Over the course of the next few days, Mevolent and her minions killed the remaining Sanctuary members. Some of them, like Junior Administrator Economical, put up a fight, but it was futile. Raven had the speed, Snow had the enthusiasm, and Adra had the manipulative authority to make sure no one escaped.
They kept the cleavers alive, for now, because they obeyed Adra's orders and because they were a blood supply for both Adra and Raven. However, they'd be picked off one or two at a time, which Adra was fine with. She liked killing her subordinates, even if it meant fewer people to boss around. That brought her back to the task at hand. Her scarf was getting dull.
She lurked in a corner near the cleaver's cafeteria and waited. That one wouldn't do, too skinny. Those three were walking together and it wouldn't do to kill one in front of the others.
She was interrupted by a call from behind her.
"Hey Mev, you got a moment?"
"Do not call me Mev, Snow."
"Sorry, boss. It's just-- Raven's killing a cleaver without your permission."
Adra frowned "She already had one today."
"She says she needs another so she can be near that blood scarf of yours without wanting to kill you." Snow shrugged, as if to indicate that she thought this was just an excuse.
"I see," Adra said thoughtfully. "Well, let me know if you catch her at it again."
"Yes, boss!" Snow nodded enthusiastically and then skipped into the cafeteria, humming an oddly cheerful-sounding version of 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.'
Adra frowned contemplatively and then caught and killed a cleaver. After her snack, she went into her office.
*******
The next morning, Adra entered her office. Snow and Raven were there for their usual briefing. They didn't notice that she'd activated the outer lock before entering. It could only be opened with a code word. For good measure, she'd also reprogrammed it to ignore all Australian accents. The door was just a precaution, though. If this went well, and Adra was certain it would, they wouldn't e en get to the door.
Adra moved behind her desk, and gestured to Snow and Raven to sit in the two other office chairs she'd brought in. They looked confused--usually these meetings were done while standing.
"My back is bothering me, so I am sitting, and I can't have you two towering over me. That would be unacceptable."
They both seemed to find this explanation satisfactory. They sat.
Adra sat as well, in the chair behind her desk. "We have a couple of problems that need addressing."
"What sort of problems?" Raven asked. She didn't see any problems. Evil had prevailed, and there was still plenty of blood to go around.
"We're all running this place now, but I'm the one who did all the work. You're both just basking in my glory."
"I painted Star's house purple!" Snow protested.
"I helped!" Raven added.
Adra shook her head. "I did all of the manipulating and threatening. I did all of the killing. I really don't need either of you here."
*******
The ghost of Jai floated down the hallway. It was inconvenient being a ghost. You couldn't run, jog, or even speed walk. Every second felt like an hour. Every second could be a second too late.
*******
Snow realized what was going on a split second before Raven. She tried to get up and run, but a wire snaked out from the chair and caught her ankle, pulling her backward so she fell flat on her face.
Raven moved slightly later, but her vampire strength allowed her to break free of one wire. The second and the third were timed close together though, and she couldn't break through both. More wires went after Snow as well, and soon they were both sitting in their chairs again. There were no wires covering their eyes, noses, and mouths, but that was about it. They couldn't move, and they certainly couldn't escape.
"I'm really sorry," Adra said, her gleeful tone implying that she was not actually particularly sorry. "Raven, I feel like having pet vampire is a bit of a liability when you like to wear scarves dyed with blood. Also, you diminish my supply of cleavers. It's really not in my best interest to leave you alive."
"But--but-- I'm awesome! And, um, you're awesome! So we make a good team and stuff!"
"I don't need a team anymore. I need to be the last one standing. You're in my way. As for you, Snow, you were so willing to come to me and tell me stuff Raven probably didn't want me to know. If you're willing to betray the person who converted you, how do I know you won't betray me next?"
"I would never do that, boss!"
"You might be telling the truth. In fact, I think you probably are. However, I don't need to take the risk." Adra shrugged. "Any last words?"
"No!" said Raven. "Absolutely not! I am not done with words. I will come back as a ghost and I will have all of the words, and the mean ones will be directed at you!"
Adra sighed. "Suit yourself." She had ways of getting rid of ghosts. "What about you, Snow? Anything you'd like to say?"
"Yeah," said Snow. "I'm annoyed that I finally got to be evil but didn't get to kill anyone. I really wish you'd let me kill Sil."
Just at that moment, Jai's ghost floated through the door. She just had time to start wailing "Noooooooooo...!" in a very ghost-like manner, but she was too late to save her bandmate.
Adra pulled a lever on the bottom of her desk and sharp metal spikes came out of all parts of both chairs. The wires unwound themselves, leaving the bloodied corpses in plain view.
"...oooooooooooooo...!" Jai continued to wail. Becoming a ghost had improved her wailing skills. She no longer needed to stop and breathe.
Adra enjoyed the sound of the scream. She pulled a pair of white gloves out of her purse and dipped one in Snow's blood, one in Raven's. She smiled and gave the code word to exit.
*******
Snow's ghost woke up to hear her band mate going "...oooooooooo....!" She climbed out of her body (it wasn't really useful now) and tried not to look at the blood.
"Hey Sil."
"Snow?!" Jai ran forward to embrace her bandmate.
"I'm sorry for not killing you."
"It's ok, I forgive you, you nerd."
Raven's ghost was not pleased that she wasn't included in the hug. She stalked off to either find and hug Taia or find and annoy Adra. She was cool with either.
*******
Adra was in the depths of the Sanctuary basement. After several hours of searching, she'd finally found it: the office of the Supreme Galactic Overlord. Killing Fabi would be the blood icing on the death cake.
Adra knocked. "Fabi? I have a question about the rules."
There was no answer. Adra pushed open the door. Fabi's office was full of purple things and glitter. There was also a perch for Henry, the telepathic ninja owl, but he did not seem to be present now. In fact, neither was Fabi. There was a note on the desk.
Gone Fishing.
(Jk, I actually don't really like seafood. Can't tell you where I really am, though. Top secret Supreme Galactic Overlord business. Peace out!)
Adra scowled. "Soon," she thought to herself.
