Chapter 11

The minute Lina steps into the water she experiences the undeniable feeling that she is being watched. She backs away to the safety of the trees and looks around. Only a few moments pass until she notices a soft glow near a group of trees. Lina is well aware of what the glow means. She has seen it multiple times during her nightly swims. The light often surrounds fish and turtles. In other words, it signifies animal life. She swallows loudly and squints her eyes. There is definitely someone there. She decides to project her thoughts towards the light. Maybe it is just an animal or a college student.

Hello?

Lina shifts uncomfortably as she forces her words towards the light. It is as if the thoughts do not want to be heard though. With mermaids the words glide easily, like a breeze moving through an open window. With humans or other animals that window is closed. This is different though. It is like the window is open a crack. She can force the words in, but it is not easy. The sensation feels familiar. Where has she felt this? Her eyes widen as the realization hits her.

"The FBI agent," she whispers incredulously.

WHO ARE YOU!?

She screams her thoughts and harshly shoves them towards the agent hoping to scare him away. She hears a soft groan and feels a stab of guilt. Suddenly a loud sound rattles the forest. She looks nervously to her left and sees the trees shaking violently. She backs slowly towards her clothes. Just when she removes her towel from the branch a man bursts through the trees and tackles her. She hits the ground harshly and the air is knocked out of her lungs.

HELP MOM! HELP!

She cries helplessly, hoping her mom can hear her. The man turns her around so she is on her back and pins her to the ground. She opens her eyes and is shocked to find the other FBI agent. His eyes are filled with rage and his mouth is set in a grim line.

"Stop you monster!" he screams.

Lina's tears cascade down her cheeks.

HELP ME! PLEASE HURRY!

The man pulls a gun from his back pocket and firmly places it against her temple.

"I know what you are," he snarls, "So you better listen to me mermaid."

"Hunters," Lina whispers in terror.

MOM THEY'RE HUNTERS! OH GOD! HELP!

"You better stop whatever you're doing to my brother," he whispers dangerously.

"What?" Lina replies weakly.

The man's eyes flare with anger and he opens his mouth to speak again, but a crash behind him renders him silent.

"Dean… p-please… for the love of god… s-stop," a man's voice utters, "I hear…everything.

The man, who Lina assumes is named Dean, pulls a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and cuffs her wrist to a large root protruding from the ground. Dean then lifts her chin and stares directly at her before talking.

"Don't try to escape because I will find you, and next time I won't be so kind."

She nods her head quickly. He stares at her for a few moments longer and then moves to the figure lying on the ground.

"Sam? Sammy? Are you okay?" Dean asks tenderly. Lina stares in amazement at the sudden change in the man. Just moments ago he was about to shoot her head off and now he is practically nursing this man.

"Oh god Sammy, your nose is bleeding," Dean mutters. The anxiety in his voice is clearly evident. Lina leans to the side to get a better look at the FBI agent, or Sam. She gasps when she sees the man's face. It is covered with sweat and mud. His hair clings to his face and a red trail of blood starts at his nose and goes all the way down to his neck. Did I cause this? Lina thinks in distress.

"Dean…" Sam starts.

"Shh, just relax," Dean says as he takes a small rag out of his pocket. He wipes the blood from Sam's face, but dried bits of it still remain.

Lina moves her wrist warily, but it is no good. The root will not budge. She glances at Sam and Dean and then calls for her mom again. She closes her eyes and tries to send her thoughts as loudly as possible.

MOM, PLEASE HURRY! THEY'RE HUNTERS. THEY HANDCUFFED ME TO A TREE!

Almost immediately Sam writhes in pain. She quickly opens her eyes in shock. I don't understand, I sent those thoughts to my mom, Lina thinks. Fresh blood pours from Sam's nose and he clutches his head with both hands.

"Oh god, Sam!" Dean screams frantically. He puts his arms under Sam's back and raises him into a sitting position. He rests him against a tree and begins blotting Sam's face with the blood soaked rag. Sam inhales harshly. After a couple of seconds his body relaxes and he releases a ragged sigh. Lina stares at Sam wide-eyed. His face is void of all color and the red blood makes him look like a ghost. Sam closes his eyes and leans his head against the tree. Dean places his hand on Sam's face and then pulls away.

"Sam. Sammy?" Dean says softly waiting for Sam to open his eyes.

"Mhm," Sam mumbles and opens his eyes to slits.

"Sam you have a fever. We need to get you out of here." Dean continues.

Sam nods his head and then shifts his eyes towards Lina. Lina tries to convey through her eyes how sorry she is. Then Dean turns around and looks at her. His eyes show nothing but hate.

"Dean…" Sam says weakly, "Leave her alone."

Dean's angry gaze falters and he turns to Sam. Lina stares at them, but it seems that they are communicating silently.

Suddenly, Lina feels pressure on her left ankle. She looks down, but nothing is there. She tries to move her foot, but it will not budge. That's strange, she thinks. Lina tries to move her foot again, but it is frozen. Wait, what is that? She looks closely. A faint red mark is surrounding her ankle. Her eyes widen. It looks like a hand. Lina gasps loudly, but neither Sam nor Dean pays any attention to her distress. Then her ankle begins moving towards the water. She opens her mouth to scream, but the sound gets caught in her throat. Then without warning her ankle jerks harshly towards the lake. Her whole body shifts towards the lake and her back scrapes against the ground. The only thing preventing her from being dragged into the lake is her handcuffed wrist. She groans loudly and she feels that her wrist may be dislocated.

"Lina!" Sam screams.

Another hand grasps Lina's right ankle and pulls violently. The tree root is torn from the earth and she flies towards the lake. Her body is roughly dragged along the ground and she cringes when her feet come in contact with the water.

"Help," Lina whispers. She looks towards Sam. Though to her dismay she finds Dean pointing a shotgun at her instead.