A Wish on a Full Moon

A Twist in the Tail (Part 1)

I do not own H2O: Just Add Water or any of the characters.

Chapter 61: A Twist in the Tail (part 1)

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[Out in the distance, Mako Island stands tall, magnificent, and strong as always. A mystical fog surrounds it, as if but a faint memory.]

Mrs. Chatham: "Mako Island was here long before all of us." Mrs. Chatham takes a deep breath as she sat on the dock at the marine park. Cleo, Rikki, and Emma sat along the edge next to her, listening to her tales and her fateful lessons. Even Lewis tags along and listens, finally beginning to believe in the mystery of magic. "And it'll be here long after we've all gone. And long after this full moon."

"This feels ominous," Ash muttered.

"Full moon again? Well, perfect timing," Charlotte said, arms crossed.

"Things just keep getting worse, doesn't it?" Sam shook her head, as the parents continued to remain silent, sticking to one another and staying close to their daughters as if they would lose them at any second. "It's always a challenge in the life of a mermaid," Max mumbled as he looked over at his old friend, not understanding why there was a small smile on her face. It was always a challenge for Gracie.

And it's the full moon that fixed everything ... for them, Denman thought.

Cleo: "Oh, yeah." Eyes widen in awareness and turns to her friends, then back to Mrs. Chatham. "Full moon time again. Tonight." Mrs. Chatham nods. Cleo winces. "Is it going to be as bad as it was last time?"

"This has got to be foreshadowing. Something bad is going to happen. Something bad always happens!" Kim worried frantically. "Gee, I wonder why," Don narrowed his eyes at the two doctors in the room, the two avoiding everyone else's gaze. His eyes moved back and forth to Zane; he wasn't sure what to make of him. Since Zane didn't know who the mermaids were ... yet. He was angry, but not as mad as he was at Harrison and Denman. Especially Harrison. They've grown up together, years of friendship, and he went behind their backs and destroyed it.

"With those two being added to the mix now, oh yeah, something is definitely going to go down," Will nodded his head in their direction. "She isn't kidding about the foreshadow. And I have to say, it was rather worse than the last one now that I think about it," Rikki whispered to Cleo and Emma. "Definitely. I'd rather take on your fireballs again. Although, not so soon please," Emma grinned.

Mrs. Chatham: "The full moon is a powerful force. But this time, however, it's even more so."

"Why?" Bev asked ever so quietly. Why is it stronger than the last? Why do they have to deal with this now, after everything that is going on? Why do they have such problems with the full moons? Why do they have to go through with any of this? Why wasn't I there for her? So many questions ran through her mind.

"Do I even want to know?" Bella whined. Even she had to admit, a couple of months ago, which must've been when this had happened, she felt a stronger pull toward the full moon than ever before. She has only ever felt a pull that strong a few times. But she could never figure out why.

"Again, perfect timing," Charlotte grumbled as she rolled her eyes, unbelieving their luck.

Emma: frowns, leans forward. "Really? How do you know?"

"I'd ask, but I feel like there's no point," Ash shook his head, then repeated the answer he always got when asked. "Magic."

"Really, Em? How long have you known Mrs. Chatham?" Cleo chuckled lightly.

Mrs. Chatham: "I know."

Lewis: glances at Emma. "Not everything can be explained. Some things need to be taken on, faith. Right Mrs. C?"

Mrs. Chatham: "Right, Lewis." Smiles and chuckles.

"Someone's been learning," Annette said, slightly impressed. "I learned from the best," Lewis grinned.

"I'm just glad you two are finally getting along," Cleo smiled, nudging his elbow. "I'm just surprised I got along quicker with Rikki than Mrs. Chatham." "Who said we were?" Rikki asked, smiling once she saw his drop.

"Finally giving up on science, aye?" Max asked, eyebrows raised. Lewis glances over at the marine biologist, who kept her head between her knees, then looked back to Max. "For the moment. I decided to take a little break from it and finally just let magic be accepted as the answer."

[In the distance, a camera focuses on the three girls. It quickly snaps rapid photos of them, laughing, smiling, and sitting together on the docks, with legs and no tails. The camera lowers, and behind the lens reveals Greg, Dr. Denman's assistant. He stares at them from the bushes with curiosity.]

Everyone in the room glares deepen even more at the screen, some, mainly the families, switching from the screen back to Denman and Harrison. If they could, lasers would beam straight through them. "Uh, hello, stalker alert!" Bella shouted.

"Stay away from them!" Terry snapped, furious to see his daughter and her friends at such a close distance to the menace.

"You were spying on them? That's so creepy. Their teenagers! Kids!" Sam shouted in anger.

"I spy with my little eye, a perv in the bushes taking pictures of my sister," Kim scowled, arms crossed. "For once, I have to agree with you," Cleo said, eyes wide in alarm. Those 'for once's' have been happening a lot lately. "You didn't know about this?" Will asked in worry. "No! Not till now. We didn't know that they found out. Let alone that we were being watched!" Rikki argued. "We didn't even know about this until now. Not even that they took those pictures," Emma turned to glare at the marine biologist again.

"You know, I kind of don't feel that bad about what's coming for her," Rikki huffed as she narrowed her eyes at said person. "Same here. Not for now at least," Emma agreed. "At least we have legs in those photos. Doesn't prove anything," Cleo said with a bit of hope. "Doesn't matter if they saw us with tails in the first ones," Rikki reminded her.

"Stay away from my sister you creep!" Elliot shouted. "It's okay, El. He didn't come nowhere near us," Emma said, rubbing his back gently. "It doesn't matter, he still took the photos," he said in a sad tone, crushing Emma's heart.

Zane's heart pounded in his chest. He had no idea of these photos either. But the fact that they had done it, proved even more of how far they were willing to go just for fame and fortune. It hurt to know that he and his dad had both nearly gone down that path. Nearly.

Terry scowled at the scene. And this is coming from the guy who is my daughter's boyfriend's dad? Zane better hope he won't turn out like him by the end of this, because the only thing Harrison will be is broken bones!

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[Later on, by the canal, Rikki leans against a tree branch with a tire swing on it, looking down at the ground when Zane comes up in an ecstatic mood, bouncing up and down as he lightly slaps the tree branch above her.]

Zane: "I've been looking for you. You are not going to believe this." Pulls her away from the tree.

Terry tensed up the moment Zane appeared on the screen. Don't touch her, don't get near her, don't even look at her. But one sentence kept repeating itself more than the others. Don't hurt her. Don't hurt her. Don't hurt my little girl. She's all that I have left.

Denman's eyes widen slightly, even though her vision was still a little blurry through the tears as she lifted her head toward the screen, she knew from the sound of Zane's voice just exactly what he was going to do. He's going to tell her. So, so she knew that we knew. They knew that their secret was exposed, and they still came to Lewis's rescue. She knew about Zane going to see Rikki, but they never did find out what they had discussed.

"Way to go, son," Harrison mumbled to his son. It wasn't sarcastic nor was he upset that he told Rikki. He was glad that he went against his word. In a way, it was a warning to the girls of the dangers that were coming for them. Zane tilted his head slightly, letting his dad know that he heard him. Zane knew how his father meant it, but in no way was he proud of himself. He couldn't be, after all the trouble he caused them. The only thing that helped was that he did help them in the end, the only bit of relief he felt that he changed his ways.

"Why are you there alone? You shouldn't be alone. That's the number one rule when in danger, to never go alone. They could lure you into a trap or corner you and kidnap you or worse!" Kim argued. The more she thought about it, the worse it got. "Or all three," Emma mumbled. "We. Didn't. Know," Rikki repeated slowly. Until now.

"He wasn't the only one looking for you, according to the last scene," Will commented.

Rikki: pulls her hands out of his grip and steps back. "Uh, I believe you told me to leave you alone. Is this a bad start to an apology?"

"Someone keeps to their word," Neil grumbled, Lisa still had a tight grip around his arms.

"And I would've preferred it to stay that way," Terry voiced his opinion. "Dad," Rikki sighed. "He's a part of the danger, Rikki. If he wanted you to stay away, then for once in your life, please listen to him!" he pleaded. "He's the one who came to me!"

"You're not very good at listening to your own demands, are you?" Annette questioned. "Clearly he gets that from his father," Lisa huffed, turning her head sharply away from Harrison.

Zane: grins. "There are mermaids. I've seen a photo."

Rikki: blinks and all sarcasm fades away; her face turns serious as her jaw drops. "What?"

"And the bomb drops," Elliot said. "Too bad a literal one didn't," Emma mumbled. "It felt like it did for me," Rikki nodded.

"At least they know now," Lisa said a bit hopeful. "Yeah, but is it too late?" Neil asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Zane: "A photo. There's more than one of them. Out by Mako."

Rikki: shakes her head, startled (that they were caught.) "Where did this photo come from?"

"Too bad he didn't bring the pictures for proof," Will sighed. "There's no need for it. Once he said that there was more than one, and the fact that there were pictures is all the proof she needed," Max said. "They probably have copies of them anyway," Ash said.

"Good, get the information you need, then scram!" Kim said, jabbing her thumb away from the screen.

Zane: "Dr. Denman. She's got these underwater motion-activated cameras for counting fish." Zane's smile grew wider. "I was there when she downloaded the big one." He grabs her hands again. "Look, you can't tell anyone yet. But I had to tell you."

"Well at least he didn't know it was her, otherwise she'd probably be locked in a tank by now," Bella shrugged, feeling uncomfortable by everything going on. Her mind wouldn't stop reeling on the fact that that could've happened to her if she was in their position, the possibilities were endless on what would've gone down, and what could still go down for them. "Please quit mentioning that," Bev shuddered, moving closer to Don and her daughters.

"Man, these theories keep hitting right on the spot," Rikki whispered. "Because what else would happen? It's accurate," Emma whispered back.

Zane: "Isn't it great?"

Rikki: nods, and gives him a small, false smile. "Yeah, that, that's amazing. Congratulations."

"No! No, it is absolutely not amazing! It is horrible! Absolutely horrible," Lisa yelled.

"Rikki, what were you thinking?" Terry breathed, eyes wide. "What else was I supposed to do? I couldn't disagree with him; it would've been a dead giveaway that I knew something all along!" Rikki countered. "The only thing I could do was agree with it, so he could leave, and I could warn the others. Which is exactly what I did." And good thing he did too, otherwise we wouldn't have had much of Lewis's help in the first place. I know I joke about it a lot, but if it weren't for Lewis, and the help of Zane, we would have never been able to get out of there. We'd be stuck in a lab somewhere, far off; never to see our families and friends again.

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[As soon as the shocking news was revealed to Rikki and Zane had left, the former immediately meets up with the others at the Juicenet café in the usual booth. Lewis sat next to Rikki as they all listen to the unusually frightened Rikki repeat exactly what her boyfriend told her. Emma and Cleo sat across from them.]

Lewis: straightens up, tense once Rikki stops talking. "There was a camera?"

Rikki: shrugs her shoulders in frustration. "We didn't see it when we were swimming in."

"Nor when you were coming out," Charlotte said. "Yeah, I mean how could they see the odd black camera with a giant lens poking out, even though it didn't blend in with its surroundings?" Kim sarcastically said with a huff. "Now is not the time for sarcasm, Kim," Cleo rolled her eyes. "It sure felt like it did."

"Even if we did see it, it would've been too late. It only would've ended up getting our faces shown," Emma explained. "Which ended up happening anyways," Ash pointed out. "Thanks for the reminder," Neil grumbled as he sent another death glare at the other two adults. "Yes, thank you, Ash. But it would've been a whole lot sooner if we had," Emma said, giving him a pointed look. "And it would've resulted in Zane finding out and thus knowing that Rikki was a mermaid who he had spoken with and is being hunted down by two maniacs," Will mentioned. "Man, you really thought this through," Lewis said, slightly impressed. I'd say three maniacs, but Zane is still questionable. After all, he doesn't have all the information, Annette thought.

What do you expect from a marine biologist? There's always something fishy about them," Will commented. The whole room turns to him, and all eyes, including Neil's murderous glare (temporarily), was on him. "What?" He asked, noticing the glares. "Dude. Now is not the time for puns," Zane shook his head and sighed. "Puns? What pu – oh. Ohh. My bad. It wasn't intentional!" Will quickly explained once he figured it out, a blush quickly coming over him. "Neither was you being here," Rikki mumbled under her breath, causing her two friends to snicker.

Cleo: looks at Emma. "It mustn't have been a very good photo. Otherwise, they would have recognized it was us."

"Seriously? That's what you're focusing on? How are you not the blonde one?" Kim slapped her forehead.

"Sweetheart, I know you are concerned about it, but that's not the point," Don sighed, closing his eyes.

"At least she's trying to see the bright side," Sam grimaced. "It doesn't matter about 'the bright side' if they have a photo of their faces," Terry scoffed.

Rikki: "Are you complaining about it? Do you want to write a letter to the manufacturer and get Denman's money back?"

"Now, now, Rikki. Now is not the time for sarcasm," Kim mocked her sister, wagging a finger at the former. "Neither is this the time for it," Cleo said with a false smile, showing her irritation. Terry sighed, not even bothering with it. Like they said, it's neither the time for sarcasm nor any arguments ... for now.

Emma: "Look, maybe we should talk about this somewhere more private."

"Finally! It's about time!" Kim exclaimed. "Kim!" Don hushed her, eyes still focused on the screen.

"Don't you think this should've been spoken in private in the first place?" Elliot asked gently. "When she got the news, we needed to talk about it immediately since Zane had told Rikki about it. The café was the closest place to meet up," Emma answered.

"Well, there's pros and cons to both sides of it. With the café being more in public, it meant safety knowing that they might not try to confront them in a public space, that way they wouldn't try to endanger other people. But it also means that they were at risk of their secret getting exposed to the public, which could quickly get everyone flipped over to the enemy side. If they did it in private, say Emma's place, they could be able to talk about it freely and know they are in a safe place, but also could endanger their families if they were to be found," Max informed.

"... and the café was also the quickest," Emma said slowly, raising an eyebrow at him. Mrs. Chatham chuckled at her friend.

[Lewis's phone rings on the table. He picks it up and the others look at him as he answers it.]

Lewis: "Lewis McCartney." He looks toward the girls, as the person speaks. "Oh, it's you. Why would you –." Emma glances at Cleo. Lewis stops when the other person on the line speaks. "Can I call you back? Yeah. Ok." He nods and hangs up his phone.

"Who was that?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow. Lewis sighed, dropping his head. "I got a dreadful feeling I know who," Neil said, regret seeping into his mind. Dr. Denman bit her lip in fear, even more about the closer it was getting.

Lewis: leans forward. "That was Dr. Denman. She wants to meet up with me." Emma frowns.

"No!" Charlotte shouted, jumping forward. Annette holds onto her arm tight.

"You're seriously not going to go visit that psychopath, are you?" Kim yelled.

"Don't do it, Lewis. I think that's a bad idea," Annette shook her head. "I agree. You shouldn't go," Max nodded his head.

Cleo: "You're not going to go, are you?"

"Why would he? She stole his samples, lied to him, manipulated him, and now she has photos of your existence. It makes sense not to," Ash mentioned, before looking at Lewis, whose head was still pointed down at the floor. "You didn't, did you?" "Oh, Lewis," Max sighed, shaking his head, knowing he would.

Lewis: "Cleo, I don't see why not." Rikki furrows her eyebrows at him. "I mean, what have we got to lose?"

"And you do," Ash sighed as he too dropped his head to the floor.

"Lewis, you idiot!" Kim shouted, her fists shaking in irritation.

"Are you crazy?! She knows you know where the sample came from, and she knows your friends with them. What if she tries to get answers out of you or arrests you for withholding valuable information? Or worse!" Said a panicked Charlotte.

"A lot more than you think. Your secret, your families, friends, freedom. Your lives. Each other," Sam said in worry. "Those didn't come to mind at the time. All I could think about was their safety," Lewis said quietly, finally looking up. "At least we didn't lose none of those. Especially each other," Cleo whispered to him with a small smile, then turned to her other friends. He gladly returned the hopeful smile.

Rikki: "You don't have a lot to lose. We have plenty."

"She's right. You might lose a lot too, but they have a lot more riding on this," Bella agreed. "And that's everything. They could lose everything," Lisa worried.

Lewis: "Maybe if I talk to her, I can find out what she does know, and what she doesn't."

"Please don't do it, Lewis. There's got to be another way to get the information," Bev pleaded, still staying close to Don. "She's right, Lewis. As much protection that they need, this is far too dangerous. Even for you," Don quickly agreed, looking at the blonde boy.

"Talking won't work in this situation I'm afraid," Max said.

"Gee, isn't that what you tried the last time? And look what it got you into. A sample was stolen from you and kicked to the curve! Now your friends and my sister's lives are on the line!" Kim snapped then turned to her sister. "Your boyfriend is an idiot."

Rikki: "And maybe she'll play you like a cello."

"She already has," Lewis muttered, his gaze moving away from the screen. Because she had planned the whole thing out. She planned for him to come, she planned to keep him there. She knew the girls would come to his aid and lured them into a trap. She had everything planned down to the last detail. Everything that is except for Zane. She never realized his view of things would suddenly change just because of who the mermaids were. His friends and girlfriend. She never knew Zane would be the one to break them free. And neither did he. He chuckled at the thought. Who would've thought Zane, the spoiled and selfish person he is, would've been our only hope to save us?

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[On Denman's boat, she clicks through several photos on her laptop of Rikki and Zane together. It was while he was telling Rikki about the photos. Denman talks on the phone with Harrison, talking about the situation with Zane.]

Dr. Denman: "Did you get the photos I emailed? Good, this presents us with a problem."

"You were spying on us?" Zane asked in shock. "You didn't know?" Rikki asked him. "No! I didn't even know you three were the mermaids, much less about them spying on us," Zane exclaimed. "Well, if they were going to take pictures of us at the marine park, then it's no surprise that they were going to follow you too," Emma sighed. Her assistants must've been at the Juicenet too. That must've been how Denman knew to call Lewis right then, to get him away from us.

"And she sent you photos? So, you knew that I told Rikki. Unbelievable," Zane told his dad. Harrison didn't say a word. His son had every right to be mad. But Zane wasn't mad at him. At least not for long. Because no matter what, in the end, Harrison chose to quit the project, he chose to stop this madness. He chose him. His son. And he could never get mad about that.

Don and the other parents continue to glare at the screen. "A-actually, we didn't know you told her. Greg might've been following you, but he can't read lips. We only had a hunch, but not for certain," Denman admitted.

"Just can't stop following my daughter, can you? What? No other lives to ruin?" Terry scowled, cracking his knuckles. Denman shuttered in fear.

"When this is over, I'm going to see about a restraining order," Neil announced. Emma turned to her dad surprised. She never thought her dad would go to such lengths to keep her safe. "I agree," Lisa nodded. "Can we join in that ordeal?" Don asked, Terry perking up at the idea.

Dr. Denman: turns around and sees Lewis coming down the dock, empty of any other boats and people. Completely vacant. Just them, all alone. One of her assistant's follows behind Lewis, Greg meets them halfway. "No, I don't think he knows, either. I should have told Zane about her." Harrison speaks on the other line, she sighs. Greg begins to walk back up with Lewis and the other man. "Fine. You want to handle Zane yourself, be my guest. He's your son." She glances back at the worn-down dock and sees Lewis and the other two coming closer. "Later, Harrison." Hangs up the phone and lowers it. She looks back at Lewis.

"He handled me just fine, by keeping me out of the loop," Zane huffed. "So, the usual," Lisa muttered.

"You think I would tell him? The mermaid hunter at that moment? No way," Rikki shook her head. In a way, I'm kind of glad she didn't tell me. If she had, I probably would have never told Rikki about the photo. She wouldn't have had a warning. But I could've protected her more too. I could've kept her from ever going out to Mako. So many things could have went wrong or right, Zane thought.

"Lewis, are you insane?!" Charlotte asked in shock.

"This is a bad idea, a really really bad idea," Bella shook her head, seeing that it was in a much different location.

"Lewis, do you not see how sketchy this is? You're alone with no one else around and two minions follow you down the dock to make sure you don't run off? You should've ran the moment you saw them coming," Emma sighed. "Yeah. This screams bloody murder," Rikki nodded. "We needed more information," Lewis argued. "Sometimes it's best not to know everything, instead of getting yourself in more danger," Max said. "Remember what we talked about Lewis? You don't need an answer for everything. Sometimes it's best not to know. Like in this situation," Mrs. Chatham informed.

Lewis: looks behind him then at Denman, beginning to regret coming in the first place. "Well, you certainly know all the tourist spots." Lewis sat at the lab, Denman standing across from him.

The tension grew worse as Lewis went to Denman's alone. "Why aren't you at the regular marina?" Will asked slowly, noticing that they were all by themselves. "No one else around. No houses or businesses to be seen. Just a bunch of wooded areas, so no one could spot them. She wanted him away from the public eye and away from the girls," Max realized, his eyes widening as he looked over at the shaking scientist. If this is going down the way I think it is, this is much, much worse than Karl.

"... it's a trap. It's a trap. I knew it," Charlotte whispered in fright, but loud enough for others to hear as she caught on to what Max was saying. This was a trap for both Lewis and the girls. She wanted them to be separated. "Oh, crap," Ash mumbled. "Wh-what did you do?" Annette asked as others gasped. "I think she's about to do something she's gonna regret. And so am I," Terry fumed.

Dr. Denman: nods her head with that big false smile. Leans against the lab table. "Hm. I like it here. There's no one for miles." Greg comes over and brings over two water bottles and sets one on the table by Denman. "Thanks, Greg." Lewis looks up at him suspicious. Greg walks around him and sets the other one down next to Lewis and stays by his side.

Greg's staying, and real close to him too. Which means he was told to stay near him. He was meant to be there just in case, Don theorized, tightening his grip on Kim, wanting to keep his family further away from the scientific lunatic, and he wasn't talking about Lewis. "Oh, so now you start to get uncomfortable," Kim grumbled, trying not to focus on her dad's hand as it gripped her shoulder, knowing he was thinking about something that worried him. Probably Cleo.

"Now would be a really good time for backup," Sam stated. "A little late for that, isn't it?" Ash asked.

Cleo began to rub her arms nervously as she watched this go down. She knew everything that happened and what was going to happen, but it made her so scared for him to have to watch Lewis walk right into Denman's trap. Or swim in their case.

"That should be a major hint that you are so screwed," Will said.

"This isn't good," Charlotte said as she bounced her leg up and down in nervousness. If I had been there a couple of months earlier, I could've been there for him. For all of them. There must've been some way I could've stopped this. Grandmother would have wanted me to. She would know what to do.

Dr. Denman: "So, Lewis, you don't have that little cell sample anymore? The one that mutates on contact with water?"

"Odd conversation, odd meetup place, odd people. This is totally odd," Bella said, her arms crossed. "When you have three mermaid friends, you get used to the oddness," Lewis shrugged. Bella bit her cheek to keep from laughing at the irony that he was telling that to a mermaid; he didn't know though.

"I thought we were long done with that," Elliot groaned in annoyance. "The past always comes back to haunt you," Mrs. Chatham said. And that it did, Denman thought.

Nope. Instead, he has three massive samples named, Cleo, Rikki, and Emma. And they're teenage girls, not dollar signs. And they are the daughters of my friends, or used to be, Harrison internally sighed.

Lewis: grins. "No, actually. I lost it."

Dr. Denman: "Really?" Lewis nods. Denman's grin grows wider. "You wouldn't be holding out on me, would you Lewis?"

Lewis: "Of course not."

"You're a terrible liar and she knows it," Ash informed. "Didn't know at the time," Lewis told him. "Because she knows more than you think. A lot more," Terry said, thinking about the photos again, taken of his daughter and Zane. And then of the photos with their tails, and their faces and everything just feels like it's falling apart all over again.

Dr. Denman: nods. "You know, sometimes I think you actually know a little more than you're letting on. Like your friends, for example. Emma, Cleo, and Rikki." Lewis's grin slowly drops, his heartbeat quickening as he grows more nervous for them. And he realizes ... she knows.

"Completely off-topic. There's no need to bring them into this," Neil said, his fist clenching at the mention of Emma's name coming from her mouth. "It is when the topic was always about us," Emma sighed. She too was starting to get nervous for Lewis. It was getting quite scary for their friend, as the situation started to get even more dangerous. But it was too late for him to leave, he was already sealed in thanks to Greg. There was nowhere to run.

"Keep my daughter's name out of your filthy mouth!" Terry shouted; Denman jumped in fright as his fist slammed down onto the armchair. Even Rikki was slightly surprised by his outburst.

"How did she even learn your names? The only one she would have known was Cleo's. She never got yours," Lisa asked, her eyes widening even more. "Because he gave it to her," Zane sighed as he looked over at his dad, the latter slid further into his chair and gazed at the wall next to him. Regret. That's all there ever was.

Lewis: quickly shakes his head from the thought and tries to remain calm. "What about them?"

"Don't fall for it. Don't go for the conversation," Max warned. It was dangerous information, something he knew that Lewis wouldn't want to know. It would only hurt him more. But curiosity can get the best of a person.

"Change the subject. Change the subject. Oh please, please, change the subject," Elliot whispered to himself, terrified for where this was going for Lewis and his sister.

Dr. Denman: "They're interesting girls."

"Only because of the value they hold," Terry scowled. Harrison felt a pang in his chest, knowing he was right. They didn't know these girls at all, their journey, or their lifestyle. Yet they only found them peculiar because of their uniquity and the fame and popularity they could gain.

"They are interesting, but not in the way you think," Bella murmured. Not because of their powers, but because of the bond they share.

"You know nothing about them, yet they piqued your interest," Sam huffed.

"They're nothing to you," Neil said in a low tone, narrowing his eyes at the screen.

Lewis: "Yeah, well, you could say they're good company."

"Unlike you," Kim shot the scientist a dirty look.

"They're good company, good people, good friends. Good daughters," Bev said in a shaky voice and watery eyes.

Dr. Denman: "Hm." Picks up a folder in front of her and holds it out to Lewis. "Not what I meant."

"Of course, it isn't," Ash said.

"She hands you a suspicious folder and you weren't freaked out about it?" Charlotte asked as she tries to focus her mind on something else other than Lewis's possible danger. "I was more focused on the fact that she said my friends' names," Lewis remarked. "Us too," Don replied.

Lewis: sighs as he grabs the folder and looks inside it. Inside were a stack of pictures. The first picture was of Rikki, Cleo, and Emma, swimming side by side with their arms out and orange scaly tails in full view. Lewis tries his best to hide his surprise and looks back up at the doctor with a confused expression. "What, this? Oh, it's a fake."

"Clever excuse, but it's not going to work since they've seen the live pictures," Max said in concern. "Thanks for trying, Lewis," Elliot sighed, knowing it won't work.

"Gotta admit, you're acting skills are spot on. You didn't show an inch of shock or fear when looking at the photos," Ash said, slightly impressed. "Why is that what you're more worried about?" Lewis frowned. "Needed something else to distract me from this creepy scene," Ash shrugged. "Try living it."

Dr. Denman: "It's nothing personal, Lewis. This is business, and those girls could be worth a fortune."

"You made it personal the moment you saw those photos," Terry grumbled. "I say it's when she returned to the Gold Coast," Neil retorted. "How about when she took my daughter's DNA?" Don spat. "Is this a contest or something?" Cleo looked around, confused.

"That's where you're wrong. It became personal the moment you involved my daughter!" Lisa shouted. "Our daughters," Bev declared despite her struggling tears.

"Money. It's all about money to you two, isn't it? Not about their families, their lives, their futures," Annette shook her head in disgust at Harrison and Denman, both of their heads down in shame. "It's disgusting. You're disgusting. You're the real monsters here."

Lewis: looks back at the photos. Of Rikki, of Emma. Of Cleo. He sighs and hands the folder back to her and shakes his head with a bright false smile on his face. "Well, you know, it's been very nice chatting to you, but I should be getting home."

"I don't think it's going to work out like that," Max muttered. "A little late for that," Denman closed her eyes, getting ready for the rage that was going to burst when they find out about what she did to not just the girls, but to Lewis too, a human.

[Lewis stands, but Greg, who was still standing nearby, places a rough hand on Lewis's shoulder. None of them speak as he pushes Lewis back down into the stool. Two more of Denman's assistants come out of the cabin, arms crossed as they all watch the teenage boy, making sure he won't try anything. Lewis looks at them, then back at Denman, beginning to realize just how serious this situation has gotten.

"No," Charlotte gasped as she grabbed her mother's arm, her other hand covers her mouth.

"Get out of there, Lewis!" Kim shouted.

"Why did you go alone? You shouldn't have gone alone," Bev shook, tears beginning to spill. Don held onto her tight. "Well, there was no one else. The others couldn't go with me, it would've been so much worse if they did," Lewis said with regret.

"These are kids. They are kids, and you're trying to capture a bunch of kids?" Sam asked, horror filling her tone.

"You should have never gone in the first place," Rikki sighed. "Gee, Rikki, it's nice to know that you care," Lewis chuckled in a playful matter. "Well, I wouldn't have to if you didn't get yourself stuck in situations like this," Rikki gestured to the screen. Like you're one to talk, Lewis thought.

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[Meanwhile, the girls hide out in Cleo's room, waiting for word to come back from Lewis. Which makes Cleo very anxious. Cleo and Rikki sit on the bed, the latter listening to the brunette's worries as Emma paces around the room.]

Cleo: "And Lewis can be really gullible sometimes."

"You're right about that," Zane muttered. "Uh, I beg your pardon. I am not gullible," Lewis argued. "Your record with Denman and Mrs. Chatham says otherwise," Zane remarked. "Says the mermaid hunter," Lewis grumbled, his arms crossed.

"You are gullible," Cleo sheepishly grinned. "So are you, Cleo," Rikki added.

Emma: arms crossed, stands by Cleo. "Lewis will be fine, Cleo."

"I hate to say it, but I don't think he will be," Kim pouted. "I'm sure Lewis will be okay. It's you girls that need to stay safe," Lisa mentioned a little too eager. "Yeah, Lewis will figure out something. He always does," Elliot nodded. "Way to make a guy feel wanted," Lewis chuckled sarcastically to himself.

[Just then, Cleo's phone beeps on her nightstand. She hastily leans over and grabs it. She straightens back up and presses a button on her phone as she looks at the screen. Emma plops down behind her as she reads over her shoulder. Rikki leans forward.]

Cleo: "Lewis just texted me."

"They didn't think about taking your phone?" Kim scoffed. Amateurs.

"How'd you send a text that quick without getting caught?" Charlotte asked, her shaking stopped momentarily. "I don't think that's Lewis," Max frowned. "You'd be right," the girls plus Lewis admitted. "Dr. Demon," Kim gasped. Neil and the other parents' eyes widen and they quickly lean forward in their seats and looked at the screen. "No, no, no, no, no ..." Bev mumbled to herself repeatedly.

Cleo: "He wants us to meet him at Mako Island urgently."

"Mako Island? Why there?" Will asked in confusion. "Because that's where the scale was found. Max was right, it's not Lewis because he'd tell them to stay away from there. She knows that they know where the moonpool is located so she could lure them into the place they know best," Ash slowly began to realize.

"It's a trap!" Annette shouted as she too grabbed her daughter's hand. Is this what Denman had done? Lured them into a place they called home, a place they know better than anyone else? Away from their friends and family? From everything they knew? Took kids away from their parents, with chances of never being able to see them again? She hoped that would never happen to Charlotte. She loved her daughter with all her heart. She was all she had left ever since her husband left and her mother died. But if this did happen to them, then how did their parents not find out? How long were they gone? Or did they never leave?

"Putting bait on a lure and casting it out. Like fishing. Clever," Max whispered. "Now is not the time for fishing references," Mrs. Chatham whispered to him.

Rikki: moves closer. "What's he doing there?" Cleo shrugs and looks back down at the text.

Emma: "He's in trouble, I knew it." Emma jumps up from her spot and runs for the door. The other two girls quickly follow as Cleo takes her phone with her and hops off the bed, following her best friends to save her boyfriend.

"No, don't! He's not! He's not there!" Kim shouted as she jumped forward and grabbed on tightly to the armrests.

"Don't go! Please, please, don't go!" Bev wept as she saw her daughter run for the door, the possibility of it being the last time she is ever in that room plaguing her mind. Why didn't I stay for her? Why didn't I stay there for them?

"Oh gosh, oh gosh no," Lisa began to hyperventilate. Neil held on tight to her, trying his best to calm her down. But how can he keep her calm when he wasn't calm himself? His heartbeat was racing a mile a minute. Lisa clung to him, hiding her face in his chest as she listened to his rapid beating heartbeat.

Terry stared at the screen, mortified. His daughter was walking right into the trap, and there was nothing he could do about it. Every father's worst nightmare, unable to help their child when they need it the most.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

[Greg stands in front of Lewis with his phone; the phone beeps as he sends off another text to Cleo. Lewis stares at the assistant in pure terror.]

Greg: "Hm. Nice phone." Walks off with the phone.

"It's not yours," Charlotte spat. "Looks like Max was right," Elliot said as he looked up at his parents. His expression matching his parents' worried ones. "I wish I wasn't," Max sighed with a look of regret.

Harrison squinted his eyes shut, not wanting to watch it as everything takes place. This was it. The plan was about to go down along with his longtime friendship with the Gilbert's and Sertori's. Although that had already went down the drain the moment they found out that he got involved with Denman's project. The more this goes on, the more it shows just how awful, greedy, selfish, and hateful of a person he really was. Was, is what Zane would think, but this time, even Harrison didn't know if that could change his mind. It wouldn't be as easy with the other adults in the room.

Denman began to shake. This is it, this is it. This is it. She would be reliving all events from that day again. But this time from a completely different perspective.

"How did they take your phone?" Ash asked. "They searched me. They knew that I had it on me since Dr. Denman called me and I went straight there," Lewis answered.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

[Down in the deep ocean blue, the girls zoom toward Mako.]

"No," Bev barely whispered, a stray tear quickly falling down her cheek. Her daughter fell for the bait. And now she was going right for it, straight into the trap.

Lisa gasped and covered her mouth, her hand muffling her sobs to stay strong for her daughter, no matter how much she didn't want to be.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

[Lewis is now locked in a small room with twin cabin beds embedded into the walls on each side. A window was right behind him, and one emergency one with a sky view above. He tries to push and bang it open, but it refuses to budge. He then runs for the door and tries every inch of the door to get it to move so he can go save the girls. It too stays in place.]

Charlotte gasped, her eyes wide. "You locked him in a room and held him hostage? That's kidnapping! This is kidnapping!" "Easy, easy," Annette said, trying to calm Charlotte down. "No killing anybody ... yet," she muttered the last part, her eyes narrowed at the one behind all of this. "Technically, he did go there by his own choice/accords," Ash rubbed his chin in thought. He didn't agree with what Denman was doing, but Lewis did choose to go there. "Because of her persuasion. And she did refuse to let him leave and is currently holding him captive in a room. That itself is considered kidnapping," Sam countered, glaring at the scientist who shrank further into her seat.

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[The girls continue in their rush for their friend, never once realizing that they were the ones in danger.]

"You guys never slow down, huh?" Bella sighed, upset about what they were quickly falling into. Although she does occasionally, Bella never used her speed-swimming much. She much preferred to look at the beauty of the ocean and enjoy as much of it as she can. Her parents tried, knowing how much she loved to swim, but there were some times in their travels when there weren't very many beaches or any at all. Besides, she never had anyone to race against.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

[On the monitor on Denman's boat, it shows three red-blinking dots moving fast toward Mako. One of the assistants that were looking at it rushes over to the radio and turns it on. On the other side of the door he was near, Lewis pauses in his escape attempts as he overhears the man's conversation.]

Assistant #1: "Dr. Denman."

Dr. Denman: on radio. "Yes? What is it?"

Assistant #1: "We got three shapes on radar moving fast towards Mako." Lewis puffs his cheeks out in frustration and slams his hands against the door.

"Lookie there, she got a warning," Annette scoffed as she gestured toward the screen.

"Hurry, Lewis!" Kim exclaimed in anticipation, afraid for her sister. "Don't you see that I'm trying? She had the doors reinforced. There wasn't anything I could do," Lewis sighed. "You're not trying hard enough," Kim continued to banter.

"Was the monitor really necessary? You already knew they would come. No need to make them seem more like fish by using a fish finder!" Sam said in disgust. Don's grip tightened around his daughters after seeing similar equipment he owns beings used to hunt down his daughter and friends. "Had to make sure," Denman muttered, only heard by those nearby due to how quiet she was.

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

[The girls swim through one by one into the underwater moonpool entrance, now at a normal yet hastened pace. Once all of them are fully through, scuba divers hidden by the reefs swim behind their bubbly tracks with a metal gate. They place it over the entrance of the moonpool and twist and lock it in place. Not a spot left uncovered. No chance of escape.]

Bev straightened up, her back stiffened. No tears fell, no rigid breaths, and no fear. The only emotions she felt were shock and surprise. But the one she felt the most was anger. She, she locked them in? They were in the trap so deep to the point that they couldn't leave. Like creatures locked away to be kept from the good people of the world. Except for this time, the story was reversed. The good ones were trapped. And the real monster was the one on the other side of the bars planning this whole mess.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She couldn't believe that the person behind this was the one who was so nice to her when she first showed up, even when her own daughters weren't. No. Nice people wouldn't do this. Only monsters. They were right about her the whole time. She was a manipulative, evil, maniacal beast. And this monster was starting to form another monster inside of her.

"You caged them up? They're human! Not animals!" Elliot shouted, eyes wide with intense worry. "If anyone needs to be caged up, it's you. You're the real monster!" Kim yelled, her fury unknowingly matching her mother's.

Terry felt like he was going to explode with murderous rage. They did this to my daughter? To these girls?! What is wrong with them?! They're just kids! Neil glared at the screen as he sucked in a deep breath, his grip tightened on both the armchair and his wife.

So, this is what happened to them. What Emma warned us about. What she feared. What we feared. Lisa looked at her in concern, wanting to not look at the screen. She couldn't handle what was happening. It was all too much for her, especially to know now that this had happened to her own child without her knowledge.

"Locking them up behind bars. Almost like they're prisoners. It sure probably felt like it to you though, didn't it?" Annette narrowed her eyes, hands still wrapped around her daughter who moved closer to her.

Mrs. Chatham shook her head in disappointment. Even though she knew everything that happened, having helped them get out of their little fishy situation, but to actually see it in person and to know that someone human was capable of doing this, being this much evil. She couldn't help but feel disappointment. This was so much worse than Karl. Funny how the past can try to somewhat revive the events from just fifty years ago.

"You are a mad, mad woman," Will shook his head in disbelief. "I think wicked is more of a better term," Ash corrected, a glare attached to his features. Dead if I ever get my hands on her, Charlotte thought. No one messes with Lewis.

"Cruel," Bella mumbled in fear. They were locked up? They got trapped? Captured? They, they lived their worst nightmares. That is any mermaid's worst nightmare. And it all came true for them in mere seconds. Bella let out a shutter and bit her lip to keep herself from shaking, sobbing, anything to show how terrified she was of this. Because they were going through something she feared the most. Something she was always afraid of happening. And her parents always assured her that it would never happen. Now looking at the screen, she questioned both herself and her parents on whether it was right or not.

Denman and Harrison both kept their gazes away from the screen, not looking forward to the next few minutes. It was going to be literal hell for them, both on and off the screen. The two glanced at each other in slight worry about what would happen to them. They had no clue if this room would protect them or not, both from the people and magic. As far as they know, they had to protect themselves, even then unsure of whether they should or not as guilt ate them up the more this goes on.

"Things aren't looking so good," Rikki commented. "Are you talking about onscreen or in here, because we kind of already lived through one of them and know the outcome," Emma pointed out in confusion. "Both." "You both have a point," Cleo shrugged when Emma looked at her. "But how did we swim by and not see that?" Rikki asked as she pointed to the metal bars and divers. "Because we were focused on trying to save our friend?" Cleo reminded her as if it were obvious. "We have got to stop getting distracted during our swims. This makes three times that has happened," Emma shook her head in annoyance.

[Inside the moonpool, Cleo and Rikki surface as they look around for their friend.]

Cleo and Rikki: "Lewis."

Cleo: "You here?" Beside Rikki, Emma swims up next to them, her head breaking the surface. A different voice echoes through the cave however instead of the one that they were expecting.

"He's not there," Kim said, upset that her sister fell right for the trap, and there was nowhere to run. "But someone else is," Neil said, fuming.

Dr. Denman: "Glad you could come, girls." The girls look around the mooncave. Out of the corner walks Greg and Denman from the shadows, arms crossed with a malicious grin as she looks down at them, tails and all.

"But she is," Elliot said with a shaky tone.

Bev shook with anger. There Denman was, face to face with her daughter as a mermaid. And she looked at her as if all she saw was a trophy, a dollar symbol, her ticket into the spotlight. And it sickened her, for someone to look at her daughter like that, her friends. Teenagers. Kids. Kids. It angered her that someone she met, someone she thought was a genuinely kind person, was a monster waiting to attack its prey when at their weakest. Denman had hunted down her daughter, had kidnapped both them and Lewis without their knowledge. And it infuriated her to her bones.

"The way she looks at them. It's like she's already claiming victory. How horrible," Sam shook her head.

[Rikki looks at the others with wide eyes then dives back down. Emma and Cleo take deep breaths and quickly follow. Rikki, Cleo, and Emma reach the entrance of the moonpool and find the barred gate blocking their only exit. They try with all their might as they try to push it free, but it wouldn't budge. The girls keep trying, but eventually resurface for air. The three send death glares at the two unwanted occupants in the cave.]

"It's no use," Bella said so quietly, sorrow filling her voice.

"Wait, what about the land entrance? They could still escape through there, right?" Charlotte perked up as she thought about it, hope returning to a few. "Dr. Denman and her assistant are dry, so it's most likely they came through there. Besides, it would take time for them to dry off. They wouldn't be able to get out in time," Max sighed as he explained, hating to see their hopeless faces once more. "It's no better going through the land entrance than it was the underwater one anyways," Zane winced. "Why?" Terry asked as he gave an angry yet desperate look to the boy. "You'll see," Zane said, waving weakly to the screen.

"You know, now that I think about it, why didn't we just use our tails? I mean, if I could bend a metal, cabin door with my tail then surely we could've done some damage with all of ours," Emma questioned. "I'm really starting to question our IQ," Rikki sighed as she rubbed her head from the oncoming headache. "I'm gonna say it was the heat of the moment. We were more focused on getting out of there that we didn't think clearly," Cleo remarked. "That still doesn't explain our idiocy," Rikki muttered.

Dr. Denman: still in the same position. "I think it's time we talked." Behind them, several blue boxes were stacked around the sandy floor. "Don't you?"

"I think not," Lisa spat in anger.

"You don't want to talk. All you want to do is experiment, make money, and destroy their lives," Ash scowled.

[Cleo looks at her friends a bit frantic on what to do, before deciding to out one more secret. In her puffy rage, she raises a hand out of the water, and a large ball of water follows from the pool. Denman, trying to keep her features calm, looks at the girls and the ball of water in surprise, mouth slightly ajar. Emma then raises her hand, palm flat, and freezes the floating ball of water into solid ice. Cleo flicks her arm out toward Greg, the ball of ice slings in his direction.]

Greg: narrowly dodges the ice ball and falls to the ground. "Whoa!" Where his head was supposed to be, the ball of ice crashes into the cave wall behind him, smashing into pieces.

"Why didn't you guys just save that for when you needed it the most!" Kim shouted. "It was when we needed it the most. We had to threaten her to let us go somehow. We had to show her that we weren't ones to be messed with," Cleo argued. "Yeah, but now you just blew another secret. She didn't know you guys had powers. Just tails!" Kim countered. "It would've been better if you used it when the time was right. Be patient and wait till you see the right moment and seize it," Annette agreed.

"Thank you. We'll try to remember that for the next time," Rikki rolled her eyes. "There's a next time!" Terry yelled, ready to jump out of his seat. "No, no, no," Rikki quickly stated, holding her hands up. "No, no next time." "Maybe lay off the sarcasm just a little bit," Emma pinched her fingers together. "Ya think? I nearly gave my dad a heart attack there," Rikki whispered back.

Dr. Denman: and Greg glance at one another. Greg looks back frantic at the girls as Denman walks over to one of the nearby boxes. She grabs a tablet off the top and walks back over to the girls with a threatening look. "Before you do something you'll regret, you should see this." The girls frown at the small tablet. On the screen, Lewis is shown trapped on the boat in the small cabin, banging on the cabin door to be set free. "Needless to say, if anything was to happen to me –."

"Before you do something you regret, Denman, might I remind you that you're in a room full of angry adults and teenagers who are well affiliated with these girls. If you as so lay a hand on them, trust me, you're going to have a hard time stitching yourself up with that lab kit of yours," Neil warned. Denman paled at the thought, her breathing a little shallow.

"Oh, nothing will happen to you there. But it definitely will here," Don chuckled darkly, Terry joining him.

Would she ever do this to me if she had the chance? Bella rubbed her arms, feeling uncomfortable.

"You were so afraid of them that you had to have proof that you kidnapped their friend? What a lunatic," Ash scoffed. "Afraid of the unknown," Sam huffed.

Unbelievable. They're 15-16 years old. Teenagers. Kids! They're kids. They are daughters, friends, part of a family. So, what if they have powers, they're still human. And you kidnap them?!" Lisa shrieked as more tears began to fall, and she wept some more as everyone began to voice their own opinions about her.

Denman let out a breath as she looks over at the Gilbert woman. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so terribly so –."

Slap!

The sound resonated throughout the theater, as everyone quieted down from their horrendous comments toward the marine biologist. A red handprint was marked on the blonde scientist's face, a bruise already beginning to form. Her face tilted one way, mouth wide as she gasped for air from the shocking hit. Her eyes wide as she looked above her, at the person who caused this mark.

Bev's hand was still raised above her as she stood above the cowering scientist, breathing heavily, anger radiating from her hand and face as the mark on Denman's face matched Bev's red palm. "Mom?" Kim asked in shock. "... since when did your mom leave her seat?" Rikki frowned in confusion as she looked back to the now empty seat and the furious mama bear. "I – I don't know," Cleo stuttered out, amazed by the fact that her mom just stood up for her. It if weren't for the fact that she saw it for herself, she would've never believed it. It's almost like, like she still cares, Cleo thought, a small smile wanting to form. Maybe she does.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare apologize. Don't apologize for what you did. Not now. Not when we don't know the full extent of what you have done. To. Our. Daughters! You trapped them in, you locked them up, you threaten them, and held them all hostage. Is that all? Or is there more? Huh? What else is there?! What else?!" Bev shrieked in hysterics, her hand still raised, ready to slap her again. Cleo stood from her seat and grabbed her mother's raised hand. Bev whipped her head around to find Cleo there by her side. She stood there, staring at her as she took her all in. It felt like she's grown since she last saw her in person before they came here. It's been so long since she's been this close.

"Mom, that's enough. I – I think she gets it," Cleo said, a bit sad. She glanced at the teary-eyed doctor then back up at her anger-filled mother, the anger quickly vanishing when she looked her daughter in the eyes. The look that Cleo gave her. She knew what she meant. She knew what she wasn't saying. That if she continues this, then she'd be no different than the marine biologist. She'd be no different than that monster was. Trapping her, traumatizing her, abusing her.

Slowly, Bev lowered her arm; Cleo still held onto it, and her breathing began to slow down. The mother-daughter duo began to make their way back to their seats, Cleo kept her hand on her mother's, her other arm wrapped around her shoulders as she made her way back to her mom's seat, to make sure she wouldn't try it again. Bev shook in her daughter's grip as she wrapped her arms around herself and sat back down. Instead of taking her anger out on anyone else, she chose to tap her foot instead, letting her steam out little by little as she stared angrily up at the screen again. She would the doctor, but she was afraid that if she did, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from harming her again.

Denman looked up to Cleo as the latter sat back down, mouthing a small 'thank you' to her, flinching while she did as it hurt to move her mouth a little from her stinging red cheek. Cleo shook her head no as a way of saying don't be thanking her yet. That was just one parent. She couldn't protect her from everyone else, after all, there was so much more to come.

Don looked at his ex-wife in shock, proud that she was willing to stand up for her daughters. It's been a long time since she has ever done something like that. It proves that she still cares, somewhere deep inside. And he had to show that he did too. Carefully, he patted Bev on the back, in hopes that it will help calm her down.

Emma: cuts her off. "What do you want from us?"

"Oh, that's easy. She wants everything about you that's not human," Will scoffed in disgust. "She wants nothing to do with you, just your extraordinary tails," Charlotte sarcastically said. "Which unfortunately is attached to us," Emma remarked.

"Fame, fortune, an early retirement so she'd never have to work again," Annette listed off. "All of which from the looks of it are true," Max shook his head.

Harrison: coming from the land entrance. "Dr. Denman! Dr. Denman!" Harrison climbs up the stone steps through the cave and enters the area now known to them all, including the mermaids. The girls and Denman look up to the other entrance and the formers find someone they never would've expected, along with someone else.

"Oh, you're there too, Harrison. I've been so caught up in being angry with her that I nearly forgot that you were involved," Don implied as he narrowed his eyes at his old friend, forming a fist in his hands. Harrison lowered his head once more at hearing his voice echoing through the room, and guilt echoing in his mind.

"Way to make yourself known," Kim crossed her arms, glaring. "Ah, welcome to the hater club! Party of three," Ash commented, thinking of the two of them and Greg.

Dr. Denman: "Over here. You're just in time. And so are you, girls." Denman takes a couple of steps back from them. The girls look up at Harrison in shock to find that someone they've known most of their lives to be behind such a cruel and devastating plan. "You can meet the man who's been funding this."

Harrison: peers down at them, seeing their tails in person for the first time, still finding it quite a shock that it was real. "Extraordinary."

"So, this is who've you been all along, the entire time we've known you. This is the real Harrison. A lying, stealing, manipulating, self-absorbed old man. And now you'd decided to add kidnapping to the list!" Neil griped, clenching his teeth. "What have you become? This isn't the man who we used to know. Nor is it the same guy that was rescued from drowning when we were kids. You've changed, Harrison, you've changed," Lisa cried in disappointment. Harrison felt his heart break more. He's lost his friends, he lost his family. And now he lost himself. What else was there to lose? And how could I possibly gain it all back?

Zane rested his head in his hands. He saw his dad and Denman get the well-deserved hate. Now it was his turn. He knew they were angry with him too for starting this whole mess in the first place. He deserved to feel their pain, their broken hearts, their anger. He deserved it all.

[But Rikki would've never expected the next person to walk into the cave. Not too far behind Harrison, walks in his only son, the mermaid hunter himself, as he had waited a long time for this moment: Zane Bennett. Zane walks over to his father with a bright smile on his face. But when he looks down into the moonpool and finds not only the mermaids, but them being Emma, Cleo, and his girlfriend Rikki, he stops in his stride and his smile quickly disappears. The girls look over to him, eyes wide as their secret is blown to another familiar face.]

Zane: "What is this?" Glances back over to his dad, then back down at his now mermaid girlfriend, Rikki. "Rikki?" Rikki looks up at him in disbelief, shocked that he was involved in all of this too. Her eyes were full of shock, anger, disbelief, and sadness. But most of all, she was devastated.

"So now you know. Well, isn't this a great way of finding out?" Will scoffed with a painful chuckle. "Zane?" Bella asked in slight surprise. Though why was she; he was hunting them down after all. It was expected for him to find out somehow.

"More just gets added to the mix. Looks like all you Bennett's are the same," Neil huffed, glaring down at the youngest Bennett. "Zane, how could you?" Lisa sobbed.

"Kids attacking kids now. Teenagers getting involved in kidnapping. What is wrong with you people?!" Don shouted, his arms swinging wildly. Bev stayed silent, sending the Bennett's her own death glare.

Zane avoided Rikki and everyone else's gaze, looking anywhere but at them. He couldn't look at them, not after what he had nearly done to Rikki, Cleo, and Emma. And all because he wanted to prove himself, and it nearly costed him three people's lives, three people whom he had known most of his life. He understood if they were angry with him; he was angry with himself too.

Rikki felt bad for her boyfriend. He didn't deserve everyone's wrath. ... okay, maybe a little. But they didn't know what he did, or what he will do. He deserves a chance for them to understand what he went through, what he felt, and what he still feels.

Terry glanced over at the guilt-ridden boy, clearly seeing the devastation in both him and Rikki. So, this is how he found out about Rikki. To be honest, he wasn't sure how he felt. He's known for a while now that Zane had found out somehow. And for a while he's been mermaid hunting in all these episodes. He was so excited to finally capture the mermaids and get the credit he deserved, to finally get his dad's approval. But, when he saw Cleo and Emma, and Rikki, that all changed. He reacted so much different than the others. All his excitement, his eagerness, all completely vanished once he found out who the mermaids were. They were his friends, and one his girlfriend. People he has known for most of his life.

Terry saw his views completely change the moment he saw Rikki. And that's what made Terry feel so unsure about the situation. He was angry with Harrison and Denman, but with Zane, he didn't know how to feel. But one thing was for sure, Max was right. He was going to have to choose. Between money and popularity, or his friends and girlfriend, and going against his dad's wishes. Terry might not know how he felt about the young Bennett being involved now, but he might know soon. Now the question was, will Zane stick with the plans? Or will he help the girls, his daughter, Zane's girlfriend?

"And now he's gotta choose. Between fame and fortune. Or love," Max informed everyone. This was it. This is where they find out the path that Zane is going to choose. Whether to be just like his dad, and Denman, or to be his own person. Whether to be different, or to be another Karl in the making.

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[Back on Denman's boat, Lewis attempts to pick the lock with a pen. As he jiggles it around, the pen breaks from the lock and is flung to the ground.]

Lewis: gets frustrated and loses his temper. "Agh!" He yells at the lock then looks around the small cabin for anything to help him. He runs back up to the emergency window and bangs against it once more, trying to get it open.]

"Thanks for trying, Lewis," Cleo said in a supportive matter. "And what use was that? I couldn't do anything. If it weren't for Zane, I never would have gotten out in time," Lewis sighed, not realizing that Neil had overheard him. Neil glanced over at Lewis in confusion, then down to Zane in surprise. What does he mean if it weren't for Zane? Did he try to help them? That's impossible! He's just like his father. He would never help anyone unless it benefited him or his family, Neil thought in disbelief. After all that he's seen, it proves that all Bennett's are the same. There's no changing his mind on that. Or is there?

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[In the mooncave, everyone prepares for the upcoming experiments on the girls. Assistants walk around the place, turning lights on and getting the lab set up. Denman and Harrison walk out of the main area and down the steps to talk out of sight. The girls remain in the moonpool, having nowhere else to go. They were trapped.]

Zane: walks up to them, tossing his hands to the side. "I – this –." Zane looks around to show what he meant. "It's not my fault."

"Get away from my daughter!" Neil snapped, Lisa desperately agreed.

"Not your fault? Not your fault?! It is most definitely your fault!" Don shouted, leaning forward in his seat as he narrowed his eyes at the Bennett boy, an accusing finger pointed directly at him; Zane flinched from how loud he was. "You're the one who started this whole mermaid hunt in the first place. You wouldn't quit. And then you had to go give that woman the location of the moonpool, and now, because of you, they are in this mess. So, yes Zane, it is your fault!" Lisa fumed, as Zane's onscreen self tried to put the blame on someone or something else. That's what any Bennett man would do.

"And it was our fault that we didn't spot the cameras. Our fault we went out to Mako in the first place, and our fault we weren't careful enough, mom. We're all at fault here," Emma told her mother, causing the Gilbert woman to look at her daughter in bewilderment. Did she just argue with me about her kidnapping?! Zane looked at Emma in shock. She – she defended me? Emma noticed Zane's look. "Don't get your hopes up. It was your fault too, but you did end up fixing your mistakes. That can be forgiven," Emma whispered to him with a small smile.

"Can't even own up to your own mistakes. Pitiful," Annette scoffed.

"So, whose fault would it be, Zane? The moon's?" Kim sarcastically asked. "Cut it out, Kim," Rikki sighed. Kim went to argue about it more but closed her mouth once she saw the serious look that the blonde mermaid gave her. Rikki was not one to be messed with. Zane had learned that the hard way from the looks of things.

Emma: glares up at him with disappointment. Leans against the ledge with Rikki right next to her. "I wish I could believe that, Zane."

"Why, you know that it's his fault," Elliot asked, never feeling so betrayed by Zane. Zane, in a way, was almost like an older brother to him when he was growing up. Almost. And then he became the selfish, self-centered, and rude teenager he was known as today. But today, the words traitor and monster could be added to that list. "Because I was wishing that day would've never happened. With everything that was happening, I couldn't believe everything that was going on. Our worst nightmares came true," Emma admitted with a look of sadness.

"And all because of me," Zane mumbled to himself. "Because of us," Harrison corrected as he looked at his son. "But because of you, we were able to fix that," he continued with a small smile, which Zane slowly returned, even if a small part of him still felt terrible for all the trouble that he caused.

Rikki: "But she doesn't. And neither do I."

"Good. You've been hurt enough as it is," Terry nodded, a sad frown on his face. He didn't understand why Rikki was still with him. If this happened in their relationship, then he would have never stayed together if he was her. But Rikki still stuck by his side. Something must've changed in order for her to still be dating him. And Terry wanted to find out. Zane just better hope he didn't do something else to Rikki. He might be confused about how he felt about Zane, but he was still very upset that he was the reason that Rikki was in this situation in the first place. Plus, if Rikki was upset, even if onscreen, then he was upset. No one messes with his daughters. Not even some maniac biologist.

Zane: bends down to them. "Can I please just talk to you, Rikki?"

"I said get away from them!" Neil shouted again, his fingers curling into the armchair. "Dad, it's okay. He can't hear you and he didn't hurt us. Besides, it's the past, remember? Can't change it," Emma reminded him. No matter how hard we try.

"After everything you done? Why would she ever want to talk to you?" Kim crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You'd be surprised," Rikki grinned.

[Emma and Rikki look at one another. The former gives her an 'are you sure' look. Zane watches their silent communication. Eventually, Emma looks back up at him and gives him one last glare before moving over to the side of the rocky ledge. Rikki moves forward and leans onto the ledge.]

"Uh, if this is supposed to be a private conversation, it's not very private. You literally have nowhere else to go with two mermaids beside you and minions running around the mooncave," Charlotte pointed out. "You use what you can under these circumstances," Rikki shrugged. "And I can't account for the 'minions' as you called them, but we're her friends. We're not just going to leave her alone like that," Cleo answered. "There was nowhere else for us to go. What were we supposed to do?" Emma frowned. "Go underwater?" Will mentioned, pointing to the moonpool. "Didn't think about it at the time," Cleo shrugged. "She's a Sertori. Snooping is in her blood," Rikki chuckled. "Hey!" the Sertori sisters shout.

Zane: moves closer with an astonished look on his face as he stares at her tail. "How is this even possible?"

"Magic," the girls simultaneously said. "How many times are you guys going to say that?" Ash rolled his eyes. "It depends. How many times are people going to ask?" Rikki smirked.

"What have I started?" Mrs. Chatham chuckled.

Rikki: glances to the side, rubbing where her locket would normally be in her human form, nervous. "It's a long story. And from memory, you don't really have the attention span for that." Looks up at him, annoyed. An assistant walks behind Zane, carrying more equipment.

"Oooh, burn," Ash grimaced. "She's right," Zane shrugged.

"You don't deserve to know," Don griped.

"Well, she's not wrong about the long story part. It was quite a journey. Look how long it took us to get to this point," Max chuckled.

Zane: "You could have told me."

"Tell you? That is out of the question. Absolutely not. You can't be trusted," Sam interjected. "Why would she tell you? The famous 'mermaid hunter,'" Kim raised an eyebrow. "You might've been dating, but it doesn't mean you had to know everything about her," Terry warned.

"If you blabbed to the whole Gold Coast that mermaids existed then there was no way you could keep Rikki's secret," Annette mentioned.

"Not everyone is who they seem," Mrs. Chatham said, thinking of Karl.

Rikki: "See, there's where you're wrong. You were the great mermaid hunter. Shooting your mouth off about mermaids every chance you got. Telling you wasn't an option." Zane looks away, knowing she was right.

Zane mirrors his onscreen self. Once again, hearing it, she was right. There was no way she could've told him. And if he was in her, well, fins, then he would've been the same way.

"I wouldn't say great, more like, the only mermaid hunter," Bella commented. Rikki and the others had to bite their lip in order to keep from laughing. This situation was a little too serious for their parents to have to hear their mischief.

Rikki: "I thought we had something, Zane. Something bigger than this. But obviously I was wrong."

Terry looked up at the screen in shock. She was breaking up with him? She was regretting their relationship? But, how? She said they were still together. So, if she wanted to break up, then what got her to change her mind? What did Zane do?

"You're going to break up with him?" Bella looked over at her. "It's about time you have some sense," Kim huffed. "A mermaid and a mermaid hunter could never be."

Rikki glanced down at the floor, not wanting to comment on what Kim had said. Because she had believed the same thing once before. Right in this very scene. But that all changed when Zane had no longer became the mermaid hunter and turned into, the mermaid rescuer.

Zane: "No, you weren't." More assistants walk by with equipment, and they watch them pass by.

"Uh, yeah she is," Charlotte disagreed. "One thing I learned with my time with your mother and Candy, is that the woman is always right," Harrison chuckled, before sobering up and the despair returned to him.

"She can't stay in a relationship based on betrayal," Sam said.

Rikki: grits her teeth. "Then do something."

"What's he gonna do? He's on the enemy team," Kim said, shooting more glares at Denman and Harrison. "A lot more than you think," Rikki mumbled to herself, giving Zane a proud smile. "I'd do anything for you," Zane whispered back to her, having heard her mumble. "Yeah, he can't do anything without daddy's permission," Elliot mocked. Neil and Lisa let it slide. With everything going on right now, they didn't care what Elliot did to Zane, as long as he didn't get hurt. Like Emma.

Zane: looks to the cave entrance where Denman and his dad had gone and tosses his arms to the side. Looks back to Rikki. "I can't. It's too late." Gestures to the cave entrance. "My dad and Denman won't let this go now. It's out of my hands."

"Oh, so now you own up to it," Kim rolled her eyes, arms crossed.

"It's never too late to stop what you started," Mrs. Chatham informed. "But only you have the power to stop it," Max added. "They might not let this go, but you can. Let them go. Set them free," Sam encouraged.

Rikki: "Fine. Forget it." Waves it off and turns to get away from him.

Zane: "Rikki."

Rikki: turns back to him and shakes her head. "Zane. Don't. Right now you and all your friends disgust me." Rikki pushes away from the rock and gives him one last look. Zane watches her as she wades away. An idea forms in his head and becomes determined. He jumps up from his spot on the rocky edge and runs out of the mooncave.

All the parents look at the brunette boy skeptical. Could he really do it? Would he do it? Will he finally get rid of his dad's grip on him, and become his own person? Will he let their daughters go? "I'll believe it when I see it," Kim scoffed. After everything he did, there was no way he was going to get her trust that easily.

"I know that look. I sense an idea forming," Max slowly grinned. "Right yet again," Zane returned the grin. Zane chuckled slightly at the scene. It was because of Rikki that he got the idea. 'Friends'. Lewis. Lewis was the key to getting them out. He needed help, and so did they.

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[On Denman's boat, one of the assistants is unloading some boxes while making sure that Lewis stays locked in. When he bends down to unpack it, the sound of a boat could be heard in the distance. He looks out toward the ocean and finds a red zodiac coming his way. Standing up to get a better look as the boat comes closer, Zane is shown driving it.]

"What do you think you're doing?" Charlotte asked, getting a tad nervous about Zane coming for Lewis. "I had a plan," Zane shrugged. "I don't like this vagueness," Ash pouted. "Let's just say things turn out for the better," Zane responded.

"I don't know whether I like it that you're away from the girls or not," Don grumbled. "I prefer you stay away from them, but I also don't want them to be left alone with those two lunatics." "I didn't want to leave them, but in order for my plan to work I didn't have a choice," Zane sighed. "Don't worry, nothing happened to us while you were gone," Emma mentioned, the parents feeling slightly relieved, yet not at the same time. "Other than being mentally scarred, we were perfectly fine," Rikki said.

Zane: parks the zodiac on the old, private pier, where Denman's boat still remains the only one and climbs out of the boat. He walks down the dock toward the much larger boat. "I just need to get some more information from our guest." Jumps over the railing, but then gets stopped by the assistant/watchdog.

"You knew that they had Lewis?" Bev said, getting angrier. "I knew that they had a guest. They didn't tell me who it was. I kind of figured it out once I found out that they were the mermaids," Zane corrected as he nodded his head at the girls and Lewis. "Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out," Will scoffed.

Assistant #1: holds a hand out to stop him. "No, I haven't been told about this."

Zane: looks serious. "Look, things aren't going according to plank, ok? Dr. Denman needs this badly. Do you want to be the one to interrupt her?" Grabs his phone out of his pocket and holds it up to him. The assistant looks down at it, then back up at him.

"Ooh, nice bluff," Ash said, impressed. Hey, despite the situation, he had to give credit where credit is due. "Well, I had some great teachers," Zane chuckled slightly, glancing at both Rikki and his dad.

Rikki grinned proud, glad to see her boyfriend sneaking around to save the day. He truly was a hero to them; well, to her at least.

Harrison smiled at his son, proud to know that Zane had done this. Even if he didn't know and would be against it at the time, he was ultimately glad that Zane had turned on them. If he didn't, those girls would have never escaped their clutches. Then again, they probably wouldn't be where they were right now either.

[The latches on the cabin door unlocks and in comes Zane, behind him stood the assistant watching the interaction. Zane looks at their 'guest' who was sat down, having given up on trying to escape moments ago.]

Lewis: looks at Zane and lets out a breath of disgust and hate. "I should have known you'd be involved."

"Well, what else would you expect from the great mermaid hunter?" Neil scowled.

"Don't you hurt him," Charlotte said, her fist shaking. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt the geek," Zane sarcastically said. "But your words do," Lewis said, rubbing his heart as if he were wounded.

"Remarkably, that would be a completely normal reaction under the circumstances," Ash raised his eyebrows. "How else would you react when your mermaid friends are trapped?" Emma frowned at him. Ash went to open his mouth but closed it as he realized there is no other way since he knew no other mermaids.

Zane: to the assistant. "Give us a minute." The man leaves, closing the door shut behind him.

"Aw, do you want some privacy to catch up with your old pal, Lewis?" Kim mocked before rolling her eyes. "Losers." Cleo gave her sister a look. "Shut up, Kim."

Zane: stands in the small cabin across from his classmate with a dreadful look. "Lewis, you have absolutely no reason in the world to trust me right now, but –."

"Why does it feel like your talks with him always start like this?" Annette asked. "Because it's not the first time," Zane said a little sheepish. "And it certainly won't be the last," Lewis added.

"None of us has a reason to trust you right now, so why would he?" Don scoffed. "Because I didn't have a choice," Lewis remarked, giving Don a look. "As much as I hate saying it, but Zane was our only hope of getting them out of there. We wouldn't have been able to if it weren't for him."

Lewis: scoffs and cuts him off. "If it was a 'Stating the Obvious Olympics', Zane, you'd win a gold medal. You're a dirtbag, and you always were."

"Ah, so it is a stating the obvious competition," Kim fake awed in realization.

"Hmm. Dirtbag, that's a new one to add to the list," Rikki playfully grinned as she looked at an annoyed Zane. "Fits his description perfectly," Charlotte muttered. "So, we are stating the obvious then?" Bella asked, arms crossed.

"Like father, like son," Lisa mumbled, looking down at them both.

Zane: glances back at the door for a second, ignoring him. "Look, I've done a really, really dumb thing, ok? But the girls are in a lot of danger right now, and I need your help." Lewis remains silent as he studies Zane's features, realizing he was serious. And soon, his dreadful expression matches Zane's.

"Why would you save the same people you were trying to capture?" Annette asked. "Because I didn't know that they were my friends. I would never do that to a friend." Zane shook his head. "You wouldn't do it to a friend. But what about a stranger? It's no different." Max said, glancing over at him. Zane glanced down. He would have before. If it was a stranger, someone he never met before, the old him would. But the him now, after seeing his friends and girlfriend trapped in a room full of scientists and soon to be exposed to the whole world; he would never wish that on anybody.

"You've done a lot of that too, asking for Lewis's help. Like when you asked him for help to find your sea creature," Bev said, her voice getting louder the more she spoke. "Yes, but Zane asking for help is very rare. When he does, it's usually something very serious, like now," Lewis pointed out.

Denman sighed, she had figured that the two worked together to get the girls out, considering Zane had admitted to freeing the girls and since they had seen it with their own eyes. But they never knew that Lewis was involved, however, she did have her suspicions once she found out that he too had escaped, and her guard was knocked out. But she had thought the girls might have freed him and attacked the man, the latter having no memory of how he was taken out.

Terry hummed in thought, hoping that Zane would figure out a way to save his daughter. Because not only would it mean that she would be free, but it would also mean that Zane did have a heart, and that he cared for his daughter. And clearly still does.

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[Meanwhile, back in the mooncave, Denman, Harrison, and Greg all stand in a corner discussing the experiments they were about to perform on the girls. Denman went over everything she was going to start with. The girls waded in the pool behind them, still stuck there with nowhere to go. Greg stayed facing their direction to keep an eye on them in case they pull any 'tricks' like they did earlier.]

Dr. Denman: to Harrison. "We'll start with the basic physical for all three."

"Is there even a basic physical for mermaids?" Will asked curiously. "Dude, seriously, not the time," Ash whispered to him as Will got many dangerous stares from the parents. "She meant for their human forms. She wanted to test their physical reactions to everything, to see if it was any different from a normal human," Harrison explained. "No one was talking to you!" Neil snapped, his head whipping toward his direction. Harrison sighed, glancing down once more, and kept his mouth shut. He figured he would be getting some reactions like this. Still, it still hurt. "I – I also wanted to test their tail strength as mermaids," Denman said a little quietly. The parents remained quiet, refusing to speak to her. But their silent death glares trying to pierce through her head said enough.

Greg: leans over. "What if they won't come out of the water?"

Dr. Denman: shrugs and turns to him. "We'll make them."

"Make them, how?" Don said in a deep, dangerous tone. "I wasn't going to physically harm them, I was just going to remind them that I still had Lewis," Denman said, shame heard in her voice. "How low can you go?" Annette shook her head. "How low is she willing to go?" Sam corrected, then looked over at Harrison. How far was he willing to go? "Yet the emotional scars are harm enough," Lisa murmured, wondering just how much of this did Emma suffer mentally from.

"Don't touch them!" Bev snapped, making the doctor flinch.

Harrison: grabs Denman by the arm and pulls her over to the side away from her assistant. "I don't want any harm to come to these girls."

"Oh, so now you care!" Don said in a loud voice as he chuckled maniacally before turning serious. "It's a little late for that now, isn't it?" "Isn't that sweet, you do care," Bev mocked with her ex.

"I knew you had a soft spot in that cold-blooded heart of yours," Kim sarcastically said.

"Why the change of heart? Because you remember they're still human or because they are your friends' daughters and didn't want them to know that you kidnapped them!" Sam shouted the last part. This is far worse, far, far worse than any threat to Mako Island. A threat to the girls was a threat to the whole magical island itself.

Dr. Denman: nods. "Of course. But we'll do what it takes to get what we need, Harrison." She walks off, leaving a silent Harrison.

"And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you never, ever lay a hand on them," Bev reminded in a dark tone, sending chills down the scientist's spine. She never knew that her roommate, possible ex-roommate, could be so terrifying.

"You don't need to do anything, just let them go," Max said in worry.

"As I said before; the answers don't lie in science. Magic is a mystery that no one can solve, not even the ones that have become one with it," Mrs. Chatham said, glancing at the girls and Bella.

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[Back on Denman's boat, the assistant goes to check on Zane's interrogation, when he hears loud muffled noises in the room. As he goes down the stairs of the cabin, he finds the door where Lewis was kept, left ajar.]

"How'd you get out?!" Bella gasped in shock, Charlotte's face brightening with hope along with many others. Lewis looked over at Zane and smiled. "I had a little help."

"What's that noise?" Elliot asked, eyebrow raised. "Sounds like desperation," Rikki said with a smug grin as she saw Zane with an annoyed matching one. The girls knew about Lewis and Zane's escape plan, as Lewis had explained it to them after they sat down and talked.

[The man creaks the door open wider and peaks his head in the miniature room, finding it quiet and empty. His eyes widen as he looks around once more then creaks it back shut, leaving it cracked open. Unbeknownst to him, Lewis was in the room the entire time, hiding next to the door and out of sight as he leaned against the wall. When he hears the assistant turn around, his head tilts away to check.]

"You were still in there?" Lisa asked, a bit surprised. "I don't get it. The door was open; you could've escaped. Why didn't you just leave?" Neil frowned in confusion, wanting to hurry this up so he can figure out what else the insane doctors did to his daughter. "Well, I wouldn't have been able to leave without getting caught. That guy, whatever his name is, was still on the main deck. I couldn't have gone through the main area and onto the dock into Zane's boat without him knowing. Even if we did somehow get past him, he would've contacted Denman. As I said, I had to have a little help," Lewis explained. "Tim. His name is Tim," Denman informed them quietly. "No one was asking you!" Elliot snapped, even surprising his parents at his anger.

"There's no way that the snobby rich mermaid stalker helped you escape," Kim scoffed, arms crossed. "I'll have you know that it was this snobby rich boy's idea," Zane remarked. "I'll believe it when I see it." "You're seeing it right now!"

I really need to train them on their observation skills, Denman internally sighed.

[The assistant looks in the room across from the empty cabin to find Zane on the ground, mouth taped and rope around his wrist as he struggles against his binds, making a racket through the black tape.]

"Lewis! You tied him up?!" Annette gasped, with many of the parents looking at him in shock, their anger nearly forgotten for a second. "You know what, after everything he's done, he totally deserved it," Charlotte shrugged. "Char!" Annette scolded. "Meh, I still think he deserves worse," Will shrugged, causing Zane to scowl. "Still a part of the plan," Lewis said, his hands held up.

"Yes! Revenge time!" Elliot cheered, his parents turning to him in concern. "Down boy," Emma said, worried about her brother's eagerness for revenge.

Harrison looked at the nerdy teenage boy in surprise. He didn't mean to be rude about it, but how was he able to get the upper hand on his son, the one who rides motorbikes and likes to windsurf, while the heaviest thing Lewis has ever picked up was a vial of some sort of bubbly liquid. He turned to his son, about to speak his concern when he noticed the smirk on his son's face. What is up with that look?

[With a deep breath, Lewis with all his might shoves the door open as hard as he can, causing the door to hit the back of the assistant's head and knocks him onto Zane's feet, unconscious.]

"Way to go, Lewis!" Charlotte cheered, jumping up in excitement as the others began to lean forward in their seat.

"Huh. Never thought you had it in you," Ash said, impressed. "When you make a nerd angry enough, you'd be surprised what they can do," Rikki joked. "Keep it going Rikki, and I'll show you what I can do," Lewis countered. "Try me, geek," Rikki quipped. "Will you both stop. You're almost as bad as Kim and Cleo," Emma rolled her eyes. "Hey!" "She's not wrong," Don and Bev said in a deadpanned tone.

[Lewis opens the door all the way and looks at the unconscious man in shock at what he had done. Zane shoves the knocked-out assistant off him then unrolls the rope off his wrists, yanks the tape off his mouth and jumps up. Lewis puffs out his cheeks and nods his head, signaling for them to go.]

"Just out of curiosity, but why didn't you keep a check on the cameras?" Will asked. "Didn't think it was necessary," Denman said after a moment. "Well, I'm glad you didn't." Lisa looked down at her, keeping her chin up. "Or else things would be getting so much worse. And I hope it still doesn't," Sam shuttered. "Guess you're not as smart as you claim," Kim smiled smugly. "Her PhD says otherwise," Cleo pointed out. "So? It's just a piece of paper. It doesn't prove her street smarts," Kim shrugged. "Just like the girls," Ash hissed, talking about the girls with their unfortunate camera checking.

"How'd you fake those binds so easily?" Annette asked curiously. "I'm the son of the richest man on the Gold Coast. It's not the first time this had to be done. Let's just say several people tried to have a little chat with my dad," Zane chuckled, a few others giving both Bennett's surprised looks. "He's not wrong," Harrison shrugged nonchalantly.

[The two soon are in Zane's boat, the zodiac speeding across the large body of water, heading for one destination in mind: their friends.]

Don looked at the screen in disbelief. "I don't believe it," Don whispered in silent shock. Never had he thought he would see the two team up to save his little girl. Never had he seen the two work together so well just for the sake of their friends. This was the sign of a true alliance; willing to put their differences aside and work together in order to help others in need. The beginning of a friendship.

"So now that you escaped, what was the plan to get them to escape?" Bev asked impatient, gesturing to her daughter and friends. "You'll find out soon enough, mom," Cleo said, the three of them with bright smiles on their faces. "I can't tell if that's a good thing or bad," Kim frowned. "If it's them escaping then good. Definitely good," Bella nodded in eagerness. "But if it ends up with them getting dissected then it's really bad," Kim pointed out.

"Can you please stop talking?" Terry urged as he leaned more into his seat. He wanted his daughter to be saved. Even if it was from the boy who unintentionally ratted them out, he wanted Rikki back home safe and sound. And definitely not the most important, but neither was it the least, he wanted Zane to prove himself. To prove that he was worthy of dating his daughter once and for all. The final test. Will he rid of his selfishness and save his daughter, or spiral back into the rude spoiled teenager he once was? "Sorry," Kim winced. "You're just as bad as Cleo," Emma chuckled.