Disclaimer: I don't own the 39 Clues.
"Here, carry these, Dan," Nellie called over the quiet din of the grocery, motioning to the bags lying on the wooden floor of the market.
Obligingly, Dan put back the magazine he had been leafing through and walked towards Nellie. Dodging the few other people walking around in the small store, he picked up two bags of groceries. They were heavy, but Dan didn't mind—after all, it was food.
Already blasting her iPod's music into her ears, Nellie picked up the remaining bags and they walked out of the small market. Dan squinted at the hotel in the distance; the glaring sunlight reflected off its glass windows, and pierced his eyes. For some reason, it seemed so far away.
However, after a moment, he realized that he couldn't hear Nellie's blaring music. He looked back. She had stopped, peering intently at a small building.
"Dan?" she shouted over her loud music. "Is that a music store over there?"
He followed her gaze. "Yeah," he confirmed. "Why?"
"Let's check it out!" his au pair suggested. She dragged him to the store, and set her bags on a wooden bench outside. "You made me lose sleep," she explained, "so I need something, at least, to make up for that.
"Wait here," she then commanded. "I'll be back in just a moment."
As she pushed open the door and disappeared into the building, Dan sat down on the bench, pulled a bag of food beside him, and started to rummage through it. The packaging's rustling sounds and the intoxicating aromas swirled around him. He took a deep breath, savouring it all. He did not notice the eerie silence hanging around the store, a strong contrast to the grocery.
"Well, well," purred a new voice. "Look what the Cahill boy is doing."
Dan looked up, his reverie interrupted. Behind him, leaning against the bench, was a man dressed all in black, with a small green pin attached. Dan had not sensed him arrive—it was as if the man had simply melted out of the shadows.
His eyes were drawn to the pin. It was green with a wolf—without a doubt, it was the Janus symbol.
Silently, he stood up. If there was only one Janus agent, then he figured he was not in too much danger.
Never underestimate a Cahill, an inner voice told him.
Then, another Janus, looking identical to the first one, strode up to them. He glanced at the music shop Nellie currently was in. "Nice choice," he approved. "Although it's really quite a shame only half of their music is from our wonderful branch. We're certainly the best."
Boastful and arrogant as usual, Dan thought. He wondered when Nellie would exit the store and find him in his predicament. Then again, this was Nellie in a music store.
"Of course," the newcomer went on, "we cannot have your babysitter come rescue you—"
Dan gritted his teeth. "Au pair," he corrected, staring at the Janus agent firmly.
"Whatever," the first Janus replied airily, and then decided to change the topic. "When's the truck coming?"
"Huh?" asked a confused Dan.
A third Janus emerged from behind the building. "It has arrived," she stated, brushing away a brown lock of hair. Her blue eyes gleamed with intent.
"Come with us," the second man told Dan, gesturing.
Annoyed, he crossed his arms and stood there solidly. "Obviously, it's a trap."
The Janus tried to hide his startled look, although it clearly showed in his wide eyes. "We have, uh, ninja games."
Incredulously, Dan narrowed his jade eyes. "For a Janus, you have terrible acting skills. Have you never attended drama classes or something?"
The first man pushed the younger agent aside, and hissed to the irritated woman standing at the back, "I knew we should have left the amateurs behind! They need to learn." Then he faced Dan. "But he was right about one thing. You're coming with us."
Dan raised an eyebrow, hoping to buy time for Nellie. "You think it's just that easy?"
The Janus pulled out a dart gun, and aimed it at Dan. "I've taken archery lessons before," he warned. "I had the best aim in my class. Then again, none of the others were descendents of Jane Cahill."
"I thought Janus only did artistic stuff," Dan drawled. "When'd you learn to use a dart gun?" Reminds me of Natalie, he thought wryly.
"Lucian training." The reply was short and to the point.
Before Dan could think of another reply, the younger agent spoke up. "Shouldn't we move away from the sidewalk? There are pedestrians here; they could see us."
The dart gun was momentarily dropped. "You're right," he said thoughtfully.
The oldest agent strolled over, and Dan felt himself being lifted off the air. He gasped in amazement. A Janus that lifts like a Tomas?
"Tomas training," the man uttered monotonously, as if he could read Dan's mind.
Before Dan could react, he was deposited on the ground. He collapsed on the slippery grass shrouded in the nearby trees' shadows. According to his watch, half-hidden in his sleeve, it was 7:00am. Against his will, he yawned.
The Janus grinned at him, showing perfect white teeth. "Tired, huh? I have something that will solve your problem. Give me the Ekat invention." The last sentence was directed towards the other Janus.
Dan stared at the man. He had Lucian training, Tomas training, and Ekat resources? What kind of a Janus was he?
As he watched, the man was tossed a small gray ball. It shone in the sunlight, gleaming like the glass windows Dan had peered at only moments before.
Then, the ball was tossed straight at him. Before Dan could react, a thick black net shot out of the sphere like silk out of a spider. He was trapped in seconds.
The lead Janus picked him up. Dan struggled, but to no avail. The holes were too small for him for reach out, allowing only enough air to breathe in comfortably.
"You—you're not—why—" He failed about in the net, attempting to land some blows on his captors. They simply walked along as if they were taking a stroll in the park.
However, after a few minutes, the one holding Dan stopped and glared at the trapped boy. His eyes looked menacing in the shadows, but the boy had seen worse. "Learn to control yourself. Behave."
He glared back. "What am I, a dog?"
The Janus let him drop to the ground. Dan winced when he landed on a sharp rock. Then the man raised his arm with fury in his eyes. "That's it. I'm going to—"
However, the two other Janus restrained him. "He told us to capture the boy unharmed! You know what he will do if we—if you—"
"Well, I'm not carrying him anymore," the first Janus declared. "Whose bright idea was it to have the truck so far away?"
"You'd be better off asking who made the accessible roads so far away," retorted the third Janus.
While they were arguing, Dan tried pulling the strands apart. Nothing. He even tried to bite them apart, but that only resulted in a toothache. He decided that it was time for desperate measures. Taking a deep breath, he began to yell. "Help! Someone help me! I've been trapped in a net by a bunch of dumb spies who are trying to kidnap me! Nellie! Anyone! Help!"
The three agents looked at him. "Be quiet," the woman snarled. "No one can hear you anyway."
Undeterred, Dan continued. "Anyone out there? I'm in trouble here! Help! " His voice echoed in the trees.
Finally, the second Janus let out a defeated sigh. "Fine. I'll carry the boy. Later I get the largest share of the rewards."
"No, you don't!" exclaimed the third Janus over the sound of Dan's hoarse cries. She took a step towards him.
"Just get him to the truck. Later we'll discuss rewards." The first Janus sounded tired.
Dan felt himself being picked up again, and continued to struggle. However, now he was fatigued as well, and his blows not as powerful. It was fruitless. His throat also ached.
Behind the music store, there was a dark alley. Garbage and other items that Dan would rather not know about piled up against the bricks of the store, and a few flies buzzed about. In the center of the alley, a large, gleaming truck idled, smoke pouring out into the already acrid air.
The wide-eyed boy was thrown in, barely managing to avoid landing on his wrist, when the door was closed. He was still in the net.
It was pitch black. Not a single sliver of light snaked in the truck. Dan was alone, or so he thought.
A/N: Comments? Likes or dislikes? Tell me in a review!
Thanks to whoever nominated me for the Madrigal Awards in the Adventure Category—it was quite a surprise. Still, many thanks.