The attic door creaked open, and the doppelganger strode in with a twisted grin plastered across her face. She looked at Roselle and Runebelle who were tied to chairs. Her eyes gleamed with a maniacal intensity.

  "Look who’s awake," she said with a mocking cheerfulness. “You’re just in time for the final act of my little performance.”

  Roselle glared at the doppelganger while struggling against her bonds. "You won’t get away with this. Someone will stop you."

  The doppelganger’s laughter only grew more intense through the attic. “Oh, how naive you are. The entire Detective's Club will be dealt with—either sent away or eliminated. And then? We doppelgangers will take their place. No one will even know the difference.”

  Runebelle, maintaining her calmness, said, "What exactly is Shadowcroft planning? You might as well tell us now, right?"

  The doppelganger leaned against the doorframe. “Since you’re about to be incarcerated and eventually eliminated by Shadowcroft, I suppose there’s no harm in filling you in on our grand plan.”

  She stepped closer with an evil grin. “Shadowcroft’s plan is quite elaborate. Phase 1 is straightforward: eliminate Roselle and replace her with my friend, Rosebelle. Once Rosebelle assumes Roselle’s identity, she’ll seamlessly integrate into Roselle’s life without raising suspicion.”

  The doppelganger's smile grew wider. “But that’s just the beginning. To ensure Rosebelle’s role is solidified, we’ll extract the power Roselle possesses and transfer it to her. Once the transfer is complete, Roselle will cease to exist. It’s a neat little package of deceit and destruction.”

  She paused, letting the words sink in before dropping to a sinister whisper. “The people of this world will fall into chaos. Shadowcroft’s doppelgangers will live their lives without any of the inconvenience that comes with being in the shadows. They’ll have everything they want, and you meddlers will be no more.”

  Runebelle’s eyes narrowed. “And you think this is all going to go according to your plan?”

  The doppelganger chuckled darkly. “Oh, absolutely. Everything is meticulously orchestrated. There’s no room for error. And once we’re done with you two, our victory will be complete.”

  Runebelle, despite the dire situation, maintained her composure. "You can't erase someone like that. People will notice! We have friends, connections!"

  The doppelganger’s lips curled into a smirk. She paused, turning back toward them with an air of cold amusement. “Didn’t you hear what I said? ‘No room for error.’ We’ve got it all planned out. The doppelgangers will take your places seamlessly.”

  Roselle’s hands trembled while looking at the doppelganger. “How could you do this? You have your own identities. You should be satisfied with that. Why go this far?”

  The doppelganger’s face twisted with rage. She stormed over to Roselle, glaring into her eyes with an intensity that was frightening. “Satisfied? Satisfied with what?! Friends, family, happiness? These are things we doppelgangers don’t have. We live in the shadows, forever defined by the lives we imitate. We’re never seen, never recognized for who we are. We only exist to fill in gaps, to mimic.

  “And you think we should be content with that?” The doppelganger started to shout harshly. “We’re not satisfied. We’re not content. We want more. We want to be more than just reflections. We want to live lives of our own, free from the chains of imitation.”

  She stepped back. “This is our chance. Our opportunity to break free from the shadows and claim what we’ve been denied. We’ll replace you, take your power, and finally have what we’ve been deprived of for so long.”

  The doppelganger’s face momentarily softened. For a split second, she looked almost conflicted, but then she shook her head violently. “No… I spared you before because I thought it would be better for Rosebelle to gain your abilities without causing too much disruption. But now… now I’ve had enough of this. No more lectures.” The doppelganger pulled out the knife she had used earlier.

  Runebelle, sensing the urgency, quickly interjected. “Wait! We can help you. There’s a way to achieve what you want without resorting to this. We can work with you to make the replacements, but you have to call off the police who are on their way and let us go.”

  The doppelganger hesitated. “What are you talking about?”

  Roselle, still tearful but with a spark of hope, added, “Runebelle’s right. We can help you with the replacements, but you need to trust us and give us a chance.”

  Runebelle, seizing the moment, took a deep breath and said, “Come closer. We need to be sure you understand what we’re offering.”

  The doppelganger, still holding the knife, moved toward Runebelle, “I’m listening.”

  Runebelle subtly shifted her position slightly. Her gaze flickered to Roselle, who met her eyes with worry.

  “Listen,” Runebelle said calmly.”What we’re proposing is a way for you to get what you want without further bloodshed. You can replace those you want, but you need to give us a chance to prove that we can help you achieve your goals in a less destructive way.”

  The doppelganger’s eyes narrowed. “And why should I trust you? You’re just trying to buy time.”

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

  A strained, uncomfortable grin attempted to form on Runebelle’s face. “Yeah, I guess I am stalling. If you want to do something about it, go ahead and stab me.”

  The doppelganger’s eyes flickered anger. She lowered her gaze momentarily, trying to make sense of Runebelle’s blatant admission.

  It was then that Runebelle said almost casually, “Oh, and by the way, you came in here without any clothes on.”

  The doppelganger’s eyes shot down in embarrassment. The split second of distraction was all to execute a low blow to the doppelganger.

  The doppelganger let out a sharp gasp. Her body jerked backward and she clutched at her groin. The knife slipped from her grasp and fell, clattering to the floor at Runebelle’s feet.

  Runebelle swiftly dragged her bound foot toward the knife, inching it closer. Her eyes narrowed with focus, and she took a deep breath.

  “Alright,” Runebelle said, her voice steady despite the precarious situation. “This might be a dangerous idea.”

  With that, she shook off her shoe, leaving herself in her white socks. Carefully, she maneuvered the knife with her toes, grasping the hilt with the tips of her socks. She then attempted to lift it up and maneuver it toward one of her bound hands.

  Roselle watched in astonishment. “Runebelle, are you serious?”

  “Desperate times,” Runebelle muttered. She concentrated intensely. Her feet trembled slightly. Her socks brushed against the blade, and with a final, deliberate twist, she managed to get the knife close enough to grasp it with her hand.

  With the knife now in her grip, Runebelle quickly cut through the ropes binding her arms. She immediately turned to help Roselle, slicing through the remaining ropes with quick, decisive movements.

  The doppelganger was flushed with embarrassment and fury. She got up and immediately charged at Runebelle and Roselle and screamed with movements that were unsteady and frantic.

  Runebelle watched with a sense of detached disdain. “Pitiful. I expected you to have some fighting abilities, but it looks like my earlier kick really messed you up.”

  With a swift, powerful kick, Runebelle sent the doppelganger crashing into the wall. The force of the blow knocked the doppelganger out cold.

  Roselle looked at Runebelle in amazement. “Wow, you’re strong.”

  Runebelle offered a grim smile. “Now the shoe will be on the other foot.”

  While the doppelganger fumed in restrained frustration, Runebelle whispered to Roselle, "We have to play this smart. Once we reveal the truth, Risebelle's mother must understand. We need her cooperation to expose Shadowcroft's infiltration."

  Roselle and Runebelle turned to leave, but suddenly a bluish energy began emanating from the doppelganger.

  Runebelle glanced back with her eyes widening in disbelief. “No way, a power awakening?”

  The doppelganger grinned with a bluish glow coming to her eyes. “Yes, this is not acceptable…I have to prove my worth. I’m not worthless!”

  With a scream, the doppelganger broke free from the bindings. She moved with a speed that was almost impossible to track. Runebelle tried to block the flurry of blows, but they were too fast. Each strike landed with overwhelming force, and she was driven to one knee, gasping for breath.

  Roselle panicked. Roselle struggled to defend herself against a relentless amount of punches, but the onslaught was overwhelming. Roselle also fell to one knee.

  The doppelganger paused. Her face twisted with anger. “Panic Burst…It’s my ability. It activates when I’m in a panic. Makes me faster, stronger... unstoppable.”

  Suddenly, A doorbell rang downstairs, drawing everyone's attention. The doppelganger's eyes widened in surprise. Risebelle's Mother could be heard answering the door, and a conversation ensued.

  The doppelganger chuckled. “That must be the police. Looks like it’s over for you two either way.”

  Roselle looked up with her jaw clenched in defiance, while Runebelle mirrored her face.

  The doppelganger continued to laugh, savoring her perceived victory. “You lose.”

  Someone suddenly rushed into the attic with unexpected swiftness, wielding a hand-held game console like a weapon. It was Angie of the Detective's Club. She was wielding her hand-held video game console like a weapon. Her outfit bore small, game-related patches and pins. Her skirt had been slightly altered for comfort during her gaming sessions.

  The doppelganger, looking bewildered and frustrated, exclaimed, "Angie? You shouldn't be here!"

  Angie looked irate. Her eyes narrowed. “I was almost replaced with a bastard of a doppelganger who hates games! Who the hell created these doppelgangers? Can’t even hold a controller? What a damn disgrace!”

  For an instant, everyone was dumbfounded. The room filled with a stunned silence.

  Angie crossed her arms, continuing with a scowl. “I interrogated my doppelganger, and that led me to this place.” She shot a glare at the doppelganger.

  “Why are you interfering?” the doppelganger sneered. “Neither Roselle nor Runebelle are your friends.”

  Angie smirked. “Roselle owes me two favors. Until I get those two favors, I can’t let her die.”

  Roselle, regaining her composure, smiled at Angie. “Thank you.”

  The doppelganger, fueled by her Panic Burst, charged at Angie with blinding speed, her fists a flurry of motion. Angie deftly wielded her game console, pressing a button to enlarge it, transforming it into an oversized, futuristic weapon. Despite her best efforts, Angie's swings narrowly missed the agile doppelganger.

  With a quick sidestep, the doppelganger delivered a series of rapid blows to Angie. Angie stumbled back. She wiped away a trickle of blood from her lip and afterwards, a dark grin spread across her face.

  The doppelganger faltered under Angie’s unsettling smile. “Why are you grinning like that?”

  Angie laughed softly, the sound low and dangerous. “Because…you’ve just made this more fun for me.”

  Angie shifted her grip on her console. “You see, my ability lets me strengthen my consoles," she explained with excitement. "But there’s a catch—I set the rules for how I gain that strength through the console.”

  She activated a hidden feature. The screen on her console flashed with vibrant colors. “When I fight, I can choose from a variety of options. One of those options lets me grow stronger the more damage I take. It’s like leveling up in a game.”

  Angie pressed a button, and the console emitted a soft chime. “Boss mode: on,” she announced with a smirk. A green glow enveloped her body.

  The doppelganger's eyes widened in disbelief. “Such an ability exists?”

  “Believe it,” Angie replied while charging forward. “And now, it’s game on.”

  The doppelganger shifted their stance, adjusting to a more defensive fighting style. She started to deflect Angie’s console attacks with swift, precise movements. They smirked. “It doesn’t matter how strong you get if I can take you out quickly.”

  The doppelganger unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes on Angie with increasing force. Angie staggered slightly under the barrage. Blood dripped from her wounds, yet she remained composed.

  The doppelganger prepared to deliver a finishing blow on Angie. Despite her injuries, there was a fierce resolve in her eyes that made the doppelganger hesitate.

  Angie swung her console with a powerful, precise motion, catching the doppelganger off guard and landing a solid hit over their head that knocked the doppelganger out.

  Angie stood over her fallen opponent. She wiped off some blood from her face with the back of her hand. She then glanced down at the defeated doppelganger with disdain. “Finished already?”