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The doctor interviewed Celia for almost an hour. I've never heard of an interview taking so long. They must've got caught up talking encyclopedias or something. That's all Celia had done since I met her, after all. Always reading encyclopedias, the dictionary - a thesaurus! - you name it. Sure, she was a word wizard, but she still had no idea how to tie everything together.
I wondered how well she was charming the doctor.
My attention drifted between those thoughts and the magazines from last decade that dotted the reception area. They were mostly copies of Popular Science and Wired. A whole pile of them were in the corner near an old couch.
Suddenly I heard a rumble in the building. Then I noticed out the window - we were on the second floor - the building across a large courtyard had things flying out of it. Ballistics?
I stood and, like a fool, stared out the window. Do I interupt the doctor?
A blue light in the corner of the room began to blink. A voice came over the loudspeaker.
"All personnel, code blue. All personnel, code blue."
Code blue? What did that mean?
Before I could ask, something flew through the window and landed in the corner. It started a fire immediately. There was no fire extinguisher in the room, but sprinklers in the ceiling went off. I couldn't see if they put the fire out or not.
I rushed to the doctor's office door and knocked crazy. The fire was beginning to spread.
"Mr. Carson? You still here?" The doc pulled me into the room as another object broke through his window also. The bookshelf behind Celia was now ablaze. She had ducked to the floor before the window shattered.
"What's going on over there?" I asked.
The doc made a phone call as the sprinklers in his office burst to life. Celia gasped, as did I. She was now soaking wet, and her fin appeared.
I didn't say anything. What could I say?
Dr. Polans kept himself towards the window as he spoke to someone frantically. Then, he turned to look at Celia and I, both on the floor as the sprinkler system continued to spin above. The doctor stopped suddenly.
"Gentlemen, tell me you took care of the problem." He hesitated, his eyes focused on Celia. "Good. Secure the facility and evacuate the wing. Follow all procedures and meet at your designated areas." He then hung up.
"Dr. Polans, what happened over there?" Celia asked.
"We have to get out of here," I said. "The smoke-"
The bookshelf was smoldering, but no longer on fire. All the same-
"You're a mermaid."
Celia nodded. "Yes, I am."
He hesitated.
"Doctor, where is the emergency exit?" I hadn't seen one on the way here.
Dr. Polans shook his head. "That's no good. Hopefully it's still functioning." He reached behind his desk computer and pulled a lever.
Behind Celia, the bookshelf began to lower into the floor. Behind was an elevator door.
"What kind of place is this?" I asked.
"Can you carry her?" he asked me.
I nodded.
"No time to explain. Grab your shoes."

Taking the elevator to - a basement, I suppose, I'm not sure how many floors we decended exactly, because I was facing the other way and couldn't see the panel - Dr. Polans showed us to a laboratory collection room. Specimens of all kinds were here, all of them varieties of coral. He turned on a light and showed us to a small lounge area a room away. I carefully placed Celia onto the couch, this one again just as ragged as the one above had been before the fire took it.
"Dr. Polans, what is this place?" Celia asked.
The doctor closed the door. "I've been researching the coral in the area lately. I'm sure you know there are over ten thousand types of coral in the world's oceans, but I've discovered a type of coral that naturally is luminescent."
"It... glows?" I asked.
He nodded and flipped on a light switch along the wall. In the other room, we saw how large of a collection that had been gathered. Over a hundred pieces of coral were inside of large glass bottles, filled with salt water, and glowing under a blacklight. Pinks, blues, and greens were the norm.
"I've seen coral like that before," Celia said. "Far north of here."
Dr. Polans nodded. "Over the past six years I've collected them. They're showing up more frequently than ever." He turned to Celia. "What do you know about them?"
Celia shrugged. "Only what you know. There is a grotto called the Azarn Traverse, not far from-" She stopped.
"Yes?" Dr. Polans asked.
Celia curled her fin slightly. "Not far from where I grew up."
"Have you seen coral like this anywhere else?" Dr. Polans asked.
Celia shook her head. "Nowhere. I think it's unique to the Azarn Traverse."
"Odd, that in my fifty dives in the area, I've never seen any evidence that mermaids lived so near," Polans said. "Facinating."
"Dr. Polans," I leaned forward. "Something has obviously happend above. You are a man of science, aren't you? What does Baumbastic Labs focus on ?"
"Marine biology, ballistics, hydroponics, astrology and drug research," Polans replied. "We've been branching out into other fields, though ballistics is our newest endeavor, I regret to admit." He paused to sigh, turning away. "But I can say I am certain of one thing."
"Yes, I know," Celia said.
"No," Dr. Polans replied. "No respectable man of science will ever put a mermaid in his research without being labeled a fool."
Celia and I glanced at each other. Was he serious?
"Have either of you heard of a man named Dr. Latrell?"
"No," Celia said. I shook my head also.
"About four years ago, Dr. Louis Latrell claimed to be doing research on mermaids. The FBI seized his materials and stole everything he had learned."
"Are you a friend of this Latrell?" Celia asked.
Dr. Polans shook his head. "Never met the man, but anyone who thinks there's anything to be gained by studying mermaids is demented."
Celia smiled, easing my fears also.
"I don't care who they are, people are people and nobody deserves to be subjected to anything, no matter what."
"It's nice to hear you say that, sir," Celia replied.
"Dr. Polans, what about the interview?" I asked. "You both were talking for almost an hour."
"I was thinking of hiring you for clerical work, but I wonder if there's a more interesting posistion you might have in mind."
"Clerical work sounds easy enough-" Celia began.
"She's a fine gardener,” I cut her off. “You should see her tomatoes.”
Celia smiled nervously.
“Hydroponics, then,” Dr. Polans said with a nod. “Of course, we’ll have to take a few precautions-”
“Dr. Polans, have you ever met a man named Issac Broderson?” Celia asked.
The doctor spun around suddenly. “I’m sorry?’
“Issac Broderson, my father.”
“There’s nobody by that name here, I’m afraid,” Dr. Polans replied. “At least, none that I know of. Is he also-”
“No,” Celia cut him off again. “My mother was a mermaid, but my father is fully human.”
“How incredibly facinating,” Dr. Polans replied.
“Sir, Celia has other interviews today, perhaps we should be on our way,” I began.
“Oh that won’t be necessary,” the doctor waved the thought away. “There’s quite a substancial signing bonus, of course, plus full health care and medical insourance-”
“I’m not sure I want to go to a human doctor,” Celia said.
“That can be sorted out later.” He shook his head again. “I’d love to hire you.”
“Well, I-” Celia looked to me for advice.
“And Mr. Carson, we’d certainly love to have you on as a consultant,” Dr. Polans said. “Perhaps we can find a place for you also.”
“We’d have to work together,” Celia said. “The same division.”
“Of course,” Dr. Polans said.
“Only as needed,” I said. “I have school, work-”
“Come by tomorrow, I’ll set up a meeting with Dr. Jenner, head of hydroponics, with whom you can discuss your schedule, your skills, and work out all the logistics. And before you ask, don’t worry, she won’t have to know about you, Miss Broderson.”
“Call me Celia,” Celia offered a handshake again.

Five months ago, I crawled into a partially submerged cave to find a wounded mermaid. Nothing has been the same since. Today I work at a bookstore, sure, but I also am paid for every time I go into Baumbastic Labs. Celia is on staff at the hydroponics lab, helping the crew plant things underwater. We’ve been on for a week, but already it feels like it was meant to be.
Ever since I met Celia, nothing has been the same. Meeting Ambrielle was a surprise too, and if not for her, Celia and I wouldn’t have a place to live. Little did I know that mermaids exsited, much less all this would happen as a result of that meeting.
And there’s more to tell. Just promise me you won’t tell the feds, and I’ll tell you more.

Description
The doctor interviewed Celia for almost an hour. I've never heard of an interview taking so long. They must've got caught up talking encyclopedias or something. That's all Celia had done since I met her, after all. Always reading encyclopedias, the dictionary - a thesaurus! - you name it. Sure, she was a word wizard, but she still had no idea how to tie everything together.
I wondered how well she was charming the doctor.
My attention drifted between those thoughts and the magazines from last decade that dotted the reception area. They were mostly copies of Popular Science and Wired. A whole pile of them were in the corner near an old couch.
Suddenly I heard a rumble in the building. Then I noticed out the window - we were on the second floor - the building across a large courtyard had things flying out of it. Ballistics?
I stood and, like a fool, stared out the window. Do I interupt the doctor?
A blue light in the corner of the room began to blink. A voice came over the loudspeaker.
"All personnel, code blue. All personnel, code blue."
Code blue? What did that mean?
Before I could ask, something flew through the window and landed in the corner. It started a fire immediately. There was no fire extinguisher in the room, but sprinklers in the ceiling went off. I couldn't see if they put the fire out or not.
I rushed to the doctor's office door and knocked crazy. The fire was beginning to spread.
"Mr. Carson? You still here?" The doc pulled me into the room as another object broke through his window also. The bookshelf behind Celia was now ablaze. She had ducked to the floor before the window shattered.
"What's going on over there?" I asked.
The doc made a phone call as the sprinklers in his office burst to life. Celia gasped, as did I. She was now soaking wet, and her fin appeared.
I didn't say anything. What could I say?
Dr. Polans kept himself towards the window as he spoke to someone frantically. Then, he turned to look at Celia and I, both on the floor as the sprinkler system continued to spin above. The doctor stopped suddenly.
"Gentlemen, tell me you took care of the problem." He hesitated, his eyes focused on Celia. "Good. Secure the facility and evacuate the wing. Follow all procedures and meet at your designated areas." He then hung up.
"Dr. Polans, what happened over there?" Celia asked.
"We have to get out of here," I said. "The smoke-"
The bookshelf was smoldering, but no longer on fire. All the same-
"You're a mermaid."
Celia nodded. "Yes, I am."
He hesitated.
"Doctor, where is the emergency exit?" I hadn't seen one on the way here.
Dr. Polans shook his head. "That's no good. Hopefully it's still functioning." He reached behind his desk computer and pulled a lever.
Behind Celia, the bookshelf began to lower into the floor. Behind was an elevator door.
"What kind of place is this?" I asked.
"Can you carry her?" he asked me.
I nodded.
"No time to explain. Grab your shoes."

Taking the elevator to - a basement, I suppose, I'm not sure how many floors we decended exactly, because I was facing the other way and couldn't see the panel - Dr. Polans showed us to a laboratory collection room. Specimens of all kinds were here, all of them varieties of coral. He turned on a light and showed us to a small lounge area a room away. I carefully placed Celia onto the couch, this one again just as ragged as the one above had been before the fire took it.
"Dr. Polans, what is this place?" Celia asked.
The doctor closed the door. "I've been researching the coral in the area lately. I'm sure you know there are over ten thousand types of coral in the world's oceans, but I've discovered a type of coral that naturally is luminescent."
"It... glows?" I asked.
He nodded and flipped on a light switch along the wall. In the other room, we saw how large of a collection that had been gathered. Over a hundred pieces of coral were inside of large glass bottles, filled with salt water, and glowing under a blacklight. Pinks, blues, and greens were the norm.
"I've seen coral like that before," Celia said. "Far north of here."
Dr. Polans nodded. "Over the past six years I've collected them. They're showing up more frequently than ever." He turned to Celia. "What do you know about them?"
Celia shrugged. "Only what you know. There is a grotto called the Azarn Traverse, not far from-" She stopped.
"Yes?" Dr. Polans asked.
Celia curled her fin slightly. "Not far from where I grew up."
"Have you seen coral like this anywhere else?" Dr. Polans asked.
Celia shook her head. "Nowhere. I think it's unique to the Azarn Traverse."
"Odd, that in my fifty dives in the area, I've never seen any evidence that mermaids lived so near," Polans said. "Facinating."
"Dr. Polans," I leaned forward. "Something has obviously happend above. You are a man of science, aren't you? What does Baumbastic Labs focus on ?"
"Marine biology, ballistics, hydroponics, astrology and drug research," Polans replied. "We've been branching out into other fields, though ballistics is our newest endeavor, I regret to admit." He paused to sigh, turning away. "But I can say I am certain of one thing."
"Yes, I know," Celia said.
"No," Dr. Polans replied. "No respectable man of science will ever put a mermaid in his research without being labeled a fool."
Celia and I glanced at each other. Was he serious?
"Have either of you heard of a man named Dr. Latrell?"
"No," Celia said. I shook my head also.
"About four years ago, Dr. Louis Latrell claimed to be doing research on mermaids. The FBI seized his materials and stole everything he had learned."
"Are you a friend of this Latrell?" Celia asked.
Dr. Polans shook his head. "Never met the man, but anyone who thinks there's anything to be gained by studying mermaids is demented."
Celia smiled, easing my fears also.
"I don't care who they are, people are people and nobody deserves to be subjected to anything, no matter what."
"It's nice to hear you say that, sir," Celia replied.
"Dr. Polans, what about the interview?" I asked. "You both were talking for almost an hour."
"I was thinking of hiring you for clerical work, but I wonder if there's a more interesting posistion you might have in mind."
"Clerical work sounds easy enough-" Celia began.
"She's a fine gardener,” I cut her off. “You should see her tomatoes.”
Celia smiled nervously.
“Hydroponics, then,” Dr. Polans said with a nod. “Of course, we’ll have to take a few precautions-”
“Dr. Polans, have you ever met a man named Issac Broderson?” Celia asked.
The doctor spun around suddenly. “I’m sorry?’
“Issac Broderson, my father.”
“There’s nobody by that name here, I’m afraid,” Dr. Polans replied. “At least, none that I know of. Is he also-”
“No,” Celia cut him off again. “My mother was a mermaid, but my father is fully human.”
“How incredibly facinating,” Dr. Polans replied.
“Sir, Celia has other interviews today, perhaps we should be on our way,” I began.
“Oh that won’t be necessary,” the doctor waved the thought away. “There’s quite a substancial signing bonus, of course, plus full health care and medical insourance-”
“I’m not sure I want to go to a human doctor,” Celia said.
“That can be sorted out later.” He shook his head again. “I’d love to hire you.”
“Well, I-” Celia looked to me for advice.
“And Mr. Carson, we’d certainly love to have you on as a consultant,” Dr. Polans said. “Perhaps we can find a place for you also.”
“We’d have to work together,” Celia said. “The same division.”
“Of course,” Dr. Polans said.
“Only as needed,” I said. “I have school, work-”
“Come by tomorrow, I’ll set up a meeting with Dr. Jenner, head of hydroponics, with whom you can discuss your schedule, your skills, and work out all the logistics. And before you ask, don’t worry, she won’t have to know about you, Miss Broderson.”
“Call me Celia,” Celia offered a handshake again.

Five months ago, I crawled into a partially submerged cave to find a wounded mermaid. Nothing has been the same since. Today I work at a bookstore, sure, but I also am paid for every time I go into Baumbastic Labs. Celia is on staff at the hydroponics lab, helping the crew plant things underwater. We’ve been on for a week, but already it feels like it was meant to be.
Ever since I met Celia, nothing has been the same. Meeting Ambrielle was a surprise too, and if not for her, Celia and I wouldn’t have a place to live. Little did I know that mermaids exsited, much less all this would happen as a result of that meeting.
And there’s more to tell. Just promise me you won’t tell the feds, and I’ll tell you more.