“Ok Ma’am- I mean... Ms Hamilton. I’ll go, but I don’t really know what you want me to do once I’m actually there.”

“Well… provide a reassuring presence. Help the authorities to figure out the cause and see if there’s a solution. You know, maybe even investigate? Don’t you do that?” Amber asked inpatiently.

“Well, not really. We have a team of people who do that and we just…”

“Turn up and fight?”

“Yeah,” Kimona admitted slowly.

“Well that’s just the problem with this Collective nowadays. It’s not always about fighting. These people are without water. They’re desperate and could do with some hope and reassurance from their storm mermaid hero.” Kimona looked at her unimpressed. "What? It's what they call you on social media, get over it."

Kimona shook her head dismissively. “And you really think that’ll work? Twenty percent of the town are already ill and you think me going there will lift spirits?”

“Look Kimona, I don’t give a shit. Just go,” Amber snapped suddenly, losing her patience.

“Ok, fine. Allermond, wasn’t it? In Montana?”

“Yes.”

Kimona turned out of the office, mumbling some obscenities under her breath. She headed into the cafeteria where Dylan, Terri and Brad were sat together.

“My God, that woman is impossible,” she complained, plonking herself down in a seat at the table.

“Amber?” they all asked in chorus.

“Yeah, she’s sending me to that town in Montana that has had its water source poisoning the town. Wants me to "investigate" or just make people feel happy that I’m there.”

“Publicity stuntin’, then basically?” asked Dylan rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, it’s been ten days already. If it was that important she’d have sent me sooner.”

Ferris and Ariadna came through from a meeting with The Secretary.

“Hey everyone. How’s it going?” Ferris asked.

“Good thanks, honey. How did your review go?” asked Terri.

“Yeah, it was good thanks, wasn’t it Ariadna?” She just nodded. “But I’ll tell you more over dinner. We still on?”

“Oh, I don’t think so I’m afraid. I’m going to help Kimona at that town with the dodgy water supply.”

“Ah no, that’s a shame,” he said, disappointed. Kimona looked taken aback but kept quiet.

“Yeah Amber wants us to show our faces. Give hope, see what we can do etcetera.”

“Sounds fun,” he drawled sarcastically. “Well I’m going to head off, so I’ll catch up with you when you get back, ok?”

“Sure sweetie, speak soon.” The group watched as Ferris and Ariadna walked off.

“What was-” Kimona began to ask.

“Don’t ask. Please.”

“Well pack your bags, we’re going to Montana.”

***

“You want to talk about anything? In particular you and Ferris this morning?” Kimona asked as they took the short flight up to the northern parts of Montana.

“Nope. Everything’s good,” Terri replied.

“I should get you to say that in front of Do’Lânqwa. He’d have sniffed out that big fat life.”

“Look, I just wanted to come with you. Amber let you go by yourself, I just thought you might need me.”

“Hell, I don’t even know what it is that I’m supposed to actually be doing myself let alone need help doing it.”

“Well we can figure it out together at least.” Kimona smiled at Terri. “I’m here if you ever need. But I’ll say no more, alright.”

***

The duo landed at Allermond’s Sheriff Department’s helipad and were led to the officials in charge of the environmental disaster the town was currently going through.

The Mayor, Hayes Heilmann, met them personally.

“An honor to meet you both,” he said shaking their hands. “Thank you for coming to our town.”

“Not a problem,” Agwé said cheerfully.

“How are things looking at the moment, sir?” Sediment Terri asked.

“Not great. Of our 47,360 population, just over 24,000 have had symptoms and 5,000 have died. Hospitals are crippled, schools and all hospitality are closed… We’re struggling to get clean water into the town, and struggling to get people out. Crime’s gone up. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Any idea on the cause?” Agwé asked.

“Not really. Well, we know it originated in our natural water source, Livercastle Lake. Since the first patients started presenting, we’ve been monitoring that there lake and the bacteria levels have been fluctuating since.”

“What do you mean?” Terri asked.

“Just that. Look,” he said, fishing for a spreadsheet graph from a pile on his desk. “When we first made the connection with the water source and the health disaster, testing began eight times in a 24 hour period. Over every 48 hour period, the levels decreased but at the start of the next cycle, it seemed to go back up again.”

“But the water isn’t getting into the town anymore?” Agwé asked.

“No luckily. But the longer this goes on for, the longer the problems will go on for,” Mr Heilmann explained.

“Has the lake been searched for the root cause?”

The mayor looked at Agwé with a funny look. “Of course it has. But it’s a natural spring lake. There’s no bottom to search. And we’ve not seen anything dumped in the lake leaking anything. We’ve autopsied fish, birds, amphibians, deer… all poisoned with the bacteria. Nothing to suggest that the cause is an animal.”

Terri studied the data again. “It looks like the levels of the bacteria keeps intensifying, or coming back…” She looked at Agwé. “And what do you think could keep coming back? To poison something. Over and over again. To create chaos. And kill people…? You know where I’m going with this?”

Agwé looked at Terri, slowly realising what she was hinting at. “You think Outbreak is behind this?”

“Well we have lost sight of him lately.”

“Yeah, but why this?”

“Why any of what he’s doing? Why all the pregnancies? And the… STDs. To cripple infrastructure.”

“Sorry, who’s Outbreak?” the Mayor asked.

“Pretend you’ve not heard anything,” Terri said.

“But if it’s got anything to do with-”

“It’s ok Mayor. We’re here now,” Agwé assured. “This is something we can deal with. We'll investigate.”

***

Sediment Terri and Agwé made their way to the lake after their conversation with the Mayor.

“Have you had the lake guarded?” Terri had asked as they walked out of the Sheriff’s Office.

“The lake is huge, it’s not possible when we have all our resources on actually managing the situation.”

“Well the fact that the levels keep increasing suggests that something keeps coming back to top it up with whatever is poisoning the water,” explained Terri.

“And you think it’s this... Outbreak?”

“We’re going to the lake now and see what we can learn. Even lay in wait if we have to,” said Terri.

“Well we are hours to the end of this latest 48 hour period,” stated the Mayor.

“Thank you for your time Mayor, we’ll be in touch,” Agwé had said, heading back for the Merlin-One jet.

Now at the lake, they could see for themselves it was too large to properly secure.

“We’ll hover the jet over the lake and we’ll use the cameras and radars to monitor any arrivals. It gives me the chance to use the drones that I keep being told this jet comes with,” Agwé said.

A few hours had gone by, the sun had set and by now they were sat in their kit ready for action. Conversation between the friends had flowed easily while they maintained one eye on the monitoring equipment.

Terri’s cell beeped.

“That’s the third time you phone has gone off. Are you going to check it?” Agwé asked.

“I’m busy. Working, with you. It’s just Ferris checking in with me.”

“...Has something happened?” Terri began to protest but Agwé continued. “I know we dropped it earlier, but has he done something?”

“No. No he hasn’t. Of course not.”

“Because it seems like you’re pissed off with him and letting him… stew.”

“What do you know? How many relationships have you had?” Terri snapped back, instantly regretting the outburst. Agwé didn’t bite back and said nothing. “Look, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean that. Please forgive me. It’s… it’s me,” Terri sighed, building herself up. Agwé remained silent, not even looking at Terri. “I had-”

Beeping from one of the drones on the eastern side of the lake alerted the woman to movement, cutting Terri off.

“Two signatures picked up,” Agwé said, getting up to have a look at the screen. “I’m going to check it out.”

“I’m coming too,” Terri stressed. She was relieved she hadn’t actually divulged what it was on her mind.

Agwé flew Merlin-One towards the lake’s edge where the two figures were heading. Not wanting to come into contact with the water itself, she didn’t want to use her strengths to control the water or to use it to get her closer.

She swung the jet round so that they were behind their targets over land, cutting off any escape route.

“You stay up here. We’re just expecting Outbreak so these two could be a distraction, or anybody else for that matter. I’ll tell you if I need you,” Agwé said bluntly. And with that, she jumped out and ran through the thicket.

After a couple of minutes, she caught up, observing as two figures were crouched by the water edge.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“So it is you behind all of this?” Agwé called out.

Outbreak stood up, startled, dropping the lifeless body of the other person on the ground.

“Ah ‘crap’, as they’re so fond of saying here.”

Agwé carefully advanced forward. By now The Enhanced Being Collective knew not to be within close range of the super spreader. “Who’s that?”

“Don’t mind her, she’s just shy,” he said before running off.

Agwé ran towards the body. She was partly submerged, with her legs being the only part of her not in the water. She turned her over to see the face. She was deathly gaunt, with thin grey skin pinched around the skull, eyes large and inflamed. Around her mouth and nose it was red, dry and scaley. All signs of being severely unwell.

Agwé spun the woman’s body round so her face and upper body were out of the water and went off after Outbreak.

“Agwé, I’m coming to help,” Terri said through the communicator.

“No, stay there and keep tracking him. He’s had a head start on me already,” she replied, hurdling over logs and whacking branches out from in front of her face as she ran.

“Just be careful. Don’t-”

“I got it,” Agwé interrupted, cutting her off. She carried on running in the hope she was going in the right direction, when suddenly from behind a tree on her left in front of her came a large piece of tree. The branch passed through Agwé’s head which had instinctively changed its state to water. On seeing Outbreak and not wanting to come into contact with him, Agwé leant too far back and fell, hitting her head hard on the ground and knocking herself out.

***

When Agwé came round, Outbreak’s hand was being lifted away from her face.

Startled by seeing Outbreak so close to her, Agwé started to scuttle back on her elbows but the excruciating pain at the back of her head was too much for her to focus on moving and giving Outbreak a chance to flee.

“Agwé, are you ok?” Terri asked as she came to her side.

“How long was I out?” Agwé grumbled, standing up with Terri’s help.

“Seconds, I think. Are you going to be ok? There’s so much blood.”

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine. The arse’ole’s gone.”

“Don’t fret, we’ll get him. We need to go this way, if you’re good?”

“I’m good. Let’s go.”

They couldn’t have been that far behind Outbreak but it was half an hour before they did see him near a fresh water brook.

“I really did not expect your head to become like water. Impressive and spooky all at once.”

“Give it up Outbreak, it’s over now. We know what you've been doing.”

Agwé manipulated some of the water in the brook to splash her in the face and through her hair, running the blood out. “This needs to stop, whatever you’re doing to the lake, needs to stop.”

“And I’ll be impressed if you manage that, because in less than thirty seconds Agwé, you’re going to find yourself suffering with aquagenic urticaria. Of all things, a water allergy! And Terri, you’re going to have to decide whether you’ll help your friend, or take me into custody.”

“Water allergy?” Agwé repeated. “Can people even be allergic to wa-”

“Agwé?” Terri asked desperately when her friend stopped mid word. Agwé turned to Terri, clutching at her own neck with both hands.

She had a red, raw rash around her mouth, her face covered with hives which looked painfully inflamed. Agwé tried to answer Terri, but her voice was raspy from where her throat was tightening.

“Huh, well I did tell you it’d be thirty seconds. Seemed to be a bit quicker than that!” Outbreak marvelled, impressed with himself.

“Revert it! She could die!” Terri yelled, carefully lowering Agwé to the ground.

Agwé managed to squeal in horror hearing that and glared at Terri wide eyed.

“Then you need to get her out of here, I’d say.”

A blinding white light flashed in front of Terri and Agwé, who was now on her back on the ground, struggling for breath.

The bright light disappeared, revealing the presence of Bao, the majestic, rare empathic white tiger from the Woodland Warriors.

“Jesus, Bao,” exclaimed Terri. “What are you doing here?”

I sensed great danger for Kimona and I came straight away, she communicated telepathically. She needs help, or she’ll die.

“Shit, yeah. I know…” Terri crouched down to Agwé, rubbing her arms, but it was doing nothing to solve her lack of breathing. Agwé just looked up desperately at her friend. “I think I know who might be able to help though. Bao, I’ll need to use her jet. Can you stay here with her?”

Kimona will be under my guard.

“I’ll be back. I know who can help you. I won’t be long.” Terri said before running off.

***

When Terri returned, she found Bao lying, wrapped around Agwé protectively, soothing her with her purring. But Terri did not come alone.

“Agwé! Bao! I’m back!” Terri called out.

She’s in grave danger, Bao informed. The tiger looked at the stranger. Your acquaintance has the power to help.

“I know. This is Emele Stone,” she said to Bao, who unfurled herself from around a weak and struggling Agwé. “Can you save her from the water allergy that is doing this?”

“Yeah, absolutely,” Emele said, kneeling beside her. Emele placed her hands over Agwé’s shoulders and closed her eyes. After a couple of seconds, a warm white glow emitted from her hands, throbbing with pulsating energy that surged through into the sick Agwé.

Lying there, Agwé felt a strong, spiritual pull from within her, as the aquagenic urticaria was extracted from her system. Strength started to return to her as her respiratory system began to open back up, allowing the oxygen to flow back into her lungs.

She became more cognitively aware of her surroundings and took more notice of the familiar face of Emele Stone looming over her, with her eyes closed.

A strong wave of euphoria swept through Agwé. An intoxication, a sense of relief and magnetism, connecting her with her saviour. Almost impulsively and automatically, Agwé slowly raised her arms towards Emele, reaching for her face. When her hands made contact with her, a second wave of charge soared between the pair, opening Emele’s eyes which were now a dazzling bright white.

Agwé pulled Emele in, at the same time lifting herself up and bringing their foreheads together. When they touched, they held each other there as Emele’s healing energy began to subside, doing what it was she brought to Montana to do.

The two lingered there momentarily, before Emele broke the hold and got up, helping Agwé to do the same.

“…Emele,” was all Agwé could say at first. “…Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” she replied warmly. "But you've got Terri to thank, getting me to you in time." Turning to Terri, she asked, “Is this the lake on the news? The one that is contaminated?”

“Yes. We managed to find and stop the cause, but the water is still affected.”

“Let me see what I can do. Can you take me there?”

“Yes, we’ll go now. Bao, are you coming?”

I won’t. Now that Kimona is safe, I will leave.

“Thank you so much for being here,” Agwé said, just before the tiger disappeared in a flash of white light.

“This way Emele,” Terri said as they jogged through the trees back to the lake’s shore.

Emele walked straight into the water, propelling herself to the dead centre where she was now no bigger than a small dot to Terri and Agwé.

“How are you holding up?” Terri asked as they waited on Emele.

“Fine, now. Thank you. Much better. That was so horrible. I really felt like I was slowly dying. Thank you for thinking of getting Emele.”

“At first when I heard that Holt was in space with Nasa again, I didn’t know who else to ask, but then I remembered what she said she could do when we met her in Hawaii.”

“I bet her dad wasn’t happy with you turning up.”

“He was surprisingly... agreeable. He didn’t like the fact that you were so hurt and accepted that his daughter was the best person to help. I think since our visit, he’s softened up and realises that he shouldn’t stand her way of doing good because of his negative experiences decades ago.”

Emele reached the centre of the lake, submerging herself to her shoulders. Her whole body glowed that same white glow, rippling out from around her across the lake.

The water shone, radiating healing energy on such a large scale. This continued for ten minutes until the light dimmed and water returned to normal. Emele torpedoed back towards the edge to Terri and Agwé.

“That was amazing,” Terri said with such joy.

“Just when I thought I’d seen everything...” Agwé muttered.

“The water should be balanced and healthy again. Will you please tell me if it passes the tests?” Emele asked.

“Are you not going to stick around?” Terri asked. “We need to go tell the Mayor.”

Emele looked awkwardly at the two. “If it’s all the same, I’d like to be gone when the Mayor is told. I just want to go home now. That amount of healing has worn me out.”

“Sure,” Agwé agreed. “I can take you now, if you’re ok Terri to stay and wrap things up here? It’s um… the least I can do. You don’t mind Terri? I’ll come back for you after.”

***

And it was agreed, that while Terri updated the Mayor and gave him the good news, and oversaw the testing and confirmation of the water’s health, Agwé had taken a tired Emele back home to Hawaii.

“Your enhancements are amazing. I’m so grateful that your dad agreed for you to come and help.”

Emele smiled. “I’ll be sure to pass that onto him.”

“How do you feel about using them again sometime?”

“Excited. But nervous too.”

“Yeah, I definitely understand that feeling. Maybe one day we can… er… maybe we can go out to sea and go through the things we can do? Together.”

“I’d like that,” Emele said smiling. “I’d like that a lot.”