DANIELLA

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I am not getting this straight

So if our people came for her, then who killed her and dumped her body in the sea

"Are you sure you didn't kill her ?" I blurted without thinking

"What? How could he kill his wife and my mother?" Travis asked

Feigning innocence I asked them
"So what are the ways you used to trace them,"

"Come on Ella, you are smarter than that."

I gasped. A fake one for that matter
"So the traps are to catch any one of them that comes to land?"

They nodded

"The overfishing is to starve them out ?"

They looked at each other, horror written on their faces
"God no! How could you think that?"
Gabriel said

"Then what is the aim of that."

"To fish any of them that gets in our fish nets."

"Ooh, I see. And the waste is to poison and kill them right ?"

This time Travis face palmed himself looking at me in disbelief
"How did you come up with that theory? The waste is to make them come out to take in fresh air and then get caught in our traps."

After this confession, I could not connect where the loose end was coming from.
Travis says the other mermaids came for her and they even saw them get into sea but according to my father she was killed by Gabriel and her body dumped in the sea.

The answers were three ; either Travis and Gabriel were lying to me or father was lying to me or another mermaid killed her and fed my father lies.

So how do I tell them that their quest to find their loved one was almost killing a whole clan of mermaids .

Should I tell them my identity ? No. Until I figured out who was wrong and what was really going on.

"Can you remember the face of the people who took her away?" I asked

"A little bit. All I know is one was a woman, a very young lady and the other two were men. The lady was beautiful, really beautiful with deep blue eyes like yours and she also had golden hair that she really tried to hide but some strands came out. The men had green eyes and were well built. Their faces were hidden by a hoodie. That's all I can remember ."

Oh no! The description of the lady pointed only to one person. No , it can't be her. She was only sixteen when that incident took place.

"Could you please cancel those plans I will help you find you wife old man." I said addressing Gabriel

"But how ? If you hadn't seen me change you would not have believed my story. I saw your face when I first told you that I am a merman. So how will you help me? How will you help us?"

"Have you stopped for a moment to think of the way the other mermaids are getting affected ? You are overfishing taking all their fish and causing them to starve . You are polluting their waters and they can't come out because your traps will capture them. In any way they probably think you are an enemy and you are out to kill all of them." I pointed out but they were having none of that

"The other board members don't know the main reason for all those plans. They think it's for better profit which the factory has incurred since we started . So please just understand us please ."

I tried telling them to let me help them but they were having none of it.
Maybe if I told them that I'm a mermaid they would trust me on it.

I was planning on going back home to ask my father about everything so that I could know what was right and who was lying .

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked

"Of course." They said in unison

"I am a mermaid too Travis."

They laughed at me gauging my reaction but I maintained a straight face

"You can't use that to make us stop all our plans."

"Okay ."

I thought of the face that Anita held the last time I was with her and a crystal pearl rolled down my cheek which I was quick to take before it fell down.

I thought of the last time I talked to my father and how pale his face was and another pearl came out.

Their faces were pale
"Do you believe me now?" I asked but deep down I was so angry at myself for breaking the third rule and looking at Travis something told me the fourth rule was getting broken soon

"How did you get past the traps or were you on land by the time they were set up?"
That was Gabriel who had recovered fast

" I wasn't. My mission was to stop your factory from killing my people. The story you have told me it's very different from how we know it."

"How do you know it?"
Gabriel asked

"You followed her and killed her then dumped her body in the sea and now you are trying to bring us put so you can kill us too ."

"That's so inhumane!" Travis exclaimed

"I know and I will do my best and find out what really happened . In the meantime stop all you are doing , you are starving us in there ."

"It's okay. I hope you act fast. And how did you become so rich in just a month?"

"I used my pearls. Actually am the only supplier , Travis you should use what you got sometimes ."

My phone beeped and it was a message from a new number

Can I come over your house please ?
Stevie

Sure -me. I texted back my address

"I'll be leaving now." I said to no one in particular and they nodded.

I drive hurriedly .

Stevie is waiting outside, her hair unkempt her face is so ruined with mascara.
I hardly recognize the tough Queen bee of our school.

The first thing she did is rush into my arms and start sobbing.

I just held her until she calmed down.

I led her inside and before she entered Elena descended down the stairs glaring at Stevie .

Stevie froze next to me before grabbing my hand so painfully
"I came to tell you that Travis is mine. Stay the hell away from him or else you won't like what I will do to you."

All the while she was avoiding my eye which was not so Stevie like and I was quick to spot the smirk on Elena's face

Stevie bent her head and walked away leaving me wondering what the hell just took place .

@hellenimari