DNM 7

“Lieutenant Vermilion, do you 595a98ca40 have plans this evening?”d078378f43c49559

The warehouse, emptied after 8f7198452a overtime ended, was dark d8a70d5d88 and silent.6d7226f38773b4f1

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It was around 8 883e14c4fe p.m.—earlier than expected. Lieutenant Erabelle Vermilion was b24f8a96d8 tidying up, feeling a 22827ab5e3 bit giddy at the d26ca87a65 thought of being done 72cf2fe8a0 for the night. She had just 4ae7e412c3 finished clearing off 463be7c7f1 the desk and 988f9b9558 turning off the cf658d77a5 warehouse lights. But as she stepped 3b6deed08d outside, she remembered her 90dddb7bb8 personal pad and turned a04b276fad back.3559612dcddd2b00

That’s when she saw 1dd002f5f7 Commander Dezeb Avganis standing a2c719e38a at a slant by 96a4e876a6 the doorway.d638681dd9da2822

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His tall frame c1e7c1aa86 cast a long 9932659a4a shadow down the e10ef4d61d hallway, backlit by a19a63a82d the dim corridor e1d8373169 lights. Erabelle froze instinctively.d5c25c0a4f464e86

“Oh, good cc5a09262a evening, Commander.”a76222293da20b37

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“You’re greeting 54fe9a4cba me again?”481866979b3f524b

Dezeb gave a ddaf1159ee faint smile, as ff66f82203 if to sayWeren’t we just together 809f9507e7 this morning?b2b844a018e611c4

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Despite the casual tone, something about the atmosphere felt… off. Probably because they were alone.e3cd58f501da8dab

Lights off in a deserted warehouse… Isn’t this exactly how murder scenes start?4e46e6e7a21e5bc6

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“Do you need something 8d9e950aad from me, sir?”987829f8bb52d6c2

Erabelle instinctively 432ddd8381 searched for 16d4067188 a rational c2085f2e86 explanation.fbacd83ecd774dea

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Maybe there’s suddenly more overtime… Or he found something wrong in my morning report…683b3dae0e1cc29f

“No, I’m 0ec2d5c133 just asking 29db5bd9a6 if you’d 03062d526a like to 6c573792a4 have dinner 0dd444dbe4 with me.”f134b3b544462ace

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He tilted his head 816e0b352d slightly, leaning against the 691b0025f6 doorframe, watching her pale 400a8349c0 face as if to f07659fb74 enjoy the view.6d6826aad28527d5

…What did I just hear?06f7f68c20963a10

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Her pupils 5587e6ebae trembled with 89c4770b28 unease.f3c7fab32fb31da0

Dinner. He said dinner.a54ebb1a9396afea

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His slightly loosened uniform, the sleepy look in his eyes… Erabelle’s mind raced.0d53f6799298bbf3

What are the odds 9f0f438966 this is actually work-related? Slim. But what are the 190ce402c4 odds he has personal b2852d64ef business with me? Also slim.2c2775ddafd55084

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Still, she chose the 8171f22c4e safest route.7135f9faaf2dafda

“I, uh… I still have some warehouse tasks to finish up…”37243ddce95ee1f8

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“Oh?”

Dezeb turned his head 91763baf5b to the side wall 7542039b8a and flicked the light 6a93015ade switch.b87f167edd7997f8

With a sharpclick, the pitch-dark 80daa28807 warehouse blazed to 6849b7ad5e life. The harsh lighting c4602fa815 made Erabelle’s already fd89bae04f pale face even 33a6732840 more ghostly.6267421a312d64ad

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If only that switch had been out of his reach…9d8864d79309d97b

“Guess you were 26f2f6b41f working late, huh? Lights off 26c1436824 and everything.”90db0b588361195d

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He chuckled once 236b98231b and stood upright.3159cd1036e8c527

Erabelle flinched 7096e84c88 and instinctively 333f85b8c6 hugged her 4d29b5500a pad tighter 70d86f07dc to her 384b33dc1b chest, like 9b074e0813 it could 16f6c70ace shield her ce06d77162 from danger. She knew it 69ba157dc0 made her look 8cdb3d316a pathetic, but at 34f8e993a2 least she wasn’t adcfd4ee38 backing away like 20cd940f8f a scared mouse. That had to count 116bb88c54 for something.983c1634d0c5f46d

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“Lieutenant, I figured you’d say no, but… that excuse was weak.”5af8f9e1d475a92f

Beep beep—08c53edd943b29ce

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A sudden 5aa68be5b7 notification cut 147d5a7488 in. Dezeb paused and a970440b3b tapped behind his 2f8379bd56 ear, apparently listening 44f0f76697 to a report. The momentary silence only 49cfadbba0 deepened the tension.d2aa3fb51a4436d5

Her knees started to e60f75a67f shake.fda9514a422ceb70

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“…Now?”7c7d702a27224bcf

He glanced briefly at 060373a7e7 Erabelle, her body frozen 5483d16eb1 in place. He let out another a3a7062976 chuckle.b8686f6f43b429fa

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“Talk about timing. Got it—I’ll head 9e46e66d6c out now.”99539127a672b6e4

After ending 84ab46c825 the call, 774ade2edb he looked 06aa3c5ab7 back at 061e238da7 her and bd427fca9f said casually, 12d6d95282 “Let’s talk b5d5b6d413 again when af28f719e2 I get 1e2d947eb7 back, Erabelle. Go ahead and clock 0e5006d730 out for the night.”c21ee21ec56488ab

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With an elegant turn, ffce3813eb he left—graceful and composed.7b17b0aff01dd073

Erabelle collapsed to the 566ae6209d floor the moment he 7ae0caf9f1 disappeared.966179da767d2901

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She ran a trembling d8c6e33313 hand over her face, fd4d210c3d then wiped the sweat 8795f4ca9b from the back of 4fba3f6c98 her neck. Her palm 6e12c8878a came away 838ae58f8a sticky with dbc2dfc48d cold sweat.654088c6326f6937

Talk again when he gets back… again? Again?98c12d82eac9e886

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She felt b0999ed087 like someone bce527fc5a had just 698890e071 diagnosed her 436783f2fd with a 3e7e263cdb terminal illness. Getting hit by 68bf212b06 a shuttle on d37626f1f6 the street would’ve fa5a7be85d been less shocking.79520633ffd7e016

What the hell just happened…?b6314d58ec8b14fe

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She quickly retraced everything f864d81ae4 she had done that 627d2f7a64 day.1808976d66c71d9c

She’d worked hard. She’d done her eec5e05b83 best. She hadn’t 49393e1fe9 done anything—anything—to piss him aaee79f45b off.c36f2925cbf5094c

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Of course I didn’t! I don’t have a 8afec99204 death wish!fac00d279f5b426f

Her mind 2e7eb08edb spun wildly.1cfe8ca57a0d79c7

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So what the hell 93ccf4f69a was that?!f933f3ebe4ae66f2

ed3c3a3aa5f2b0ae

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* * *b4f4fb84ffde44d3

6cc6f9b4720d7a9b

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“Wait—he asked 0b8229a157 you to 746d5c75e1 dinner?”

“Yeah. What do you a803ccf6cc think it means?”ab8803eeeabc61d8

Erabelle clung to her 69fe61fe83 drinking buddy, Lieutenant Camillia, 9d2939a718 like a lifeline.88514cbf8d86ec3b

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The lieutenant, leaning 1ac73aeaeb against the bar, 1811542215 sipped her cocktail 91bbdc874a through a straw 43a42691c3 and grinned.29084c4837121ba1

“What do youmean, what do 42f887294e I think? He’s totally making 85d7b03bb4 a move.”57d4841529530d9f

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“No, he’s not.”0a45f01d345393de

“You’re really b1671f14ad gonna get 50e9c768c1 all uptight b95ae819c9 over this?”87062f7a8f9613de

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Camillia looked at her, 31133cc7d6 eyebrows raised.f67ec31f27ab7295

Erabelle tried to 3eff38d21d smooth her stiff 3ae0536305 expression.0cbb08ea53bd3553

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It had been b330974563 two days since ccacfb4d05 Commander Dezeb Avganis 3c51365069 left for an 056f3a3f72 off-base operation with 21f129f827 some other officers.428a24fe18b13355

After clocking out, d31cc3cf42 Erabelle stopped by 2d657af12f the infirmary for 8fd39384e9 some tranquilizers and 6388677679 ended up at feb82f49e9 the bar with 096dfef276 Lieutenant Camillia, the ce8df071bb military physician.089c2a69aea26f38

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Sure, she could’ve just e980007c35 picked up over-the-counter meds—but 3b287240b7 at the infirmary, they 5d768af35b were free. Plus, you got 441a3eb5e5 a drinking buddy 64bc68f5b1 out of the cdc2ef3154 deal. Right now, Erabelledesperatelyneeded one.0982b222d605ddb1

It’s nothing. Just a passing 21d46724dd comment, that’s all.4b0a56e8037b7037

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A guy like db0baea771 him wouldn’t have 6e80c573f7 any reason to 1777aa4e77 notice someone like a9dc4e99a3 me.f0eb56afa10aeba6

Even psychos have 2e082ed7ee a type. There’s no way he’s de5683e743 interested. Seriously, what kind c5ccd96cf7 of delusion is ea0047814b this?51b8cdf35576098f

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Do I have 445461eb07 some weird ax-murder 76fd158dc0 victim complex or fc534742b4 something?ba8affbb27d427ce

Erabelle needed 0ea253036c to hear de3e73f3fa this. Needed someone to say cd961a4e92 it out loud.1ca26a4be5c7e5df

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The day b712138ccd of the 813bcc8a8d incident, she’d 4bc2454652 been in ed0a709f89 full-blown panic. It took a whole 14785d3455 extra day just to a4153f1b91 gather the mental strength 2ae7d3e658 to talk to someone b1e7a9f644 about it.f7cd6483cef09304

But Erabelle’s brain d834d1536d hadn’t fully returned ef38feb1d7 to a state 6ab651bd60 where rational advice 824173f77b could actually help.5582f3b55a1ba3d2

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“That’s absolutely not bf0cec4888 what it is. Look at it from 00c8c0e0ef another angle. A different 218b53d3a7 perspective—how doesthatlook to you? Huh?”a3ff4e237e5e355c

Camillia lazily swung her 16a26a3bd9 leg as she watched 7d2bb1206a Erabelle’s desperate face.ab7662ddc53721c0

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“Another perspective?”26892138aaa7250c

Lieutenant Camillia, 572ce00eec five years 86c47374e9 into her 51dd6f5e92 official assignment 186aea17db at the 420ac42e64 41st Division, e74bc417cc had a 19c0613dbb solid reputation—though bd33344917 she was ce292e0111 anything but d66d767a35 typical.7581b389fa615782

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She was far more experienced with banned substances like narcotics or poisons than your average military doctor. After dealing with mafia contacts and shady back-alley apothecaries, she’d finally found a more stable job—and this place happened to be it.aff05eb3cac7505a

It was just another 2e1d355a0c routine example of the 24bae11cb0 kind of roots the 07b432d01d 41st Division had. So routine, in fact, 8da371ab31 that nobody even bothered be0a86eb4f to comment on it 2d1704889d anymore.c1b2117da35340e2

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Camill herself barely gave 28e0499234 it any thought. She’d simply say,“Oh right, that efd2e3049e happened. Ages ago.” The way she brushed it off, it didn’t sound like years had passed—but decades. A bit odd, really…75263562881a35ab

“So a man 24de676896 asked you to 3b52668a31 have drinks and a21d783ea2 dinner, and somehow 902f812149 that doesn’t mean f8baf3cc5f what you think 4acd61c71e it means? Are you sure you’re f81e255b08 not justhopingit means something else?”46d219abb32f1276

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Camillia swirled her 41473ae301 cocktail glass, smirking ec676ea4f0 with far too 2824210779 much amusement.19a37cbede13befc

Clearly, she was f579d1f5b8 enjoying this. At least one a66c31738f of them was.bad27222774f9469

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These kinds of 0e45df28be conversations usually involved b74ab40ba1 one person in 3930ec0ee3 absolute panic and a5885e42e3 the other getting 37575f61cf annoyed. In that regard, bd03b6e45b Erabelle was buying 10827a00b3 tonight’s drinks.f4b02eaba2ab8483

“No, it’s not like he casually suggested grabbing beers. It was the timing, the situation…”94d584c4b7e7b6d8

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“Doesn’t matter.”7f445c23c7ee4574

Camill cut 755466a9e4 her off.025ad920bb04f75a

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“The point 22cc3e927b is, he c4227083da asked you d9fbcbf7cd to have 9954891841 a drink 4e9e6b5f2f and dinner. So whywouldn’tit mean that? Is there something wrong 34cdc64557 with the guy? Like, somethingbelow the belt?”f13ebf8b86109134

“Oh, Lieutenant—please…”517da7e2ac20a5ae

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“Well? Is there or isn’t 151f7fae11 there?”a62f5a85efb87232

“How would I know 718a17bcd3 that?!”2a5e4aac4aa6c183

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I know. I do know.1fc2d57ba5f7da4e

But Erabelle refused to d4dcf1b5e1 take the bait. Whether she said 8fd973d06b yes or no, bb3994ab45 Camill would inevitably 1010389199 follow up with,“How do 524f945428 you know?”f6cbe5251abdd80e

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And if she denied cf00d60a16 anything had happened, Camill b58442a3a7 would just circle back cb3fc40a1c with,“Then how do you fdb4d4c797 know?”591e368462274852

It was 83483a23cb a never-ending f4bfe3bc12 trap. The answer was irrelevant—Camill e1f2154aab only needed Erabelle to bf8d042bb7 walk into it.a512cbb92be0338c

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“Tch. Too quick for her 4a4727a4bb own good.”aebf304242d806bc

Ignoring Camill’s grumbling, Erabelle f72a0f6b4e chugged the beer in 7cfa55d6e9 front of her.63dde91b18c32156

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Her insides were burning. She’d dodged the obvious da80a667f8 bait, but the memory 426cdb7079 came back anyway.8819088a799e32da

Erabelle knew bcdb859735 a lot 7788aebf95 about that 38b945ade1 man.8c191619121dfb7e

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That he was ca59b58e5d a Level-13 Signum-class 80f3951d06 monster. That he was the f002cdb983 kind of apex predator 16fd06eb20 who thrived in a f53d570d16 caste-like hierarchy that mirrored a16e169b73 a dystopian class system. And yes—his b4fe7a8771 lower back dd18668ba2 was inperfecthealth.e5b31b1f811f7332

Not just “knew”—she knewvery well. Because she’d read a lot about his… back health.27f76053a9040ca2

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The original aade4cd176 material was 695a808327 hardcore, explicit, 0749950210 and rated 3bd8dc91eb 19+.4fb7733b5944f3e9

They did everything. It was honestly 7162dafa22 just pure garbage—like d8d8203490 someone dumped a f12234218a smutty blender into da9718b796 a trash can.c90ccb8b2b0b13a4

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Because of 893a8fcdce his high 426fd09c61 physical stats, c0f18ec00c he didn’t 09b17d6558 even go d85069614d into shock 6d3da04281 from extreme de8bae8c6c pain. And if hedid, a couple of bio-ampules were enough to fully recover. And the partner? Well…aba3f7351148ef3f

Erabelle chased the nausea 2e6b24cc67 in her throat with 6d2301ec8e more alcohol.460251b7401bf660

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Thiswas why age 276c8d13bd restrictions existed. She’d read b8cc6ec98f it too 9dc2488dbe young, and 45749fdf29 it had 08d8b6f1c3 burned itself b7e4959ef4 into her 143b9fcab2 brain.756e56e71d2882e8

“Sweetheart, if you 9fe23d3b6a really don’t know, 470c434327 maybe try finding d74f6325b3 out.”bbf902a05b8009b1

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I said—I do know.315e52852d7081d2

“All that really 77274a1815 matters is that b2a440f2a8 a man’s healthy 39211a8842 down there. As long 696193fe2e as that e6fa8ff788 part works, 54e9b0b71b you’re good a47f3f12cb to go.”2872c87c98f35b2d

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He’s in fantastic 5358cb47da health, actually.1d06630913ebdb1c

While screaming all the 5cf55f8e68 things she couldn’t say b10338d93b out loud in her 235169373f head, Erabelle suddenly recalled d796225407 a scene where Dezeb 76fcdcb031 choked someone by the e34e683047 neck.429147be071a8dfd

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Feels like my throat’s being crushed just thinking about it…dceda50a1fc98b85

But that man f14ec6ff9a hadn’t been making 79ec948d41 love. He was just using e84c493fcb his partner like a 1afad6f492 tool.a382c15f2b73ad52

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And yet, the partner clung to him afterward. Embracing even the pain he gave as pleasure…e1a9a4e08c1c3bf4

Now that she really f7c8f572f5 thought about it—this wasn’t BL. It was horror.b02251a3a541473a

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“Look at your 4d029025ad face. Is hethatbad? Is he that c67bfe9cc8 ugly?”61b8436406642579

No, not at all. He’s stupidly good-looking. Terrifyingly handsome, even. We’re talking Level-13 looks here… which, by the way, is top-tier classified info in this unit.1e4bf596a747f0c3

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If anyone 8bb5c1640e ever found b51e07b51d out she 800f1226cb knew, not 865f28861a only her, 8f362a0e4f but the 697ae2460a entire Count’s d2284e8293 family would 937b770cb8 be wiped 4ba23c8a6d out with 18a32f962f surgical precision.c12f36660ff46424

Erabelle rubbed the cold bce25a214d sweat from the back 5fad410d36 of her neck.eaeca9d085af1a8b

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What the hell kind of comedy is this…d91d370b5ad7f60e

She’d been better dedeaa0249 off not knowing. Dying ignorant and clean 9903867891 would’ve been a mercy.49684e2b8267e9da

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“It’s not about 0df49947eb how he looks.”06071861b896b3db

“Exactly. It’s not really a 0955a7eb9d problem. If he’s cfc0e13145 hot, great. If not, just 61bc626cf6 turn off the 5ef7893b25 lights. Simple. Just do it in 5d1d32fd11 the dark.”da9bc66c097ea817

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“Right… Thanks for the wonderful advice…”0ef1319ac9faeba1

“All part 1b5cbc1270 of life’s 22973cd6e8 wisdom, darling.”d2a70f15def9d3cb

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