((Melody's point of view))

There is a treasure that has been protected for over five hundred years. The treasureholds all the history and secrets of the worlds greatest countries. Egypt, Greece, Rome,England and even America. A wonderful bedtime story to most, but to some, this legend is agoal to achieve. A quest that needs sought after. Among the latter is a family that for centurieshas sought after this historical wonder. The Gates family. A family that long ago got a clue thatwas supposed to go to Thomas Jefferson. "The Secret Lies With Charlotte"

The Charlotte is a ship, or so I've been told. Sorry how rude of me. My name is MelodyHarper. Anyway back to the story. Charlotte is a ship that sank into the arctic, according to mydear friend Riley Poole. Who I met a week ago…He is accompanying Benjamin Franklin Gates,yes from that Gates family. Ben has taken a small group to the Arctic to find the Charlotte. Let'ssee there's Ben, Riley, Ian, his funder, and a couple of other men, oh and of' course me. I wouldbe with them now if they hadn't left me at the ice hotel. So here I am freezing to death in this small room, alone.

"Buggers." I say to no one in particular."B-bloody buggers, th-that's what they are. Whenthey c-come back, I'm g-going to f--" I was cast out of my ramblings as my cell phone rang. Irepositioned the blanket around me so that I could answer. "Hello" I questioned to the person who was on the other line.

"Hey Mel" Ben's voice chimed.

"Ben? I'm going to kill you!" I yelled as I stood straight out of slight anger.

"Your not the first…" I went to ask him what he meant but he continued. "I need you to pick us up."

"All of you?" I asked. "What happened to the cars?"

"It's just me and Riley, Ian took the cars."

"Well that little rat." I said as I put on a second shirt and grabbed another pair of pants. "Ya' know, I never liked him." I said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, and you've let everyone know that as well." He chuckled.

"I'll be there in a little over an hour." I said and hung up.

((Ben's point of view))

"Bye" I said to an already ended call. I hung up the pay phone and walked over to the table where Riley was sitting and sat beside him. I placed

My head in my hands and began to think, well more like rambling. Ian was the funder of our expedition. He was the only one who believed in my work, in my family's work. And now he betrayed us. Well I still had Riley, and Mel. Ian and I recruited Riley a couple months ago. He was working in a windowless cubical when we found him. His professor sent me to him when I asked about the Charlotte. Riley was the one who got us this far. Melody was a photographer, who was working at the park when she overheard us talking. It peeked her interest and she graciously threw herself into the equation. And now, I'm glad she did.

It was quiet in that little Inuit village. Riley and I sat in a little shop, that had about two people, not counting those who work there. We both looked out the window as we heard loud music, well at least we heard the bass of loud music. We both rushed outside to see a snow mobile park up to the gas station.

((Melody's point of view))

I growled as I kept driving through Antarctica, lost. "Why does everything have to look the same!" I screamed to no one in particular. I had already been driving for about two hours…I was freaking myself out. "I hate the cold, I hate the cold" I kept muttering to myself. About another hour later I saw an Inuit Village up ahead. And it was a good thing too, I was almost out of gas. I parked and got out. I cheered inwardly when I saw Ben and Riley sanding outside of a Near by building. I ran over to the two and gave them a big hug, mostly for warmth.

"Ha I made it!" I laughed like and insane person, and I would not let go.

"You said a little over an hour, Mel, not three hours." Ben said as he wiggled his way out of my grip.

"I got terribly, terribly lost." I said and finally let go of Riley. Ben laughed. We filled up the 'snow car' ,as I called it, with gas. Ben got in the driver's seat.

"What? I can't drive?" I questioned mock hurt.

"Not if we want to get home today." Riley commented, Ben nodded and laughed. I

hopped into the back seat and leaned forward to where I was in between the two.

"So…" I started "You planning on telling me what happened?" I questioned

"Well, we found Charlotte"

"Was it beautiful?"

"Yes, it was gorgeous." Ben answered.

"Then it blew up" Riley skipped ahead in the story.

"What!?"

"Well…we found a Miashaw pipe with an encryption on it." Ben started.

"Which led to an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence." Riley added.

"Cool"

"Well, Ian decided that we needed to steal it, and that's where he's headed."

"So how, exactly did the ship blow up?" I asked.

"A flare and gunpowder…"

End of chapter one! Yay! Please rate and Review!