"Come with me." Bianca instructs the trio softly as she comes to a stop in front of them in the Quad. "I have information about Mayor Walker's murder."
Wednesday, eager to unearth more of this mystery doesn't hesitate to follow the siren's lead as Hades and Persephone exchange glances. "Never thought I'd see the day where Bianca was willingly helping Wednesday." The brunette girl mumbles as Hades pulls her along by their conjoined hands.
"Looks like you're getting further away from winning our bet, Sephy." Hades announces smugly, ignoring the side-eye he receives from Persephone.
"There's still time." She defends, even though she knows her chances of winning are growing slimmer by the day. "Unlike you jaded pessimists in the Addams family, I still have the ability to remain optimistic about something even when facing possible disappointment. And you know why?" Hades stays silent to let her finish her rant, simply smiling down at the adorable girl who huffs next to him. "Because I'm stupid."
"Aren't we all?" Hades comments rhetorically as they are led into the Nightshade's Library where Lucas Walker is waiting for them.
"Printed these off my dad's computer. Seems he was trying to track down someone. Laurel Gates? Looks like he started right after Outreach Day." The boy explains as the trio inspects the paper Wednesday was handed.
"He must have recognised her there." Wednesday assumes.
Lucas speaks up again, "According to the British police report, Laurel was presumed drowned, but no body was ever recovered."
"No body, no crime." Persephone murmurs as she locks eyes with Hades.
"Apparently the Gates Mansion was purchased a year ago by a 90-year-old candy heiress." Wednesday informs the group. "She then mysteriously died and gave all of her belongings to her caregiver, Teresa L. Glau." Confused glances are exchanged amongst the group before Wednesday enlightens them, "It's an anagram for Laurel Gates."
"Pfft, I knew that." Hades scoffs, trying to play it cool. "Come on, guys, keep up."
"You didn't know it either." Persephone points out as she nudges his arm with her shoulder.
Bianca ignores the pair's banter. "Laurel secretly buys her old house and then comes back to Jericho as someone else... Why?"
"Revenge on all the people she blames for her family's misfortunes." Wednesday speculates. "Your father. The coroner. My parents. Most of all, Nevermore."
"How exactly does the monster fit into all of this?" Bianca asks, eyebrows scrunched as she tries to piece together the puzzle.
"The monster is called a Hyde. It's been doing Laurel's bidding. She controls it." Wednesday reveals.
"You know who Laurel is, don't you?" Lucas presumes, watching Wednesday's expression.
Persephone sighs, "I have a feeling she's about to test her theory."
◇ ◇ ◇
Turns out Wednesday's theory was very much incorrect as Kinbott ended up on the sharp side of the Hyde's talons. This left Wednesday infuriated as her main suspect now lay dead. She was determined to put an end to the Hyde's reign of terror once and for all. And she didn't care what she had to do to make sure Xavier was locked behind bars.
"And you're absolutely sure it's him?" Persephone asked again, wanting to ensure that Wednesday wasn't going to imprison the wrong person.
"I'm positive." The goth girl assured, adamant that she has got this right.
Hades snorts at his sister's words before commenting, "You are the opposite of positive, Weds." But Wednesday was in no mood for joking.
"Xavier is the Hyde." She states sharply, glaring at the pair sitting on her bed as she stands in front of them. "He killed Kinbott. He poisoned Persephone. And he stuck a knife in Thing." She holds up the blade with a menacing smirk. "And now I'm going to return it to him."
As Wednesday marches out of the room, satisfied that she'll finally solve her mystery, Hades and Persephone watch her go with bewildered gazes.
"I don't think it's Xavier." Persephone admits, shaking her head. "It just doesn't make sense. What would Xavier know about Sleeping Nightshade? He's terrible in Miss Thornhill's class. He wouldn't be able to keep a fake plant alive!"
"I agree. It all seems too convenient." Hades murmurs, brow furrowed in thought. "Once Wednesday has made up her mind it's practically impossible to change it."
Persephone sighs. "Guess all we can do is keep our guard up. The Hyde's master might be closer than we think."
◇ ◇ ◇
Persephone had tried to coax Hades into going back to his own room but the boy was as stubborn as his sister. He had become even more protective over the girl after the attack and was insisting that he needed to stay with her. Persephone wasn't going to complain about that.
And so, while Enid was settling back into her old dorm, Hades and Persephone were happily snoozing on Wednesday's bed. Persephone was perfectly content to be wrapped in Hades' warm embrace, her favourite place to be. Hades was just glad that he would be with her if another attack occurred, he would have more control over the outcome of the situation. The werewolf thought the pair were too cute to wake up so she left them to it while she began to unpack (but she made sure to snap some photos to tease them with later).
"You're back." Wednesday loudly states, which rouses Persephone from her drowsy state. The girl had developed into a very light sleeper in recent months, becoming more paranoid and fearful of her surroundings.
"I'm gone for a few days, the place gets trashed, Thing almost dies and Persephone gets poisoned." Enid replies. "Someone's gotta look out for you three."
"What happened to rooming with Yoko?" Wednesday asks, hands folded in front of her body.
"Yoko's great. I just decided I needed a few more boundaries." Enid brings out the black tape, ready to divide the two halves of the room.
"Skip the tape." Wednesday declares.
"Don't tell me Wednesday Addams is mellowing out."
"Never." The goth girl denies as Enid tosses the roll of tape to one side. "More like evolving."
Enid sees this as progress. "Well, one inch of duct tape at a time."
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Because we work." Enid responds matter-of-factly. "We shouldn't, but we do. It's like some sort of weird, friendship anomaly. Everything you said about me is true. But I don't apologise for it. Not anymore. It's just who I am." Wednesday gives an approving nod to the girl who is embracing her flaws.
A loud cheer is heard from Wednesday's bed, where Persephone has been discreetly listening to their conversation. "For once you guys have resolved your feud without me interfering." She smiles at the pair while Hades' arms still trap her to his side. "I would let you hug me, Enid but I'm a bit stuck. Hades may sleep like the dead but he's gripping onto me like a koala." Enid just laughed at her friend, glad to have her back.
"Thing said he missed you." Wednesday reveals before nodding her head behind her. "So did Persephone."
Enid sent Persephone a regretful smile. "I missed them too." There were so many words unsaid between the two girls, neither finding the courage to admit that they had also missed each other. The phrase was on the tip of Wednesday's tongue but couldn't find its way out. "I'm sorry about Xavier."
"I'm not. He's a liar and a killer." Wednesday states, leaving no room for disagreement. "Besides... there's nothing quite like the feeling of being proven right."
"Except maybe someone to share it with." Enid suggests perkily. "Thing may have blabbed about your date with Tyler. So how'd it go?"
"It was interrupted." Wednesday responds, not wanting to go into detail about it.
"Well, I heard Tyler's working the late shift..." Enid trailed off, hinting at Wednesday to go and talk to the boy. Once the pig-tailed girl had left the dorm to take a late-night trip to The Weathervane, Enid turned her teasing smile to her brunette friend. "How are things between you and Hades?" She inquires tauntingly, raising an eyebrow at their very intimate embrace.
"We're fine." Persephone replies before smirking back at her friend. "How are things between you and Ajax?" Both girls share ditsy smiles as they think of their boys.
Unfortunately, Wednesday was not having the best time with hers. Not only had she discovered that she had incarcerated an innocent student, but she had also found out who the real monster is. Someone who she had never expected. Someone who she had decided to trust. Someone who she had just shared her first kiss with.
Tyler Galpin.