Dangerous Waters

Chapter 6

They all looked past him in curiosity as a young woman stepped out from behind him. She had long brown wavy hair, and warm chocolate brown eyes. She wore a silver locket with a blue stone connecting the pendant with the chain. Lyla narrowed her eyes in realization and looked at Rita. Rita was already looking at her, an amused smile on her face. She realized it was a moonstone too.

"Everyone, this is Cleo McCartney. Formerly known as Cleo Sertori, but she was married a couple years ago, to a brilliant young scientist named Lewis." introduced as the girl waved at them with a truly winning smile. Lyla rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you!" Sirena said. "And you, young lady. I hear you all have something in common with me," Cleo said.

"Did you say Lewis McCartney?" Cam questioned. The girls and Zac turned and looked at him, not aware he had woken up. "That he did," Cleo said, "he is my husband." "Well, your husband did quite the number of research into mermaids, Mrs. Sertori," Cam said, "If you have so much in common with all of these people, were you aware of this?" Cleo smiled, "Of course I was. I was the subject of his research," she said frankly, "Me and a few of his friends, and a rude ex-girlfriend of his. But that's not the reason I'm here. I have the blood your friend needs, and she needs it now, I'm afraid, so if you'll excuse me?" With that, she followed Dr. Blakely out, pausing only to say, "and it's great to see you again, Rita."

They all looked at Rita. "She went to school where I teach when she was your age. Also, she's your cousin, Zac." Zac's eyes grew wide. "I- I-," Zac took a deep breath, and continued, "What? How could I have a cousin and not know about it?" Rita stood up and headed for the bathroom. "You'd be surprised." And with that, she stepped in the small bathroom and just the door behind her. Zac sat, staring, confused.

Zac took his iPod back from Sirena and sat playing Angry Birds in his chair. Sirena and Lyla braided each other's hair, and talked about the moonstone. Rita and Cam had some lunch at the table in the corner and surfed on Cam's laptop, which had been in his backpack that Zac had grabbed when they left for the hospital. They searched the Lewis McCartney studies that Cam had found when researching the Trident.

About a 20 minutes later, Rita had finally fallen asleep, and Lyla followed suit. Sirena and Zac were texting David, Carly and Evie checkups on Nixie. Suddenly the beeping on the monitor changed from intermittent beeps to a long, continuous tone. Zac jumped up, the headphone ripping out of his ear, startling Sirena. She gave a little yelp and caught Zac's iPod as it fell.

"She's flat lining!" he yelled. "Help! Dad? Nurse!" He didn't wait, but started pumping Nixie's chest, performing emergency CPR. Cam jumped up and checked her breathing, and held the IV in place. The door slammed open and His dad ran in, followed by Cleo. The doctor ran to the bed and took over CPR, throwing the bag he had at Cleo and covering his mouth with his shirt to give Nixie air. After a couple minutes of reps, he stopped and commended Zac get the defibrillator. Zac jumped over a chair for the wardrobe, then slid to stop as his father said, "Wait- she's ok. That was close though." He looked at his son. "All those years of me thinking you didn't pay attention. Good job, Zac." "Thanks dad." Zac said.

He checked up on Nixie's current IV, the one carrying water into her system. It was still steady; Cam did a good job holding it place. He opened the bag

Cleo handed back to him, and pulled out IV tech. "Cam, come stand by me for a moment please. Zac, grab the cot and roll it over to the other side of the bed," Blakely instructed, and Cleo sat on the cot when it was flushed with the bed. "Thank you, son. Now Cam, squeeze Nixie's fist closed a few times for me." Cam complied, and the needle was slid smoothly in Nixie's arm.

He went and connected a device on the end of the new IV where the bag would connect, and connected another tube to it. He then headed to the other side of the bed to the cot where Cleo was sitting. She slipped her sleeve up and held out her arm, and the doctor probed her arm, and then set the needle on the surface of her skin. He nodded, and she pumped her fist a few times, and the needle once again slid in smoothly.