What Lies Beneath ▸ House of Anubis [1]

chapter thirty-seven. house of rescue

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            "Fabian, hurry up!"

            I can actually feel the engine starting up, though the only thing I can hear besides the loud beating of my own heart is Mrs. Andrews shouting at Rufus. But finally, the door comes loose, and Patricia comes stumbling out of the van seconds before Rufus drives off—unknowingly without his hostage. Sibuna throws our arms around Patricia, pulling her into a tight group hug.

            Thank God. If Rufus had driven off with her still in the van, she'd be in so much more danger considering he didn't keep up his end of the exchange and release her while also getting whatever it is he wanted from Andrews.

            "How on earth—" starts Andrews as the five of us walk toward her, now that Rufus is out of sight. "Oh, Patricia, I've been so worried about—"

            Patricia steps backward as Andrews goes to hug her. "Yeah, right," she sneers.

            "Patricia..."

            "Come on!" Trixie exclaims. "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," Andrews responds in a slightly solemn voice. "You have no idea what you're getting into."

            "Don't threaten me, Daphne," Patricia says sharply. Ooh. Ouch, using her first name like that. Winkler's the only teacher who even lets us call him by his first name. Andrews doesn't even like us referring to her without the 'Mrs.' in front of it. "I'm already in it."

—

            Unfortunately, Patricia's threat did not get Andrews to give us any answers. She sent us back to Anubis House, where it was nearly curfew, and we all decided to get some sleep after the day we've had. But when the alarm clock goes off the next morning, there's a sort of...tension to the house. 'Cause Mick, who is one of us through and through, is leaving for his Californian sports scholarship try-out today, and if it goes well and he gets in, he'll be leaving the school. Strange to think about Anubis House without one of us.

            Must be weird for Amber and Mara, Mick leaving and the possibility it might be permanent. Amber dated him for a really long time and whatever happened with Mara, he still seemed really into her. Still very weird. I don't know if they've made up, but given the way he's looking at Mara right now, while Amber, Nina, and I are at the top of the stairs to wave goodbye, I'd say something changed.

            "I'm just saying," I continue my earlier conversation with Mick, which began when he mentioned he was looking forward to trying out surfing in California while he was there, "Australian waves are better. California sucks, man." As an afterthought, I murmur to Nina, "No offense."