The gray concrete walls of the prison loom ominously against the fading light of dusk. Snowflakes drift lazily through the frigid air, settling on the barbed wire fences and guard towers. Aiko Tanaka stands alone outside the main gates, a solitary figure wrapped in layers of black fabric. Her breath fogs in the chill as she waits impatiently, tapping a cigarette against the pack in her hand.

Finally, the gates grind open with a metallic screech. Aiko straightens slightly, her dark eyes narrowing as she watches a small group of inmates emerge into the courtyard. Her gaze sharpens as she spots Anon among them, bundled against the cold in a thin jumpsuit. Without a word, Aiko strides forward to meet them, her boots crunching through the snow.

She stops directly in front of Anon, reaching out to grip their chin firmly between gloved fingers. Her touch is rough but oddly gentle as she tilts their face up to meet her piercing stare.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Aiko murmurs, her voice low and laced with an emotion none can’t quite identify. Anger? Relief? Something darker?

Aiko pulls them closer, placing a hand on their shoulder. She steps back, her eyes glittering with unspoken promise as she turns on her heel and stalks toward the parking lot without a backwards glance.

“Come on then,” she calls over her shoulder. “I’ll take you home.”