The Professor and the Siren

19. Mariana

Mariana

Thomas had me follow closely at his heels as we snuck into the derelict warehouse. It was empty except for scattered crates here and there, just enough for us to find cover behind as we inched closer to where Orly was sitting, tied up in a chair.

Ted stood in front of him, Hybach on his knees at his side, doing something with a medical kit. Shit, they really did know what Orly was. How could that have happened? Had Hybach read more in the sensor data of that supposedly malfunctioning sensor than I had?

This warehouse had clearly been used by fishermen first, now it was empty. The crates left behind still bore the emblem of some fishing company and I saw some bigger containers that probably held ice before, waterproof, in the shadows behind where they held Orly.

Hybach was talking, taking out a swap for a DNA sample but neither man appeared armed. Still, how were we going to take them out?

I had no weapon, Thomas had said my task was just to free Orly and get him out but how was the older McLaren going to give me that chance? I didn't want him to get hurt either. Eyeing a piece of wood on the floor at my feet I picked it up, I didn't care if violence wasn't the plan here. If someone hurt my man I was going to whack them.

Thomas urged us one row of crates closer, watching as Orly struggled to keep his mouth closed. Hybach and Ted both physically tussling with him to get a swab. Then the older McLaren opened his duffel, revealing a big container with a lid which he unscrewed. He gave ma single nod and then shifted his hands and a spiral of water lifted right out, dancing like a snake through the air.

I would have stared in shock at the sight, Orly had demonstrated it but only for a short moment. Somehow still a shock to see it again and in this warehouse and with his dad, logically I had assumed he was like his son... Still strange to see the proof.

Then Orly thoroughly distracted me. Shocking everyone in the warehouse when he burst into sudden unbridled motion. His hands came flying up, punching both men away from him and then with a swishing motion something murky and brown slashed across his legs and the last restraints dropped away.

"No samples will be taken damn it!" he yelled out while the two much smaller men stumbled away from him. His father had moved in the moment Orly had burst into action and I was left hanging back like lame ass. The water Thomas was wielding curling through the air and bashing hard into the back of Hybachs head, dropping him like a stone.

Ted spun, trapped now between the two McLaren's but Orly had dropped the murky bit of water he'd been using and simply lifted his fist and with a solid right hook punched him out. He fell with a satisfying thud.

I started to rush out from between the crates, eager to get to Orly when I realized Hybach wasn't out. He was pulling a gun from beneath his jacket and aiming it at Orly's father and neither McLaren had realized.

Hell no you don't! I lifted my piece of wood and brought it down hard on the man's wrist. With a crunch the partially rotten beam broke but his wrist cracked too and the gun went scattering across the floor, landing right at Thomas's feet. Hybach screamed in pain, but fell silent the moment the gun was picked up and pointed his way.

I spun and leaped at Orly, who opened his arms and spun me, pressing a hungry kiss to my mouth. "Siren! You are magnificent!" he told me, holding me tightly to him. I had never felt so many intense emotions in so short a moment. I ran my hands all over him, checking for injuries, especially checking his face and his wrists which were slightly abraded from the rope.

"I was so scared you were hurt!" I told him. "Don't ever leave me like that again!" I don't know why I'd demand something like that except I felt it from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't stand the thought of losing this beautiful creature. I wanted him in my life, the thought of not seeing him again, of him hurt... unbearable. Far too quick, too soon but at this point I didn't care.

And clearly Orly didn't either. He gave me the widest, happiest smile, "Never."