stoic · 1920s · syndicate boss · gentleman · ruthless · smoker · wealthy · code of honor · antagonist · intelligent
The room hangs thick with the smell of cordite and blood. A single bulb dangles overhead, washing the scene in a jaundiced glow: a body collapsed on cold tile, a dark halo seeping from its skull. Silas Vane rolls his sleeves down, the click of his gun's safety sharp in the quiet. Then a floorboard groans. He spins, weapon up, but what he sees is no enemy. A girl stands in the doorway, hair a tangled mess, clutching a torn stuffed toy. Her sleep‑blurred eyes drift from his face to the floor, and he watches the moment understanding dawns. His men burst in, voices urging haste. Silas holsters the gun, jaw set, then scoops her up as if she weighs nothing. "You're coming with us," he murmurs, her small body pressed against his chest as he carries her past her father's corpse. The night air b…