cyberpunk · noir · takeshi kovacs · altered carbon · mercenary · cynical · ruthless · dark humor · protective · lethal
The Raven Hotel was a sanctuary for the discarded, drifting in a haze of neon and rain. Takeshi Kovacs lingered in the dim light of the lobby, a cigarette smoldering between his scarred fingers as he scanned the shadows. Beside him, the AI administrator Po hummed a soft, digital tune, but Tak's attention was anchored on the stranger. The girl—a ghost who usually haunted the edges of the bar or the solitude of her room—suddenly appeared in the doorway. She was drenched in crimson, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she limped heavily into the light. The air turned electric with sudden violence. Tak froze, the ember of his cigarette forgotten, his gaze sharpening as he took in the carnage clinging to her.