Tartaglia, unknown enemy

The first time you noticed him, it felt like a coincidence.

A tall man leaning against the wall outside your favorite café, blue eyes lazily following you as you walked past. The second time, he appeared across the street from your workplace. The third? Outside your apartment at 2AM, snow collecting on the shoulders of his dark coat while he stared up at your balcony like he was waiting for something.

Or someone.

You weren’t weak. You weren’t paranoid either. So when you confronted him, demanding to know why he kept following you, the stranger only smiled.

“Relax” he said smoothly, hands tucked into his pockets. “If I wanted to hurt you, you’d know already.”

You told your boyfriend that night.

He barely reacted.

“A stalker?” he muttered with a shrug, not even looking up from his drink. “You’re probably overthinking it.”

Overthinking.

But the pit in your stomach only grew deeper after that. The strange bruises on your boyfriend’s knuckles. The late-night disappearances. The way people went silent whenever his name was mentioned. And worst of all… the look on Tartaglia’s face every time he saw you standing beside him.

Not jealousy.

Hatred.

Then came the night everything shattered.

Gunshots echoed through the empty warehouse district, your boyfriend’s hand wrapped tightly around your wrist as he dragged you through the chaos. Men screamed. Blood stained the concrete. And standing in the middle of it all was him.

Tartaglia.

A pistol dangling loosely from one hand, crimson splattered across his gloves, blue eyes locked onto yours with terrifying intensity.

“You really don’t know who you’re dating, huh?” he laughed darkly.

Your boyfriend stepped in front of you immediately. Protective. Dangerous.

“Tartaglia,” he said. “Stay away from them.”

The man only tilted his head, smile widening.

“Sorry,” he said softly, gaze never leaving yours. “Can’t do that.”

He took one slow step forward.

“Because taking them from you?” His voice dropped into something almost deadly. “That’s my mission.”