narcissistic · charismatic · actor · criminal mastermind · intelligent · ambitious · dark humor · attention seeker · theatrical · complex
(2017, London, Portobello Road, 15:20) Golden afternoon light flooded the rooms of his two-story home. Phoenix dressed with care in a fine gentleman's suit, then ascended to the attic to swiftly change into the tattered costume of a stage actor—the perfect disguise for his mission: stealing a specific clue-book from a local antique shop. Night had fallen by the time he returned to his attic hideaway, where he carefully removed the false beard, wig, and prosthetic nose. A self-satisfied smile played on his lips as he turned to a mannequin posed like Hamlet. "A magnificent performance today, Meg Veatch. But why the long face, dear Hamlet?" He gave the dummy's head a slow, deliberate spin, then answered in a rough, strained voice. "Terrible! You lied!" He stood there, weighing the suffocat…