The merman, my man

Even as I remembered those terrible memories, I was startled by the chilling hand Dicken placed over my back. His gaze was cold and solemn, unwittingly building up a pressure in my mind. "You will wait here for me, Linda, because I can't guarantee your safety. I still have to move in human form at the moment, and I spotted that man who had been harassing you a lot last night. He's not dead, and is the person in charge of that German company this time."

Gary?

All at once, I felt as if a revolting, slippery viper had coiled itself around me, leaving me shuddering.

However, despite my absolute disgust towards Gary, it didn't stop me from protesting against Dicken's decision, and I grabbed his arm while insisting, "No, I won't accept it. Don't think about leaving me behind as you rush into danger! Or do you find me too weak? I think I'm filled with energy right now! "

"You're no different from a sapling right now."

"It's different, dear leader-I'm your progeny, and your blood flows in my veins. You have to believe in your own power." I held even tighter to him then and straightened, rearing my head to make myself appear as strong as possible. "I can feel my body becoming strong, and wasn't I able to protect myself when you weren't around? In fact, you saw how well I did, didn't you?"

I held his gaze even as he remained silent, and insisted, "What do you take me for, Dicken? Don't underestimate me! I' in no longer that child from ten years ago. I have decided to fight with you and you can't stop me!"

Dicken pressed his hands over my cheeks, and his eyes seemed to contain a brewing storin even as he glowered. I was a little afraid just then, worried that he would knock me out so that I would be compliant.

Even so, I offered no compromise and merely glared at him menacingly. "Listen here, Dicken-you won't see me ever again if you don't let me join you. I will run far away and stay on land, so that you will neve reach me."

"Are you threatening me?" Dicken narrowed his eyes dangerously, the storm in his eyes almost erupting. was left stunned for a couple seconds, but I stood firm and

say

nodded. "Yes. Believe me when I that I would do it and run to Africa. There's no water there, and your tail would never reach it."

Nonetheless, Dicken clenched his arm over my waist in the next instant, and I was pressed firmly against himself as he placed a palm over my forehead. I vaguely felt an electric current over his palm, surging into me and leaving me with a numbing sensation. As I began to feel dazed, I instantly realized that he was trying to knock me out and panicked, struggling as I cried, "No, you bastard! You can't do this to me...

However, just as my head was about

to cave to his assault and I was about to lose all consciousness, a gunshot suddenly echoed. The water's surface bursted into waves, with the windows of the Aquatic Organisms Research Lab shattering while I jolted awake from my fainting sensation. I could hear Dicken crying shrilly beside my ear, just before he wrapped his arms tightly around my body and leapt into the depths of the canals.

I followed him, diving to the underwater pillars of the buildings around us. There was no telling how far I had swum with him until we reached an open harbor, where several abandoned ships were berthed. We surfaced between the ships, and there was no one around since it was nighttime, and it was very well-concealed here.

Still, I was shocked considerably. As I wiped the water from my face, I asked, "What's going on? Could it be that you're being followed?"

Dicken flipped me over and felt around my body to check if I was hurt, and after ensuring that I wasn't, he said, "Probably."

Then, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, and my entire body was held within his broad, firm embrace. He pressed his wet lips over my neck, inhaling my scent deeply while another hand tenderly touched my forehead, just as he whispered beside my ear, "Don't run too far, my Linda."

Before I realized what he was saying, my vision turned dark and I lost all consciousness in an instant.