Chapter 1 : The Leaf Pile

I was raking the leaves with a rotten old broom outside in the backyard which smelled like cinnamon and mint. “Honey! Are you done yet? It's time to finish your homework! It's almost dinner time!” my mom called out to me. “Just a moment Mom!” I called back. “I’m almost done!” I looked down and raked the leaves to the edge of the tree. Suddenly, I found a leaf that stood out. Unlike the rest of the pile, this leaf was the color of a rainbow. I picked it up and- ”WHOOSH” I vanished. My fiery red hair was flying, as the sun and moon rose and set rapidly! “I’m dreaming,” I panted. “A dream! AAH!!” At last I stopped. I looked around and found myself in a house with nothing familiar. As my blue eyes scanned the area, there was a creaking noise coming from somewhere but I could not make out where. CRASH!” there was a big loud noise from upstairs, I raced up the stairs and found a room with things scattered everywhere.My legs trembled as I walked around hoping that nothing would jump out at me. I picked up a piece of paper and read the note on it.

Dear Relus Parson,

I hope you enjoyed your party, even though Sinless Thomas, your best friend did not arrive. I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. I feel terrible that she passed away. She was indeed a very good friend of mine. Sophie was probably the first friend I had made when I joined school. She helped me catch up and always stood up for me, but she also was keeping a secret from me saying she could not tell me. I thought it was troubling her. With the secret we both graduated and moved on. We kept touch until today but I think she died because of the secret. I hope you inherit your mother's’ beautiful traits and find out about that secret . Your good friend, Carla Peterson

Chapter 2 : Endless Letters

I stared at the note rereading it three times. Then, I folded it, and put it in my pocket and looked around. I found a locket which I opened to find a pocket watch with a letter.

I read the note and stuffed the letter and the locket in my pocket. I thought of leaving this creepy house, and returning home, which hopefully was not too far away. I rolled up the window to see droplets of rain pouring down. “Oh well,” I thought. “Guess I'm staying here. At least I can find out what the letters mean.” Thankfully, there was a little food stashed in the cupboards. I took out a few vegetables and soaked them in hot water. My grandma taught me that that was the best way to wash vegetables. Then I cut them up, made a salad, added salt, and gobbled it up. After washing it down with juice, I walked up the stairs and entered a bedroom with a blue cot. 

Password to number 3 pisle street - I am who I think I am.

 I decided to wash my face first, so I headed to the smallest room in the house, which was a bathroom. Then, by accident, as I headed out, I entered a different room where there were tons of papers scattered everywhere. I was very tired so I went to sleep in the room I was in but not before I decided to check it out tomorrow. DING!! The alarm clock shook me up at 5:00am. I went to the room with the papers and began to read them one by one. After I was done, I put them in my bag. Since I was not that hungry, I decided to reread the letters and soak the information in my brain. One letter read:

Dear Carla Peterson,

Thank you for the letter and your kind wishes. I indeed am sad yet I had forgotten about my mother a month ago. I have tried to find Sinless Thomas but haven't made contact with him yet. I am getting worried, so please tell me if you find him. Sincerely, Relus Parson.

The next letter said Bring it to me and let me keep it.

The last letter said:

Remember the warning and keep yourself safe. Do not forget: The leaves can crinkle, ice can shatter but my brother will always be our enemy after the treacherous deed he committed!

From, Carla Peterson

Chapter 3 : Realisation

The part that said to:___ was missing. I flopped down on the chair and began thinking about my questions. “Who were these people? Who was Carla’s brother? Why were they scared and why were the letters here?” Looking around the room, I spotted an old computer. I was about to open it up, hoping I could find more information, but a grumble interrupted me. I flew down the creaky stairs and made breakfast. I found nothing but a box of expired oats and stale bread. Thankfully, I always kept a granola bar with me in the purse I had when I was raking leaves while I was blown into this mysterious place. I settled into the sofa, ready to take a small nap. Suddenly, though, the stairs began to crumble and dust began to fall from the roof. Large piles of dust was blinding my eyes.

”CRASH!” the stairs collapsed and fell down to the hard wooden floor. I scrambled away from the dust and went to the bathroom, and then I locked myself inside. Once the noise had stopped, I stepped out and found myself in the same place with dust flying everywhere.

I knew I was not supposed to go since I had to solve the mystery of all the crazy things happening here. Besides I did not know where I was until I saw writing on the wall!  I read the note carefully. It said I was in number 3 Pisle Street. That was what something the other note said, but it also said the password. Strangely, I never had to put the password. I opened the door and found two more houses in front of me. I wondered if the people living there could help me.

Chapter 4 : The Man and the Tattoo

The sky was orange, pink, and blue. The fall wind blew on my face as I knocked on house No.169. At first no one answered the door, so once again I knocked the door but this time the door opened by itself. A shiver went down my spine as I took a step back, and then...“BAM” I fell down the rock stairs but luckily managed to survive a lifetime in the hospital. I dusted my already messy dress which I had borrowed from a closet in the old house, the one I was being forced to stay in.  Then a tall, slim man who was wearing black suit appeared. He looked like he was in his forties with a sly look. When he moved his hand forward, I caught sight of an eagle tattoo.

He had a wicked smile o his face and cackled horribly. “Who is that?” I thought and I stepped forward, meaning to figure out who that was. But then all of a sudden a big mist came over and by the time the mist parted he was GONE! I turned around to see him, but there was nothing outside except a few dead tree trunks and rotten leaves. Suddenly, I saw a figure running in the distance, so now I knew he did not just disappear! He RAN! WHO WAS HE AND WHY DID HE RUN AWAY?

CHAPTER 5 : THE ROOM

I thought about all the letters I've read and the names that were on them. They felt somewhat familiar. I sighed and hurried back to the room with all the letters scattered everywhere. I picked them up and read the names out loud. They all sounded familiar from previous notes. The letter that had the familiar name said:

I knelt down and started to pick up a green silk envelope, when suddenly I felt a creepy, cold hand on my shoulder. I looked at it for a moment and then “AAAAGGGGHHHH”, I screamed and ran out the door at the speed of light.

I looked back, and saw the man chasing me. He had a devilish smile and his teeth looked like they belonged to a shark. He looked like the man I had seen before but much scarier.

Dear Carla Peterson,

I have none to believe that the letters have been found. You must plan according, or you and many others could be in grave danger. I’m warning you Carla, you must get those letters back or else the consequences will be unfortunate. From, Sinless Thomas

I screamed again. All the dead leaves crunched as I ran, yelling my lungs out. I squeezed my eyes and ran and ran until my legs almost gave up. I ran straight into the forest, but I did not notice that until, “AAAAAHHH! ”I screamed as the floor beneath me disappeared.

Chapter 6 : Friend or Enemy?

Thump!! I hit the floor with great force! “Where am I?” I moaned, rubbing my head. “Hello!” an icy voice greeted behind me. I gasped to see the guy who was running away from me, and the one I was running away from!! “Who are you?” I managed to stutter. “Joe Peterson, but there’s no need to ask who you are, Iris Parson!” That name rang a bell in my head. And so did Joe, but I just couldn't recall where. “Why have you trapped me here, um, sir? Or dude, or.. What should I call you?” “Joe” the man insisted. “And I have brought you here to help you. I am your friend, not your enemy. ”That’s it! The puzzle pieces clicked together. Joe Peterson was the man in the note that this other person named Sinless Thomas had wrote about.

Maybe I knew now where I had heard Joe before, but nothing made sense. I stood up and glared at Joe. “Who says I can trust you, huh? The le-, uh, SOMETHING warned me to not trust you, and since you have been randomly chasing me around and put me into this place, I think I’m going to trust the letter.”

Chapter 7 : The C.P. History

For the first time, the man smiled. Not the evil one that he had given me earlier, but a nice, sweet one. Then he handed me a book and said, “I was hoping I could help you on this difficult journey but if you do not want my assistance then this diary will guide you. Just remember : Trust no one but Sinless Thomas, Relus Parson, and Carla Peterson. You will meet them along the way but, if you spot anyone with a silver badge - Go away, ignore them and DO NOT trust them.” Giving me one last look, he opened the door and stepped outside, the last thing I saw of him, was that he was taking out a pen with a weird inscription - Golden- I could not read the rest as he flicked the pen away. Then the door slammed shut, and I was left alone.

I took off my jacket as it was not that cold and looked at the diary. It had 3 words printed on it, in a dark yellow fancy script. Underneath that it read something weird. It looked like someone had spilled something on it- water or maybe even coffee. I read it aloud: Erongi EhT REVLIS!The spill was so faded, I could not even see it anymore. “What does Erongi Eht Revlis stand for?” I thought to myself, but the only response I got was the harsh force of the wind being pushed upon its only audience.

The C . P History

Erongi EhT REVLIS!

Chapter 8 : Secrets Revealed

Opening the diary, I gasped. There were letters stuffed into it! All of them were addressed by names. Some said - For Sinless Thomas. Others - Relus Parson, and a few were - Carla Peterson.I flipped through the other pages and more of my questions were answered. It turns out that Carla Peterson and Joe are siblings! Relus Parson and I are cousins. Sinless Thomas is his best friend. And the house I was staying in, belonged to Carla Peterson! Then I thought about all the odd happenings at her house, the bricks falling, the strange noises, and most of all the food shortage. Carla might have been using the house and run out of supplies. She might have just went away because she could not live here anymore. I flipped through more pages and read the notes. One page read-

THE PAGE HAD BEEN RIPPED! As my thoughts wandered back to where I picked up the rainbow leaf, a stout figure slipped into the cottage. He crept to the back of the room and locked himself in a rickety cupboard. My thoughts flew back to my times with grandma. I thought harder, and then the craziest ideas hit my mind! Perhaps “C.P History” could stand for “Carla Peterson’s History”! And maybe all the strange happenings had an answer to them!

The curious pile of leaves- a mystery to the family. The leaves have been known to take us on an incredible adventure, resulting in great findings or death. The Parsons have a great link to the mystery of the leaves- otherwise known as the ARESTIA! The only way the ARESTIA effect can be reversed, (meaning returning to the place you encountered with the ARESTIA is-

Chapter 9 : The Stout Figure

As an eleven year old girl who was still in fifth grade, I was really not that great at finding solutions to extremely complicated mysteries or questions, but I still believed in myself. I pulled the old rusty locket I had found when I first came here, but when I opened the locket the little paper note was GONE! “NOOO!” I thought as one of my plans got washed out of my mind. The stout figure now emerged from the closet and brought himself to light. “Hem” the man said in a soft voice, but I was too busy to hear.“HEM!” he said again in a strict tone. I gasped and turned around to see a short man with a small mustache.

“I am Sinless Thomas” he said while taking of his coat, “you have probably heard my name in a couple of those letters you have there,” he said motioning to the bunch of letters in the diary.  “Yes. Umm I did.” I replied a little shaky. “Well I guess I have some explaining to do!” he said joyfully, “Call me Sin” he added as he dragged over a chair. “Ok” I replied with a bit of interest.

“Well” Sin began “ let me start with some basic information. You are the only living relative of the Parson family. Your only other living relative is Relus. Carla Peterson is your guide and I am also your guide. The locket you have belongs to Carla, the diary belongs to Relus, and Joe is not at all your enemy! Take out each note and let me explain things in a way you understand.“But one of the letters from Carla Peterson said Joe Peterson is your enemy.”

“That” he laughed, “is a fake letter. She had been kidnapped by our enemies and been forced to write that. Joe is not at all your enemy!

Chapter 10 : Golden Gates

“What?” “Yes, it’s true” Sin smiled, and then asked, “Now, can I see the notes?” “Sure,” I replied as I picked up the bag which had the letters. “Here,” “Let’s see,” he said, “These letters are warning letters from the agency we work at : Golden Gates. ” “I must inform Carla at once.” he continued, “Our enemies are trying to break in headquarters. But thank you for this information. I must get leaving now.”

Then he added, “Here you go, an Arestia leaf. You can use it to return home.” He gave me a rainbow colored leaf, just like the one I had picked up so very long ago. “Now you can return to your own home, parents and family." “Thanks,” I said, but after a pause, I added, “but I think I want to stay at Golden Gates and help solve the mysteries that come up. Like this one.”

“Really?‘ he grinned, and I nodded with a huge smile on my face. “Well then you better get ready for a good roller coaster ride!” Sin laughed “Here,” he said handing me a cookie.“Take a bite of it and you will be at Golden Gates in no time!”

I took a huge bite of the cookie and in seconds the wind was blowing my hair and I was moving around like a tornado, but then all of a sudden everything stopped. For a second it seemed as if everything around me was frozen. As I stood up I had a glimpse of Golden Gates! The entire place was so clean and shiny, the grass was green and the sky was blue. Every single detail in the landscape made Golden Gates wonderful!

Chapter 11 : My Mystery

Golden Gates was literally golden gates. There were small carved designs of different animals and flowers. And the gold shimmered in the evening sun. Behind the gates were two light blue buildings which were much bigger than the gates. There were also a large number of houses in different colors, sizes, and length. “Wow” I gasped, and I heard a soft thud behind me. “Well, do you like it?” a familiar voice asked. It was Sin! He probably had a bunch of those cookies stored in his bag. “Hi, again” I greeted, “Where are we?” “This,” he explained, “is the agency where we solve mysteries. People can get in by solving mysteries the Golden Gates have been trying to solve but failed. There are many, but you have solved the hardest one of all - finding the mysterious letters and finding Joe. You will get a never ending packet of these cookies, so when you solve the mystery we assign, you get a job here. You can go home with the leaf but come here whenever you feel like by eating a cookie.Don’t worry! Golden Gates has a special way to keep your parents safe.”

Sin and I walked up to the gates. It was even more breathtaking in person. Then Sin took out a stick from his bag and waved it in front of the gates. A password box appeared. “Password - please” it squeaked and Sin leaned in and whispered, “A, v, 10, 3 we solve mysteries.” “You - may - enter” the box squeaked. The gates swung forward and we both entered. We silently walked into one of the light blue buildings. It read, “Clues and Assigning Mysteries.”

“The other light blue building reads ‘Management’” Sin informed me. “But we are not going to that now, we are going to “Clues and Assigning Mysteries.”“Okay” I replied and we walked down the wide hallways. We stopped in front of a door which read, “Directors : Luna and Ralph Mooncaster.”

CLUES AND ASSIGNING MYSTERIES

“There are two directors?” I asked, with a confused look. “Certainly, why can’t there be?” he replied with a curious look. “Just wondering.”

We swung open the door and discovered two people there. A woman with brown hair tied up in a bun was working at a computer. She had an innocent look and seemed ready for anything. Then a man, whom I assumed was Ralph, had dark hair and wore a suit, he was busy arranging tons and tons of paperwork. “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Mooncaster.” Sim greeted, and I whispered, “Hello” They both looked up and when they saw us, they grinned widely. “Hello Sin,” Luna greeted. Then seeing me, she joyfully added, “And this must be Iris Parson” “Yes, indeed it is!” her husband said as he got up from his chair. “Well, Iris, I suppose you want to know your new mission” “Yes, I do, Mrs. Mooncaster“ I replied.

DIRECTORS: LUNA AND RALPH MOONCASTER

“Well, your new mission is to track our enemies, the Silvers. They have captured a close friend of ours and a great agent - Carla Peterson” “That’s Joe’s sister‘ I commented, and everyone in the room nodded. “It is,” Sin agreed, “and Joe is trying his best to find her but no luck. Even we have been trying for ages. However, you have solved such a complicated mystery in such a short time so we figured you can solve this one too.” “Yes, I assure you I can and I will” I answered, with full confidence. Everyone smiled and Luna handed me a folder which was labeled “Clues”. “Good luck” the couple said, and Sin and I left the room.

Chapter 12 : Broken Glasses

“What will I do now?” I asked, as we exited the building. “Well, members of the Golden Gates have their own houses. You are too young, so for now you will stay in my house. You will work here at the Golden Gates and when you need to adventure I will come with you” “Ok” I replied in a kind manner. “One more thing” he said. “This is 100% volunteer work so you don’t get paid”. Sin added. “That is fine.

I just want to work here for the part where we will be helping and solving mysteries. They supply us with homes, food and fun because there are theaters, shops, gyms and much more here. We have a great deal!”

“Glad you think so.” he smiled. “By the way, at my house, I have nothing prepared. So we can grab lunch at a cafe, then go to my house.” I nodded and he took me to a orange colored cafe called, “Cafe Lepinte” I ordered two egg salad sandwiches and Sin ordered one tuna sandwich along with a small salad. We ate our meal pretty fast. While I munched on some chips I ordered, I heard the tinkle of the bell. I turned my head and saw two men wearing black suits enter the cafe. They were in intense discussion and I heard one man say,  “Joe, the deal is made. We can’t back off now.” “Joe?” I thought, “Joe is here?” It was Joe alright. The man who was not talking took off his hat and I recognized his black hair, black eyes, and sly look. He looked the same as the day I met him in that room, but a little thinner.

“Joe is here,” I whispered to Sin, and when he saw the direction my hand was wavering he advised, “best not to run into him, let’s go.” He paid the bill and there was a quick walk to his house from there. It was a dark red, brick house with a small garden filled with tulips, sunflowers, and roses.  “This is really pretty!” I commented to Sin, who was unlocking the door with his large ring of keys.  “Thank you,” he smiled, and we stepped inside the brick house. It was actually really nice. There was a kitchen to the left of me with gold trimmings and glass cabinets. It kind of gave it a rustic look. There were two wooden poles and a staircase with two steps which led to the hall. There was a flat TV screen and there were broken glasses. “Sin, there are broken glasses and a note next to it!” I showed the note to him...

To Joe,

Hey Joe, if you are reading this you are on the trail of a mystery. The Silvers have captured me and I was prisoner in your guest bathroom.They moved me at 3:21. I don’t know where I will be when you find me, but try your best. They broke my glasses and I can no longer see properly. Keep my glasses, fix them, and bring them to me. I will be waiting for you to come. Best of luck.

Carla Peterson

Chapter 13 : More Clues

We both gasped in surprise and there was silence. As Sin picked up the beaten up glasses I found two small pieces of paper on the floor. The first one read...

777 Yoyashi St. The second one read Next place : 454 Locktern St. Then the idea hit me. “This must be from Carla!” I exclaimed “maybe 777 Yoyashi street is where she is now! And 454 Locktern street is where the Silvers will take her next!” “Excellent work Iris!” Sin cried “Just marvelous! We must leave immediately!” “Okay, but what should we take?” I questioned. “I mean, we are going away for a long time.”

“Well, I had a room set up for you, with everything a 5th grader could want. Third door on the right upstairs.” he informed me. “There’s a big red denim backpack which you could pack whatever you want. I’ll pack the essentials like food, water and clothes." Yeah, thank you for everything” I said. “No problem,” he assured me, “I’m doing this as I’m your guardian for now and also since I care about you.” I smiled at Sin and headed up to the room.

Sin had told me that my room is the third door on the right. “Where, oh! there it is.” I thought.

Chapter 14: Knock on the Door

It was not that hard to spot. The door frame and knob looked like any other room, but in purple, it read IRIS. Pushing open the door, I gasped. The room was divine! Pushed to the side, there was a brown base bed with a white, silver, and golden trim. An emoji pillow along with a teal pillow which read, SWEET DREAMS was resting along a frame with studded gems. There was also the bag Sin was talking about, and it was certainly HUGE! On the opposite side, there was a white desk with a little hole which was holding a feather pen. The feather was a beautiful blended purple/blue and it shined in the glistening sun, even though the desk was far away from the window. To go along with the marvelous set, there was a light blue swivel chair with diamond hearts on the back. Then, there was a white bookcase surrounded with palm leaf plants. The bookcase was filled with my favorite kind of books! Last but not least, I spotted what I would call a “comfy corner.”

There was a purple window seat, with a flower shaped table and two bean bags resting next to it.

“How do you like it?” a voice asked behind me. Turning around, I saw it was Sin carrying a huge box in his arms. “I LOVE IT!” I shrieked, “But you did not have to do this.” “I did,” he reassured me and then motioned for me to come over. “This box has a few essentials,” he explained. “A computer, a temporary phone, headphones, more books, some jewelry and more.” Then seeing my overwhelmed look at all the items spread out before me he smiled, “Don’t worry. For first detectives, meaning people who have just gotten their first mystery, they supply most things and the guardians help out too. Now let’s arrange all your new stuff. ”

There was a white, fluffy teddy bear which we placed on the bookshelf along with my brand new jewelry case. Next, we fixed the new books Sin had brought in the bookcase. We put the computer, phone and headphones on my desk so it could charge. Pretty soon my room rocked in its looks.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH!‘ I shrieked to him “ YOU ARE THE BEST!” I added hugging him so tight that he might have exploded! He covered his ears in a teasing way but then replied with a smile saying, “You’re welcome.”

Suddenly there was a knock from the door. “Who could that be?” I wondered as Sin went to open the door.

Chapter 15 : Warning Note

As Sin opened that beautiful door, I caught sight of something unpleasant. “JOE!” Sin exclaimed “ Well, this is a bit of a surprise!” As I neared the door I could see that it was Joe for sure.  “Oh, hi” I said with my head down. “Sin,” Joe said worriedly. “I really need to talk to you in private, but it’s okay if Iris is here.” As Joe hurriedly walked in I was thinking about Carla Peterson’s broken glasses. Joe,” I asked. “Did you by any chance come here to question Sin about your sister’s disappearance?”“How did you know?!” Joe asked in surprise. “I did! Did you find any trace of her?” he asked this time more worried.

“Actually,” I admitted “We did!’ I showed him the two notes and the broken glasses. He sighed, “I wish we could go there now,”

“As a matter of fact,” I piped up “ we were just about to leave.”

“Yes,” Sin finally spoke “ We can take you with us. Oh, by the way do you know where 777 Yoyashi street is?”

“ Yes, I do, but what if the Silvers move her before we get there?” “ Don’t feel discouraged,” I said enthusiastically “ let’s leave now.” “You’re right” Sin suddenly said “We are wasting so much time now! Come on, let's go! Time is money!”

We all raced toward the car and hopped in. “The ride will be pretty long,” he estimated, “I suggest you get something to do, but quickly.” I raced back into the house, picked up a book and hopped back in the car. As Sin drove across a farm, Joe and I managed to get along somewhat. I finished my book pretty quickly, as I was a fast reader. Joe was writing something on a piece of paper. “What are you doing?” I asked, hoping to pass time.

“Well, I have a cover job, to earn money you know. This is something I need to do for work.” We chatted and chatted and almost forgot about the problem we had on our hands until we heard the click of the car stopping. The door was half open, the windows were broken, the paint had weathered away, and the whole place looked as if it had been abandoned. “Hmmm,” Sin thought out loud. “ Let's go in, but just in case I will go in first. If it is safe then you both follow.” We both nodded as Sin slowly walked into the deserted house. Once he had gone inside he called back “ It’s okay! You can come in!”

As I stepped into house 777 I sensed that something was very strange about this particular house. There were thick vines that blocked the bedroom doors, there were plants growing everywhere, the windows had turned brown, the house was pitch dark, and the entire place looked as if no one had entered it in centuries. As my eyes got used to the darkness Joe took a quick stride around the first floor and started to run up the stairs. There was a creak every time he climbed up, and the creaking got louder and louder.

Joe!” I called “ I don’t think those stairs can hold our weight! So just to be safe, you go into the bedroom and check what's in there. We will wait here!” “Well,” Joe called back “if you’re sure, Iris!” As Joe opened the bedroom door I caught sight of a white handkerchief of the floor, but I was not so sure about what I was seeing. “Hey guys!” Joe yelled “ I think I might have picked up a clue! There’s a white handkerchief on the bed!” “Really?” I asked in surprise “ Okay. Throw it down here!” “One moment,” Joe called back. “I found something else, I think it’s a hairpin!” But just before Joe threw the hairpin and handkerchief down, Sin picked up a sheet of paper. “Iris!” Sin gasped in surprise “It’s a warning! I think it's from the Silvers!” He gave the mysterious note to me and as I read it my face became more and more worried.

Chapter 16 : Note Found

The whole idea of the Silvers was so confusing that I just wanted to meet them myself! “Quick!” I called to Joe” Go into all the other rooms and bring anything you find!” “Why?” Sin asked as Joe raced from room to room. “The Silvers have obviously moved Carla to 454 Locktern street.” I explained “ And in case we’re too late to find her at Locktern street,” I continued “we have to find as many clues to her whereabouts.”

To Iris Parson, ...If you are reading this Iris, you are facing the most dreadful moment in your life. Your little friend Carla is with us. There is no way you will ever see her again. Tell us where you are and we will let you see her face once more. This is your first warning! From, R. and P. S.

“ Good point!” Sin commented “Okay, but aren't the Silvers a whole gang?” “Yes, they’re a seven people gang, but Robert and Pixie Silvers are the leaders. The members are called Dave, Beth, Amber, Frederick, and Gary.”” Sin replied. “You can recognize them because at least one silver word will be on their clothing- it’s policy. And they would have a silver clock, orange fizz soda and a little maroon book with nothing inside.”

Joe was gasping as he slowly walked down the staircase. He was holding a number of different items. A pen, a diary, the handkerchief, two hairpins, a broken locket, and a diamond earring were among it. “This is all I found” I Joe gasped “ we can put all the items in the car. We have to leave now. We have to find Carla!” “Let’s go!” Sin exclaimed “ We might be lucky if we leave now”

When we got to the car Joe was almost out of breath. I dumped all the items into the back seat and hopped in. “Why are you out of breath?” I asked Joe “ How many rooms were there? I only saw two or three.” “You might have not seen the entire hallway.”

” Joe told me as Sin started the car. “There were eight rooms.” “Well that explains something,” I nodded as we began to drive down a rough path. “Where is 454 Locktern Street? Never heard of it before.” Joe mentioned to Sin. “Very close, actually. We should probably get there in 5 minutes.” Sin replied. Sin was right. After a few minutes of tumbling down roads, we pulled up in front of a huge Victorian mansion. I was surprised, as who would have thought that the Silvers would hold a hostage in such a pretty house? And whose house was it? We slowly got out of the car and walked towards the house. Sin and Joe immediately headed inside, but I held back. Something told me that I should stay outside and look for clues. After informing Joe and Sin of what I would do, I walked to the back of the house where there was a huge garden, filled with plants. It was a very pretty scene except something felt wrong. I spotted a white loose leaf paper buried in the dirt. Picking it up, I saw it was a note.

The letter read:

Dear, Iris Parson,

I know you will find this note one way or another. I have been kidnapped and I am also no longer here. Follow the pattern 13, 16, 21 Gray Ford, 5, Mean. It may sound puzzling, but with trustworthy friends and your own smart brains, I will be rescued in no time. Trust people who you are sure of and never underestimate ANYONE on this journey. I got this pretty long letter for a kidnapped person because getting locked in a writing room is handy! While they were moving me, I slipped the paper in the garden because it would look odd. The pattern, 13,16,21,Gray Ford,5,Mean was used in case this message falls in the wrong hands. Farewell, Iris and I hope you figure out the clues. Carla Peterson

Chapter 17: Unwanted Guests

“I have to show Sin and Joe this!” I thought, and I raced back inside the house. The house looked vintage. On one side, there was a brown sofa with a roaring fireplace in front of it. On the other, there was a white metal kitchen filled with white utensils. “Joe? Sin? Where are you?” I called. No reply. Fear began to freeze my body until I heard a voice say, “Iris? We’re up here!” The fear thawed and I ran where the voice had come from : Upstairs. Sin and Joe were there, in an old dusty room with a bunch of boxes around them. “Hello Iris. Where had you gone off for so long?” “You won't believe it, I found a note and Carla wrote it and she’s gone and-” I would have continued blabbering if Joe had not put a hand up to stop me.

“Hold up, Iris. Did you mention a note that Carla wrote?” “Yes,” I replied, “It’s a note from Carla and it says - Here, just read it.” I handed Joe the note and Sin leaned in, both of them reading the note.

When they had finished, Joe looked up with a worried look while Sin just looked confused. “13, 16, 21 Gray Ford, 5, Mean. ? What in the world is that supposed to mean?” Joe questioned me. I shrugged in response. “Wait,” Joe suddenly blurted out. “I have no idea what the 13, 16, 5 and Mean mean, but I might have an idea on what Gray Ford and 21 stand for.” He continued, “Gray Ford was where we got our FIRST mystery from Golden Gates. It was our first mystery and we were partners. I have no idea, though, why she would talk about it now.” “Maybe -‘ Joe was interrupted. There was a loud bang on the door. Then two more followed by it. “Someone’s here,” I whispered, and we ran down.

Chapter 18: Stranger Danger

We ran downstairs and halted in front of the door. “Should we open it?” I asked worriedly. “They might be dangerous.” “Only one way to find out,” he replied, and flung open the door.There was a woman, who looked in her 20’s. She had waist length blonde hair and fair skin.

She was wearing a long red dress and a small white shawl and carrying a bag in her hand. “Hey,” she greeted. “What’s up?” “How may we help you, ma’am?‘ Joe asked politely, ignoring the fact that the woman was acting like she knew us for ages. “Don’t call me ma’am, it sounds so weird. Call me Leona.” she laughed, and flashed a big smile.

“Don’t call me ma’am, it sounds so weird. Call me Leona.” she laughed, and flashed a big smile. I could not help it, but I butted in, like always. “Who are you, ma’am, and why are you here?” “Wow! If it is not little Iris Parson. My, you are fierce? And please, I insist you call me Leona.” She continued, “You three might be confused as to why I’m here, a stranger. Well, I am no stranger, I’m a member of the Golden Gates. And I know the unfortunate fact that Carla Peterson is missing. I want to help you, I truly do.”

Even though that unconvincing intro made me feel weird, Joe’s tense face suddenly broke into a huge smile. “A person who wants to find Carla is a friend of ours! Come in - although I suppose it is not our house to welcome you.” “You are welcome for now,”

Sin smiled and Leona stepped in, with a smile. “Get some biscuits and tea from the kitchen,” Sin whispered to me as he joined Joe and Leona. Before following Joe and Sin upstairs, Leona took of her shawl and wrapped it around her bag to cover some words which were on her purse. “What does it say?” I wondered, as I headed into the kitchen. Opening a cabinet, I got out some sugar biscuits along with the ingredients for tea. Carrying 4 cups of tea and some biscuits on a tray, I walked towards the stairs. But something stopped me - THE BAG. I set the tray on a table and picked up Leona’s bag. Unwrapping the shawl, I read the words- SILVER.

I gasped, but I knew what I saw was true. I wanted to tell Sin and Joe right away, but I knew that Leona would try to deny the fact that she was a part of the Silver gang. I would have to just to trick her someway or the other.

Chapter 19 : The Other Side

I slowly opened the bag and was shocked at what had been revealed, but I would have to use this new found evidence in some way. I quickly picked up the tray and headed upstairs.

“Biscuits and tea,” I announced. “Thank you so much,” Sin smiled at me warmly. “It’s very cold up here, so a nice cup of hot tea is just what I need.” Joe spoke. “We were just showing Leona here some boxes here with evidence that Carla had indeed been kept here. Other than the note of course,” he smiled again. “Yes, this will be VERY helpful, to harm - I mean of course, find Carla Peterson.” “Oh my god, the Silvers are planning to harm Carla. Holding her is just a fake switch.” I thought to myself. “But if Leona does not come back with information about how we’re planning to rescue her, they can’t keep her away from us and they’ll lose Carla! I have to stop them!” While Leona was blabbering about how helpful the clues would be, I inched closer to Sin while nodding and smiling at Leona all the time. “Sin, don’t trust her. There’s another side to her, and the evidence is in her bag.” “What in the world are you talking about?” he whispered, with a confused look. “Come down with me and you can-” “Anything wrong over there?” a voice asked. It was Leona, smiling at us. “Um-nothing, er, just-‘ “Everything is fine. Iris was just whispering that there was a big crack in the door of the house, for some reason.

She did not want to worry you.” Sin replied, in a confident voice. He must be used to lying, because he’s great at it! “Yes,” I added, catching on, “We’re just going to head down and check it out.” “Ok,” Joe agreed, and the two were back in intense discussion.

“Now, what is this new found evidence on Leona?” Sin questioned, as we walked towards her bag. “Look,” I pointed, unwrapping her shawl. “Her bag reads Silvers. And inside the bag are an orange fizz soda, a silver clock, and and a maroon book with nothing inside. Plus, she let it slip that they were going to harm Carla!” Sin opened her bag and examined what was inside. Finally, he nodded, saying, “Yes she is definitely a member of the Silvers. We have to make her confess now.”

“Let’s go and confront her, with the purse,” I replied, and we headed back upstairs, with the purse hidden safely in my pocket. “That was a short trip,” Leona commented, as we entered the storage room. “Turns out Iris was exaggerating, it was just a small hole that we can cover later.” That’s it - I could not handle it anymore. “Stop pretending, Leona!”

I whispered, as I slowly took out the purse. “I know you are not part of the Golden Gates and actually part of the Silvers.”“What are you blabbering, little girl? You don’t know what you are saying!” she exclaimed, but little pools of sweat started to form at her forehead. “Oh, I think she does,” Sin added, and he shot me a look that made me know what I had to do. “Look inside the purse, Joe.” I opened the purse and slowly took out the orange fizz soda, the maroon book and the silver clock.

“These are the items that every Silver member must have.” I explained, “Sin told me and he has worked at the G.G for a long time. He must know. Plus, her purse clearly says Silver!”

“Seriously? That’s because um - well, I love golden. It’s my first favorite color, but silver’s my second. It’s shiny, but unfortunately, they did not have a purse in golden so I HAD to go with silver! You know?”

“Oh really?” I asked “ Well then how do you explain this?” I pulled her hair off and tossed it across the room.

Chapter 20 : A Glimpse of The Silvers

“I trusted you,” Joe whispered to Leona, “And you betrayed me.” “I did not betray you, Joe! I swear I’m not a Silver!” “Oh, yes you are.” Joe screamed, “You’re a spy, and a traitor. We’ll tie you up and Golden Gates will pick you up.”

“Stop! Stop!” she shrieked, as the two men tied her up.

“Let me call the agency,” I called out, and fished out my temporary phone from my bag. I selected what read, “Golden Gates Main Number” and dialed them. “Hello? This is Iris Parson, and we want you to pick up one of the Silvers. We don’t know her real name yet, she was a spy. Thank you. Bye.”

“NO!” Leona shouted “NO! Don’t you dare call those evil people! Call them again and tell them I am not there! You will be sorry! Don’t!” Her cries were useless. The Golden Gates police had arrived and they swept Leona away as if she were a feather.“Well, that’s one Silver down.” Joe sighed, “And six more treacherous and evil people to go.”

“Lets go,” I said “ we still have to find out which Silver was pretending to be Leona”. “But we already know that “ Joe told me “ That was Amber. We all have a photo of each Silver, here, “ he handed me seven papers. “This is how the Silvers look. You can cross out Amber’s face since we already found her.”

What Joe said was true, the picture which had Amber was pretty easy to recognize. She had the same figure and eyes, and her hair was blond but a bit shorter, probably shoulder length. The only difference was that in the picture she seemed a bit more slim.

The ride back to Sin’s house was uneventful. Joe wrote, Sin drove, and I thought about the different angles of the mystery. Each angle seemed to have a different solution.“I’m going to my room,” I told Joe “ I’ll be back in some time”

As I walked past a room I had a feeling that a shadow had just moved, but it was probably just my imagination, but after awhile I felt that it was not at all my imagination.

As I walked past more doors I saw a figure run across the hallway. I was tempted to follow, but I was not so sure about what I was seeing. I quickly ran to my room and fell asleep. I still did not notice that there were shadows moving here and there, but once I woke up I noticed one right in front of me, but in the blink of an eye it vanished. I felt like having so many hallucinations in one hour was crazy. I put my feet on the floor and I felt like a hundred eyes were staring at me, but I still got up and walked towards the bathroom where suddenly, there was a loud crashing noise from the kitchen. “Who was that?” I demanded, and whirled around.

There was glass spread across the wooden floor. Small chips of sharp glass poked my toes and made them bleed.“OW!” I screamed as the glass pierced my feet. Joe and Sin ran over to help me.

“There must be an intruder,” Joe commented, “Should we take a look around?” “Yes,” was my reply “ I thought I was seeing shadows upstairs.” “Well, maybe those shadows were real,” Sin wondered out loud, “ You can go check upstairs Joe. I will take care of Iris.

”While Joe went to check the place around, Sin got a wet cloth damp with something. “Hydrogen Peroxide, for healing wounds. It’s VERY painful but the only thing we have available” he explained as he dabbed some on my wounds. The pain was so intense that I felt my skull throbbing. Then slowly, he took out the sharp pieces of glass. “Ow, Ow, Ow!” I screamed ”This hurts too much!”  “It’s all done, don’t worry.” Sin assured me, as he took out the last piece of glass. “Guys! I think I found something!” Joe yelled from upstairs “Okay!” I yelled back “We’ll come! Just a moment”. As I attempted to stand up Sin pushed me back down.  “You should rest for a bit,” SIn told me “the medicine needs to start working.” Then suddenly Joe came running down at full speed “Guys!” he gasped “ I think I just saw the Silvers!

Chapter 21 : My Only Living Relative

“What do you mean, you just saw the Silvers?” Sin asked Joe who was panting like a dog, and clutching his side.

“I mean that I was checking out the bathroom, and suddenly a figure emerged from the curtains. I read the word Silver across the the figure’s shirt.” he explained. “Didn’t you chase him?” “Believe me, I tried, but he’s super fast and then he stopped at a open window. There was some sort of grappling hook, which he slid down swiftly” he explained, and took out a kerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead. “Guys,” I asked “do you think we can go see Relus now? I really wanted to see him, he might know where Carla is.” “I wish we could,” Sin said sadly “ I lost contact with him for over a month now. “Relus?” Joe finally spoke, “I know where he is! I spoke to him at Cafe Lepinte!” He was the man Joe was talking to that day at the cafe! “I saw you there too,” I remembered, as I unsteadily got on my feet. “ I know,” Joe replied “I was talking to him, but you might have not noticed him since he was in a disguise.” “Really?” I asked in disbelief, “Why would he be in disguise?” “ Well,” Joe explained “ Relus was trying to find more clues to Carla's disappearance. So he thought of a disguise to keep his identity a secret." “So, where is he now?” I questioned. “Did you lose contact with him that day or,”

“No, I know where he is. He’s staying nearby in a lodge called Moonlight Lodge. If you wish, I could drive you there. It’s quite a nice place.” “Great, let’s go!” Sin exclaimed, and we set off in Joe’s mini convertible. We drove along a huge park called, ROVER ELLIOT PARK . It was really pretty with blooming roses, white tulips, pink tulips, purple petunias, and orange daisies.As we crossed the park Joe turned onto a narrow road and began to drive down the bumpy road. And at last we had arrived!

“WOW!” I exclaimed “This lodge is beautiful! It might be small, but it’s still looks really pretty!” The first time Joe knocked no one answered, the next time Sin knocked, still no one answered, and finally when I knocked the door using one of my crutches, it opened and a man who wore an office shirt was standing in front of me. He had a kind look, a thin figure, and brown wavy hair. As soon as he stepped out, though, Sin ducked behind the bushes. “Hello, how may -” his eyes lingered on Joe and me. “Joe, what are you doing here? How did you-”

“I can explain everything,” Joe interrupted, “Some weird shadow figure broke into the house and spilled broken pieces of glass. And oh! by the way, we caught one of the Silver members, Amber.” “Wait,” Relus said, “where’s Sin?” “Here I am, old friend, here I am.” Sin appeared out of the bushes, smiling.

Chapter 22 : The Pizza Culprit

We stepped inside his lodge and I looked around. Red and orange curtains were hung against large window frames, and Sin, I and Joe sat down on the dark, red cushions.

Relus disappeared into a large room but a few minutes later appeared with four glasses on a blue tray. “Some drinks and sugar cookies,” he announced with a smile. “Mm, this is good, where did you get this from?” I asked. “I made it, from oranges in the orchard!” he announced proudly. I was about to reply, when Joe interrupted me.“Sorry to break up the little chat, but can we get to business?” he apologized. “Alright,” Relus said “can you guys catch me up on the latest news from Golden Gates? I heard you captured Amber!”

“Yes we did,” I launched into a whole explanation. “Basically, she came to our house, disguised, and claimed that she was a friend. While she, Joe and Sin were talking in the attic of the house where Carla had been kidnapped, and I was getting snacks, I saw her purse, and I unwrapped her shawl and read SILVERS. I looked inside her purse and found the items which make a Silver member and Silver member. So we confronted her, tied her up, and the G.G police picked her up!” “Wow, that’s surprising!” Relus commented and Joe nodded. “Did you forget about the note Carla left behind?”Sin reminded me, and I suddenly remembered the note I found in the garden. “Of course, I think I have it here,” I assured them while digging in my purse. I eventually found it buried at the bottom. I handed it to Relus, and he read the note, his eyes scrunched in concentration. After he was done reading it, he placed the paper on the table. Seeing he was done, I asked him, “Well, can you understand the note?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “As Joe probably knows, 21 and Gray Ford are where he and Carla grew up. Then 13 and 16 add up to 29 which is the abandoned place on Crystal Avenue.

And mean Oh, in G.G there was a torch which had everlasting light. Joe and some other people invented it, but it was stolen by a Silver. I think Carla got it back! ” “Yes, and where she grew up and that abandoned place is where she might be held as a hostage.” I exclaimed. “Yes! We can go tomorrow! I will order pizza for dinner and you guys can sleep in the extra rooms!” “Thanks so much for the offer. I really was not looking forward to driving home.!” Sin replied, grateful. “No problem, let me order some pizza now.” Sin told Relus he liked jalapenos and onions, while Joe agreed with Sin but requested tomatoes. We all nodded. I took out my phone and found out the address of the places we would need to go tomorrow. Joe and Sin were talking and Relus was speaking on the phone. “Pizza will be here in 20 minutes,” he confirmed, and sat down and started studying a bunch of papers. 20 minutes later, we heard a knock. “I’ll get it,” I offered and ran to the door. Swinging the door open, I saw a tall, thin, figure who was carrying a flat box of pizza. “Pizza?” I asked, and he nodded. I collected the box from him and gave him the money required. He pocketed it, gave me a nod and walked away.

“He looks familiar,” I thought as I carried the pizza inside. Ignoring that, I walked back to where everyone was sitting and announced, “Pizza’s here!‘ Relus stood up, and playfully rubbed his tummy. “Oh good, I did not think I could wait another second,” he said. “Anyway, let’s eat!” “Um, Relus, we kind of need plates.” I reminded him. He nodded and started to walk to the kitchen. I went along with him, since I had never seen his kitchen before.“Plates are in the cabinet to the right,” he told me and I reached up and got them while Relus carried four glasses of water and a bag of chips. I gave out plates and water glasses to everyone while Relus handed out chips. Relus was the first one to dig into his pizza. He took a big bite and then said, “Wow this is really good!” Then he continued, “And sometimes I can’t-” Relus stopped mid sentence, and I could not blame him because who could speak when they have fainted?

Chapter 23 : Proof Gone

“RELUS!” Joe yelped, and immediately ran over to him. Relus was pale white, as pale as a ghost. He was slumped on the couch, with his pizza slice on the ground. “No one touch his pizza!”

I commanded, “It might have been the cause for Relus to faint.” Sin was so pale it looked as if he had painted his face white. His body was trembling with fear as he finally spoke. “Guys,” Sin said shakily “I think we should take him to the hospital. Relus is at least 50 years old, and he has a chance of, well you know”.“WHAT!” I asked in horror “You mean he can get cancer?” “No,” Joe said quietly, “he might die.” The room was silent as we carried Relus out and into the car. “Maybe the food was poisoned?” I suggested softly, but no one replied. I could not blame them. “Hey, Iris” Joe suddenly told me, “did you by any chance find out who the delivery guy was?” “Well” I replied “he was quiet and I had a slight feeling he looked familiar. Just a moment, let me check the photos of the Silver members. I think he might be from there.”

As I checked each photo I was sure that the man I saw was Gary. He had a chubby face, brown hair, beard, and his left hand thumb was missing.  “Joe” I finally replied, “I am positively sure that the pizza delivery guy was Gary.” “Hurry!” Sin said suddenly “We have to find the nearest hospital and find a doctor!”

I realized that Sin was right. Relus was gasping for air in the back seat and I couldn't do anything. I tried to make him calm down, but every time I said something he would either faint or cough like crazy. When at last, we reached the hospital. In big bold letters the sign read- S.T. VERTEX HOSPITAL. As we entered the building Sin ran to the counter and said to the receptionists face “We have a 50 year old man unconscious in the car!” “My goodness gracious!” the counter woman exclaimed in surprise “I will send a nurse out immediately. You and your other friends may wait in the lobby.”

As the counter lady called a “Ms. Edmond” to come and take Relus into a room. I noticed a strange looking nurse was eyeing the three of us. I thought she looked familiar, but I still was not so sure. I thought she might be a Silver, but when I explained this to Sin he said we needed more proof. “Besides, what would a nurse be doing here? She is supposed to be doing something like helping patients,” he asked me, but did not wait for an answer.

As Ms. Edmond pushed Relus on his bed I said, “Um, Ms. Edmond, I am really sorry to interrupt you but can you just tell us what might be wrong with Relus?” “Dear,” she said sweetly “I am not so sure, but by the way it looks he might have been drugged or maybe even poisoned. Now please follow me.” As I followed her through the hallways the strange nurse was following us. At last, when we went into the room she stopped inches from the door. “Alright. Please wait outside while I examine Mr. Parson.” Ms. Edmond said, and she entered the room.

As we stepped out the nurse who was almost glued to the door strode in and slammed the door behind her. After about five minutes Ms. Edmond stepped out and called us inside. “Dr. Silver here is an excellent doctor. She will take care of this.” As Ms. Edmond stepped out of the room the strange nurse who I guess was Dr. Silver stood up and strode towards us. “Hello” she said in a strict voice. She smiled a thin smile, which made me shiver. I was sure that she was disguising her voice because it sounded very strained. Though, like Sin had said, I needed more proof. Dr. Silver had fiery curly red hair, a broken nail, and a cold stare she kept giving me.

“We have to do a um, a uh, a surgery!” she said uncertainty. “UM!,” Joe said a little louder than I expected, “Sure!”

After about 10 minutes of waiting in the most boring waiting room Dr. Silver stepped out of the room with a small smile on her face which no one else could see. “I am sorry to say that Mr. Relus Parson,” she said in her real voice “ is dead.

Chapter 24 : Last Glimpse

“NO!” the three of us screamed as we ran towards Dr. Silver, but just then Dr. Silver pushed Joe and Sin and then slapped my cheek so hard that there was red mark. Everyone in the hospital turned around to see Dr. Silver slap me. The doctors ran to get her but she managed to fight every single doctor. Some people began to leave the building with their children close to them. Suddenly, Dr. Silver took of her surgery mask and revealed her true identity and name. She looked just like Pixie from the Silver’s gang! She then took of her coat and I read the tag. PIXIE SILVER

I was about to grab her when she pushed me back and made her escape. I did not give up so easily, although Sin was still shaky from his fall and my cheek was sore. Even after that, I ran after her and I caught sight of a van parked outside with the entire Silver gang : Robert, Gary, Beth, Fredrick, and Dave!

“We can’t let her escape!” Joe yelled “You catch Pixie! Sin and I will take care of the rest.”

As Joe ran towards the exit I managed to outrun Pixie and bring her down. As she slowed down I held onto her tight and began to search her pockets. “You will pay for this Iris!” she whispered in a deadly voice “My whole gang is outside, there is no way you and your pesky little friends will be able to stop them!”

“Admit that you are a Silver, admit that you are Pixie Silver.” I told her in the same deadly tone. “Oh,” she laughed “You are right. I am Pixie Silver.”  “Let me check your bag, after I tie you up.” I tied her up securely and then took the items out of her purse. Just like I thought, all the necessary items were there. Then she looked beyond me, not at the trees, but at the van.