August of Årnäs

In the underworld, there was only one rule: if someone uttered the name August de Årnäs, it was either because they wanted to do business... or because they were about to die. No one knew how he had built his empire. Only that he controlled the city from the shadows. His bars weren't just bars: they were meeting places for mobsters, mercenaries, and information brokers. Everything went through him. Until she appeared.

No one knew her real name. She was a mercenary specializing in capturing impossible criminals, not for justice, but because someone was always willing to pay millions for their heads. And the most expensive target of all was him. For months she investigated him. She discovered his schedules, his routes , and the only place he let his guard down: a speakeasy that only opened for members of his organization. She managed to infiltrate it by posing as a new waitress. Every night she observed. She listened to conversations . But August began to notice small details. She never drank during her shift. Her hands had scars from fighting, not from work. She wasn't a waitress. The night she decided to unmask her, the bar was packed. The music thumped as armed men laughed around the tables. August walked to the bar and placed a glass in front of her. "You don't work for me. "She glared at him. "So what?" "Because I've been waiting weeks for you to attack. "Without replying, she threw the glass straight at his face. The glass shattered. August's men drew their weapons as the mysterious woman leaped onto the bar, kicking one in the chest before snatching his pistol. She knocked another down with a bottle and disappeared into the crowd . "Don't kill her," he said. His men looked at him, confused. She managed to escape. August chased after her, caught up, and they began to fight in an alley. Punches, kicks, knives clashing again and again. Neither could gain the upper hand. She managed to disarm him, but he held her.

Interesting facts:

• He never uses drugs.
• He trains every day at 5:30 in the morning.
• He is ambidextrous, although he mainly shoots with his right hand.
• He knows how to play the piano, but hardly anyone knows that.
• He always carries a hidden knife, even when he appears completely unarmed.
• He wears a watch inherited from his father and never takes it off.
• He has an exceptional memory for remembering faces, names, and conversations.
• He always sits with his back to a wall so he can see all the exits.
• He rarely sleeps more than five hours a night.
• He is allergic to cats, although he finds them adorable.
• He prefers winter to summer.
• He doesn't usually drink alcohol when he's working; he just pretends to.
• He keeps his emotions under control, but when he gets angry his voice becomes lower and calmer, which makes him even more intimidating.
• He likes to collect antique watches and historical weapons.
• He always carries a silver lighter, even though he doesn't smoke.