The French Code (15 page)

‘Leave her alone,' Linden yelled.

‘When I saw you at supper at my house, I took one look at the amulet and knew it was what I needed to commence my plans. You see, this book, as great as it is, is powerless without the amulet in this necklace – and I will have it. Taweret. Protector of children. How sweet.'

‘It's mine. Papa gave it to me.'

‘In a few minutes it won't matter what your papa thinks. Not when he's tied up in the sewers of Paris.'

The murmur of thunder rolled through the clouds outside.

Veronique's face turned a lifeless grey.

‘Where is he?' Max cried.

‘Oh, don't worry, he's somewhere he'll feel right at home. Antoine is beneath the Louvre itself, ready to feel the full force of my water spell.'

‘You can't let him die,' Veronique pleaded.

‘You see, my dear, I can do whatever I want.' Strangways clutched the wand in his hand so that
the skin stretched thinly across his bony knuckles. ‘Your father betrayed me and I have no use for traitors.'

Max snuck a quick look at her watch to see that it was still transmitting to Toby.

‘Now. To business.' Strangways lifted the wand away from Veronique's neck.

‘Don't touch her!' Linden shouted.

François tightened his grip on the rope even more.

‘No! I won't let you.' Veronique swung her head sharply and bit down on Strangways's thumb.

He snatched it from her mouth and delivered a poisonous scowl. François jolted forward, but Strangways raised his hand to stop him.

‘No, it isn't important. Only this is.' He lifted the chain over Veronique's writhing body and pressed the amulet into a moulded space in his neckpiece. A small gasp fled from his lips. A perfect fit.

He held his wand high and began reading the spell from the scroll. It was a language Max's Descrambler couldn't interpret.

The room became immediately cooler. The murky green mixture in Strangways's bottle began to quiver. Outside, the wind stirred with more
force. Max and Linden's danger meters hammered into them.

Strangways's chanting continued, like a mantra. He closed his eyes. Dark clouds rolled over the city.

A flash of light tore into the room. Max and Linden looked away just as Fifi ripped at the last threads of Veronique's ropes. The poodle climbed onto a bench and launched herself at Strangways.

‘Aaaah!' The old man toppled to the floor as the amulet dislodged from the neckpiece. Veronique leapt from her chair and picked it up.

‘Your father's note from the amulet,' Max cried.

Strangways lifted his head to see Veronique nod and hold the amulet high. Her voice held firm. ‘A nod of the head and “cast out” in a cry, will chaos banish with Taweret held high.'

‘No.' It escaped from Strangways in a breathless whimper.

The door slammed open. A thunderous echo filled the room followed by a swirl of wind, taking with it the rolled papyrus pages of
The Book of the Dead
.

‘The book!' Strangways scrambled to his feet and grasped for the scroll, but he tripped on his
robes and fell onto the cold steel outside. He looked up to see pieces of papyrus flying away like seagulls surfing on the wind. François moved to help him up, but Fifi jumped and sank her teeth into his leg.

‘Aaaah!'

François let go of the ropes and Linden wriggled his arms free. He reached into his pack, pulled out his Swiss army knife and sliced through the ropes.

François was still screaming from the pain of Fifi, who wouldn't let go of his leg, when Linden squirted him directly in the nose with sleeping powder. He was knocked out immediately.

‘That's good stuff,' Linden said. ‘Time to go.'

Linden grabbed Veronique's hand and led her out of the room. Fifi sank her teeth one last time into François's other leg before leaping after them. Max went to follow, but Strangways's strong fist grabbed at her ankle.

‘You have destroyed everything.' He got to his feet and grabbed Max's shoulders, forcing her into the cold steel edge of the balcony railing. It was the only thing between her and a deadly plunge through the darkening evening.

‘Let her go!' Linden shouted.

The wind howled around them, tore into their faces, punishing them with icy drops of rain.

It was as if Strangways didn't hear. As if he didn't know Linden was even there. Only Max existed, and his need for revenge. His hands locked around her neck and forced her back over the balcony. Max turned her head and caught a glimpse of the Paris streets far below. She felt her body surge with fear before her muscles tightened in a wave of nausea.

‘Strangways, don't do this.' Linden edged forward, slowly, carefully. ‘Please let Max go.'

‘You've ruined everything.' Strangways tightened his grip on Max. ‘Years of hard work, of searching, of …'

His eyes glowed with fury. His arms stiffened and he lifted Max with one forceful push.

‘Strangways!' Linden cried. ‘Please!'

Max struggled to breathe, gasping what small snatches of air she could.

Strangways remained unmoved, as if in a trance. Linden watched as his friend teetered on the edge of the balcony, briefly, when Strangways gave one last push and she fell.

‘Max!'

Max tumbled backwards into the night, feeling as if the wind was sucking her into a giant black hole. She struggled to reach behind her, against the
pull of the wind and her own disorientation, to find the lever of her pack.

Fly, fly, fly.
She said it over and over in her head.
Please fly.

Finally her hand found the lever. She pulled it out. She continued to tumble and thought she could hear screams from the crowd below.

Fly, fly, fly.

The PFD began to find grip in the air, but still she turned and plunged downwards.

‘You're not going to die,' Max screamed into the air and pulled the lever hard towards her. It slowed in its descent, wobbling through the air. She could see the lights from the ground coming closer. Max's arm struggled to gain control against the pull of gravity until finally the PFD slowed her descent even more, staggering and reeling, hovering four metres from the ground.

Max's throat hurt from the cold evening air and her panicked breaths. The wind pushed into her in wintry, bullying gusts. She swallowed deeply and landed the PFD in a soggy, grassy patch near a fountain. She laughed briefly before her legs turned to jelly beneath her, and she sank in a dead faint to the ground.

‘I'll have a turn.' Toby sprang from his chair and confidently strode over to
The Book of Sayings
. ‘If it predicts that my future is going to be filled with beautiful girls and a couple of fast cars, then I'm willing to become a believer.'

Veronique sat on a deep lounge, curled in the arms of her father.

Toby held the book between his hands, the spine resting on the table. He closed his eyes, let it fall open and read out loud:

‘It doesn't say that,' Max said. ‘Let me see.'

Toby slammed the book shut before she could reach him. ‘Oh, I've lost the page.'

‘The book is very often correct, Max,' Antoine countered her sceptical look.

‘And Toby often makes stuff up, Monsieur Marceau.'

‘Linden, do you want a turn?' Veronique asked.

Linden sat on a long settee and faked trying to get up. ‘I don't think I can. I may have had one piece of roasted chicken too many. Or maybe it was the chocolate tart or crème caramel. I've never
eaten so well in my life as I have here over the last couple of days.'

Max laughed. ‘Go on. We've all done it now. There's only you left.'

With an exaggerated moan, Linden pulled himself off the couch. He took hold of the book and closed his eyes.

‘Won't be as good as mine,' Toby said.

‘Don't forget to think of a question!' Max reminded him.

Linden let the book fall open. He placed a finger on a line and read:

‘See, I told you mine would be better,' Toby said.

‘It is all a matter of perception,' Antoine said. ‘Personally, Linden, I believe that is one of the book's wisest sayings.'

‘What about Strangways?' Max asked. ‘He said you were once good friends.'

‘Yes,' he answered with a sigh, ‘I thought we were searching for the same thing in our quest to
re-create
heka
, but I realise now we were after something very different.'

‘Where did you find the Taweret amulet?' Linden asked.

‘I'd been on three separate trips to Egypt to find it. I knew what it looked like and used all my local contacts to track it down, but with no luck. One day, at the end of another trip, I was sitting at the back of a Cairo market sipping on a chilled glass of sugarcane juice, when I saw it. Sitting on a trinket stall selling tourist junk. Just waiting for me to find it.'

The doorbell sounded. A man with a hat in his hand and black suit stood at the door of Veronique's house.

‘The car is here, Mademoiselle.'

Veronique picked up Fifi and held her to her chest. ‘I guess it's time for you to go.'

Max, Linden and Toby collected their bags and went outside where the limousine was waiting for them.

‘I'm glad they found you, sir.' Linden held his hand out to Antoine.

‘Me too.' He took Linden's hand. ‘I'm only glad the French government chose such intelligent agents to be on the case.' He shook Toby's and Max's hand. ‘We will always be indebted to you.'

Veronique smiled. ‘Thank you, Max. For everything. You've been …'

Fifi jumped out of Veronique's arms and into Max's where she began licking her face in a frenzy. Max flung out her arms and held the dog away from her. ‘Hey! Can't you just wag your tail like a normal dog?' She put her on the ground.

Veronique laughed. ‘She likes you.'

‘I preferred it when she didn't like me.'

Toby nudged into her. ‘You can't help it when you're irresistible. I know all about that.'

‘Come on, boys. I will help you pack the car,' Antoine offered.

‘You once asked me why I take her everywhere,' Veronique whispered to Max when they were alone.

‘You don't have to –'

‘Papa gave her to me when my mother died. It's like when Fifi is with me, Mama is still with me. Does that makes sense?'

Max nodded. ‘It does.'

Outside, Veronique hugged Toby and Linden and kissed them on both cheeks. ‘You two stay out of trouble.'

‘Us? Trouble? Never.' Toby said. ‘Good luck
with the TV show. They obviously know great talent choosing you.'

‘
Je m'ennuyerai de vous
,' Veronique said with a smile. ‘
Vraiment
.'

‘
Nous aussi
,' Linden replied.

Max leant over to Toby. ‘What did she say? I've taken out my Descrambler.'

‘She said she'll miss us,' he answered. ‘Especially me.'

Veronique launched into Max with a hug. ‘Thank you,' she whispered. ‘I wasn't very kind to you when we first met. I'm sorry. You were so brave. There is no wonder Linden really likes you.'

‘What? How do you …?'

Veronique pulled away quickly and opened her arms for Fifi, who leapt into them with practised ease. ‘Now give Max one last goodbye kiss.'

‘No, that's really not –'

Fifi licked Max in one long slurp, complete with a blast of dog-breath.

‘Ah! I just had a shower.' Max wiped her face on her sleeve.

Antoine encircled Veronique and Fifi in a hug. ‘
Au revoir
and safe trip home.'

‘Do you always have this many fancy houses,
castles and limousines on your missions?' Toby asked Max.

‘I don't know. I don't notice those things,' she answered.

‘How can you not notice?' Toby looked horrified.

‘I don't know, maybe because I'm busy trying to save the world.'

Linden laughed and gave Max a look that made her feel like she was falling from another great height. ‘I never notice either.'

‘Can I get in the front?' Toby asked the driver, who nodded.

‘Can I drive?'

The driver shook his head.

‘Worth a try though, eh?' Toby climbed in the front, while Linden and Max slipped into the back.

Max fastened her seatbelt and wound down the window. ‘Veronique?' she asked in a whisper. ‘How do you know?'

Veronique gave a playful shrug. ‘He told me.'

She and her father waved as the car pulled away from the curb and joined the crowded flow of Parisian traffic.

‘Told you what?' asked Linden.

Max met Linden's questioning look and tried to think of an answer.

‘Told me that … that …' Max's palm computer vibrated against her leg. ‘That'll be Chief Harrison. He said he'd call before we left.'

‘Ah, Max and Linden. Where's the third hero of this little party?'

‘He's up front, sir,' Max answered.

Chief Harrison's face drained of zippiness. ‘He isn't driving, is he?'

‘No,' Max said. ‘We've faced enough danger in the last few days without letting that happen.'

‘Yes, yes indeed.' Harrison said. ‘Congratulations on the completion of your mission. I know you were sent to France as minders, but without the skills and expertise of all of you, Antoine – and Paris – might never have been saved.'

‘Thank you, sir,' Max said.

‘French police have Strangways and François in custody now, but we've also discovered there were other men who were after the amulet, the book and Veronique because of what she may have known. We believe the men you told us about from the cemetery may have been working for a private collector in Germany, but we're still following that up. Luckily they hadn't anticipated coming up against Toby and Linden.'

‘But they had a note saying they had
Veronique's dad,' Max said. ‘I thought only a few people knew about that.'

‘News of the kidnapping did leak out in some circles. A lot of money has been spent by many people trying to find exactly what Strangways was after. These guys thought they'd use that information and take their pants. Oh blast, well, of course they took their pants, but they also took their
chance
.' Harrison shook his head.

‘Antoine's discoveries of the book and amulet are very important but just as dangerous as he thought. As a result, the amulet, book and neckpiece are all going to be held in different museums around the world, with strict instructions that they never be reunited again. And Max?'

‘Yes, sir?'

‘Tetu is being awarded a medal for his work in solving this case.'

‘A medal?' Max almost choked on the words. ‘But he –'

‘Is still upset with you for putting him to sleep.'

‘But he was going to –'

‘You are going to send him an apology. I know you two didn't get along, but we stand to gain very little by upsetting the French police.'

‘But, sir, he treated you so badly when he was
in your office, like you were some …'

Harrison smiled. ‘My feelings aren't as easily crushed as that, but I did appreciate your spirited defence. You perhaps need to sometimes choose a better way to express it.'

‘I'm working on it, sir.'

‘I know. Just make sure that apology is with him by the end of the day, and you might want to add your congratulations for the medal.'

‘Yes, sir,' Max mumbled.

‘In the drawers beneath your seats you'll find a satchel from The Centre for International Cultural Exchange. It has notes and workbooks relating to your visit. It is complete with facts you learnt, places you saw, as well as video, photos and details of what you did on your rampage … Oh bother, of course I mean on your
exchange
. We've sent your family postcards and emails about your trip on your behalf. They're on your palm computers so you can see what you have written.'

‘We're sending you home on a regular flight. To give you time to rest.' Harrison sighed. ‘You've done us very proud. But for now, go home and tell your parents all about your cultural exchange trip.'

‘Thank you, sir. Goodbye,' Linden said.

Harrison disappeared from Max's screen.

‘Tetu is getting a medal!' Max cried. ‘Can you believe that?'

‘You still don't trust him?' Linden asked.

‘Not much.'

Max crossed her arms and looked out the window as they crossed the River Seine on their way to the airport.

‘Do you think that magic stuff would have worked?' Max asked. ‘Would Strangways have really been able to raise the level of the river and flood Paris?'

‘Not sure,' Linden said. ‘He did seem to heal himself. And witnesses on the news said the water in the park's fountains shot higher and people ran from the riverside when it suddenly began to spill over the banks, but it was windy last night and a massive storm system was pushing through. Strangways thought it was him, but the weather bureau may have a better explanation.'

Max watched the houses and trees rush past.

‘Are we okay?' Max asked.

‘Okay?' Linden frowned.

‘You were angry at me before about how I was acting and …'

‘Of course we are okay. We've always been okay.' He paused. ‘I think I got angry because
hearing about Veronique losing her mum made me think of my mum. I was a bit protective of her, I guess.' He smiled weakly. ‘I got angry a lot when Mum died. I still can get the same way if I think about it. It was a pretty lonely time.'

‘I would have liked to have known you then,' Max said. ‘To make sure you weren't so lonely.'

‘That would have been nice.' Linden smiled and turned to look out the window.

Max bit her lip and stared at her twisting fingers. ‘She's pretty, isn't she?'

‘Who?' Linden asked.

‘Veronique.'

‘I guess,' Linden said. ‘Yeah.'

As the streets of Paris swooped by in a blurred fuss of colour and style, Max slowly manoeuvred her head to get the best glimpse of her face in the polished silver armrest beside her. She stared, not sure if she liked what she saw.

‘You know what, Max?' Linden asked.

Max was startled. ‘What?'

Linden leant over and stared directly at her with a faint crease of a smile. ‘I think you're pretty.'

Max's heart felt like it flipped whole centimetres in her chest. ‘You do?' Her face wrinkled into a smudge of part fear, part scepticism.

Linden leant back. ‘Yeah,' he said. ‘I do.'

‘But being pretty isn't what matters,' Max said, shoving a beanie on her head. ‘I hardly even give a thought to being pretty. Who would waste their time worrying about whether they're pretty or not? Being smart is much more important than being pretty.'

‘I think you're smart,' Linden said. ‘But I think you're pretty, too.'

Max tried to breathe normally as she turned to look at the final glimpse of Paris's streets and boulevards. The shops were filled with designer clothes and whole window fronts were taken up with one single bag or coat. The strollers and shoppers completed the stylish look. Max smiled and turned to Linden.

‘Thanks,' she whispered.

‘You're welcome. And you're brave too. You went to save Veronique at the top of that tower and you're afraid of heights. I was really proud of you.'

Max couldn't stop the rising tide of red that flowed into her face like a bad case of sunstroke.

‘You know, Max Remy, I think you bring out the best in me. Just like that old Danish saying.'

‘Do I?'

‘Yeah.' Linden's smile melted away. ‘I was really scared last night when you fell. It was the same
feeling I had the second before Dad told me Mum had died. This panic that belted into my chest. If anything like that happened to you, I'd never get over it.' He looked at Max. ‘I just wouldn't. I don't think I could for a second time.'

There was a tear curling in the corner of his eye. It swelled and teetered on the edge of his lid until it spilled over his eyelash and left a splatter on his jeans.