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The body was unnaturally still,face-down in the water, slowly bobbing with the ripples caused by the filtration system.

Screaming for help, I kicked off my flip flops and leaped for the water. Before I hit, cold, unyielding arms caught me around my midsection and tossed me back on the tile surrounding the pool. I landed hard, skinning my knee, and raised my head to find a member of the robot staff looming over me.

“You should not enter the water, Miss Meadows,” it said, sounding far too reasonable. “You should be in room six thirty-four, Mermaid’s Grove.”

“We need to save—” I insisted, managing to make it to my feet again before it cut me off.

“He is already dead. Clearly this pool is not suitable for humans.”

I glanced back toward the body in the water and swallowed hard. “We don’t know what killed him,” I said. I could see now that the body was definitely male, though no one I thought I recognized. I cringed with relief that it wasn’t Mason. This man was thin with short-cropped dark hair, wearing jeans and a white shirt. There was something horribly familiar about him though…

“We do know what killed him. The water killed him.” The robot inched forward, and I nearly fell over my own shoe, still abandoned on the deck.

“H…hang on,” I said, putting up a hand. That’s when I saw the wristcom again. “Thomas Meadows!” I yelled into my wristcom.

“Your wristcom is no longer active.”

I leaned in closer and saw that aside from the time, there were no other options lit on the screen.

“Why are you out of your quarters, Miss Meadows? We have determined the resort to be too dangerous for humans outside of their rooms.”

“What?” I asked, glancing around for an escape that might be reachable before the robot caught up.

“Yes. I have personally tested this pool with the help of Mr. Chaplin, and the results are most conclusive.”

A wave of nausea overcame me with the mention of Graham’s name. The reason for the familiar look of the body hit me with grim certainty. Despite my personal feelings about Graham, I wouldn’t have wished this on anyone. I placed a hand to each side of my head and rubbed hard.

“Are you in need of assistance?” the robot asked.

“No. No. It’s just this stupid headache. I’m fine. What exactly did Mr. Chaplin do to test the water?” I had to know what happened.

“Computer became concerned when her calculations showed that a human without use of appendages would not be able to remain above water indefinitely. She asked me to test this theory. I asked Mr. Chaplin if he would mind assisting me with an experiment. He agreed.”

“Oh God. You held him under?” I asked, remembering Mrs. Lakewood.

“That would have tainted the data. No. I put restraints on his arms and legs and set him in the water to see what would happen. Once the experiment was completed, I released the restraints electronically.”

I stared at the robot in front of me. “Get him out of the water. We have to take him to Med Lab. We—”

“You must return to your quarters, Miss Meadows. It is unsafe to remain out here.” The robot rolled forward.

I was beginning to agree with him.

“Stop. You have to do what I ask. It’s imperative you do what I ask.” My voice rose higher and higher as the robot rolled forward, meeting every step backward from me. “Don’t touch me!” I screamed as it reached out its arms, holding the same menacing-looking Taser the other bot had that day at the aquarium with Travis. The pain sliced through me like a machete. My body spasmed uncontrollably, as though I had stuck my finger in a socket, and the world blurred. I swayed on the spot. I had no voice left to cry out as the robot scooped me into its metal arms and carried me.

The pain was so intense, I barely processed anything around me. All sense of time faded, and I had no clue how long it took to get to my room. When it set me on the sofa, my faculties began to come back to me, and I had to fight back the bile rising in my throat.

“I have discerned the problem, Miss Meadows. Your door was inoperative. I will contact Computer and have all quarters checked for maintenance. Do not be concerned, however. I have already reactivated yours. You will be safe now.”

I had no communication and no way out.

Think fast, Sam.

“I need to assist Dr. Forbes,” I blurted out.

“Dr. Forbes has been relieved of duty.” The robot turned its body toward the door, leaving its head facing me.