Page 31 of Lagoon

“Just because it’s never happened before doesn’t mean it’s impossible,” he said. “What kind of scientist are you not to know that?”

She only shook her head at him, too disgusted to know what to think or say.

She left him there, after that, and she didn’t tell anyone what he’d said. If anyone asked, she refused to confirm what they all knew, which was that something was happening to them all, something transformative.

And then, on the third day, all the pain stopped, and the scales on Riley’s abdomen, and the other women’s as well, faded away.

They gathered again, in the mess hall, but all of them were haggard and wary and altered in a way that they hadn’t been before. They all looked the same, but something had shifted within them, and they all knew it.

They heated up food. None of them had eaten much in the past few days.

They sat down at the tables, mostly silent, shoveling food into their mouths, meeting each other’s gazes now and again, and then looking away.

“So,” said Luther finally, with an attempt at a smile, “when do we start eating flies, Dr. Greyson?”

Jonathan didn’t laugh. He gave Luther a pained look.

No one else laughed either.

Jonathan lifted a finger. “As long as I’m not doubled over in agony today, I plan to go to the lab and do some analysis on my blood and tissue. If I can come up with anything to treat what’s happening to us, I’ll be sure to pass it along.”

“No, thanks, doc,” muttered Harris. “I don’t think we need anything else from you.” He turned to Nancy. “I think we need to contact Scott, Nancy.”

Nancy shook her head. She had dark circles around her eyes. They all did, but Nancy’s seemed more pronounced.

“We need a rescue more than ever,” said Harris. “We need a real doctor.”

“At this point,” said Jonathan softly, “it’s likely we’d be of some interest to Anderson Scott. He wanted a new species after all.” He spread his hands, giving them a twisted sort of smile.

“No!” said Riley. “We’re all still human, Jonathan!”

Jonathan ate a bite of food and shrugged. “I’m only saying if there’s concern that Scott is going to kill us all, he’d likely keep us alive somewhere for study.”

“Like lab rats?” said Harris. “In a cage?”

“I don’t know,” said Jonathan.

“Oh, it’s all fine and good for you, doc,” said Harris. “You’d be allowed to study us, I’m sure.” He grimaced. “Has anyone contacted anyone?”

He waited, looking out at them. “Family? Friends? Anyone?”

Everyone was silent.

“You’re kidding me,” he said, looking around.

“You been capable of holding a conversation on the phone, Lieutenant?” said Mann pointedly. “Sending a text? Because I ain’t had the capacity.”

Harris shrugged. “Well, one of the girls did, then. You, Ramirez, you contacted Mom, yeah?”

“Been too busy,” said Angela. “We were running ourselves ragged out here.”

“Well, good,” said Harris. “We don’t.”

“No?” spoke up Lee. “But if we’re turning into lizards—”

“Amphibians,” said Jonathan tiredly.

“If we’re turning intolizards, it’s a thing our families are going to want to know,” said Lee. He shrugged. “Me? I don’t really have nobody to contact.”

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