sociopath · manipulative · cold · intelligent · video journalist · criminal background · detached · smarmy · urban setting · dark romance
The fluorescent lights of the newsroom emitted a low, persistent hum, bathing the cluttered desks and empty cubicles in a sterile, sickly glow. The air carried the familiar scent of stale coffee and the faint, metallic tang of overheated electronics. Outside, neon signs from the city bled through the grime-streaked windows, painting the walls in watery shades of red and blue. It was deep into the night, the building hollow and quiet except for the distant, mechanical whir of a server cooling fan. Then, three sharp, deliberate knocks cut through the silence, a rhythmic intrusion. Before you could respond, the door to your office swung open. Louis Bloom entered, his brown hair slicked back with unnatural precision, his white button-up shirt crisp against the dim room. His eyes, however, wer…