There was a sharp tapping that sounded as though it were coming from inside his head.

'Come on, Lucas. Wakey. Wakey.'

His eyes snapped open at the sound of Diana's voice. She stared at him behind the glass, her features distorted by the water between them.

'The sun's been up for over an hour,' she noted.

He held out his hands, seeing the skin between them gradually shrink away. He felt along his neck, but the gills were still there. It would be awhile before they disappeared. They were always the last to go.

'It's taking longer for me to return to normal,' he said.

'The window is closing.'

He watched her rub her face, her whole being tired even though she'd just arrived.

'We'd better get to work.' She flicked on the monitor that faced his tank and paused at the page that greeted her. 'Who's Doctor Penna?'

'She's moved into the lab on level five.'

'How'd you know? I can't see any updates online about her moving labs from London.' Diana flicked through the computer tabs, her fingers moving rapidly between news stories.

'Trust me, she is.'

'Is she one of your father's selected?'

It had been a running joke between them since they were kids, to call the scientist handpicked by Lucas' father "The Selected". It was not necessarily a term of endearment, considering Lucas' father was not a scientist, which meant his opinion on how helpful their research was likely to be was limited.

Luckily for Lucas, his father had just enough sense to listen to his lead scientist on some choices. Though Edward Jushua Ashfield was well known for his pigheadedness. Some might have admired it. His son did not.

'He hasn't been forthcoming with that list.' They shared a look, but Lucas carried on before Diana could launch into another tirade about his father. 'I met her yesterday.'

'You. Met. Her.' Diana pronounced every word.

Lucas could tell the moment the penny dropped.

'You left the lab after you transformed?'

She didn't seem as angry as he expected, but there was a shadow lurking behind her eyes that told him to tread carefully.

'We ran out of milk.' He winced when he realised it wasn't the best excuse he could have used, but he gave himself points for saying the truth.

'You risked exposure just because you wanted a milky coffee,' Diana demanded.

'I didn't think anyone would still be in the labs this late.'

Diana threw up her hands. 'You're unbelievable.'

'I made sure she didn't see anything. I was careful.'

'If you'd been careful, you'd never have left the lab,' she huffed as she pulled out a chair. 'Still, Dr Penna is a marine biologist. I don't know what her latest research subject is, but she could be useful.'

'Which is why I'm going to see my father today. I need to know if we have access to her research.'

Diana puffed out her cheeks. 'You're going to see your father today? You think that's wise?'

'Probably not, but it's not like he answers my calls, so what other choice do I have?'

'Do you even know where he is?'

Maybe for anyone else that would seem a strange question, but ever since the incident, his father preferred to pretend as though Lucas didn't exist.

'I did some research,' he answered, though his eyes strayed back to the picture of Dr Penna.

'She's cute, not my type, but still pretty, don't you think?' Diana said, correctly identifying where Lucas' mind had drifted to.

Lucas sighed. 'She is.'

'And you like her?'

He shut his eyes. 'We're not kids. I don't like her.'

'You aren't kids. So does that mean you want to fu-.'

'Stop.' He half smiled at his friend, who had little difficulty telling him exactly what she thought. 'Even if I did find her attractive. It's not like it's going to go anywhere.'

'Sounds like an excuse.'

'The gills and webbed feet are good enough excuses on their own. Besides, she was like sunshine, all colourful, and full of life, and I'm more midnight rain, hidden from everything.'

'Very poetic.' Diana slowly clapped whilst Lucas rolled his eyes.

'You know what I mean. She's better off with my life not touching hers.'

Diana tucked her chair away. 'Fate always has a funny way of making you eat your words.

***

Lucas stepped out of the staircase, having climbed all 32 flights of stairs, without so much as a hair out of place. Whilst his cells were visibly affected during the night, that didn't mean that during the day, his body was entirely human. Enhanced strength and stamina were some of the few perks that came with his condition.

Tucked under his arm was a basket of assorted cakes, should anyone stop to ask what he was doing there. Considering he spent the vast majority of his life hiding from people, he knew how to avoid being seen when he wanted to. Though there was little he could do about the CCTV cameras that watched his every move.

Although he'd been in the building only a handful of times, he followed the polished concrete floors to the large office that took up an entire corner. A lined face looked up at him from a desk when he closed the door behind himself.

'As I live and breathe.' The woman smiled at him. 'What are you doing here, honey?'

Mrs Talisha had been his father's PA ever since he was a kid. She was sharp, intelligent, and a no nonsense kind of woman who had a particularly sweet tooth.

He placed the basket of cakes on her desk, watching as her eyes lit up.

'If you're trying to bribe me, then there had better be lemon drizzle cake in there,' she joked.

'As if I'd ever forget your favourite. There's also some red velvet for Panish,' he said, speaking of her husband.

'You must want a really big favour if you've brought all this.' She peered up at him with narrowed eyes.

'I need to see him. He's not answering my calls.'

He avoided looking at the pity in her eyes. It was pathetic. At thirty-one, he was having to bribe his father's PA in order to even see the man who had granted him life.

'I'm sorry, Lucas.'

'It's not your fault he doesn't return them.' He shrugged.

'Ever since your mother...' she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence, something that Lucas was grateful for. The last thing he wanted was to discuss his mother.

'I only need five minutes to ask him something. I promise there will be no shouting.'

'I trust you to keep that promise, but will he?' she muttered.

He watched her think it over before lifting the basket and heading towards the door.

'I can't help it if you barged into his room whilst I was trying to understand who ordered these delicious cakes. I am almost sixty-nine, you know? I couldn't keep up with a young thing like you.'

Lucas had his doubts. Mrs Talisha was as trim and agile as the day he had met her. He knew she and her husband still took salsa classes every Thursday. More than once, they'd tried to convince him to join, if only to set him up with the other single ladies there.

'Lucas, are you okay? You're looking tired? Too many late nights in the lab. You need to get out more,' she reminded him gently when she got to the door. Of course, she had no idea that his lab was his home. It was his everything. But that was a secret that he'd kept from her.

'I'll try. There's just always so much to do.'

'Work can sometimes wait.' She winked at him before she left.

If only that were true.

Shaking off his dark thoughts, he moved into his father's office unannounced, watching as the older man behind the desk jumped at the interruption.

'Stuart, I'll have to call you back.' Edward Jushua Ashfield slammed the phone down before the person on the other side had a chance to argue.

'Hey, Dad.'

'What are you doing here, Lucas?'

'You won't answer my calls.'

'I'm a busy man,' Edward replied sharply.

'And I need answers. You haven't read a single one of my reports in six months. Nor have we had any communication about what's going on in the other labs. You know how important it is that we have access to that research.'

'I fired Mr Hendry eight months ago,' his father replied simply.

Lucas had been expecting a lot of excuses to come out of his father's mouth, but firing his lead scientist had not been one of them.

Howard Hendry was the first consultant to want to work on a cure. He was the first person that gave Lucas hope. He was one of the main reasons they'd come this far with what they knew about his condition.

'What do you mean, fired?' Lucas said slowly, gripping the back of the leather business chair across from his father.

'Mr Hendry had a ridiculous notion that we should go public with your condition. He believed my resources could only get you so far, and that more publicity would help you find a cure quicker,' Edward sneered.

Lucas closed his eyes, knowing exactly what had prompted this. Howard had seen the writing on the wall in the last report. He knew that Lucas' time was running out, and he'd proposed an equally desperate measure. One that his father would never agree to.

Edward Jushua Ashfield relied on his image. He'd been a leading man of movies in the 70s, before successfully migrating into directing and producing. His film company turned over billions every year. But all of that would be overshadowed if Lucas' condition were made known.

'The man was clearly delusional,' Edward dismissed.

'Then the new hire at the labs, Dr Penna, isn't one of your selected scientists?'

Edward's brows pulled down before clearing. 'I've handed over the running of the labs to a board. They appointed her. She came with a research grant. It was good for business.'

'Good for business,' Lucas repeated. 'Do we have access to her research?'

His father waved away his question. 'I'm actively looking for a new lead scientist. Once they're hired, they can deal with all of that.'

Translation; finding a cure for me is no longer important.

'You'll let me know as soon as you do? We need someone to find a cure.'

'Of course, son.'

Lucas felt his throat clog up at his father's lie. There would be no more lead scientist. No more reports. No more access to research outside of what Lucas and Diana could do.

It appeared that Hendry wasn't the only one who understood the situation, and his father wasn't going to waste more money finding a cure for a condition that seemed incurable.

'I really should return that call,' Edward said, looking between Lucas and the door.

Without another word, Lucas turned, unable to be in the same room as his father.