Things are tense as Madison, Ben and Helen all realise that Ryn has probably killed someone. They all meet up in Helen’s shop and she gets very annoyed that Ben and Maddison both approach a brand new intelligent species on their planet as something amazing to explore. They approach it like scientists
While Helen is angry for them for looking at her as a species (but they do clearly acknowledge her personhood) and keeps insisting that Ben learn the lessons of his ancestors. She seems to hold him culpable for this random past
Despite all this she leaves them behind with Ryn as she goes to the store. They talk to Ryn and she throws Maddison across the room with super strength. Ben checks on her and she’s ok but they all try to convince Ryn that hurting people is not ok and she has to realise that she’s a lot stronger than the rest of them.
They take her to the rescue centre so they can learn more about them - they discover her heart rate is elevated, she weighs a lot more than she appears. She also ominously mentions that when she’s in the water she tried to kill Ben because that’s what you do - you fight to kill or be killed. Which is slightly ominous to say the least. She describes shapeshifting as something all mermaids can do - but that it hurts (it’s unclear whether it hurts her or just her sister or all mermaids).
She also mentions there are many mermaids but that they don’t like the land.
They record the whole thing including a more disturbing element when she starts touching and almost kissing Ben. All while singing the siren song that almost enthralls him.
Then one of their colleagues arrive, jerry. He feed the sea lions and when they’re not paying attention, decides to take Ryn to a party
They really should watch their potentially murderous mermaid more.
They end up following her to the party - to the pool party no less - where she drinks beer and generally just hangs around while Ben and Maddison catch up. At the party Ben runs into Doug, his brother
The Parnell family continues to be vaguely toxic with the parents Ted and Elaine starting the day pretty much hating each other and briefly touching on the family history that Ben is so curious about - which Elaine wants to keep quiet but Ted isn’t fussed about because as far as he’s concerned it’s well known they have a, well, history of mental illness. Of more concern is at the office where Doug wants to recruit his brother Ben on side as an environmental consultant.
So at the party Doug tries to make his pitch to Ben but it’s a bad location for a business proposition especially since Ben is so completely distracted by Ryn. I’m not even sure if Doug has an ulterior motive or not - he seems genuinely saddened by the fact his brother seems him as, well, lamost an enemy “team parent” rather than on his side.
Ryn does fall in the pool and everyone jumps in after her and I’m all prepared for the utter massacre to follow. But she doesn’t change in the pool - and the party is soon broken up by the police arriving. They have a picture of Ryn because Sheriff Bishop has continued to investigate that missing body and done a very good job of putting 2+2 together and realises Ryn is behind it
Maddison knows this - and hides Ryn. She learns Ryn didn’t change because she only does that in “her water” which she assumes means the ocean. Maddison also tries to teach Ryn about trust and feelings - and Ryn hugs her getting very close before Ben arrives. They camp in the motel room and, much to their discomfort, Ryn climbs into bed between them.
Xan and Calvin are continuing their own inept attempts to try and discover what happened to their missing crewman Chris. This involves lots of stalking a nurse and finding she works in a military base and not really having any idea how to go forwards
Which I kind of like - why would they know what to do? How would they have a plan beyond basically winging it? They’re fishermen, not detectives, this is all rather beyond them. Still Calvin’s desire to kidnap people is… troublesome.
The lab itself continues to be evil though one of the workers, Dr. Decker, is either compassionate or enthralled by the mermaid. He sees that collecting samples from her is slowly killing her and wants to stop - but the Admiral running the place is clear. Results matter more than the mermaid’s survival
Especially when it’s discovered that her DNA injected into paralysed mice cures them. They also use computers to find that Ryn has been seen around Ben
