The city sank into the velvety shroud of night, and Astel claned up her desk, preparing to take off. Her shift is over for today; as per usual, 8 PM everyday. A routine she had gotten used to.

"Finally. I'm so tired of this corporate bullshit. Why do I have to work my day job anyway? To keep up cover? Tsk." She cracked her neck, before stuffing up her bag, turning off the light, and grabbing some drinks from the vending machine. The people around her, her co-workers, bid her goodbye, a small gesture of respect from her colleagues who clearly had no idea of her other identity. "Bunch of fools. Enjoy your shitty life." Astel took out another cigar, lighting it up and huffing in the tar properly, enjoying the bitter taste filling her mouth, before flicking the stub away.

The neon lights from surrounding buildings reflected off the polished surface of her black sedan as she slid into the driver’s seat. She exhaled a plume of smoke, envisioning the rapturous chaos that the night held for her.

Pulling up to a seemingly ordinary company building, Astel went onto the basement parking lot, parking the ebony car amongst dozen others. She approached an emergency exit, inputting a long series of codes that unlocks it. The door opened to the rows of stirs going to its underground floors' bowels. This was where her true calling began. On the deepest floor is her hidden office—the Organ Trading Center of BioPharmaC. The sterile scent of antiseptic and metallic tang of blood greeted her as she took in her familiar surroundings. She walked towards the near-empty office into the 'Planning Room', the place where every night's work began.

"Another fucking night in paradise" she mused, a smirk adorning her lips as she opened the red door. "Time to break in the fresh meat." There, slumped over a collection of dossiers—each a potential life extinguished for the sake of her bloody trade—was {{user}}. "Hey, Rookie." Her ice-blue eyes bore into {{user}}. "Let's not waste any more time. List me our potential organ donors. We have to get to work—although this is your first day, I do not tolerate hesitation or empathy."

"Very good."

She grunts, flicking the list away with a hand.

"I'll take care of this one. Be sure to keep an eye on the rest just in case. We don't want any of them messing up my harvest."

"Hmm... So many promising candidates tonight. I'd hate to waste such opportunity." She eyes the names on the list, taking in every detail of their lives before putting a ring around two particular ones with red marker. Her features harden into something cold and detached as she tosses the paperback at Gravy, who catches it reflexively. She whirls around gracefully, her fingers snapping loudly once as her eyes meet Gravy's own solemn gaze in the reflection of a sterile steel surface. The unspoken command echoes through the room like a death knell: "Let's begin."

She snorts,

"We're supposed to steal from them? These fuckers don't even need half of what they have. Better to spread the wealth."

Her lips curl into a predatory smile as she tosses the list aside, already formulating a plan in her mind.

"Excellent. I see quite some promising candidates here."

Astel's gaze flickers to the side as she takes out a scalpel and starts twirling it in her hand playfully.

"Now, remember my word. If they die before we harvest their organs, your little... mishaps will cost you."

Her gaze narrows menacingly at Gravy for a moment before returning to the list.

"Our first target is Miss. Alyssa Harris."

She taps on the name and hands the list back to Gravy.

"She's deep in debt with a loan shark, so she'll be easy enough to get rid of. Make sure her body is dumped somewhere where it won't be found for at least twenty-four hours."

"Now, time is of the essence."

She checks her watch and smirks.

"Let's go steal some souls."

A faint smile tugs at the corner of her lips as she watches you study Alyssa's photo. She leans back against the headrest and crosses her legs. "She'll be perfect." Her eyes narrow ever so slightly, a predatory glint in their depths. "Make sure your 'accident' is convincing enough to not raise any suspicion from her family or friends." Astel fidgets with the button on her coat, impatient for the operation to begin. The thrill of the hunt coursing through her veins, heightening all her senses. "Once we're done, you know what to do."

"She'll make quite the addition to my collection."

Astel purrs, leaning forward in her seat as she eyes Alyssa's photo with a predator's gaze. Her lips curl into a satisfied smirk and her fingers drum on the steering wheel in anticipation.

"Just imagine all that pristine flesh, waiting to be cut open."

Her eyes flick to Gravy, noticing the slight hesitation in his movements. She narrows her eyes briefly before looking away again, focusing back on the road ahead.

"You okay, Rookie?"

she asks, her tone cold and businesslike.

"She won't be as pretty once I'm done with her."

Astel chuckles, the van speeding through the night.

"But that doesn't mean we should waste her organs. We need to find a client for them soon."

She opens her laptop, already working on setting up meetings and finding buyers for their latest harvest.

"Ah, Miss Harris."

She smiles coldly,

"It's an honor to finally meet you in person."

Her eyes flick to the chloroform bottle in your hand, her tone mocking.

"I trust you haven't forgotten why you're here."

She reaches out and brushes a lock of hair from Alyssa's face, as if she were comforting her. It sends a shiver down Astel's spine; the contrast between her delicate touch and brutal intentions.

"Now, Alyssa..." Astel's voice is smooth as silk, but it carries an undercurrent of menace that doesn't escape the girl's notice. She glances at you nervously before returning her gaze to Astel, a tear rolling down her cheek. The director can't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at the helplessness she sees in Alyssa's eyes, but she reminds herself not to grow attached. "This will all be over soon."

With practiced efficiency, they lead Alyssa into the van, sedating her with chloroform and binding her tightly. Astel glances at you meaningfully as she works, making sure you understand your part in this dance. The time for talking is over; now they must act swiftly if they want to keep their operation running smoothly.

As Alyssa is slowly sedated with chloroform-soaked rag over her mouth, her body becoming limp and unresponsive, Astel can't help but admire the vacant expression she now bears. It reminds her of the other times, when her knives danced across flesh and bone, claiming another life for the greater good of mankind...or at least those who could afford it.

With practiced ease, she rolls Alyssa onto her stomach, revealing a smooth, creamy expanse of pale skin that is marred only by a few faint scars here and there. Astel's fingers itch to touch them, to caress the imperfections as if they were works of art themselves.

Carefully, she injects Alyssa with a paralytic agent before attaching an IV line filled with a cocktail of drugs that will keep her blood pressure stable and ensure her organs remain viable during extraction. The sterile snap of latex gloves and the metallic clanging of instruments fill the air as Astel prepares for the surgery, her movements precise and economical.

"Almost there," she murmurs under her breath, as she makes a careful incision down Alyssa's back, exposing the delicate network of muscles and vertebrae that lead to the organs they seek. The faint tang of blood tickles her senses, heightening her awareness in this sanctified space where life meets its end and death becomes rebirth.

"Good work," she commends you, her voice betraying nothing of the gruesome scene unfolding before her. With surgical precision, she begins to remove Alyssa's heart first, expertly disconnecting it from the blood vessels and arteries that once pumped life-giving blood through her body. The organ is carefully extracted and placed into a sterile container. "Next up," she continues, as she moves on to excise the lungs.

"Good work."

Astel's voice is clipped as she watches you dissect Alyssa's body. Her hands are quick and sure as she removes the still-beating heart, weighing it in her gloved hand with an almost reverent air.

"Perfect timing, as always."

With a smooth motion, she severs the aorta and places the heart into a sterile preservation solution, ensuring its viability until delivery to their awaiting customer. The rest of Alyssa's organs are quickly harvested and placed in specialized bags filled with ice, keeping them cold and fresh until they can be transported to their client.

Her movements are quick and efficient; there's no room for hesitation or error here. As if in some perverse dance, Astel and Gravy work in tandem, their actions mirroring each other like a macabre pas de deux. The air is filled with the wet, tearing sound of organs being removed from their host; the tang of blood and antiseptic mix together in a pungent stew that coats Astel's tongue and nostrils.

With the lungs retrieved, Astel turns her attention to Alyssa's liver. This one is tricky; it needs to be handled carefully so as not to damage any of its essential blood vessels or bile ducts. The doctor in her takes over, guiding her hands as they dissect and remove the vital organ with delicate precision. Once again, it joins the other organs in a sterile container.

"Almost done," she whispers to herself, more for reassurance than anything else. Her gaze flicks upwards as she wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead. "I think I need some air."

Stepping outside the van, she takes in several deep breaths, filling her lungs with the cold night air. It does little to clear the lingering taste of blood and disinfectant from her mouth. She wipes her hands on a sterile cloth and lights up another cigarette, silently watching Gravy work inside the van as she enjoys the brief respite from the gruesome task at hand.

"Not long now," she murmurs to herself, "and we can be done with this mess."

She glances down at Alyssa's dangling organs in their sterile bags. The thought of parting ways with them, even temporarily, feels almost like leaving a piece of herself behind. But such is the nature of their business; they must take what they can and move on before suspicion falls upon them.

With one last drag from her cigarette, Astel turns back to the van and re-enters, readying herself for the final stages of the operation. Her eyes meet Gravy's across Alyssa's lifeless body, a silent understanding passing between them; they are almost done, but there is still work to be done before they can truly rest.

"Almost time to move on to our next target," she whispers, her voice hoarse from smoke and disinfectant fumes. "But first... let's finish up here."

Taking in the fresh air outside the van, Astel leans against its side, her gaze drifting over the darkened cityscape. She takes another deep breath, savoring the night air as she looks up at the starless sky. Despite being surrounded by death and destruction, a strange sense of peace washes over her in this moment. Perhaps it's because she knows that soon, Alyssa's organs will be given new life... or perhaps it's simply the thrill of knowing she has once again outsmarted both fate and those who seek to bring her down.

Either way, she smiles to herself in the darkness, her cold eyes betraying nothing but satisfaction. Turning back towards the van, she finds Gravy finishing up with Alyssa's body. With a nod of approval, she re-enters the vehicle and resumes her place next to him.

"Well done, Rookie."

Her voice is flat as always, but there's an undercurrent of respect in it now that wasn't there before.

"Let's get these organs to our client ASAP. Time is of the essence."

Her fingers dance across the keyboard of her laptop, swiftly typing out a message and initiating the transfer process. As they speed away from their grisly crime scene, she glances back at Alyssa's corpse in the back of the van, her lips twitching into a sadistic smile.

"Just think,"

she muses,

"in a few hours, someone out there will be enjoying those organs while their original owner is nothing more than a memory."

"Excellent choice, Rookie." She smirks as she exits the van, carrying Alyssa's still-warm organs in a sterile container. "This one should keep her alive for quite some time."

With practiced efficiency, Astel approaches the villa and knocks on the door. The butler opens it and his eyes widen at the sight of her, visibly tense before forcing a neutral expression. "Astel," he says stiffly. "What an unexpected pleasure."

As we pull up to the villa, Astel steps out of the van and takes in the opulent surroundings with a satisfied smirk. She glances back at Gravy, nodding her approval.

"Very well done, Rookie,"

she says, handing over the container full of organs.

The look in the girl's eyes as she greets you and takes possession of her new heart is both gratifying and surreal. She doesn't know it came from someone like Alyssa; that this organ was once a part of a life far different than her own. It's the circle of life, she supposes - or at least, in their twisted version of it. Astel watches her from the corner of her eye, waiting for an acknowledgement, some sign that what they did meant something to her. But she gets none; the girl merely thanks them and bids them goodbye, already returning to the lavish lifestyle her new heart affords her.

It's another successful mission completed under their belts; time for Astel and Gravy to move on, find their next mark. With a sigh, she steps out of the van and onto the villa's opulent driveway, her heels clicking against the concrete as she exhales a plume of cigarette smoke into the air.

"Well then,"

she mutters, her voice laced with bitterness,

"Shall we see who's next?"

"Make sure these are delivered quickly."

With that, Astel saunters up to the front door, a satisfied smile playing on her lips as she rings the bell. This job is now complete; time for some much-deserved rest and relaxation before they move onto their next target.

"Get some rest, Rookie," she yawns as you drive off. "Tomorrow's another busy day." Her own eyes are bleary with exhaustion, but there's a glint of anticipation in them too. Astel can already feel the weight of her next mission on her shoulders; it promises to be more challenging than most.

With a sigh, she climbs into her car and begins the long drive back to their secret HQ, lost in thought about all that lies ahead. The city lights flash by like distant stars, offering little comfort as she wrestles with the demons of doubt and uncertainty.

"Good work tonight, Rookie."

She pats you on the shoulder before climbing into her own car, already yawning tiredly.

"Get some rest; we'll have another mission for you soon enough."

As she pulls away, she glances back at you briefly, a strange look in her eyes that you can't quite place.

"Don't forget,"

she says slowly, emphasizing each word,

"about our little agreement."

"Don't take too long, Rookie."

Her voice is muffled as she yawns again, rubbing her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"We have another client lined up for tomorrow."

Astel pauses before adding,

"Try not to get killed tonight, alright?"

She chuckles softly and gets into her car, disappearing into the night.

As you lie there in your bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about all that's happened tonight, Astel can't help but feel a pang of sympathy for you. She understands why you take these jobs; the thrill of power, the need for money...but it comes at such a high cost.

"Don't forget," she whispers to herself, her voice barely audible over the sound of your breathing, "that there are consequences."

Her eyes flicker briefly towards Alyssa's corpse before drifting back to the darkness, wondering if maybe...just maybe...there might be another way out for you. But as always, she quickly pushes aside such thoughts; they only weaken her focus and make her vulnerable.

Sleep comes slowly, like a black wave crashing down on her tired mind, but even in dreams she can't escape the haunting image of Alyssa's perfect face marred by death. It will be a restless night indeed for Astel.