Edmond felt frozen to his chair.

"Open the door!" Willas yelled and banged hard on the wooden door.

"I need you." Her thumb rubbed Edmond's shoulder.

His heart began to ache. He needed her, too. He slowly came to rest his face upon her hand over his shoulder. He just wanted to feel her. He knew this wasn't her. He knew... his sweet and tender Maryann.

"You saved our daughter." She spoke softly, her hand now holding his face gently.

"Always." He told her, his hand resting over hers. It was only now that he noticed her other hand still held the rifle. The rifle Willas had taken from him. Where was Willas?

The door rattled hard under the impact of Willas' shoulder, threatening to burst open with each slam.

"But there is still blood to be had." She told him. "One by one. I'll have you all until I get the right ones."

"The right ones?" Edmond looked confused. What was his wife talking about?

Suddenly, the door cracked, and splinters flew inward as the door flew open. Willas almost fell but managed to catch himself.

"Captain!" He screamed in a panic before raising the rifle he had.

The shot sounded deafening as it pierced the window just next to Maryann's head. The illusion was broken. She screeched in fury as Edmond fell from his chair to the side.

With a strength Edmond didn't even know they had, the creature took the rifle she was holding and snapped it in half.

Willas readied his aim again.

The creature used her mighty tail and launched herself backward, shattering the window. She flung herself back into the sea below, the glass singing as it rained down into the water with her.

"Captain!" Willas dropped to his knees next to Edmond to check him over. "Are you okay?" He checked his face over.

"She didn't hurt me." He stammered, "Maryann would never hurt me."

"Come on." Willas stood now and tried to help Edmond up. "We need to help the men." This sounded like the real Willas.

Together, they went back above to the deck. It seemed calm. No screaming. No panicking. Edmond needed a report. Once he found Halcreek, the news wasn't good.

"They took Shaw and Keller." Halcreek sighed. "Which means they took off with two of our rifles. Which leaves us with only two."

"One." Willas corrected him, holding up his own. "The other was snapped."

"This attack targeted our defenses..." Halcreek realized aloud. They knew to go after the men with the guns. Did that mean that they were left open for an attack now? It could come at any moment.

"And our captain." Willas pointed out. He looked to Edmond now, "What did she say to you?"

Edmond had to think about it hard to remember. It was somehow like trying to remember a dream after you wake up. Fuzzy and distant. Only a word here and there coming back. "Something about the right one?" He looked confused.

"The right one?" Halcreek seconded his confusion, "Is that supposed to be you?"

"I don't know." Edmond shrugged, "One by one, she said. Until she gets the right one."

"There's no one left to get!" Halcreek threw his hands up around them, indicating the run-down numbers.

"Let's get below deck and lock up for the night." Willas suggested, "Safety for now."

The next morning, the men didn't have to be told twice to let the sails down. Edmond was sure this time. He would miss his family, but he had to get back to his...family. It started to confuse him when he thought about it for too long.

Maybe if they could sail, they wouldn't have to lose anyone else.

But the fog never lifted. Even though they sailed, they didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Were they doomed to be stuck until the mermaids released them?

The more Edmond thought of it, the more angry he became. But not at the sirens. No. They wanted the right ones. The only ones he could think of that fit the bill were the researchers. They were the ones who had kidnapped Emmalien to begin with. They were the ones that she must have wanted. It just made sense.

But in order to give them up? What would that mean? Tossing them over? Could Edmond really sacrifice men in order to escape this fog? What would happen to them? Surely, he would be giving them up to their deaths. Was he capable of this?

He left the helm to find Willas. He would have to tell him his thoughts. Through the fog, he came across Halcreek and Willas.

That was good enough for Edmond. Now he could tell them both together. "I think..." Edmond wasn't sure of how to say it. If he was wrong, that meant he was carelessly throwing away the lives of two men he barely knew. "I think I know how we can get out of here."

"I'm all ears." Halcreek was more than willing to hear him out.

"The researchers." Edmond sighed, "I think they're the ones she is after."

"So, we toss them over. Like I have been saying this whole time!" Halcreek snorted.

"It will be a fight." Willas told them. "They won't go willingly."

Edmond suddenly felt a sort of regret for even mentioning it. Was he really doing this? Plotting to murder two men? Had things truly come down to this? While Halcreek and Willas seemed on board with the plan, Edmond was having his own doubts.

"It would be murder." He reminded them. Surely, he couldn't be the only one housing doubts within himself.

"It would be justice." Halcreek responded.

"And freedom." Willas added. That part wasn't lost on Edmond. To be free again. It meant returning at last to Maryann.

"I say we drag them up here, kicking and screaming." Halcreek suggested, "Throw them over like sacks of screaming potatoes."

"Maybe we can reason with them." Edmond knew it was a long shot.

"Right." Willas scoffed, "Surely, they'll understand and go to the sea willingly."

Edmond sighed, "Pardon me if I wrestle with this idea of murder."

"They aren't innocent victims." Halcreek reiterated, "They killed DeVitas and Davis. They killed every single man who was taken by those devils. They brought those things to us. They would have gladly seen us all die in the chase of their research."

"I know." Edmond nodded. "I know it." Yet still. He was a man of God. He only hoped there would be understanding and forgiveness for this to come.

"Alright, then." Willas readied himself, "Let's go hunting for men."