The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues #1)(47)

Amy frowned doubtfully. "Maybe. But what does it mean -- As thou charge this?"

Suddenly, light flooded the room.

"Good job, cuz!" At the foot of the stairs, dripping wet but looking quite pleased with himself, was Jonah Wizard. His father stood behind him with a video camera.

"Man, this'll make great TV." Jonah smiled wickedly. "This is the part where I swoop in, bust the lightweights, and gank the clue!"

CHAPTER 18

A rush of desperate energy filled Amy's body, like it had when she'd pulled Dan out of the rail pit. She hadn't come al this way to deal with a conceited jerk like Jonah Wizard. She imagined Grace's voice in her head, speaking with total confidence: You will make me proud, Amy.

She raised the vial. "Back off, Jonah, or ... or I'll smash it!"

He laughed. "You wouldn't." But he sounded nervous.

"Awesome footage!" Jonah's dad said. "Keep it rolling, son. Great chemistry."

"And put down that camera!" Amy shouted.

Dan and Nellie stared at her in amazement, but Amy didn't care. She didn't care how valuable the vial might be, either. She'd had enough of the Cahill family's backstabbing. She was so angry she did feel like throwing the glass cylinder against the floor.

Apparently, Jonah sensed it, too. "All right, cuz. Take it easy. We're all friends here, right?"

"The camera!" Amy stepped forward like she was going to charge him.

Jonah flinched. "Dad, stop the camera."

"But, son-"

"Just do it!"

Reluctantly, Jonah's dad stopped filming.

"Okay, Amy." Jonah put on his dazzling smile. "We're good now, right? You know that's the second clue. If you destroy it, the whole quest ends. Nobody gets anything.

That what you want?"

"Back up," she ordered, "into the corner. Go stand by Jane."

Jonah furrowed his eyebrows. "Who?"

"The mural. Go stand by the lady in the yellow -- your great-great-great-great-great-grandmother."

Jonah clearly didn't know what she was talking about, but he went along. He and his dad backed into the corner.

Dan whistled. "Nice job, sis."

"Get up the stairs," she told him. "You too, Nellie. Hurry!"

As soon as they were up, Amy fol owed, but she knew Jonah and his dad wouldn't stay put for long.

"That was awesome!" Dan was bouncing up and down with excitement. "Can we seal them down there?"

"Dan, listen," she said. "The inscription

As thou charge this.

I think the stuff in this vial is inert."

"What's a nert?"

"Inert! Like inactive. It needs energy to catalyze it. Franklin messed around with chemistry. When he says a 'charge' ..."

Dan grinned. "Of course!"

"It's dangerous."

"No choice."

"What are you guys talking -- " Nellie glanced toward the street. "Oh, poop. Look!"

A purple ice cream truck was barreling toward them. It swerved to a stop in front of the gates. Eisenhower Holt scowled behind the wheel.

"Inside the church!" Amy said. "Quick!"

They raced up the path. Amy tugged open the sanctuary doors and crashed straight into a cherry-red suit.

"Hello, my dear children." Uncle Alistair smiled down at them. He looked like a raccoon with his two black eyes. Standing next to him was Irina Spasky.

Amy's heart crawled into her throat. "You ... you and her?"

"Now, now," the old man said. "I saved your life in the Catacombs. I told you alliances are important. I'm simply making friends where I can. I suggest you hand over that vial, my dear. I would hate for Cousin Irina to use her persuasive techniques."

Irina extended her fingernails. A tiny needle sprouted from each one.

Amy turned to run, but her eyes widened. Something was hurtling toward her from the street -- a large white cube.

"Duck!" she yelled. Nellie, Dan, and she hit the floor as a crate of ice cream sailed over their heads. The crate must've been from the back of the freezer, because it crashed into Alistair and Irina like a block of cement and knocked them both flat.

"Revenge time!" Eisenhower Holt yelled, pulling more frozen ammunition from the back of his van. Arnold the pit bull barked excitedly. The whole Holt family charged up the sidewalk, each holding a crate of crème glacée.

"Amy," Dan said nervously. "Are you ..."

He didn't finish, but she knew what he was asking. The last time they'd encountered the Holts, Amy had panicked. This time she couldn't afford to. That Cahill mural in the secret room had steeled her willpower.

"Nellie, get out of here," she ordered. "They don't want you. Go call the police!"

"But-"

"That's the best way you can help us. Go!" Amy didn't wait for an answer. She and Dan dashed inside the church, leaping over the groaning forms of Alistair and Irina.

They ran toward the back of the sanctuary.

Amy didn't have time to admire the church, but she felt like she'd plunged into the Middle Ages. Gray stone columns soared up to a vaulted ceiling. Endless rows of wooden pews faced the altar, and stained glass windows glinted in the dim light of prayer candles. Their footsteps echoed on the stone tiles.