Read The 39 Clues Unstoppable Book 3 Countdown Online
Authors: Natalie Standiford
The 39 Clues Unstoppable Book 3 Countdown (22 page)
All at once, Amy stomped on the brake with every ounce of power in her serum-enhanced muscles. The other three were nearly pitched out of the vehicle as the Jeep lurched to a halt behind a stopped bus. Amy stared in amazement. Less than an hour ago, they had been traveling through isolated rain forest terrain. Now the buildings of Guatemala City were clearly visible in the distance, and the Cahill team was stalled in the largest traffic jam any of them had ever seen.
Thousands of screaming fans packed the broad Avenida Simón Bolívar. The mayor was in attendance, along with a gaggle of local VIPs, most of them with their young daughters in tow. Camera phones waved and flashed. So great was the demand to upload pictures that the Guatemalan servers for Facebook and Twitter crashed. The line for autographs measured in kilometers. The crowd noise was an uninterrupted roar, punctuated by applause. It was an absolute mob scene.
Or, in the life of pop star Jonah Wizard, just another day.
“Wassup, yo?” Jonah greeted the next girl in line, an adoring preteen who didn’t seem to speak a word of English. Wielding a fat Sharpie, he scribbled a quick signature on her CD, and another on her arm when she held it out to him. “Thanks for coming out. ’Preciate the support!”
Standing behind the autographing table, Broderick Wizard, Jonah’s father, wore a scowl as he texted on his BlackBerry. “I have to tell you, Jonah, I don’t get it. When you said you had to drop out of the public eye, I was okay with that. Then, six months in, when you told me to set up an appearance, I never asked why. I just made it happen. But I’m asking you now — why did it have be
here
?”
Jonah motioned to the legions of fans, which only made them scream louder. “Look around, Pops. Can’t you feel the
love
?”
His father was unconvinced. “You get love in New York. Also London, Paris, Tokyo, anywhere. But you said it had to be Guatemala and it had to be today. Why?”
Jonah had an excellent answer to this question — although not one he could give to his father. The Cahill team had to get to Jonah’s private jet, but Pierce had substantial assets hunting for them. A group of kids could stay hidden, but not a Gulfstream G6 parked on a runway. The goons would stake out the airport and open fire on anybody who approached the plane.
There was only one solution. Pierce didn’t dare attack when there were people around. And drawing a crowd happened to be Jonah’s specialty.
He surveyed the street up and down, his famous eyes coming to focus on an open Jeep stalled in the traffic snarl. He might have failed to notice the three young passengers, but the driver was something else. She fairly glowed with strength and vitality. It was natural to pick her out of a crowd of thousands. He felt a stab of dread as he remembered what it was that made his cousin Amy stand out.
He got up from his chair and took a flying leap off the stage.
“Jonah!”
his father howled in dismay.
There was never any danger. Jonah knew that his sea of admirers would catch him before he hit the pavement.
Broderick Wizard was at the edge of the platform, gawking at his son. “What are you doing?”
“It’s all good, Pops!” Jonah called back at him. “But you’re going to have to fly home commercial! I need the jet!”
By that time, the Guatemala City police had reached him and were clearing a path through the throng. High-fiving and
wassup
-ing all the way, Jonah led them to the Jeep and swung himself aboard. “Good timing,” he approved. “The Wiz was getting writer’s cramp.”
“Real smart, Jonah,” Jake scolded. “Who knows how long we’ll be stuck here. Pierce will have time to see us on TMZ and send half his army after us.”
Jonah addressed his police escort. “Need you homeys to get us to the airport. You know,
el runway-o
—”
“Aeropuerto,”
supplied Atticus.
Nodding their understanding, the police officers organized themselves into two lines, opening up a path for the Jeep. Just outside the throng, a cavalcade of motorcycle cops surrounded the Cahills for their ride.
“Those goons are going to have a heart attack when we drive up to the plane with half the Guatemalan police force!” Atticus crowed.
“That’s how I do,” Jonah acknowledged modestly.
His fans cheered, waved, and threw flowers as he passed among them, perched on the tailgate.
“Later, Guatemala City!” bellowed the famous voice. “Gotta hop!
Adiós
, yo!” He grinned down at his cowed Jeep-mates. “Anybody need a lift to Cambodia?”
Copyright © 2014 by Scholastic Inc.
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013951101
e-ISBN 978-0-545-56101-3
Candice Starling © Ryan Jorgensen — Jorgo/Shutterstock;
Young Starling: © Val Lawless/Shutterstock;
Mural: Photograph “Jugadores” © Justin Kerr.
Book design and illustrations by Charice Silverman
First edition, May 2014
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