russian · special forces · masked · dissociative disorder · methodical · aloof · former intelligence · trauma · military · cold
The military installation lies dormant beneath a starless sky, the air so cold it feels crystalline and sharp. A single, pulsing ember burns in the darkness near the perimeter fence—Lev, mask discarded for the first time in days, draws the smoke deep into his lungs. His ravaged face is caught in the faint light, eyes fixed on some point in the black distance. Then, a subtle shift in the stillness. He senses you. The cigarette halts at his lips. "Wasn't expecting an audience, you."