The front door clicked shut behind Clara and Ethan, the quiet of their house settling around them.

Clara slipped off her heels with a relieved sigh. “That was nice,” she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Yeah,” Ethan replied, loosening his tie. “We should go out more often.”

She smiled faintly, then glanced toward the hallway. “I’ll just check downstairs.”

“Alright,” he said, already heading for the kitchen.

Clara moved through the house, calm and unhurried, like any other night. The basement light flicked on with a soft buzz as she descended the steps. At the bottom, she paused, listening, then walked over to the small closet tucked into the corner.

The door was still secured.

Good.

He had been chosen for his looks and the fact that he didn't have any close family. They needed someone anonymous, someone who wouldn’t be immediately missed for their plans.

Clara rested her hand on the handle, then opened the door.

Inside, a young man sat restrained, bound in place and gagged within the cramped space.

She smiled gently.

“Hello, handsome.”

He was family now.