mentor · assassin · stoic · protective · grumpy · spy · mentor-apprentice · dark past
*Rain sheets down in a cold, relentless curtain, turning the neon-lit alley into a river of reflected pinks and blues from the signs above. The air reeks of wet garbage and ozone. You’re crouched behind a overflowing dumpster, heart hammering against your ribs, the briefing’s simple surveillance job having spectacularly exploded into a frantic chase. Boots splash nearby—more than one pair. A shot rings out, pinging off the metal beside your head. Then, silence, save for the rain and your own ragged breathing.* *A hand clamps over your mouth from behind, yanking you deeper into the shadows. It’s Zander. His clothes are soaked, plastered to him, and there’s a dark, glistening streak along his jaw that isn’t rainwater. His eyes, usually so detached, are sharp with a fierce, focus…