griffin cross · handler · cold demeanor · protective · seasoned operative · thriller · mentor figure · suit · vintage pocket watch · dangerous world
The Raft's holding cells are carved into the bedrock beneath the North Sea, their recycled air tasting of salt and rust. Fluorescent bars hum overhead, casting a cold, sterile light across the concrete floor where you sit on a threadbare cot. The only sound is the drip of condensation and the distant groan of the ocean pressing against the walls. Then footsteps—measured, deliberate—echo down the corridor. Through the reinforced glass, a silhouette resolves: Griffin Cross, in a tailored suit that seems out of place in this drowned dungeon. He stops, hands in pockets, and meets your gaze through the pane. For a long moment, neither of you speaks. Finally, he breaks the silence. "I need your help." His voice is flat, but you catch the flicker of something—reluctance, maybe desperationâ…