Chapter 14: A Snake in the Grass:

Jackie's POV:

I was in The Tomb of Cleopatra in Egypt. I don't know what talisman I was looking for, but I knew I had to be careful. I tried to avoid the traps. Then I fell through the floor.

"My back," I said. Then I saw the mummy of Cleopatra and saw the talisman in her hands. "Of course! It was said that Cleopatra allowed an asp to bite her." I then walked over to her. "I hope you don't mind if I take this talisman..."

"The-yn we kay-yun tay-uk it from ya," says a familiar voice. It was the Enforcers.

"Wait," I said, "uh... if we are not careful, we could all suffer the curse of Cleopatra!"

"No one said anything about a curse," says Fancy Dan.

"Thair aren't no curses," says Montana, "Chan's tryin' ta diestrayct us. Git 'im!"

"Then why was I an actual Ox."

"Jus' git 'im."

I then fought the three. During the fight, I grabbed the Snake Talisman, but its magic activated. The Enforcers were confused, but then I took a good look at myself. I was invisible.

"Where in tarnations is Chan," asks Montana.

"I speak for the Queen," I said ghostly, "I made that man vanish, and if you don't leave, you will all suffer my curse!"

"Again, with the curse," says Fancy Dan.

"Thair aren't no curses!"

"Then... where's Chan," asks Ox.

Montana started to sweat. "Let's git out awf hair!"

The three then run.

. . .

I was still invisible as I was heading for the antique shop. Jade was supposed to be doing her chores, but instead she was reading a Super Moose comic.

"Jade," I said.

"Who's there?"

"I'm the Boogeyman, and shouldn't you be doing your chores?"

"Yeah right, there's no such thing as..." I then hold up a vase, but to Jade, it's floating. "Boogeyman!"

"For not doing your chores, I will take you away."

"Wait... look, see..." Jade starts cleaning the counter. "I'm doing it."

I then decided I had enough fun and revealed myself.

"Jackie... how... you... I knew it the whole time."

"Of course, you did. I'm taking the Snake Talisman to Uncle now."

. . .

I told Uncle what happened.

"So, the Snake Talisman has the power of invisibility."

"I used it to scare Jade into starting her chores."

Uncle hits me. "Why did you stop. Now she won't!"

"I'm just glad the Big Man didn't get this talisman."

Jade's POV:

Just for the record, I definitely didn't fall for Jackie's little scam. I... was just playing along. Anyway, Angelica came in. I actually notice that Angelica has been wearing two friendship bracelets on both of her wrists. It's weird that I never notice that before.

"I wish there was a way to know if Darryl liked me," says Angelica.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, "but Jackie discovered that the latest talisman can make you invisible."

Angelica then has a sinister smile. "You might just have helped me."

Shen Du's POV:

"I am dissssappointed oncccce again, Hammerhead. Thesssse foolssss continue to fail me." I then noticccced Nichang ssssmirking. "Don't be sssso ssssmug. You have failed as well."

"Luckily, I got something dey don't," ssssayssss Hammerhead, "a plan."

"You have a plan," asssskssss Nichang.

"Awh, sarry. It's dat ting use get when use tink."

"I know what a plan..."

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEE! Hammerhead, what issss your plan."

"I've noticed a pattern. Soon, awne awv those kids is gunnah ta play with da latest talisman. We jus need yo dragons ta find dat dumb kid."

"Do you think those children aren't going to learn by now," asks Nichang.

"Those kids don't seem dat smawt. So, trust me."

"Very well. Do not fail me."

Angelica's POV:

I snuck into Section Thirteen and went over to the vault. I typed in the code. Captain Black really needs to change that. Anyway, I saw the Snake Talisman. First, I had to make sure no one would find out. Luckily, I had a fake Snake Talisman made and put it in the real one's place. I then took the Snake Talisman and left.

Jackie's POV:

Captain Black, Dil, and I went to the vault. Dil wanted to prove to Captain Black that the talismans' powers were real. Dil grabs the Snake Talisman.

"Check it out. Invisibility! Am I over here or am I over here?"

"Yes," says Captain Black, "now if you excuse me..." Captain Black walks away.

"Jackie, you said that the talisman can make you invisible."

"Wait, let me see that." I grabbed the talisman. "This is chocolate. Someone has taken the real one. Why do they always get replaced with chocolate? Come on."

. . .

I had the kids lined up.

"Okay," I said, "the Snake Talisman is missing, and it was replaced with a fake. Whoever is not here has the talisman." I then took a good look at them and saw that Angelica was absent. "I think I found out who."

Angelica's POV:

Using the Snake Talisman, I secretly followed Darryl. He was talking to his friends. I was hoping he'd eventually talk about me. Then, something grabbed me. It was a Shadowkhan. It had one of those dragon statue things. It grabbed the talisman and disappeared.

"Angelica," asks Darryl.

"Uh... gotta go!" I ran.

Jackie's POV:

Angelica told us everything.

"Well, it's obvious what we gotta do," I said "we have to find that Shadowkhan."

. . .

I don't know how we're going to find an invisible shadowkhan, but we searched. Uncle was pointing his blowfish around. Don't ask.

"This way," he said as his blowfish started to glow. I'm sorry I doubted it.

. . .

We managed to follow an invisible shadowkhan as it was on its way to Nichang. I jumped on the shadowkhan and wrestled with it until I got the talisman. I then turned invisible, and the Shadowkhan had trouble finding me until it saw my shadow and tripped me. The talisman then fell. Nichang grabs it, but Jade jumps on her. The talisman then falls. Nichang and the Shadowkhan were about to grab it, but I took it again and turned invisible. I then knocked them both down. Nichang grabs the talisman from me, and she turns invisible. Nichang started to choke me, but then Angelica started talking.

"I don't know who has Jackie, but it can't be Nichang. She's not smart enough."

"How dare you..." Wow, she was distracted. I knocked the talisman out of her possession and Angelica has it. She then kicks Nichang, knocking her out.

"Like I said, not smart enough... Old lady."

The Shadowkhan's about to attack, but I kicked it in the sewers.

"The same goes for the Shadowkhan... but... I don't know about the old part, but I certainly know for a fact that it's not a lady," I said.

. . .

The talisman is now back in the vault, and Dil eats the chocolate one.

"Sorry for almost losing it," says Angelica.

"I'm getting used to it by now," I said, "but Angelica, you don't have to secretly follow someone. You can just talk to him."

Angelica then bursts out laughing and walks away.

"Uncle does not feel safe."

"I know what you mean."

Shen Du's POV:

"You have failed me again," I ssssaid.

"My Lord, the Shadowkhan failed as well..." Nichang then coverssss her mouth.

"The Shadowkhan are an extenssssion of my will! But if you feel they are flawed, then perhapssss you should tesssst them."

My shadowkhan were then ssssurrounding her.

"I brought this on myself."

In the next chapter, Jackie will be dealing with a robot named Atlas.