Of course Nick couldn't fly, because that would have been useful. He was worthless. These women were worthless. This entire situation was a pit of quicksand and that damned plaque had the nerve to hand him the jeep and rescue rope. He didn't want to be the hero. One of them should have been the hero, wasn't that what people wanted out of life? To be the best? They could have it - he just wanted to remain invisible, with nobody knowing about it.
But that wasn't how things worked out, was it?
Digging his nails into the sides of his head, he took a deep breath. "All of you, be quiet!" he barked, his voice authoritarian and ice cold. The darkness prevented him from glaring at them, though he was still scowling into the inky pitch that surrounded them. Reaching up to remove his glasses, he folded them neatly, slipping them into the pocket of his lab coat.
The bowl was full now, and all the noise of the rushing water had ceased. The room was deathly silent as Archer took a deep breath, rubbing his temples gently. "It's me. I'm the seeker." The second he finished speaking, a soft light began to glow and illuminate the bowl. As Nick had stammered earlier, there were indeed a number of enormous fish circling the bowl, their scales glittering eerily in the light.
Archer shrugged out of his jacket, simply dropping it into the bowl and letting it float to the gravel. "Now we need a plan," he said firmly as he began to unbutton his shirt. His pallid skin was visible for just a moment, for as he spoke, he began to literally fade away. First he was translucent, like a special effect, and by the time his shirt was unbuttoned, he was completely invisible.
"The plaque details a game of "hide and seek" that takes place underwater, so this is what we must do. I will wait up here for seven seconds. In those seven seconds, all three of you must avoid the fish and find a place to hide in this bowl." He paused, glancing down at the treacherous fish below. "I will then begin my search. When I find you, I will tap you on the arm, and you may rise to the surface for breath. After I have found all three of you..." He trailed off, realizing that he didn't know what would happen then. Clearing his throat, he splashed his own face with a bit of water, the droplets clinging to his invisible cheeks. "Then we'll have played our game."
Not comfortable with removing his pants directly in front of these people, even though he was invisible, Archer clapped his hands together once. "Alright. Go."