James gave a thumbs up and Macy counted down with her fingers as the cameraman captured the reporter in front of the police barricade as two frightened hostages ran from the bank in the background.

“This is Carl Ford with Channel 12 News, here on the scene of the Bristol Bank robbery, and it looks like two of the hostages have just been released.  The bus the bank robbers requested is just pulling up, and this is surely an exchange.  Let’s hope the rest will be released soon.  Channel 12 will keep you up to date on this breaking story as it unfolds.”

“And cut,” James said, lowering the camera.

“You couldn’t mention Siren again?” Macy asked.

“I mentioned her in the last breaking report,” Carl said.

“Yeah, but this is probably her doing.”

“We’re reporters, not speculators.  Besides, I don’t want to be blamed for the shit storm if we take credit from Bristol PD and give it to some costumed heroine.”

Macy sighed.  “I’m not saying take credit, just mention her involvement next time.  It’s not speculation; she’s in the mobile command unit.  You can see her if you walk like fifty feet that way.  She’s on the phone for Christ’s sake.”

“Tell you what, go see if she’s available for an interview,” Carl said.

He was joking, and Macy knew it.  Still, she would love it if she thought she could get Anna to agree to something like that.  But she knew better.  Baby steps.



“Would you actually do it?” Sandusky asked.

He’d just come back from getting what he could from the two hostages that had been released to find Siren sitting pensively in the back of the van, twirling an unopened bottle of water in her hand.

“Do what?”

“Make him rip his dick off.”

She forced a half smile.  “Probably not.  I’ve said worse things in the heat of the moment before, I won’t deny that.  But it got his attention.”

“That it did.  And you got two people out of there.”

“They still have twelve.”

“Take the victory.  Maybe you’ll make things worse and they kill the rest, maybe you’ll manage to help get everyone out alive, you have no way of knowing, but those two people are safe, because of you.”

She raised an eyebrow.  “That’s a little dark.”

“I’ve been doing this for years.  It doesn’t always end well.  You have to enjoy the little victories.  I take it this is your first hostage negotiation?”

Siren sat silent, lost in thought.  “No,” she finally said.  “Not my first.”

“And the other one?”

She opened her mouth to tell him to drop it, but the phone rang.

Sandusky nodded to her, and she answered it.  “Hello.”

“You got your hostages.  Now make sure my bus isn’t tampered with.”

“They had a guy concealed under a floor panel and a remote control over the breaks.  They’ve both been removed.”

“Prove it.”

“What?” she asked.

“You heard me.  I need you to prove it.”

Siren paused, thinking.  “You can hear me tell Ray to make sure the bus is legit.”

“No, I want to prove to me you’re Siren.  That you can do what you say you can.”

Sandusky looked at her, wide eyed.  Neither of them had thought of this potential outcome.

“It’s awfully convenient that you just showed up and offered to help me and my crew.  How do I know you’re not some detective in a Halloween costume?”

“This is my city.  I show up where I’m needed.”

“Not good enough.  I gave you two hostages.  Consider this a show of good faith.”

“Why don’t you come out here and I’ll prove what I can do?”

Sandusky glared at her, but Clive didn’t seem to mind her threat.  “Ray, I take it you’re listening in?”

“I’m here,” Sandusky replied.  

“Excellent.”



“Camera ready, they’re moving,” James said.  The bus had been pulled up in front of the bank.  

“Is my make up still good?” Carl asked.

“It’s fine,” Macy said without even looking.  “Siren and the negotiator are coming out.”  Macy looked around, seeing most of the cops were focused on the bank and bus.  She ducked under the police barricade.

“Macy, what the hell are you doing?” Carl asked.

Macy didn’t respond, walking towards the bank.

“At least take a camera!” James shouted.

“Screw it, come on,” Carl said, following Macy under the barricade.  James turned on his camera and went after him.



The remaining hostages were lined up against the bank door.  Their wrists were taped behind them, and they were all tape gagged.  The bank robbers were crouched behind them, using them as a human shield.

“This is it cunt.  Your chance to prove yourself,” Clive said into the phone.

“You still haven’t told me what I can do to prove that to you,” Siren responded.  She and Sergeant Sandusky were standing between the bus and the bank.  Everyone had else been ordered to pull back.

“You’re going to tell Ray there to have him and the police let me and my crew get away.  And then you’re going to tell him to shoot you.  You do that and all the hostages go free.”

“What!” Sandusky cried.

Siren looked through the glass door, twelve tightened pairs of eyes staring at her.

“Let them all go Sergeant,” she said.  “Order your cops not to follow them.”

Sandusky raised his walkie-talkie, speaking holding down the button.  “Everyone stand down.  I repeat, stand down.”  He looked at Siren.  He’d done everything she’d told him to do so far.  There was no fight, no resisting it.  He just complied.  “Don’t,” he said to her.

Siren took a deep breath.  “Do it.  Shoot me.”

Sandusky’s hand went for his gun.  He was fully aware of what he was doing, conscious of his actions as he drew his sidearm, raising it up, aiming for the heroine.  His flicked the safety off.  Siren’s eyes closed as his finger slid over the trigger.  He squeezed.