Chapter 6

House of Theatrics, House of Rescue

The morning of the play, Eric Sweet pulled Eddie to the side. "Now Edis-" Mr Sweet stopped himself before he could say the full word, Eddie shrugged, at least his father was trying. "I wanted to wish you good luck tonight," He grinned. "Or as they say break a leg," Eddie grinned. He still couldn't believe he was going to participate in the play. He never would've done this sort of thing at his old schools in America, but all his friends were heavily involved in the show, and he supposed the theater could be the perfect stage for some hijinks if the opportunity arose.

"Thanks,"

"Now I know I've been rather busy while you've been here but I hope that we can both find the time to start spending some time together," He gave Eddie a look. "As father and son,"

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for everyone to know yet,"

"No one has to know, just privately."

"Okay," Eddie smiled briefly at him. "We can."

"Great!" Mr Sweet went in to hug the boy but Eddie stopped him, holding his hand out instead. Mr Sweet shook it, and then giving his son a pat on the shoulder off he went. Eddie felt hopeful as well, things had been too weird between them ever since Eddie arrived at the school. The truth was, Eddie hardly knew his father, he'd never been around. As far as he knew, Patricia really could've been right in her conspiracy theories, but Eddie still didn't want to believe them. Eddie just wanted to finally get to know his father, maybe even come to a healthier relationship with him.

Eddie sat by his snake costume and watched the students rush around the stage nervously before the play started, he only had a small role so he could just sit back and watch. Mr Winkler finally corralled everyone into their opening places with Patricia, Mick, and Mara set to open the show. Five seconds before the curtains opened, Mick stomped off the stage, with Mara running after him. What's gotten into them? Eddie wondered. Patricia pulled her mask down in front of her face, shouting at Mr Winkler that she couldn't do the opening on her own, but the curtains opened anyway. Eddie winced, he was very glad he only had a small role in the show. "Joy!" Patricia exclaimed. "Joy… joy… Joy and sorrow!" Patricia finally stated. Eddie didn't have the script memorized but this wasn't it. "The joy of Egypt, its monarch Tutankumun is dead. And… and sorrow sweeps the land. Let no man enter and desecrate his sacred pyramid." She exited the stage.

"Let's try to stay on book, next time Patricia," Mr Winkler told her. Patricia rolled her eyes and stomped off to the empty side of the stage by the curtain. Nina entered the scene and began her lines. Eddie joined Patricia.

"You did good," Eddie said. "Well, for Mick and Mara rushing off like that at least,"

"That's not all," She leaned in closer to him and Eddie tried not to blush. "Joy's in the audience."

"What?" Eddie peeked out from the curtains, searching the crowd.

"There," Patricia pointed out the girl wearing a hood. "She left me a note." Eddie squinted, it was Joy. Fabian was at their side when they turned away from the audience. Patricia looked at Fabian. "We have to warn Joy about Victor."

"If Victor took her in the first place, she knows he's dangerous," Fabian said as if Eddie wasn't even there.

"What?" Eddie whispered to his friends. "Seriously guys, what's going on?" He studied Fabian carefully. He didn't think Fabian would entertain Patricia's paranoia unless he thought she was right. Suddenly Eddie felt like a bad friend.

Eddie sulked in the wings until Fabian came to get him for his big scene. Fabian pushed the snake costume over Eddie's head and led him on stage. "This house belongs to us now my pretty!" Fabian told Nina's character Sally, as Eddie fumbled blindly behind, not being able to see his feet. Fabian laughed evilly then tossed a fake rat into the snake costume's mouth. Eddie pretended to chew the rat, and then burped loudly, making the audience laugh. "It is ten o'clock, you know what that means, you have precisely five minutes to get into bed, do you hear?"

"Yes Vincent," Nina meekly said, and grabbing her skirt she rushed off stage, Eddie slithered away behind the girl. Once they were backstage, Nina helped him out of the snake costume.

"How was that?" Eddie couldn't help but ask the American girl with a grin.

"Inspired," Nina nodded her head.

From the stage, Fabian continued with his lines. "Because I want to be able to hear a pin drop." Eddie was sure Victor would be pissed off about that line in particular.

The play went on until it was time for Nina's scene which had been moved up in the last minute. Eddie watched everyone scramble to find her but she was nowhere to be found. Eddie was impressed by the unprofessionalism behind the play. Mr Winkler panicked and called Jerome, Alfie, and Amber on stage to stall. And stalling meant dancing around the stage like fools. Minutes into the stalling, Nina finally rushed back into the theater wearing a jacket, she took her jacket off, and quickly took the stage onstage, ushering Jerome and Alfie off. She went on with her scene as if she hadn't ditched the play to do who knows what.

Patricia's character killed everyone but Nina and Nina closed the play with her final lines. The curtains closed, and the audience applauded. Back in the snake costume, Eddie followed the students on stage for the curtain call. Joy was the first in the audience to stand, the rest of the crowd followed to give them a standing ovation.

"Joy run! Quick!" Patricia shouted out of nowhere. Eddie searched the audience to see none other than Victor behind her. Joy sprinted onto the stage, Patricia and Eddie separated to let her through, as she ran behind the curtains and out into the school. Victor followed along behind her shoving students out of his way. Eddie was convinced. Victor had to be behind Joy's disappearance because that was not normal and did not match the story the adults had been telling everyone. Mr Sweet ran up on stage to address the now nervous crowd.

"So it's true," Eddie turned to Patricia. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you before," Mr Sweet was just calling Mrs Andrews up when a random guy stepped up onto the stage and grabbed Patricia, saying something to her in a harsh whisper before going off in the direction Joy and Victor went.

"What's going on? Who was that creep?" Jerome asked.

Eddie watched the door close behind the man. He knew he couldn't let the man get away. Eddie ran toward the door before somebody grabbed him. He turned to find Patricia holding his waist, as both arms were tucked into the snake costume. "Don't."

"But that guy's getting away," Eddie whispered. "And what about Joy?"

"You don't need to worry about it," Patricia sighed. "I do," And she ran off after them. Mr Sweet grabbed ahold of Eddie's costume before he could follow.

"What's going on?" Eddie hissed at his father.

"I have no idea," He shook his head, sounding very tired. Eddie looked around. The audience was almost cleared out and some students were still on stage. Eddie sat around at the after-party, wanting to go off and find Patricia or even Joy, do something helpful, but Mr Sweet wouldn't let him out of his sight. He just had to choose this moment to be a present father. The night went on with Eddie feeling more and more useless, Mr Sweet escorted him home and that was that. He tossed and turned in his bed for hours that night unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong before finally passing out.

Breakfast the next morning was filled with tension. Mick was very quiet, and Mara was upstairs hiding in her room. Which probably explained Patricia's absence as well. But Eddie could practically taste the anxiety coming off of Fabian and Nina. "You're quiet Mick," Amber finally said, having enough of his silence.

"Am I?"

"Trouble in Maradise?" She asked and Alfie chuckled. "Wow, that was so clever! Get it? Mara… dise."

"Ingenious," Mick smiled mockingly. "None of your business!" Then he stormed off.

"Ohh, touchy," Jerome laughed. Then Alfie begged the students to pretend like he was head of the house when his parents stayed for dinner later. Before the students could leave for school, Victor gathered them all together at the dining room table. Patricia wasn't there.

"Is this about the play?" Fabian asked with a cheeky smile.

"Do you think I'm here to give you a review?" Victor said with a frown. "Your juvenile fantasies are of no concern to me whatsoever." He stomped to the head of the table. "I am here because a serious theft has taken place. Items of great value were removed from my safe last night." He got down in Fabian's face. "Are you responsible?"

"No."

He turned to Nina. "You?"

"Why do you think it was any of us?" Fabian snapped. "The school was full of people last night. When were they taken?" Eddie raised his eyebrow. Way to deflect, Fabian.

"Well," Victor straightened up. "They were there during the intermission. The only other time I was away from my room was during the second half of your irritating little play."

"There you go," Fabian said. "We were all on stage."

"Yeah," Amber nodded. "Couldn't have been any of us, we were performing. The show must go on and all of that." That wasn't right though, Nina was gone for a long time. Eddie grinned. They were the ones who stole from Victor. He wasn't going to tell on them, but it was certainly interesting information. What were they up to?

"Of course." Victor rubbed his hands together. "Of course, how very, very remiss of me. Very well, off to school all of you, go," He waved them off.

"So is that in then?" Fabian questioned as everyone stood.

"For now, yes." Victor smiled. "But I shall discover who took those items you mark my words, and when I do-"

"What do you mean?" Nina interrupted him.

"When the security cameras were taken down, I asked for one camera to be left in my room, I had totally forgotten." Eddie frowned at this. "So whoever has stolen those items will have been caught."

"Victor," Trudy walked in. "I've just taken a phone call for Mr Sweet in your office, he said can you get over to the school."

"What now?"

"Yes, right away," Trudy said. "He said it was an emergency," And Victor rushed out the door.

Eddie practically ran to catch up to Mara as she exited the house. "Mara," He walked toward the school alongside her. "Have you seen Patricia? She wasn't at breakfast this morning,"

"Her aunt and uncle got her after the show last night," Mara said sadly. "I haven't seen her since." Eddie felt a weight lift off his chest.

"Oh good," He said, and Mara gave him a sad smile. "Are you okay?"

"No, I did something really bad,"

"Can't be that bad,"

"I sent Mr Sweet photos of Mick and Mrs Robbinson and implied that there was something going on between them." Mara confided in him. "And now Mick's dumped me, and I deserve it of course, but…" She trailed off.

Eddie didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell her what she did was okay. So he just wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they walked the rest of the way to school in silence.

Almost as soon as the two arrived at school, Victor exited Mr Sweet's office. "Boarders from Anubis House," He addressed the students. "I want you back there, immediately." Eddie banged his head against the wall in frustration, then followed the man back to the house. He waved them into the living room with a DVD in his hand. "Come along, come along, it's showtime, boys and girls. Time to expose the thief!" He put the disk in the DVD player and Victor appeared on the screen shaving his nose hairs. The room erupted in laughter. Eddie took his phone out and began to record. "Which of you miscreants has dared to interfere with my equipment?" He turned the video off.

"Don't know Victor," Alfie laughed. "But can we see more of your home movies? You've obviously got a nose for comedy," More laughter, as Victor stomped out of the room. The students went back to class.

After school, Patricia was still nowhere to be found. Eddie sat on the living room sofa listening to his music with his earbuds in as Jerome and Aflie played while setting the table. Nina paced around the room trying to make a call, before sitting down next to Amber.

"Trudy," Nina nervously called for the house mother. "Patricia's been gone for a while now and we-"

"And we haven't heard from her," Amber interrupted her. Eddie turned his music off to listen better.

"You mean she hasn't come back yet?" Trudy gasped. "I just thought she'd gone straight into school this morning," Eddie froze. That wasn't good. "Victor!" She called.

"No! Don't tell him," Nina grabbed Trudy's arm. "We don't want to worry him."

"Don't be silly," Trudy ran off after him. "Victor!"

Victor walked into the room. "I heard you the first time."

"Oh Victor, it's about Patricia, she went out with her aunt and uncle after the show last night, and well, she hasn't returned." Trudy was fully panicked now.

"Calm down," Victor said. "Her aunt phoned me this morning, the uncle was taken ill during the night and they are currently at the hospital with him." Victor turned and went back to his business.

"Oh well, that's a relief," Trudy sighed and turned her attention back to setting the dinner table.

"Okay," Nina scooted toward Amber and Fabian. "Now we know something's wrong." They must've thought that Eddie still had his music on and couldn't hear.

"Why?" Amber asked.

"Because the aunt and uncle who called Victor, they don't exist."

"Oh yeah!" Amber nodded her head. "Good point."

"What?" Eddie ripped his earbuds out and the three froze, staring at him with wide eyes. "What do you mean they don't exist?" They just looked back at him, saying nothing. "Look if Patricia is in danger, you have to tell me!"

Nina squeezed her eyes shut before opening them and looking at him. "Patricia met up with that man who ran up on stage last night. He told her he was a private investigator and had information on Joy's disappearance but… I don't trust him."

"Maybe he actually took Joy," Eddie mumbled.

"Possibly," Nina said. "But Victor's definitely involved, you heard how he lied just now," Nina frowned. "Where were they supposed to meet? We need to find that good luck card."

"I need to head back to the school for something," Fabian said.

"I'll go look for the card in Patricia's room," Amber and Fabian went their separate ways. Eddie just sat there staring at Nina.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Eddie."

"This guy that Patricia was supposed to meet up with," Eddie finally said. "Is he the guy that Patricia kept seeing around?"

Nina nodded her head. "I've been trying to get her to stop talking to him, but for a while, he was the only one who believed her about Joy." She stood up and took Eddie's hand. "Come on, I'll never forgive myself if something happened to her." Eddie followed Nina to her room. That makes two of them.

Amber met back with Nina and Eddie inside their room just a few minutes later. "Look what I found in the pocket of Patricia's costume." She held the card out.

"Yes!" Nina took it and opened the card, holding it up to the mirror. "'Meet me tonight, nine, clearing in the woods, Joy.'" She read the mirrored writing. Eddie was impressed by Joy's backward handwriting. "I think I know where that is! I've been there before with Patricia, let's go."

"But wait, it's going to be dark soon, and we haven't had supper, and-"

"Amber," Nina said sternly.

"Okay, I'm scared I'll admit it. But I don't like going into the woods at the best of times and this is like the opposite of that,"

"Come on Amber," Eddie grabbed the girl's shoulders. "Patricia could be in danger,"

"If we stick together, we'll be fine, come on, we owe this to Patricia," Nina walked out the door, and Amber sighed grabbing her coat. Eddie and Amber followed the American girl down the stairs and out the door.

The three ran through the forest surrounding the school until they saw a man crouched staring at the ground in the clearing. Eddie pulled Nina and Amber down to crouch behind a bush.

"Ow," Amber said.

"It's Rufus," Nina told them. "What's he looking for?" He picked something up and stood.

"Don't know but I think he found it," Amber said. Rufus got in his red car and drove off. They ran over to where Rufus had been once his car disappeared.

"Look oil," Eddie pointed it out.

"Oh no! Do I have it on my shoe?" Amber lifted her foot to examine her shoe.

"Rufus' van is leaking," Nina and Eddie said in unison.

"Tell me about it," Amber said in annoyance. "One pair of limited edition shoes later,"

"We can follow the trail," Eddie said.

"Maybe it will lead us to Patricia," Nina said, Amber raised an unconvinced eyebrow at them. "Right now, it's the only lead we've got." They ran following the oil for about a mile until they reached an old abandoned building.

"This is freaky," Amber clutched Eddie and Nina's arms. He could feel her shake with fear.

"Freaky, nah!" Nina said although Eddie could tell she was scared too. Heck, Eddie was scared. "What's freaky about an old abandoned warehouse in the woods?"

"Do you think Patricia's in there?"

"There's no sign of Rufus' van," Nina said.

"No he's been here," Eddie stopped, pointing to some more oil on the ground. "Let's go inside."

"I just remembered I have a really important facial scheduled and chemistry homework that won't write itself, so-"

"Amber," Nina cut off the anxious blonde. "There's nothing to be scared about okay? I'm sure it's just some old abandoned factory, we can handle it."

"Or we could just not go in,"

Eddie rolled his eyes while the two kept going back and forth and opened the door. Eddie ran into the building searching. Nina and Amber followed behind him and found a sandwich sitting on a small table. "It's still warm, they've only just left." Nina picked up a ring. "This is Patricia's too, she's been here,"

"Where is she now and where's Rufus?"

"Guys! Behind you!" A familiar voice screamed. Eddie turned toward the door just in time to see Patricia on the outside as Rufus closed the door. Eddie ran and bodyslammed himself into the door, over and over again even as he heard the door lock behind him. They were alone.

"Can we smash a window?" Amber stared at Nina, who was looking around.

"They're all bared up, Amber. Did you bring your phone?"

"Of course, this is me we're talking about." The blonde retrieved her flip phone from her pink jacket pocket and turned it on, a look of alarm crossing her face. "Oh no, I I forgot. I used up all minutes voting on Celebrity Pop Idol last month."

"Amber," Nina scolded her.

"Nice," Eddie rolled his eyes.

"I hope your contestant won,"

"No! Can you believe it?! After all, I did for her!" She closed the phone and shoved it back into her pocket. "Well, what about your phone?"

Nina reached for her pockets and winced. "I left it back at Anubis,"

Eddie pulled his phone out of his jacket and dialed Fabian's number. "It's ringing," He exclaimed.

"Hello?" Fabian answered.

"Fabian!" Eddie said as Nina grabbed his arm, a hopeful smile on her face. "We need your help-"

"Where are you? Are you with Nina and Amb-" The phone cut off and Eddie's face fell.

"What?" Amber said.

Eddie looked at the phone screen. "It's dead."

"Eddie!" Nina chastised him. "Why didn't you charge it?"

"You didn't even bring yours, okay?"

After a while of trying and failing to find an escape, Eddie sat down in the chair and began eating the sandwich left behind.

"What are you doing?" Nina winced.

"We're missing dinner!" Eddie said around a mouthful. "And when we get out we're gonna need our energy and-" Nina snatched the sandwich out of his hands. "Hey!"

"We don't know what Rufus did to that," She threw it across the room and Eddie watched as it landed on the floor.

The three sat trapped inside the abandoned building for at least an hour before they heard sounds coming from the other side of the door. The three lept up, and the girls grabbed the closet objects to use as weapons as Eddie positioned himself protectively in front of them. The door started to open and Eddie charged, tackling someone to the ground, it wasn't until he heard Fabian's voice that he froze. "Hey roomie," Eddie smiled sheepishly down at the boy before standing and helping him up. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Fabian!" The girls wrapped Fabian and Eddie up into a tight group hug.

"Some welcome guys," He breathed out. "I followed the oil leak from the van, I didn't know if I was on the right track or not,"

"Oh, I don't think I've ever been happier to see anyone in my entire life!" Nina exclaimed.

"Okay, we need to go," The four ran out of the building and toward the school. They got inside just in time to find Mrs Andrews leaving Mr Sweet's office. "Mrs Andrews," Nina said.

"What on Earth?" The teacher looked at them in bewilderment.

"We know Patricia's been kidnapped, Mrs Andrews."

"We know Rufus has got Patricia, and we also know that you know he's got her," Fabian said.

"Where did you get all this information?" Mrs Andrews asked.

"We know so much more than you think," Amber told her. "We're totally up to speed."

"We just want to get Patricia back safely," Nina said.

"As do I,"

"Okay, so what is the plan of action?" Fabian asked.

"The plan is that you go back to your house and get ready for bed, and I promise you by the morning all of this will be resolved." She gently pushed Nina and Amber aside to walk past.

"Mrs Andrews, you can't possibly think that he'll honor whatever deal you've made!" Eddie grabbed her upper arm. "I'm new to this, but I do know that Rufus is dangerous and cannot be trusted."

"And that is why you four need to go home," She shook her arm free. "Don't make me involve your father, Edison." Eddie let her walk away. If she told Mr Sweet they would be escorted home, and it would be impossible to help Patrica.

"What now?" Amber asked.

"Now we get on our bikes and follow her," Fabian said and they ran to fetch their bikes.

Eddie peddled his bicycle down the dark, lush forest road, as the group did their best to keep their distance from Mrs Andrew's vehicle. He couldn't even imagine how scared Patricia was. He should've intervened more when he realized something was wrong. He should have stopped Patricia from following Rufus after the play. Now he could only hope that there was a way to save her.

Mrs Andrews stopped in the middle of the dirt road, the students got off their bikes to creep closer and hear the teacher as she spoke to Rufus on the phone. "Now let me talk to Patricia," She said, a moment later the car began to move again.

Eddie ran to his bike and hopped on, the others following suit.

"Ah no!" Amber squealed suddenly.

"Oh come on, Amber there's more to life than new shoes, we have to help Patricia," Nina pulled her along. They got off their bikes before they reached the clearing where Mrs Andrews was already parked, and approached through the cover of the trees.

"I can't see Patricia," Amber said when they got closer.

"She must be in the back of Rufus' van."

"Now throw me your keys," Rufus told Mrs Andrews. She did as she was told.

"Let's go," Eddie said, creeping out of the trees and behind the red van as the adults made their tradeoff. Nina pulled on the van's backdoor handle.

"It's locked. Fabian said.

Patricia appeared in the window. "Patricia, are you okay?" Nina asked.

"Yes, get me out of here." She quietly pleaded.

"Hold on Patricia," Fabian pulled a crowbar out of his bag, Eddie grabbed it and began to pry the door open.

"Hurry up," Patricia said. "Please,"

Eddie put his whole body strength into opening the door as Rufus hopped into the van, Mrs Andrews shouting at him. "How dare you cheat us!" She cried. Eddie scoffed, he warned Mrs Andrews this would happen. Finally, the door opened and Patrica jumped out, Fabian slammed the door as Rufus sped off down the dirt road. "No!" Mrs Andrews screamed after him. Nina, Amber, Fabian, and Eddie wrapped Patricia up in a hug, laughing in relief. The teacher looked up in astoundment when she noticed Patricia and the others approach her. "How on Earth? Oh, Patricia, I've been so worried about you," She reached her arms over to hug the girl.

"Yeah right," Patricia pushed her away

"Patricia,"

"Come on!" She said. "What's the big mystery? Why is Rufus after Joy and where is she? Tell me or I'm going global."

"Don't threaten me, Patricia," The teacher shook her head. "You have no idea what you're getting into."

"Don't threaten me, Daphne, I'm already in it," Patricia said with conviction.

After seeing Mick off and wishing him luck the next morning, Eddie walked to school with Patricia, Nina, Amber, and Fabian. It felt kind of good to finally be involved in what they had going on. Although he could tell there was more to it than what he knew and was hoping to get more information if he stuck around them.

"Do you think I overstepped the mark, demanding answers?" Patricia asked when they settled into Mrs Andrew's classroom.

"No you were amazing," Nina assured her.

"Who's ready to bring these suckers down?" Patricia asked.

"Sibuna," Amber said with a big smile and then covered one eye with her hand.

"Sibuna," Nina, Patrica, and Fabian answered back.

"Huh?" Eddie whispered looking between each of them in confusion.

"Welcome to the club," Nina said.

"Okay, settle down, quickly please," Mrs Andrews entered the classroom. A hush fell over the room. "Thank you," She sat down at her desk. "Now, it has come to our attention that some of you are not as occupied as you might like outside of class,"

"You can say that again," Jerome said. "Bring on the new girls, miss,"

"So we've decided to run elections for a school representative," Mrs Andrews ignored the boy's comment. "The school representative would be an ambassador for the school, and would also act as a conduit…" Eddie looked over as Patricia raised her hand. "For relations between staff and students. Yes, Patricia?"

"I don't like the school rep idea Mrs Andrews, but I might be interested in starting a school paper." She said. "The gossip, the news, the scandal… the truth. What'd you reckon?" Patricia was onto something there.

"I think you'll find Patricia, that that little matter is already in hand." She said. "Now about the school representative," She continued and Eddie zoned it out.

After class, Sibuna stopped in the hallway. "If Mrs Andews thinks school representative elections are going to distract us from what's going on, she's got another thing coming," Fabian said.

"She can't really think that'll stop us," Eddie rolled his eyes.

"But what do you think she meant by the matter being at hand?" Patricia asked.

"You are to come with me," Victor said suddenly from behind Eddie making him jump. "If you want to know the truth." He turned and walked out of the school. They followed after him.

"Where are you guys going?" Amber asked, staying put. "What if they stuff us in a hole with no food or drink or mascara for sixty-two days?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Eddie grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

"Fine, but I'm using your coat for warmth if they do,"

Victor ushered Sibuna back to Anubis House. "You lot look terrible!" Trudy exclaimed looking up from her clearing when they entered the older house and began climbing the stairs. "What are you doing dragging them here in the middle of the day?"

"Don't let us keep you from your duties, Trudy." Victor looked over the staircase at her. "Supermarket yes? Come, come, my office. Up up up up up. Off you go Trudy, don't want to fire you again. Once a term is quite enough." Eddie sent Trudy a sorry glance and then stepped onto the landing, they walked single file into the groundskeeper's office where Patricia began to hyperventilate.

"Patricia, are you alright?" Nina touched her arm. "We need a paper bag! We need a paper bag!"

"I can't- I can't breathe, I need to get out of here,"

"Patricia you're okay," Eddie told her Victor locked the door.

"Let me out!" She said.

"Victor you heard her, let her out!" Fabian said. Victor sat down at his desk.

"Me too, I'm too young and too pretty to die," Amber said.

"Let me out!" Patricia yelled.

"I'll break this glass," Eddie warned him.

"You will do no such thing," Victor began typing on his computer. "You wanted answers? Well, here they are." He turned the screen around to face them.

"Patricia," A familiar voice came from the screen. "Patricia, are you there?"

"Joy,"

I'm sorry for the bit of a wait for this update. I've had most of it done for like two months but then I got super into a few other fandoms and so it slowed me down a lot. But I'm finally done. I had a lot of fun writing the play and I cannot believe Eddie is finally in Sibuna. I have been thinking about this chapter for over a year. I loved writing Eddie with the members of Sibuna, it's just one of my favorite things, I'm also surprised how much I enjoy writing the Eddie and Mara friendship. It's not an element of the show that I'm super attached to but it's so cute, and really growing on me. Anyway I am so excited to explore the potential of how Eddie can interact with the season 1 Sibuna mystery, I have a lot of ideas I'm excited to get started on with the next chapter.