- Caught you. - Ah, did you now?
Wanna go to the moon pool?
Yeah, sure. I'll just get out. I'll walk around.
I know a shortcut.
Oh, no, Cleo. Wait!
I just can't believe how much time's flown already, we've only got three weeks to go.
Till what?
Sandy Point Beach Resort, here we come.
Your father has managed to pull a few strings
and we have an apartment right by the pool.
Open the doors, it's just like going for a swim in your lounge room.
- Yes. - I'm not going.
- What? - Sorry?
I'm not going. I can't.
But it's all been arranged. - I'll handle this.
Emma.
You always look forward to this holiday.
And so does Elliot, he's been counting the days already.
Yeah, I know.
And what about the water polo tournament that we win every year, as a family?
Ah, I see what's going on.
- You do? - Yeah.
You're getting older.
It's a bit uncool to go on a holidays with your family, yeah?
No, Mom, that's not it. I want to go.
But?
You can tell me.
I can't.
I'm not going, OK. So just leave it at that.
Hungry?
Starving.
This is incredible. I can't believe you went to all this trouble.
Just for you.
You and me, huh?
Who would've thought?
That's Denman's boat.
I've let them down again. Our family holidays are a tradition.
I'm sure they'll get over it.
You're not very good at the whole deep and meaningful thing, are you?
Well, what's there to think about?
You can't go swimming in front of your family
unless you want them to know you're a fish.
OK, I don't wanna alarm you but we've got trouble.
What's-her-face is back in town.
Um, you're gonna have to be a little bit more specific with that.
Oh, you know, the blond vixen who ran off into the sunset with Lewis
and a sample of our DNA?
The marine biologist? The beautiful one?
Beautiful? Her eyes are way too close together.
So, what's Dr. Denman doing back here?
I don't know, but her boat was anchored off Mako Island this afternoon.
Lewis.
- Dr. Denman. - It's good to see you.
Yeah, likewise. Um, what brings you back?
Research.
You know how it is, Lewis. Coral analysis, fish population counts.
It's pretty boring stuff.
Why? Are you interested in some work?
No, it's not really my thing.
Yeah. I guess it'd be fairly dull compared to that cell sample of yours.
- What cell sample? - Oh, you know,
the one with the ground-breaking properties that I experimented on,
only to have you delete the results in a momentary lapse of reason.
Oh, that cell sample.
I'm sure you only did it
because you know a scientific breakthrough when you see one.
- No, I did it because it was my property. Fair enough.
I'm too busy with all my highly-paid yet ridiculously boring research anyway.
Thanks. Better get back to it. See ya.
See ya.
It sounds like a standard environmental survey.
- And if it isn't? - She has no reason to lie,
and I've seen her charts and it just looks like basic statistics.
You guys are safe, I'm sure.
As sure as you were when she almost stole our DNA, or surer than that?
What Cleo's trying to say is that it's not exactly a warm, fuzzy feeling
having a marine biologist poking around Mako Island.
What's this about Mako Island?
Um, nothing.
I heard you talking about Mako Island. Something about a marine biologist.
Yeah, there's just some hotshot marine biologist poking around out there.
Nothing special. Hey, that shirt's nice. Is it new? It suits you.
Anyone want a drink?
Hello?
Dr. Denman?
Ah, no. I'm Greg.
I'm Dr. Denman.
You're…
- You're Dr.-- - Dr. Denman, that's right.
Nice gadgets.
Nice price tag, too.
What are they, underwater cameras?
Mm-hmm. Motion activated,
to help us get the most accurate data possible in our fish population counts.
- And you are? - I'm Zane. Zane Bennett.
Ah, Zane Bennett? I've heard about you.
You're the guy who's obsessed with mermaids?
That's me.
- Hmm, I see you're not shy about it? - Why should I be?
Well, I hate to burst your bubble, Zane, but mermaids don't exist.
They're real. OK? I've seen one with my own eyes.
Oh, really?
I'm used to people not believing me.
Science is about observable facts, Zane. Not fantasy.
Exactly.
Keep searching Mako.
You might be surprised by what you… observe.
Thanks for the tip.
She's just taking water samples.
Algae analyses, fish populations, nothing that's a danger to you guys.
I just have a bad feeling about her, that's all.
Cleo. She's got a reputation to look after.
And the concept of mermaid hunting is a little out there.
Hey.
Take a look at this.
Weird place for a date.
Mmh, it's really weird.
What is it? Some kind of fish scale?
I've seen an awful lot of fish scales, Greg.
But never one quite like this.
Now, almost there.
Once I've dried it completely,
we'll take a cross section and mount it on the…
Hey?
Is that… skin?
Pass me a scalpel.
Tweezers.
OK.
Now, we just…
add water.
It's amazing.
Its entire cellular makeup has changed on contact with water.
That's impossible. I've never seen anything like it.
I have.
Hey, Ell.
Elliot, what's wrong?
You're ruining our holiday, that's what's wrong.
- I can explain. - What's to explain?
I just… kind of have this thing about water.
- Like a phobia. - I don't believe you.
People who are scared of water don't win all this stuff by not swimming in it.
- Elliot… You're selfish!
That's what you are. You're ruining our holiday, and our whole family.
My whole family hates me, and there's nothing I can do about it.
I'm sure that's not true.
They do. Especially Elliot.
He's just a little kid.
He doesn't deserve to go without his holidays…
Lewis. Are you listening to me, Lewis?
- What? This is important.
Oh, I'm listening.
You know, I'm really starting to hate this whole…
Lewis?
Sorry to interrupt. Can I have a word?
Yeah, sure.
You're right. Her eyes are too close together.
I like you, Lewis, you're smart.
Can we please just cut to the chase, Doctor?
OK. I need to know about that cell sample you had last time I was in town.
- No, I don't have time for this. - I've found something similar.
On a big fish scale. From Mako Island.
From some strange pool under a volcano.
Good to see I've finally got your attention.
See, the cells that I extracted from the scale
are too similar to the cells from your sample.
There's no way it's a coincidence.
Well, I got mine from seaweed on the beach.
You see, I just don't believe you.
Believe what you want. I can't help you.
Sorry for the interruption.
- What was that about? - What did she say?
Do you think she's pretty? Sorry.
There's…
There's a possibility that she may have, um…
Spit it out, Lewis.
She's found some evidence.
You said she didn't have anything.
She hasn't got… anything.
She found a cell sample from one of your tails.
- What? - What?
From Mako Island. From the moon pool.
This is really bad.
I know it looks that way, I do, OK,
but let's just think about it, all right? We'll just think about it.
That almost never helps, Lewis.
She has an unusual cell sample.
She cannot link that to you. Let's just make sure it stays that way.
I hope so, Lewis.
Dr. Denman?
Have you seen anything interesting out at Mako?
Look, I'm sorry to disappoint you, OK, but there's nothing out there.
What? I don't believe you. - There's just fish.
And that's all we're doing, population counts,
and I'm telling you there's nothing out there.
Right. I'm off. Afternoon consult.
While you're there lounging around, how about you clean the pool?
Do something useful for a change.
- Hey. - Hey.
I saw you talking to that marine biologist today.
- Jealous? - No. Just curious.
She's conducting research. Counting fish. That sort of thing. Nothing interesting.
Really? I heard she was onto something big.
What? She told me she didn't find anything.
She told me she was just counting boring fish. What have you heard?
Uh, I could be wrong.
In fact I probably am. Just forget about it.
I knew it. She's trying to rip me off. She knows something about the mermaid.
Oh, Zane, why can't you just let that go?
Because it's real, Rikki, that's why.
Well, it's getting old, and I'm sick of hearing about it.
Why can't you find something more useful to do with your time?
You know, you are exactly like my father. Nobody ever believes me.
Maybe there's a reason for that.
- I think you should go. - Zane…
Just leave. I don't wanna see you right now.
Dr. Denman is definitely up to something.
She told two different things to Lewis and Zane.
She's obviously lying to one of them.
I knew she was trouble. She's gonna catch us and study us like freaks.
- Cleo. - Put us in a tank and see
if we can talk to fish, probably squid.
- I hate squid. - Cleo.
Cut us up into tiny bits and pieces and put us in a glass jar.
- Cleo, zip it. - Sorry.
Are you OK, Rikki?
Me? Yeah.
I know. It's really upsetting.
Look, we need to find out exactly what Dr. Denman knows.
And I think I know where to start.
- OK, so what have you found? - I don't know what you're talking about.
I've heard you've got something big, and I wanna know what.
- Who told you that? - I know everything in this town.
I don't think so.
Dad?
- Good afternoon, Dr. Bennett. - Wait. You two know each other?
- What are you doing here, Zane? - What are you doing here?
Business. Now why don't you run along?
Find something… expensive to do.
Wait. I gave her a solid lead and she knows something.
Let's get this straight.
I have been funding Dr. Denman for an environmental impact study.
Now, I know you've had your problems with it
but the development on Mako Island is going ahead.
- No. - Whether you like it or not.
This is bigger than that. She's getting close to the mermaid.
Zane, this has nothing to do with you and your crazy ideas.
Sorry about that.
My son has some pretty fanciful ideas. Ignore him.
Now, I hope your results are proving favorable.
Mm-hmm, everything's pretty much as we expected,
although I did find something curious.
- It's a cell sample I found in the area. Where'd you find the sample?
Really, Zane, this is none of your business.
I'm not sure what it came from, but I found it on Mako Island.
Um, Dr. Denman,
you might wanna take a look at this.
I knew it. How's that for an observable fact?
She's been here. That woman has been here.
This is dangerous. She's too close.
We can't come here anymore. Not now.
But this is our place.
Our special place.
Not anymore.
Rikki's right. We have to keep a low profile.
That means total lockdown.
So no more coming here?
No more swimming with the dolphins? No more midnight swims?
Nothing. No mermaids.
- For how long? - As long as we have to. OK?
OK.
Emma?
Can you come in here, please?
Is everything all right?
Sit, please.
Now…
we know that you don't want to go to the resort this year.
But,
how would you feel about going someplace different?
Some place really dry.
Like Central Australia.
A holiday smack bang in the middle of the desert?
Are you serious?
It was Elliot's idea.
Is that a yes?
Yes, it's a yes. Come here.
We all need to keep quiet about this.
The last thing we need is to have the media swarming all over Mako Island.
Zane? Can you keep this a secret?
As long as there's credit where credit is due.
- I told you they were out there— - Look, son, I'm sorry I doubted you.
I was wrong. And for that I apologize.
Apology accepted?
- Remember, Zane… - Yeah, I know.
A secret.
Have a look at this.
Another camera.
Unbelievable.
I know these girls.
I don't think we should share this with Zane.