Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 Rumor had it that Alistair Oh was broke. His business had not succeeded. But when Amy saw his mansion, in a village outside Seoul, South Korea, she began pondering recipes for cheesy burrito fillings. "Dang! Whose palace?" Nellie blurted, as the limo pulled to a stop after their brief drive from the airport. A pristine white building stood gleaming atop a sloping, luxuriant lawn. The front path was decorated with orange and yellow chrysanthemums and led to a small grove of cherry trees and dogwoods, their leaves rustling in the breeze. Just being here, in this setting, made you want to smile. "Where is the main house?" asked Natalie, as

they climbed out. "Voilà." Alistair gestured dully toward the mansion. All day long he had seemed tired to Amy, a little off his game. "You mean, behind the pool house?" said Natalie. Ian elbowed her in the ribs. "My home is one of the few remaining perks from my days as a burrito magnate," Alistair said, as he walked up the drive. He was flanked by the Kabras and the driver, who held Dan and Amy's bags. "As is Mr. Chung, my driver. And Harold, my butler. Our cozy little team. Things used to be a bit more grand." "Ah, well, easy come, easy go— not that I actually know the feeling," Ian replied. "The house does have lovely… um, window moldings." "Thank you, they were imported from South America," Alistair replied. Dan leaned into his sister as they followed behind the others. "Window moldings?" he muttered. "What normal fourteen-year-old guy talks about window moldings?"

Amy shrugged. "Did you check the duffel?" she whispered. "Yes," Dan replied. "Rufus and Remus are still there." Amy took off her shoes and stepped onto the soft, freshly cut grass. A cool breeze tickled her nose and she burst out laughing, windmilling her arms as she spun in the grass on her good ankle. "Oh, great, I'm in South Korea and my sister has turned into Julie Andrews," Dan said. Oops. Amy dropped her arms. Now everyone was ogling her. She felt like she did in ballet class. Dumpy and uncoordinated and ugly. She glanced down into the clover, as if by staring hard enough she would disappear inside it. "What your sister is doing," Ian said, walking toward the house, "is called enjoying herself. Maybe you could learn from her, Daniel. It's refreshing." "Refreshing?" Dan said. "Amy?" Amy stuck her tongue out at her brother. Ian was smiling at her, which made her stomach

churn, but she managed a smile back. Just to get on Dan's nerves. She stayed a few steps behind Ian as they crested the hill, until Amy could see the back of Alistair's house. It extended to a large sundeck overlooking a swimming pool and a vast lawn. To one side of the lawn, a stream wound its way through a landscaped rock garden that contained a pond stocked with goldfish. To the other side was a thick hedgerow that seemed to go on forever. "Tempting Tempura microwavable burritos bought me this," Alistair said, gesturing over the landscape. "Mostly beef." "Tranquil." Natalie nodded. "It really is amazing what you can do with a limited amount of space." Alistair raised an eyebrow. "Nothing like the Kabra estate, I hear." "We hated growing up there," Ian replied. "Every year one of us would get lost on the lush grounds, and they would have to send the homing poodles after us." "The what?" Dan said. Natalie sighed ruefully. "Some say it was an

abusive childhood, but we didn't know any better." Nellie emerged from the house. Behind her was a uniformed butler with six soft drink bottles, which he set on a table next to six wooden chairs. "Thank you, Harold," Alistair said as the butler bowed and went back inside. "If Toyotomi Hideyoshi had had his way, this land would be Japanese. He intended to conquer all of East Asia, and he had never failed. Some say he meant to build his grandest palace here in Korea, to give birth to an heir who would take over the kingdom. He would also build great vaults and hiding places. Hideyoshi was one of history's most notorious collectors—" "I knew I liked the guy!" said Dan. "According to family lore, he collected the most valuable item of all," Alistair said. "One of the clues to the Cahill family secret, which we still seek five centuries later." He sighed. "No Ekat has ever found it. No one suspected it was in Korea. But our parchment will lead us there, if we know how to read it."

"Dude, I'm on it," Dan said. "How do we get started?" "Unfortunately," Alistair said with a yawn, "I cannot function after a rough, sleepless flight. Will you kindly grant an old man a half-hour nap in his own bed? Harold will feed you until then. Please stay close by and do not wander." "Of course," Amy said. Alistair waved to them and walked into the house. "Food, drink, magazines, TV, TiVo, Internet, handheld devices?" Harold asked. "Warcraft?" Dan blurted. Harold smiled. "Second door on the right." As Dan scooted inside, Natalie settled into a lounge chair with the Korean edition of People magazine and Nellie worked her iPod. Ian was staring out into the yard. "What's that?" he asked. "Wh-wh-what's what?" Amy said. He pointed to a dense hedgerow that contained a narrow gap. "Is it a hedge maze? Come on, let's