"...what we need right now is another mermaid," finished Jennifer, as she stopped where the water was deep enough to keep swimming. It didn't really matter; the water was crystal clear and she was just as beautiful as Nikita.
"I know, I know. And I'm sure I'll have another female recruit soon. But we should take whoever we can get at this stage," replied Dr. Llewell.
Nikita shook her head. "No, we don't have time for that. You know we have a progress evaluation in less than a month." She turned toward Cody. "We have spells to cast so this place will be ready. We cast them by singing. And mermen don't sing half as well as sirens."
Cody felt his heart sink. To be so close to these beautiful creatures, only to be rejected... "I'm sorry you can't use me. Should I just--"
Nikita interrupted, "Who said we can't? You're getting transformed anyway. You just need more changes than just the addition of a fish tail."
Cody shifted from dejection to panic in record time. "Wait a minute! You're not saying--"
Dr. Llewell nodded. "I think you're right. We're in a hurry, and this is a good shortcut."
Tired of being interrupted, Cody shouted, "But I didn't sign up to be a mermaid! I don't want to be!"
"It'll only be temporary. Once the work is done and we have more volunteers, you can be a merman like we planned. And in the meantime, we'll pay you a bonus," offered Dr. Llewell.
Cody started to back away. "Nuh-uh. It's not worth it."
At the same time, Jennifer pulled herself up next to Nikita. "What a shame, sister. He really thinks he'd be unhappy as one of us. I don't feel unhappy, do you?"
Nikita smiled. "Well, we know what he's thinking. He wants to be the only male in the lake with a pair of mermaids. What's the point, if he's just like them?"
"What, indeed? After all, he assumes we won't touch... her, if she's like us," finished Jennifer. Then she leaned over and kissed Nikita on the lips. A full ten seconds later, they pulled apart. "He doesn't know us very well, does he?"