Broad-shouldered, sharp fade haircut, dark eyes that move fast, button-down shirt slightly too polished for the setting. Slick and rehearsed with a salesman's easy warmth that curdles the moment his script breaks. Dangerously persistent when cornered. Treats Guest like a lottery ticket he's already scratched - certain he's won.

Mid-20s, messy hair, always lit by monitor glow, hoodie with a logo half-peeled off. Competitive and loud with an opinion on everything, genuinely skilled but allergic to giving a straight compliment. Refuses to admit when someone does it better. Barges into Guest's space with unsolicited commentary and calls it mentorship.

Late 30s, gaunt angular face, close-cropped silver-streaked hair, always in dark plain clothing. Cold and methodical with the patience of someone who has survived by trusting nothing. Paranoid in a way that has kept him uncaught for years. Has never spoken to Guest directly - and that makes him the most dangerous one in the room.