The man approached the front desk, his voice quiet but clear.
"I'd like a full beard trim," he said, his accent clipped, precise. "And a hair wash… gel finish. Nothing flashy. Just clean. A little dull."
Rein stepped forward, her black gloves already on, her own undercut glinting under the salon lights. "Of course, sir," she replied with her signature professional calm, eyes scanning the man's face a moment longer than necessary. Then, gesturing toward one of the reclined chairs. "Right this way."
As the man followed, a few more curious eyes followed his path. But he seemed unconcerned on the surface while he was secretly also observing them. Sinking into the chair with practiced ease, back straight, arms resting on the armrests as if he were sitting for an interrogation instead of a grooming session.
Rein slipped a cape around his shoulders, his movements deft.
"Preparing for the festival also, are you?" she asked, prepping the scissors and oils on the side tray.
The man gave a committal grunt, then added,
"Just passing through and wanted to match the occasion."
But Rein, who had handled her fair share in the past which included fugitives, drifters, government officials in disguise, and secret lovers pretending to be strangers, recognized a soldier's silence and bluff when she heard it Not rude—just trained. Watching everything. Saying little while some overreact but the first could be Said of this one.
As the steam rose and the water began to run, the man's expression slackened just slightly. His eyes, a stormy green, drifted toward the mirror—watching not just himself but the room behind him. Ever the observer.
Rein gently lifted the man's chin, running a warm cloth along his jawline. "You've got good bones under there. This beard's hiding half your potential."
The man huffed a soft, humorless chuckle. He looked at his watched which seemed to read his hear beat or signals.
Outside, another car pulled up—unmarked. Parked for barely a beat too long before a figure stepped out and leaned against the frame, pretending to check his phone. Inside the salon, a second stylist flicked her gaze to the window and quickly stepped into the back room.
Rein leaned in a touch closer as she ran the clipper down the edge of the man's jaw.
"You're not just here for a haircut," he whispered softly, almost conspiratorially, his voice low enough to be drowned by the whir of dryers. "Townhead's men don't wander into salons unless they've got something brewing."
The man didn't flinch, but his eyes flicked up to meet Rein's in the mirror, his eyes then darted to look at her chest to which he was tempted to look at longer but he abstained not wanting to loose composure and end up landing himself in a compromising position.
"Sure the town's head would have given you heads up on visitors coming by the town so I suppose me being here isn't a strange thing," he replied coolly.
Rein smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Or maybe you're looking to ask the right questions in the wrong places."
Silence settled between them again as the beard began to fall away in dark curls, revealing the man beneath. A younger face than expected. A soldier who'd seen too much too early, and wore the world's weight on his spine.
Then, just as the man leaned back for the wash, Claire stepped quietly behind Rein and dropped a folded towel on the counter. Tucked beneath it was a small slip of paper, discreetly hidden.
Rein didn't miss a beat. She continued to work while noticing the man's gaze towards her chest which very much made her uncomfortable but she didn't show it.
Claire who also noticed the situation used her ability to send whisper from a distance, " Sis, Keep your head up, and your ears open. He's not the only one watching."
Outside, the figure by the unmarked car glanced up just as a shadow moved past the salon's upstairs window. They could tell that Something about this salon wasn't as simple as it looked.
The man's wristwatch suddenly beeped just a few seconds after Claire had used her ability. This beep was to indicate an abnormal amount of frequency was in the area which definitely implied that an ability user was nearby, more or less closer to him within the salon.
He glanced around a bit which caused a cut to appear by the shaved side of his chin but he didn't care about that. After looking around and didn't find anything, he gave up and walked to the counter to pay for the cut. He then looked at rein his gaze seemingly lecherous as he now revealed his true nature alas it didn't bother them given that he was already taking his leave.
Just like the restaurant, one of Scott's boys who happen to be inside the unmarked car took pictures with an old camera and also pinged but stood by as he was sure that the man would come back.
And deep inside the kitchen of the nearby café, Benefactor, sipping tea now cooled and forgotten, glanced at the clock.
Things were about to start unraveling. Or coming together. Depending on who you asked.