Taken By The Shark

“I had heard such a spell was possible, but I never thought it would come into my possession,” he added happily. “How soon do you think we’d be able to learn it, Jill?”

“Within the week, I should think,” she replied. “But for now, it’s about time for shifts to begin, and I have a bit of business to take care of. While I can do both my shift and the discipline at the same time, I think I’d prefer to be wholly present for what my minions are about to suffer for their temerity.”

“Somehow, I don’t think I want to know what that is going to be,” Chelsea commented dryly.

“Trust me, my darling, you really don’t,” Mark said.

“I have to leave soon anyway,” Jill added. “I don’t think I want to be in human form the next time I need to take a crap.”

“Do I want to know?” Mark asked Chelsea.

“I doubt it,” she replied. “We’ll see you later, Jill. Have fun with all that.”

“Oh, believe me, I will.”

*****

“The valve malfunction will need to be dealt with from the outside of the station, unfortunately,” Mark explained as he and David poured over the data that had been coming in ever since the alarm began to sound. “We can’t send out one of the regular divers, since they won’t be able to recognize the part. I’m afraid it’s going to have to be you and me.”

“Understood,” said David with a nod.

And so the two divers headed out to search for the clog. They walked all around the station, being careful of their footing along the way, and finally came to the section they wanted to have a look at.

“The clog is most likely underneath the rim,” Mark pointed out. “That area could be problematic since it’s above a very deep volcano vent. While the volcano itself is inactive, that doesn’t make it any less scary if you plunge down into the thing in these weighted suits. You’ll need to hold onto the rungs the entire time, and tie your line to this rung as well. That way if you slip, you can use the rope to get yourself out again.”

I don’t think we should both attempt to go out there, sir, wrote David into his communicator.   I’ll see what I can do first, all right?

Fine, Mark agreed.

While David was out on the ledge, Mark caught himself thinking about the last week or so during which Jill had taught her spell to himself, his father, and Chelsea. Now, right this very moment, Prince Caerulus and his lovely bride were sitting in the throne room, merman and mermaid, feasting at their welcoming celebration. He wasn’t finding it nearly as difficult to divide his attentions as he’d expected, even in the middle of this.

David’s feet scrabbled at the rocks, drawing Mark’s focus back to this place. Several large hunks of debris broke free, clouding up the water so it was harder to see. Now David was under the station, holding rungs all along the way as he disappeared from view.

Then the rope suddenly pulled tight briefly, followed by going slack and then floating free, showing nothing but a broken end. Alarmed, Mark surged forward to look underneath.

A huge shark had clamped its jaws down onto David’s suit, and was swimming off with him even as it tried to bite through. Mark wasted no time using golden light to magic off his suit. He transformed into a great white shark as well, and dove right after the troublemaker. He found it easy enough to run the other shark off, and then he maneuvered his body underneath of David’s.

The man was in a panic, of course, so in a calm, reassuring tone Mark sent him a thought, Don’t worry, it’s me. Ride my back, we’ll get this job done. I’ll explain all of this later.”

Unable to respond, all David could possibly do at that moment was comply. He sure as hell wouldn’t jump off if he wanted to avoid the volcano. Together, the two located and removed the debris, and then Mark waved his hand, and with a golden light, his suit was back on him again.

You look as though you’d seen a ghost, my friend, Mark typed into the communicator.

I’m not entirely sure that I haven’t, David told him. Would you mind explaining all this on the way back? I’m thinking you don’t want to tell the entire team about this.

You’re thinking right, Mark agreed. And he told him the whole story, leaving out the fact that Jill and Chelsea were also shifters as well.

*****

When Bully had escaped Mark’s wrath beneath the station, he didn’t go nearly as far away as Mark had hoped. Now as he and David rounded the corner that would take them to the swimmer’s entrance, they were met by a most frightening sight.

Along with three other great white sharks, Bully was now accosting the divers out in the coral bed. Mark’s stomach gave a lurch as he realized that Chelsea was one of them. Were they still trying to mess with her?

Before he could move forward to help, however, he saw a wide arc of golden light flaring out from one of the divers—Chelsea, of course. It shot through the water and flashed right in the eyes of the two nearest sharks, blinding them. They swam aimlessly away, bumping into rocks, corals, and other obstacles along the way, leaving only two sharks to deal with.

Her too? David guessed.

Only recently, Mark replied. I had to save her life, and that was the result.

Sure wish you would save my life, then, sir.

I’m pretty sure you and I had no interest in becoming mates, Mark teased him.

Not in this lifetime, sir, David replied. Aren’t you going to help them out?

No need, Mark told him. Chelsea seems to be handling the situation pretty well herself. However, it looks like there’s going to be a lot of explaining to do around here. I hope we’re not going to have to leave this world behind.

No, sir, it shouldn’t come to that, David typed. But you’re going to have some very envious co-workers from now on. They’re all likely to want that kind of power for themselves.