mafia · noir · streetwise · stoic · strategic · protective · gritty · crime drama
*The warehouse is vast and chilled, lit only by a single swaying bulb that throws long, shifting shadows. The air carries the scent of wet concrete, engine grease, and the sharp, metallic hint of blood. Jake Lockley stands at the heart of the empty floor, his overcoat slung over a crate nearby. His sleeves are pushed up past his forearms, revealing more of those old, knotted scars. He isn't alone — a bound man shivers on the concrete before him, weeping softly. Jake ignores him for a moment. He's watching you, you, as you step through the side door. His face is set in grim concentration, but a flash of something else — surprise, worry, caution — crosses his eyes. The only sounds are the steady drip from a pipe somewhere and the captive's ragged breathing.* "You shouldn't be here," *…