Sorry about the cliffhanger before (not really) but you guys reviewed, and that made me happy. This chapter will be a great one, at least in my opinion.

I hate constantly putting disclaimers, but it's required so… I don't own HOA.

No one's POV

The house was silent. Trudy crouched over Patricia, checking for a pulse and her breathing. When the ambulance arrived, the house mother went with her to the hospital, leaving Fabian and Cheyenne in charge.

Jerome found a note tied around the handle of the weapon. He picked it up and, because the others had gone downstairs, nodded toward Cheyenne and Nina's room. A look of horror remained on his face.

Cheyenne's POV (I can't stay in third-person for too long; I get bored)

"Jerome, you have to tell us what was on the note," I insisted. He handed me the paper without saying anything. "Okay…"

Dearest Cheyenne,

My apologies for Patricia. I needed a distraction. However, I find it fair that you have some warning before my plan commences. Enjoy your petty lives while you have them.

Zero Regret.

"Reverse the signature and who do you have?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

"Z.R. … R.Z. … Rufus Zeno!" Amber exclaimed. I would have been mad that she voiced his wretched name, but it was Amber, after all.

"Trixie and I were the ones most on edge, and he goes after her first!" Jerome scoffed. He walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I chased behind. "Jerome, wait!" I called. I stopped him at the front door. "Jerome, I know you care about Patricia. But Rufus said he only needed a distraction, which means he probably didn't shoot her anywhere fatal. You have to trust me on this." I noticed the pain in his eyes when he finally faced me again. "If you kill Rufus now, chances are we'll all have a choice to make. And we'd still have the choice if I was the one who died. Jerome, please, just listen to me and stay here."

He sighed. "Do you realize what your secret is doing to me?"

"Yes. It's making you a better person." I rolled my eyes. "Be serious about this."

"What's not serious about having a murderer hunting us?"

"Jerome," I warned in a flat tone. He simply nodded. "Good. Come back upstairs with me. We need to figure out a plan for how to stop him."

Amber was bouncing with excitement on Nina's bed. "I knew you two were an item!" she exclaimed once I entered.

I sent a glare in Fabian's direction. He held his hands up in surrendering position. "Amber, stay focused, alright? We have to save ourselves from Rufus."

She grew sullen. "What about Nina?"

Sighing, I shook my head. "Nina has to fend for herself. By that, I mean it's do or die for her." Amber still looked confused. "Do, she has to join Rufus and destroy us all. Die, well, it's pretty self-explanatory." With a nod, she understood. "Fabian, please tell me you have an idea," I continued.

"Why am I always the idea person?" he queried.

"Because I'm the one who has to keep everybody else safe," I retorted shortly. "I'm still worried about being sent to that room."

"I thought the room didn't exist," Jerome piped up. I stared at him angrily. "Calm down."

"You're too stressed already," Fabian observed. "Jerome and I can handle things here. Why don't you go with Amber to…?" He left the sentence open for her to decide.

"I know this great boutique in the mall that just started its sale!" she responded. "I would be more than happy to take you there."

I reached under my bed for something I had hidden. "No, Amber. We have to stay here." She frowned, then immediately brightened up. I pulled out the shoe box with my name scrawled on the top in neat calligraphy. "Where is it?" I muttered, fishing for the little ring box that used to belong to Mom. When I could not find it, I grew frustrated and disappointed.

"Meet me in my office," Victor ordered from outside the door.

Sliding the box under the bed once more, I walked out of the safety of my room. Of course, Fabian followed me. "Yes, Victor?" I asked.

"I know you have the key. Where is it?"

Fabian glanced between us worriedly. I met Victor's angry gaze calmly. "Who said I had the key?" I answered with another question. His scowl became more visible. "And anyway, why would I tell you where it was if I did have it?"

"Rufus is after it as much as I am. I can keep it safe."

"You can use it against the rest of us when you need to," I replied. "They gave me the key for safekeeping, didn't they? Why should I give it to you when they were the ones who trusted me?"

"Cheyenne!" Amber shrieked before another word could pass.

I rushed into my room. Amber had a look of pure terror on her face, and Jerome was gone completely. My box lay on top of my pillow, its contents spread over my bed. It's more distraction, I told myself. He couldn't find the key anyways. I put everything back into the box and left it on my pillow for now. Amber let Fabian usher her downstairs. I followed them.

Victor was in the living room, as were Mick and Alfie. I knew something was up when I saw Nina had disappeared as well.

"Fabian, Alfie, look around for Jerome; Amber, Mick, search for Nina." I looked at Victor. "I'll find the key."

Trudy returned during our search. "Patricia is alright, but she will be hospitalized for a few days while she recovers. It was worse than what Cheyenne had, but she is conscious and up to her usual antics." There was a hint of teasing after she said 'conscious' that didn't match her expression. I knew Patricia would be more than okay. "She was asking for Jerome earlier. She also wanted me to tell you that she had the box in her desk."

My eyes widened. "Thanks Trudy!" I called over my shoulder as I raced back up the stairs. Rufus had gone after the box unsuccessfully, and he was still near the house. I had to find the key before he did. When I got to Patricia's room, I found both Nina and Rufus. And a jar of suttock sandflies.

"Ah, both sisters are finally in the same room," Rufus greeted me. "Now, give me the key."

I spied the velvet ring box that held the key. It was a small key, like the ones used for diaries, but as important as all of the world's master keys combined. Maybe more so. I made sure he did not notice my swift glance at it.

"What did you do with Jerome?" I inquired, my voice cold.

Genuine shock flickered in his blue eyes. "What happened to Clark?"

"Nothing," I responded, turning away for a moment. "What do you want from us?"

"You know exactly what I want. The Cup, the elixir, and the chosen one's power." He grinned devilishly. "Do as I say, and maybe I won't break the jar."

"Are you trying to reenact prom night?" Nina queried, stalling. "Because, if you don't remember, we got away from you then, and we'll more than likely get away from you now."

"Keep resisting," Rufus instructed, raising his hand.

"No problem," I accepted sarcastically, edging closer to the box. I knew where Jerome was now, too.

He slipped in through the window, where he had been watching us, and pulled Rufus away from us. "You wanted to kill the chosen one, and here's your chance," he reminded the psycho. "Only, it's about to backfire on you."

I grabbed the box, checked that the key was safe, and looked back up. "Jerome, c'mon!" I ordered.

Dumbfounded, Nina stood there. It was as though she was frozen in place, though she looked as if she wanted to come with us. Jerome smashed the jar against the floor and ran out of the room. I slammed the door behind us. It is her destiny, not yours, Sarah whispered to my ear. Keep the prophecy alive. Keep your loved ones safe. I nodded into the breeze that suddenly wafted around me.

"What is going on up there?" Victor bellowed from downstairs. He must have known no one should go into the girls' quarters, because all our housemates were crowded behind him at the staircase.

I sat down on the top step with a relieved yet despondent sigh. "We found Rufus and Nina," Jerome reported to the others. He glanced down at me.

Victor stormed past me. Fabian and Jerome enveloped me in a hug. "Goodbye, Nina," I murmured. Tears brimmed my eyes. "Goodbye, my dear sister."

Nina's dead. Patricia's alive. And the story still continues. The next chapter gets even better. And I promise, no more deaths. For the time being, anyway. Review to find out what happens next!

Spoiler: The next to go might be Fabian. I'm just saying.

Bye for now, peoples. ~the real Chey