"My plan is fool proof!!" Erik smirked as he hovered over Dr Denman, who was typing away on her computer. "Linda, this is going to work, I can feel it!"
"It's Dr Denman, to you," Dr Denman repeated for the tenth time that day. "Also, please stop looking at me whilst I work; I may be helping you with your 'top secret work', but I still need to do my Marine Biologist work too."
Erik stood back and held up his hands like he was surrendering. "Okay, sorry, Linda."
Erik headed out to the deck, where Charlotte and Josh were. Josh was looking out to sea, one hand absentmindedly fiddling with his trident necklace, and Charlotte was admiring her moon ring, and levitating one of Gareth's action figures.
"I can't believe that mermaids have to train for years to be able to fully control their moon rings," Charlotte said to nobody in particular. Then she looked up and noticed Erik. For the first thing in six months, she gave him a warm hearted smile. "Hey! What's up, Fish-Boy?!" She cried happily.
Erik tried to stifle his laugh as he made his way over to his gang.
"How is everyone this glorious morning?" Erik asked, putting his hands on his waist and inhaling deeply through his nose.
"Very well, thanks," Charlotte nodded.
"Where's Matteo and Gareth?"
"Gareth's watching Nixie and Weilan, and Matteo went for a swim. He is looking for a new place for us to move the boat."
Erik nodded, and then turned to face Josh. "And how are you?"
Josh just shrugged.
"What's on your mind?" Erik asked Josh.
Josh sighed. "I'm worried about Mabel."
Erik groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why? She'll come back. I mean, she wasn't any use to us, she's only a land-girl!"
Charlotte jerked her head in Erik's direction and snarled. "Hey!"
Erik rolled his eyes. "Get lost, Charlotte."
Charlotte scoffed. "Charming," she says sarcastically. "Now I can see why Ondina broke up with you."
And then Charlotte hurried inside the boat.
Josh looked at Erik. "I promised her Dad that I'd look after Mabel... And now she's run off! It's been three days since the full moon! Where could she be? What is she hasn't been sleeping, or eating - "
"Mabel will be fine," Erik reassured Josh, even though he couldn't care less what happened to her.
"What if Zac finds her and forces her to answer questions about us and our plan?" Josh continued.
Erik caught his breath. "Actually, that may be a problem..."
"Well, we need to find her, or activate the Chamber," Josh said. "We need those mermaids away from Mako."
Erik nodded. "You go find Matteo, and I'll round up Charlotte, Linda and Gareth. I'll tell you the full version of my plan..."
*****
"I like us all working as a team," Matteo smiled. "Es muy emotionante."
"We aren't working as a team," Erik said. "You're all working for me. Also, stop speaking Spanish, nobody understands what you're saying."
"Ahh, sorry," Matteo nodded, trying not to look hurt.
"So tell us the plan," Gareth said, as he examined the collectable figurine Charlotte had been using her magic on an hour before.
"Well, do you remember how we originally wanted the mermaids away from Mako, and then decided to force them to live on land?" Erik asked Dr Denman and Linda.
The women nodded their heads.
"Well, instead of just making them live on land.. We make all mermaids, including land-girls turned into mermaids, lose their mermaid tails and powers forever! This forces them to live on land."
"So you think we will be able to keep the Chamber activated for that long?" Gareth asked.
Erik nodded. "I have an idea, which will definitely make Zac and the others will stand down. We can make the trident necklace will absorb all the mermaid's power, and I - I mean, we - will be much stronger."
Dr Denman grinned. "I like where this is going."
Erik continued. "Then we will begin to round up all the mermen, and send signals with the necklace so all the mermen will come and live on Mako and we will eventually spread around the whole ocean. We need to make Mako more crowded with mermen, so the others won't even think about coming back."
"What about Zac?" Charlotte asked. "He is a merman, he won't be affected by the Chamber being activated."
Erik held up his hand. "Like I said, I have an idea which will make Zac stand down."
"You said something about land-girls," Charlotte said to Erik. "Before the full moon, to me privately. You said you were taking away their tails too?"
Erik nodded. "I remember what you told me about Cleo, Emma, and Rikki. Those stupid girls who took your tail from you. I'm going to make them pay. They'll wake up one morning, and poof! Their tails and magic will be gone."
Charlotte looked touched. Her eyes lit up, and she smiled. "Thank you Fish - Erik," Charlotte corrected herself. Then she looked at from Erik, and clapped her hands. "So, when can we start?"
Erik smirked. "Right now."
*****
It was a warm afternoon, and Cameron had decided to go sit on the beach with his laptop. He had invited Carly to come too, but she had work.
Cameron was not working (as a life guard) that afternoon, so he was able to enjoy relaxing on the golden sand, listening to the waves calmly crashing and cries of joy from children whilst he worked.
He was checking in his laptop, and noticed that the upcoming full moon was going to be in three weeks.
Cameron sighed. He really wanted to help Zac defeat Erik and save Nixie and Weilan. But what could Cameron do to help?
Cameron opened up the underwater cameras, but after five minutes of looking at nothing but blue ocean and fish, he decided his time would be best to her started on the science paper he had due.
"Can I sit here?" Someone said.
Cameron looked up, and there was Erik, smiling at him.
Cameron slammed his laptop shut be jumped to his feet. "Erik..."
Erik smirked. "It's nice to see you too, Camster."
Cameron hurriedly tucked his laptop under his arm and began walking away. He desperately wanted to stand up for himself and give Erik a piece of his mind, but Ondina had warned him not to talk to Erik, or anyone in his group.
However, Erik followed Cameron. "Cam, wait!"
Cameron reached the end of the beach, and finally turned around, to see that Erik had continued to follow him.
"What the heck do you want?!" Cameron asked Erik.
"I just wanted to catch up with an old friend," Erik said.
"Mate, I think we stopped being friends a long time ago," Cameron said.
Erik held his hand to his heart and winced. "Owch," he said sarcastically, "Dude, that really hurt."
"Leave me alone, or I'll contact Zac and have him and his fish-chick friends over here," Cameron warned Erik.
"If you call Zac, I'll - " Erik began.
"You'll what" Cameron asked. "The beach and street is crowded with hundreds of people. What can you possibly do to me with all these land-people around?"
Erik looked around at all the people, and narrowed his eyebrows with anger. Then he suddenly turned to Cameron and smiled. "Cameron, how would you like to work for me?"
"Are you mad?!" Cameron yelled, attracting the attention of two teenage girls walking passed, who gave Cameron and Erik confused looks.
"Come work for me, and I'll give you what you've always wanted," Erik said. Erik held out his arm, and rippled his arm slowly, using his hand to symbolise the waves of the sea.
Cameron gave a small gasp. "...You'd make me a merman?"
Erik nodded. "Ever since Zac got his tail, you've always been left out, haven't you? He's been getting all the attention, and what have you got? Nothing!"
Cameron tried to remain angry at Erik, but he knew that what Erik was saying was the truth.
"If you become a merman, Mako will belong to you," Erik said. "And me. And Josh, and Matteo, and Gareth - and all the mermen! Mermen will no longer live in fear of mermaids."
Cameron had always wanted to be a merman. Ever since Zac had gotten his tail and powers, Cameron had wanted the same. Zac had grown in confidence, and he had saved Mako multiple times! On that night of the full moon, camping at Mako, it could have been Cameron who has discovered the Moon Pool, and not Zac; it could have been Cameron who fell into the Moon Pool, and not Zac; it could have been Cameron with the tail and powers...
Cameron almost slapped his hand across his face. "No!" Cameron shouted.
Erik took a small step back, looking quite shocked at Cameron's outburst. Then Erik shrugged. "Well, let me know if you change your mind," Erik said. "You have until the next full moon, come and see me if you're interested."