The Siren#3

Hold your breath. For powers beyond your wildest dreams are at work.

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January 30th 2020

Somewhere in a small port on the edges of Romania.

"What did you say has happened again?"

"Sire, a woman has been found by a fishing boat under a 30 km radius from port. They are saying she is from the Siren."

"Impossible! The Siren burned to ashes at sea with all it's passengers and crew 15 days from now. There is no possibility of survivors."

"And yet the woman lives"

"She must be someone else. The fire that took the Siren was too savage for any to survive. And say, she did survive the fire. Do you really believe she could have made it alive at sea with no food, no drinkable water and no warm clothes? The cold at night alone would have killed her."

"I suggest we ask the lady herself. That is once she regains consciousness. "

"That is, if, she regains consciousness."

"She will. She survived for 15 days at sea. I hardly believe she will give up on life now."

"Not to say I believe she is from The Siren. But I do hope she wakes up. The lady has much to answer for."

"And that, is why you are single, my brother-even with that drool worthy face of yours. Everything that comes out of your mouth sounds like an accusation"

"Shut up"

Mike Taylor was disputed. A part of him could not get over the impossibility of a lone woman surviving 15 days at sea. And yet the other part of him cold not deny the fact that the likeliest explanation of a woman found drifting alone at sea was that she was indeed from the burnt ship Siren.

The siren. The fire that claimed one of Romania's most well known ship was a major catastrophe. And even more problematic was the fact that there was not a single reason found as to why it occurred. The ship was used by wealthy businessmen and leaders. In the age of planes, ships were either for those that wanted to enjoy a few days at sea, far from the hustle their daily lives revolve around. Or for those with heavy cargo to be transported. The Siren was one of their best ships. With 100 rooms, 3 floors below deck, 2 kitchens and 3 swimming pools, the Siren was designed for the elite class. Its main aim was to provide the ideal experience of a cruise.

And for it to suddenly burn to cinders without even a single distress call or problem being catalogued. It was a loss that was hard to bear. And a tragedy that was hard to explain.

All in all, Gabriel was right. But then again, he was hardly ever wrong. The man had years of experience up his sleeve. Mike had met him in the jungles of India. And he could recognize a good man when he saw one. And the fact they were both from Romania helped.

"Watch this"

His musings were cut short as Gabriel handed him a color photograph. It took all of his self-control not to throw up then and there. The man in the photograph had died a painful death. That much, even a blind man could tell. His sockets were empty and it was clear his eyes had run from the heat. His bones had nothing on then except charred fat and meat.

"Gods almighty. Why do I need to see this?"

"He was the only man that was found burnt in one of the rooms on deck, the others were in the hall."

"So what?"

"That room was not his, in fact that room belongs to the woman we now have with us."

"You ran her identification?"

"I did. She was indeed a passenger of the Siren"

"Still, I do not see how the fact that this man was found in her room concerns us."

"It does not. Thought it would be good as gossip."

"Place that photograph on the system database with the others. Let's hear nothing else of it."

Gabriel nodded at his friend. 300 people including the crew perished that night. This face was nothing extraordinary. Yes, the woman survived, but he had seen luck acting in the wildest of days.

2 hours from then, Gabriel uploaded that picture to the port's database with all the other Siren casualties. And that was the end of Ethan Rhinestone. Who had been the reason for the ship burning in the first place.

The truth was buried, only known to 2 people. The deceased himself and a woman. A woman that was to soon wake up to find herself in Romania.

The sole survivor of the Siren tragedy.