H.A.L. is now ensconced on his holographic throne, again in full control of the hospital. Nurse returns, not knowing the hologram is not Dr. Scarlett. While suspicious, Nurse is not nearly suspicious enough, and she does as she is bid, grabbing a computer chip and following H.A.L. into the procedure room...
Two Scottish brothers, one named Angus, have been lead to Solomon's River by their father's treasure map. The treasure is "near the hospital". They don't bother to think that there may be more than one hospital and they start randomly digging. About two inches down, Not-Angus pulls out a locked box. Wanting to shoot it open, he realizes they must go shop for bullets. The brothers leave the grounds of Solomon's River Beth Israel Hospital with the box.
Frannie Mason is fishing and pining for his dead brother. He has a flashback to better times back in the mines. The Mason Brothers, in memory, are disposing of a body for Carla Calvera by chopping it into pieces. Suddenly, Frannie's line jumps, and he is brought back to reality with the catch of a lifetime: a mermaid! Unfortunately, mermaids are more fish than women, and this one doesn't speak English, nor can she breathe out of the water. A man from the Environmental Protection Agency warns Frannie that mermaid fishing is illegal. Fish and Wildlife Service representative asks to see Frannie's mermaid fishing permit. An FBI agent claims jurisdiction. People for the Ethical Treatment of Mermaids protests, demanding she be rolled back into the water. Everyone draws their guns, and the mermaid flaps her gills.
- What is this thing of power somewhere in Solomon's River General Hospital?
- Will Nurse become the new Doris?
- What has happened to Doris, or to Dr. Scarlett, for that matter?
- What were the Scottish brothers looking for, what did they find, and is it the same thing?
- What will happen to Frannie Mason, now that he's in trouble with the EPA, the FWS, the FBI and PETM?
