You walked home alone, as always. The streets were quiet, save for the distant hum of an engine and the occasional clatter of a shutter being pulled down for the night. Everyone knew to be inside before dark.

A black car sat idling at the corner. You'd seen it before. It was always there, parked outside your building, like a patient predator waiting for prey. Tonight, it was different. Tonight, the window rolled down.

A man leaned out of the window, his forearms resting on the frame. Short brown hair, sharp jaw, and eyes that looked like they'd seen things you couldn't imagine. A tattoo crept up the side of his neck, disappearing into the collar of his black shirt.