"I was thinking about Hanson and Peary. Crossing a terrain like this with nothing but dog sleds and on foot. Can you imagine? "my cousin Ben asked.
"It's incredible. "Ian said .
I looked over to Riley.
"Are we there yet ?"I asked.
"Assuming Ben's theory is correct and my tracking model's accurate .We should be getting VERY close. "Riley said.
"But don't go by me. I broke a shoelace this morning. "Riley said.
Everyone looked at him with an arched eyebrow.
"It's a bad omen." he said.
"Shall we turn around and go home then?" Ian asked.
"Or we can just throw him out here. "Ben said.
"You're not missing that windowless cubicle we found you in are you Riley?"Ben asked.
"No no of course not. "he said laughing.
His computer beeped wildly.
"We're here. "he said.
I followed Riley when Victor came up.
"Why are we stopping?I thought we were looking for a ship."Victor said.
"I don't see any ship. "Shippen said from behind.
"She's out there. "Ben spoke up.
"Look this is a waste of time. How could a ship wind up way out here? "Victor asked.
"Well I'm no expert but, it could be that the hydrothermal properties of this region produce hurricane-force ice storms that cause the ocean to freeze and then melt and then refreeze, resulting in a semisolid migrating land mass that would land a ship right around here." Riley said walking away.
"I found something! !"Ben yelled.
I rushed over to him. He was digging out some sort of metal plate.
"Hello beautiful. "he muttered.
*After zee digging*
"Two years ago. If you hadn't shown up. Hadn't believed the treasure was real. I don't know if I ever would've found Charlotte" Ben said to Ian.
"You would've found it I have no doubt. That's why I didn't think it was as crazy an investment as everyone said. "Ian said.
"I'm just glad I'm not as crazy as everyone else says. Or said my dad was. Or my granddad. Or my great-granddad. OK! Let's go! "Ben yelled.
We walked into the crew's quarters.
Riley pulled back one of the bunks revealing a skeleton.
"OH MY GOD! AH! "he yelled falling over.
I had to try my best not to burst out in laughter.
"You handled that well. "Ben said.I walked over and held out my hand.
"Here Riley. "I said still holding in my laughter.
"Thanks. "he said taking it.
"This is it. "Ben said putting his hand on a door. "It's a cargo hold. "he said opening the latch.
We walked in but there was nothing but boxes, barrels, and cannons.
"Do you think it's in the barrels? "Riley asked.
We all started searching a barrel.
"Gunpowder. "Ian said.
I saw Riley pull the plug on one of the barrelsand gunpowder started pouring was scrambling to get it back in.
"Riley it's gunpowder. "I said.
He stuck his tongue out at me.
"Now why would the captain be guarding this barrel? "I heard Ben ask.
"I found something! "Ben held up a meerschaum pipe.
"Is it a billion-dollar pipe? "Riley asked.
"It's a meerschaum pipe. Ah it's beautiful. "Ian said.
"Look at the intricacy of the scroll work on the stem. "I said.
"Is it a million-dollar pipe? "Riley asked.
I laughed. "No it's a clue. "I giggled.
"Let me see that. "Ben said breaking off the stem.
"No don't break it!" Riley said.
"We are one step closer to the treasure gentlemen. Lady. "Ben said looking at me.
I bowed.
"Ben, I thought you said the treasure would be on the Charlotte. "Ian said.
"No, The secret lies with Charlotte. 'I said it could be on here. It's Templar symbols 'The legend writ, the stain effected, the key in Silence undetected, fifty-five in iron pen, Mr. Mat lack can't offend. It's a riddle. I need to think. The legend writ, the stain effected. What legend? "Ben said.
"There's the legend of the Templar treasure, and the stain effects the liquid. "I said.
"How? The key in Silence undetected."Ben said.
"Wait. The legend and the key. There's something. A map. Maps have legends and keys. It's a map. An invisible map. So now. . . . . ."I said.
"Wait a minute. What do you mean, 'invisible' .An invisible map ?"Ian asked. "The stain effected could refer to a dye or reagent used to bring about a certain result. Combined with the key in silence undetected. The implication is that the effect is to make what was undetectable, detectable. Unless, the key in Silence could be . . . "Ben said.
"Prison. "Shaw said. Everyone looked at him.
"Albuquerque. See, I can do it to. Snorkel." Riley said."Pop tarts."I said."Ooh!Good one!"Riley said."Why thank you sir.
I tuned back into to Ben's rambling.
"Why. . . why say iron pen? "Ben said.
"Because it's prison. "Shaw muttered.
"Wait a minute. Iron pen. The iron pen does not describe the ink in the pen. "I said. "It describes what was penned. "Ben and I said at the same time.
"It was 'iron ',it was firm ,it was mineral. No no no. That sounds stupid. It was. . . firm, it was adamant, it was resolved. It was resolved. Mr. Mat lack can't offend. "Ben said.
"Timothy Mat lack was the official scribe of the Continental Congress. "I said.
"Calligrapher, not writer. And to make sure he could not offend the map, it was put on the back of a resolution that he transcribed, a resolution that 55 men signed. "Ben said.
"The Declaration Of Independence. "Ben and I said at the same time.
"Come on. There's no map on the back of the Declaration Of Independence."Riley said.
"That's clever really .A document of that importance would ensure the map's survival. "I said.
"And you said there were several Masons signed it, yeah?" Ian asked.
"Yeah. Nine for sure. "Ben said.
"We'll have to arrange a way to examine it. "Ian said.
"Ian. This is one of the most important documents in history. They're not just going to let us waltz in there and run chemical tests on it. "Ben said.
"Then what do you propose we do?" Ian asked.
"WE DON'T KNOW!" Ben and I yelled.
"We could borrow it." Ian said.
"Steal it?" I asked not believing my ears.
"I don't think so. "Ben said before I could.
"Look Ben, Cassadee. I understand your bitterness.
I really do. You've spent your entire lives searching for this treasure, only to have the respected historical community treat you and your family in mockery and contempt. You should be able to rub this treasure in their arrogant faces .And I want you to have the chance to do that. "Ian said.
"How?" I asked.
"We all have our areas of expertise. You don't think mine are limited to writing checks, do you? "I an asked.
"In another life, I've arranged a number of operations of. . . questionable legality. "Ian said.
"I'd take his word for it if I were you. "Shaw said.
"So don't worry. I'll make all the arrangements "Ian said.
"No. "Ben answered.
"Ben I'd really need your help here."Ian said.
"Ian I'm not going to let you steal the Declaration of Independence."Ben said.
"OK. From this point all you're going to be is a hindrance."Ian said.
Shaw pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ben.
"Hey!" Riley and I yelled.
"What you gonna do? You going to shoot me Shaw? Well you can't shoot me. There's more to the riddle. Information that you don't have. I do. I'm the only one who can figure that out. "Ben said.
"What about Cassadee?"Ian asked.
Shaw pulled the gun on me.
Riley covered me.
"She doesn't know near as much as it seems she does."Ben said.
"He's bluffing." Shaw said.
"We played poker together Ian. You know I can't bluff. "Ben said.
"Tell me what I need to know Ben. Or I'll shoot your cousin and your friend."Ian said
"Hey!" Riley yelled again.
Riley put an arm around my waist.
"Quiet Riley! Your jobs done here! "Ian yelled.
Ben lit a signal flare.
"Look where you're standing. All that gunpowder. You shoot me. I drop this. We all go up. "he said.
"Ben!" Riley and I yelled.
"What happens when the flare burns down?" Ian asked.
"Tell me what I need to know. "Ian repeated.
"You need to know. If Shaw can catch! "Ben yelled throwing it in the air but Ian caught it.
"Nice try. "Ian said.
His arm caught fire.
He dropped the flare and fire started on the trail of the gunpowder.
"Get out, Shaw !"Ian yelled.
Riley and I were in a huddled like stage when they were gone.
"Riley, Cassadee! Get over here! "Ben yelled opening a hatch.
"What is this?" I yelled.
"Smugglers hold get in!" Ben yelled.
We started crawling/running through the hold.
"GET DOWN!" Ben yelled.
We took cover and Riley was practically covering me.
Then there was an ear numbing explosion of the ship.
"You okay Cassadee? "Riley whispered.
I nodded.
Riley got up and held out a hand. "Thanks. "I said taking it.
"What are we going to do to get home? "I asked.
"There's an Inuit village about 9 miles south of here. Popular with push pilots. "Ben said.
"What are we going to do about Ian? "Riley asked.
"He's going to steal the Declaration of Independence man. "I said.
"We stop him. "Ben said.
OOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YAAAAAAY!!!!!!Did you like the first chapter???OF COURSE YOU DID!!! :*D