Read The 39 Clues Unstoppable Book 3 Countdown for Free Online Page B

spilling out. Either way, she was grateful.
    “We know it was very important — like baseball and football are to you,” Dr. Casanova replied, her face softening slightly. “There are relics depicting men playing pok-a-tok all over the Mayan world. You’ll see it as you explore the park — the parts that are open to the public , that is.”
    Amy cleared her throat. “I believe we have permission to explore the unexcavated ruins as well.” She took an official-looking piece of paper from her bag and showed it to Dr. Casanova. The same strings she’d pulled to get a private meeting with the archaeologist had also convinced the government to pressure park officials to break the rules for them. Or at least, that was what the paper said. In fact, she’d gotten Pony to rig up some phony forms that looked very real.
    The archaeologist frowned. “I can provide a guide to make sure you do nothing to harm the artifacts.” Amy suppressed a grimace. A guide was the last thing they wanted. They didn’t want to harm anything, but if they found the riven crystal, they were going to take a sample of it. She felt a little guilty about desecrating ancient ruins, but it had to be weighed against the greater good. Without that crystal there would be no serum antidote, and without the antidote . . . well, it would be Pierce’s world, literally. They’d all just be living in it, Dr. Casanova included.
    “In any case, it would take years — decades — to search the entire lost city of Tikal for one stone,” Dr. Casanova said, getting up to leave. “It hardly seems worth the effort.”
    “It is to us,” Dan said.
    “Why?”
    “School science project,” Dan lied smoothly, just as he’d been doing for years. Lying to security guards, librarians, Interpol agents — anyone who stood between the Cahills and their mission.
    Dr. Casanova looked skeptical but apparently decided not to pursue it any further. This was one of those times when being “just kids” was helpful. “If you have any more questions, feel free to call my office. Good-bye.” She left.
    “We don’t have years to find that crystal,” Amy said. “We need it now! There must be a way to find it quickly. Something in the book. Some clue . . .”
    Their eyes all turned to the book. It contained all the answers they needed, if only they could decode them.

They left their rooms and went to eat in the hotel restaurant. Everyone ordered pepian de pollo , a rich, spicy, dark red chicken stew, sprinkled with roasted squash and sesame seeds and served with rice and corn tortillas.
    “Have to try the national dish while we’re here,” Jake said, sounding more like someone’s goofy dad than a shaggy-haired hipster. Although Dan hated to think about his sister’s boyfriends, he had to admit Jake would’ve been a good fit — one ubernerd deserved another. Or at least, they would’ve been a good fit until Amy decided to shut down and cut ties with everyone who cared about her.
    “I’m learning a lot about myself on this trip,” Dan said, matching Jake’s cheerful tone. “For example, if it comes with tortillas, I like it.”
    “What about you, Att?” Jake asked. “Do you like the pepian ?”
    Atticus took a bite of stew and nodded. “Delicious.”
    That’s not like him , Dan thought. He and Atticus usually lived as if life were one big eating contest. But Atticus seemed distracted. He stared at everything, from the pictures on the restaurant walls to the menu, as if they might hold the keys to the universe. After lunch, he barely nodded when Dan asked if he wanted to go for a walk.
    “The answer is right in front of our eyes,” he told Dan. “I know it is. If I can just see it . . .”
    They stopped in the museum gift shop. “There’s not much here,” Dan said. “Just a bunch of dishes and woven fabrics —”
    Atticus was staring at a large platter decorated with glyphs. Dan saw a scowling face with a large nose, a glyph that could