Mariana Trench

Five: Coral City

Demelza rose from the water and as she and Minerva placed their arms on to the edge and moved to sit their tails on it, their tails molted, melting away to reveal human legs. Inwardly, I cringed, Demelza watched as I frowned at the cavernous space. The water we, well, I, was still in, was a gigantic underwater lake that was fed by the ocean through underwater tunnels. Tunnels that were vast enough for dolphins, whales, sharks, all of creatures. A waterfall guarded the space, a waterfall that was also fed by the ocean. Human technology was scattered about, along with weapons, and all kinds of supplies. "What—"This place has been prepared for us." Said Minerva. I grudgingly placed my arms on the edge, and rose, feeling my tail molt away, my gills closing. I rose smoothly, and hated feeling so comfortable in this human skin. Demelza walked beside me, her bare feet making little padding slaps against the stone. Behind us, I heard another body rising from the water, but I didn't turn. I saw suits of armor, displays of other types of dress for human warfare. "This is our base of operations, for when we're searching for the organization hunting us." I didn't reply. I could only think of how my body would never see the ocean again, only—"We do have to go back in the water of course, have to submerge every twelve hours, otherwise yes, we'd loose our mermaid abilities." "Now you tell me."
Ahead of us, Minerva seemed to have vanished, one moment there, then not. As we neared the place she was, I realized it was camouflaged, made to look like the stone wall. Demelza smiled shyly, and pressed her hand against it, and it went through, the wall shifting slightly, and I realized, "It's seaweed, made to look like stone." Demelza nodded. "You'd be surprised what humans miss. What they don't see, what they do see." With that, she walked through, and I followed. We climbed up what felt like and might have been a hundred stairs, before we went through another secret doorway and into bright sunlight. I frowned as I looked around, Minerva nowhere in sight.
Demelza showed me around our, house. Five floors with too many rooms to count, and a lot of open space. We were one of quite a few houses along a long road that lead directly to the beach, hence our house perched right over a secret entrance to the ocean. I remembered from the file, that we lived in what humans called the richer part of Coral City. Coral City had many different parts to it, but humans mostly referred to the inner city, The Reef, The Reef Crest, which we were not a part of, The Lower Reef, And The Fore-Reef. Demelza lead me to the upper landings where our bedrooms were. She suggested I shower off the ocean and get into clothing. I scowled harshly at her before going into the bathroom.
Just her suggestion reminded me of how much I hated this. How much I hated life above the waves. Not even thirty whole human minutes out of the ocean and I already was abhorring it. Which both of them knew. I took a long time in the bathroom, smelling the different scents, and realizing I hated, all of them. None of them reminded me of the sea, none of them reminded me of the life I left behind. I cleaned my skin as instructed, and even took to washing my hair, hating that it took away all feeling of the ocean. My body didn't even begin it's molt back to my mermaid form. As if it knew this wasn't our life anymore. I snarled, my chest vibrating. The thing above the, what was it, sink, a mirror, shattered.
    Demelza gently knocked on the door. "Thalea, are you ok in there?" "Thalea, that irritating human alias I was given. Another quieter snarl rumbled. "I'll take that as a no." I shut off the water and heard the slight click as the lock was disengaged, and Demelza opened the door. We'd both been trained to pick locks of all kinds, so, locking the door wasn't actually going to do anything. It was a human habit that was trained in us. Demelza took one look at the broken mirror, and nodded. "If I had a bet with Minerva, I'd have won that bet." A bet, a human deal between two or more, usually with human money involved. Demelza took my hands in her's.
    "Look I know you're out of your depth here," she frowned. "Bad choice of words, but still, everything will be ok. Yes your life has changed dramatically, yes, you believe everything is wrong and terrible, but there can be some good things." I raised an eyebrow sarcastically. Demelza smirked. "Good, you've learned fast, come with me." I dried off and she lead me into what I guess would be my bedroom. Sitting me on the bed, she pulled a piece of human tech, some flat screen I didn't feel like remembering it's name. I watched as she played some moving picture video. "It's one of the shows we taught you, human pop culture. This particular show, is called—"The Arrow." I said, staring at the name. "And they are called—"Vigilantes." Demelza gave me such a proud face that I fought hard not to smile. "Yes, they have quite a few, Black Canary, The Arrow himself, Spartan, Overwatch, The Atom, the list goes on." She lowered the device.
    "The point is, if you wanted, you can become a vigilante yourself. Become the face of hope for our people, protect our kind, all of our kind, from discovery. Humans are hunting us, they always have, since the beginning. Humans hunt and kill what they do not understand. But you can be a hero, a protecter. Being an Orca can mean more than just a species." I frowned at her words, especially since with that, she left me to my thoughts. Even more, she left the device on my bed, open to a frozen picture of Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, Thea and a few others, all dressed in their costumes. "Become a vigilante, become a hero for our people, protect our people from humans?" Our people casted us out, put me out of the ocean and into this new world. "Out of your depth," she'd said. She had no idea how right she was.
    "Ah, she has come to join us." Said Minerva as I came down the sweeping staircase, dressed in human clothes. Demelza smiled in approval at my choice of clothing, bright blue pants and shirt, both of which reminded me, if barely, of the ocean. "I also hear you destroyed a mirror." "I did." I said sitting at the table and staring at the steaming plate before me. "Name the food that—"Shrimp Alfredo Pasta with garlic bread." I said in a bland voice. Minerva nodded. "And who are we—"My mother Ophelia, my sister Penelope." Minerva nodded.
    "Good, as you are both aware of, the human season known as summer is almost at a close, and you both will be starting school in two weeks, more than enough time for you to adjust to life here and learn this city. The school, this life, all of it is a cover while we, more specifically you Thalea, find out everything you can on the clandestine organization hunting and seeking to reveal merpeople." In answer, I began to eat, shoveling food into my mouth. Demelza snickered at Minerva's usual stone expression. "After our meal, you both will go out and explore Coral City, sticking to The Reef, and The Reef Crest." I didn't respond, just kept eating. "You will also be carful because there is a human gang that has taken over The Crest." I still did not reply. This was nothing new to either of us. "The Undead Gang has come to Coral City, and proceeded to turn it into a nightmare." Still, I showed no reaction. "You will also befriend humans—" I froze and spat out a mouthful of shrimp, noodles and sauce. It sprayed across the table.
    Minerva scowled at the mess. "I will not." "You will, consider it an order from your Queen." I bared my teeth, squeezing the knife by my plate, so hard that the metal groaned. Minerva stared at me, daring me to try it. Demelza touched my hand gently, and slowly pried my fingers from around the handle. "We will, don't worry." "You don't speak for me." I snarled softly. This time, my voice didn't shatter anything. I couldn't decide if that was a disappointment or not. Demelza merely rubbed my fingers before pulling away. Too soon, I found myself outside, the sun glowing in a deep blue sky, a mocking blue sky. Mocking, because it reminded me of the ocean, of the waves I left behind. Even worse, I could smell the sea, could smell the salt, smell the sands even.
"Remember to close your ears, everything above the waves will sound painful, and distorted." There was an odd sensation as my eardrums closed, lessening my ability to hear. Now rather than a deep hum and powerful rush, the ocean was a slight whisper. My other senses seemed to lessen as well. I could no longer see as far as I had mere human seconds ago, nor could I smell as strongly. "It is disorienting at first, but you get use to it." "I don't want to get use to it." I growled. Instead of answering, Demelza took my hand and lead me away from the door, and down a path, made of white blocks, shored on either side with deep green grasses that was a poor sight. Poor, because the kelp forests were hundreds of feet high, and more impressive.
Coral city it seemed, was named purely for the fact it was an area meant to draw in crowds of humans. The Fore-Reef, where we lived, had homes with long driveways, curving roads, and big, big, big yards. Learning about the human economy taught me that the stupidly rich lived in places like that. Which meant we were in that category. At least I could still live as a princess meant to rule. There were jewelry stores, food places, and other shops that catered to the stupidly rich. The main, what was it, attraction, was the inner city. Known as, The Reef, it roared and crashed, bashed and screamed, cried and bled. I definitely understood why Demelza had suggested I close off my senses. This world, stank. It smelled of waste, of human destruction and construction. Worse, there was no scent of the earth.
Yes, there were some grass patches, some trees, even a little garden here and there. But overall, the city was repulsive. Demelza paused, looking down a road that lead to what was called The Reef Crest. The poorer part of Coral City. There was even a sign that pointed to it. "Wow, it's pretty." She pointed at what humans called an arthouse. Sculptures of animals, of the Indigo, different things, stood outside in some garden. Honestly, it just looked ugly. "You can't be serious?" Demelza elbowed me, a human gesture. "Thalea, be nice." I scowled. "Why, humans are repulsive—"Of which you are one." She hissed. "Of which I am not." I contradicted. Demelza strolled down the street and I had no choice but to follow her.
    It seemed the designers of the city thought to fill the space that lead to the Reef Crest would pretty it up, but it just seemed to emphasize the, what was it, stereotype of starving artists. It was ok I guess, but not worth gawping over. We spent two human hours strolling around the artist part of the Crest. "Oh look Thalea," Demelza pointed to a sculpture of a horse in a meadow. "Ugly." "Well it seems to take a lot to please you huh?" Asked a voice. I turned to see a girl with long brown hair and green eyes standing in the doorway of the art building.
    She had paint on her shirt, and was holding three rolled up sheets under an arm, and had a backpack over her shoulders. "Since it's not my work I won't be offended." "I'd hate it even if it was your work—"Thalea." Demelza chastised. "Oh it's fine, I'd rather honesty than anything." "Honestly I'm a mermaid princess who should not even be above the waves, I should be in the ocean, learning to become an orca, living with a pod, and taking my rightful place as the Trench Queen. Oh, I'm also a half-blood." But of course, I didn't say that. "My name is Jessica, Jesse for short, and I'm guessing you're thalea." I didn't answer. "She is, and I'm Penelope." "Pleasure to meet you, you both new in town?" "Yes we are." "Well lucky for you I go all over the place around here, I was just finishing up in there," she gestured to the building. "So why don't I show you around here, make our way out of the Crest. "Why?" Demelza asked. "Because the sun is going down, and the Undead Gang will be out soon."
    "Who?" "I'll explain, just better if we don't do it here." Said Jesse, leading us away from the building and back the way we came. "So, who's the Undead Gang?" Demelza asked. As if Minerva didn't just brief us on them two hours ago. Jesse put her fingers to her mouth and didn't answer till we entered the inner city. "They got here almost a month ago, and when they did, oh let me tell you, when they did, no one even realized until it was too late. They were like, well, shadows, or parasites. When they got here, no one knew who was behind the robberies, the kidnappings, the killings, not until a week ago when the leader made his grand debut." She shuttered. "It was just one night,  all cameras, tv screens, even phones were hijacked. And then, you heard his voice, cold and remote, the definition of pure evil." Demelza gasped, but I merely watched Jesse.
    Despite the dark news she was sharing, her face, her demeanor lightened even more than it already was. Her eyes sparkled with that mystical light humans attributed to storytellers.
    "At first, it was a dark and stormy night, these three shadows, in black hoods and skeleton masks, dropped on to a bank truck with no one any the wiser. They slid in and took five hundred thousand from the truck. Then, they were gone, when the truck got to one of Coral's banks, empty with the top just open. Well, at first they just put it to robberies. And for awhile, things like that continued. Three manned heists. The police of course, made a task force to handle it, but realized too late the kind of threat they were facing." Jesse's eyes seemed to glaze over, as if she was pulling memories stored away. As if these events happened yesterday, rather than a human month or week ago. Her voice too, lost some of that light and deepened into an ageless drawl that reminded me painfully of the way merpeople got. The merpeople who told stories of us from generations past. Merpeople who spoke of our times from the dawn of merpeople.
"Gradually, as time moved forward, the Undead Gang began to show their true dark colors. Kidnapping soon followed the heists, kidnappings, that turned into full blown murders, many so gruesome that no one could imagine any human capable of committing them. The police considered that the gang had a leader of some kind. Their attacks were too well coordinated. Their willingness to go so far, to protect their secrets, how they worked, it spoke of them having a leader. However, no one could find him, or their base of operations." Demelza and I listened, I was unable to ignore the etherial look in Jesse's eyes.
I opened my mouth, but Demelza stepped on my foot, a snarl rumbled in my chest, and she shot me a look. Jesse however, looked too lost in her own world to notice. "Tortures became another thing for the gang. They'd kidnap, and torture their prize for up to five days, then return them, but the person, the victim, wouldn't be able to describe anything. Not their kidnappers, not the ones who tortured them, the place they were being held, none of it." Jesse's voice lost some of it's etherialness as she said, "Honestly, if it wasn't for all the fun things I do, or my desire to be a famous painter and sculpture, and a number of other things I won't go into, I'd have us leave this place. I love Coral City, and Coral Academy, but it seems that so much is happening and the police are so scared to do anything about it.well, them and the Mayor."
"Really?" Asked Demelza. "Well yeah, it should be illegal for them to not enter a part of a city, but there aren't any cops in the Crest, and the gang has completely taken it over, and trickle out of it from time to time. The Mayor gave the order for the cops to stay out of The Crest, and was uwilling to say why. My father is probably one of the only cops I know who'll go into the Crest no matter the risk. He'll at least protect and serve all people, no matter what." "Your dad's a cop?" "Yes, he's a Lieutenant in the Special Victims Unit, or SVU if you prefer. And honestly, even though he's a decorated officer and has a lot of pull in the departments, still, he can't do anything without massive retrobution, not saying he hasn't done many things that got him into trouble." Jesse shook her head with a secret smile on her face. "But anyways, back to the Undead Gang."