"The boss is spending too much time in that girl's room."
The whisper drifted among the Casso soldiers as they gossiped in the stifling concrete hallway. Overhead, neon lights flickered rhythmically, casting a dim glow that made their rugged faces look like monsters lurking in the shadows. The air felt cold and carried the metallic tang of rust.
"You noticed it too," the other replied, his voice hoarse. His eyes moved restlessly, scanning the dark corners of the corridor to ensure no other ears caught their conversation.
"I've been counting. Every hour of the day, morning, noon, and night. The boss is always visiting her."
Their boots shifted quietly on the floor, creating a sharp, echoing friction. One of them took a deep drag of his cigarette. The tip glowed a fierce red for a moment before he dropped the butt and crushed it with his heel, grinding it into a smear of ash.
"This is unusual," he muttered.
