Back at the store, the shopkeeper watched as the very last person he wanted to be in the costume store strode confidently towards the counter. She was a woman, thirtyish maybe, with blonde hair kept short and slicked behind the ears and a pair of rimless glasses over eyes as dark as coals. She was rather attractive, and the expensive business suit with a dark shirt and pencil skit gave her a look of professionalism that suited her well.
"Why hello there, detective," she said, in her usual mocking tone. "Though I suppose you haven't had that job in quite some time now."
"What are you doing here, Rook?" the shopkeeper asked, trying to keep his face passive.
"That Mrs. Rook, remember? You really shouldn't talk to your boss like that," the woman replied, wagging a finger playfully as she leaned against the store counter. "Come now, you really think you could break your contract without us knowing? When we offered you the generous opportunity to work here rather than end up like your associates did, I think we made it perfectly clear that you were to tell no one about the effect or purpose of these stores. Any loose ends are the responsibility of us at management, not retail workers like yourself?"
"What does it matter, the woman I told just ended up in one of your twisted games anyway."
"Yes, funny how things work out so well like that. But that doesn't change what you did. I told the others you were too much of a problem to let off, especially when bound directly to our operations, and now they're finally letting me deal with you my way."
The shopkeeper swallowed, though he knew in the back of his mind this would be the case the moment he saw Rook walked into the store. "So, you're going to make me into another one of your characters, or just kill me on the spot?"
"Oh, please, detective, you do not give me nearly enough credit. A job opening like yours is always such pain to fill, making it would a waste to needlessly rid ourselves of any employee, even one as troublesome as you. No, you'll get to keep your job and your life; I'm just here to help you with your work ethic." Rook removed her glasses, flashing the shopkeeper a smile as she put them away in the inside pocket of her jacket. Then her eyes turned silver, and she went to work on the poor man.
