SL002-130
FINAL CASE NOTES
DATE: ████
████ In the days that followed the completion of DMW case SL002-130, aka “The Selkie of San Francisco,” the city of Ta Cathair underwent major social and political upheaval. The Leviathan had taken a heavy toll on the infrastructure of the city and left many of its residents homeless, which now included the influx of refugees from the evacuated colonies. With the creature now buried beneath the seafloor—thanks to the near-fatal sacrifice of the DMW’s own Sam London—and the surviving finfolk creatures imprisoned, the population and government of Ta Cathair moved forward with the Herculean task of rebuilding, both the city’s physical structures and its social underpinnings.
Queen Muiria announced her abdication of the throne four days after the Leviathan’s attack, to enable her daughter, Iaira, to take her place. According to Muiria’s statement to the DMW, the queen sensed a need for a new generation of leaders and recognized the overwhelming popularity of her daughter following her dramatic homecoming and efforts to save her people. The treaty requiring Iaira to marry a selkie was amended at the request of Maris, with the support of his father, General Searus, who’d been the initial force behind the edict.
In her first act as queen, Iaira successfully persuaded the mer-people to form a coalition government that would ensure that the selkies had equal representation. She also invited Maris to jointly govern by her side and return the city to its former glory. In light of these changes, General Searus stepped down from his post, and the newly formed government chose a successor who was well liked by both the selkies and mer-people.
Against her counsel’s objections, Queen Iaira took a secret trip back to Miami, Florida, a few days into her reign to tie up the loose ends of her life as Pearl and to help her gems find closure regarding her disappearance. She also owed Francis Gomez and Wanda Bradley a thank-you for rescuing her and her friends from the finfolk. Maris supported Iaira’s wish to return to the over-world for a brief and—what he hoped would be—final visit but insisted on accompanying her, for security reasons.
A party that was open to her most loyal gems was held in the lobby of Eklund Environmental’s headquarters. In the wake of Lief’s experiences with Iaira, the finfolk, and Ta Cathair, the billionaire abandoned the energy-seeking aspects of the company and focused its efforts on cleaning up the world’s oceans, as well as finding eco-friendly, renewable sources of energy that would not displace mythical sea creatures (the existence of whom he pledged to keep secret).
With Lief’s help, Iaira convinced her gems that she was devoting her life to helping her father with his environmental work. Her new focus would preclude her from engaging on social media or pursuing film and television roles. She encouraged her gems to follow her example and get involved in their communities, working to make a difference for the better. Lief had the drilling ship Pearl stripped of its drilling equipment and fitted with the latest technology for cleaning oil spills and garbage from the seas. Once the work was complete, he renamed the ship Iaira.
Before Iaira and Maris returned to Ta Cathair, they were met outside the Eklund Environmental building by San Francisco news reporter Cynthia Salazar, who asked about the day when Maris confronted Iaira at the fashion show. Iaira became concerned that the reporter was connecting the dots and might already know too much about the mythical world. When Ms. Salazar inquired as to whether Iaira had ever seen a gryphon or knew a boy named Sam London, the queen abruptly ended the interview and climbed into a waiting limousine with Maris. Ms. Salazar attempted to follow the two as they headed to Falling Waters State Park, but the limo driver was able to lose her along the way.
Back in Ta Cathair, the close working relationship Iaira had with Maris further developed the bond the two had already shared as a result of the events that had begun in San Francisco. Iaira came to greatly appreciate the risk Maris had taken to come and find her. It demonstrated true concern for her and all of the city’s inhabitants. Witnessing his good heart in action and his charming manner—and likely recognizing he was hesitant to make the first move, given their history—Iaira eventually asked Maris out to dinner. She recognized her people’s extreme interest in the pair and decided to do something that had never been done in the undersea world—she live-streamed their first date. Working with the technologists of Ta Cathair, Iaira helped launch the kingdom’s own version of a social media platform as a way for citizens to interact with their leaders, as well as each other.
Exposing the people to their courtship, coupled with this new form of communication, played a major role in continuing to break down the cultural barriers that had been growing more fortified between the two races over the centuries. At the time of the filing of this report, Iaira and Maris were engaged to be married.
As for Murphy, the old fisherman and friend of Lief was offered the chance to start a new life in Ta Cathair. He was given an injection synthesized from Maris’s blood, and utilized a prosthetic fin to help fit in. He enjoyed his time in the city, became a bit of a celebrity, and sparked up a wonderful friendship with Muiria.
The kingdom of Ta Cathair dedicated the new Seahorse 5000 stadium exactly one year, to the day, after the Leviathan’s attack. It would forever be known as Sam London Arena, in honor of his actions that day, and a new plaque at the entrance of the facility featured a likeness of Sam with an inscription that read: “Dedicated to Sam London. The human boy who saved us all.”
An emotional trifecta of anger, sadness, and despair consumed Sam London as he stood motionless on the shore of Lake Baikal. Even though the enchanted sands had released their hold, Sam felt helpless to budge from the spot where he had watched his mother return to Gaia. His heart felt like it had been ripped from him….He couldn’t even feel it beating anymore. He felt hollow and sick to his stomach. Although the maidens were responsible for carrying out the sentence, Sam placed all of the blame for this horrible turn of events on one creature. He glared at the gryphon with contempt.
“How could you?” Sam asked angrily.
“I am sorry, Sam,” Phylassos answered. “There was nothing more that could be done.”
“You lied to me and you let them do this,” Sam declared as he motioned toward the Maiden Council, its members already receding back into the lake.
“I hope you will come to understand the difficulty of my predicament.”
“I won’t,” Sam replied defiantly.
“You need time,” Phylassos contended, then looked to the others. “Please see him home.” They nodded, and Phylassos took flight, disappearing over the mountains. Vance placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder.
“C’mon, Sam. It’s time to go.”
Nerida reached out, grabbed his hand, and clutched it tightly as she led him from the shore. He appreciated the gesture and thought how much he would have enjoyed it under different circumstances. Now it was just a reminder that he was being consoled for tragic, awful reasons. He half-expected Tashi to start telling him about the wonderful nature of returning to Gaia, but the Guardian no doubt sensed that now was not a good time for a discussion on mythical death.
Everyone silently left the sanctuary, shell-shocked by what they had witnessed. They boarded a dvergen subway and traveled back to the United States. Trevor and Nuks were waiting on the platform at the Castle Crags station. Ranger Naughton must have let them know that the group would be returning, and given the duo’s solemn expressions, she likely had informed the two of Ettie’s fate. As the travelers disembarked from the subway car, Ranger Sprite tapped Sam on the shoulder. Sam turned, and Sprite kneeled down on the platform, so that he could meet Sam eye to eye.
“I have to return to the Everglades, but I want you to know that I understand how hard this is for you,” the ranger told him. “Harder than anything you have ever experienced. And there are no words, Sam. No words I can say to make sense of this or lessen the pain in your heart. All I can do is be a friend to you, always. Here whenever you need me.” Sprite embraced a now teary-eyed Sam.
“Thank you,” the boy whispered.
The group stopped at Penelope’s cabin to drop Trevor and the ranger off. The two said their goodbyes to Sam, with Ranger Naughton having a hard time letting him go from her hug and Trevor acting surprisingly subdued. The troll simply kept expressing his condolences until Ranger Naughton pulled him away. Before they left, Vance took Penelope aside to talk, and Sam overheard the conversation.
“I’ll be taking some time away from the department,” he told her.
“Of course,” she replied.
“I’ve got some catching up to do.”
“Any idea when you might—”
“I haven’t a clue,” Vantana said. “To be honest, Pen, I’m not even sure I’m coming back.” Ranger Naughton appeared surprised to hear this but tried her best to hide it.
“I understand,” she replied half-heartedly. “I’m here if you need me, Vance. You or Sam.” He nodded, and the two embraced.
The drive back to Benicia was initially spent in silence. Sam sat in the passenger seat and stared out the window. Occasionally Vance would reach over and put his hand on Sam’s leg in a consoling gesture. Sam didn’t acknowledge it, and Vance would simply retract it after a few seconds. Sam didn’t mean to be rude, but there was just so much to process, and he didn’t know where to begin. His mind was racing with thoughts. Thoughts about the truth regarding his mother, his father, Nerida, and himself. He now knew that he wasn’t entirely human. This was a major revelation in the life of Sam London, and he had no idea what the implications were. He had so many questions.
But there was one specific question that kept pushing its way to the very front of this crowd of thoughts. A question that he wanted to know the answer to more than all the others combined. Fortunately, the only person who could answer it was sitting right next to him.
“Vance?” Sam said. The doctor quickly glanced over.
“Yeah, Sam?”
“How did you meet her?” he asked.
Vantana smirked. “It’s a long story.”
“We have a long drive. And I want to hear everything. I want the whole story,” Sam insisted.
“All right. My memory is still a touch spotty, but I’ll do my best.”
“Please,” the boy said.
For the remainder of the drive home, Vance told Sam, Tashi, Nuks, and Nerida the tale that had led them all to that fateful moment in the sanctuary. Sam loved hearing about his mother in a way that he’d never known her. It was comforting to him. He also enjoyed learning a bit more about his father at the same time. It was an escape into the past that helped him forget the present.
“Tell it again,” Sam demanded when Vance had finished the story.
“The whole thing?” Vantana asked.
“The whole thing,” Sam confirmed.
The doctor complied, and this diversion eased the pain for a spell, at least until they arrived at Sam’s house. Walking inside the home he had shared with his mother brought him instantly back to the present moment and the reality of the life that now lay before him. Like Sam, the house felt empty inside. He immediately dropped his backpack and retreated to his room.
In the days that followed, Nerida would frequently stop by and try to persuade Sam to go outside and play. Tashi offered to help train him in various fighting styles—something he had badgered her about—but Sam remained uninterested. The only person who could truly understand his sorrow was Vance. And he was taking it just as hard.
“We’re quite a pair, you and I,” Vance quipped over a dinner that Miss Bastifal had prepared for them. “Misery loves company. Add to it that I already enjoy your company, kiddo, and we’ve got ourselves a perfect storm of self-pity.”
Nuks had a particularly difficult time with the loss. The raccoon-dog was convinced it was all his fault. He was the one who’d made it possible for Ettie to clean the attic and find her feathers. If it wasn’t for him, she’d still be alive, he contended. No matter how much Sam tried to explain that he shouldn’t blame himself, Nuks was racked with guilt. Finally Sam had to order the creature to forgive himself and explained that if he wanted to make Sam happy, he wouldn’t mention it ever again. Nuks obliged. The raccoon-dog was continuing to go to school as Sam, which eventually prompted Tashi to complain to Vantana directly, after Sam ignored her pleas to return.
“We gotta move on,” the doctor told him unconvincingly one night before bed. “You can’t be sendin’ Nuks out in your place. You gotta live your life. That’s what she would have wanted.” Sam nodded numbly. “I’ve directed Nuks not to indulge you any further. It’s time you had a normal day and went back to school.”
“I guess,” Sam said reluctantly, turning toward the stairs. He was just about to head back to his room, when he thought of a question for Vance. One that felt strange to ask. “I always called you Dr. Vantana or Vance, but now—”
“Yeah, I know,” he replied. “What would you like to call me?”
“Dad,” Sam said matter-of-factly. Vance smiled.
“I’d like that very much, Son. I’d like that very much.”
Sam grabbed his book bag and then suddenly remembered—
“Wait. I’ve got a gift for you,” he said.
Vantana looked to him, surprised. “A gift?”
Sam retrieved the square package given to him by Squishy and handed it over.
“Squishy said I was supposed to give this to you when our journey was over,” Sam explained. Vance unwrapped it and stumbled back a step in shock. His face lit up and his eyes watered.
“I’ll be darned,” he said. Sam leaned in to take a look and immediately understood why his dad was now grinning from ear to ear. It was a picture of Vance and Ettie on their wedding day. They stood with Woodruff Sprite and Squishy. Everyone looked a little younger, except for Sprite, who appeared exactly the same.
“I have the perfect place for it,” Sam said as he took the photo from Vance and set it on the mantel in place of the one with his fake dad and Ettie in front of the lake, which Vance snatched up and examined.
“I know this image—not the guy, of course. He wasn’t there when I took it.”
“You took it?” Sam asked.
“From what I can remember…it’s where we went after the sanctuary. Your mom never had her picture taken before, so I took one,” Vance revealed. “Maybe we can have that other guy removed or somethin’.”
“I’m sure we could,” Sam said as a loud bang was heard coming from upstairs. Sam rolled his eyes. “I better go see what Nuks has broken now.”
“School in the morning,” Vance reminded him. Sam nodded, and Vance pulled him into a hug.
“Good night, Son.”
“Good night, Dad,” Sam replied. Saying that made him smile, and smiles were hard to come by.
When Sam entered his room, he was surprised to find that it wasn’t Nuks who had made the noise. Rather, it was Dr. Henry Knox. Sam hadn’t been expecting to see the gryphon in human form so soon after the events at Lake Baikal, but there he was sitting in a chair at Sam’s computer desk, dressed in a sweater and tweed jacket, his signature hat resting on the desktop.
“Hi, Sam.”
“What are you doing here?” Sam asked him harshly.
“I wanted to check in and see how you were.”
“How do you think I am?” Sam replied, irritated.
“I did not come to argue with you about what is done. I am here because I imagine you have questions only I can answer.”
Sam eyed him a long moment. “What does it mean to be half swan maiden?” he asked.
“It means you’re a hybrid creature.”
“Does it mean I have powers?”
“Yes.”
“What are they?”
“Only Gaia knows, but I can speculate that they will likely involve shape-shifting.” Sam considered that. And then he concentrated on his hand, trying to make it change into a flipper. Knox chuckled. “It is not that easy. Hybrids are unpredictable creatures, but I would surmise that whatever the magic, it won’t appear until you mature.” Sam dropped his hand to his side, suddenly feeling silly. “How’s Vance?” Knox asked.
“He lost the love of his life twice and found out he had a son he never knew. Not great, but we’ve got each other now, right?” Sam answered sarcastically.
“I really hope you eventually come to understand—”
“You didn’t have a choice, I know,” Sam quickly replied. “But I did.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I could have stayed home…never boarded that bus to Death Valley. I guess the name of that place was a hint, huh?”
“You had a destiny, Sam,” Knox told him. “It was unavoidable.”
“Well, then I wish I’d never met you, never had that dream, never known any of this….I’d still have my mom.” Sam retreated to the window of his room, turning his back on Knox.
“Sam…please—” Knox began.
“Just go away. I never want to see you again,” Sam demanded. “And here.” He tossed Knox his DMW badge and turned back toward the window. Knox sighed heavily. As Sam gazed out the window of his room, the tears returned. What would become of his life now? How would he go on without his mom? Knowing that Vance was his dad was great and all, but it didn’t fix this—it didn’t even come close. He wanted his whole family intact. The way it was supposed to be. The way he deserved it to be. In the emotional cage match that was taking place in Sam’s head, anger was soundly defeating sadness.
Sam wanted to hit something, scream, kick—anything to get this fury out of him. He was mad. More furious than he’d even thought possible. He could hardly see straight….And then something caught his eye—movement outside on the street below. It was his neighbor from across the way—his teacher Christopher Canis. He was simply fetching his mail, but Sam suddenly saw in him the one thing he needed now more than ever: hope. Sam spun back to Knox, who was just about to leave.
“Is she still alive?” Sam asked with renewed determination. Knox eyed him. “But she’s someone else now, right? She doesn’t remember who she was?” Seeing Mr. Canis had reminded Sam that his new teacher had once been a mythical creature: a cynocephalus named Chriscanis who was returned to Gaia after a fight with the Beast of Gevaudan. Sam had thought then that his friend was gone forever, until a human bearing a striking resemblance to Chriscanis moved in across the street. The teacher didn’t remember his former self, but Sam knew that Gaia had granted the creature his wish to be human.
“Sam…I do not control Gaia. And to even discuss this is a violation of—”
“Please,” Sam pleaded. “Just tell me if it’s possible.”
“I’m sorry,” Knox said.
All the hope Sam had briefly felt began to drain from his body, until Dr. Henry Knox met Sam London’s eye and did something that changed everything.
He winked.