"Can you drive, human?"
I glared at the new mer and squirmed my way out of Callem's arms as we got closer to my truck. Sharp pebbles from the asphalt parking lot dug into my heels, but I could deal with it.
"Of course. Get your brother and Jayson in the back, and don't just throw Jay."
I saw him pause through the tinted glass window after he'd opened the door, catching him about to toss my friend in without a care. He hesitated at my warning, though, then just dropped him in the back.
Well, at least it isn't a throw.
He then somehow managed to get Callem into the truck without speaking before hopping in himself.
Okay, now I just need to stay conscious enough to drive. No problem.
Rolling my eyes, I slid into the driver's seat and sighed before turning on the truck. The air conditioning definitely woke me up a bit as it slapped cold air in my face. I reached over and snapped it off, then slowly began backing up. The drive was pretty slow because of the diminishing weather conditions, but we managed to make it back to my place after about half an hour. Both mers were silent on the drive, but I was able to hear Jayson moving around in the back, trying to wake up from the sedative.
I pulled into the driveway, opening the garage door with the button I kept on the car's flip-down sun visor. When I had the car inside, I pushed the button again, then got out as the door shut itself. Callem's brother was already getting out, holding a squirming Jay over his shoulder even though my friend was already obviously awake. He didn't seem to have enough energy to really fight him yet, though, so I suppose it was better than leaving him in my truck since I definitely couldn't carry him right then. While Callem's brother set Jayson on the sofa, I got my phone out and called Oliver. Thankfully he picked up on the third ring, though he obviously had been sleeping due to the sound of his scratchy voice.
"Parker..."
"Uh, long story short. Callem has a brother. We were attacked while researching them. The people are dead thanks to said brother, but now we think Callem has a chip."
"I just woke up. How are you today?"
"Dammit, Oliver, come on."
There was a tired sigh on the other end of the line and then the sound of blankets being pushed away.
"Man, you have the worst timing. I literally just got to bed twenty minutes ago."
"Anyways, I need you here now. The chip needs removed from Callem."
"Did you scan him yet?"
He paused at the end of the question and a yawn took over as I walked into my room to find my equipment. I really needed to give it back to the facility... later. I dug through my top dresser drawer, finding the scanner after only a few seconds.
"I got it, gonna go scan him real quick and call you back. Get ready to head over and bring a dart."
Oliver grunted on the other end of the phone, then disconnected the call before I could say anything else. With a mental shrug, I put the phone in my back pocket and walked back out into the living room.
"Can you tell him to hold still? I need to run this over his body until it beeps."
Callem's brother bristled slightly, his gills flaring, but he reluctantly nodded after a moment and turned to his brother who was sitting on the sofa near Jay's outstretched body.
Callem glanced up at me but turned to his brother when he sat down beside him and began humming and licking at his neck. Since he seemed distracted, I took the opportunity and ran the scanner up and down his arms and chest, checking his shoulders before dipping down toward his legs. At first I didn't get any signal, but when I doubled back and checked around his gills, the device beeped loudly, startling both brothers into hissing.
"It's okay. It just found the chip, but it's definitely not in a good place."
Callem tilted his head in confusion while his brother narrowed his eyes at me.
"I-I mean, it's right next to his gills."
I pointed to the spot before straightening up and fishing my phone back out.
"Let me call my friend back and tell him. He should be able to remove it, but he'll probably have to make Callem go to sleep for the surgery."
The bigger mer raised a brow, making me lick my lips and think for a moment.
"Um... he may need to drug Callem so he won't be hurt. He will have to cut the chip out."
He slowly nodded right before the doorbell rang. Both mers immediately snarled, of course.
"It's just my friend. That sound lets me know that he's here."
"Too loud." Callem's brother, whom I'm now just going to think of as Mellac, said.
"That's the point."
Giving them both a 'wait' gesture with my hand, I turned and headed to the door to let Oliver in. He looked like he had just fallen out of bed after not sleeping, which he had, so I quickly stepped aside and let him stalk over to the mers.
"I assume you're the one who can talk?" he grumbled, glaring at Mellac, who nodded without much emotion in his eyes besides annoyance.
"Alright. I'm going to dart your brother."
Mellac immediately bared his teeth, but Oliver just didn't seem to care enough to back away. Sure, he was probably scared, but he was also half asleep... which often made him a tad stupid.
"Listen, Mr. Fish. I'm seriously tired, and I am doing this because my friend asked me to. If you don't let me to put him to sleep, then I won't get the chip out because he'll probably decapitate me."
Mellac glanced at me, and I quickly gave him a definition he could understand.
"Callem would kill him."
"Ah. Yes, he would," Mellac replied with a grin.
Oliver already had the dart out, getting it ready.
"Can you hold him still? He needs to stab him with the dart so he'll go to sleep. It shouldn't last very long, then he'll wake up."
Mellac looked at his brother's confused face and smiled softly.
Wow...he actually doesn't look murderous right now.
"Callem, be good and don't hurt anyone, okay? They want to help you."
Callem didn't seem to understand, but the second Mellac grabbed his brother's shoulders, Oliver slammed the dart into the younger mer's left arm, then jumped back as Callem tried to lunge at him. The drugs took effect rather quickly, though, making Callem's movements grow sluggish fast. His brother held him until he was mostly asleep, then he carefully laid him down along the sofa, shoving Jay off without much of a care.
"Do it now. I will hold him in case he is not completely asleep yet."
Oliver nodded, not bothering to look at either brother as he plucked a few instruments from his medical bag he'd brought with him.
"Alright, let's do this."
If there was one thing Oliver was, it was adept at his job. He wasn't our top surgeon and dissection specialist for nothing. When I told him the chip was right next to such sensitive tissue, he wasn't very happy and it did give him a bit of trouble, but he was able to remove it in little less than five minutes without doing much damage.
"Here, Park. Flush this down the toilet so its signal moves."
I nodded, grabbing the tiny microchip and running it to the bathroom before returning a moment later without it.
"Done."
Oliver grunted in acknowledgment as he sewed up the skin just above Callem's left torso gills.
"I'm calling you Mellac since I'm sure Park has probably named you something stupid like the reverse of the name he chose for your brother."
Mellac glared at me, but I couldn't help blushing from embarrassment.
"Um... guilty? I-It's just easy, even if you guys don't use names. It makes it easier for us to get your separate attention."
He didn't seem too happy about it but ended up standing and stretching.
Guess he is going to deal with it.
"I'm going outside. My brother just needs to rest now, correct?"
Oliver stood, brushing off his knees as he nodded.
"Yes. He needs to stay out of the water for at least three or four days so the skin above his gills can heal. The stitches I put in will disappear on their own soon so just let the small injury heal itself."
Wait, does that mean he has to stay HERE for three or four days?
"That is fine. We will stay here. Leave him be until he awakens."
Oliver and I nodded, though I had a feeling he wasn't staying. That thought just solidified when he slapped some bandages and antiseptic into my hand and flipped me off before heading for the door.
"If you find another mer, I swear to god I'll shoot you with a tranquilizer."
The door slammed shut, cutting off any reply I was going to have. Which was basically none. Hell, if I brought home another merman, I would shoot myself with the stuff.
"Nnnn... man... my head... hurts like a..."
"Female dog. Welcome back, Jay."
I walked over to him as he pushed himself up against the sofa, eyes open but definitely still blurry, judging from their dilation from the drug.
"They must have given you a good dose. You were out for a while."
~~~~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
"Hmm?"
My head turned toward the pool area where Mellac sat, leaning up against the hot tub we hadn't used in a good while. He seemed relaxed with one leg bent up, his left arm draped over it as he looked out into the darkness beyond the pool screen.
~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
"He's singing his song."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~
Jayson didn't respond so I spoke again as I got myself seated.
"He sings differently than Callem. It almost sounds... lonely?"
That's a bit odd, considering his brother's seems much more. Huh. I don't know. It just feels different.
"Hey, Jay?"
~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When he didn't answer again, I looked over at him, only to see him pushing himself to his feet and taking a step toward the slightly open sliding glass door leading out to the pool area.
~Jayson
That's a nice song...
"Jay?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
I wanna be closer.
~~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Jayson! Stop!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My body was being shaken, but I just ignored it as I stepped out onto the cement lanai and made my way toward the solemn song.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
Why do you sound so lonely?
"Dammit, Jay, snap out of it."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I felt my knees drop to the hard concrete but ignored the slight pang of pain it caused to run up my sore legs.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I want to make that sadness go away. Maybe I could.
Feeling a strong need to act, I felt my body leaning forward, then my tongue darted out to press against warm skin.
Salty...
Normally I wasn't a fan of salty foods, but I couldn't help myself as I kept licking at it. Well, that was until I was grabbed by the throat and slammed into the concrete by a furious looking merman, once... then twice... then again and again and again.
"M-Mellac, stop. I-It was your song. Stop. He didn't mean to lick your face. Oh god. Jay!"