As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky blazed in hues of crimson and gold, casting long shadows across the beach. The once-warm sand had begun to cool, and the rhythmic sound of the waves rolling in grew louder as the tide rose.

Jake and Alex made their way back to their rented beachside room, a cozy yet simple wooden structure next to the shack. It wasn’t luxurious, but it had a balcony overlooking the ocean, and that was more than enough for them.

Jake stood by the balcony, a pair of binoculars pressed against his eyes. He scanned the sky absentmindedly, his mind still lingering on the roar from earlier and the old man’s cryptic warning.

Then he noticed something.

A massive flock of birds—hundreds of them—suddenly took off from the trees inland, flying away from the island all at once.

His grip on the binoculars tightened.

That’s strange.

He had read in a novel once—when birds flee an area in large numbers, it’s often a sign of impending disaster. A storm, an earthquake, or… something worse.

The unsettling thought gnawed at him.

Meanwhile, Alex was sprawled on his bed, completely oblivious, his face glued to his Nintendo—the same old, battered console he had carried around since their school days. The soft beeping sounds of his game filled the room.

Jake lowered his binoculars and turned to him.

“You ever read about birds flying away like that?”

Alex barely looked up. “Nope. And if you’re about to tell me it’s another bad omen, I’m gonna stop you right there.”

Jake exhaled, deciding not to push it. He turned his gaze back toward the ocean. The ship was still there, motionless. Watching.

“Whatever,” Alex said, stretching his arms. “I’m starving. Let’s just get room service. I’m not stepping out during high tide.”

Jake nodded absentmindedly. The feeling in his gut told him something was wrong.

But he just didn’t know what.

The room was dark, save for the faint glow of the moon filtering through the thin curtains. The rhythmic crash of waves against the shore echoed through the wooden walls, blending with the deep, guttural snores of Alex, who had dozed off the moment his Nintendo’s battery died.

Jake lay on his back, eyes fixed on the ceiling, his mind racing.

He had always been drawn to mysteries—detective movies, thriller novels, even real-life unsolved cases. He loved the thrill of piecing together hidden clues, of unraveling a truth buried beneath layers of deception.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

And now, he was in the middle of one.

A mysterious ship, an unexplained roar, and a cryptic warning from the old man at the shack.

The pieces didn’t add up.

Jake turned his head toward the window, where the ocean stretched into the darkness. Somewhere out there, barely 500 meters away, their rented boat was docked. And beyond that, further into the unknown, the ship loomed—silent and waiting.

His pulse quickened.

What if he could get closer?

What if he could sneak near the ship, get a better look, find out what was really happening?

He glanced at Alex, who had buried his face into the pillow, completely dead to the world.

Jake swallowed hard.

This could be stupid.

This could be dangerous.

But this could also be his only chance to uncover the truth.

Jake tiptoed across the sand, careful not to make a sound. The only noise was the rhythmic crashing of waves and the occasional rustling of palm leaves as the wind swept across the shore.

His heart pounded as he reached their rented boat, docked no more than 500 meters from the shack. Alex was still snoring back in the room.

Taking a deep breath, Jake untied the rope securing the boat and gave it a push against the tide. The small wooden frame creaked softly as it rocked with the movement.

Easy…

Jake climbed in, careful not to tip it too much. The salt in the air felt heavier now, thick with something unexplainable.

He reached for the motor’s handle, hesitated for a second, then pulled the starter cord.

The engine rumbled softly, its hum swallowed by the vast darkness of the ocean.

Jake gripped the tiller and steered toward the ship, its towering silhouette resting calmly in the dark, like a sleeping giant.

He had no idea what he was about to uncover.

But he knew there was no turning back now.

Jake let the boat drift as close as possible to the dark, towering ship before cutting the motor.

Now that he was up close, the ship looked even more imposing—its hull worn and metallic, with no visible markings, no flags, no insignia. Just an anonymous, floating fortress.

His breath was shallow. His mind raced.

Do I board?

The thought alone sent a shiver down his spine.

He should turn back. He should go back to Alex and pretend none of this ever happened.

But something inside him wouldn’t let go.

Curiosity clawed at him, urging him forward.

He secured his boat by looping a rope around a rusted metal pole on the ship’s side. Then, with careful precision, he hoisted himself up, gently placing his foot onto the lower railing.

As soon as he got on, he froze.

A man in a laboratory coat and a mask sat slumped against a supply crate a few meters away, completely passed out. The faint stench of alcohol lingered in the air around him.

Jake’s instincts kicked in.

Who were these people? What were they doing here?

Jake’s hands moved carefully as he searched the man’s pockets.

The rhythmic hum of the ship’s engines masked the faint rustling of fabric.

His fingers brushed against something—a plastic card.

He pulled it out, turning it over in the dim light.

No photo. Just a barcode. A designation: lab_employee210.

But what made Jake’s breath hitch—what made his heart hammer in his chest—was the name printed just below it.

Synergy Biotech.

His mind reeled.

This wasn’t just any company. Synergy Biotech had been banned years ago. Every news outlet covered their sudden shutdown, yet the real reasons behind it were never made public.

And now, they were here. Operating in secret.

Jake knew one thing—this was not a simple research ship.

His grip tightened around the ID. He had two choices: run—or go deeper.

He chose the latter.

With controlled movements, he positioned himself behind the unconscious man. A quick, firm hold—a technique he had learned in self-defense classes.

The man barely struggled before going completely limp.

Jake quickly slipped into his lab coat and mask, clipped the ID to his chest, and hoisted the man onto his boat.

With one final glance at the shore—his only way back—Jake untied the knot.

The small boat drifted away, swallowed by the darkness.

Taking a steady breath, Jake turned back toward the open deck of the ship.

It was time to find out what Synergy Biotech was really up to.