HOUSE OF HADES

Chapter 23

That night, everybody stands in front of the cameras and they goof around.
Victor dashes to them. "Stop this madness!"
"Not until you take down the cameras." Elayna smirks.
"Agh!" Victor goes away, frustrated.
~
The next morning, everybody wakes up at the security cameras.
"What happened?" Tyler asks.
"We must have fallen asleep!" Hunter groans.
"But the cameras are still up!" Elayna gasps.
"There's only one more thing we can do." Jamal suggests.
~
At breakfast, no one leaves the table for school.
Victor comes. "What is this?"
"A rebellion." Elayna says. "We're not going to school until Trudy is back and the cameras are gone."
"Well, then..... I don't care if you get bad grades missing out on schoolwork because of some stupid rebellion." Victor remarks.
Everyone stays silent.
"The thing is," Mark gets up,"I have to have good attendance for a good application in my sports career."
He leaves.
"And he needs my help training." Savanna follows him.
"This is stupid, anyways, guys." Hunter gets up. "Just give up."
Hunter leaves and Tyler follows him.
Annika, Jamal, Danya and Elayna are the last ones left.
"This is your last chance before I forbid anyone from leaving for school today." Victor grins.
Everyone stays silent.
"I'm so sorry." Danya, reluctantly, gets up.
"Danya!" They reprimand.
"I have perfect attendance!" Danya defends. "I can't mess that up, sorry."
Danya leaves.
"Anyone else?" Victor asks.
Annika, Jamal and Elayna stay seated.
"It's your decision." Victor leaves.
Annika sighs. "I regret doing this."
"We can't back down now!" Elayna says.
"She's right." Jamal points out.
~
At school, Mark and Savanna walk together.
Mark sees his dad. "Dad?"
"Mark!" His dad goes to him. "I heard you're doing a sports career?"
"I know you wanted me to be a doctor...." Mark begins.
"No! You did!"
"I did?"
"Yes! If you want to have a sports career, I'm fine with that."
Mark hugs his dad. "Thank you."
His dad leaves.
~
At Hades House, Annika and Elayna search up the history of the House of Hades while Jamal tries to figure out the golden ring they found in the basement.
"Guys! Check this out!" Annika gasps.
Jamal and Elayna run to her.
Annika begins,"This article says that Mr. and Mrs. Frobisher-Smythe founded this house. Sarah's parents! Her parents traveled to Greece for a trip. They got a tour of one of the ancient ruins and stole a Greek treasure and hid it in this house, with a bunch of clues and riddles."
"So, the treasure we're looking for....", Elayna freezes.
"Is from an Ancient Greek ruin." Jamal gasps. "Wait! What year did they steal it?!"
"1925." Annika answers.
"That's the number on the ring!" Jamal shouts.
"Follow me!" Elayna leads them to the main entrance.
She shows them the Greek mirror in the hallway, that's labeled 1925 with the Hades symbol.
Annika puts her locket on the symbol and the mirror opens, revealing a slip of paper.
Annika grabs it and reads it aloud;
'Beleathered and clasped,
The one place where yesterday,
Always follows tomorrow.'
~
At school, Danya runs into Mark's dad.
"Danya!" He says. "How are you and Mark?"
"We broke up." She looks down.
"Oh, that's too bad. Is there anything you would like?"
"Actually, I need you to fix a problem." Danya smirks.
~
After school at Hades House, Victor makes an announcement.
"Unfortunately," he frowns,"Mark's father has complained about the security cameras. So, we will have to take them down and bring Trudy back."
Everyone cheers.
Victor snickers and walks away.
~
That night, the cameras are down so Annika, Jamal and Elayna go downstairs and into a closet with a bunch of leather-bound books in it, like in the clue.
They look for the right one.
"Guys," Annika freezes in terror,"Look. It's from 1925."
She shows them a photo of Victor.
But he looks the exact same age as he does today.