The Cahill Reunion (The 39 Clues)

Chapter-11

At breakfast next morning, nobody was dressed yet except for Natalie who looked absolutely delighted to finally do something she likes. She had come downstairs carrying two bags in which, as Dan put it, "you could fit two elephants each." Amy had asked her why she had those with her and she had replied, "Well, obviously I need some bags to put my dresses and shoes, not to mention the accessories." Amy had just shrugged.

     "Soooo, how're we getting there? By yesterday's bus?" Sinead asked.

     "Yup," Amy replied. "And you're only gonna get 2 bags of chips and a coke, Dan."

     "What? What? Why?" Dan asked, a horrified look on his face.

     "Because I had to pay a fortune for those bags of chips you finished yesterday!" Amy snapped back.

     "But we're rich!" Dan bawled.

     "Being rich doesn't mean spending your money around on crazy things for no reason. Besides, you're gaining calories," Amy said.

     "No, I'm not! And you can't stop me from eating," Dan replied firmly.

     "We'll see," Amy said. 

     "How long's the ride again?" Sinead asked, panicking at the expressions on the faces of Dan and Amy.

     "Originally half an hour. But I'm thinking of going to the fancier mall three hours away," Amy replied, smugly. Dan got the message in her eyes and replied back, challenge accepted.

     "Oh good, will there be Chanel?" Natalie asked, her eyes sparking up.

     "Yup, and Gucci," Amy replied, smirking at Dan who was making a gagging noise.

     "Okay, meet me at 10 here. I'm gonna go change," Amy said, getting up. Everyone else also went up to their rooms and came down at 10.

     "Alright, let's go," Amy announce. They all climbed into the bus and were off. Amy went to the snack fridge, got out two bags of chips and a coke and handed it to Dan. "There you go, and you're not getting any more."

     "Okay," Dan replied innocently and started eating the first bag. Amy eyed him suspiciously but turned her gaze away.

     After an uneventful half an hour, Dan had finished his share of junk food. And he felt hungry but there was no way he was gonna let that show on his face if his plan was going to work. He just had to wait for the right moment. Finally, Amy got up and said to Hamilton, "Watch Dan. If I see even one chip missing, I'll kill you along with Dan." Hearing Amy's threatning voice, Hamilton got up and moved in front of the snack fridge. Amy went to the small bathroom on the bus. As Amy walked to the far side of the bus, Dan followed stealthily. But was blocked by Hamilton.

     "You're not supposed to eat snacks," Hamilton said.

     "I'm not! I'm going after Amy!" Dan replied hastily. "Now let me go!" Hamilton shrugged to himself then moved. Dan caught up with her just as she was going to enter the bathroom. He took out the knockout gas bomb he'd gotten from his arsenal and just as she was closing the door, Dan slipped the beeping ball inside the bathroom. The door closed. Amy must've noticed the bomb because a second later-

     "DAN? Wha—" And then there was a loud thump. Dan opened the door and found an unconcious Amy on the pristine bathroom floor. 

     "HAM! HELP ME!" Dan shouted to Hamilton. He came running towards Dan and noticed Amy.

     "What the heck is wrong with you?!" Hamilton shouted. "You guys make more people unconcious than we Holts do push-ups!"

     "Just help me with her," Dan said. Hamilton lifted Amy single-handedly and laid her down on the bus couch. Everyone stared at her.

     "Did you really have to knock her out to get some extra snacks?" Sinead asked.

     "Yup, Amy challenged me and I'll do anything to win it. You wouldn't understand," Dan replied.

     "Wouldn't we? Dan, you're talking to a girl who has two twin brothers," Sinead said.

     "Yup. Hey, remember that time when we bet who could make the most efficient model of a reusable rocket first? It got so ugly that I went into Sinead's room and swapped her blueprint for a fake. You thought that I was Ted and then you vandalized Ted's work who in turn vandalized my work. Unfortunately, NASA didn't get its reusable rockets like we promised them but at least no one won so they couldn't gloat about it," Ned told them.

     "You guys make promises to NASA?" Dan asked the Starlings, amused.

     "Yeah, but we usually don't break them so that'll put a stain on our record," Ted replied.

     "Whatever. Now let's get some snacks!" Dan said heading for the snack fridge. But was blocked again by Hamilton.

     "Uh uh. Amy said she'll kill me if I let you eat," Hamilton said.

     "But she's unconcious!" Dan reasoned.

     "Then she'll kill me when she wakes up," Hamilton replied.

     "But the gas comes with Amnesia gas! She won't remember anything!" Dan said.

     "Oh, that's right. Ok, you can go and while you're at it, can you get me a mega cheese puffs bag?" Hamilton added, grinning.

     "Sure." And with that, Dan bounded to the snack fridge and started to take out a bag of cheese puffs when a kind of green powder burst from the fridge and landed all over Dan. Then just as suddenly, his whole body started itching like crazy. He scratched and scratched but it seemed to be getting worse. And then Dan heard laughing. He turned around and saw his sister sitting upright on the couch laughing her head off.

     "What. Did. You. Do!" Dan said scratching his legs.

     Amy wiped tears from her eyes. "I can't believe that you thought I would actually believe you when you accepted that chips, did you? I'm your sister, Dan. I'm always one step ahead of you."

     "How. Did. You. Escape. The. Gas!" Dan asked, actually biting his arm with his teeth while scratching his legs.

     Amy pulled out a gas mask from her pocket. "This helped me. Of course, I knew you weren't gonna try anything sophisticated, knowing that you're Dan. By the way, did you like my little powder in the fridge? Simple yet extremely effective. Itching powder!"

     "I'll. Get. You. For. This," Dan threatened.

     "Oh, it's so on! But remember what I said, I'm always one step ahead of you," Amy replied, smirking. "Oh, and don't worry about the powder. I'm sure it'll wear out once we get there."

     Amy saw Dan run into the bathroom and heard the shower turn on full blast. She grinned. The powder was specially made by Sinead according to Amy's needs. The powder didn't wash off in water nor did it give any comfort to the itchiness. Dan stepped out the washroom five minutes later, dripping wet, scratching himself like crazy. 

     "I like how you play this game. But mark my words, I'll win!" Dan said.

     "Yeah, sure. We'll see," Amy said. 

     Let the games begin.