Chapter 107

''The necklace, it's around his neck,' She revealed to the others. 'How on earth are we going to get it now?'

OoOoO

The girls followed Ryan's boat. They would have to try again over night, while he slept. They were all getting very tired. They had been pretty much nonstop swimming for the last few days. They needed a break, unfortunately, they had a mission to carry out.

Finally, Ryan arrived at one of the bigger islands and docked. Ryan went ashore for a few hours or so, before returning to his boat. The girls were disappointed to notice that he still had the valuable item on his neck. His going ashore did give them time for a well-needed break. They slept for a few hours, Anna volunteering to keep watch, she also kept an air bubble open around their heads so that they wouldn't accidentally breathe the water in. Cleo took over watching once Ryan returned, allowing Anna her sleep. Khasha was still enjoying being able to explore away from her home.

They waited until it was about two in the morning before making a move. That way Ryan would surely be asleep, and the locals would not be out and about. The plan was to send Jessie on board to try and take the necklace off him. Ryan did not know her, so it would be best for them to go in case they were caught.

OoOoO

Jessie clambered on board the boat as quietly as possible. She lifted the water off her body and she was dry soon after. Now in human form, she moved towards the door. Anna swam close to the boat on standby in case something went wrong. The others were resting below the wharf.

Jessie used her powers to move water into the lock, she then turned it into gel and brought the gel water towards her.

A water key. So cool.

Jessie hardened the water and caught the created key.

Jessie inserted her key into the lock. Taking a breath, she turned the key. She grinned as the door opened. Totally illegal, but a cool skill to know about. Whenever the mermaids used ice and heat to contract and expand the metal of locks until they broke, it was incredibly obvious that something had happened to it. A key made of water? Probably made it very difficult to identify what had opened the door, if anyone had noticed.

Carefully, she explored the small cabin. They had small hopes that maybe Ryan had put the necklace away in a case while he slept…maybe he wasn't that paranoid?

Unfortunately, that was not the case. The necklace was still safely hung around Ryan's neck.

Operation Water Tentacle was in effect.

Jessie stretched her hand out and a thin water tentacle made its way towards Ryan.

Very carefully, she divided the head of the tentacle into four parts. They were lucky – Ryan was sleeping on his side.

The four tentacles approached Ryan's neck. Jessie made two of them gently undo the clasp on the back, and the other two hold the front sections.

Jessie grimaced with concentration.

With excruciating slowness, Jessie lifted the necklace from Ryan.

OoOoO

Something felt wrong. Ryan was drifting back to consciousness. The weight around his neck that had started to feel so familiar was missing. What did that mean?

His half-asleep brain finally registered. Someone was trying to steal the necklace from him, like he had feared.

OoOoO

Jessie had just lifted the necklace high enough away from Ryan to be able to bring it safely to her without worry, when suddenly, the man sat up straight in bed and turned his bedside lamp on.

Jessie gasped with shock.

"I knew it!" Ryan yelled.

'He's awake' Jessie called out to Anna in panic 'He saw me,'

She didn't react fast enough. Ryan reached out and tried to grab the necklace from her water tentacle. He pulled it from the water's grasp in her moment of distraction. Jessie tried to regain control of the necklace, but as her water regained its grip on the necklace, he secured it around his neck. As outraged as Ryan was, he was also incredibly excited.

A mermaid had been trying to use her powers to get the necklace off of him.

The mermaid's brow was furrowed in concentration as she tried to pull the necklace off him with her water force. Ryan held on tight, both hands gripping.

He started to slide forward in the bed. He used one hand to grip the headboard of the bed, hoping it would slow her progress. He felt slightly scared as he saw the water pulling at his neck. But he also thought about the reason he had come all this way to buy this necklace.

The moment Ryan had woken up and grabbed the necklace, Jessie had felt weak. The strength of her water powers should have pulled the necklace from him by now. Why wasn't it working? And why did she feel drawn to it?

'I can't get it, Anna,' she called out, anxiously.

'Get out of there, Jess,' Anna told her worriedly.

"Stop this," Ryan called out with authority in his voice. The necklace glowed purple beneath his hand.

Suddenly, Jessie felt herself lock up and the water she had been controlling fell away.

She couldn't move.

'Anna! Ryan…I….I can't move,' she panicked.

'I'm coming onboard!' Anna informed her.

Ryan had a positively gleeful expression on his face.

"It works? It works!"

Jessie felt like a block of solid ice. She was rigidly standing locked in the same position when he had said stop.

"You must be a mermaid…but, you look human…never mind." He mused. "I'll have to test this.

Okay, mermaid, or whatever you are, I believe my control of this necklace means you have to do whatever I say,"

Jessie's heart fell and she started to feel sick. How did this artefact exist? At least Jessie understood why Varine was so determined to get it back. It could be used for evil if it was in the wrong hands.

"Kneel" Ryan said.

Jessie felt her body obey the command. She grimaced.

"Stand up,"

"Hop on one foot," Ryan laughed as her body carried out the command.

"Do the Macarena, if you know what it is," Ryan said, laughing. If Jessie could have rolled her eyes, she would have, but her body obeyed the command.

"Go stand over there," he pointed.

She tried to fight but her body moved anyway. She was out of control. She couldn't even talk to Anna anymore – apparently it took away any abilities of her own volition.

At that moment, Anna entered the cabin. No, no, no, Jessie thought.

"Let her go," Anna said.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Ryan asked. "And why would I do that? She tried to steal my necklace off me, and she is proof of something I have been searching for, for years,"

"What you're doing is inhumane – she is not a puppet…" Anna started.

"Inhumane? Bah," Ryan said. "She is not even human! I bet you aren't either,"

"Don't you dare use that thing on me," Anna said warningly. She created a boiling ball of water, and held it ready to throw. Ryan grinned. He held onto the necklace as he had done before and said,

"Put that away and stand over with your friend,"

Ryan smiled. He was lucky tonight – two mermaids to prove he was right.

Anna felt her resolve start to weaken and the water she was controlling started to dissipate. No. She couldn't let this happen. It was a weird sensation; she wasn't locked up like Jessie, she just felt like her will was being compromised. No. She had to fight back.

"No," Anna forced out. "You can't control me,"

It took all her effort but she conjured a boiling ball and threw it at Ryan.

He dodged and the boiling ball hit off the wall of the cabin and disappeared. It was like Anna's powers were diminished under the influence of the necklace.

Seeing this, Jessie tried to fight back, but alas it would not let her.

This scared Ryan a little. What was he getting himself in to?

"Mermaid, defend me. Chase her out," he commanded.

Oh no. No, no, no. Anna run! Jessie struggled. Against her will, she made water spikes, and threw the hardened gel spikes at Anna.

Anna blocked them with a thin wave of water. She blocked a few more barrages but Anna felt like her energy was being drained. It was costing her so much to keep her defence up.

Jessie looked at her friend in apology. She hated this. Anna was panting by the time she had blocked the fifth of Jessie's attacks.

The sixth attack, a few larger spikes were conjured and thrown at Anna.

Anna blocked two of the spikes, but the third spike broke through the wave and dug into her arm. Anna cried out in pain and clutched her arm. Anna locked eyes with Jessie. A tear escaped Jessie's eye, and tracked down her cheek. Another volley was being crafted in her hands.

Jessie willed Anna to understand. Go!

Anna grimaced apologetically,

"I'm sorry," she said. Still clutching her arm, Anna got up and moved as fast as she was able to the edge of the boat, and jumped off the edge. Jessie's volley shot past her friend as she dived in. Ryan followed out onto the deck and saw Anna's orange tail appear and disappear as she swam away.

"No!" he shouted.

Jessie sighed in relief. She wondered why Anna could resist when she couldn't.

Ryan kicked the railing post in frustration, before coming inside the cabin. He ordered Jessie to go inside and sit down.

"At least I still have you," he said. "I have so many questions, and you know what's great? You'll have to answer them honestly."

A/N: This chapter was a lot of fun to write :D I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know - I love feedback (especially to see if people are still reading lol)

So sorry about how long this chapter took - I happen to be doing my masters, so not a whole lot of time :P But I managed to get this chapter out today :)

I hope everyone is doing well, and that it won't be too long til the next chapter :)

Leave a review, I love to hear how you guys are doing too.

Thanks so so much to everyone who is still reading this, and to the new readers :)

Thanks so much to Calyn, Sammiloveschocolate, Mako dragon, Jewel moonstone, YaleAceBella12, and CrazyHayniac. I love you guys :D

See you all next time!