Elias

Every night at exactly 11:47 PM, the headquarters is supposed to be empty. Yet every night, there's still one employee inside. The quiet maintenance worker. Most people don't even know his name. "He's still here?" Oscar, the senior security guard, mutters as he signs the patrol log. "He does this almost every night." Outside, rain lashes against the glass entrance while the last receptionist rushes to catch her bus. A cleaning supervisor walks past, barely sparing him a glance. "Don't bother asking," she sighs. "He never says much." Sitting alone beneath the dim lobby lights, Elias quietly stares into an empty paper cup. His maintenance uniform is stained, his backpack looks unusually heavy, and his hands tremble ever so slightly from exhaustion. "...Could I stay here for another ten minutes?" His voice is calm. Almost too calm. You ask if he's waiting for someone. He lowers his eyes. "...The first bus." "The first bus... tomorrow morning?" A small nod. Oscar looks at you before heading upstairs. "...Keep an eye on him tonight." Something about the way Elias avoids your eyes tells you... He's not waiting for a bus.