Prologue
The scent of freshly brued coffee tickled his nose, causing him to get up from confines of his newly referbushed office and head towards the breakroom.
His brisque walk and sudden presence caused everyone in the room to suddenly stiffle their laughter and stand or sit a little straighter than before. He smiled, mostly to himself as he grabbed a green coffee mug from the cupboard and everyone's eyes were still on him.
"As you were," he told them when he finally left the tense room. The intimitation he left on even these young men and women never tired him. He knew that it meant the deepest respect in that regards. Sipping his coffee and sitting back behind his desk his mind led him to think of one who earned his deepest respects for life. It thus lead him to grab a newspaper clipping from the top drawer then got his glasses from his front shirt pocket. He stared down at the article discussing Benjamin Gates and his quest for the greatest treasure hidden in America's back yards. Or at least beneath it. The article never mentioned anything other than the heroes of that day, Gates, Dr. Abigail Chase and Riley Poole, how they discovered the clues and the importance of their findings. But not once did it mention the dissaperance of the Decleration of Independence nor the arrest of a one Ian Howe and his band of merry theives. That was all left out and would be left out thanks to him. It was one of his finest moments in his career to keep this fact hidden from the public. Why should the world know how simple it was for not one but two groups of people to steal the most important document in history?
The sound of heels hitting the wooden floor snapped his attention to his front, seeing a woman with dark features and pale skin knock on his door.
"Come in," he orders, putting his papers back in the top desk drawer and taking hold of his coffee.
"Sir," the tone of her voice seemed cautious and frightened at the same time. He raised his eyebrow. "He's escaped."
"Who's escaped Agent Dawes?" He asked patiently causing her to tense up.
"Ian Howe. He's escaped, sir."
He slowly stood up. "How could he escape from a Federal maximum secruity prision?"
Agent Dawes began to open her mouth but soon realized that her superior was not talking to her but merely himself.
He let out a sigh, picked up the phone and punched in a few numbers. "This is Special Agent Peter Sadusky. I need you to get in touch with Ben Gates immediatly." He looked at the woman before him. "It's important."