An hour or so later when he was sure he had lost any pursuers he went back to where he left Miah. Tying the boat to a nearby tree he went to Miah’s side. “Did you miss me?” he asked, “Sorry it took so long but I ran into a few of the old man’s men.” He wasn’t sure if Miah heard him or not. It looked like he was unconscious. Picking him up he moved him to the boat. He took a moment to redress the wounds with clean bandages before pushing off and heading back towards Sulani, the closest hospital he could think of.
Miah’s eyes fluttered open when they felt Cory tending to their wounds. They mumbled in complaint and turned to their side, looking at Cory.
“You’re back…”
They smiled. Cory had promised to come back and they had. They were now sure their trust hadn’t been misplaced. They noted that perhaps this shape would not be easy for Cory, they were fully aware how heavy their tail could be. They sat up and held onto Cory’s arm, looking up at him.
“This shape, not good. I am going to change.”
Holding onto Cory’s arm for support, the dragon closed their eyes as their shape slowly changed, tail splitting into two as the bones and flesh divided to form the shape of a pair of legs instead of a singular tail. The wounds parted with the splitting, leaving two large gashes across both legs. Miah groaned in pain, as once again they started bleeding. With a pained whine, Miah hid their face against Cory’s arm as his scales receded giving way to pale skin. Gasping tiredly, the dragon felt himself drift away from the pain and effort, the change complete.
Cory knew that Miah had passed out from the effort to change forms by the way his weight changed in his arms. His body was limp, dead weight in his arms. With a grunt he moved Miah to the small boat knowing if he waited he wouldn’t have the strength to do it later.
By the time he had Miah on the boat he was breathing heavily and the lashes on his back were bleeding freely once more. Gritting his teeth he set a course towards Sulani. They could get help there.
Looking down at Miah seeing the pool of blood growing on the bottom of the boat. They both needed medical care, stitches at the very least but he doubted Miah would trust a hospital full of humans. Caiden might be able to help. Caiden would help them. Taking his eyes off the instruments he rummaged in his emergency kit where he kept a spare Tracfone in case he lost his Iphone.
With shaking hands he stared at the numbers. His mind temporarily blank. “Come on think,” he muttered to himself “you know his number.” He regretted not programming Caiden’s number into the phone. Closing his eyes he just let his fingers sort the numbers, sure that they’d remember the pattern even if his mind couldn’t bring up the numbers he needed.
“Hey Caiden,” he said to the voicemail “I need a bit of help. Miah and I had a run in with the old man. We need some place to lay low and heal and…” He took a deep breath “check on my kids will you? Tell them it’s time to Rabbit. They’ll know what it means.” He shook his head trying to clear his eyes of the dots swimming before them. “With luck we’ll be in Sulani tomorrow morning. If not come looking for us.”
Caiden cursed inwardly as he gathered the men on the port to send out a whole rescue party. Part of him wanted to beat the living shit out of Cory, for leaving to investigate on his own accord, knowing full well how dangerous the Albino was. But the other part of him was beyond concerned for his friend. He had called Cory’s daughter, relaying to her the message her father sent. He knew well enough it was code for the kids to either lay low themselves or do something he had not disclosed with him. He’d give Cory an earful once he found him, for not disclosing with him what his plans were. It reminded him of Ethan all over again, doing things on his own he knew full well Caiden could have helped with.
It was morning already and the boat had not shown up. So Caiden made a few calls and arranged a search party. He was sure Cory would be nearby and his reference to a ‘Miah’ made him wonder if it was the strange albino boy that had been unaccounted for when they rescued Jonah. Caiden got into one of the lead boats, seeing the signal from Cory’s phone was only a few miles off the coast.
“Let’s go. We need to hurry. If his message is anything to go by they’re wounded, and we don’t know in what state they’re in. We need to get to them as quickly as possible!”
The boats set out with Caiden in the lead. He was attentive on both the rader and the waters, just waiting to find them, until he saw a small inconspicuous boat with apparently drifting on the waves. They took their boat closer to the starboard side.
Caiden yelled, “it’s them!” It was a mixture of relief and victory finding them alive.
His men quickly went to pull the boat closer. Inside there was blood and Caiden saw two bodies motionless inside. He recognized Cory instantly, but there was someone else with him, and he imagined it was the unaccounted for albino man. Jumping from his boat to the other despite the sailors warnings not to, Caiden got on the boat quickly checking for vitals and was relieved to see Cory breathing.
“Cory,” he shook the man’s broad shoulder.
Moaning Cory opened his eyes. the corners of his lips quirked upwards recognizing the man staring down at him. “Took you long enough,” he mumbled.
“I didn’t have much to go on,” Caiden mumbled, frowning as his relief was replaced with irritation at the man’s recklessness. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going after the Albino? I could have helped.” He moved to help Cory sit up “what happened to you?” His observant eyes took in the gashes in his friend’s back and the fact he had obviously used most of his clothing as bandages to bind the boy’s wounds that were still oozing blood.
“Can the interrogation wait?” Cory snorted grimacing in pain “at least until after we get stitched up?” He staggered to his feet stumbling towards Miah who seemed to be stirring into consciousness and he wasn’t sure how he would take having so many unfamiliar faces staring down at him.
Grabbing him by the arm Caiden kept him from being tossed to the deck of the boat. “You’d be better off sitting…” shaking his head knowing his words would be unheeded until Cory got his way. Motioning his men to clear a path “how is he?” He directed his question towards the medic he brought along just in case his services were needed.
“He’s lost a lot of blood but I don’t think any major veins were hit,” he never looked up as his hands inspected the horrific wounds in the boy’s legs. “Should have x-rays done to make sure though.”
“We’ll worry about that once we get back to Sulani,” Caiden said decisively.
The noise and the feeling of someone touching them roused Miah back to consciousness. Their eyes fluttered open, as they tried to focus, their entire body ached, and they realized they had taken human form despite being so wounded, and they were nowhere near the water. They tried to push the person touching them away from their wounds and tried to stretch and contract their muscles to hopefully alleviate the pain but all that did was make them groan in pain. Their sight adjusted and blinking they recognized Cory watching them, but there were more people around.
They’d been captured!
Miah widened their eyes and pulled back hissing in warning at the man touching them, fangs bared. The medic yelped and pulled back.
“Hey, kid, we’re friends! We’re here to help you both!” Caiden quickly assured them by lifting their hands to be visible to the dragon.
He motioned the medic to step back, as he was sure if the boy felt threatened, they’d carve that row of shark like teeth in the medic’s neck. He wondered what type of creature that boy was, if their teeth were to go by, it certainly wasn’t your average merman like his friend Hideaki.
“My name is Caiden! Do you remember me? I was part of the team that rescued you.”
He looked at Cory to support him in his claims, as the boy seemed to be ready to fight them.
“We need to take you to Sulani. The doctors there are specialized in supernaturals, they can aid you both,” he explained.
Seeing the panic in Nehemiah’s eyes Cory moved around Caiden, hands out like he was trying to calm a frightened horse. “They’re friends,” he assured Miah, “they want to help. Make you feel better.”
“Perhaps you and your men should leave,” Cory suggested to Caiden, his eyes never leaving Miah’s face. “He's skittish around strangers. He might even think he’s about to be captured again. I know I would if I was hurt and scared.”
Caiden jerked his head indicating his men back away and leave. When the last of his men were aboard their boats Caiden put a hand on Cory’s shoulder squeezing hard. “You shouldn’t be alone, you’re hurt and…” his eyes swept over the boy “that kid’s dangerous.”
Shaking his head “who wouldn’t be in his situation? He’s just scared. I know I can get through to him.”
“You’re being pigheaded” Caiden hissed “why didn’t you ask me for help? If you had a lead you should have called me.”
“You wouldn’t have liked what we had planned,” Cory snapped, too tired and sore to care what Caiden thought now that their opportunity had slipped through their fingers.
Miah glared daggers at the strangers, scooting to hide behind Cory, gripping what was left of his shirt. They peaked from behind Cory at the strangers, feeling once again lightheaded. They looked down at their legs and made a clicking noise with their tongue, they needed proper treatment so that they could heal.
Caiden sighed annoyed, eyes falling again on the boy.
“You’re stubborn as a mule, Cory and that’s going to get you killed!” He shook his head. “Don’t go around trying to play the hero! Last time someone tried to play hero with this situation, we nearly lost Jonah! Do you want a repeat of that?”
Shaking his head he opened the way to his boat.
“Convince him to get in. I know a guy, a doctor, who’s specialized in supernaturals;” he imagined if that kid was skittish with a lot of people, taking them to the hospital would not be the best course of action. “He can give your… well, whatever they are, a hand. That way we don’t need to take them to the hospital. But you both need medical aid.”
Cory’s lips flattened into a thin, grim line., his eyes glaring at Caiden. “No, that’s not what I want. But playing it safe isn’t going to catch this guy either. We’ll talk about this later.” From the look on Caiden’s face he knew Caiden wasn’t happy and would like nothing more than to have it out now but right now all Cory wanted was to get Miah the help he needed.
Shaking his head he knelt beside Miah, “Caiden is a friend. He’s here to help us. I promise no hospital but someone needs to treat you. Do you trust me?”
He could see the conflicting emotions in Miah’s eyes. Holding his hand out, “come on. I’ll be with you the entire time. I promise.”
“I trust you,” Miah nodded and took Cory’s hand, still looking towards Caiden with suspicion.
They were in pain and they knew Cory would help them as they did before, so for now, they would trust this ‘friend’ of Cory’s. If Cory trusted him, so would Miah.
Caiden sighed relieved. Quickly he moved both Cory and the mercreature into the boat. Instructing his men with the coordinates towards the doctor’s home. Grabbing his phone he messaged the doctor so they’d be ready for them. Arms crossed, he turned to Cory as the boat sailed away.
“Tell me you were able to find something useful or at least leave a dent in the albino’s operation…”
“I sank the old man’s boat and ate some of his men! Is that good?”
Caiden looked at the boy surprised. They held onto Cory as if Cory was some sort of life-raft but they’d been quiet most of the time, so when they spoke now it surprised Caiden. But what surprised him most was the part about ‘eating’ people. Concerned, he turned to Cory, realizing his first assessment of the young man was wrong.
“You’re…” He looked at Cory. “That’s not a merman, is it?”
Turning to face his friend Cory raised an eyebrow “what if he’s not? Is that a problem? What he did was in self defense. Look what they did to his legs! I would have died if he hadn’t come for me.”
He put a hand on Miah’s shoulder to keep him down, to let him know that he was safe. “So what if he ate a few of them. The world’s a better place without them. The albino is down a few more bad guys but his operation is wider than we thought. People live in fear of him or work for him.” He couldn’t help but wonder how many boys go missing in businesses run by his business associates. Boys that are never found.
“I’ll give you an address where you’re sure to find more victims of the albino in need of rescuing.” With a heavy sigh he sat down in a chair that Caiden placed near the bunk where they put Miah.
Caiden nodded “I’ll get a doctor to fix you up. Then go to the address. If you sank the albino’s boat he’s sure to be on the run and not covering his tracks. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up his trail again.”
Barely able to keep his eyes open Cory murmured a thank you, grateful for a little quiet. “Oh,” he said, “be careful the old man has a lot of eyes and you can’t trust anyone.”
“I’ll be careful,” he promised “just get better and I hope whatever your friend is he knows the difference between us and the bad guys.”
Miah lay in bed watching and listening in silence as they talked about them. They frowned at the comment by Caiden and sat up.
“The old man is bad. Cory is good! And I trust Cory, so if Cory says you are safe I will trust him about it, but I will protect myself!” They hissed.
They reached for their legs, wincing in pain at the blood. The bleeding was starting to subside but they needed help. They ignored the strangers for now, hearing them walk away to probably ride the boat to where they said help would be, and Miah much needed it, so did Cory. They looked at Cory and reached over, touching his shoulder.
“You’re hurt too… The old man hurt you.” They smiled, a gentle smile, with gratitude. “Thank you, for not letting me get caught, even knowing you’d get hurt. You still tried to protect me.”
Cory closed his eyes for a moment. He was tired. It was the first time he felt old. Old in body and old in mind. Forcing his eyes open he gave Miah a tired smile “I didn’t do a very good job.”
His eyes took in Miah’s wounds “I’m sorry. You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if you hadn’t tried to save me. ” Maybe it was a bad idea to go after the old man on their own. It wasn’t the first time that thought had run through his mind. Every time he looked at Miah the idea repeated itself in his brain. “Do you still want to go after him? He knows we’re after him now. It could be…” He was going to say dangerous but Miah knew that already. He wanted the old man as much, no, make that more than Cory did himself. Cory wanted him for all the boys he damaged. All the boys like Cecil, Jonah and Miah and hundreds of others.
“You can trust Caiden,” he leaned back grimacing as his body protested.
It didn’t take long before the doctor came just as Caiden had promised. Cory insisted that she look at Miah first not only because his wounds were more severe than his own but because he was afraid if he passed out that Miah wouldn’t have anyone to reassure him that all these strangers weren’t going to hurt him.
Finishing up the neat little stitches the doctor shook her head “you should be fine in a few weeks. You just need plenty of rest and to stay off your feet. Change the bandages twice a day and any sign of infection have someone come get me.” She handed a small bottle of pills to Cory “for pain. They’ll make you sleepy so don’t drive.”
Knowing that Miah was taken care of Cory knew he could relax and he felt himself drifting off despite the sharp pains as the doctor mended his wounds. Once Caiden checked things out they could decide what their next step would be. They’d be better prepared. More cautious.
“Miah?” Cory called as he walked into the room where Miah and he had been staying in Caiden’s home for past several weeks. “Do you feel up to going out with me?”
Getting no response he walked into the bathroom where he suspected Miah was soaking in the bathtub. “Caiden should be home in a few days,” he continued, knowing that Miah probably heard him through the walls. “Once he comes back we’ll start our search for the old man again. He thinks he found a lead for us to follow.”
He smiled seeing Miah in the tub “I could go for a swim in the ocean. Want to come with me? I’ve made some sandwiches to take with us. We can have a good old fashioned picnic.”
Miah had been attentively listening to Cory’s every word and footstep as he made his way to them. A smile crossed their lips and they swayed their tail, watching Cory. The prospect of a swim in fresh ocean water felt tempting. Miah looked down at their legs. They had been healing well and they had this to thank Cory.
“I’d prefer to swim in the ocean,” they smiled in answer.
Carefully they pulled their tail, letting their legs form as the tail split in two, scales receding back revealing pale hide. The bruises from their wounds split equally to both legs, and the small ivory scales of their skin were starting to grow around the reddish and purple marks. They got out of the tub and grabbed a towel, clumsily trying to dry their hair, as they knew it annoyed Cory and the other human, Caiden, when they left water on the floor, which they’d leave anyway as they weren’t good at this ‘dry your hair’ thing.
Annoyed, they threw away the towel. They’d let the air dry it. Cory would just have to mop.
“Will there be meat sandwiches?” They smiled, always with such a big appetite.
Cory watched Miah’s transformation. He couldn’t help but find it fascinating. He found it beautiful when it was human to a leviathan. The magnificent tail that could no doubt crush him if Miah wanted to hurt him. He knew most of the men Caiden had gathered to help them were afraid of Miah including the doctor who treated his wounds.
Shaking his head at the puddle forming on the floor he knew he would be mopping later or perhaps it’ll have dried by the time they got back from the beach. He wasn’t going to worry about it. Caiden wasn’t there to fuss about the mess.
Smiling at Miah’s question he nodded “are there any other type of sandwiches? I have several different kinds of meat sandwiches.” He could still see the astonished expressions on the deli worker’s face when he had placed his order. “Trust me you won’t go hungry.”
Miah made a small chirping sound and nodded eagerly.
“Then let’s go to the beach for a swim!”
They ran past Cory heading to what the humans called their room. They rummaged through the clothes that had been given to them, even if they’d rather walk around with none.
They walked out wearing a mismatched track suit and, as usual, barefoot.
“Ready! Seawater and meat sandwiches and talk about the old man!”
As they spoke, a bit too fast, they took Cory’s hand, pulling on his hand.
Cory couldn’t help but to chuckle at Miah’s enthusiasm. It had been a while since they had been able to relax and enjoy the moment. Their days had been either hunting the old man or healing. Today was going to be different. He could feel it even though he didn’t know why. They were still going to discuss their next step in finding and ending the old man but there was an undercurrent of something that Cory couldn’t put his finger on.
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