Viola was scared. The mechanical noise around her and the bindings which kept her immobile certainly did not help. It was dark around her, but sound and feeling told her she was inside something metallic and cold.

She could hear humans puttering around, voices communicated over machines. Radios Eva had called them. Eva… She did not know Eva’s fate.

As soon as she saw the man she knew he was the one in charge. All the other humans scurried around him both in fear and deference. Some with respect. Mr. Talbot, they called him. The man who was keeping her prisoner.

She had succumbed to that strange sleepless unconsciousness after the humans had wrapped her up for transportation. She did not know where they were going and she was too sluggish to think clearly.

Whatever her previous cell had been this was infinitesimally worse, only the knowledge that she was being transported kept her sane in this dark box.

She had tried to save Eva, and from what Talbot had said she had probably succeeded. Eva was too naive to see just how bad things were but that wasn't new. Eva was not like these people. Viola hoped they would not be separated. Eva still confused her, her feelings about Eva confused her but she was a friend at the very least.

The dark felt suffocating around her. Despite the noise, she was left alone with her thoughts. Where would the next cell be? Why was she even being moved? Why did Talbot kill those people?

She had known something was off since she had woken that morning. When she had heard the humans close to her cell she had only grown more curious. Talbot was angry, then there were explosions of sound and the smell of blood. She did not know what weapons the humans had but they certainly scared her. She could have practically tasted Eva’s fear when Talbot had pointed the small thing at her. Viola was in no rush to find out what it was capable of.

Talbot was taking her somewhere else. She could only imagine it was somewhere harder for her to escape from. Whatever dreams she had of returning to her pod were shattered. The humans were far more resourceful than she had realized. Talbot was far worse than any of the humans she had faced before.

She was given no warning as something began to hiss and water began to run down her skin. The machine kept her cool and hydrated, though it scared her every time. She had the vague sense that the last time she had been transported it was far faster and certainly not like this. This… box was new.

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She had slipped into unconsciousness and woken in the facility. Wherever they were going, it was far farther. She couldn't believe that her previous cage had been right beside the ocean. She had not been imagining her ability to faintly hear it. It would only have been more cruel if she was allowed to see the freedom beyond.

Now she imagined that they were taking her far from the sea. Somewhere where escape would truly be impossible. She did not know much about land but it was no place for her.

Her stomach growled and she was reminded of her hunger. She had no idea how much time had passed but it was enough. At least in her cell, she could move. She had never been so trapped before. Her body was wrapped up and held. Unable to breathe without the weight of the material around her. It took all her power to not panic, to stay calm.

She wanted out but she needed water and Talbot knew that. If he really did want her alive then he would have to give her water. Water, air and food, either he provided it or she died. She wasn't entirely sure she was opposed to death, she had been prepared for it after all. Eva had made her reconsider. Now it was still Eva who kept her together. She was worried about her and, she had to admit, a little curious about where they were going.

Something changed in the way they moved. Viola wasn't used to the world outside of water but she felt the shift. The dropping feeling. Descending. Voices crackled over the radio, telling the humans to prepare for land.

That only further confused her. Eva had never used that word like that before. It was the opposite of the sea, how did humans prepare for that? Were they not already thriving on land? What even went into preparing for land? There was so much difference between Viola’s kin and humans. Their technology, their sedentary way of living, it was all so… alien.

Everything lurched suddenly before seeming to bounce. The sounds changed from a whirring to a thrum as vibrations reverberated through everything. Instinct told Viola they were arriving wherever they were going. Water gushed down, the only respite from the torture of this box. Hopefully, they would release her soon, it teetered on the edge of unbearable.

“Get her fed, check her vitals, we leave in 20,” someone said. She was fairly sure it was Talbot despite his voice being muffled. She did not know what 20 or vitals meant but her empty stomach was more than ready for food.

“Where are we?” another voice asked. Eva, Eva was here.

“Nowhere important, there's no reason you can't enjoy the view,” Talbot replied.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Do you believe in magic?”

“W-what?”

“Magic, do you believe in it?” Talbot repeated, the excitement evident in his voice.

“I don't know, maybe?”

He laughed, “You've spent time with a mermaid and you don’t know?”

“Things… things have a logical explanation. And I would really like one about why you've kidnapped me,” Eva tried again.

“Because… for whatever reason, you and the mermaid care for each other. That will make you both do what I tell you.”

“Which is? What do you want with her anyways?”

“Oh, I want a lot of things, Ms. Diaz. But most of all… I want to live forever.”