—---
Steven took a deliberate turn in the hallway without a word, already expecting Rhea to follow, and she did. She trailed behind him, her steps purposeful, as she hummed an off-key nursery rhyme under her breath. The tune was childlike, innocent even, but there was something suspicious about the timing, and it was loud enough to press into the back of Steven's skull like a fuckin' drill.
He was starting to regret making the psychopath walk behind him.
They entered a surveillance room buried in the far corner of the compound, and it was sparse. One chair, a lone monitor on a metal desk, and dim lighting that made the shadows feel closer than they should. File cabinets lined the walls— likely stuffed with documents chronicling the Ashbourne empire's every unholy transaction.
Rhea didn't know much about the family, and she didn't care to. All she knew was that the Ashbourne conglomerate was the beating heart of Aurelis; they built the city's energy grid, tech network and its sleek, unforgiving defense system.
They were basically three powerhouses under one banner— Ashbourne Energy, Ashbourne Techwork and Ashbourne Defense and Innovation. ADI belonged to her new stepfather. Her "big Daddy" as she liked to call him.
He mentioned his daughter had taken her own life because of bullying, and Rhea didn't understand it. Why would anyone so privileged, so high in the Aurelis city, toss away her life over playground insults? It baffled her. Or rather– it amused her. The girl had cracked under pressure.
"What are you thinking about?"
Steven's voice cut through the silence, making Rhea's gaze land on him, unblinking. She said nothing and simply stared at him. Not willing to spend another time alone with the walking weapon, Steven immediately got to it, gesturing at the monitor.
"Plug it in. Watch the footage. And don't touch anything else."
Rhea tilted her head as he turned to leave. "Strange. You're not staying to watch it with me?"
"No," he replied, shutting the door on his way out. Rhea waited for a moment before she exhaled a breathy laugh.
Sliding into the chair, her fingers glided over the keyboard like she was caressing it. She plugged in the USB and leaned back, her eyes flicking across the screen as the footage loaded.
—---
The three squads always gathered in the Alchemy lab after school hours– when the overhead lights flickered weakly and the stench of scorched chemicals still clung to the air.
Two girls in Novarion uniform flanked their trembling prey, dragging her forward and forcing her on her knees before their self-proclaimed queen, Nesta.
Nesta lounged on a tall lab stool at the front of the room, idly twirling a glass vial between her fingers. Her lips were painted pitch-black tonight, and it was a shade that matched the cruel curve of her smile.
Elira, who happened to be tonight's unfortunate focus– had been assigned one job: to complete Nesta's poison synthesis assignment before the submission deadline.
But she botched it. And in doing so, she'd almost tarnished Nesta's flawless academic records– an offense Nesta treated as unforgivable.
The soft click of the lab door locking behind her made Elira's spine stiffen. Her palms were damp, and her pulse erratic. She already knew, deep down in her heart, that she wouldn't be leaving this room untouched.
"Nesta, I—"
Elira hadn't found the chance to speak when she was struck in the face, her head turning to the side from the impact. Nesta clapped her hands clean, eyeing the girl before her condescendingly.
"Did I ask you to speak?"
Elira immediately shook her head, her palm resting on the cheek that had been viciously slapped. Her eyes watered from the pain, but she didn't dare let herself cry in front of them, else it would result in another form of punishment for Nesta and her squads. She just wanted to go back home after receiving the evening classes she had for today. If she knew Nesta and her gang would show up as well, she wouldn't have shown her face at the academy today at all.
"You turned in sugar water," Nesta said calmly as she repositioned herself on the stool. "You do realize the mistake you've made there, don't you?"
The calmness in her voice only reawakened a sense of dread in Elira. Her lips trembled as she tried to explain what happened. "Please– I'm sorry! I had your project ready, I swear I did, but– something happened– someone replaced the project I had made, and I panicked. But believe me, I really tried—"
Nesta slammed the vial onto the table, frightening Elira who flinched in fear. The vial bounced but didn't break. "Tried?" She scoffed. "You think I earned my place at the top of the academy by trying?"
Stacy, one of Nesta's ever-present companions, stepped in with a smirk, her arms folded as she circled Elira. "Maybe she sabotaged the project on purpose. A payback for her Plu." Her eyes sparkled with mock sympathy. "Remember the puppy incident?"
"That mangy thing?" Nesta's brow twitched as she turned to Elira, who frantically shook her head. "Is that what this is about? I told you I was sorry for that. You said you were fine. Were you lying to me all this time? And here I thought we were finally friends."
"Maybe she said she was fine, but not exactly," Mirene chimed in, the squad's third companion. She flipped through her little black notebook like she was reading something of utmost importance than the situation before her. "After all, after tying up the poor creature, you made Stacy ride her car over it. Over and over and over again. You made her watch the whole thing, too. Brutal."
Without warning, Stacy shoved her heels against Elira's shoulder, pushing her down hard to the floor. A painful cry escaped Elira as the heels' sharp bottom pressed into her shoulder.
"So that's it," she sneered. "A petty little act of revenge. I think someone needs a reminder of her place, something she won't forget this time."
She pressed her heels harder, the sharp point almost plunging into her flesh. Nesta raised her hand, signaling Stacy to back off first, and she did. She gracefully got down from her stool, her eyes fixed on Elira who was already choking on tears. But there was no empathy in her grey eyes.
"I have another idea for you," Nesta murmured darkly, and she crouched before the trembling Elira. Mirene was suddenly at her side, offering a small, crystal-clear cup to Nesta. She took it, a small smile playing on her lips as she held it out to Elira.
"Drink it," she commanded.
Sniffing back tears, Elira looked down at the clear liquid. No smell– it was utterly neutral. Fresh tears brimmed in her eyes again as they flustered up to Nesta. "What's in it?"
Elira barely got her answer before she was held up, her arms twisted behind her back. Nesta forcefully poured the content into her mouth, each drop more agonizing than the last, until she gagged and choked it down her throat.
"This," Nesta began as she pulled away, her voice cold as ice, "is my little project that I call the vegetable syndrome. Ten minutes to the muscles. Fifteen minutes to the lungs, and that's the end for you. Unless I give you the antidote, of course. But if you can make it to the hospital in an hour, you should be fine, as they can have you treated before the paralysis becomes permanent."
Her eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction as she watched Elira, who's breath began to stutter the more Nesta's words resonated in her head. Her fingers twitched uncontrollably, and panic bloomed like fire in her eyes.
Twenty minutes later, they left Elira collapsed on the floor, her uniform stripped from her body, while Nesta took pictures of her naked form. Elira's heart raced violently, her lungs ached, and her throat burned from her own desperate attempt to scream.
"If you tattletale about this to anyone, guess what I'm gonna do with the pictures I have of you. It'll be all over the Internet," Nesta threatened with a grin. "With Lila gone, I'll need a new toy to play with, and who else would fit into such a category if not you? My sweet Elira. Don't worry, the pain will be over soon, if you find someone to save you in less than forty minutes."
Giggling at her helpless state, they immediately left the lab, leaving Elira to her fate. Stacy crossed her arms and cast a side glance at Nesta.
"You ruined your own project to mess with her, didn't you?" She asked. "You sent someone to sabotage it."
"So?" Nesta scoffed, unphased. She folded her arms across her chest. "Everyone needs to know who runs Novarion around here. Let's see who can try to stop me."