39 clues (Ian Kabra x FemReader)

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Alistair Oh was just leaving customs when his enemies ambushed him.

"Bonjour, Uncle." Ian Kabra appeared on his right. "Have a good flight?"

Alistair turned to the left but Natalie Kabra cut off his escape.

"I wouldn't try to get away, Uncle Alistair," she said sweetly. "It's amazing how many weapons I can carry through an airport."

She held up a china doll in a blue satin dress. Natalie was too old to be carrying something like that, but no doubt she could charm the security guards into thinking otherwise.

"What is that?" Alistair asked, trying to stay calm. "A gun? A bomb?"

Natalie smiled. "I hope you don't have to find out. It would be quite messy."

"Keep walking, Uncle."

Ian put as much sarcasm into the word as possible. "We don't want to arouse suspicion."

They strode through the terminal. Alistair's heart pounded. He could feel the Poor Richard's Almanack in his jacket pocket, slapping against his chest with every step.

"So," Alistair said. "When did you get in?"

"Oh, we took our own jet," Ian said. "We use a private airstrip where the security is much more ... relaxed. We just thought we'd come welcome you!"

"How nice," Alistair said. "But I don't have anything you want."

"That's not what we've heard," Natalie said. "Hand over the book."

Alistair's throat went dry. "How ... how could you possibly know -- "

"News travels fast," Natalie said. "We have informants -- "

"Natalie,"

Ian snapped. "I'll do the talking, thank you very much. You hold the doll."

She scowled, which made her face not nearly as pretty. "I can talk if I want to, Ian! Mother and Father said -- "

"Blast what they said! I'm in charge!"

Natalie looked ready to yell back at him, but she swallowed her rage. Alistair didn't like the tight grip she was keeping on her doll. He imagined the thing must have a trigger somewhere, and he didn't want to find out what it did.

"Surely you don't want another war between our branches," Alistair said, trying to sound diplomatic.

"One phone call and I can mobilize help from Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro."

"As can we," Ian said. "And I've read my family history, Alistair. The last time our branches fought, it didn't go very well for your lot, did it?"

Alistair kept walking, thinking hard. A gendarme was standing by a security checkpoint up ahead -- about twenty meters. If Alistair could create a distraction...

"The 1908 explosion in Siberia," he said to Ian. "Yes, that was impressive. But we have more at stake this time."

"Exactly," Ian agreed. "So hand over the book, old man, before we have to hurt you."

Natalie laughed. "If you could hear yourself, Ian. Honestly."

Her brother frowned. "Excuse me?"

Five meters to the gendarme,

Alistair thought.

Stay calm.

"Oh, nothing," Natalie told her brother airily. "Just that you're a terrible bore. Without me, you couldn't even frighten this pathetic old man."

Ian's expression hardened. "I most certainly could, you useless little -- "

Natalie stepped in front of Alistair, intent on confronting her brother, and Alistair saw his chance. He stepped backwards, then sideways, and before the Kabras could regroup, Alistair was standing next to the gendarme, talking as loudly as he could in French.

"Merci, niece and nephew!" he shouted at the Kabras. "But your parents will be worried. Run along now, and tell them I'll be out in a few moments. I have some questions for this officer. I may have forgotten to declare my fresh fruits in customs!"

"Fresh fruits?" the officer said. "Sir, that's very important. Come with me, please!"

Alistair shrugged apologetically to the Kabras. "You must excuse me."

Ian's eyes were so angry they looked like they might catch fire, but he managed a stiff smile. "Of course, Uncle. Don't worry. We will definitely catch you later. Come, Natalie." He said her name through clenched teeth. "We have to talk."

"Ow!" She yelped as he gripped her arm, but he herded her down the hallway and out of sight.

Alistair sighed with relief. He followed the gendarme gratefully back to customs, where after twenty minutes of questions and searching bags, Alistair realized -- quelle surprise! -- he did not have any fresh fruit in his luggage after all. He pretended to be a confused old man, and the irritated customs official let him go.

Back in the terminal, Alistair allowed himself a smile. Ian and Natalie Kabra may have been deadly opponents, but they were still children. Alistair would never let himself be outfoxed by youngsters like them -- not when his own future and the future of his branch were at stake.

He patted the Poor Richard's Almanack, still safe in his jacket pocket. Alistair doubted any other team knew more about the thirty-nine clues than he did. After all, he'd been spying on Grace for years, learning her purpose. There was still a lot he didn't understand -- secrets he hoped Grace had given to her grandchildren. But soon he would find out.

He was off to an excellent start. He now understood the true meaning of the first clue:

Richard S___'s RESOLUTION. He had to chuckle about that. Even Amy, Lexi and Dan had failed to see what it really meant.

He made his way through the terminal, keeping his eyes open for the Kabras, but they seemed to have vanished. He got outside and was dragging his bags toward the taxi stand when a purple van pulled up to the curb.

The side door rolled open. A cheerful male voice said, "Hey, there!"

The last thing Alistair Oh saw was a large fist hurtling toward his face.

Word count: 947