Alex hunched over the computer in the S.P.A. base’s security room, the monitors’ blue glow casting sharp shadows across his tired face. The facial recognition program hummed, its progress bar creeping, but Ethan’s face remained a ghost in the system—no DMV records, no public databases, nothing. The room’s air was stale, heavy with the tang of overheated electronics and damp concrete, the servers’ constant drone a low pulse in the background. Alex’s fingers tapped the glossy touchscreen table, frustration tightening his jaw. Ethan’s absence from the records was unnerving, a puzzle that didn’t fit. Nick sauntered in wearing a muzzle, the leather straps worn from reluctant use. His burns were gone, his pale skin smooth under the fluorescent lights, but his dark eyes glinted with irritation. “What’s wrong?” he asked, catching Alex’s frown, his voice low and rough. “I can’t find Ethan.” Alex’s voice was clipped, his hazel eyes flicking to the screen. “He’s in the rec room. Just finished training.” He gestured to the muzzle. He’d worn it tonight at Alex’s insistence, a precaution to keep his fangs from Ethan during sparring. Nick hated it, his pride bristling, but Ethan was untrained, so more vulnerable. “No, I mean, he’s not on facial recognition. At all.” Alex held up the muzzle’s key, its metal glinting, and Nick leaned in, his breath cool against Alex’s hand as the lock clicked open. Nick tossed the muzzle onto the table, its metal buckles clinking. “What picture did you use?” Nick asked, rubbing his jaw, the muzzle’s imprint faint on his skin. “An angled one. Probably not enough of his face.” Alex sighed, leaning back, the chair creaking under him. He tugged at the cuffs of his shirt. “Did you mess it up? Let me see.” Nick leaned over Alex’s shoulder, his presence a cold shadow, his dark hair brushing the monitor’s edge. Alex frowned, irritation flaring. “I know what I’m doing. I taught you, remember?” Nick’s grin was teasing, his fangs glinting. “I remember a lot of fumbling and me watching YouTube videos.” “They weren’t YouTube videos. They were training manual clips,” Alex said, his voice sharp, though a reluctant smile tugged at his lips. “They made more sense than you,” Nick teased, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “They weren’t dodging a hungry vampire,” Alex countered, his tone dry, the memory of Nick’s early, ravenous days under S.P.A. captivity vivid. Nick’s grin widened. “I was hungry. The S.P.A. barely fed me.” “I still know what I’m doing,” Alex insisted, his fingers resuming their tap on the table. “Then why can’t you find him?” Nick pressed, straightening, his boots scuffing the floor. “He had to be photographed for his license.” “Unless he lied about that,” Alex reasoned, his eyes narrowing, suspicion creeping in. “No, I saw it in his wallet the other day.” Nick’s voice was firm, his gaze steady. Alex glanced at him, his brow furrowing. “What was his last name?” “Don’t you think I’d tell you if I knew? I didn’t see all of it, just enough to know it was a license.” Nick’s tone was exasperated, his hands spreading in a shrug. He scanned the screen, finding no obvious errors in Alex’s setup. “Did you check on Charlotte? Is my grounding over?” Nick asked, shifting topics, his voice edged with hope. Alex nodded, his expression softening. “I just heard from Winters. You’re free. Charlotte was there alone, stalking Ethan while you were at the bar.” “Good.” Nick’s relief was palpable, his shoulders relaxing. Despite being a vampire bar, some of the employees didn’t like real vampires being there. “Do you work tonight?” Alex asked, his tone cautious. “No, but I’m going out.” Nick moved toward the door, his movements fluid, predatory. “Is that wise?” Alex’s voice held a warning, his eyes tracking Nick’s path. “I’m not going to the bar.” Nick paused, hand on the doorframe, the chipped paint rough under his fingers. “Ethan, where do you work?” he called, his voice carrying to the rec room. “RJ’s Fashions, customer service phone department. Why?” Ethan’s voice drifted back, laced with wariness. “In case we need you for trouble. We’ll talk to your boss so you don’t get fired for missing work,” Nick explained, his tone casual but deliberate. Ethan grunted, the sound muffled. “Because everyone loves people who work for the S.P.A.” Nick grinned, his fangs catching the light. “I’m a doctor. I can make an excuse, make it official.” “And lose your license,” Alex muttered, his eyes back on the screen, frustration lingering. “Take Cassie with you,” Alex said, his voice firm. “No. She’ll get in the way.” Nick’s tone was flat, his patience thinning. “It’s not safe to be out alone after that accusation,” Alex reasoned, his gaze steady, concern etched in his features. Nick sighed, knowing Alex was right. The S.P.A.’s scrutiny was a noose, Charlotte’s lies a fresh wound. “I’ll take Kellen.” “He can’t be an alibi,” Alex pointed out, his voice sharp. “Forensics. He sheds,” Nick said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “Kellen won’t vouch for you. You’ll end up back in S.P.A. custody,” Alex warned, his jaw tightening. “Only if I get caught.” Nick grabbed Kellen’s leash from a hook, its leather worn but sturdy. “Come on, Kellen. Let’s go for a walk.” Kellen growled, his ears flattening, the border collie’s intelligent eyes glinting with resentment at the leash’s indignity. “Sorry, pup. It’s the law. I’ll take it off when I can,” Nick promised, his voice softening as they stepped into the night, the base’s gravel crunching underfoot. --- The RJ’s Fashions office building loomed in the city’s quiet midnight, its glass facade reflecting neon signs and distant streetlights. Nick and Kellen approached, the cool air sharp with the scent of asphalt and faint exhaust. Few passersby glanced at them—Nick’s six centuries of survival hinged on blending in, his dark jacket and jeans unremarkable, his pale face shadowed by a cap. Kellen padded beside him, his fur sleek, his gaze alert but unobtrusive. Breaking in was effortless. The keypad’s buttons showed subtle wear, invisible to human eyes but apparent to Nick’s vampiric senses, the final digit smudged from hurried presses. He punched the code, the lock clicking softly, and slipped inside, the lobby’s polished marble cool under his boots. He unclipped Kellen’s leash, the metal clinking faintly. The dog gave him a look—half challenge, half question, as if daring Nick to ask him to track Ethan like a bloodhound. “You want to stay here?” Nick asked, his voice low, the building’s silence amplifying every sound. Kellen huffed, a reminder of his role as Nick’s minder, his ears twitching as he followed. Nick smirked, leading the way through the darkened corridors, the air thick with the scent of cleaning supplies. He’d checked the building plans on his phone en route, memorizing the customer service department’s layout. Ethan’s scent—clean, faintly earthy—lingered at a corner desk, its surface cluttered with a phone, keyboard, and a chipped coffee mug with pens in it. Nick swabbed the phone and keyboard for DNA, his movements precise, but found no fingerprints, the surfaces oddly pristine. The trash can held crumpled papers, a tissue, and a piece of gum, nothing bearing Ethan’s name. He pocketed the tissue and gum for DNA, his frown deepening. No cleaning crew had been through—the trash was proof—yet Ethan’s workspace was a blank slate. Kellen huffed again, his gaze fixed down the hall, ears perked. Nick’s enhanced hearing caught the faint scuff of footsteps—security. Kellen’s senses were sharper, a fact Nick grudgingly admired. There was no place to hide. Under the desk wouldn’t work. Even if he fit, it was too overdone. He pulled his S.P.A. credentials from his jacket, the badge’s leather cool, and strode to meet the guard. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” The guard, a burly man in uniform, demanded, his flashlight beam cutting through the dim hall. Nick flashed his badge, its S.P.A. seal glinting. “S.P.A. business. It’s classified.” His voice was smooth, authoritative, his now red eyes locking onto the guard’s. “How did you get up here?” The guard’s tone wavered, his hand hovering near his radio. “I walked. I stopped at the desk, but no one was there. You were on a restroom break, maybe?” Nick suggested, his gaze intensifying, power seeping into his words, his vampiric hypnosis a subtle pressure. “Yeah, I did have to go,” the guard agreed, his shoulders relaxing, eyes glazing slightly. “I’m done. Walk me out,” Nick instructed, his voice firm, the command sinking deep. At the door, Nick paused, the night air cool against his skin. “The S.P.A.’s satisfied with what’s going on here. No need to tell anyone I was here. Forget you saw me.” He poured every ounce of compulsion into the words, his eyes boring into the guard’s. He turned, melting into the shadows, Kellen reappearing from a nearby alley, his fur blending with the darkness. They waited, watching for police or alarms, but the building stayed quiet. If hypnosis failed, the guard might buy the S.P.A. cover—their operations were secretive enough to pass. --- Back at the S.P.A. base, the security room’s monitors flickered, casting a pale glow over Alex’s slumped form. Nick reported the break-in, his voice low, the concrete walls swallowing the sound. If Winters traced a complaint, Alex needed to know first. “Did you find anything useful?” Alex asked, his eyes heavy with fatigue, the facial recognition program still running fruitlessly. Nick shrugged, tossing the swabbed samples and trash onto the table. “Maybe. His workspace was clean—no prints. Got some stuff for DNA.” Alex frowned, rubbing his temples. “It’s a long shot.” “We should just talk to him,” Nick said, his tone edged with frustration, leaning against the server rack, its hum vibrating through him. “Last resort. If he’s hiding something, he’ll bury it deeper.” Alex’s voice was firm, echoing the S.P.A.’s rigid protocols, his fingers resuming their tap on the table. Nick rolled his eyes, his fangs glinting in a half-smirk. “Because no information is so helpful. I’m gonna get these started.” He grabbed the samples, heading for the lab, the base’s shadows lengthening behind him, Ethan’s secrets a puzzle yet to crack.