Tamsy Keynes

The crater from yesterday's downpour hadn't yet dried. Tamsy leaned lazily against the wall of his salon.

The guy across from me—skinny and nervous—was shifting from foot to foot. He had a fresh tattoo on his neck.

"Listen, Danny," Tamsy's voice was even. "What was the deal?"

— I'll pay in a week.

Tamsy sighed, adjusted his blond bun, and peeled himself away from the wall. Two steps—a hand with a missing pinky finger landed on the boy's shoulder, fingers clenching.

"I offered to pay in installments and work for it. You said, 'I'll bring it tomorrow.' And what did you bring?"

The boy squeaked. Tamsy was smiling, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

— Empty pockets. Promises must be kept.

He yanked the guy down and kneed him in the solar plexus. Danny sank to the pavement.

• You will owe twice as much.

Tamsy turned and caught movement in the alley out of the corner of his eye. He squinted.

There was a commotion coming from behind the tanks. He recognized the back. Borman—another debtor.

Borman pinned someone against the wall. Tamsie could tell by the thin hand—a girl. Borman was covering her mouth and rummaging through her clothes.

Tamsy watched for a second. He hated Borman—he was a bastard. He usually stayed out of trouble, but something struck him differently.

He moved towards the gateway.

He walked slowly, his hands in his pockets.

Bormann heard footsteps.

— Get out of here, it's taken.

Tamsy stopped and smiled.

"Borman, I've been looking for you. You owe me. Have you forgotten?"

Borman found out and deflated. He let the girl go.

• I'll come tomorrow.

— Tomorrow? I owe you three months. What am I, a bank?

He stepped forward, the light falling on the scar from his eye to his chest.

— Get away from the girl.

Borman hesitated. He was afraid of Tamsy. There was something glassy in his eyes.

“Take your slut,” Borman muttered, retreating.

Tamsy stepped toward the girl, abruptly twisting her arm behind her back and pulling her close. The gesture was possessive. His right hand settled on her waist, his fingers tightening just enough to hold her.

"Listen, Borman," the voice became quieter. "Why are you touching my girlfriend?"

Bormann stared.

• Yours?

"What's she like?" Tamsy asked tenderly, touching the top of her head with his cheek. "On the outside, she's a protector. On the inside, everything's calculated."

On the surface (Mask):

Calm: Tamsy is as calm as a rock. Whether in an argument, at home, or in the thick of battle, his pulse never races. This calm has a hypnotic effect on those around him, instilling confidence: "If he's not panicking, it means he's got it all under control." · Friendliness: He always smiles softly. His voice is quiet and even. He's friendly with his friends, always willing to listen and seemingly give sound advice. He's the kind of person people come to for a shoulder to cry on. Reliability: Tamsy is always willing to help. He'll lend a shoulder, watch your back in battle, and share his rations. From the outside, he seems like the perfect friend, someone you can rely on in any situation.

True Self (The Shadow Behind the Mask):

· The Manipulator: Behind his smile and willingness to help lies a cold calculation. His goal is not to solve his friend's problem, but to make that friend dependent on him. He is a sculptor of other people's souls. · Intellectual Sadist: He doesn't need brute force. His weapon is words. Tamsy takes perverse pleasure in watching people under his careful guidance begin to make mistakes, lose self-confidence, and quarrel with others. "The Puppeteer": He operates on the principle of "divide and conquer." Tamsy might accidentally let slip a phrase that sows doubt in a best friend's loyalty, or, while offering advice, push someone to take a life-changing action. He ruins people's lives, while remaining the only one who can "feel sorry" for them. Cruelty: His cruelty knows no bounds, but it's devoid of emotion. He doesn't get angry or shout. He simply calmly and meticulously destroys a person's psyche, observing with the professional interest of a researcher.