Risebelle furrowed her broicked up the letter from the Sleuth of Shadows that was mysteriously on the desk in her room. She mused, “Sadie, how the hell do you know where I live?”

  The meticulously handwritteer from ‘Sleuth of Shadows’ read as follows:

  “Dear Risebelle,

  Hopefully, you’re rec well. Sorry to intrude, it’s crucial for us to have a discussiht now. Perhaps you’re w how I knew your address. That’s a secret I’ll save for ter. More pressing, though, is our e in the Epic Quest chatroom.

  This is a secret I will reveal to you: I am CipherMystery08. We’ve versed about Shadowcroft and its mysterious operations, and it’s high time you knew my true identity. I know it must be a shock, and I uand your apprehension, but I promise you, I’m not here to harm you or your friends.

  Meet me online as soon as possible. It’s imperative that we discuss ret developments regarding Shadowcroft. Your schoolwork wait; our mission ot.

  Sincerely,

  Sleuth of Shadows”

  The revetion of Sleuth of Shadows’ true identity left Risebelle with surprise. Risebelle quickly sat down at her puter and powered up the mae. ‘I have to know more,’ she thought.

  Whearted to type, someone’s arms ed around her shoulders. It was Jess, who had a mischievous look in her eyes. “Hey there, Risebelle,” Jess purred.

  Risebelle tried to focus on her puter s, but Jess’s closeness was being distrag. “Jess, I’m trying to chat with someone about important stuff right now. you give me a moment?”

  Jess smirked and leaned her fa closer. “Oh, important stuff? Like, ‘let’s save the world’ important?”

  Risebelle chuckled. “Well, ly, but it’s reted to some important things.” She tried to gently push Jess away.

  Jess responded by nuzzling Risebelle’s cheek. “You know, we do have school in the m, and a certain ‘someone’ needs her beauty sleep.”

  Risebelle let out an annoyed sigh. “We do have school in the m, but I o get into this important versation, now beat it.”

  However, Jess raised an eyebrow. “Oh, e on, Risebelle. Are you really tellihat someone oer o talk to yht now, and it’s so important that you ’t even give your best friend some attention?”

  Risebelle realized that Jess needed some proof, so she reached for the letter she had received from CipherMystery08 and showed it to her friend. “See, Jess? It’s right here. This person asked me to meet them online as soon as possible.”

  Jess g the letter with curiousity, then looked at Risebelle with a mischievous grin. “Well, if it’s that important, I won’t keep you from your secret onliings. But, you know, you could have just said that.”

  Risebelle lowered her eyes. “Now, could you kindly remove your arms? They’re making it hard for me to type.”

  Jess ughed and finally let go of Risebelle, moving to the side of the room. “Fine, fine. I’ll leave you to your secret online business, but you know, I ’t let the i steal all my girlfriend’s attention!”

  Risebelle blushed. “Jess, I told you it’s not like that with us!” But Jess had already retreated to the er of the room, stifling her ughter.

  Risebelle went onto the i:

  EclipseDreamer14 has ehe chatroom.

  EclipseDreamer14: Hey, EnigmaGamer19, CipherMystery08. How’s it going?

  EnigmaGamer19: Hey there, EclipseDreamer14! Just trying to stay awake, you know? School in the m.

  EclipseDreamer14: Why are you staying awake this te? Normal people usually go to sleep at this time.

  EnigmaGamer19: Oh, it’s this big boss battle in the game! We’ve been pnning it for weeks, and tonight’s the night.

  EclipseDreamer14: Boss battle? What are we talking about?

  EnigmaGamer19: Well, it’s this epic shoith Morndinht-hand man, the Dark Knight in Epic quest. We’re doing his Lava dungeht now so that we reach him a his ass! It’s gonna be epic when I use my on girl and show him up!

  EclipseDreamer14: Hold on, I’m actually here to talk to someone else.

  EnigmaGamer19: What’s up, EclipseDreamer14?

  EclipseDreamer14: CipherMystery08, you there? I got your letter.

  CipherMystery08: Yeah, I’m here. Thanks for ing online, EclipseDreamer14. We o talk about Shadowcroft.

  EclipseDreamer14: This better be important. I’m already getti for staying up te. What’s going on?

  EnigmaGamer19: It’s rare to see CipherMystery08 in main chat… I’m actually going to set my status to AFK in a bit so I get back to the game.

  CipherMystery08: I’m here to chat, so feel free to invite me into a private chat when you’re ready, EclipseDreamer14.

  EnigmaGamer19 has set her status to AFK.

  EclipseDreamer14: Alright, then. CipherMystery08, would you like to have a private chat?

  CipherMystery08: That sounds perfect, EclipseDreamer14. Lead the way.

  EclipseDreamer14 initiated a private chat with CipherMystery08.

  EclipseDreamer14: So, CipherMystery08, what’s on your mind?

  CipherMystery08: EclipseDreamer14, I appreciate you reag out to me. There’s something that’s been troubling me for a while now.

  EclipseDreamer14: I’m here to listen, CipherMystery08. What’s been b you?

  CipherMystery08: It’s Shadowcroft. I’ve been trying to uheir secrets, to get to the bottom of their twisted activities, and it’s led me down a dark path. I’ve seen things that no one should ever have to witness.

  EclipseDreamer14: I imagihat must be tough. But you’re doing good work, trying to expose them.

  CipherMystery08: That’s where the sadness es in. You see, I’ve been to one of their locations before. It ce where they duct their experiments, and I mao escape, but not without seeing the horrors they perpetrate.

  EclipseDreamer14: Wait, you’ve actually been inside one of their facilities?

  CipherMystery08: Yes, and it haunts me to this day. I was undercover, trying to gather information, but the things I saw... it’s hard to put into words. The pce I visited had an eerie, hazy atmosphere, as if it was deliberately desigo obscure the truth.

  EclipseDreamer14: Hazy? That’s strange. Do you know where this facility is located?

  CipherMystery08: It is oskirts, hidden fr eyes, though I ot say much about the location on here. We will o meet in person.

  EclipseDreamer14: CipherMystery08, your description raises some doubts. How did you mao escape? And how do I know you’re not w for Shadowcroft, trying to lure me into their trap?

  CipherMystery08: This is the sed time you’ve asked me that, EclipseDreamer14. The first time was when we first met, but I assure you, I am not with Shadowcroft. As for my escape, I ’t tell you all of the details, but I fought my way out of there.

  EclipseDreamer14: I want to trust you, CipherMystery08, but I need some assurance. you provide any proof of your cims?

  CipherMystery08: I do, but the nature of my work demands that I remain discreet. I’ve kept myself and some information hidden everyones safety.

  There ause before Risebelle typed again.

  EclipseDreamer14: I’ll need some time to think about all of this.

  CipherMystery08: Without Harty, this is going to be tough on all of us, but we o keep the iigation going. I… o see your abilities for myself as well.

  EclipseDreamer14: What do you know about our abilities?

  CipherMystery08: …

  EclipseDreamer14: On sed thought, given you had personal experiences with Shadowcroft, you might know more than we do about them.

  CipherMystery08: You’re right, I’ve heard things, but I’d rather hear the opinion of the smartest one among us. That would be you, Risebelle.

  EclipseDreamer14: Smartest? Well, I have been good at figuring things out, but I am not quite sure I’m the ‘Smartest’ one… what about you?

  CipherMystery08: Trust me, you’re the one I want to meet and you’re smarter than me. You are wele to invite Jess along. Roselle o be there too. We must meet at the outskirts of town.

  EclipseDreamer14: The outskirts? But I have school tomorrow.

  CipherMystery08: You seem to have your priorities in order, Risebelle, but not quite in lih what the letter said, which goes, “Your schoolwork wait; our mission ot.” We have to meet up, and we have to do it fast. There is so much at stake.

  EclipseDreamer14: Fine, we’ll meet tomorrow.

  Risebelle sighed and muttered to herself, “Am I crazy? If my mother finds out I’m going to skip school, it’s all over for me.” She shook her head, still puzzled by her own decision. “But there’s something about CipherMystery08.... I o find out more, and Roselle o be there too. I just hope this doesn’t backfire.” With that, she closed the chat and prepared herself for the day, knowing that her meeting with CipherMystery08 would e with its ow of risks and uainties.

  Risebelle slowly stirred, her eyes fluttering open to the sight of her cozy room. The foggy, cloudy day outside cast a dim light through her window. She blinked, her mind still fuzzy from sleep, and then it hit her – she wasn’t being squished to death in Jess’s arms.

  She turned her gaze to her friend, who y beside her peacefully, lost in a sweet dream. A small smile tugged at Risebelle’s lips.

  Risebelle’s thoughts, however, were far from dreamy. She khat they had school today, and her meeting with CipherMystery08 was crucial. She had to decide what to do.

  Whispering to herself, Risebelle pohe dilemma. “What should I do? Skipping school is a big deal, but I ’t ignore CipherMystery08′s message. Roselle and I o meet her. It’s freater cause. But how do I expin this to Jess?”

  With a heavy sigh, she gently nudged Jess, attempting to rouse her from her peaceful slumber. “Jess, wake up.”

  As Jess groggily got up, she mumbled a half-hearted “Good m” like a zombie. She began to get out of bed, but then Risebelle surprised her by pg her hands gently on Jess’s cheeks.

  Jess’s initial response was to lean in, thinking Risebelle was initiating a m kiss. At the st moment, Risebelle turned her head and whispered, “Jess, you’re something else.”

  Jess grinned. Her hands moved pyfully around Risebelle’s body. “Oh, e on, Risebelle. Let’s not start the day with serious stuff!”

  Risebelle gently but firmly held Jess’s hands to stop her and gred straight into her eyes. “Jess, I need you to stop pying around for a minute.”

  Jess’s face shifted to one of curiosity and mild . “Why so serious, Risebelle?”

  Jess then knocked herself lightly on the head with a goofy grin ing to her. “ht. Of course, you’re always serious. I’m the silly one here.”

  Risebelle took a deep breath. “Jess, you know I don’t take skipping school lightly, but this is really important.”

  Jess’s brows furrowed. “Wait, are you being a deli like me?”

  Risebelle hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “I received a message from someo night, and it’s reted to what we’ve been iigating, Shadowcroft. They want to meet today, and it’s important. I ’t ig.”

  Jess’s eyes widened. “Shadowcroft? But what about school, Risebelle?”

  Risebelle nodded, her gaze unwavering. “I know, Jess, and I’m not taking this decision lightly. But we have to sider the bigger picture here. If we get more information about Shadowcroft, it could be a major breakthrough. I need your support, Jess.”

  Jess sighed. She looked at Risebelle with . “Okay, Risebelle, I uand. If it’s that important, we’ll meet with this person. But we should also let our school know that we won’t be attending today.”

  Risebelle nodded. “Thank you, Jess. And you’re right, we should inform the school. But I have a pn for that.”

  Risebelle reached over to her bedside table. Her phone lugged into a socket and charging. She took it off of charge momentarily to pose a message. “I’m going to send a message to the principal expining that there’s a family emergend that we won’t be able to e in today. I’ll also mention that you’re involved in the family situation. “

  Jess raised an eyebrow,. “Ooo, Family emergency, huh? You’re quite the strategist, Risebelle.”

  Risebelle smirked, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Well, it’s not a plete lie. You’re like family to me, Jess.”

  Jess blushed, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. “Oh, you smooth talker…”

  “How do you even have the Principal’s number?” Jess asked, her curiosity piqued.

  Risebelle let out a small ugh. “That’s a long story, Jess.”

  Jess’s eyes sparkled with i. “Oh, this I have to hear!”

  Risebelle paused, thinking back. “Well, there was this oime when my mom ihe Principal over to our house. I don’t know why, but she was adamant about it.”

  Jess leaned in closer. “And?”

  Risebelle tinued. “The Principal, who always has this stern face at school, was smiling the eime. It was really creepy. She was trying to be friendly, but it just felt off. Anyway, my mom insisted I take her number in case I ever needed anything. I guess today is one of those times.”

  After sending the message to the Principal, Risebelle pced her phone ba charged and faced Jess with a smirk. “Now that we do that out the way, we’ve got a meeting to attend, and it’s iskirts of town.”

  Jess nodded with a smile. “Risebelle. Let’s ditch school!” Jess power puhe air.

  Risebelle lowered her eyes. “Yeah, don’t get too excited about that, Jess…”