A 39 Clues Fanfic

Debt of Honor

Ian Kabra knew that seeing and speaking to Amy would mean danger for her if she refused his mother's offer.

Strictly speaking, it was their whole family's offer to the Cahills. Yet Ian had never wanted to risk her life this way. He had never consented to harming her. But what, exactly, could he do? He was just as trapped as she was. Even more so. The consequences in the event of betrayal to his lineage and his branch were far too weighty. Ian would rather be dead and have it over with.

As Amy would end up if she said No.

It was always one cruel plan to another. Mistake after mistake. How could he give her the long-awaited apology if he kept on committing crimes? Somehow, it just wouldn't be sincere if he was plotting her demise.

Would it have been easier if they had not chosen to be part of this? If Amy and Dan had stayed clear of the 39 Clues? Perhaps it would. No necessary sacrifices for them, the playing field narrowed down to only a few competitors, and him not having to worry about the effects of his actions.

But then he would never have met her, never have seen both her inner and outer beauty. There were many things Ian regretted doing, but not this. Not loving her. Not caring for her. Ian didn't regret that. He just wished she wasn't so prominent a target that he'd have to take out, sooner or later.

Things never worked out that way in his world.

The sea all around stretched beyond in expansive, clear, glittering waters mirroring the blue sky. The scent of ocean brine wafted to where he stood on the deck of the yacht. He scanned the surroundings---and then he saw her, about to jump onto a ferry.

His mother saw her, too. With a self-satisfied smile, she got behind the controls and sped to where Amy was heading.

Ian held on the cold metal rail, trying to forget about what he felt for her. Trying to focus on the task at hand.

He saw the panic, the fear in her jade-green eyes. Her terror. Her submission. Don't submit, Amy! he wanted to scream. Run!

Those thoughts never left his lips. Amy clambered onboard.

He had a million things he wanted to say to her. Not one of them was he allowed to mention.

He watched her hair whip around her head, like flames raging in the wind. Her piercing green eyes were determined. Ian wanted to brush away the strands of hair to see her face clearly, but he was unsure as to what her reaction would be.

He listened as his mother made the offer. And just as he predicted, Amy refused. Dread suffocated him, squeezing his heart. When his mother told him to throw the shark food into the waters, he had wanted to push his mother off the ship. But he couldn't overpower her. His hesitation didn't sway her.

So when Hamilton dropped down from the sky, taking on the mantle as Amy's savior, he was glad.

Jealous, of course. Jealous that there were some things he could not do. But he ignored that for the time being.

Amy was safe. For this moment at least, he had not lost her.

She was never his in the first place.

******

After what felt like an eternity of push-ups and being sprayed in spit as his father screamed at him, Hamilton wearily escaped outside. He had needed to save her. He owed them---Amy and Dan. Besides, he didn't like it if she was scared and helpless.

His phone buzzed. Hamilton checked it. If it was his father, he was going to throw it to a happy death under the wheels of that flashy sports car---

---which stopped in front of him as he put the phone to his ear.

"Get in the car."

Normally, Hamilton would have declined. Something told him it would be safe to accept.

The door to the passenger's seat opened. He snapped his phone shut, got in, and closed the door behind him.

Ian was sitting in the driver's seat.

"I think it's best if we have our conversation away from here," he said.

Hamilton held up his hands. "Dude, it's your car and your call. I'm only in for the ride. But aren't you just 14?"

Ian smirked. "A 14-year-old who happens to be the son of a top-ranking Lucian. No doors close at that kind of power." As he spoke, he joined the flowing traffic.

"So what do you want to talk to me for?" Hamilton asked.

Ian parked in the shade of a tree-lined drive and got out. Hamilton followed.

"Thank you. I do not know what would have happened if you had not done what you did."

"What did I do?" Hamilton was confused.

Ian placed his palm against the rough bark of a maple tree. "You were there for her when I wasn't. You helped her and Dan out in Russia, didn't you? And now you've saved her from the greatest threat possible: me."

Hamilton felt the need to correct him. "Not you, but your mother."

Ian laughed humorlessly. "You don't know what I've done to hurt her. All the pain I put her through. Every mistake I made against her. And it's not easy to say sorry when I'm just going to do it again."

Hamilton felt uncomfortable. This was getting too personal for him.

"You like her, too, don't you?"

At the unexpected question, Hamilton stared straight at Ian. "What's it to you?"

Ian shook his head. "I don't know why I should even care. Why I should even ask, when the answer's so obvious, so clear. It's not surprising. Who wouldn't love her?" His palm closed into a fist. "Just…though I can't be there for her, don't think you can have her."

"Hey, the battle's not over yet. Not only in this Hunt, but also over Amy. You think she's aware?" Hamilton thrust his hands in his pockets.

"I think she loathes me in every way possible," Ian said bitterly. "And now I have a debt of honor to repay."

"Debt of honor?" Hamilton repeated. "Huh. What if you surrender her to me? Then it's repaid. You can still stay on the Hunt."

Ian raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Pardon, but I don't think you're in no position to decide whether or not I continue this 'adventure'. And you know as well as I do that no way in hell would I ever give her up." His voice seemed pleasant enough, but his eyes were intense.

"We'll see, Kabra." Hamilton's walkie-talkie crackled. "I best be going, then." He began to walk.

"I owe you, Hammer," Ian called after him and Hamilton was surprised at the casual use of his nickname. "It will be tough, but I'll repay that…someday."

He got in his car, and sped away, slowing only to give Hamilton a little salute.

Hamilton watched it go off into the distance. "I'm sure you will, Kabra. But it's always the very first debt that's the hardest to return. And a debt of honor is not just taken lightly."

In another place entirely, Amy Cahill slept in the confines of a plane soaring through the sky, with no idea whatsoever of the exchange that had taken place.

With no clue at all that she now held in her hands the fate of two beating hearts.

She slept on, unaware.

******

I've belatedly realized that I am behind on the 'Hamilton versus Ian' mentality. So here's my take on the 'rivalry' between the two of them. Just a one-shot, though.