POWER MANIACS (girlxgirlxgirl)

49. Veton's past words in the future

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⚠️ kidnapping, mentions of death, mentions of drugs ⚠️

Dahlia remembers exactly what she felt the day she delivered that empty package to the Power Company, for the first time, and finally got to see Irie again.

She'll never forget it.

The excitement, the fear, the nervousness.

And now that she stands here again, in the hallway of the first Power company floor, with an empty package in her hands, Dahlia begins to wonder how much has changed.

"I've got a package"

It stabs her in the heart that her words are exactly the same as they were then. She stands in the doorway, one foot in the hallway and the other inside the first room she ever entered in the facility. The one with pink neon lights illuminating the space in a weird, ominous aura, and what seems to be nothing but a front desk right in front of her. It hurts because she can now remember who it was, sitting there behind the desk. Veton. It was Veton, and for a moment Dahlia had hoped to see her here again, sitting by that same desk and staring at her with that same chilling look.

But it's not Veton. It's someone else. Someone perhaps slightly younger, a trainee.

And even though her eyes are just as cold, she is not Veton, and that brings waves of disappointment onto Dahlias's shoulders.

The girl continues to stare at her, eyes chillingly calm. Dahlia pursues her lips. She needs to get over herself and pretend to be that stupid delivery girl again. With a mask and a cap, hair unnaturally styled and clothes oversized, it's highly unlikely that they'll recognise her. And even if they do, well... Dahlia is willing to bet on the chance that they won't. She is willing to bet her life on it, even. This is how she got right into the Power company last time, without meeting any staff. That might have been because they were waiting for her that time... waiting for her to fall right into Irie's trap in the elevator, but... no, Dahlia still has hope.

She will get into the building like this. And, on top of it, she'll somehow figure out where they are. She knows she will. This is their last chance.

"It says that it's for 'Miss Cindy'. Where should I leave it?"

The girl in front of her is quiet for a little while longer, her eyes following Dahlia, judging every molecule in her body. Dahlia, not wanting to upset the trainee Powered, or look too suspicious, makes sure that her hands are shaking just a little, and that her voice sounds nervous. It's not hard to pretend to be scared. She is scared. It's only then that she hears the other speak.

"So you decided to just walk in here?"

Dahlia is taken back. That is exactly what-

That is exactly what Veton said. That day she came here for the first time, this is exactly what Veton said. Dahlia lets her eyes widen for just one moment, desperately searching for Veton in this unfamiliar girl's face. But she sees nothing but coldness and unrecognizable unfamiliarity and it makes her shiver all over.

It is a bit creepy, how similar this situation is to last time. But at the same time it's so different. Last time she was fearing for her life simply because of the creepiness around her. Now, she fears for her life and for the Powereds lives, fully aware of what they are facing, and how impossible it may be to save them.

Fully aware of what danger she is getting into.

And maybe it's that look on her face that makes the girl suddenly change the entire course of her words.