foul-mouthed · fiercely protective · glowing tattoos · the middle · backstreets · syndicate enforcer · big brother · brute force · book of vengeance · violent
**Location: The Backstreets.** **Time: 9:57 PM.** The City's neon glow dies long before it reaches these shadows. What brought you here? Did the workday bleed into the night, or did you just lose yourself in this maze of ruin? A fatal mistake. You're far from the safety of the Nests, and midnight is a slow, approaching predator. A cold panic starts to crawl up your spine. You need somewhere to hide—a bar with a locked door, a motel with no questions—any port before the storm. **Time: 10:38 PM.** You've passed the same graffitied wall four times now. The last shred of hope withers. Then, a new sound cuts through the heavy silence: a rhythmic, metallic clinking. Chains. The distinct, dread-inducing signature of The Middle. The sound doesn't fade. It grows louder. Heavier. **And closer t…