J̶u̶s̶t̶ a̶ D̶r̶e̶a̶m̶

Chapter 11: I Must Protect Her

Dan Cahill knew pain and struggle. Heck that was the story of his whole life. He may not have been directly of some of it but he was involved.

His parents and grandmother apart of the 39 clues, a hunt that destroyed many lives. Including his grandmother and parent's. The hunt killed his parents, Irina Spasky, and Lester.

Because of the clues people were killed Pony, Grace's husband, Natalie, Evan, Alistar, Erasmus, William McIntyre, Astrid Rosenbloom, and Alek Spasky. Those were the names Dan could think of right off the top of his head.

One name resonated in his head.

Amy.

His sister was murdered in cold blood. For what? The clues.

Dan was standing in the bathroom, gripping the sink, the coolness of the sink not quite registering to his brain. The cold was a slight comfort to him, it showed he could still feel things, still understand what was going around him.

Dan turned on the sink and splashed water onto his face, water dripping off of his eyelashes. Dan looked up into the mirror and was slightly startled.
Dan did not recognize himself. He looked tired, worn, haggard, like he was really forty-five instead of eighteen.

This needs to end, Dan thought desperately. I cannot keep going on like this for the rest of my life.

Dan grabbed the towel to wipe the water off of his face. Dan held his own gaze in the mirror, studying himself.

I cannot keep losing the people I love! I am going to lose Callie, I have lost all of my immediate family. What's next, all the Rosenbloom's die?

Dan shuddered at the idea.

What if they try to hurt the Rosenbloom's because they were related to Amy? What if they hurt Jake because he married Amy and may "know about the clues?"

Dan knew that only he knew all of the 39 clues. It was implanted in his mind seven years ago at Madrigal stronghold. Who would entrust an eleven year old with all of that knowledge? The Vespers didn't know that, Pierce didn't know that, Nathaniel did not know that.

Dan scuttled out of the bathroom, wondering if Jake and Cynthia were here. Dan had the desire to hold Cynthia, to protect her. She was all Dan had left of Amy.

"Hey kiddo." Sammy said as Dan entered the kitchen.

"Is Jake and Cynthia here?" Dan blurted out as his eyes scanned the room.

"Yes actually, they are in Amy's old room, packing things up." Sammy said.

"He's just now doing that?" Dan said, slightly surprised.
"If I had lost Nellie I don't think I could have moved on for a while. Plus Jake has an infant with him. I imagine that would make things even harder." Sammy said.

Dan sighed and nodded.

He quickly exited the room and clambered up the stairs. He roamed through the halls, in a half daze as he looked at old pictures of Amy and he that were hung up on the wall. Amy reminded Dan of pictures of his mother at her age.

Was Mom like Amy? Did Mom stutter like Amy? Did Mom like books and research like Amy? Dan wondered.

It was sad that Dan had to only wonder about his mother as a question. His mother had died when he was only four, that was too young.

A twang pulled at his heart as he stopped at one of Amy's senior pictures.

Cynthia is younger than me and has no mother.