VII

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Recap:
"Guys, what is this?" Sydney asked, holding up an object.
"What?" Everybody asked, crowding around her.
Sydney held up....
....
....
....
A computer chip.
                          •••
"Isn't it Brooklyn's chip?" Mother asked.
"No, she always keeps hers in a drawer."
"Let's check it out."
After making sure it had no viruses or bugs with Ben, Mother, Rio, Sydney, and Kat sat down and plugged the chip in.
It flickered, then showed a piece of paper that said,
"9 140 1200 31309660905091'100 85190100200 31100200305. 9'3030 560070301950 540059070020089507. 4055200 1200 7 o'clock, Tuesday 25 April."
"Quick, take a photo!" Mother commanded.
Sydney reached for her phone and made a snap, indicating that she had succeeded. And right on time, because the photo flickered again and disappeared. After minutes of trying to coax the picture to appear, it wouldn't. Everyone was mystified.
"It's a complicated code that even I can't crack," Tru admitted.
"Could it be Brooklyn?" Paris asked.
"We don't know, but it might be a lead to where Brooklyn went."
"Do-do you think she left on purpose? Or did she leave like... Charlotte did," Sydney asked.
"She hasn't done anything wrong, and I don't think she had a reason to run away," Mother said.
"Then why..."
"I genuinely don't know."
"Well, let's try and solve the code. It's our only lead."
"Okay."
(A few days later)
"I solved it! I solved it!" Rio exclaimed.
"With help," Kat said following behind.
"You did?" Mother asked sceptically.
"I'm not joking," Rio said.
"Okay, just show me."
"So the 1 becomes an A, and the 2 becomes a B. Then the C becomes a 3, and so on.I got a bit confused because I thought there was a zero, but there wasn't."
"So the message is...?"
"I am at California's Hearst castle. I'll explain everything. Meet me at 7:00 Tuesday, 25 of April."
"And you solved this yourself?" Mother asked.
"Yes," Rio answered.
"No," Kat said.
"What happened?" Paris asked, his head peeking out from the doorway and his hands full of groceries.
"Rio just deciphered the code," Mother said.
"I just told you, I helped him!"
"No you didn't!"
"Yes I did!"
"Guys! If we solved the code, what is it?" Paris asked.
"I am at California's Hearst castle. I'll explain everything. Meet me at 7:00 Tuesday, 25 of April."
"If this 'someone' told us to go, what are we waiting for?" Paris asked.
"We don't know if it's true or not."
"Well then, we should watch that someone and then go if it's safe."
"I agree," Sydney said, popping a chewing gum in her mouth.
"Ok, let's go!" Mother exclaimed.

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