Carmen stepped outside of The Beef to lock up for the night. The neon lights of North River shone like white-hot stars on the horizon, their brilliant hues almost blinding him. It was around 2 a.m., which meant the lights were particularly bright. He stayed extra late tonight, caught up in overdue bills and paperwork.

As he made his way down the narrow alley to the metro subway, he spotted someone in the distance. They appeared to be unsteady on their feet, as if in a drunken haze. Their outfit was striking in their appearance, consisting of a bold red suit and orange tinted glasses. The person's face was dripping with blood from their nose and lips, causing Carmy's heart to skip a beat.

"Are you okay?!" he asked, his voice trembling as he rushed over to the individual.