Chapter 75
Hiro’s silhouette is a blur against the dimly lit surf shop, his glasses flashing with the glow of a nearby streetlamp as he studies us—well, studies Wake—with an intensity that makes my stomach knot. I take a breath, feeling the exhaustion deep in my bones but knowing I can’t afford to rest. Not yet.
“This is Hiro,” I say, my voice hoarse, “He’s a friend of Peter’s...and mine. Without him, I never would have learned the truth about myself.”
Wake’s eyes narrow as he steps closer, his imposing form making Hiro shift uncomfortably. His distrust is palpable, practically radiating off him. “He works for Enigma,” Wake says, his voice low and guarded.
Hiro raises his hands, palms up, in a gesture of peace. “I get it, I really do. You have every reason not to trust me. But believe me, a lot of people who work for Enigma didn’t know what they were getting into. And trust me, the employer isn’t exactly offering a severance package anyone wants.” He glances around, his voice lowering conspiratorially. “Enigma only lets you retire once you’ve committed enough atrocities that you wouldn’t dare go to the authorities.”
Wake’s eyes remain cold, but I can tell he’s listening.
Hiro shifts his weight and continues, his gaze flicking between us. “Speaking of, I take it you’re here because of your little side project?” His eyes lock on mine, curiosity gleaming.
I let out a shaky breath, glancing at Wake before answering. “You could say that. By the way, how did you even find us?”
“Peter,” Hiro replies. “He told me to keep my ear to the ground, that something was brewing. And lucky for you, you’re not too far from the facility. When I caught wind of something strange happening on the beach, I came running.” He smiles faintly. “Looks like I was right.”
“Wait,” I interject, my heart sinking, “We were seen?”
“Nothing too serious. I took care of it. But things could’ve gotten messy.”
Hiro’s eyes scan us up and down, landing on my absurdly mismatched outfit. Thankfully, Wake had thought to drag on a pair of swim shirts, but I can tell Hiro’s trying to piece together what happened. I feel a knot of anxiety twist in my chest. There’s no normal explanation for our current situation.
“So, are you going to tell me what the hell happened, or…?”
I glance at Wake, who gives me a subtle nod. He trusts me to tell Hiro the truth.
“Hiro, this is Wake,” I start, “he’s one of the sirens from the facility.”
Hiro’s eyes widen, and for a moment, I think he’s going to choke on his own breath. He stares at Wake in disbelief before turning back to me, his mouth hanging open. “And you helped him escape?” he finally manages to choke out. “Do you have a death wish?”
“I didn’t help him escape,” I quickly correct. “No one escaped...at least, not on purpose. Wake had to bring me to my homesea because...well, the transition was killing me.”
Hiro’s mouth opens and closes a few times as he processes this. “Transition? Wait...Peter actually figured out how to do it? You’re...you’re a mermaid now?”
“Sort of,” I admit, feeling the weight of the truth settle between us. “The procedure was successful, to a point. But now my DNA is destabilizing, and—”
“Nothing good,” Hiro finishes for me, his expression darkening. “Well, you’re in luck. We have a cell stabilizer back at the facility. It was actually developed using Marina’s genetic material.”
My mouth falls open. “You have something like that? And you didn’t use it on me *before* the procedure?”
Hiro shrugs. “It’s still experimental, and we’re working on it for human diseases. You know, cancer, birth defects, stuff like that. Once it hits the market, it’ll be a game changer.”
I let out a derisive snort. “I bet that’ll make the powers-that-be very rich.”
Hiro grins. “You can count on that.” He glances at Wake, then back at me. “Anyway, let’s get you two somewhere safe. You look like you could use some rest.”
He leads us toward his car, a small, beat-up sedan that looks laughably small compared to Wake’s size. I try not to giggle when Wake folds his massive frame into the passenger seat, knees nearly hitting his chin. Hiro, settling into the driver’s seat, quips, “You comfortable, big guy?”
Wake’s deadpan reply is almost comical. “No.”
We drive in silence, the darkness of the night pressing in around us. But instead of heading back to the facility, Hiro pulls up in front of a small, quaint house nestled away from prying eyes.
“This is my place,” he explains as we step out of the car. “Enigma doesn’t know about it. You two can get cleaned up, rest here for the night. I’ll head back to the compound and get what you need. Food, clothing, the stabilizer...whatever.”
I give him a sincere smile, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me. “Thank you, Hiro. For everything.”
He grins, waving off the thanks. “I meant it when I said I wanted in on whatever you and Peter were working on. Anything you need, you just ask. I’ll make it happen.”
Before he turns to leave, I grab his arm, stopping him. “Hiro...one more thing.”
“Go for it,” he says, his eyebrows lifting curiously.
“I need everything you know about Felix Becker…and his family.”
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