Episode 10: "House of Cameras & House of Numbers"

Chapter 10: A Turn For the Worse

The next morning, everyone was gathered downstairs in their school uniforms. Everyone knew what was happening, of course. Trudy had been fired last night and she was leaving this morning. Cameron was not the only misty-eyed person. She, Mara, Amber, Nina, and even Fabian were looking particularly down. But for Nina, Amber, and Fabian, it was because they were the reason she was fired. They had gone down into the cellar last night with her and Victor to find it bare of any tables and chemicals and animals but the cat, alive and well. Victor, believing Trudy had betrayed him, fired her and now she was leaving.

"Trudy… we're really sorry," Fabian said to her as she was about to leave.

"We didn't mean to get you into trouble. Honestly, we didn't," Nina spoke up.

"I know," Trudy said teary eyed. "It's my own fault for believing your silly stories." The Sibuna gang grew sadder at that. Trudy strode past them and stopped at Mara.

"We're going to miss you," she whispered.

"Oh, and I'm going to miss you, too. All of you," Trudy said. Cameron slowly stepped up, tears in her eyes. She expected Victor to make her join him, not her to get fired. But, she herself said it last night. Victor got rid of obstacles or people who got too close. That's exactly what he did with Trudy.

"Oh, Trudy," she said. Cameron hugged the woman, really, really devastated to see her go. Trudy hugged her back, but they pulled away as they heard someone come inside the house. Everyone looked over to see Victor staring at Trudy blankly.

"You're taxi's here," he said without emotion. Amber hugged Trudy tightly before glaring at Victor.

"How can you do this?" she demanded. "Trudy hasn't done anything wrong."

"Don't make things any worse than they are, Amber," Cameron hissed. Victor ignored them and waved Trudy out the door, rather forcefully.

"Goodbye, Trudy," he said insincerely. A second later, the woman rushed out the door, quiet sobs emitting from her. Victor closed the door with a loud boom and strode into the dining room.

"Are you okay?" Cameron heard. Jerome was looking at her with concern. He, too, was sad to see Trudy leave, but Cameron was taking it harder than him.

"No," Cameron whispered. Tears filled her eyes again, but she didn't let them fall. Jerome opened his mouth to say something he thought would be comforting, but was cut off by a yell from Victor. Everyone, at his direction, filed into the dining room. No one spoke as they sat at the table and waited. Within fifteen minutes, Victor was serving them sticky goop. Honestly, to Cameron it looked like an attempt at porridge. A really bad attempt at porridge. It was really sticky, to the point where you could pick it all up with your spoon drop it back into the bowl and it would be in the same shape as before. Victor had made tea as well and when Amber took a sip, she recoiled. Apparently that wasn't very good either. Cameron was sitting next to Jerome at the edge of the table and they exchanged disgusted looks with each other. Even Alfie, who would normally eat anything, did not look particularly hungry at that moment. And Mara was looking a little sick.

"I'm not eating this," Mick declared looking at the glop in his bowl. Victor gave him a look.

"Trudy always gave us toast with our choice of jam and-"

"Forget Trudy," Victor said cutting off Mara. Cameron was stifling a laugh at what Alfie had done. He had put the glop on a saucer before sticking his teacup in it. He lifted it off the table and it stayed. "And if you don't like my cooking, you can always do it yourself."

"How about we go and get breakfast from the vending machines in school, guys?" Amber suggested. Everyone muttered in agreement and quickly left the dining room, leaving all the cleaning to Victor. However, they were stunned at what they saw in the entry hall.

"No way!" Amber cried. "They're installing security cameras?" Indeed, there were men on ladders installing security cameras through the house.

"But they can't do that," Fabian said. "It's a total invasion on our privacy."

"And the camera adds twenty pounds!" Amber complained. Everyone but Alfie rolled their eyes at her.

"The school is always striving to improve your personal security," said Victor coming out of the kitchen. He had a wicked smile on his face. "This is our latest measure to help you feel safe and secure."

"More like creeped out and violated," Cameron muttered.

"This is a joke," Mick agreed.

"Safe and secure?" Jerome asked incredulously. All the residents of Anubis House left together, muttering in anger and frustration about Victor and the new security cameras.

~)8(~

"How are we supposed to keep searching the house with cameras everywhere? It's like we're on a dull reality show," Nina said pacing. She, Amber, Cameron, and Fabian were in their bedroom after school talking about how they were going to continue the search with the cameras around the house. Cameron might've been mad at them, but it didn't mean she was going to stop looking and helping out with the treasure. She had made a promise to Sarah and she intended on keeping it.

"I don't know I'm still trying," Patricia said coming into the room and throwing her phone onto Amber's bed. She sat down and sighed. "Rufus is never going to pick up. This is like Joy all over again."

"Except we know who took Rufus, we don't know who took Joy," Fabian said.

"But we have no idea where Rufus could be," Cameron added.

"And of course Victor took Joy," Patricia said.

"But Cam's right. Where does he take them to?" Amber asked. "And why?"

"Okay, we need to stick together more than ever now," Nina said. "Sibuna?"

"Sibuna," Fabian, Amber, and Cameron said.

"Si-what?" Patricia asked.

"Welcome to the club," Nina replied.

"Together, we are invincible," Fabian joked. Patricia smiled, happy to be included. She had been so mean to Nina and Cameron, but now they both believed her and were including her in their search along with Amber and Fabian.

"Okay, I have had an idea about these cameras," Patricia said. Everyone perked up. "But it means enlisting the help of our favorite comedy double act."

"SpongeBob and Patrick?" Amber asked.

"Alfie and Jerome," Cameron corrected gently. Patricia told them the plan and they all agreed. In fact, they were all a little excited about it. However, Nina stopped Cameron before they could leave the room.

"Cameron…" she said. "We know you're mad at us. And you have every right to be. You told us it wouldn't go well and we didn't listen. We didn't mean to get Trudy fired, honest."

"I know that, Nina. It's just…"

"What?" Fabian asked.

"How can I not be angry when you guys did something we hadn't thoroughly thought through and agreed on? And when I told you I didn't want to involve Trudy, you did it anyway. It makes me feel like you don't trust me or my judgment."

"We do trust you, Cam," Fabian said sighing. He saw the logic in what she said. He probably would've felt the same way had their positions been flipped.

"It's just… I'm scared, Cam," Nina suddenly said. That made Cameron pause. "I'm not sure I can handle what Sarah's asking of me… of us. Everything, the treasure, the locket, the cellar, the secrets… it all scares me." Cameron looked shocked. Apparently she had not been expecting that. She gently put her hand on Nina's shoulder.

"Me, too," she whispered. Everyone was surprised. "I'm scared, too. When Sarah talked to us and gave us this task, I wasn't sure what to do. Then everything started happening all at once and I realized Sarah was telling the truth. And grouped with her knowing the two of us and what she gave us…"

"What did she give you?" Nina asked. Cameron looked sad.

"I can't tell you," she said quietly. "At least, not yet. Remember how Sarah was so insistent that no one but me see it? She even had it in a box while she just gave you the locket. I'm not even sure what it is, yet." Cameron knew the key opened the panels like Nina's locket, but Sarah had been so cautious with it. It made Cameron wonder if the key had another purpose. Nina and the Sibunas accepted this and moved on.

"We're really sorry, Cam," Nina said. Cameron gave them a small smile.

"Me, too." And just like that, the anger Cameron felt melted away and the group was back to normal.

~)8(~

About thirty minutes later, their plan for the cameras was put into action. The Anubis House residents split off into groups and each group took a camera. They all set up chairs and stood on them, looking into the cameras. They waved and smiled sweetly into them and soon, Victor's voice sounded through the house.

"Get away from those cameras immediately!" He was ignored and everyone merely continued smiling and waving at the cameras. Cameron was with Nina and Amber in the living room. Jerome and Alfie were only a few feet away in the entry hall. Fabian and Mick took the boys' hallway and Patricia and Mara took the upstairs, girls' hallway.

"Get down from there at once!" Cameron heard. She turned briefly and saw Victor on the staircase. "Lewis! Clarke!" Both gave him incredibly innocent and incredibly false smiles.

"What's wrong, Victor?" Alfie asked sweetly. "We're only doing the same as you. We're watching you watching us."

"You impudent-"

"It's a peaceful protest," Jerome cut in. Nina, Amber, and Cameron giggled as they watched the exchange between Victor, Alfie, and Jerome. However, the boys heard them and both turned to face them very briefly, giving them matching cheeky smirks and winks. Amber and Nina were still smiling, but Cameron grew a little flustered. She knew that wink was directed at her and not all three of them. Just like she knew Alfie had winked at only Amber. Both Nina and Amber were shooting Cameron knowing looks, but they knew they couldn't talk about it now and turned back to the cameras.

"Fine. Fine. You stand up there on your little chairs until lights out. You'll soon become bored of this nonsense." But stand on their little chairs until lights out they did.

~)8(~

That night, Cameron was sleeping peacefully when she was suddenly awoken by a loud voice.

"Clarke! Lewis! I know it's you. You are both grounded! And the next person to step out of line will get worse than that. I can and will bring your time at this school to an end. Go to your rooms immediately."

"Doesn't Victor ever sleep?" Cameron muttered angrily. Alfie and Jerome must've tried to play a prank, but Victor had grabbed his microphone and yelled at them for it, waking her, Nina, and Amber up in the process.

"Well, while we're up," Nina started, "I think Amber and I have some questions for you, Cam." She rolled her eyes. Nina had already told them both about how the Frobisher-Smythes had been on Howard Carter's expedition in 1922 and how the treasure they were looking for was most likely the thing they stole from King Tut's tomb. So, there was only one thing this could be about. She knew she'd have to fess up at one point or another.

"All right, hit me with it," Cameron groaned.

"Do you like Jerome?" Amber was blunt, but there was a smile on her face, one that matched the smile on Nina's face.

"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said, 'no.'"

"No, not really."

"Then, yes, I like him." Both girls gave little squeals and Cameron was surprised. She thought they were going to be completely disgusted by the fact that she liked him.

"That is so cute," Amber said. "And, of course, he likes you back."

"Whatever," Cameron said rolling her eyes.

"Actually, I have to agree," Nina said. "I think he likes you. I mean, he has all those nicknames for you and teases you. And he's… different around you." Cameron frowned.

"Different?"

"I think you bring out the best in him," Amber said. "He's pranked people much less ever since you came. He was a nightmare last year. And he seems to care about you. He comforted you when Rufus broke in, when Patricia dumped water all over you, and when Trudy left. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have bothered." Cameron didn't want to admit it, but Amber was right.

"Does liking him make me a bad person?" she suddenly asked. Both Amber and Nina frowned.

"Of course not. Why would you think that?" Nina asked.

"Because it's Jerome," Cameron said like it was obvious. "He's cute but rude and isn't very considerate of others."

"Yeah, that's true," Amber said. "But, and if you ever tell him I said this I'll kill you, he's rather funny and clever. And he has his nice moments. But they only tend to happen around you." Nina nodded in agreement.

"Do you really think he likes me?" Cameron asked. Both girls nodded and Cameron felt a little, giddy smile rise on her face. She knew she was nowhere ready to have a relationship with anyone, but knowing that Jerome might like her back made her feel warm inside.

"But, if he ever hurts you," Nina started, suddenly very serious, "he's going to have to answer to me."

"And me," Amber said.

"And Fabian."

"And Mick as well."

"Patricia might even help."

"And Mara will if Patricia does."

"We might even get Alfie on our side."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Cameron said clearing her throat uncomfortably.

"No, we hope it will never have to come to that," Nina said agreeing with Cameron. "For Jerome's sake." She added that as an afterthought. Cameron laughed, but then turned serious.

"You know, back in America I didn't really have any friends," she said. "After Jill, my twin died, I kind of closed off on everyone. And I never had the best relationship with my parents, either." Cameron took a breath. "What I'm trying to say is that you guys have… kind of become my family. So… thanks." Nina and Amber were both surprised to hear that Cameron hadn't had many friends back in America, but they were incredibly touched that they meant so much to her. And they felt the same way. Everyone here seemed to be incredibly fond of Cameron. Even Victor didn't tell her off as much as he did the others.

"What…" Amber started. "What happened to Jill?" Her face was shy, like she was afraid of Cameron's reaction. Nina didn't blame her. The last time Cameron talked about Jill, she had been rather cold and hadn't told them much. However, Cameron didn't look nearly as uncomfortable as before. Just slightly sad.

"She was killed when we were 13," she said. "Actually, it was in the middle of the night. A man had broken in and murdered Jill and I had woken up in time to see him do it. That's why I freaked so much when I saw Rufus that night. I was afraid that what happened to Jill was happening again." Nina and Amber were both completely silent. It certainly did explain why Cameron had been so scared. Both girls sat down beside her and put their arms around her.

"We're sorry, Cam," Nina said. She merely nodded and the three of them stayed that way until their eyes were dropping with tiredness. The three girls all laid down and quickly went to sleep that night.

~)8(~

The next morning, Cameron quickly turned off her extra early alarm so it wouldn't wake Nina and Amber. Fortunately, both girls remained sleeping and Cameron crept from the room. She made her way downstairs and was thankful when Victor didn't yell at her over the microphone. He must've been asleep. Cameron went into the kitchen. She had decided last night that she was going to cook breakfast from now on. She was not going to put up with Victor's cooking and everyone needed proper breakfasts. Cameron pulled out the ingredients she needed and was pleasantly surprised when she saw several loaves of bread in the pantry. Trudy must've recently stocked up. Cameron grabbed two of them, quickly found all the equipment she needed and began. Fifteen minutes later, she had mixed the flour, milk, salt, eggs, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla together and was dipping two pieces of bread in it. Then, she put them in a frying pan and began making French toast. In another pan, she was frying bacon.

"What are you doing, Miss Zack?" She looked over her shoulder to see Victor standing in the kitchen doorway.

"I'm making breakfast," she replied, "because frankly, and no offense when I say this, you're cooking's rubbish. We need a proper meal so I'm making French toast and bacon. Would you like some, Victor?"

"No." He left. Cameron merely shrugged and went back to her cooking. When the bacon was done, she put it on two plates and put them on the table. When the French toast was done, she put them on two plates as well and set them on the table. Then, she cut up some strawberries and bananas and threw them into two bowls with some blueberries for the toppings. Two bottles of syrup went on the table as well and Cameron had finished putting out plates and silverware for everyone when Mara and Patricia came into the dining room.

"Something smells good," Patricia said. They both took a proper look at the table and gaped.

"Cameron, did you do all this?" Mara asked. Cameron nodded, smiling. "Why?"

"We need a proper breakfast and Victor is not able to give us one. I like cooking and decided to do this," Cameron said. She places cups around the table and began filling them with water.

"Well, can we help?" Mara asked. She felt bad that Cameron had done all of this by herself and wanted to help in some way.

"Um, you can put napkins on the table and Patricia, you can fill up the rest of the cups." Both girls quickly and eagerly finished their jobs. Soon enough, the rest of the Anubis House residents filed in, expecting the worst, but getting something great.

"Cam, Patricia, Mara… did you do all this?" Nina gasped looking at the food on the table. It smelled amazing and looked even better.

"Not us," Patricia said. "It was all Cameron." Everyone looked at her and she shrugged again, still smiling.

"I wanted to," she merely said.

"I thought I heard you get up early this morning," Nina said. "I assumed it was to get in the shower before Amber." Cameron shook her head.

"I knew we'd all be scrambling around trying to get breakfast together if no one did anything, so I figured I should make something. Is French toast and bacon and fruit okay?" Everyone beamed, amazed and incredibly thankful for Cameron in that moment. Mick approached her, beaming,

"Oh, Speedy, I could kiss you!" he exclaimed. He picked up the unexpecting Cameron and gave her a tight hug, one she wouldn't properly return out of shock. Cameron noticed Jerome's expression was looking rather stony.

"Okay… well…" Cameron struggled to say. "Please don't." Mick laughed and shook his head, something Cameron noticed Mara was pleased to see. Cameron winked at her, telling her she had nothing to worry about and turned to face everyone. "You all can go ahead and eat. I have to go get dressed." Everyone quickly took up her offer and dug in as Cameron went upstairs to get dressed for school. When she came back down, she was showered with praise and thanked furiously. Cameron merely waved them all off and ate some of it herself.

"I had no idea you could cook," Jerome said as she sat down next to him.

"Yeah. I've always enjoyed cooking and baking," she admitted. "Jill was the opposite. She could hardly make hot chocolate out of mix properly, let alone a meal for herself. Matt's the same way. Whenever we were home alone, they'd rely on me for food. But half the time, we just ended up ordering pizza in the end."

"Well, I could eat this every morning," Jerome said. "Almost as good as Trudy's." Cameron beamed.

"Oh, Jerome," she said feigning getting emotional. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Wait, what did he say?" Mara asked on the other side of Cameron. She sniffed and Jerome scowled.

"It was just… so nice… and I'm touched, and-"

"Do I have to prank you?" Jerome said through gritted teeth. Most people would've been scared at that, but Cameron snorted.

"I'd like to see you try," she said. Mara gasped and Jerome raised an eyebrow at Cameron.

"Are you doubting me, Caramel?"

"I don't know," Alfie cut in having heard everything. "It sounded more like a challenge to me, dude."

"Well, then, challenge accepted." Jerome immediately began planning, but Cameron was doing the exact same thing. She hadn't pulled pranks in years. She just hadn't had the heart for it ever since her partner-in-crime died. But, admittedly, she was looking forward to this. She had had tons of ideas over the years and wrote several of them down in a notebook. She actually couldn't wait for Jerome's first move. However, in the middle of planning, Cameron realized that she was finally beginning to move on from what happened to Jill. She was finally starting to heal. And she wasn't sure if it was the move, the writing, or her friends in Anubis House or all three that had done the trick, but she was finally starting to move on and forgive herself.

~)8(~

"Mr. Campbell, what are you doing here?" Amber asked. She had cut herself off from what she was saying to Cameron as she saw Mick's dad walking through the hallway. Cameron looked up to see a tall, handsome, slightly imposing man in a suit walking towards them.

"Hello, Amber, just been visiting Mick," he said. "And who's this?" Cameron blinked as he addressed her but soon recovered.

"Oh, I'm Cameron," she said. She stuck out her hand and he shook it. "You must be Mick's dad."

"Yes, I am. So, you're Cameron? The girl who made them breakfast this morning?" he asked. Cameron nodded.

"Her French toast is to die for," Amber spoke up.

"I'm sure it is. But I think Mick told me about you before. Are you the girl he goes on runs with?" Cameron nodded.

"That's me."

"Well, I hope you'll be keeping him in shape. He's got his tryout for the UCLA scholarship coming up," Mr. Campbell said. "He says you're a rather good runner." Cameron shrugged.

"I wouldn't say that. I just run to keep myself in shape. And it gives me time to think as well."

"Well, that's good," Mr. Campbell said. He didn't sound very interested, but there was a genuine small smile on his face. "So how are you today, ladies?"

"Well, despite Cam's breakfast, not very good," Amber said. "Come and have a Caramellolattechino in the common room with us and we'll tell you all about it. It's totally unfair!" Cameron frowned at Amber, but went with her and Mr. Campbell. She soon figured out that Mr. Campbell had some pull with the school and eagerly helped explain the situation with Amber. At the end of their conversation, Mr. Campbell was outraged.

"That's it! I've heard enough! I'm going to inform Mr. Sweet that I'll be removing Mick from the school. Let's see what he has to say about that!" He strode from the lounge and Cameron and Amber high-fived. About five minutes later, they were going to meet Mr. Campbell to see how it went with Mr. Sweet. However, Mick and Mara were in front of them.

"Dad, what's going on?" Mick asked worriedly.

"I don't think you're going to have any more problems with security cameras. Thanks to those young ladies over there." Mick and Mara spun around to see Amber and Cameron.

"Nice work, Mr. Campbell! What about Trudy?" Amber asked.

"To be reinstated," he said. "Despite how good her breakfast might've been, I don't think Cameron will be able to make it every day along with dinner." Cameron smiled.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Campbell," she said.

"My pleasure."

~)8(~

"Guys!" Nina said coming into the lounge. Fabian was right behind her and they looked at Cameron and Amber excitedly. "Fabian figured it out. The numbers mean 1922. Like the year Howard Carter found Tutankhamen's tomb." Cameron gasped.

"Nice work!" she exclaimed. "But what now?"

"We think there might be something on the sarcophagus in the entryway," Fabian said. Cameron nodded and the four of them smiled at each other. Patricia soon came in and she was told about the new discovery as well. In the middle of planning what to do, they saw Victor walk through the hall and into Mr. Sweet's office. They looked at each other.

"The house…" Cameron started.

"It's empty," Fabian finished.

"Well, let's go!" Nina said. The five of them immediately left the school and quickly returned to the house. Nina and Cameron immediately kneeled at the sarcophagus and noticed the plaque on it reading "1922."

"This is it," Cameron said. She and Nina continued inspecting it and after a minute or so, Nina leaned back.

"It's not here," she said.

"Wait, wait…" Cameron spoke. She noticed a button on the side of the plaque and pressed it. A panel at the bottom of the sarcophagus slid open and Nina gasped. She reached in and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Another riddle. Cameron closed the panel and stood up.

"Yes!" Fabian exclaimed. Next thing they knew, the door to the house was opening and Nina stuffed the riddle in her bag in time for Victor to walk in. He stopped upon seeing them.

"What are you all doing here?" he demanded.

"I left my flash drive with my French assignment here," Cameron quickly lied.

"And I forgot my textbook," Patricia added.

"And it's our free period so we decided to come with them," Fabian said. Victor scowled but didn't say anything as they weren't breaking the rules.

"Hurry up and get back to class!" Cameron and Patricia scurried upstairs and after a few minutes had passed went back down to meet the other three. They went back to school together and went back to the lounge before they read the riddle.

"Beleatherd and clasped. Here is the only place where yesterday always follows tomorrow," Nina said aloud. They all looked at each other and sighed. This was no easier than it had been before. This was going to take some thinking.

"Beleathered and clasped," Patricia said.

"An old briefcase?" Fabian suggested.

"What about an old diary or journal," Nina suggested.

"A diary makes sense. The days go in chronological order and when one is writing in one, the entry from yesterday comes before the entry from tomorrow," Cameron reasoned. But even as she said it, something wasn't sitting right with her. Nina gasped.

"Remember when we got the chandelier out from under the stairs?" she asked. "There was a big box of leather bound books in there."

"Right!" Fabian said remembering. "Okay, let's take a look the next time Victor pops out." The four girls nodded in agreement. As it turned out, the next time Victor went out was that night. So, Nina and Fabian searched under the stairs while the other three kept watch. However, at one point, Nina froze. She showed them the picture from 1925. The picture that featured a man who looked exactly like Victor. Not a day older and not a day younger. Exactly like Victor.

Hey all! Here's another update! I hope you all like it. I can tell you all this now... unfortunately there will not be a lot of updates coming up in the month of March. I will try to get as much posted as I can during February, but during March I have standardized testing and preparations starting for the ACT and SAT (kill me!). After that I've got AP Exams and finals... YAY! Love you all, thank you for all your continued support.

Reviews

Avalongirl55: Your review made me smile so much! It really made my day :D I noticed there were few good House of Anubis stories as well and I was like, "WRITE ONE!" So I did. But another good one is Lauren Kassidy's The Nut Doesn't Reveal the Tree It Contains. It's so good and she really deserves the support. But thank you so much for your lovely comment :) It really made me smile.
MysticalNyla: Not sure if that's a good interesting or a bad interesting... But I'm going to take it as a good interesting. Thank you!

Cheerio!