gave her every opportunity. What's done is done."
The next morning Emma gets back to the juice net café to find Miriam waiting for her inside.
"Miriam what are you doing here?"
"Wait can you see me?"
"Off course I can see you, what are you doing here."
Emma makes her way to the back.
"Thank god, finally, I tried everybody I knew, but you are the first to see me."
"Miriam, have you been drinking?"
"No, but I need your help. There is a guy out there, well he is not really a guy, he is a ghost. And I was the only one that could see him. Well you probably can also see him, because you can see me. But anyway he is trying to kill me, because he wants to hurt my dad and first he tried to kill my dad but that didn't work because I stopped him and…"
"Miriam, please what the hell are you babbling."
"I'm dead. At least I think I am, I don't really get this. The guy said I was still tight to my body and because he wants to kill me, I must be not completely dead." Miriam notices Emma's face. "You don't believe me?"
Without answering Emma turns around and enters the cooler room to get some stuff when she notices two feet. She looks behind the rack and lets the ice-cream fall when she sees another Miriam. She looks between the two Miriam's.
"Now you believe me?"
Cleo comes in the café.
"Emma! Where are you? Miriam, what are you doing here?"
Emma comes out the back.
"She is a ghost."
"She is what?"
"I'm sort of dead. It's really hard to explain."
"I have to show you something." (to Miriam) "You stay here."
Cleo is still in denying after hearing the story and seeing Miriam's body.
"How could this happen?"
"I just, kind of, accidently froze her. It could happen to anyone."
"Anyone with mermaid powers. She must have been hiding in here after turning the power off. That's so mean."
"Okay, we can fix this. All we need is a simple solution to a simple problem."
"Emma, she is frozen solid. This isn't a simple problem, this is a simple disaster."
"Hello, anybody home."
"In here Lewis."
"What is he doing here?"
"I called him."
"Oh there you are? Now ladies what seems to be the big…" He sees Miriam's frozen body. "…crisis? You did this with your powers?"
"Accidently."
"This is a catastrophe, right?"
"Well in the normal world, definitely, but Emma's power is paranormal and can freeze things in milliseconds. Miriam vital functions might not necessarily be compromised."
"So you mean we could revive her?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe."
"But how?"
"We need help and it won't be easy. We need Rikki's help."
"Rikki, no not her, no."
"I tried calling her and she is not answering her phone."
"You called her already?"
"What's all the drama?"
Miriam comes trough the wall.
"Wow, but…" Lewis looks back and forth between Miriam and Miriam. "What?"
"Yeah, I'm partly dead already, so any solutions how to bring me back before that guy finds me?"
"That guy?"
"Yeah there is a creepy guy out there, trying to kill me, I think he is also a ghost."
"A ghost, a little question. How did he look like?"
"He was very tall, ugly, brown hair, dark eyes, a few scars."
He shows her a picture.
"Is this him?"
"Yeah, why?"
"This is Jackson Ward, a famous killer. We need to get Rikki now."
"But…"
"Alright where can she be?"
"I bet I know where she is."
"Don't bring her back here Cleo, we can do this on our own."
"Emma, do you really want Miriam's dead on your head?"
And with that Cleo's off to Mako island.
She goes into the moon pool to find Rikki already there.
"I knew you'd be here. You always come here when you want to be alone."
"Yeah, right, so that would be why you would be ruining the moment."
"Rikki we really need your help."
"For what?"
"Emma is in trouble."
"Emma is a big girl, she can get herself out of trouble."
"Rikki, I'm serious. C'mon."
"What kind of trouble could miss organized Emma could get herself possibly into?"
Rikki and Cleo arrive in the cooler room.
"I explained Rikki on the way. Where is Miriam, the ghost."
"She went to see if somebody else could see her."
"Alright, girls back to business. Rikki's ability to heat water is essential, but you all have amazing powers and we need all off you to work together to save Miriam."
"Couldn't we just leave her in the sun?"
"For everyone to see? Forget it, this is not going to work, I'm going to call an ambulance."
"Emma, do you really think that is a good idea under the circumstances?"
"Right, right. She will be alright, will she?"
"Guys are we going to do this or not?"
"Yes, but we can't do it in here."
They put her on a couple of tables in the juice net café.
"Can we cover her up? I can't really see her like this."
"Hey that's my body you are talking about." Miriam comes trough the wall. "So, what's the plan?"
"Rikki is going to use her power to slowly warm up the body."
"Don't call me that."
"Sorry. Once you are defrosted, Cleo, you are going to use your power and you are going to let the body fluids circulating again. If we hit a problem, Emma you are here to cool things down. Alright, here is a timeline. Now we are going to heat the body a degree every three minutes until she wakes up."
"Or doesn't."
"Rikki, once you start, you can not stop, okay? You can't brake concentration or…"
"Or what? Tell me what?" Miriam face straightens once she gets it. "Or I'll be dead for good."
"Okay I'm ready. Miriam could you stay on the look-out."
Rikki starts to work.
"Slowly, slowly. That's good, that's good."
"One minute. What about the temperature, how are we going to keep track of it?"
"Well there must be a thermometer."
"There isn't."
"Have you checked the…"
"There isn't."
"Okay, mum has one at home, I'll run, grab it and I'll be back."
"Lewis?"
"Don't stop, I'll be back."
A transportation worker opens the door to his truck. Jackson approaches him from behind. He is ready to enter the truck when he grabs his chest in pain. He opens his shirt and sees his chest bubbling as if acid is eating away at it. He looks and cries out. The red-haired woman flames into the area sitting on a wire cage. She watches Jackson for a moment. He looks up at her.
"What's happening?"
"You're time is running out."
"But I haven't even find the body of the judge's daughter."
"Sucks, doesn't it? You should have helped me to get my mermaids and you would have had more time."
"How do I get them now?"
"Find the juice net café."
Jackson turns and leaves. The woman flames out.
"How long did Lewis say?"
Miriam comes back in.
"There is someone coming."
"Emma go and answer the door like nothing is wrong."
"But…"
"Go."
"Cleo, cover Miriam."
Emma opens the door to find Zane.
"Hey guys."
"Sorry we are not open."
"Hang on, I'm looking for Miriam apparently she didn't come home last night. Her parents are worried sick and thinking the worst. They are blaming me."
"So she is not here, bye."
"Hang on, maybe somebody else saw her? What's going on?"
"We are just hanging out."
"In a closed café before 7 am?"
"What's so weird about that?"
"Zane we are helping Emma to get the shop open at time, you are welcome to stay as long you pitch in."
"I got better things to do, later."
"It's after eight o'clock and I'm still not moving."
"We must be nearly there. Cleo could you start and euhm… get her bloody fluids moving please?"
"Okay, I'll try. Euiw, it feels a bit weird."
"Concentrate Cleo, stay focused."
"The juice net café is meant to be open by now, there are going to be customers waiting."
"There is at least one already here."
Behind them, Jackson slips into the café through the walls. Jackson grabs a glass, breaks it and pulls his arm back to throw it. Lewis just comes in.
"Lewis, duck."
Lewis ducks and Jackson misses
"Okay what now."
Rikki looks up
"Emma look in my jacket, I made a spell. Miriam, distract him."
Miriam steps forward to face Jackson. He picks up an object off the table and swings it at her. She dodges every blow. Finally, she grabs the object and struggles with him. Emma finds the spell.
"Ashes to ashes, spirit to spirit, take his soul, banish this evil."
Nothing happens. Miriam is still struggling with Jackson for the object which flies out of their grasp and
hits the wall.
"Nothing happened."
"No, let Miriam say it."
Jackson hits Miriam across the face. She falls to the floor. Jackson looks at his hand and laughs. Jackson turns around and sees the frozen Miriam on the table.
"You're making this too easy, lady."
He picks up a silver cake server.
"Miriam, over here."
Miriam stands next to Emma and starts reading at loud.
"Ashes to ashes, spirit to spirit, take his soul, banish this evil."
The spell is immediate. A wave of power rises up and over Jackson as if slowly erasing him. He drops the silver cake server. "Oh. Oh, no!" Miriam continues to recite the spell.
But her spirit starts to fly back towards her body.
"Rikki, not yet!"
"I can't stop."
Miriam continues to fly back towards her body as Rikki and Cleo are finally there. Jackson takes a breath as the spell starts to wear off. He looks down at his chest and chuckles a bit. He picks up the cake server.
"It's even better. I get to kill a mermaid, too."
"Rikki, behind you!"
Rikki looks up and turns around. She sees the silver cake server. And gives it a smack so the cake server falls to the floor across the room with a clang. Jackson steps towards her, but he looks up and sees Miriam's spirit come up again from her body.
"Miriam, the spell."
"Ashes to ashes, spirit to spirit, take his soul, banish this evil."
Jackson screams in pain and starts smoking. He starts to fade as he continues to scream. The red-haired woman appears in the café. Jackson explodes into flame. The woman holds out her hand and catches a piece of the flame.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the soul collector. I was hoping to take a mermaid, but it looks like your soul is safe. For now. Oh well, I still have the girl."
"Oh no, you don't."
Miriam spirit goes back to her body.
"Too bad."
The soul collector looks at the flame in her hand and crushes it out as she flames out herself. Miriam's spirit is pulled completely back into her body. Right when Miriam wakes up, Wilfred comes in.
"Oh my god, I had the weirdest dream."
"Miriam, it's so good to see you."
Emma starts hugging her.
"Emma, get off."
"Will somebody explain what is going on?"
"Emma found Miriam unconscious in the cooler room. She must have slipped on some ice and hit her head. We were just helping her. In fact we should probably take her to the hospital and…"
"No, Emma did…"
"Miriam, you are busted, we know what you were up to you, so I would just leave quietly."
"No but you guys…"
Zane is working on his zodiac.
"Hey Zane."
"Isn't that my secret beauty."
"Look Zane, I know it's really hard for you, but could you please keep quiet about us for just a little more. I'm not ready for the whole girlfriend-boyfriend thing in public."
"But for how long? I like you Rikki, I like you a lot, but I don't like all this secrecy."
"Just have a little bit more patience."
"Why? Are you ashamed?"
"No, it's just that… you like me?"
"Yeah, I like you a lot."
"Well I like you too."
She smiles at him.
"Alright, I guess I can wait a bit longer. But you do know that I'm not going to wait forever, right?"