TO BE HONEST, HELENE didn't care if Nathan had a spy here. She never had started her job with a passion for law and justice, but just because it was expected of her to perform well. What other way was there except to get as many titles as possible in front of her name, each one sounding emptier than the last? She was a professor now as well, even if she had no love for teaching. Sometimes she wondered if she even had any likes at all or if everything she did was simply because this was who she was expected to be. It all didn't matter in the end. What did, however, was that there was no use to her telling anyone about the spy. Only chaos would follow, as everyone would start to accuse each other, until all the trust the guards had for each other in this prison would be gone.

That too, would only be one of Nathan's games. He had nothing to lose in her knowing of his spy and that was why he had told her. For some reason he had the upper hand, even while chained up to the table, everything about him making it clear that he knew there was no way for him to lose in any situation. She wasn't sure if that was only because he had planned everything out carefully or also because he didn't care about whichever outcome would follow, but either way, it meant she had to be even more careful than usual when reacting. One wrong move and this whole house of cards would crash down, leaving her as collateral damage in it's wake.

"I heard you asked for me," she said," does that mean you're ready to talk?"

"Are you changing the subject?" Nathan smiled," it's fine, you did well today, so I'll go along. Yes, I wanted to talk to you."

Dante scoffed at the absurdity of the praise, so loud that Nathan's gaze flicked towards him.

"We haven't been introduced yet," Nathan said," Dante, isn't it?"

"How do you know my name?" Dante frowned.

"Shouldn't I know who's guarding my precious psychiatrist?" Nathan smiled," if not for you, she could be in a lot of danger, so I hope you're doing your job right."

"Who are you to tell me how to do my job?" Dante snarled," how I take care of Helene is none of your business, you criminal, especially considering you are the biggest danger to her."

The situation was becoming dangerous very quickly, the curve of Nathan's canines sharp as he parted his lips, like he was able to tear Dante's throat out within a second. He had been polite until now to her, but that was only because she was a piece he had allowed in his game. Dante was someone he didn't care about and Helene had clearly seen what had happened to the people Nathan didn't like.

"You can wait outside, Dante," Helene said, not breaking eye contact with Nathan," I'll be right there."

"What?" Dante said, eyes wide in disbelief," why?"

Because it was safer to keep her in the eye of the storm than him. Because, if Nathan had a spy here, there was no telling what else he could do.

"I don't want my patient to feel threatened," she said," this is supposed to be a safe environment for him, criminal or not."

Dante stared at her as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, slowly shaking his head.

"To think that I was actually starting to believe you were the right person for this job," he said," whatever, fuck it. I'll wait outside, so you can go ahead and make this so very safe for the fucking criminal who took innocent lives."

With that he was out of the door, slamming it behind him so hard the walls almost shook. None of the guards had attempted to stop him or calm him down, which meant they did have more respect for Dante than they had for her. He had only been here for a week longer than her, but in that time he had already managed to be well-liked throughout the prison, even despite his temper. Probably because of it. Even before she was a psychiatrist Helene could easily see the way people compromised their morals for their own benefit, the way everything was good until it didn't help them anymore. Dante wasn't like that - there was such a clear righteousness in him that looking at him almost made you feel like a sinner.

In his mind he had been defending her from a serial killer who was condescendingly praising her. The fact that he would still wait outside even with how angry he was said enough about his character, but the fact that he exploded without thought for the situation also did. She wasn't surprised that his mother had sent him here as his punishment. He probably had gone too far while defending his morals, so letting him accompany a psychiatrist was most likely an attempt to make him learn how to read the room.

Helene wasn't sure if she was the best example for that, not with how vastly different she was from Dante. She didn't care about compromising who she was, not when the situation called for it. The only way to survive in this world was to adapt and she had mastered that well, to the point that she didn't even care that Nathan was a serial killer. He was her patient and it was her job to figure him out. How she did so and what it would take out of her didn't matter. Only the results of her performances did.

"He's going to be angry with you choosing me over him."

She looked at Nathan, his eyes clearer than before as he watched her. He didn't trust her, but he had easily understood why she had sent Dante away. There was no need for him to have faith in her, as long as he acknowledged that she was clever enough to sit here, opposite him. If she proved to him that she wasn't disposable, that alone was enough for today.

"Are you?" she said," angry, I mean. He did insult you, after all."

"I'm not," he said, tapping his fingers on the table," it's just like hearing a fly buzz around the room, I don't care that much for it." He slammed his hand on the table then, alarming all the guards as he grinned. "Though I must confess, I squash it when it gets too close. I don't like being bothered by insects, you see."

"Am I an insect?" she said.

"I wonder," he drawled," I haven't figured it out quite yet. In any case, you've managed to keep me amused the longest. Besides, you've surprised me."

"In what way?" she asked.

"You're far colder than I expected," Nathan said," who knew you and I would have more in common than you and the oh so righteous guard of yours."

Helene could see the atmosphere in the room shift as all the guards glanced at her almost suspiciously, the way Nathan easily set the mood to his liking eery almost.

"I changed my mind," she said suddenly," all of you, get out. I want a private conversation with him."

"What?" one of the guards said," doctor Amsel, we were ordered -"

"It's fine," she said," I'll take the blame for it. The director's told me he would support all my decisions, so you don't have anything to worry about."

"I don't think you understand," another spoke up," this man's dangerous, doctor."

"And he's also chained up," she said," I may not know the way this prison works, but I do know how to do my job. Don't tell me you're all doubting me now?"

She knew the only reason they left the room then was because deep down, they were suspicious of her. Nathan casually was making it an "us versus them" situation, while putting her in the same side as him every time he spoke. It was no wonder they weren't that eager to protect her, but it was fine. There was no need for them to do so. She had managed just fine by herself all these years.

"You sure know how to make me curious," Nathan said," tell me, what is so private that you could only talk about it under four eyes? I promise to keep your secrets, Helene."

"I'll promise to keep yours," she smiled back," let's trade, shall we? I'm quite curious as well, about how much we actually have in common, that is."

"Alright," Nathan said, something strange glittering in his eyes," what is it you think we have in common then?"

"Abusive parents," Helene said, her voice echoing in the empty room," a house that was never a home, scars on your knees from praying for help that would never come."

Nathan was absolutely silent, staring at her with an undecipherable expression. He tilted his head backwards then, towards the fluorescent lighting, closing his eyes as if he was staring at the stars.

"I still dream about killing my father," he said," even with my hands around his throat, I kept dreaming about it. Do you know when you've wanted something for so long, desired it so terribly much, only to feel empty afterwards?" He opened his eyes then, the brown in them as cold as the end of autumn. "How boring. After all his big words, in the end he was just made out of flesh and bone."

"You didn't confess to killing your father before," Helene said.

"It's my biggest pride," he grinned," why would I give it away so easily to men who weren't even able to catch me?" He leaned forward then, the chains clanging against the table. "Besides, you promised to keep a secret. I'm curious to see how good you are at it."

The door slammed open then, two guards trying to hold Dante back as he ran in, his voice so loud she couldn't help but stare at him in surprise.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he shouted," what if something happened to you?" He angrily shook the guards off, jabbing his finger against the chest of one of them. "And you all, leaving her alone with a serial killer, you should be ashamed of yourselves."

"Dante," Helene began," it's fine -"

"No, it's not," he said, grabbing her wrist," why don't you have any regard for your own safety? Let's go, I'll take you to the doctor so he can check if you're alright."

"Dante," she said, being pulled along," I am a doctor -"

"Don't forget," Nathan called out after her," you still owe me a secret, Helene."

"I -" she began, too startled for once to form full sentences as Dante carried her out of the room.

She caught Nathan's last words just in time though, her blood almost running cold at them.

"I think you're right, by the way. I don't think anywhere is safe either when you're surrounded by monsters."