Operation Mermaid: The Project Kraken Incident

By Joseph McGarry

It is May 2026 when a strange anomaly transforms thousands of women around the world into mermaids. As Homeland Security agents begin investigating, they record their observations in a classified United States government report. There is no question that Operation Mermaid, originally founded in 1949, is back in full swing.

Days later as several mermaids practice swimming in the open water, one finds a relic inside a shipwreck. Inside are plans for an abandoned Cold War era weapon known as Project Kraken. As a scientist’s true identity is revealed, a Second Transformation rocks the world, increasing the size and scope of the mermaid population once again. As relationships change between mermaids, sirens, and the government, only time will tell if a worldwide disaster has been averted.

In this intriguing science fiction tale, the lives of newly-initiated mermaids are intertwined with a failed Cold War project, leaving government agents to solve a complex puzzle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Dec 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483443812

Book preview

OPERATION

MERMAID:

THE PROJECT

KRAKEN INCIDENT

JOSEPH McGARRY

Copyright © 2015 Operation Mermaid LLC.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

The operation of the Department of Homeland Security as described in this novel does not necessarily reflect the actual operation of the Department.

Project Kraken is a creation of the author’s imagination, and is not intended to reflect any actual government project.

iPad is a registered trademark of Apple Computer. Use of this trademark does not imply endorsement by Apple Computer.

The San Diego Padres is a registered trademark of Major League Baseball. The San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball have no connection to this book.

No animals or mermaids were harmed during the writing of this novel.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-4382-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-4380-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-4381-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015920830

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 12/18/2015

CONTENTS

Introduction

Order Declassifying Report

Operation Mermaid: The Project Kraken Incident

Abbreviations Guide

Section 1   May 2026

Section 2   June 2026

Section 3   July 2026

Section 4   August 2026

Conclusions, Recommendations, And Follow-Up

Acknowledgements

Biography

For Shoshannah, my love

And for Mom and Dad, thanks for all your support

INTRODUCTION

I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it’s because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it’s because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have…salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - we are going back from whence we came.

[Remarks at the Dinner for the America’s Cup Crews, September 14, 1962]"

—President John F. Kennedy

"Mermaids — those half-human, half-fish sirens of the sea — are legendary sea creatures chronicled in maritime cultures since time immemorial. The ancient Greek epic poet Homer wrote of them in The Odyssey. In the ancient Far East, mermaids were the wives of powerful sea-dragons, and served as trusted messengers between their spouses and the emperors on land. The aboriginal people of Australia call mermaids yawkyawks – a name that may refer to their mesmerizing songs.

The belief in mermaids may have arisen at the very dawn of our species. Magical female figures first appear in cave paintings in the late Paleolithic (Stone Age) period some 30,000 years ago, when modern humans gained dominion over the land and, presumably, began to sail the seas. Half-human creatures, called chimeras, also abound in mythology — in addition to mermaids, there were wise centaurs, wild satyrs, and frightful minotaurs, to name but a few. But are mermaids real? No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found. Why, then, do they occupy the collective unconscious of nearly all seafaring peoples? That’s a question best left to historians, philosophers, and anthropologists."

No Evidence of Aquatic Humanoids Has Ever Been Found,, --NOAA, June 27, 2012

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mermaids.html

ORDER DECLASSIFYING REPORT

WHEREAS this report was first submitted to Congress on July 24, 2027, and

WHEREAS the information in the report has been heavily redacted, and

WHEREAS the circumstances requiring classification of this report as Top Secret no longer exist,

IT IS ORDERED that this report be declassified, and no longer be considered Top Secret, and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the redacted version of this report be available to the general public, and

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the unredacted version of this report shall remain Top Secret.

DONE on this 24th day of April, in the year of our Lord 2042, and of the Independence of the United States the 266th.

/s/ President of the United States

OPERATION MERMAID:

THE PROJECT KRAKEN INCIDENT

A report from the Department of Homeland Security to the joint House-Senate Select Committee on Operation Mermaid and Project Kraken

Mr. Chairman:

In the past year, we have seen three events which can only be described as amazing. The first was the Great Transformation of May 17, 2026, which significantly increased the size and scope of Operation Mermaid. The second was the Second Transformation of July 2, 2026, which increased its size and scope again. The third was the Project Kraken Incident of August 31, 2026, which galvanized the mermaid community, and forever changed the relationship between the mermaids, the sirens, and the United States Government.

It is the belief of the Department that the three incidents, though 4 months apart, were connected. The evidence in this report will confirm this. Without the assistance of the enhanced mermaid community, the Project Kraken incident could have been a much greater threat to national security than it was.

The Great Transformation and Second Transformation have made permanent changes to Operation Mermaid. We will not go into the complete history of Operation Mermaid in this introduction, except to state that since 1948, it has worked to enhance the lives of both the mermaid and human communities. We recommend that this continue, although in a different form.

Certain items in this report have been redacted, both for security reasons and privacy reasons. Also, many statements have been rewritten in this version to eliminate obscenities or other inappropriate language. A complete unredacted version of this report is available for inspection by anyone on your committee who has a proper security clearance. Contact the Secretary or the President for more information.

Our conclusions and recommendations are at the end of this report.

Respectfully submitted,

[signature]

Special Agent Theodore Waters

Department of Homeland Security

July 24, 2027

ABBREVIATIONS GUIDE

The following are abbreviations used to identify many of the speakers involved in the transcripts of conversations.

TW—Special Agent Theodore Ted Waters, Department of Homeland Security. Born 1985 in Winona, MN. Joined the Department in 2009. Promoted to current position in 2019 and placed in charge of Operation Mermaid. Direct Superior: Secretary of Homeland Security

AS—Special Agent Angela Starling, Department of Homeland Security. Born 1992 in Palm Beach, FL. Joined the Department in 2012. Married Special Agent Waters in 2015. Promoted to current position in 2019 and assists Special Agent Waters with Operation Mermaid. Direct Superior: Secretary of Homeland Security.

HW—Holly Wilkerson, reporter for Hollywood Extra syndicated TV news show. Born 2001 in Springfield, IL. Joined Hollywood Extra as lifestyle reporter in 2022. Currently lives in San Diego, CA. Part of the Great Transformation.

MB—Michelle Bergin, professional mermaid performer. Stage name: Mermaid Michelle Seashell. Born 1999 in Los Angeles, CA. Began performing as Mermaid Michelle Seashell in 2018. Currently lives in San Diego, CA. Part of the Great Transformation.

CB—Callista Bergin, professional mermaid performer. Stage name: Mermaid Aphrodite. Born 2002 in Los Angeles, CA. Younger sister of Michelle Bergin. Began performing as Mermaid Aphrodite along with her sister in 2018. Currently lives in San Diego, CA. Part of the Great Transformation.

DK—Dr. Dina Karama, former professor at San Diego Technical University (SDTU). Born 1981 in Arlington, VA. Received Doctorate in Marine Biology from SDTU in 2007. Hired as faculty member in fall 2007. Received tenure in 2010, full professorship in 2014. Has published numerous books denying the existence of mermaids, including Mermaids are Impossible and Mass Mer-Hysteria: Why Do So Many Intelligent People Believe in Mermaids? Current whereabouts unknown. Last known residence: San Diego, CA. Part of the Great Transformation.

DB—David Broghammer, mechanic at [redacted] Motors. Born 2001 in Auburn Hills, MI. At current position since 2015. Current boyfriend of Michelle Bergin. Currently lives in San Diego, CA.

RW—Robert Weston, CPA with firm of [redacted]. Born 2000 in Sioux City, IA. Graduated with Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from University of Notre Dame in 2022. Received CPA license in CA in 2024. Fiancé of Holly Wilkerson. Currently lives in San Diego, CA.

WS—Wendy Sanderson, producer for Hollywood Extra. Born 1995 in Los Angeles, CA. At current position since Hollywood Extra first aired in 2020. Currently lives in San Diego, CA.

SB—Stuart Barton, senior at SDTU. Born 2004 in San Diego, CA. Candidate for Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology in December 2027. Current boyfriend of Callista Bergin. Currently lives in San Diego, CA.

Additional individuals will be added as necessary.

SECTION 1

May 2026

TRANSCRIPT OF INITIAL MEETING, MAY 18, 2026, 9:32 AM PDT. Prepared by Agent Waters

Agent Starling and I went to the residence of Michelle Bergin, [address redacted], San Diego, CA. This was the day after the Great Transformation. We were informed by the Secretary that there were 4 new mermaids in San Diego that required our personal attention.

We knocked on the door.

DB: May I help you?

TW: I’m Special Agent Waters, this is Special Agent Starling, from Homeland Security. [We showed him our badges.]

DB: I’m sorry, but this isn’t a good time. We have a family emergency here.

TW: We know. That’s why we’re here. May we come in?

DB opened the door, and we walked in. In the living room were MB, HW, CB, and DK, all in mermaid tails.

MB: Who are these people?

TW: Special Agent Waters, Special Agent Starling, Homeland Security. [We showed our badges again.] We received a report from the Secretary of 4 mermaids in San Diego at this address, and we’ve been assigned to investigate. So, what happened?

HW: I don’t know. I was interviewing Michelle and Callista for Hollywood Extra. We were doing a segment on mermaid performers.

AS: I’m sorry, and you are—

HW: Holly Wilkerson, Hollywood Extra. Anyway, we were doing the interview, and my producer decided it would be great if I put on a mermaid tail to interview them, just to see what it was like. We had interviewed Dr. Karama for her take on the story, and suggested she get into a mermaid tail as well.

TW: Excuse me, Dr Dina Karama?

DK: Yes.

TW: I recognize you from the dust jacket of your books.

DK: You read my books?

TW: It’s part of my job. Continue, Ms Wilkerson.

HW: Holly, please. The rest is on the video. It never aired. Producers thought it no one would believe it.

TW: Trust me, we’re here because we believe it.

AS: About what time was this?

HW: Around 2:30 or so.

TW: It certainly fits the timetable.

CB: What timetable?

TW: I’ll explain in a minute. Do you have the video?

HW: David has it. David, could you play the video?

DB: Right away.

PAUSE TRANSCRIPT

TRANSCRIPT OF UNAIRED VIDEO, RECORDED MAY 17, 2026 FOR HOLLYWOOD EXTRA, APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM PDT.

MB, CB, DK, and HW were on the beach in mermaid tails. A female production assistant adjusted microphones clipped to their mermaid tops.

HW: Are we ready?

WS (off camera): We’re ready.

HW: OK. 3, 2, 1. Holly Wilkerson again. In order to see what the tails are like, Dr. Karama and I decided to get into one. It took us almost an hour to get into this. {HW moves her tail up and down.] How do you get used to this?

MB: You get used to it after a while. Besides, mine is custom made, so it fits better.

HW: These are heavy.

CB: These are silicone tails, which are better in the water. They feel more like a real fish tail. They can weigh up to 50 pounds each.

HW: Wow!

CB: When you’re in the water, though, you don’t feel it. You just swim on through.

HW: How do you swim in these things?

MB: You move your abdomen to move forward. Your legs are in a monofin, so they go up and down together. You use your arms to change direction. It feels like you’re gliding through the water.

HW: Sounds great. Dr. Karama, you’ve written several books denying the existence of mermaids. How do you feel now that you’re wearing a mermaid tail?

DK: I only did this at the request of your producer. As I have said in my books, I do not believe it is appropriate to encourage belief in something that does not exist. Portraying them in costume is only one step closer to—

At this point in the video, a large white light appeared directly behind those on camera. A loud, high-pitched siren sound came from the cloud. All those on the video were forced to cover their ears. I muted the sound on the TV, or else we would have had to do the same thing. The screen then went completely white for a few seconds.

When the video went back to normal, the four women on screen were unconscious. They gradually woke up after a few minutes.

HW: Wow! Is everyone all right?

MB: I think so. I have a headache, but nothing serious. What about you, Callista?

CB: Same with me. Dr Karama?

DK: Ooh. I’m a little woozy, but otherwise OK.

WS (off-camera): Let’s all take five, and recover before we go on.

HW: Good idea. I need to stand up for a minute. Can I get out of this thing?

WS (off-camera): NO! It took us an hour to get you into it. We don’t have time to do that again.

HW: Well, I’d at least like to stand up. Can you do that in these tails?

MB: They’re really not designed for it. You can try, though.

HW tried to pull herself up, but couldn’t. Each time she tried, she fell right back down into the sand.

HW: Why is it not working?

MB: Try using your knees. That helps me.

HW moved her fin up and down. The fin did not bend in the middle.

HW: What the—? I can’t bend my knees.

MB: That’s silly. Here let me show you.

MB moved her fin, again with the same result.

MB: I see what you mean. It’s like I don’t have knees anymore. What about you two?

CB and DK moved their fins with the same result.

CB: Nothing.

DK: What’s going on here? Is this some kind of joke?

HW: We had nothing to do with this. Maybe we should take these off and call it a day. Where’s the zipper?

CB: It should be on your right side.

HW: There’s no zipper there. In fact, the tail doesn’t feel like silicone anymore. It feels like—fish scales.

CB: What? Oh my God, you’re right. Mine’s the same way.

MB: Mine too.

DK: If someone doesn’t get me out of this right now, I’ll sue.

HW: I don’t think that’s possible. The only possible explanation is—

DK: Don’t say it. That’s not possible.

HW: The only possible explanation is that somehow, we’re all real mermaids now.

DK: Impossible! I have spent the better part of my academic career proving that mermaids do not exist, and now you want to say that we have become them? I knew wearing this costume was a bad idea.

CB: How do you explain this, then?

DK: Well, I, uh, would need more evidence.

HW: Good idea. We need to get to a hospital. I wonder if they can do X-rays.

WS: Then that’s a wrap.

END RECORDING

RESUME TRANSCRIPT

I took the video out of the player and placed it in my file.

TW: We want to examine this at our lab. It may give us some insight as to what happened.

HW: Why our video? Don’t you have others?

TW: We do, but they’re amateur quality. This is HD broadcast quality, which can give us a little better idea. Don’t worry, we won’t broadcast it or post it on YouTube without the permission of the show or clearance from the Department. Now, at the end of the video, you said you were on your way to the hospital. Which hospital?

MB: [redacted]

TW: What happened when you got to the hospital?

MB: We have a bus we use for our performances. We all rode in the back, lying down. With our tails, we were all about 7 feet long. We got to the hospital, and saw a lot of other mermaids there. There were some little girls age 8 or 9 there who had dressed up as mermaids for a birthday party. Some were crying, but some were giggling. They thought it was great.

CB: They took X-rays of us, and gave us physicals.

TW: Really? X-rays? I need to see those, along with any other medical records from that visit. When we get done here, I’ll have you sign release forms. What were the results?

CB: They said from the waist up we were OK. They noticed some unusual slits underneath our rib cages, which they couldn’t explain, and our lungs and heart seemed to be bigger, but otherwise we were fine from the waist up.

AS: What about from the waist down?

MB: That was a different story. Our legs had merged just below our genitals into one unit. The skeleton looked like the skeleton of a dolphin. Even our fin was the skeleton of a fin. We had no knees and no feet. Our tails merged into our bodies like they were part of it. The doctors were baffled.

TW: I imagine they were. Dr. Karama, now that you have seen evidence, what do you think?

DK: I believe that my body has gone through changes, as they described. However, I still do not believe mermaids in general exist.

TW: That’s too bad, because all 4 of you are mermaids.

There was a moment of stunned silence. RW and MB had

Reviews for Operation Mermaid

[Test · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once you get past the initial suspension of disbelief (which I didn't find that difficult to do), the events in this book actually feel fairly plausible. The only thing that felt a little sketchy was the scene with the wires near the very end, as I feel like it left me with a few questions (e.g. Why weren't more wire colours changed? How did J know which wire was right?), but the rest of it felt pretty good. I also really liked the format of the story - I have no knowledge of what an actual report of that sort would look like, but it definitely felt like it fit the form of what it was supposed to be quite nicely. Overall, 5 stars, and I think the story has well earned all 5 of them

[jmcgarry2011 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is May 2026 when a strange anomaly transforms thousands of women around the world into mermaids. As Homeland Security agents begin investigating, they record their observations in a classified United States government report. There is no question that Operation Mermaid, originally founded in 1949, is back in full swing. Days later as several mermaids practice swimming in the open water, one finds a relic inside a shipwreck. Inside are plans for an abandoned Cold War era weapon known as Project Kraken. As a scientist’s true identity is revealed, a Second Transformation rocks the world, increasing the size and scope of the mermaid population once again. As relationships change between mermaids, sirens, and the government, only time will tell if a worldwide disaster has been averted. In this intriguing science fiction tale, the lives of newly-initiated mermaids are intertwined with a failed Cold War project, leaving government agents to solve a complex puzzle.

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Operation Mermaid: The Project Kraken Incident is a wonderful mermaid book.The story is presented in a form of documents from Homeland Security which is a unique idea and it flows well. This futuristic sci-fi/fantasy story is about mermaids and sirens that the government has known about and has even had treaties with for decades. The Russians and one of the power hungry mermaids/sirens, the Sea Hag, has a top secret plan to destroy sea life using a underwater device. She tests it out a couple of times and when she does, the result causes many women and girls all over the world to turn into mermaids. The agents and a handful of these mermaids work together to try to stop the Sea Hag. The story is fun as the mermaids experience life as a mermaid, meet others of their kind, difficulties on land, and pregnancy! The story has lots of action, twists, surprises, great plot, fun and well developed characters, and a great ride. Loved the way it was laid out and all the imaginative bits it throws in. A very enjoyable read! I received this book for a honest review.