Elias returned to Connie’s with a hint of mystery. He was a part-time worker known for his unpredictable shifts. However, this time, there was a subtle change in his demeanor, a need for a different rhythm.

The Bartender, curious, couldn’t help but ask what had happened. He had called the number from the note he had left, and a set of strange individuals showed up and took care of the entire mess in under half an hour. They were quick and thorough. The rest felt a little mundane, with the ruffians taken care of without a trace of the mess they had caused.

“Elias, the Bureau...”

“Look, I’d rather not talk about it. It’s for the best if we both just let it go,” Elias muttered, his voice tinged with unspoken tension.

“And the money...”

“...” Elias kept his mouth closed as he put on his apron before retreating to the back where the kitchen was located. The rest of the day was spent cooking it up for the few customers who came for a meal. 

***

Closing hours were late. Despite slaving over the hot stove throughout his shift, it was still a long day. There was a lot to process. 

The Bartender had already handled the tables and chairs, leaving Elias to lock up the doors. He did live there, so it wasn’t much of an ask to have him tend to the final details. 

Above the establishment were two floors, each with an entire apartment dedicated to it. Elias resided on the top floor, which had two bedrooms, one living space, and one full bathroom. It was stocked with all the amenities and had a small balcony.

A spacious place, but it was home. It was affordable, and it was a short walk from work. What more could one ask for? After the last few days he’s had, he looked forward to sleeping in his bed. 

Tired as he walked in from the hallway, he noticed the door to his bathroom slightly ajar. Moving closer to get a better peek, he saw that the toilet seat was up.

“Well, that’s not right...”

He never left the toilet seat up.

Slowly stepping back, he noticed a shadow lounging in his chair.

“Oh fu—”

They pounced, blocking his escape through the door. Elias stuttered, desperately searching the apartment corners. In a frenzy, he hurled items from his counter, one after another.

They dipped and rolled, catching his heel and pulling downward. 

“Get off!” Elias yelled, trying to pry himself free. It was then the intruder reached into their pocket. They were dragged back just as they were about to unveil their weapon of choice. 

“What the—!”

Standing over her was a young woman with wavy hair and a double-breasted blazer. She came down with an incredible precision strike, the sound of a branch snapping.

“ARRRGHHH!”

The intruder screamed in pain before rolling to the side. Getting up, they took a lower stance while holding their shoulder. Forfeiting their good arm, they pulled the butterfly knife out to twirl it around. 

Unamused, the woman stood attentive and patient. Although she was riddled with openings, the intruder hesitantly backed away, on guard.

Seeing the wariness, she opted to cock her head to the side, slightly confused. With a quick gaze, she assessed Elias’s condition before noting that he, too, had shuffled away to the far corner of his kitchen. 

In view stood a tiny island separating them. Upon it sat some cutlery she took great pleasure in choosing from.

Shifting her gaze back to the one-armed, she slowly moved along the island’s edge to bring herself closer to Elias. Her steps made no noise, as if she was gliding over its surface like some ghost.

Now in arm’s reach of him, she flipped the knife so that the sharp end pointed downward. She swung back, her arm reaching around the corner to the bedroom entrance before a thud could be heard. She twirled, bringing another shadow hidden out of sight into view. At the same time, the other, basking in front of the moonlight back, jostled forward. It was a two-on-one out of nowhere. She blocked and parried their attacks before lowering the knife and switching it between her hands by tossing it to juggle it. 

She swiftly cut points of pivotal areas, rendering the two unable to move. She took to grappling one, slicing their neck before going over to the other who had attacked Elias directly. She stabbed through the vest several times over, ensuring the wounds were more than critical to render the assailant inoperable.

Half of the blade had broken off within the intruder’s chest.

“Apologies. You’re going to need a new knife.”

Confused and rattled, Elias believed a more prominent topic needed to be touched on.

“You mind telling me what the bloody hell is going on?! What are you doing here? Who are they?!”

“Is that what you wish to discuss right now?”

“Oh no, my fault, forgive me. There’s a mess, and I missed the evening news—YES, I believe this is worth discussing!”

“Is that so...” 

She was completely and utterly unfazed. Her breathing was steady as ever, as if she hadn’t just done something unfathomable, such as taking down and killing two individuals in the blink of an eye.

“I will call the cleaners to handle this mess. You won’t have to worry about the authorities. Good thing I followed. These individuals were sent to kill you.”

“Kill me?! Why?!”

“What do you mean? No loose ends is how this business works. Fortune favors you. You wouldn’t have seen it coming if they weren’t random locals and us.”

“You’re boss—”

“Is delusional. We both know you’re not equipped to handle professional killers. That being the case, it won’t stop these guys from thinking the same. More will come as they all adhere to the same rule. No witnesses.”

“This is absurd!”

“It is, and there is no going back. Sebastian Nox messed that up for you. Even if the Bureau acknowledges that you are truly not what they believe you are, others may find it troublesome that you know so much.”

“But I don’t know anything,” Elias was confused. As he reflected on the strange fellow who recruited him, he realized that Sebastian had received some pretty lenient remarks and actions despite making what seemingly sounded like a series of big mistakes. Considering the nature of their work, Elias expected a more severe punishment, but it almost sounded like a reward instead.

Wait, was that doofus more of a big deal than he looked? 

“Perception is reality,” Peskott continued. “You can’t have one foot in the door and the other out.”

“So what am I to do?”

“Take the offer, accept the job. The matters of your safety will no doubt be in my hands, as I can assure you. We can take care of those who currently want you dead.”