Dangerous Waters

Chapter 8

Zac caught the stone floating toward him and immediately pointed his moon ring at it. The large chunk of Lapis Lazuli began to glow, and he floated to Rita. Instantly the shark turned toward Lyla, and Cleo swam up behind the beast and placed a hand on the top of its head. They all watched as its eyes slowly faded to black and it sank down to the sea floor. Serena placed a hand on Zac's arm and he turned around and gathered her shaking body into his arms. Rita and Lyla exchanged wide eyed looks as Cleo gestured for them to head back to the hospital. Rita shoved Lyla after Cleo, and Lyla swam compliantly, she knew she had acted irrationally.

Back at the hospital, Nixie was still asleep, so the group gathered in the waiting room. "Zac, you should probably head home," Rita said calmly. He saw the look on her face and nodded. "You gonna be ok Serena?" He asked, placing a hand on the young girl. She sighed, "Yeah I'll be fine. Just a little shook up." She looked down, and he pulled her into a hug. "I'll see you guys later then. Bye Lyla," he said and walked away.

Rita turned to the girls. Lyla looked at her and looked back down. "I don't want to fight, I don't want to argue, and I DEFINITELY do not want attitude. We are here at this hospital for Nixie, and for the love of Poseidon we're going to get along." She pulled them both into a hug and motioned for them to sit down.

Cleo stepped out of the hallway Nixie's room was in. "So here's the deal. That merchild in there? She is HELL bent on going to Greenland with me, and the blondie isn't letting her go on her own. So here's the question: Are you 3 going too?" She sat down next to Rita. "There is no way Nixie is going, and there's no way Cam's parents are letting him go either!" Rita said. Cam came in too. "Actually I already talked to them.. I'm getting on the flight with Cleo and Nixie next week." He said. Rita looked at him incredulously. "Correction: the flight with CLEO. Nixie will be here, home, with me, where it's safe."

"Actually, since you're not actually her legal guardian, you can't ACTUALLY make that decision for her. She wants to come, she's coming. Sorry Rita, but that's how it goes." Cleo corrected. Rita's eyes widened. Lyla bumped her with her shoulder. "Why not? We can all go, learn more about mer-history together!! It'll be fun!" She said excitedly. Rita sighed and looked at Serena questioning. "What do you think?" Serena looked between their hopeful faces. "Would Zac be able to go?" She asked quietly. That's when Lyla looked at her in curiosity. "Sure!" "Probably not." Cleo and Rita said simultaneously. The two adults made eye contact. "I don't see wh-"" Cleo said as Rita interrupted, "I don't think his parents will let him."

Rob walked in as Lyla was glaring at Serena, Cleo and Rita were arguing about it, and Cam was just sitting there. "AHEM." Everybody looked at him, and Cleo smiled and said , "Speak of the devil, let's ask him now!" Rita sighed deeply. "What?" Rob asked and looked between the two. "We're all heading to study the origins of the shark that attacked Nixie and we were wondering if Zac could join us next week to Greenland?" She asked him and looked hopeful.

"Uh... What about school?" asked the confused doctor. "Actually, he's right," Rita said, "Zac needs to keep up with his agh!-" Rita flinched and pursed her lips at Cleo, who smiled and interrupted. "Rita will work with his teachers, and Cam's, to make sure everything works out!" Rita rubbed her arm as she glared at her old student. "Right, Rita?" Cleo asked. "Fine," Cam cheered, and the rest of the group got excited. "However, the pinching was NOT necessary, and I expect extra essays about your studies of the Greenland pod on top of your normal work from you two. Understand?" Rita looked at Cam pointedly, who nodded vigorously. "Well, I guess that's settled then," Zacs dad said, before heading to update his patient files.

Cleo smiled at the other mermaids and Cam, and gave them each a high five, then offered her hand to Rita, who rolled her eyes. "I feel quite ganged up on. You all do realize I only want to keep you safe, right?" Serena and Lyla gathered around Rita and enveloped her into a hug. "Of course we do!" Serena said, "this is going to be harder for me than any of you, I have to leave David." The young mermaid sat down weakly. "I'm going to miss him so much!" Cam sat down next to her. "Hey, it's going to be all right, you can text him anytime you want." Serena nodded quietly, then suddenly the hospital doors flew open.

"Where's Zac?!" "Well. Hello, Evie," Rita said. "What do you mean, 'Where's Zac?' He headed home." Lyla said coldly. "Well, he's not there!" Evie exclaimed, "What did you do?" She accused Lyla. "Whoah! I didn't do ANYTHING. HE HEADED HOME. Please restrain yourself, for Poseidon's sake." The two girls glared at each other for a bit, then Cleo broke the tension, "Why don't we all split up and look for Zac?" Everyone agreed, and Evie, Cam and Rita checked on land, while Cleo, Serena and Lyla searched the water.

20 minutes later, they were all at the cafe, out of breath and empty-handed. "Nothing! Nothing at all." Serena said defeatedly, as she flopped onto a chair. "Maybe he just went for a long swim to clear his head?"  Cleo said. "You don't know him like we do, and he doesn't just leave without warning." Lyla said. "Well, maybe he- ZAC?" Rita exclaimed, as they all turned to see Zac holding the blue stone. "Zac, what are you doing with that?" Cleo asked, "Seriously, it's very dangerous! Please put it down." Zac blinked slowly, and Rita and Cleo realized something. "GET DOWN!!" Rita shouted, and a flash of blue light lit up the cafe.