Hiya guys! I. AM. BACK! Okay, so I have been away because of HECTIC reasons. I mean, who becomes hectic during SUMMER? Bad news: TEN DAYS LEFT OF FREEDOM I know, I know. Another bad news: Eva is leaving. Most of you know about this, but I can't seem to get over it. I found out about it like, yesterday, I think. So I uploaded early, and I would like to say that this chapter (though not good) is for you Evanescence456. I hope that wherever you are, you will be always happy and strong-willed and brave. I know that your awesomeness won't leave you for even a second. A lot of people will miss you and that includes moi. Thank you so much for everything. And I do mean, everything I hope that you'll be able to read this simple message of mine. MuchLove, PeaceOut, Eva!

*sniffles, sniffles* That said, this chapter includes new people. And a little AmIan. I'm not good with mushy, cheesy stuff, so bear with me.

DISCLAIMER:

ME: No matter what happens, I don't own The 39 Clues. As proof of this statement, on my birthday last May 20, I wished for that to happen, but it didn't. Apparently, birthday candles don't accept that kind of wish. I tried again, this time with a tooth fairy. Some kid's tooth fell out, and I told the tooth fairy instead of money I'd rather become the owner of 39 Clues. (And if you're wondering what the kid felt... He didn't know, actually.) But apparently, the tooth fairy can't do that, too. 'Nuff said.

Mr. Manager~sama: And as you can see, AngelicSpring is still a living WEIRDO.

You may now read.

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Chapter 3: The Introduction, The Deduction and The Piano

"It's really nice to meet you all," Angelle and Keightlyn Saunders said, bowing low. All of them are still catching up in the living room when the two Madrigal sisters came.

Dan nudged Natalie with his elbow. "Now, those are real girls," he sniggered. Natalie rolled her eyes, and mouthed 'wow' sarcastically.

"These are the Holts, from the Tomas branch," Amy gestured at the widely-grinning, purple-tracksuit-clad trio. "Hamilton Holt, the eldest." Hamilton offered a crooked smile, and a "Sup!" "And the twins, Reagan and Madison Holt."

"The Starlings," Amy said, nodding at the formally smiling triplets, "are from the Ekat branch." "Sinead Starling," Sinead said, holding out her hand. The two girls shook her hand warmly. "This is Ned," said Ted, pointing at his brother. "And this is Ted," countered Ned, pointing at his brother. "And they're idiots," Sinead sighed. "Hey!" came the offended reply from the two brothers. Hamilton let out all the suppressed humor he had for the Starlings. Even Sinead proffered a minute smile.

Amy shook her head at the display. "The Kabras," Amy eyed the siblings.

"From the Lucian branch, I presume," the older noted, Angelle Saunders, a seventeen-year-old blonde. Her little sister, Keightlyn Saunders, a twelve-year-old Barbie doll, smiled at the two of them, highly amused.

"We do give that air of Lucian-ness, don't we?" Natalie remarked flippantly.

Dan snickered. "What air of Lucian-ness?"

"That's for us to know and for you to never find out," Natalie replied haughtily. Her eyes gleamed provokingly. The two of them started giving each other 'Why-you-little' looks.

"Anyway," Amy looked pointedly at the both of them, "they are just some of the Cahills who will be staying here."

The girl named Angelle tilted her head sideways. "The Janus branch? Won't they be here?" she raised. There was something hidden in her tone, like she was expecting more of the artistic branch's company than the others. Keightlyn seemed as curious as her sister.

"Jonah and his cousin are stars, idols," Hamilton said. "Surely you've heard of 'The Wiz'," he rolled his eyes at the chosen pen name of his cousin.

"Oh, but of course," the little one spoke up, glancing shrewdly at her older sister. "We know them all too well." Ian Kabra watched this slight exchange discreetly, can't help but feeling that the two girls know something more than what they look like. He toyed with his iPhone, twirling it with his thumb and index finger. He scrutinized their appearances the way an educated Lucian would, as the others immersed into a deep get-to-know conversation.

The older one, Angelle Saunders seems very knowledgeable. The way she holds her slim posture professionally, like a trained ballerina, gave away that impression. More like a Madrigal spy, Ian thought amusedly. Her squared shoulders matched the glint in her slate gray eyes, giving the impression of being smart, but mischievous. She's blonde, but not the curly-girly blonde. In fact, her blonde hair fell long and straight against her back, with full bangs framing her face. She's more like Amy on the fashion side. With what she's wearing now; a hoodie on top of a gray shirt, a pair of camouflage pants and plain white trainers. Simple, homey and... Amy is a lot better with the naturalness, though, Ian noticed instantly. Maybe Amy's not much on the confidence side, but definitely with the beauty part... He flinched in surprise, dropping his phone in the process. He caught the weird looks they were giving him. The looks were gone as easily as they came. The excited debate between orange juice and grape juice commenced once more.

"Here's your phone," Amy handed it to him. "You're lucky that thing has a cover."

"My apologies," he mumbles, gripping the bloody phone like it was a lifesaver. Why did I have to think that? Stupid, bloody worn-out mind, he thought furiously. He felt the same thudding heart and swirling stomach he has been feeling these past few days – months... well actually years but really, who's counting? – whenever he thinks about the red-haired, green-eyed girl.

Now where was I... He pretended to check his iPhone for any damages. Keightlyn Saunders is not entirely different from her sister. A blonde, too with the same knowing gray eyes even at her young age. Though from where Angelle is straight-haired, Keightlyn is curled. Where Angelle is simple, Keightlyn is preppy, more of the girly side. She and Natalie would get along just fine. Frilly pink skirt with purple, skull-print leggings and high-cut trainers. Trainers, huh, he mused. That shows they're always ready to be, say, on the run, he commented. Typical Cahill, always on the run.

"Ian...?" someone called tentatively.

"Hmm...?" he replied, his eyes still fixed on his phone, unable to shy away from his thoughts.

"A-Actually... D-Do you...? I mean, the rest are..."

Ian finally looked up. Only one person could blubber that much, trying to get a single sentence out. Amy Cahill. And she was alone. Huh, the others must have found something new to destroy.

"Yes, love?" he asked, smiling crookedly, his lip twitching higher to the left. To Amy, it looked like one of his famous smirks. Clearly, they need to work on their communication.

Amy bit back a blush. She steeled her nerves and did her best to seem intimidating. "I thought you seriously got over the love-calling thing."

Ian took in the stubborn set of her jaw, the glaring fire in her deep green eyes, the way her cute nose twitches betraying her desire to look angry and demanding. He just had to laugh.

Amy, on the other side of the living room, is thinking how his olive-black hair bounced when he threw his head back in laughter. The way he clutched his stomach, the way he... the way he laughs made him look more like his age. A sixteen-year-old guy without the burden of a sixty-year-old man.

Ian must've mistaken Amy's silent looking at him as a look of exasperation, because he stopped abruptly. "I'm so sorry, Amy. It's just that... you amuse me all too much."

"Glad to be your amusement," Amy muttered, feeling like a complete idiot. What is with this guy's mood?

"No, no. That's not what I meant," he waved his hand dismissively, as if to make the thought go away. He leaned against the grand piano and punched a few notes. Why is talking to Amy Cahill always this hard? Always confusing? Always so...?

"Don't tell me you can play the piano, too," Amy said. She started walking towards him. Ian Kabra felt a sickening, tumbling sensation in his stomach as her figure neared him.

He swallowed a forming lump in his throat. "Of course I do. I play the harpsichord, don't I? I learned how to play the piano before that. Any requests?" He sat on the piano stool with the air of a maestro. He could feel the heat from Amy behind his back. How close is she? He wanted so bad to turn around, even slightly, to check. But he kept his composure, and waited for Amy to speak.

Amy fumbled through the stacked music sheets. "Actually, I'm having a hard time with this piece." She handed it to him and, (you guessed it) their hands brushed. Longer and longer and nobody's letting go and... Ian took the music sheet, and cleared his throat. "Would you like to take a seat?" he patted the empty space, dangerously close to him.

Amy weighed her options. If she refused, she'd look more like an idiot. Sure, Amy, sit on that chair and you'll end up hurled towards a massive black hole with an active volcano. What's the harm, right? Wrong. It's Ian Kabra. The Ian Kabra. The Ian Kabra who left her in a cave to die in Korea. Who very nearly turned her into a buffet for the sharks with his Cruella of a mother in Australia. Who very nearly cause the death of her brother in Africa. Who manages to break her heart and repair it all over again. That Ian Kabra. If she sits there, who knows what her hyperactive heart will do? Oh that's right, make her blush to shades of red unknown to man!

Ian was looking at her expectantly. It was one of his Please sit/Don't sit moments. Like when you wanted something so bad, but you're afraid of the outcome if you did get what you wanted. Ugh. How confusing could he get?

She sat.

"So you just flick these three fingers really fast," Ian pressed the keys with a slight movement from his fingers. "You get to have that flowing sound." He smiled at her. "You try."

Amy placed her fingers on the black and white ivory keys. She tried once. It sounded like a crashing soundtrack from the cartoons. She sighed. "I can't –" she began hopelessly. Ian placed his fingers on top of Amy's. Warmth and tingling sensations flooded her senses. Make that their senses. And the indigestion is back, Ian thought ruefully. "Let's do it together," Ian suggested. There! Amy mentally slapped herself. That's exactly what I have been dreading of. The clove smell. The touch. The breath on my cheek. Ian made a mental note to check if he has food poisoning or something. Too much caviar probably. His stomach won't stop flip-flopping. He started pressing the keys with Amy. After two tries, it was pitch perfect. Ian turned to smile at her. "See. That not hard, now was it?" he exclaimed suavely, though the subtle shakiness of his voice betrayed him.

"Yep, that wasn't so hard!" said someone from behind them. Jonah Wizard and the others were standing a few feet away from them, but obviously they have been watching everything. All of them were wearing this 'Oh-no-you-didn't' looks, especially Dan and Natalie who looked just plain disgusted and disappointed. "This is Jonah Wizard," Jonah removed his darkly-tinted shades dramatically and grinned, "and you've been SPIED!"

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Jonah Wizard is in the building. I repeat, Jonah Wizard is in the building. Over. And this chapter is really boring. Over. I know, I know. But we're nearing the climax. The drama, the lovey-dovey (did I just say that?), the fights, the contests, the other antagonists. Please hang on a bit more.

Okay, so my newbie~ness showed up. Flames are bad, right? Then why do people do it? Hmm... To make the writer stop writing or something? Hm... Curious. So what I need are CCs. Okay. Uh-huh. *installing it in grey matter* Got it. And R&R means, Read and Review? Mwahaha. Thank you for those people who corrected me.

And if you are wondering, the piece Amy and Ian are playing is Shinichi's Song (Osenchi na Ayumi). I'm learning that now, and I'm halfway there! Woo! *ahem* Listen to it, it's really, really nice, good, awesome, fantastic... *ahem*

Code Time: (A lot of people told me the main code was hard. I think if you look at this one, you'll get it. I think.)

Qbyh Nby Nigum Vywigym Nby Duhom

Yeah. Just apply the previous code and you'll come up of something. First clue, the answer has something to do with my summary. Second clue, it's like that code from the Lucians. The one written on Raoul L's note. The one he found in the BBoBS.

Question of the Day:

If you think boys came from a different planet, cite two things girls and boys don't agree on.

I don't have much of an opinion on that, because I'm from an all-girls school. Huh. And I'd never paid much attention. More Huh.

Until Then,

MuchLove, PeaceOut!
AngelicSpring.