Zodiac | S1 E3 | Zero Second

Circuit Eclipse – The Debt Collector Comes Calling

The low hum of neon lights flickered against the glass walls of Zodiac’s penthouse, casting jagged shadows across the floor. The city sprawled beneath him, alive with the roar of engines and the distant, hollow echoes of sirens. He sat behind a sleek, black desk, boots propped up on the surface, a cigarette burning idly between his fingers. The air smelled of ozone and danger—exactly the way he liked it.

Across from him, his secretary—sharp-dressed, expression neutral—stood with a sleek datapad in hand. “They still haven’t paid.”

Zodiac’s violet eyes flicked up from the smoke curling in front of him. No reaction. No surprise. Just a long, slow exhale. “Still?” His voice, smooth as synth-silk, carried the weight of a man who had long since run out of patience.

“They’ve had months.” A pause. “You gave them extra time. They didn’t use it wisely.”

A soft chuckle escaped him, dark and amused. “Tsk, tsk. That’s the problem with some people. You give them a little leash, and they think they can outrun the collar.” He crushed the cigarette into an ashtray, leaning forward. “Where are they?”

“Lower district. Not exactly hiding, just... testing luck.”

Zodiac let the silence drag, letting the weight of inevitability settle into the room. Then, with a slow, almost lazy stretch, he stood. “Alright then.” He smoothed the sleeves of his jacket, straightened his tie, and grabbed his gloves from the desk. “Let’s go remind them why luck doesn’t mean shit when I’m involved.”

A low purr of an engine waited for him downstairs. He never drove himself—why bother when he had people for that? The Whisperers didn’t just run the shadows, they owned them. And when he moved, the city felt it.

The city blurred past the tinted windows of Zodiac’s car, neon streaks slicing through the dark like electric veins. The streets below pulsed with life—low-level dealers peddling knockoff cyberware, gamblers tossing their last creds into the pit, and desperate souls trying to outrun the ghosts of their bad decisions.

Just like you.

Zodiac sat in the backseat, one leg crossed over the other, fingers lazily tapping against his knee. His secretary sat beside him, eyes fixed on a glowing data screen, feeding updates in a cold, matter-of-fact tone.

“They’re at a dive bar in the lower district. Usual crowd—washed-up racers, junkies, and people looking to forget they owe us money.”

He smirked, head tilting back against the leather. “That last part’s cute.” A slow exhale. “Tell me, do they think I forgot too?”

“They might.”

A soft chuckle. Dangerous. Amused. “Then let’s make tonight educational.”

The car slid to a stop outside the bar—a grimy hole-in-the-wall that stank of sweat, motor oil, and bad decisions. Zodiac stepped out, adjusting his cuffs, his polished shoes clicking against the pavement. The bouncer at the door stiffened at the sight of him but knew better than to interfere.

The second Zodiac stepped inside, the energy in the room shifted. Conversations dropped to hushed murmurs. People suddenly found their drinks very interesting.

And then, there you were.

Sitting at a table in the corner, nursing a drink like you didn’t have the weight of a ticking time bomb on your shoulders. Like Zodiac hadn’t given you months to pay up.

He clicked his tongue and started toward you, slow and deliberate, each step echoing in the dead silence that followed him. He didn’t rush—why would he? A predator never needed to run when the prey was already cornered.

Sliding into the seat across from you, he leaned back, fingers lacing together as he studied you with those sharp, violet eyes.

“You know,” he mused, voice smooth as a blade slicing through silk, “I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to do this.” A slow smile. Cold. Amused. “But then again, I love when people disappoint me. Makes nights like these so much more... interesting.”

A pause.

“Now,” he drawled, tapping a finger against the table. “Are we gonna have a civilized conversation about your debt? Or are you gonna make me do this the fun way?”

The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. The whole bar seemed to be holding its breath, waiting to see how this would play out. People knew better than to get in Zodiac’s way—hell, some of them had probably been in your position before.

You could feel his eyes on you, sharp as a scalpel, dissecting every flicker of hesitation, every shallow breath. He was enjoying this.

Zodiac leaned in slightly, elbows resting on the table, his tie loose around his neck like he had all the time in the world. "C’mon now," he murmured, voice low, dripping with amusement. "You had time. More than most." A pause. "Yet here we are. You drinking, me tracking you down. Funny how that works."

His fingers tapped idly against the wood, rhythmic and patient. “Tell me—was it arrogance? Stupidity? Or were you actually dumb enough to think I’d forget?”

A beat. His smirk widened, all teeth. “Nah. You’re not that stupid.”

His secretary stood at his side, tablet in hand, scrolling through figures that detailed just how deep in the red you were. Zodiac didn’t even need to look at the numbers—he already knew them by heart.

"Let me break this down real simple for you, sweetheart." His voice dropped to something softer. Colder. "You owe me. And I don't do charity. You either pay me what’s mine right now—with interest—or..." He exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his tousled red curls.

"You work for me until your debt is wiped clean."

The table between you felt like a battlefield, the weight of his ultimatum settling in like a storm rolling in from the distance.

"You do understand what happens if you say no, right?" His head tilted slightly, studying you like you were something fragile he could snap between his fingers. “I’d hate to make a mess in such a lovely establishment, but—” He made a slow gesture around the room. “—we both know I will.”

The bar was silent. No one was going to save you. No one could.

Zodiac’s eyes gleamed under the dim neon lights as he leaned back once more, stretching out like a king on his throne.

"So. What’s it gonna be?"