Patrick Carman - The Black Circle - 39 Clues 05

There was a sharp crack from behind her. Irina turned to see shadows struggling on the wall of the darkened tomb."Behind you!" cried Irina.

One of the agents screamed. Irina felt a flame of wild hope and barked out to Amy and Dan, "Stay where you are!"

She crouched like a cat and burst through the doorway. Voices and shadows bounced off the wall, echoing in her brain. At first she wasn't sure, but then ..."You?" she gasped, her eyes latched on the wiry figure of a man dressed all in black, lunging for the Lucian agents with the blunt end of a metal pole.* * *

Dan and Amy didn't waste any time. The second Irina entered the darkness beyond the door they followed, creeping into the tomb behind her.

There was slashing and yelling and the sound of someone hitting the ground, and Dan's and Amy's shocked eyes made out the outline of a man in black locked in struggle with Irina Spasky.

Dan crept low along the first coffin, raised its lid as quietly as he could, and slid inside. Amy hesitated, but Dan took hold of her hand and wouldn't let go.

She climbed in and Dan pulled the lid of the coffin shut. They listened as combatants crashed against walls and howled in pain, one of them falling against the very coffin in which they hid.

"They've escaped!" cried one of the Lucian agents."We have?" whispered Dan."I see them!"

The gravelly voice was one they hadn't heard before; it was followed by the sound of someone running from the tomb and back into the church.

"That had to be the man in black," whispered Amy. "Is he helping us?""No way," whispered Dan.

He paused until it was silent, then he lifted the coffin lid ever so slightly and peered out into the darkness.

Everyone was gone.

Dan carefully lowered the lid and he and Amy waited, quiet as mice, in a coffin filled with the bones of the royal dead.

CHAPTER 16

Two hours later, Dan and Amy received a call on Nellie's phone in the coffin.

The phone vibrated in Amy's pocket, shocking her out of her half slumber. Dan had fallen asleep, unmoved by the glowing green light as Amy held the phone to her eyes.

Unidentified caller. Perfect.

She decided to risk a whisper."Hello?"The line was barely working underground, and Amy strained to hear the scarcely discernible, static-filled voice on the other end.

All Amy could make out was the word safe, which she took to mean the coast was clear. It was a female voice, so it was probably Nataliya. Or Irina trying to smoke us out. She pushed the thought aside.

Amy nudged Dan hard enough to wake him and he grumbled, trying to nestle in. The bones beneath them sounded hollow and dry."I just got a call. Someone said it's safe."

"You don't have to tell me twice," said Dan, pushing up on the coffin lid without another word of encouragement.

They both peered into the darkness. The doors had been closed. There was no light at all."Here goes," said Amy.She turned on the flashlight and they were blinded by the harsh light of the beam.

Amy sent the light dancing from wall to wall, coffin to coffin, until it rested on the door that would lead them out of the tomb and into the church upstairs.

They got out as quietly as they could, though to Amy's horror, she heard the sound of bones breaking under her weight."Probably just ribs," said Dan. "It's not like he's using them for anything. Who called?"

"I'm not sure. I think it was Nataliya."They arrived at the exit. The card deck symbols did not appear from the tomb side of the door. It simply opened, and they

were free.* * *

The next morning, ensconced in a Yekaterinburg hotel with Nellie on her way, Dan made a phone call."You're not driving a monster truck, are you?" Dan asked Hamilton Holt."Not yet, but the day is young.""Got your clue. Are you ready?"

"I've been ready for two days. Lay it on me.""One gram melted amber.""Dude, that's gross. Who's Amber?"Dan laughed. He could imagine Hamilton Holt grinning on the other side of the line.

Eisenhower grabbed the phone and yelled into it."Don't think this means anything. We're done partnering! Siberia and back was a raw deal and you know it. You used us!""Okay, Mr. Holt, whatever you say. Game on.""Game on!" Amy agreed.