Aquata Cove Chapter 34: Interrogation
"Mmmm~" Adam smiles as he sleepily cuddles up with Merrick in the warm bed of the morning. Just as he strokes the merman's cheek, the alarm on his phone goes off. He groans as he turns around, and grabs for the phone, and shuts off the alarm.
"Rrrrrrmmmllll..." Merrick groans as he is woken up by the now-annoying jingle of Adam's phone, "Can't you stay longer?" He asks in a low, dreary tone.
"I am," Adam muttered as he crawled up to Merrick, "'S why I set the alarm earlier~" He said as he kissed behind Merrick's ear.
"Ooh~" Merrick smiled as he felt those lips brush against his ear. He grins as he felt Adam's soft member push against his smooth bubble butt, "So we..."
"Mhm~" Adam said, as he gave Merrick's ear a little nibble, "Dat's egsactly what I mean" He slurred with his lips around the cartilage. Merrick giggles as he rolls over, and climbed ontop of Adam, "Mom and dad are back in Washington, and I think you've been a VERY good boy~" He said while Merrick straddled onto him.
"Hehehe~" Merrick smiled as Adam smooched his neck, and kissed Merrick sensually on the lips. The blonde closed his eyes as he took in the human's lower lip, pressing his teeth gently on the soft part, before pushing his mouth against the other. Adam's hands felt and grabbed along Merrick's flawless body as he laid there being kissed by his love.
"Mmmmhhhh~" Adam murred as he kissed firmly onto Merrick's lips. He pushed his lips onto the other's mouth as he forced his tongue into his mouth. Merrick moaned hungrily as he kissed fiercely against his human, while his fingers dug and firmly rubbed Adam's manly chest. Merrick tensed and groaned as he felt his buttocks harshly grab and rub his ass cheeks as the passion intensified between them.
SPANK!
"NNNhhhh~!" Merrick's back curved as he felt a sudden slap on his perfect bum. He panted as he eased up on the aggressive arousal. Adam took deep breaths as his adrenalin channeled into his body, before Merrick kissed him again. He moved his lips from Adam's stubbly chin, and kissed along his neck. He nudged onto Adam's semi-hairy pecs, before locking his mouth onto his right nipple.
Adam hissed as Merrick pushed his lips onto his pink nub, and tugged it with his teeth, "FFfffhhhss... Ghhhad, Merrick..." Adam moaned as Merrick licked and gnawed on his nipple, while pinching and tweaking the other with his hand. Adam's fingers held firmly onto Merrick's back as he endured the almost-painful nip-play.
His cock made a dab of pre onto Merrick's stomach as the merman smooched and chewed onto Adam's nub. He moaned as Merrick switched to Adam's left nipple. He huffs and groans as Merrick's fingers toyed with Adam's wet nipple, and harshly sucking at the other one.
"Oh God, babe..." Adam groans as Merrick's teeth tugged and yanked at the erect stub. His lips squelched as he twirled his mouth around Adam's nip. Merrick relented on the harsh suckling, and kissed in between while both hands massaged firmly on both nipples. Adam bit his lip as his hands gripped the bed sheets.
Merrick slowly made his way backward, and crawls down under the covers. Adam lays his head back down onto the pillow, and chuckles as he felt those fingers fondle and rub along his manhood.
His chest puffs as he felt a pair of soft touches press onto the head of his penis, before a wetness slowly played onto the upper part of his shaft, "Fffff, oooohhhhh~" Adam huffed as he felt his cock get pulled into a hot, wet area, "Aaaaawww yeah..." He muttered as Merrick's tongue toyed with his soft member, like savoring a very long marshmallow.
Adam moaned as he felt Merrick's hands explore his thighs as his dick hardens within the hungry mouth pulling at his dong, "Oh god, you're so cock-starved, aren't you~?" Adam moaned as those lips slid to the rim of the head, and swallowed his dick. He bit his lower lip and huffed as Merrick went back to his head, and squelched the glans with his lips and teeth.
"OOH! Oh! Careful!" Adam muttered harshly as his back tensed. His eyes clenched, before he laid back down, and huffed in relief as Merrick went back to sliding his mouth back down onto Adam's patch of dark, wiry hair.
"Oh god, yes~" Adam moaned as Merrick bobbed his head up and down to get a good momentum going for his dick. Adam couldn't help but flex his buttcheeks and push up, and stand his throbbing cock in his lover's mouth.
"Mmmm~ Ok..." Adam said as he put his hand under the covers, and lightly pushed Merrick away from his lap.
"Huh?" Adam then crawled underneath blanket, and met his blonde lover there.
"My turn, sweetie~" He said before he moved himself over to Merrick's crotch.
"Ooh~" Merrick giggled as he propped one of his legs up as he laid on his side, "Mmmmm~" Merrick groaned sleepily as Adam's palm brushed gently side to said on Merrick's thigh. Adam put his mouth onto that plane of soft flesh, and smooched down onto him. Merrick's mouth curved into a smile before his eyes clenched, and started snickering harshly.
"NNNGGH!" Merrick laughed as he suppressed a thrash as Adam tickled his inner thigh, "Hehehehe! Adam!" Adam grinned as he nudged and licked along Merrick's sensitive flesh. Merrick snickered and kicked his legs on the mattress.
"Heh heh, ok ok, babe," Adam muttered as he held down Merrick's legs. He stopped tickling Merrick, and moved his lips to his twin orbs. Merrick took a few breaths, and spread his legs a little more to have his human lover take in his scent, nosing his balls and lapping his lips on his sac.
"Mmmm...~" Merrick's cock twitched as Adam gave his balls a lick before a very light nibble. The human murred as he teasingly licked around and bounced Merrick's testicles with his tongue.
"Nnnhhh~" Merrick moaned "Please, Adam... Just... Do me now..." He begged just as Adam is about to take in Merrick's dick into his mouth, as he is feeling VERY aroused right now, and he wants to get into it RIGHT now. Adam smiled before kissing the head of Merrick's cock, and then lying ontop of Merrick's supple body. The merman cooed as he felt Adam's manhood wedge between his cheeks like a firm, drooling hotdog between his fluffy peach buns.
"Pardon me~" Adam said as he reached for the lube, while teasingly grinding his hips into Merrick's soft bottom. He deliberately rubbed his dick inbetween those flawless mounds, huffing, almost becoming overwhelmed by just how smooth and soft Merrick's anus is, despite having groped, rubbed, fucked, and spanked over a thousand times. He shuddered as he felt Merrick's butt pushed back against his raging boner just as his fingers tightened around the lube bottle.
He brought the bottle over to his pelvis, and pushed it to apply a large glob onto his dick. He gasped as he felt the cold slick dribble onto his throbbing member, before he started grinding it into Merrick's perfect ass. "Oh god~" Adam moaned as he rubbed his lubricated tool into Merrick's crack again, "I can just get off from hotdogging, babe~" He growled, right before the glans of his dick hit a speed bump.
"Oh!" Merrick gasped as he felt his asshole pushed upon. Adam grunted, before taking his penis with his fingers, and slowly guiding it at the correct angle. From there, Adam slide his cock right in. Merrick's back curved as he felt his anus widen around the intruding meat, "Awwwwhhhh~!" He moaned. The merman took the nearby pillow, and gripped it tightly with his arms.
Adam moaned as he dug his manhood deep into his lover's mount. Merrick's own penis oozed pre as he bit down onto the pillow, feeling himself so wild and hot. All he can think about his getting as much of Adam's cock inside him as he possibly can.
As if reading his mind, Adam's hands grabbed his round buttcheeks, and spread them apart. Merrick's eyes and mouth opened wide as he moaned out when he felt Adam's fat dick sink lower down into him!
"OoooOOHH! By the depths, please don't move~!" Merrick moaned as he clenched his ass. Oh, it hurts so good! Adam grunted as he ground his pelvis against Merrick's rump. He undulated his hips to push his manhood up and down inside of Merrick. The merman gasped a squeal when Adam's cock easily pushed that hidden spot -- about several times.
Merrick moaned into the pillow as he felt Adam's body push into him as far as he will go, "Hang on," Adam said as he pulled back. Merrick sighed as his anus felt a sense of emptiness when Adam pulled out. With this small reprieve, the merman reached down, and started masturbating, just for a bit of relief from that short moment.
"Here, babe," Adam said as he held out what looked like a black, thick object, with a soft, light bulge at the end of it. Merrick blinked as he starred at it.
"Uh... What is that?" Merrick asked as he moved himself on his side, he dick still hard as a rock.
"It's called a Fleshlight," Adam said as he put the toy up to the head of Merrick's dong, and rubbed it around the copious precum.
"Ooh!" Merrick shuddered as it touched his sensitive genitals. Adam grinned as he pushed it down upon Merrick's dick. The blonde gasped as he felt his prick penetrate into a very squishy, rubbery environment. "Ooh, oh, oh!" He whimpered as it pressed onto the base of his pelvis.
"Now, play back down, sweetie~" Adam said with a grin as he put Merrick back onto the bed.
"ENgh!" Merrick grunted as Adam climbed back ontop of him, and lined his dick with Merrick's entrance again. Merrick hugged the pillow, and moaned out as he felt Adam push roughly into him! "Hhhoooooo!" He gapped as he felt Adam's log dive deep into Merrick's anus, just as his dick flexed in the strange material of the Fleshlight.
"Want it hard, babe~?" Adam asked in a low growl as he pressed his dick firmly into Merrick.
"Yes~" "Can't hear you~" Adam said with a horny glint in his eye, before he spanked Merrick's ass.
"YES!" Merrick yelped as he bit his pillow. He huffed through his teeth as he felt Adam's hands firmly grip his hips, and thrust his pelvis into Merrick's ass. "MMMMMMHHHHHFFF!!" Merrick moaned as he felt Adam's large cock pummel inside him, shoot back, and dove back into him! He can barely even notice his dick squelching in the sex toy, tucked underneath him. His own dick burrowed and around the very moist cavern hugging and pressing around his member.
"God, you're so hot!" Adam moaned as he humped his lover, jamming his cock rapidly into Merrick's tight hole.
"Oh Adam~!" Merrick released the pillow from his mouth for only a moment, "Harder~!"
"Umf!" Adam shoved his dick harshly into Merrick once, twice, three times.
"Harder!!" Merrick begged as his cock is climbing very quickly up to his peak inside the soaked tunnel. Adam planted himself firmly down, and began pistoning himself back and forth into Merrick. The merman bit down onto the pillow again as he felt himself bounce back and forth, his ass receiving a harsh pounding as his dick squished around the artificial orifice.
Feeling the intensity increase, Merrick's hands gripped at the edges of the mattress, as if holding on for dear life as his boyfriend punched his ass hard with his club over and over and over again.
"Are. You. Good. Merrick??" Adam manages to ask in between thrusts -- he gets worried about going too rough on Merrick.
"By the depths, YES!!" Merrick moaned out as he felt himself driven by the lustful energy surging into his ass, "Harder!"
Adam jammed his cock quickly into Merrick's anus, just as he asked. He slid his lower body back and forth in a fast but steady rhythm. He huffed like a wild animal as his heavy balls swung and slapped into Merrick's testicles like a drum.
"Harder!!" He begged, really putting Adam's vigor to the test. "HARDER!!!" At this point, he's only begging to let out the bursts of arousal like a valve, "HARDER!" His dick drives wild into the fleshy sex toy.
"HARDER! HARDER! HHAAAARRRNNNNNGGHHHH!" Merrick bit down onto the pillow, clenching his eyes shut, as his penis exploded inside the fleshlight. He moaned loudly into the pillow, almost overflowing the toy with the immense spunk that shot out from his nuts.
Adam pushed his head onto the heart symbol on Merrick's neck as he pushed his manhood in and out of Merrick's ass -- somehow, his butt feels a little better just AFTER he cums. Adam slowed down and eased up on the verocity of his thrusts now that Merrick has popped. The merman moaned pleasantly as he felt his human roll his hips and drive his rod into his relaxed bottom. Adam huffed as he slowly guided his cock closer and closer to his climax.
Now that things have calmed down, Adam lays to the side, while still rolling his hips into Merrick's tush, elating a soft gasp or moan from the blonde.
"MMmmm... Awww yeah..." Adam muttered. He gently slide his lubed cock in and out of Merrick, until his penis started to perculate. "Oh!" He whimpered softly, "Hoh! Ooh! Hoh!" He pushed his boner up as far as he could push into Merrick's buns as his hands held firmly onto the merman. "Ahhhhhhhhh~" Adam moaned as he finally felt himself release inside of Merrick's tunnel. Merrick moaned and cooed a little as he felt the hot surge into his insides. Adam sighed as he pulled himself out, leaving a flow of white to dribble from Merrick's butt.
"You need to get off again?" He asked his blonde lover.
"M-mm," Merrick answered as he shook his head. Adam nuzzled and kissed Merrick's neck as he slowly felt like dozing off, as they still have a good while before he has to get up. Merrick, having his penis softened completely, took the toy, and put it on the nightstand. He groaned very quietly in satisfaction as his asshole still buzzed with the pleasurable pain from having his anus pummeled.
He loves these moments.
Adam zipped up his leather jacket while his shoes crunched on the gravel. Merrick follows closely, before playfully groping Adam's jean rump. He smirked and turned around, right before Merrick kissed him. "Come on~!" Merrick said, "Just skip work and stay home with me all day! I wanna see you do that, um... What did Jamal call it again?" He pondered, "A strip-tease?" Adam laughed. "Babe, I'm no professional stripper. And the Captain will have my balls for bait if I played hooky." "Awwwww!" The merman moaned, "I've seen some of the humans dancing at the place Jamal works in. Wanna see YOU up there!" "Hahahaha!" Adam lightly slapped Merrick's cheek, "You fishy pervert~" Merrick giggled as he kissed him again. "MAYBE, sweetie." Adam said as he stroked Merrick's blonde hair, "I'll think about it..." Merrick smiled as he felt Adam's freshly shaven cheek. Adam smiled softly as he nudged his lover. Merrick gently lapped Adam's lips, very softly rubbing his tongue on the upper lip, pushing his lips on his lower lip, "Mmmm...." Adam tilted his head and rolled his lower jaw to deliver a passionate push into the kiss. He put his arms over Merrick's bare shoulders as he closed his eyes. Merrick moaned weakly again as he put his other hand on the back of Adam's head, before their tongues met in their conjoined mouths. Adam slowly ended the kiss, one lap at a time. He rubbed his forehead against the other as their noses touched. "I love you." Adam whispered. "I love you too." Merrick responded. Adam backed up, and rubbed Merrick's shoulder, "I'll be back in the afternoon." "Ok~" Adam took out his helmet, put it on, and straddled onto his motorcycle. He turned the keys to roar it into life, revved it a few times, before setting his feet to it, and driving off. He glanced at his rear mirror, and chuckled as he saw his boyfriend waving Goodbye from the driftwood wall-fence around the house.Jamal grunts as he lugs a particularly heavy log of driftwood from the far side of the beach. Merrick is watching the water on the shore push and pull before he hears Jamal huffing from the effort. He turns to see him dragging the large wood, and gets up to walk over.
"Hey, Jamal!" He called.
"Nnngghhh!" Jamal huffed and puffed from the exerted effort, "Hey, Merrick." He stopped to rest, panting heavily and sweating profusely. Merrick walked up to him, looking him AND the log curiously.
"What are you doing?" Merrick asked.
"Juss... Guh, just bringin the driftwood in."
"Why?"
"To add to the fence. See dat?" Jamal said as he pointed to sun-bleached wood logs that surrounded the house, "Trees git cut up and thrown into the ocean. Then the sun or water gets'em all smooth and stuff, and ya know. Just something we find inneresting, ok?"
"I see..." Merrick said, "And you're taking this whole thing to the house? Don't you want help?"
"Yeah, that'd be good." Jamal said with a nod. Merrick smiled as he walked along to the other side of the log. Jamal picked up his end, to find it a lot lighter than it was.
"You good, kid?" Jamal asked, "AH! FUCK!" The log suddenly dropped, and Jamal is gripping his wrist.
"What's wrong???" Merrick asked as he went over to Jamal.
"Shit, mah wrist man, I... Gah!" He grunted, "I held it wrong, man..."
"Alright, I'll take care of the log."
"Naw, is aight, man." Jamal said, "We'll git it later."
"No, I got it," Merrick insisted as he went to the middle of the log, squat down, wrapped his right arm around it, and tucked his left arm in, and hoists it up with a single grunt. Jamal gapped as Merrick carried that log with ease.
"Hey, how you doin that???" He asked. Merrick blinked.
"What?"
"Dude, that thing weighs a TON!"
"I don't know what that is, but I think you should go to see Yuri about that wrist." He said as he carried the driftwood toward the house.
"Seriously, dude!" Jamal said as he walked along side him, "I'm bigger than you, and you holdin that thing! Ain't it heavy?"
"Yeah... No big deal. Where do you want it?" Merrick asked casually. As an Adra Triton he's a lot stronger than he looks.
"Uh, just the garage is fine, kid." Jamal said as he watched the naked blonde then escort the driftwood over to the garage.
"Yeah yeah, wuteva." Jamal said. "Well anyway, you're going to want to go easy on it for the next few weeks. LET IT HEAL, don't go pulling hardcore sex or stunts, you got it?" "Aight. Am I still be able to have sex though?" Jamal asked. Yuri scoffed as she put a hot/cold pad on his wrist before wrapping it up with bandage. "Well, not that I REALLY needed to be asked, or recommend it, but you're gonna want THEM to do all the work." She said. Jamal shrugged, "Whass the difference." "Gross." She said as she lightly smacked the side of his head. Jamal got up and walked out of Yuri's room to check on Merrick. Merrick runs the sandpaper rigorously back and forth on the log. He looks up to see Jamal walk in to see his progress. "Are you ok, Jamal?" "Yeah, I'm aight." "Ok, good. Now, how exactly did you want me to..." His attention was diverted by a car driving by the house -- a black van. Merrick stood up as the vehicle drove in, it's nothing he's seen come here before. The car parked outside of the driftwood wall, and out came two men wearing business suits and sunglasses, and a young woman with dark blonde curls, wearing a professional, grey tweed uniform knee-length shirt. Merrick put down the sandpaper and stood up to face them, curious as to whom these humans are. The woman approached Merrick, with the two gentlemen standing behind her like bodyguards. "Hello, my name is Erin Connaly, I am an executive at the Agency of Oceanic Research. Is your name Merrick Piscien, sir?" She asked. "U-Um, yes?" Merrick answered. "Wait, wait, hold up," Jamal said, "Don't I know you?" He asked the woman. Erin turned her head to him. "Yes, we met once at the Dream Waltz, you had convinced me to sleep with you one occation." "Yeah... Yeah, I rememba now," Jamal said, nodding, "But chu saw Merrick nekkid on the couch, and you baled." "And there is a reason for that. I had to go and report on the update." Erin answered before turning to Merrick, "I'm going to have to ask you to come with us, Merrick." "What? Why?" Merrick said as he took a step back. "We are in investigation of the welfare of the ocean. Any information we can find is for the benefit of the sea." "But why do you need me?" Merrick asked. "We know what you are, Merrick." She said. Merrick gasped, "As I said, any information you can provide can help us better the ocean." "Naw, I don't like this," Jamal said, "He's staying." "We have a warrant to conscript Mr Piscien to the Agency," One of the men said as he pulled out a paper. "We're not leaving without him." Jamal took the paper and glanced at it. He shook his head, and shook his head, "No, I ain't buyin this." He said, "I wanna speak to whoeva's in charge." "We've done research on the residencts here," The other guard said, "I'm sure you don't need reminding about your probation, Mr Michaels." He said to Jamal. "What'chu say??" Jamal said. "You are currently entering the last month of your probation from your conviction of drug possession." "Hey! I didn't do it already! My brotha tricked me into-" "That's irrelevant." The guard said, "If you interfere with official business, we will press charges, and you will be in violation of your probation." "Awhh, so is like that, huh?" Jamal snarled darkly, "Aight, lemme tell you somethin, if you think I give two shits about-" "Jamal, no!" Merrick said as turned around, "Please, stop." He said as he looked up at his friend. "Merrick... You wanna go with them?" "Jamal... Adam told me what would happen if you were to break the laws of the land..." He shook his head, "They... They just want my help..." He said hesitantly. Something in his head is telling him not to go with these humans, but he knows that if he doesn't Jamal will defend him on every ground... And from what these humans are saying, they'll lock him away just for helping. "Merrick, you don't need to do this, man..." He said, "I don't trust these people." "Jamal... Just... I'll be back soon..." He said. Merrick turned away, and faced Erin and the guards. "I'll go with you. Just leave these humans, the ones that live here be." He requested. "We appreciate your cooperation." Erin said, "Just step this way." She said as Merrick followed them to the black van. Jamal breathed deeply, feeling a mixture of confusion, worry, and guilt as he watches the merman get escorted to the vehicle. His gut is telling him he's going to regret letting Merrick go off like this..."So he came without a fuss, huh?" A man of his 60's said as he walked down the hall with the bodyguard that was at the beach. He wears square glasses for his eyes, his scalp glinted in the lamp lights of the hallway, wearing a formal business suit.
"Yes. He was reluctant at first, but once we stated the first measure, he stepped in and willingly came along.
"The one about Jamal Micheals' probation? And you didn't need to resort the warrant we had for their other roommate, Miss Umiyama?"
"No, sir," The guard reported as he opened the folder, containing the documents for Jamal's criminal record -- which looked very clean except for what happened with him and his brother. He moved Jamal's file back, and looked at Yuri's file, which contained the report of her father's motorboat in restricted waters during an oil spill.
"Good. Glad we didn't need ALL the blackmail." He said nonchalant as they arrived at a door. "So that's the merman, eh..." He said. As he peered through the round window of the door, seeing the young blonde male sitting at a table, wearing a clean, white jumpsuit. The guard scoffed very slightly.
"Do you really think there's such things as merfolk, sir?"
"You've seen the evidence yourself, sport." The older man said, "The documentaries, and the bodies..."
"I'm still skeptical sir."
"Course you are..." The man said, "You've only been here a week." The man said, "Lets just hope this goes as smoothly... For his sake."
The guard blinked awkwardly, "Sir?" The man turned to him, with a grim look on his face.
"Let's just say we're running on rushed schedule..." With that cryptic remark, the man pushed the door open, and stepped in. Merrick looked up at the man as he entered. He pulled the chair on the other side of the table before sitting back down.
"Hello, Mr Piscien. Or would you prefer if I called you `Merrick'?"
"My name is fine," The blonde replied, "And do I HAVE to wear this thing?" He plucked at his jumpsuit, "I'm not accustomed to this sort of... Material." He said.
"Rules and regulations, son. You'll get used to it" Merrick gave a scowl at that, "Now... Does Piscien mean anything, by any chance?" He asked. Merrick looked at him with a glance of friction.
"How do you even know of that word?" He asked. The man chuckled.
"We're getting ahead of ourselves. My name is Nigel Quinlan. I'm the head boss around here. And please, don't look at me like that," Nigel said with a smile, "I want to be your friend."
"So... You're in charge with helping the ocean?" Merrick asked. Nigel chuckled a huff, before putting on hand over the other, propping his elbows on the table, and putting his chin on his hands.
"In a matter of speaking."
"And what does THAT mean?"
"This facility in particular researches new and undiscovered animals of the ocean. We learn their biology, their anatomy, how they function, and how they influence the ocean."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Merrick asked.
"Heh heh heh." Nigel raised a brow, "Do you REALLY need to ask?" Merrick sighed, as Nigel reached into his coat, and withdrew three photographs. He laid them out for Merrick to see. One was of a beachhouse with a driftwood wall, with Adam carrying a naked Merrick over off the rock. The next one was Merrick laughing, wearing a white fishnet tanktop and white jersey shorts on a dock, and the third is of a blue and silver merman, laying down upon a rock over at Aquata Cove's waterfall, "We've been tracing you for a long time, Merrick."
Merrick stares at the three pictures -- a cold heat played across his face as a dark chill fluttered about his body. His arms shook as he sat still, just looking at these photos. He glared up at Nigel with defensive eyes -- there's only one thing he can perceive that could have taken these pictures, "Are you the government? Adam told me of you -- you're the all-controlling power that humans bow to without choice. You group of humans do all you want without concern of the people."
"Hahahaha, not exactly, Merrick," Nigel said, "Agency of Oceanic Research-" A small beeping rang out from the man's coat, "Oh, excuse me," He took out his phone, and put it to his ear, "Yes?" Merrick focused in, but he can't detect a thing that device may be giving, "... Alright, that's good... Carry on." He closed his phone, and put it in his pocket.
"What was that?" Merrick asked.
"Just maintenance check, it's nothing," Nigel said, "Now, where was I?"
"You were laughing at me," Merrick said, "And you said you WEREN'T the government."
"Ah yes. You see, we're only a BRANCH of government, not the whole house. While the government as a whole runs the nation, branches like the AOR runs different areas, such as research, preservation of environment, etc, take priority over the fields we represent. You understand?"
"Bits and pieces." Merrick answered.
"That's fine. You don't need to, it's too much of a bloodsport anyway," Nigel dismissed, "Now, lemme tell you about myself. I studied in the field of Cryptozoology, in terms of the ocean. Know what that means?" Merrick shook his head, his eyes still locked onto Nigel's glasses, "Cryptozoology is the study of the existence of extremely rare, or otherwise mythical creatures. It's not exactly what you would call a successful business, so I also had to take up Marine Biology to get anywhere."
"Adam has told me about mythical creatures, but I don't know much of anything about them." He said. Nigel chuckled warmly.
"Heheheh, that's alright, that's alright, that's not what I want to ask you," Nigel scratched his chin, "Who's this Adam? You mention him a lot, is he your human escort?"
"No." Merrick said. He can't explain why, but he feels a growing lack of respect for this man, "He is my mate, what you humans would call my boyfriend."
"Really?" Nigel said as he raised a brow, "So merfolk mate with humans?"
"... Only a few, I imagine."
"Yes, of course," Nigel said.
"So why do you need me here?" Merrick asked, "The humans who brought me here told me I was to help with healing the ocean."
"Heh," Nigel put his hands down, "Yeah, but I brought you here for a different reason...
"Merrick, I would like to know all you can teach me about merfolk."
Merrick felt his heart jolt, his eyes widen slightly as he said that, "Why? Why do you want to learn about merfolk?"
"Well, our ocean is dying," Nigel said, "You should know that better than anyone, right?"
"I wouldn't say the sea is dying, but it can be better..."
"And we humans," Nigel said, "We are continually making progress, we make good relations with people of other nations, across the world. We trade goods and services, and make broader horizons for human society."
"Do you?" Merrick said, "Adam told me you humans are always at war with each other. You don't make friends with each other, you dominate other humans to connect. And as for the ocean - As I said, it's not exactly dying, but it's not in good shape either, at least not the waters that are connected to human settlements." Merrick said, "You humans are the ones hurting the sea." "Hmph," Nigel gave a curt smile, "You got me there. But we learn from our mistakes, and we improve on where we messed up. Conflict and resolution is how we evolve and grow up."
"Alright, but why do you need me?" Merrick asked, "Despite your mistakes, you humans are already capable of such magnificent things in your world. You achieve and create things us merfolk can never even imagine."
"Well, Merrick, it comes down to a simple query: How do you think we get so far?" He asked. Merrick didn't answer, "Because we learn. The more we learn, the smarter we become. The smarter we are, we become more knowledgeable as to how and where to improve, make progress, create a brighter future. Do you understand, Merrick?"
"Why not leave the ocean be, then?" Merrick asked, "The sea is a whole other world on its own, and all you humans do is make it sick. If you're going to help it, then clean up your own messes, and stay away from it."
"I must say, I don't particularly care for your attitude, Merrick," Nigel said sternly, "I have done nothing to hurt you yet, have I?" Merrick took a deep breath, and exhaled, still leering coldly at Nigel, "Now if we were to create relations with merfolk, your kind can teach us how we may learn from our mistakes. We will learn much more about the ocean and how to care for it. But we need YOUR help, Merrick. YOU alone can help shape the future of both humans and merfolk alike." Merrick felt a surge of anger from this man's words. His eyes and his voice just don't match up.
"... No."
"No?" Nigel furrowed his brow. "You are not going to help us?"
"No, I am not." Merrick asked, "What you're saying would make sense, but that's not the reason you want me to teach you."
"Oh no?" Nigel said.
"Your eyes are looking at me like a meal," Merrick said, "You say you want to establish relations for merfolk and humans for the greater good, but I see only avarice and conceit behind those glasses. I don't know what motive you have, but I don't like or trust anything you have to say."
There came a pause where they just sat there and glared at each other for several minutes. "... You don't, huh?" Nigel said as he stood up from the chair, walked around the table, and leaned down, coming inches away from Merrick's face, both of them sending daggers to the other.
"Well, you can trust this, Piscien," Nigel began, "I don't have time to play around here. I have spent more years than you will ever know wrapped around your kind, and I did not wait this long for an ignorant fish to tell me `No'."
"No." Merrick scowled.
"Hmph. You think you're funny, don't ya?" The old man said, "Well laugh at this then: If you don't cooperate with me, I will do whatever I see fit to get some answers."
"I'm not telling you one single thing." Merrick said, "And you will let me out of this place."
"Merrick..." Nigel said as he stood back up, and put held his hands behind his back casually, "I would still like to be your friend, but I have no problem on being the bad guy here," He said as he leered down, "You are not leaving anytime soon, so I-"
"What?!" Merrick stood up, making the chair behind him topple, "You CAN'T keep me here!"
"SO I SUGGEST," Nigel said, raising his voice, "You make this easy for yourself. You can teach me all you know to me and walk out free by the evening, or you can refuse to talk, and I can make your life a living hell."
"You're a monster." Merrick hissed.
"And you," Nigel said, "Are going nowhere."
*CLICK* *CHINK* Guards are snapping metal cuffs onto Merrick's wrists, and ankles -- the jumpsuit was removed, leaving him naked, as he prefers. Nigel stands there as Merrick yanks at the chains, not able to walk or crawl more than a few feet in his plain white cell -- a white corner sealed in a bulletproof sliding door, with two large transparent orbs. "Now, one last time before I go," Nigel said as he looked down at the humanoid merman, "Will you teach me your culture, or not?" "You will get NOTHING from me!" Merrick answered. "You're making this harder than it needs to be," Nigel said, "You're not leaving, and no one is coming to get you." Merrick scowled hatefully at him, "Think about Adam." Merrick made to get at Nigel, but his chains snapped straight after a 10 inches, "He's going to come home, wondering where you are, and he will have no idea where you went off to." "Shut up!" Merrick shouted, "He'll find me! My Adam WILL find me! He found me when I was dying in the Blood of the Earth -- in the middle of the ocean itself! And he'll find me chained up here!" "Then by all means," Nigel said, "Call him over," A curt smile appeared on his face, "Maybe he can get you to act like a good fish." Nigel turned around and walked out, with the guards following suit. Merrick gritted his teeth as he yanked at the chains. *Tck* Suddenly, a bright light blared in his cell, "Ah!" Merrick closed his eyes and cringed. He grunted as the light felt... Hot. It feels just like sunlight. It feels nice right now, if a tad strong. Is this how that man is going to coax answers out of him? Captured light? Merrick smirked at the thought. He'll have to do better than this...Erin walks down the hall, carrying some files of paperwork. She sees Nigel walking out of a door, just as she reaches him, "Oh, Mr Quinlan. Where you successful?" She asked. Nigel paused for a second before answering.
"He'll need some persuading, so we're keeping him here for a while."
"What?" Erin blinked, "Sir, I... I thought we were taking him back to his home tonight."
"Yes, but I get the feeling that he'll warm up to cooperating if we give him sometime."
"... Yessir." Erin said, "Understood, sir."
"Nothing to worry about. Trust me, Miss Connaly."