The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues #1)(19)

Irina wanted to scratch the young whelp's face with her poison fingernails, but she kept her cool. "Insult me as you will. It gets us nowhere."

"True," Ian said. "We have a mutual problem. Please, sit."

Irina considered. She would have to sit next to either Ian or Natalie, and neither was safe. She chose the young girl. Perhaps she would be easier to overwhelm if it came to that. Natalie smiled and made room for her on the sofa.

"Have you considered our proposal?" Ian asked.

Irina had thought of nothing else since the text message came two hours ago on her cell phone, encrypted in an algorithmic code used only by the Lucians.

She nodded. "You have come to the same conclusion as I. The second clue is not in Boston."

"Exactly," Ian said. "We've told our parents to charter us a private jet. We'll be off within the hour."

Chartering a private jet,

Irina thought resentfully. She knew the Kabras' parents from the old days. They were internationally known art collectors. Once they had been dangerous people, important people within the Lucian branch. Now they were retired in London and did nothing but dote upon their children. They let Ian and Natalie do all the traveling, writing them blank checks as needed.

What did these brats care about the thirty-nine clues? This was just another adventure to them. Irina had her own reasons for hunting the treasure -- much more personal reasons. The Kabras were too rich, too smart, too proud. Someday, Irina would change that.

"So," Irina said, "where will you go?"

Ian sat forward and laced his hands. He didn't look fourteen years old. When he smiled, he looked evil enough to be an adult. "You know it's about Benjamin Franklin."

"Yes."

"Then you know where we're going, and you know what we're after."

"You also know," Natalie purred, "that we can't allow the secret to fall into anyone else's hands. As Lucians, we should work together. You should set the trap."

Irina's eye twitched, the way it did when she was nervous. She hated that it did this, but she could not stop it. "You could set the trap yourselves," she said.

Natalie shook her head. "They would suspect us.

You, on the other hand, can lure them to their doom."

Irina hesitated, trying to see a flaw in the plan. "What is in this for me?"

"They're our biggest threat," Ian pointed out. "They may not realize it yet, but they will in time. We have to eliminate them quickly. It'll benefit all of us. Besides, you'll have the Lucian stronghold at your disposal. Afterwards, there will be time to fight each other. Now, we must destroy our competition."

"And the Madrigals?" Irina asked.

She thought she saw a ripple of nervousness cross Ian's face, but it passed quickly.

"One enemy at a time, cousin."

Irina hated to admit it, but the boy had a point. She examined her fingernails, casually making sure that each of her poison needles was primed and ready.

"Does it seem odd to you," she asked slowly, "that the Lucian database contains so little about Franklin?" She knew very well they would have logged into the branch's mainframe, just as she had done.

Annoyance flickered in Ian's eyes. "There should have been more, it's true. Apparently, Franklin was hiding something ... even from his kin."

Natalie smiled coldly at her brother. "A Lucian who doesn't trust his kin -- imagine that."

Ian waved her comment aside. "Complaining about it will change nothing. We need to deal with Amy and Dan. Cousin Irina, do we have a deal?"

The hotel doors opened. A heavyset man in a brown suit strode through, heading for the front desk. He seemed out of place, possibly a security guard or an undercover policeman. It might have nothing to do with them, but Irina couldn't be sure. They had sat here too long. Meeting any longer would be dangerous.

"Very well," Irina said. "I shall prepare the trap." Natalie and Ian rose.

Irina felt relieved and perhaps flattered, too. The Kabras needed her help. She was, after all, much older and wiser. "I am glad we came to an arrangement," she said, feeling generous. "I did not wish to hurt you."

"Oh, we're glad, too," Ian promised. "Natalie, I believe it's safe now."

Irina frowned, not understanding. Then she looked at Natalie -- that pretty little girl who seemed so harmless in her white dress -- and realized the young she-devil had a tiny silver dart gun cupped in her hand, not two inches from Irina's chest. Irina's heart skipped a beat. She had used such guns herself. The darts could carry poisons far worse than she dared keep in her fingernails.

Natalie smiled prettily, keeping the dart gun aimed and ready. "It was so good to see you, Irina."

"Indeed," Ian said smugly. "I'd shake your hand, cousin, but I'd hate to ruin your special manicure. Do let us know when Amy and Dan are eliminated, won't you?"

CHAPTER 8

Amy knew something was wrong as soon as Nellie came out of the rental car place.

She was frowning and holding a thick brown padded envelope. "What is that?" Amy asked.

"It's for you guys." Nellie held out the package. "Somebody dropped it off at the counter this morning."