Runebelle, decided to bring up an event that only the real Harty would recall.

  CipherMystery08: "Harty, do you remember when we first met? What happened that was so memorable between us?"

  Runebelle held her breath, waiting for the imposter's response.

  Chessmaster12: "Oh, Runebelle, when we first met, I remember it so clearly. There was this accidental kiss that happened, and I couldn't believe it. It was so embarrassing."

  Runebelle's eyes widened in disbelief. That never happened. The real Harty knew their first meeting was nothing like that, and he certainly wouldn't make up such a story. It was undeniable now; this was not the genuine Harty.

  CipherMystery08: "Harty, you know that's not how we first met. You're not the real Harty."

  The room around Runebelle seemed to darken. The Doppelganger, now exposed, began typing.

  Doppelganger: "I thought I had everything down so perfectly, but you, Runebelle, you're a remarkable detective."

  CipherMystery08: "You’ve been fooling us the entire time. What have you done with the real Harty?!”

  Doppelganger: "This was all orchestrated by Rosebelle. Even your discovery was part of the plan. Good luck figuring out the others. There are already two more among you. But I wish you luck, Runebelle."

  With that ominous warning, the Doppelganger logged off, leaving Runebelle to grapple with the unsettling truth that there might be more imposters among the group.

  Runebelle sat in her chair in disbelief. She thought back to the beginning of the week, when she had met Harty, and how he had been a rare and trusted friend. Her past was marked by a lack of friends, but Harty had changed that this week. They went out together, and while they were mainly discussing detective stuff, she felt happy.

  Runebelle whispered to herself, "I know when it happened. It was Saturday night, in the chatroom. That's when Harty started acting weird."

  The night before, when Harty had mentioned his phone being out of commission, it now made sense. “If his phone was actually broken yesterday, then someone else must have sent those messages. But it was Harty’s phone…”

  She made a mental note of everyone who might have been with Harty on Saturday night and any peculiarities she’d noticed in their behaviors. Then, she recalled the peculiar behavior of Michigo’s account and Roselle’s abrupt departure.

  Runebelle’s attempts to piece together the puzzle of Harty’s disappearance and the Doppelganger’s unsettling warnings were leading her to a deep, gnawing sadness. Despite her best efforts to stay focused, the toll became too much to bear.

  Runebelle’s heart felt like it was being squeezed. She left her room and wandered into her living room. She sank onto her couch, and memories of Harty flashed through her mind.

  He had a delicate yet captivating charm. His short, neatly combed hair framed his face perfectly. Those green eyes of his always seemed to be curious. Despite his deceptive shyness, Harty had managed to touch her life in a way she hadn't anticipated.

  The idea that someone could be impersonating him hit her hard. “I can’t lose him,” she whispered to herself with eyes on the verge of tears. “Not like this. I...I need to figure this out.”

  Runebelle's Mother’s thoughts reached her. “My dear, I know this is a heavy burden, but we will get through this together. You are strong, and with our help, you’ll be able to figure this out."

  Sadie added, "Harty is a resourceful person. He wouldn't let Shadowcroft take him down so easily."

  Runebelle nodded, drawing strength from the support the two minds that dwell within her.

  Runebelle suddenly gained an idea. She went back upstairs and logged into the chatroom. She retrieved the conversation logs and reviewed her past discussions with Harty. It was Thursday when Harty mentioned the first meeting with the Detectives club on Saturday, urging her to attend.

  She recalled hesitating. Now, on Sunday, a realization struck her—she should have been there. With a sinking feeling. This may have been where she would have spotted any initial signs of Harty's replacement by the Doppelganger.

  Runebelle shook her head. “No, no no! Stop blaming yourself, Runebelle... I can't let this get to me."

  Runebelle checked through data that Harty sent her last night involving some specific names while looking at the online list.

  "Risebelle, EclipseDreamer14. Harty said she should be hospitalized after a fight with Rosebelle. The fact that she’s online right now is impossible. Something's not right."

  "Angie, EnigmaGamer19. She's an owner and Harty's friend. She showed some concern for me even though we've never met in real life."

  Next on her mental checklist was Hashta's username.

  "Hashta, PixelChaos03. She's Roselle's friend. She might have information that we don't know yet."

  Finally, she reached Michigo.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Michigo, KarateSpirit23...a Doppelganger."

  Runebelle made the decision to reach out to PixelChaos03, through a private chat. Hashta accepted.

  CipherMystery08: "Hey, Hashta. I heard about your chat with Roselle. How did it go?"

  Hashta, alias PixelChaos03, was taken by surprise as she read the message from CipherMystery08.

  PixelChaos03: "Whoa, that's wild! I mean, I'm just a casual player around here, bowing to the mighty mods and all, but wow, I've never spoken to you, mysterious person. And a moderator too? Color me surprised! Also, how do you know I’m Hashta? Do all mods know or something?"

  CipherMystery08: "Let's just say I’m someone who works closely with Harty. I prefer to keep my identity a bit of a mystery. As for how I know you, it’s more about connecting the dots. You mentioned Roselle. Can you tell me anything unusual about your recent interactions with her or any odd occurrences around that time?"

  PixelChaos03: “Yeah! some serious stuff. But yeah, Roselle was freaked out. They were like ‘cut ties with the Detective's Club and kick Jess out’ and She was all, 'I don't think it's really Michigo.' Which, you know, I thought was kinda odd. “

  CipherMystery08: “Hashta, can you start from the beginning? I need to understand everything about your interactions with Roselle and the supposed call from Michigo.”

  PixelChaos03: "Oh my gosh, it's so scary! I can't believe it... So like…Roselle received a message from Michigo, but it’s not Michigo, so I’ll say ‘Not Michigo’, and they're threatening to harm Michigo if Roselle doesn't do what they want. And then they were like ‘cut yourself from the Detective’s club! Kick Jess out of your home!’ Talked to Roselle on the phone, and she’s bawling her eyes out. Man…I hate ‘Not Michigo’ so much!”

  CipherMystery08: "Hashta, thank you for sharing that. This helps a lot. But is there anything else you remember? Anything more about the threat or specific details they mentioned?"

  PixelChaos03: “Oh! I just remembered something crucial! They gave Roselle a deadline—like, 6 PM! They said if she didn’t cut ties with the Detective’s Club by then, something bad would happen to Michigo. That’s when she started freaking out.”

  CipherMystery08: "Thank you for sharing this with me. It's valuable information."

  PixelChaos03: "You're welcome! And, you know, it would be awesome to see you participate in the main chat sometime. You're so mysterious, and I bet you'd have a lot to add."

  CipherMystery08: “I need to act fast. If Roselle was forced to leave by a certain time, it might mean the imposters are planning something even more sinister. Did Roselle mention anything about their demands or if they had a specific plan?”

  PixelChaos03: “No, not really. She was just so upset and scared. The ‘Not Michigo’ person kept demanding she leave the club and seemed to know a lot about her.”

  CipherMystery08: “Alright, I appreciate your help. If you remember anything else, let me know immediately. This situation is critical.”

  Runebelle now initiated a private chat with Roselle, who went by StarlightSeeker27.

  CipherMystery08: "Roselle, I've been watching closely."

  StarlightSeeker27: "Who are you, and what do you mean by that?"

  CipherMystery08: "I go by CipherMystery08 in this chatroom obviously, and my role is to observe and ensure the balance. I've noticed the turmoil in your group."

  StarlightSeeker27: "What balance are you talking about?"

  CipherMystery08: "The balance of information, trust, and secrecy within your group. As a Moderator, I strive to maintain that balance. And lately, it seems like secrets are unraveling."

  StarlightSeeker27: "Secrets? What do you know about the situation with Michigo and this person who contacted me?"

  CipherMystery08: "I know enough to be concerned, but I need your co-operation to gain the truth and restore the balance."

  StarlightSeeker27: "I want to help, but I don't know where to start. What should we do?"

  CipherMystery08: "In the Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows, the Doppelganger theory suggests that when a doppelganger appears, it must be confronted. And I believe that time has come for you, Roselle, to confront yours."

  StarlightSeeker27: "How, when, and where do I confront this doppelganger? What do you know about it?"

  CipherMystery08: "I know everything about your doppelganger, Roselle, but this is not a conversation for the chat. We must meet in person, away from the eyes that also lie in the shadows. There's a place we can go, a place where secrets can be revealed and mysteries can be solved. There is an abandoned building that's a few blocks past the Silver Star Arcade downtown. Meet me there at 4 PM today. I'll be waiting. It's important you make it here on time. The life of your friend Michigo is on the line here, and you need to reach her before she ends Michigo's life at 6 PM.”

  StarlightSeeker27: “How do I know I can trust you? You could be behind all this, too."

  CipherMystery08: "Trust is a delicate thread, easily broken and hard to repair. I understand your doubts, but I promise you, meeting me is your best chance to uncover the truth. I assure you, I have no intentions of harming you or Michigo."

  Roselle took a minute before she responded.

  StarlightSeeker27: "I have a lot of questions. How can I be sure this isn’t a trap?"

  CipherMystery08: "The best place to find out the truth is at the meeting place. If I say too much here, the truth will be lost forever. You must see things for yourself to understand."

  StarlightSeeker27: "All right, I'll meet you at the old, abandoned building. But if you try anything funny, I won’t hesitate to defend myself."

  CipherMystery08: "Understood. I'll be waiting. Remember, timing is crucial. Trust your instincts, and more importantly, don't be late."

  Runebelle now attempted to send a private chat request to EnigmaGamer19; however, for some reason, her messages weren't going through. She sighed in frustration. Runebelle decided to log off temporarily.

  Runebelle's Mother appeared in her mind. "Runebelle, do you know what you're getting into?"

  Sadie spoke up within her thoughts."Runebelle's doing great on her own. She's come a long way from where she started. She's grown into a fine detective."

  Runebelle felt a lump form in her throat. Her eyes welled up with tears. “I couldn’t have gotten this far without you. If it wasn’t for your presence, your guidance… I might still be lost in confusion.”

  Sadie’s tone grew warm. “Runebelle, you’ve done incredibly well on your own. This fusion, strange as it may seem, might have been a blessing in disguise. Maybe it’s helped you grow stronger.”

  A small chuckle came through from Sadie. “Even though you’re technically the older sister, you’ve always been a bit clueless at times. But look at you now. You’ve become a much stronger person than you were before. I’m proud of you.”

  Runebelle managed a small smile despite her tears. “Thank you, Sadie. I really needed that...”

  Time: 4 PM

  The Meeting place was an old arcade which was a shadow of its former self. The once-vibrant sign now flickered weakly. Boards covered the windows, and the entrance had no door. The building seemed to sag under years of neglect.

  Roselle entered the abandoned arcade when she heard the sound of someone calling out to her. The sound of that person’s tone, the way they called her name, and even the pitch they used. There was no mistaking this for anyone else. “No way…it’s…you?”

  The person responded. "Impressive, Roselle. You're five minutes early."

  Roselle spun around. She squinted to try and see the figure standing at the entrance.

  Runebelle stepped into the flickering light of the old arcade's sign.

  "It's me, CipherMystery08."

  Roselle's eyes widened in surprise, recognizing the username from their private conversation earlier.