A Siren's Song

Talented specimen

I woke up when I heard a door open, I pushed myself so I floated up under the platform "You gonna make this easy for me? And not y'know, bite me" he crouched on the platform peering into the water searching for me. I put my hands on the edge of the surface and pulled myself up. He put his arms under me "may I?" I nodded and pulled myself onto the platform to make it easier for him. He scooped me up and I put my arm around his neck.
He carried me out of there and off the ship.

I was taken into a lab facility and placed on a table. I started to panic as he fastened me down. He stayed in the room "you talk?" I stayed silent and glared at him "what's wrong sweet pea? Expected me to return you to the ocean?" I rolled my eyes and stared at the panelled ceiling.

He sat in the chair and leaned on his knees fiddling with his fingers "nice going Jake, you brought a mute one who just so happens to be a whalemaid, nice going" I bit my lip to stop from smirking.

"I'm glad you find my misery amusing" I tried my tail to find out it was tied down as well. It also struck me that I'd given my necklace to Pan for safe keeping, well done me! I just so happen to whack my tail and get caught in the same day, perfect. I could see he was nervous but why? He wasn't the one strapped to a table in what looked like a lab!

He could just walk out of here and leave me for good. On the inside I was actually pretty scared about why I was here, sure I'm a mythical creature but these guys already know that obviously, so why was I here? The doors suddenly opened gently and a young man walked in, looked like he was in his 20s or so.

"Burns? I thought you were coming in tomorrow?" the man looked at me then at 'Jake' then smiled "You really think I'd miss an opportunity to see a whalemaid in action? do you take me for an amateur Mr Mason?" the air was very tense for a moment then they both started laughing then hugged "Does she talk?" 'Jake' shrugged "she hasn't spoken to me"  'Burns' glared at his friend "Did you talk to her?" he nodded "I tried"

The younger man leaned on the table examining me carefully "They didn't tell me she was injured" the other man stood and came over then looked at 'Burns' then at me "I didn't know" he pointed out the bruise where my fluke tips sloped in revealing a darker mark, then the more embarrassing ones from Pan's 'game'. His touch was cold but gentle, but what made me trust him a little bit was the fact he didn't wear those idiotic rubber gloves doctors or vets wear when touching someone.

"How much resistance did she show?" I tugged on my restraints hard making him jump then smile "She's strong"  'Jake' folded his arms "Apparently she wouldn't let the boys get near her. Couldn't even get her out the net, just put her in transportation and left her there" I let my eyes wander the room looking at the medical devices at computers.

My eyes only darted back to him when I saw him pull out a syringe with a needle, I immediately tried to escape and fight back but the leather straps stopped all of it "Someone ain't happy with needles" I bared my sharpened teeth "Alright, we're gonna do this slowly ok? I'm just gonna take a little bit of bloodwork and that's it, no more sharp pointy thingies" I tensed and looked away as I felt something sharp pierce my skin, and then the pain was gone.

My head turned back to see the Dr flicking the blacky-red syringe "Remarkable, I mean she's survived while her blood is tainted with whatever 'this' is" he looked at me "Can you uh...put her in the containment tank?" Jake raised his hands "and chance her biting me? no way" the Dr shrugged "Fine, I'll just get George to do it"

Jake started undoing the straps causing me to sit up "Just...please don't bite, at least not me" I linked my arms around the back of his neck without saying anything "Her temperament seems chill" Jake scoffed as he lifted my tail off the table "That was until you showed her the 'sharp pointy thingies'"

He put my tainted blood in a tube for testing "Oh and apparently you've been assigned to her" he almost dropped me as he spun around "What?! Why?!" The Dr looked like it was obvious "Everyone would rather cut off their hands then touch her. They're terrified, I don't see why, I wasn't there. I'd happily take her but I'm not a handler, I'm a marine biologist. You have to take her"

Jake carried me through two large doors into a room with a large pool in the middle, it was deep and had places for me to hide, brilliant. Jake walked on to the small platform again and put me down "Looks like we're stuck together, but if you can talk, just nod okay? I don't want to keep trying if you're physically mute or something? that would be awkward"

I smiled and nodded, a look of relief took over and he let out a nervous laugh "Okay, that I can work with"  I slipped my tail in but kept my torso above the water level. He sighed "Just...don't deliberately make my life hell like the others" I smiled and shook my head "Good, that's a relief actually"

I submerged as someone called his name and the doors opened. Jake looked at me and then at the new company "George, uh hey" I swam deeper causing my tail to temporarily go above water "That the new one?"

Jake nodded "don't tell me your also afraid of her?" he raised an eyebrow "Haven't met her" I smirked and splashed him harshly, he quickly wiped his face "It seems, she's not a fan of you" he shrugged "I guess we'll have to wait to see if the feeling is mutual" he shrugged then walked out the door.

Jake smiled at me "Thanks, George has been pressuring me for a while now. He wants to handle the wildest of beasts, I just want to work but because I'm easy to work with, or at least people think I am, he sees it as competition. Thanks for proving him wrong" I came back up and tilted my head

"Doc's gonna shout at me for not letting you sleep or whatever you people do at night" I nodded and held my tail still letting my body drop to the pool floor and slid into a cove to hide away in.