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When Ionna was handed off to the agents, Dallas was out of sight. He kept himself busy elsewhere so he wouldn't have to watch her go. Thinking about the change of custody made his stomach twist. He'd never put a uniform on, but in order to feed himself Dallas had been hired muscle for the government on many occasions. Extermination, deliveries, even VIP escorts. He felt he knew what their motivations were. If you were a human being, the provisional government would roll out the red carpet at the expense of certain human rights. On the other hand, most revenants had to break their backs just to make ends meet. Ionna wasn't old enough to prove her value as a warrior, so Dallas believed they wanted her for something else. His imagination went to the worst kinds of places. They might use her as a research subject, or put her through a top secret indoctrination program. Was he being pessimistic? Erik knew more about those spooks than anybody here, and if they were going to use Ionna for something unbearable then she wouldn't be going with them.

[hr]

It was late in the day, and like everybody else Dallas was helping with the preparations for tomorrow night. Poppy had orders for him as usual, and once again Dallas had no reply except to silently nod his head. Per Poppy's instructions, Dallas was on his way to the storage room to move some stuff around. A party needed munchies, so he was going to grab as many snacks and drinks as he could carry and take them to the Great Room. 

Dallas entered storage and flicked the lights on. He beelined to the corner where the team kept the non-perishable food and began shopping for junk food. He shoveled chip bags and boxes of sweets into a plastic garbage bag, only halfway paying attention to what he was doing. Dallas wanted to relax and enjoy the success of a job well done, but he was still distracted by everything that had happened today. As he walked around the room he mulled over his recklessness at the beginning of the mission. Getting himself pinned down with nothing to show for it was really stupid. 

When the bag was full Dallas went for the drinks next. He stacked boxes of juice and soda while continuing to ponder today's events. That revenant. What was her name? Who was she with? Dallas hadn't met someone who knew his name in a long time. His memory loss made him desperate for answers, but there was no way of figuring out where the girl went. What about the ominous warning she gave? She said someone was coming for him. 

A cardboard 12-pack of soft drinks tore open when Dallas tried to pick it up. He sighed and quickly gathered the cans off the floor. Dallas rolled a can of orange Fanta in his palm while thinking about his next move. If a bad guy was targeting him, should he leave the Commune? If they decided to burn down the Crow's Nest anyways in order to hurt him then that would be pointless. Maybe he should just confess everything to Erik and Ajax. Dallas would feel better leaving his fate to them. At least then he could believe it was the best choice for everybody. 

Dallas eventually got the goods in order, half as fast as he could have done it if he wasn't so lost in his own head. With the bag in one hand and several boxes of beverages stacked on his other shoulder, he marched towards the Great Room. In minutes, Dallas was at the door. He didn't have to think about how he was going to open it with his hands full because right on cue, Poppy exited the room. He slipped behind her and stopped the door with his foot so he could squeeze past. 

[hr]

As he walked through the room, Dallas noticed a sweet smell hanging in the air. Was Poppy making something [i]edible[/i] in here today? So she did know how to cook. She just insisted on feeding them rabbit food because it was "nutritionally balanced". Dallas cut his thoughts off there. He shouldn't be so rude, even if it was just an idea nobody could hear. He brought the precious loot to the bar and unburdened himself there. 

Momentarily left with nothing to do, Dallas rested his elbows on the bar counter and admired the Great Room. The contrast between Victorian era furniture and modern comfort was a strange sight to behold. Someone had re-arranged all the chairs and brought in a huge television and karaoke setup. There was even a bubble machine. What the hell was that for?

Dallas idled like this for a minute or two before he realized something. He stank pretty bad. He'd been covering himself in the blood of thralls all day. Before handling any more chores or going to bed for the night, Dallas had to wash himself off. He got off the bar counter and headed to his room for a change of clothes.