Force of Nature ▸ House of Anubis [3]

chapter thirty-eight. house of abduction

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            When I got up to my room last night, Mara and Willow were already in their beds. Willow was asleep. Mara was using a torch to finish up equations on the project. I was glad neither of them were up for speaking. I was exhausted after that day I had, and I really needed some sleep if we were going to kidnap the adults first thing.

            The next morning, while I was getting ready for school and Willow had already gone downstairs, Mara informs me of a secret boyfriend she overheard Willow telling Trudy about. She didn't get a name, she said, but Willow's head over heels for this guy. But, Mara said to me, she thinks the boyfriend is Alfie. Which, of course, I told her is ridiculous, because Alfie would tell me if he was in a relationship—and with Willow! The conversation was surprisingly normal and a pleasant change from everything else, and definitely welcome considering that today is the day of the eclipse, and the Sibunas still here in Anubis House are prepping to go forward with our plan.

            I sit down at the breakfast table next to KT, giving her a subtle nod as she passes me the orange juice. "Get any sleep last night?" I ask her and Fabian. Eddie's not here yet. Willow and Mara are on one of the sofas.

            KT shrugs. "Enough. It was really quiet without Patricia or Joy."

            "I was putting finishing touches on the plan," Fabian informs. "How much did you get?"

            "Second my head hit the pillow," I answer, "I was out. I was really tired. Willow's alarm woke Mara and me up before the sun had even started to rise."

            Eddie comes in and sits down beside us, speaking in a whisper, "Okay, so I picked the padlock on the cellar door." Part one of our plan. Honestly, it's more comfortable going down to the cellar through the door than it is using the locket to go through the oven, honestly. I kinda wish it was unlocked more often. But that's not why he picked the lock. That's KT's part of the plan. "Phase one, complete."

            Trudy comes out of the kitchen, holding two plates in her hands as she says excitedly, "It's eclipse day, everybody!" Willow squeals from the couch. "I've made a special breakfast, eggs sunny side up with moon-shaped toast, hm?"

            "Oh, well," Fabian stutters as Trudy hands him the plate, "I mean, we are too excited to eat, really, Trudy."

            "I hope you've all got your eclipse viewers ready," Trudy remarks.

            "We may be a little busy," KT comments.

            "Did you hear that, Victor?" Trudy questions. I glance over to see that Victor's coming in. That's my and Fabian's part of the plan. "They don't want to see the eclipse."

            "Really?" Victor retorts plainly. "Well, their choice, I suppose. Some would say the moments after the eclipse are even more interesting."

            Eddie scoffs quietly. "You might be missing it yourself, pal."

            I give Eddie a discreet kick in the shin as Victor turns back, his nose turned down. "What was that, boy?"

            "Nothing. I didn't say anything."

            "Come on, Victor," Trudy says. "Let them eat their breakfast."

            Eddie waits until both adults are in the kitchen and my roommates are distracted enough that they won't hear us to lean forward. "All right, guys, it's now or never. Everyone knows the plan?"

            I nod and raise my hand to my eye, "Sibuna." The others follow. "Let's do this."

—

            The plan we came up with last night calls for us to split up and each take one of the three adults. KT's got Denby, Eddie's got Sweet, and Fabian and I have got Victor. So we split up after breakfast. Eddie goes to the school, KT goes to the gatehouse, and Fabian and I remain in the house, hiding in KT's room until everyone else is gone. When Fabian's satisfied that the two of us and Victor are the only ones left in Anubis House, he silently gestures toward the door and I follow him out, my running shoes light on the floor so there's not a sound.

            Kneeling in front of the door that leads from the girls' dorms to the stairs, Fabian quietly opens it enough for the two of us to watch Victor get up and leave his office, annoyingly whistling the entire time. He goes down the stairs, jingling his keys in his hand. I share a glance with Fabian as Victor leaves, and then we spring our plan into action.

            Fabian picks the lock as I keep a lookout. I remark quietly, recalling something last year when we needed to get into the barn, "Rebel roomie or rebel ex-girlfriend?"

            "Definitely both," he murmurs, pushing the unlocked door open. I take our ransom note out of my blazer pocket as Fabian covers Corbierre, Victor's stuffed raven, with a red cloth. "No one to wake Corbierre."

            I set the note down where Corbierre once stood. "Let's get out of here with the blackbird before Victor comes back. I hope KT and Eddie are getting theirs done."