Edmond lifted his hand, pointing down the hall towards the door with the hole fired through it. "There." He told her. "But they have a gun. Or guns. I'm not certain."

"We will handle them, my darling." She sounded determined and sure enough. Then, her tone changed to one of curiosity. "They've been locked away?" She asked, her voice a soft echo.

"Yes." He said, "We have no way of getting them out. We tried..."

"Then... who did it?" She eyed Edmond now. Her tone suddenly sounding darker, "Who killed one of my daughters?"

Edmond's stomach turned. He had almost forgotten about the grisly scene he had witnessed not too long ago.

He felt his throat tighten up. He dared not even speak Willas' name. He couldn't throw his own man overboard like that. "I didn't..." He hesitated on what to tell her, "I didn't see who." Would she be able to distinguish lies from truth? Was it even worth trying?

"Don't lie to me, my love." She brushed her hand lovingly across his tired and worn face.

He melted under her gentle and smooth touch. "Willas." He found the word leaving his lips before he could even realize he had made a sound. Witchery. Or love. Or some combination of the two. He couldn't fight it. His wife held his heart in her hands. This was somehow her, even if it wasn't. It was.

"I want him." She made that point clear enough. She sounded so scornful. So pained by her loss. As if Edmond wasn't hurt enough by all he had lost.

"But." Edmond felt his heart twist. "But you've taken so many already. Is that not enough? Have we not paid with enough blood, my dear?"

"That was for taking my daughter. I would have taken you all in order to get her back." She said. "You live now because you returned her to me unharmed."

"Willas helped. We all returned her to you!" Edmond pointed out. "He was defending himself! She attacked Halcreek! Your daughter-"

"I want him." She repeated. Her tone deepened to indicate there was no further debate.

"Captain?" Willas came around the corner now. He was on edge. His hands were covered in blood. Seeing her didn't soothe him at all.

"Willas." Edmond gasped softly, seeing the blood. "Halcreek?"

Willas hesitated to speak in front of the siren, eyeing it cautiously, "He is not good. Losing a lot of blood. We need..." He lowered his voice as if it would make much of a difference, "We need help."

Edmond turned to the siren, his wife, and gave her a pleading look. "I have to help him."

She nodded. Then began her way to the door where the researchers hid. The men were screaming from inside. Likely watching from the hole in the door.

Edmond didn't have time to concern himself with anything the sirens were doing. He needed to help Halcreek. He rushed after Willas back to the sick bay. Edmond had to step over the dead siren, his boot smearing some of the inky blood. They would likely want her returned to the sea. He would have to worry about that later.

"Halcreek?" Edmond touched his shoulder. The man was hunched over, covered thickly in his own blood. His head was dipped low.

"You still with us, buddy?" Willas brought over a bowl of water. He used a damp rag to wipe his face first, then to wipe away at his arm that they hadn't been able to stitch. Halcreek was just too weak. He grumbled, but it was barely audible.

"Hey." Edmond tried to help Halcreek lift his head gently.

He was so pale.

So very pale.

He couldn't lift his head on his own anymore. Hunched over on himself. Cradling his arms to his chest. As if he were trying desperately to hold himself together. His mumbles went quiet. His eyes slowly closed.

"We can fix this." Willas tried to soothe the situation, "Halcreek, you're going to be okay!" But it was clear that he couldn't help. Edmond couldn't help. No one could. It was too late for Halcreek.

Soon, his chest no longer moved up and down. His arms loosed and slipped open to fall to his sides.

"Halcreek!" Edmond screamed, grabbing the man's shoulders. "Halcreek! Answer me!" He shook him lightly. Halcreek stayed limp and hunched. Pale and colder. The blood loss was too much.

He was gone.

"No!" Willas cried out. His eyes were damp and glossy. He put his head to Halcreek's chest to listen for a heartbeat. Only to come away with blood staining his blonde hair and a frown on his face. "No." He shook his head. "They killed him."

"This trip was a curse." Edmond said under his breath. Maryann had been right. He should have listened to her. He never should have left the harbor. He could be home now with his baby if it weren't for those damned researchers.

"What do we do..." Willas looked to his captain; a tear had escaped his eye to trail down his bloodstained face. Edmond could have cried, too. If he weren't so numb. There was nothing he could do about Halcreek. That much he knew. But they could still do something for themselves. And the solution was easy enough. It was already out of their hands.

"We let them have them. They take them. Then we can go home." Edmond leaned against the wall, slid down it, then sat with his knees up in front of his chest.

Never in all his years did he ever think he would lose Halcreek. He was a good man. Ex military. He had helped so many people. And now, he sat dead in the room he had helped so many others in. There was nothing Edmond could do to bring him back.

Edmond closed his eyes. He felt numb. He sat there only to breathe. To listen to his breath and nothing more. He wanted peace. That was all he wanted.

If he could vanish from here and be in Maryann's arms again, he would be in heaven. He would be back at home. All his men would be safe and smiling in the sunlight. His ship wouldn't be busted and tattered.

None of this could be real. It must not be happening. This must have all been a horrible nightmare that he hadn't woken up from yet. Why couldn't he just wake up?

Loud shots could be heard ringing out through the ship.

The researchers were fighting back.

Screeches were heard right after. Were the sirens injured? Or was that a battle cry?

Edmond didn't know. He didn't care. It wasn't his battle. He and Willas stayed by Halcreek throughout the fight.

Crashes and splintered wood.

Shattered glass and more gunshots.

The researchers screamed what could be assumed to be curses as they fought for their lives.

The fight didn't last too long.

Finally.

All was silent.

It was over.