House of Anubis: One Last Stand

House of Deciphering/House of Choices

Jerome had completed deciphering the letter from Victor by writing it directly below what Victor had written. He was reading it in its entirety and while folding it back up, Amber came into the kitchen, making him jump.

"Woah there," Amber responded to his reaction. "Did you finish deciphering?"

"Um...yeah..." Jerome admitted. He handed it to Amber.

Amber unfolded it and read:

"I have told them everything you wanted me to tell them. Just know everyone else cannot keep doing your dirty work for you. I hope this was all for a good cause because personally I do not feel they deserve this."

Amber thought a bit. "So...everything Victor told Eddie was a lie?"

"What exactly did Victor tell Eddie?"

Amber took a seat. "Ok, so Victor told Eddie all about Mr. Perry's past, and how he was a sociopath. And he hated his family and always hung around Victor's grandson and then he started hanging out with Victor. He became obsessed with Egyptian mythology, and he found out about these Egyptian dream thingies-or whatever-and that's what he's using now. That's how he knocked Willow out. But Victor said that Mr. Perry was doing the right thing because getting that book from Neith would mean he could 'help the future', which is really too strange to be true, and I guess this letter explains why."

Amber finished there, even though there were holes in her story, but Jerome figured enough out. She noticed Jerome's thoughtful expression and said, "Jerome?"

"Amber, I'll be back."

Before Amber could protest, Jerome gave her a kiss on the cheek, grabbed his coat, nad was out the door. Amber had no idea what had gotten into him and where he was going, but she was curious.

Soon after he left, Amber decided she'd just go back upstairs. When she was out in the foyer, before she got to the stairs, she heard the door unlocking. She didn't know why Jerome would be coming back so soon, but she still expected to see him. Instead, Mr. Perry had come in.

"Amber!" he greeted too enthusiastically to be sincere. "You're Jerome's soon-to-be wife, correct?"

Amber didn't respond. Instead, she tried to run upstairs, as fast as she could in her heels, with Mr. Perry following close behind. She tried to close herself in her room, but Mr. Perry stopped the door and came inside.

"Sweet dreams," he muttered.

Once he was done with Amber, and she was in the same condition as Willow, he headed back downstairs, hearing the three kids in the lounge.

Before heading in there, he told himself, "Every age is as good as any other."

He also did the same procedure with them and had them all unconscious on the couches. He was about to head out of Anubis house until he looked over into the kitchen, spotting the letter on the table.

He unfolded the paper and a grin gradually grew on his face.

"Ah, Victor's letter. I believe I needed this."

With that, he took the letter and left Anubis house.

~~~~~
The others arrived back at Anubis house from the school, not seeing any members of the Secret Society the entire day.

Jerome still wasn't back at the house and all was silent.

"Hello?" Eddie called. "Amber? Jerome?"

Nina went and checked in the lounge area where she spotted Lucille, Sarah, and William, all fast asleep. She tried to wake them up, but soon enough she realized they wouldn't. They were still breathing though, and she knew Mr. Perry had to come in and do it.

"Guys!"

The others came inside, seeing the same thing Nina saw. They quickly thought to check for Amber and Jerome, eventually discovering Amber was in the same condition, and Jerome was nowhere to be found.

"Do you think they took Jerome?" Joy asked worriedly.

"Let's hope not," Nina replied.

"But they most likely did," Patricia admitted blatantly.

~~~~~
Jerome had gone to Victor's house, already knowing the address by his own means. When he arrived, Victor wasn't there, but he so desperately needed to speak to him, so he waited on the porch.

When Victor finally arrived home, hours later, he honked his car horn to wake up Jerome who was snoozing in the porch chair.

"What do you need, boy?" Victor asked as he marched towards his front door, also towards Jerome.

"I'm not really a boy any-" Jerome's voice faltered as he noticed Victor's beady-eyed glare. "I just need to speak with you."

"About?"

"You know what it's about."

Victor invited him inside, going to his study where he sat behind his desk and Jerome sat on the other side. His stuffed bird, Corbierre, was still there with him, as creepy as ever.

"Why're you working for Daniel?" Jerome suddenly asked. "Did he threaten you?"

"You know why. He grew up around me-"

"-we both know that's a load of crap," Jerome interrupted. "What'd he do to convince you?"

"I'm not working for him," Victor admitted. "I'm working with him. We're partners."

"Then why is he enforcing what you have to say?"

Victor looked up at him from Corbierre, realizing Jerome read the letter meant for the Secret Society.

"I deciphered it and read it and if you two were really 'partners'-" Jerome made quotations with his fingers, "-you could express your own opinions and say what you want to say."

"Most of it was true-"

"-but not in its entirety. Why don't you just tell them the whole truth?"

"Why don't you?" Victor retaliated. "You know more about Daniel's life than I do."

Jerome was lost for words.

Victor smirked. "Suddenly have nothing to say, Clarke?"

"I-I can't tell them, but I at least want them to know something more. I'd tell them if I had the choice, but since I don't, they should at least hear it from someone who does."

"What makes you think I have more a choice than you?"

Jerome looked him in the eyes and said, "Stop asking questions you already know the answer to."

With that, Jerome stood up and left Victor's house.

~~~~~
It seems Jerome knows Perry really well-quite too well, maybe? And the mystery remains...

Not Amber and the children!(I know that's not a question, but it deserves to be expressed)

How do you think Jerome knows Mr. Perry so well?

What do you think he hasn't told the others?

And until the next chapter comes, stay awesome Aristocrats!