She leaned back in her chair, stretching. She had spent hours staring at the monitors as they glowed in the dark of the room. She liked the dark, sometimes it helped her think. The cameras hidden around Cahill manor were working just as planned, allowing her to see everything. That was definitely one advantage of being an Ekat. Neither the Cahills, nor Kabras had any idea they were being watched. If she knew the two families enough, they were both in for a rather interesting little treat.


Andrew woke early the next morning, as he usually did, but today he almost tripped over a large pile of books, haphazardly scattered about the hall. He started to clean up the mess. stacking books into orderly little piles.

Why can't anyone pick up after themselves? he thought in irritation. Why are so many books in the hall anyway?

The books trailed away from his room down the hall, and to the bottom of the stairs.

Andrew left random piles of books out of the way, so no one would trip over them… namely Nellie, who was acting like a bit of a clutz lately. He followed the trail of books to a closet. Books were heaped around a table in the center of the room. Andrew wandered inside to clean.


Isabella lay in her bed, it was softer than she was used to, but it was something. She had woken, and couldn't go back to sleep. The blankets coiled around her, wrapping her in its warmth. She was too tired to get up. the sun was just starting to come up, and she hadn't slept well the night before. Her blankets had gotten too warm when she finally dragged herself out of bed. She glanced at her box of poisons, and went to make some tea she had brought from home. She looked at her box again and noticed that it wasn't how she left it the night before. it was wide open, and poison number 217 was gone. In its place was a rolled up piece of paper.

Isabella,

I have one of your poisons. If you want it back meet me in the room depicted on a map of the house underneath this box.

Hope to see you then.

Why was there no name on the bottom? That would make this so much easier. Crap, I need to get that back, now! Wait, there is no point in being frantic. Just calm down. Breath.

Isabella took a few deep breaths to help calm herself. She picked up the box, and found a rather crude map of the west wing of the mansion. She went to the place on the map, and stopped outside a door that she was sure she had never seen before. There were a few stacks of books on either side of the door. She opened it, and looked inside, trying to see through the dark of the room. Whoever had stolen her new truth serum was going to get it.


Nathaniel sat up in bed. glancing at the clock next to his bed. It was turned off. He scowled at the thing, wondering how in the world that had happened. He checked his watch on the bedside table and noticed that he had slept in yet again. He was doing that more lately. He had a strange dream, and he couldn't quite remember what it was. It was odd, but all he could remember was that he didn't want it to end.

He got out of his bed, and went to get dressed. He started to sort through his clothes. He decided on a rather plain button down, and a pair of slacks. After all, he wasn't going anywhere special. It was just another reunion.

It was about 10:30 when he went to go check on his sister. Nathaniel had almost opened the door when he felt himself being watched. He cracked the door open and stepped into the hall. He felt something wet slide over his head, and down his shoulders. He looked up, and saw an empty pudding container with a string attached to it.

He looked around, and saw Dannie rolling on the floor laughing. Is that really the best she's got? He smirked, grabbed a handful of pudding off his head, and flung it at the girl.


Nellie was making breakfast when she heard a crash from upstairs. It sounded like something expensive was breaking. Again. Sighing, she went to go investigate.

When she got to where the noise had come from, she saw a pudding covered hallway, and two pudding clad teenagers. They were both pointing and laughing at the other. There was a shattered picture frame farther down in the hall.

Never would have thought those two would get along so well, she thought, remembering how often the two liked to fight. She went to finish cooking. The eggs were almost done, and the bacon was probably burning right about now anyway.