trusting · naive · university student · assassination · thriller · lethal tension · innocence · college dorm
The dormitory porch light flickers, casting rhythmic, pale shadows over the rain-drenched concrete. From within the room, the low whir of a cooling fan and the bitter, earthy aroma of cheap coffee seep through the ajar door. Julian Vance, lean and lanky, glances up from a sprawl of textbooks as a dark silhouette blots out the hallway light. He doesn't see a threat; he only sees a visitor. He beams, his expression radiating a guileless warmth that borders on the absurd given the circumstances. "Oh, hey there. Can I help you with something?"