H20: Our Story Season 1 1955 {COMPLETE}

The danger of duos Episode 23

Louise's p.o.v
In the living room, I bite on my toast and peel a banana. "Oh Louise," says Mum, "I know you quit being a lifeguard, but I trust you've been practicing for the trip."
"I'm not going." I say.
"I beg your pardon?" Asks Dad.
"I'll handle this." She walks to the wall of my room, and dreadfully dust the toast crumbs off my hands and follow. "Why don't you want to take the trip this year?" I try to think of an excuse when she says, "Ohh... I think I see what's going on."
"You do?" I asked, shocked. How did she find out?
"You're getting older. It's not as fun to hang around with your parents."
"That's not it."
"Well, what is it then?"
"It's complicated." I go to my room.
Max's p.o.v
"What is so urgent? I walk over to Gracie and stop in my tracks as I see a spread of my favorite food on blankets. "What's all this?" I say as I sit.
"It's to make up for ruining your birthday."
"Oh, I say feeling bad, you didn't have to do all this."
"It's nothing, really."
"This looks amazing. Thank you." I'm about to hug her when I see Dr. Harpmans' boat.
"Max! Don't do that! I nearly fell over!"
"That's Dr. Harpmans' boat!"
Louise's p.o.v
"I can't believe I won't be able to go to the family trip this year!" I sulk, flipping through pictures as Gracie comes in.
"Ditch them." Says Julia like it's nothing.
"Deep and meaningful just isn't your forte, is it?"
"There's not much to it, you can't do anything unless you want them to know you're a fish." Gracie continues to pace fast as she did when she entered.
"Girls, table that conversation for later. We have bigger problems. What's her face is back in town." She stops pacing.
"Details, please."
"The smart black haired Barbie who tried to steal my fingernail."
"The beautiful marine biologist." Julia nods understandably.
"Her eyes are too close together." Julia gives Gracie a subdued look of you're crazy and nods confusingly.
"What's she doing here?"
"I don't know, but she was near Mako."
Max's p.o.v
I come near Dr. Harpmans' boat. "Good to see you again."
"Likewise. What brings you here?"
"Same old boring stuff. Fish population count. I sure wish I had that sample you gave me though, it would make life a lot more interesting."
"You still believe--"
"What I saw under that microscope was nothing short of extraordinary."
"Believe what you want, I'm leaving."
"I guess I'd better back to my highly paid, boring research." She says as I walk away.
Julia's p.o.v at Mary's Milkshakes
"So Gracie said that you spotted Dr. Harpman at Mako Island. What's that all about?" Louise appears casual.
He shrugs. "Nothing but fish population counts again."
"It's not a good feeling to me to know that-- Gracie pauses for a moment, "all those fish are being disturbed."
"How else do you expect the work to be done?" Max sips on his juice.
"I'm sure what Gracie is trying to say is that it's not exactly a good feeling knowing Mako is being poked around by a marine biologist. Gracie, in the middle of us, shakes our arms and points to the entrance where Carl is. He looks at us. Uh oh, he's already heard what  was said.
"There is a mermaid on the Gold Coast bound to change history! He shouts. "I have proof."
"Did the mermaid take it?" Someone in the crowd says, and everyone laughs.
"Laugh all you want, but yes, it was thrown in the water."
"How convenient." Someone else says, and the crowd erupts into laughter.
He raises his voice to be heard over the crowd. "There are mermaids out there, and everyone is too blind to see!"
"Time to go, mate." My boss Paul starts to push him out.
"You'll see! You'll all see!" He's shoved out.
There's a moment of silence before it gets back to the buzz of conversation, only now the buzz is filled with people saying, "what was that all about?" In different ways before they continue to make fun of him.
"That was strange." Comments Max.
Carl's p.o.v
"Dr. Harpman?" I ask, reading the name on the boat.
"I'm Steven."
"I'm Dr. Harpman." Shockingly, a woman appears. A beautiful one, what's more.
"You're-- I start in disbelief.
"In the flesh. What is it you need?"
"I'm Carl." I shake her hand.
"Ah, the mermaid hunter."
"That's me."
"You don't seem embarrassed."
"Why should I be?"
I shake my head. "Mermaids don't exist."
"I've seen one."
"Science is based on observable facts."
I tap her map excitedly. "Keep searching Mako. You'll soon see." I leave.
Julia's p.o.v
"I was just walking around and I saw him talk to her."
"What were they saying?" Gracie asks.
"I couldn't really hear what they were saying, but I saw her shake her head and heard her say mermaids don't exist. He pointed to Mako on the map. She looked concerned."
"So we're safe?" She asks.
"I wouldn't let your guard down."
Steven and I surface, taking out our mouthpieces. Mako is beautiful.
"Tell me why we're here again. Says Steven.
"It never hurts to check out the place you're studying. I notice a big, orange fish scale. "Look at this."
"What's that? A fish scale?"
"I've never seen one like this." I walk around looking for more things to test, but I find nothing.Back at the lab, the scale turns to skin, and taking a tiny section off the scale, I add water and when I do so, it becomes a scale again.
"That's impossible." Steven says as I look under the microscope. Like before, with minor changes to the makeup of the cell, I find its structure has changed, much like the fingernail. I try to talk to Max and see what he knows, but he denies knowing anything. He's sitting with two blonde girls and a brunette.
Gracie's p.o.v at Mako
We surface. There's footprints all in the sand. "She's been here."
"We can't come here anymore. Not until we know they're gone." Says Louise.
"But this is our special place."
"This is for our own good." I think a moment and ask, "For how long?"
"As long as we need, ok?"
"Ok. I say sadly. Louise looks to Julia.
"Ok." We leave slowly, as this might be our last time here for a while.
Dr. Harpman's p.o.v
We wait until the creatures are some distance away so that we don't scare them  and we snap a picture. We shoot from a different angle, and clumsily Steven accidentally takes a picture. Luckily, this doesn't scare the fish.
"I'm telling you there's nothing out there."
"I heard you found something and I want to know what it is."
"There isn't--" A big gust of wind blows one of the pictures out of the file onto the floor. I try to grab it, but he beats me to it.
"I knew you were lying! Listen, I can help you on this project."
"How so?"
"I have information on these mermaids that would be useful to you."
Dad comes in. What are you doing here, Carl?"
"Don't mind him. He's funding this project. Carl was telling me something important. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."He blinks, then leaves.
"I can lure them to Mako." He says.
"Do what you must, I lean closer to him, "But this stays top secret."
"Yeah well, leave it to me." He leaves.
There's another picture I hadn't looked closely at. I see three faces, and using a magnifying glass, I see two blondes and a brunette, arms out in front of them, swimming.