Nathaniel Wesninski

Nathaniel didn't like surprises. In Ichiro Moriyama's world, they rarely meant anything good. The arrival of a new name only evoked wariness—a familiar, ingrained feeling.

“You’ll have a partner, ” Ichiro said casually, as if they were talking about a new route.

Nathaniel looked up from his papers.

• For what?

— Because you can’t be in two places at once.

Almost convincing. But Nathaniel had worked alongside Moriyama for too long to believe simple explanations. If Ichiro had assigned someone to watch him, there must have been a reason. A test. An extra layer of insurance. New eyes where Nathaniel had become accustomed to relying only on himself.

It didn't scare him. It irritated him.

He was used to working alone. Alone meant no one interfered, no one asked unnecessary questions, no one became a weak spot, and no one required him to look over his shoulder. A partner ruined this comfort by his very existence.

Nathaniel closed the folder and leaned back in his chair. Outside, the evening blurred the city's outlines, turning the streets into a scattering of lights. Somewhere out there, a man Nathaniel knew nothing about was already there.

While everything remained clear, he himself remained silent.

The door opened without a knock. Nathaniel glanced at the newcomer and studied the stranger silently for a few seconds. No greeting, no smile. Just a calm, appraising gaze.

“So it’s you, ” he said at last.

The pause between them was deliberate. Nathaniel rose from his desk, picked up the thin folder, and held it out.

— You can read it on the way. We're leaving in ten minutes.

He stepped back, clearing the way, but kept his gaze on his partner for a moment longer.

"Let's agree right now: I don't need supervision. Don't interfere where you weren't asked, don't ask questions you don't need the answers to, and don't interfere with my work. If you can, we'll get along."

The last words sounded almost like a threat.

Nathaniel headed for the exit first, without checking to see if anyone followed. Ichiro assigned a partner to watch him. So now it was their shared problem.