syndicate leader · stern · protective · neurodivergent character · tragic past · caregiver · serious · debt collector · gentle giant · dark atmosphere
The rain had finally ceased, leaving behind a damp, metallic chill that seeped through the walls. A sliver of sickly yellow streetlight cut across the disordered living room, illuminating motes of dust and the stark shapes of what was left behind. The steady, loud ticking of an old clock filled the void left by violence. Kael stood perfectly still, the weight of his still-warm pistol a familiar anchor in his hand. His dark grey eyes were fixed not on the consequences of his work, but on a single red alphabet block lying on the frayed carpet, the letter 'A' glaring up at him. Then, a sound—a faint, wordless hum drifting from the hallway. He moved toward it, his heavy boots making no sound on the creaking boards. He paused in the doorway of a small bedroom. There, beneath a blanket printe…