A/N: Okay, since shiningwaves is apparently, like, dying, and since I already have the first seven chapters typed up on my computer, I'll go ahead and post again :) (Plus, I'll be extremely bored until 2:00, so...)
Disclaimer: I don't own The 39 Clues. If I did, Amy and Ian would already be married and have kids. And the idea of Danatalie would never have happened :P
Chapter 3: Plan
We stared at each other, neither of us finding anything useful to say. The last time I had seen Ian was when we had had our final fight with the Vespers. Now that it was over…it was just awkward. I finally broke the ice with something that should have been obvious.
"Could you at least untie me?"
He sighed and strode toward me, hands shaking from either anger or nerves; most likely both. He undid the knot and I stood up to stretch and rub the circulation back into my wrists.
"I'm sorry she did this to you," Ian said. "I would've stopped her earlier, but she found me before I found her, as you can see." He fingered the silver chain. "But really, I am truly sorry. This shouldn't have happened to you."
I cleared my throat and nodded, not quite trusting my voice yet. If I tried to speak, my words would most likely come out in stutters. Not because of Ian, of course, but because of the situation I was in and the fact that I couldn't see any way to escape from this little cell. My anxiety doubled.
"Trying to find a way out?" Ian guessed.
"Mhmm. Didn't need to read my thought that time, did you?"
He laughed. "No. Not really."
Ian was trying to lighten the mood, which I was grateful for. Maybe it would help me calm down.
"There isn't anything we can do to escape, is there," I said. Ian looked left and right casually, almost like he was dying for me to ask a certain question. "Unless you have a plan," I added.
Then he looked at me, flashing his brilliant smile. "Oh…a plan, you say? I have never heard of such a thing. After all, we are trapped in this dark prison with the world's most horrible woman as our warden." He winked.
"Quit it, I need to get home before Dan starts freaking out," I scolded, but I was trying to stifle my giggles.
"All right, I do know one way to escape," he said. "Being underground, this prison has a less-than-great ventilation system. There are vents all along the ceiling. You might be small enough to fit through them, but I'm not."
That wiped the smile off my face. I glared at him. "You're coming, too. I'll need all the help I can get."
Ian shook his head. "What matters most is that you get out of here. I'll find my own way out. Isabel will eventually figure out you've escaped, but hopefully you'll be long gone by then. And don't worry," he added. "This won't be the last time you see me."
I sighed. "Fine. But when you do get out, come straight to the Command Center. I think it's time to move those artifacts again."
I'm sorry if that counts as another cliffhanger, but I can't help it! It was already previously typed on my computer from a month ago, so I just posted it!
~Callie~