2
Present day, New York…
Letitia "Letty" Tyler Gates, the younger sister of Benjamin Gates, looked over the sample she had been given. Her long, brown hair held back in a ponytail, her bangs framing her heart-shaped face. One green eye was shut as she peered at the sample through the microscope. She wore a white lab coat over a baby blue collared shirt and a pair of comfortable blue jeans along with a pair of black converse sneakers. She adjusted the lens of the microscope, letting a thoughtful "Hmm…" escape her lips. She picked up a pencil and scribbled something down on a notepad next to her. At the young age of 28, the young woman had become the head of her own forensic laboratory that worked directly with the New York police department.
She had majored in forensic science at the state university, and had started her own laboratory. She was no living historic encyclopedia, like her brother, but she was an excellent scientist. Along with her assistant, William, she helped as a forensic consultant in dozens of police cases across the state.
Letty picked up the sample and turned to where William was reading the morning paper he had brought in for his break. William was a very nerdy little redheaded boy with brown eyes. He wore the mandatory lab coat along with a plaid collared shirt and khaki pants with a pair of nice shoes and wide-rimmed glasses.
"William," He looked up at her and she handed him the sample, "Put in a call to the police, tell them the results from the tox screen are in, and that foreign substance was identified as store-grade Jell-O." William nodded, taking the sample from her and setting it beside him. Letty jumped when her cellphone began to go off and fished it out of her pocket. Her eyebrows rose to her hairline when she saw the caller ID. She answered it, "Hello?"
"Hey, Letty," Ben greeted, Letty smiled at the sound of her nickname.
"Hey, Ben, I haven't heard from you in a while." She said, she went over to her computer, which was currently breaking down the Jell-O she had been given to the molecular level, "How's Antarctica?" Last she heard, Ben was planning to head to Antarctica with a couple other treasure-hunting enthusiasts to find Charlotte, she hadn't really heard anything after that.
"Actually, I'm back in D.C. now." Ben said, "But, you know, Antarctica is… cold and icy. The weather, though, was actually pretty good for the southernmost point of the world." Letty let out a small laugh.
"That so?" She asked, "So, you go off to the southernmost point of the world, and you decide to call me as soon as you get back, even though we haven't talked to each other in over a years?" She heard Ben laugh nervously.
"Yeah, well… things have… come up." He said, Letty rolled her eyes.
"Uh-huh," She said with a sarcastic drawl, "Like searching for that non-existent treasure?" Ben sighed.
"You still don't think it exists." It was more of a statement than a question.
"You still do?" Letty asked, "But, putting that aside, why'd you call me? It's a rare occasion we get to talk. You must have a reason for it."
"You can still see right through me, can't you?" Ben asked, Letty just knew he had that little smirk on his face when he said this.
"Absolutely," She said, "So, to what do I owe this call?"
"Straight to business, as always," Ben said, "Here's the thing, we've hit something of a… roadblock that involves chemical testing on old documents, and I figured there wasn't anyone much better than you to do it. So I need you to come down to D.C. as quickly as you can."
"Why the rush?" Letty asked, clicking on her computer when a box popped up, telling her the exact contents of the Jell-O, "In case you forgot, Ben, I'm a professional forensic scientist running her own laboratory that works directly with the NYPD, not that little girl playing with a chemistry set. I can't just rush on down to Washington when I'm so busy up here."
"I know you're busy," Ben said, "And I know it's a little troublesome for you—"
"A little?" Letty interrupted, "Ben, I'd be leaving my lab in the hands of my assistant who, quite frankly, is a chemical mishap waiting to happen."
"Hey!" William said in offense. Letty turned around.
"Oh, you are, and you know it." She said to him, then turned back to her front. William pouted unhappily, but went back to his work, "I can't just jet off to D.C. at a moment's notice."
"I know," Ben said, "But I really need you down here right now." Letty smirked.
"Oh yeah?" She asked, "How badly do you need me?" William turned around, giving his superior a strange look, having only heard her half of the conversation.
"If you come down here within the next three days," Ben said, "I will get down on my hands and knees and kiss your bare feet." Letty laughed.
"Really?" She asked with a laugh, "My bare feet?" William made a face in disgust at her words.
"Yes." Ben said.
"That certainly sounds tempting." Letty said, William gaped at her slightly, scrunching up his nose in disgust. "Tell you what, if you do it out in public at the airport terminal, I'll be over there by tomorrow afternoon." William gaped at her incredulously.
"What about your lab?" Ben asked, Letty sighed.
"Well…" She looked over at her notepad, tapping a pen against it, "I do have some unused vacation time I could start up and just head over."
"Letty, you're a godsend." Ben said.
"Yeah, yeah." Letty said, "But when I get there, I better see you on your hands and knees!" She smiled when she heard Ben laugh at her joke. William's mouth hung open in shock.
"Thanks, Letty." Ben said, "I'll see you here, then."
"Yeah, see you." Letty said, she hit the 'end' button on her phone and stuck it back in her pocket. She turned around to go and see about some vacation time, and saw William gaping at her, "…What?"
"Who was that?" William asked, pointing to the phone in her pocket.
"My brother," Letty said as if it were obvious, William convulsed as if he were about to throw up, "What?"
"That's sick." William said, Letty took a moment to think about what he meant, then her face went pale when he realized what he was suggesting.
"Ew! William!" She squealed in disgust before she grabbed the newspaper he had brought in that morning, rolled it up and started smacking his head with it, "Is your head just trapped in that gutter, you little pervert?!"
Letty stretched her arms out once she got off the plane, those seats were so freaking cramped! Flying coach sucked. She shouldered her bag, which was the majority of her luggage since she had no intention of staying in Washington D.C. for more than a week (And she never trusted airlines with her luggage). She walked away from the plane and walked into the airport. As she walked through the terminal, she looked around for her brother, hoping she would recognize him after almost a year away from him. She did a double take when she saw a man with brown hair, the same color as hers, and green eyes, the same shade as hers, standing up in a white shirt, dark grey suit jacket, jean pants, and a pair of brown shoes. She smiled at the sight of him and walked over to him. He looked over at her, smiling as she walked closer to him.
"Ben," She greeted with a smile, holding out her arms for a hug.
"Letty," Ben greeted back, hugging her, "You look great. New York must be treating you well." Letty snorted.
"Better than this place ever did." She said, "It's great to see you, Ben, you don't look so bad yourself." She stepped back, adjusting the shoulder strap of her bag, "So, what's this chemical test you want me to help you out with so badly?"
"Hey Ben!" A voice said from behind him, Letty looked back when she saw a young man around her age coming towards them, carrying a couple coffee cups and focusing on something on his phone. He had dark hair, a stylish goatee, wearing a pair of glasses over a pair of green eyes. He wore a grey suit and a stylish grey tie, but he looked like he would rather be wearing something else. Letty found him somewhat attractive, even if he did look a little nerdy, "One: I got you some coffee. Two: The FBI building is, like, two hours from here, so if we could get this Letty person and get out of here, that'd be great…" His phone was the center of his attention as he spoke.
"Riley," Ben said, getting his attention, "This is my baby sister, Letitia Gates." Riley looked up, his expression uncaring at first, until he saw Letty's face. He looked her up and down, then smiled, his phone dropping from his hands onto the floor. Letty looked at the phone in confusion, and was a little more confused when he walked over to her, instantly shaking her hand with the one that had been holding the phone.
"Hi, Riley Poole," He said, introducing himself.
"Letitia Gates," Letty said, "Friends call me Letty, nice to meet you." Riley nodded again, he held out the two coffee cups.
"Coffee?" He asked, Letty shook her head.
"Thanks, but I'll pass." She said, Riley nodded, still looking right at her. Ben leaned over to him.
"You're drooling." He whispered to him, Riley jumped, wiping his mouth, "Pick up your phone, you don't want to lose it."
"Right! Phone, phone…" Riley muttered, searching the floor for his phone. Letty looked back at her brother, who smiled at her.
"So… Chemical testing? Where? When? How?" Letty asked with a smirk.
"Well, there's something you should know first." Ben said.
"Found it!" Riley exclaimed with a smile as he held up his phone. The two Gates siblings looked over at him oddly, then looked back to each other.
"Let's go back to my place." Ben said, "We'll take Riley's van. It's just outside." Letty nodded and started heading out of the airport. As she walked, Riley watched her behind as it gently swayed with her steps. He leaned over to Ben.
"Dude, you didn't tell me your sister was such a hottie!" Riley hissed to Ben. Ben smiled at his friend.
"I wouldn't touch that, Riley." Ben advised, "If you make her upset, she can kill you without leaving a trace of forensic evidence behind." Riley looked at Ben with wide eyes as he followed his little sister.
Letty looked around Ben's apartment, not at all surprised to see it wasn't in the best condition for an apartment, but relatively clean.
"Nice place." She said as she put her bag next to the couch before plopping down on it. Riley looked at her feet when she crossed them, and was surprised to see her wearing a pair of sneakers instead of heels. "So, what's so important that you had to drag me all the way to your apartment for?" Ben grabbed a chair and brought it up so he could sit opposite her.
"First of all, you should know," He said, "Is that I don't have the document yet." Letty groaned. If there was one thing she hated, it's when someone was unprepared.
"Ben…"
"Hold on, hold on." Ben stopped her before she went on another one of her rants, "The reason for this, is because the document is of great value, and is very hard to get your hands on." He spoke very carefully, as if he was worried about what her reaction would be.
"Okay, I'll buy that." Letty said, "What's the document?" Ben hesitated in telling her.
"Here we go…" Riley muttered. Letty glanced at him, then looked back at her brother.
"…It's the Declaration of Independence." Ben said. Letty gave him a look, glanced at Riley, then back at Ben.
"Oh my God," She said with a small laugh, "This is about that stupid treasure, isn't it?"
"It's not stupid." Ben said, "It's real."
"How do you know it's real?" Letty demanded, "Prove to me that it's real." Ben smiled.
"I found Charlotte." Ben said, Letty looked at him with wide eyes. She leaned forward in her seat.
"You did?" She asked, "What happened?"
"Amazing," Ben said, "Oh, Letty, she was beautiful. A great ship."
"It was a ship?" Letty asked in surprise, Ben nodded, "Did you find the treasure?"
"No, we found a clue." Ben said, Letty groaned and slumped back in her chair.
"Of course you did…" She muttered.
"But it's going to lead us to the treasure!" Ben said, before Letty could retort, Ben held up his hand, "Now look, we know for a fact that someone is going to steal it. What we're hoping is that, because we tell them, they'll let us take a peek at the Declaration."
"And just what is so important about the Declaration of Independence that you need to run chemical tests on it?" Letty asked.
"There's a map on the back of it." Ben said. Letty rolled her eyes, laughing in disbelief.
"Ben, there is no map on the back of the Declaration of Independence!" She said, "And even if there was, how would you see it?"
"Well, that's where you come in." Ben said, "You help us make the invisible map visible." Letty's eyebrows rose to her hairline.
"Oh, no." She said, she stood up, "You are not dragging me into this. Not again."
"Letty, come on," Ben said, standing up to stop her, "Ten years ago, you would have been ecstatic to help me out."
"That's just it, Ben!" Letty said, "That was then, this is now! Treasure hunting was fun when we were kids, but we're adults now! We're too old to let ourselves be swept away in a hunt for a treasure that doesn't exist!"
"Letty, please," Ben said, "Do this for me, and I will owe you the favor of all favors."
"No! I'm tired of doing favors for you!" Letty said, "Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep my lab's reputation spotless, when a member of the Gates family keeps sending me stuff to analyze? I cannot even count how many times you've sent me a— a lint ball from some president's house because you think they had some stuff hidden in their couch!"
"Letty," Ben said, his voice calm, "If you do this, I will pay you back in the best way possible." Letty raised a curious brow at his words.
"How?" She asked slowly. Ben reached into his jacket and pulled out a brochure.
"Do you know what this is?" He asked, handing it to her. She took it and looked up at him.
"A brochure for a hotel?" She asked.
"Wrong," Ben said, "It is a brochure for a five-star luxury hotel, in France." Letty looked mildly surprised and opened up the brochure, looking over it, "Picture this: You're sitting on a chair, on a balcony, in the penthouse suite of this hotel." Letty smiled at the thought.
"I like the sound of that." She said.
"Wait, it gets better," Ben said, "Now, you are completely relaxed from the entire day you've had of great spa treatments. Seaweed wraps, facials, manicures, pedicures, and a massage from a handsome male masseuse." Letty bit her lip when she smiled, "Next to your chair is the most decadent, delicious chocolate desert you've ever had, made by a gourmet chef."
"I really like the sound of that." She said, she pushed the smile away as she looked up at her brother, "But if you think a fancy hotel is going to get me to change my mind, you got another thing coming."
"I haven't told you the best part, yet." Ben said, "You don't pay for a thing. It's all on me." Letty's eyes widened and she gaped at her brother.
"Seriously?" She asked in surprise, "You'd pay for the whole thing?"
"The whole thing." Ben repeated. Letty looked down at the brochure, biting her lip, as she normally did when she was thinking hard.
"God, why do you have to know my weaknesses?" She demanded angrily, Ben grinned when he realized she had taken the bait, and he had reeled her in, "Fine. You talked me into it. I'll help you out." Ben and Riley grinned at each other, "So, where do we start?"
"Well, first we warn the FBI," Ben said, "And then we ask to see the Declaration."
"Why do they need to be warned?" Letty asked.
"I'll explain it on the way over." Ben said, pushing his sister forward and out of his apartment.
The three of them walked out of the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building, having just been shot down by the bureau. Riley wasn't exactly pleased about it, seeing as how they were in there for over an hour, trying to explain it to them.
"Is it really so hard to believe that someone is gonna steal the Declaration of Independence?" He asked angrily.
"The FBI gets ten thousand tips a week," Letty said, "They're not gonna worry about something they're sure is safe."
"Anyone who can do anything is gonna think we're crazy," Riley kept ranting, "Anyone crazy enough to believe us isn't gonna want to help." Ben stopped walking and looked back at his friend.
"We don't need someone crazy." He said, "One step short of crazy, what do you get?"
"…Obsessed!" Riley said, as if it were obvious.
"Passionate." Ben corrected. Letty rolled her eyes at her brother's words.
"So, what's the next best thing to FBI?" Letty asked.
"That would be the National Archives." Ben said, "Let's go."
Ben, Riley, and Letty sat together as they waited for the person in charge to speak to them. Letty noticed a pile of brochures and picked one up, reading National Archives Anniversary Gala on the front. Ben noticed it and reached over Riley to take it from her so he could look over it himself. She pouted at him when he did, and snatched it back.
"Letty!" Ben said, disbelieving that his sister took it from him.
"Ben!" Letty mimicked his tone, Ben scowled and snatched it back.
"Not nice." Ben said, opening the brochure up and reading the inside. Letty rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, facing away from him.
They looked up when the secretary to the office opened the door, "Dr. Chase can see you now, Mr. Brown." Ben smiled at her.
"Thank you." He said, the three of them stood up.
"Mr. Brown?" Riley questioned.
"Family name doesn't get a lot of respect in the academic community." Ben explained in a low voice.
"Huh, being kept down by the man." Riley muttered with a smirk. They walked into the office and saw a lovely blonde-haired woman with bright eyes and a beautiful diamond-shaped face. She wore a sleek suit, and she held up a finger to show them that she would speak with them in a minute once she was finished on the phone, "…Very cute man." Letty frowned slightly at his words, but let it pass. After all, it wasn't she was Riley's girlfriend or anything.
"Thank you." The woman said to whoever was on the phone, then hung up. She looked up at the three of them with a smile, "Good afternoon." She stood up from her chair and walked over to them, shaking their hands, "Abigail Chase."
"Paul Brown." Ben said, using a fake name.
"Nice to meet you." She went over to Letty, who shook her hand as well.
"Amy Anderson." She said, making up a fake name on the spot. Dr. Chase moved over to Riley, who shook her hand with a smile.
"Bill." Riley said.
"Nice to meet you, Bill." Dr. Chase said, she looked over at Ben, "How may I help you?"
"Your accent," Ben said, noticing how she spoke, "Pennsylvania Dutch?"
"Saxony German." Dr. Chase said, smiling a little at the recognition.
"Oh." Ben said as she stepped away to go back behind her desk.
"You're not American?" Riley asked in surprise.
"Oh, I am an American." Dr. Chase said, "I just wasn't born here— Please don't touch that!" She pointed at where Ben was observing a collection of buttons on the mantel in her office.
"Sorry," Ben said, pulling his hand away, "Neat collection. George Washington's campaign buttons. You're missing the 1789 inaugural, though. I found one once."
"That's very fortunate for you." Dr. Chase said, "Now you told my assistant this was an urgent matter?"
"Ah, yes ma'am." Ben said, moving moved away from the mantel and went sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk, Riley took the other one. Letty, finding nowhere else to sit, simply leaned against the wall behind them. "Well, I'm just gonna get straight to the point. Someone's going to steal the Declaration of Independence." Dr. Chase's friendly smile disappeared as she looked at the two men in front of her.
"It's true." Riley said when he saw the look that asked, 'Is this a joke, or is this for real?'
"I think I better put you three in touch with the FBI—" She reached for her phone.
"We've been to the FBI." Ben said, stopping her.
"And?" She prodded.
"They assured us that the Declaration cannot possibly be stolen." Riley said.
"They're right." Dr. Chase said.
"My friends and I are less certain," Ben began, "However, if we were given the privilege of examining the document, we would be able to tell you, for certain, if the document were actually in any danger." Dr. Chase leaned back in her seat.
"What do you think you're gonna find?" She asked them.
"We believe…" Ben began hesitantly, "That there's an… encryption on the back."
"An encryption… like a code?" Dr. Chase asked.
"Yes ma'am." Ben said.
"Of what?" Dr. Chase asked.
"A… Cartograph." Ben said, trying to make it sound more intelligent than it actually was.
"A map?" Dr. Chase asked doubtfully.
"Yes ma'am." Ben said.
"A map of what?" She asked him, Letty sighed internally, thinking "Here we go…"
"The… location of," Ben cleared his throat, "Of hidden items of… historic and… intrinsic value." Dr. Chase looked at him incredulously.
"…A treasure map?" She asked.
"That's where we lost the FBI." Letty said.
"You're treasure hunters, aren't you?" Dr. Chase asked, Riley looked to Ben so he could explain.
"We're more like treasure protectors." Ben corrected.
"Mr. Brown," Dr. Chase began, "I have personally seen the back of the Declaration of Independence, and I promise you, the only thing there is a notation that reads, 'Original Declaration of Independence…'"
"'Of Independence,'" Ben said with her, making her pause, "'Dated 4, July, 1776.' Yes ma'am."
"But no map." Dr. Chase said, Riley and Ben shared a glance. Riley inconspicuously shook his head, Ben looked back at Letty, who did the same. Ben looked back at Dr. Chase, who looked at him, expecting him to say something. Ben leaned forward with a little, hopeful smile.
"It's invisible." Ben said, Dr. Chase took on a face of sarcastic realization.
"…And that's where we lost the Department of Homeland Security." Letty said, leaning her head back against the wall with her eyes shut in exasperation.
"What led you to believe there was this invisible map?" Dr. Chase asked.
"We found an engraving on the stem of a 200 year old pipe." Ben said.
"Owned by Free Masons." Riley put in, Dr. Chase nodded.
"May I see the pipe?" She asked, Letty looked over at Ben and Riley, hoping they brought it along, but they didn't pull it out.
"We don't… have it." Riley said awkwardly. Dr. Chase nodded.
"Did Bigfoot take it?" She asked, faking seriousness.
"Well, it was nice meeting you." Ben said as he got up from his chair.
"Nice to meet you, too." Dr. Chase said, trying to hold back a smile, but failing. Letty got off of the wall, and Riley stood up from his own chair, both preparing to leave.
"You know," Ben said to her, "That really is a nice collection." He pointed to the campaign buttons, "Must've taken you a long time to hunt down all that history." Dr. Chase let a small smile come onto her face, silently taking the compliment for her efforts.
The three of them walked out of the national archives and into the room where the documents, including the Declaration, were on display.
"If it's any consolation," Riley said, "You had me convinced."
"It's not." Ben said. She nodded in understanding as he walked towards the Declaration.
"You know, I was thinking, what if we go public?" Riley asked, "Plaster this story all over the internet? It's not like we have our… reputations to worry about."
"I do!" Letty said, "Do you have any idea how hard it is for someone of the academic community to come to my lab? It's near impossible!"
"Fine, we won't mention your name." Riley said to her, "Although, I don't think that's exactly gonna scare Ian away."
"Ian?" Letty questioned, looking over at where her brother was staring at the Declaration, "As in… Ian from the poker game? The cute blonde guy with the accent you sent me a picture of? That Ian?"
"You thought he was cute?" Riley asked, scrunching up his nose. Letty planted her hands on her hips.
"What? I'm not allowed to think accents are sexy?" She asked him hotly. Riley put his hands up in a surrendering motion.
"A hundred and eighty years of searching, and I'm three feet away." Ben murmured, seeming to have ignored their words to each other as he stared at the Declaration of Independence, "Of all the words written here about freedom, there's a line that's at the heart of all the others." Letty looked at her brother as he kept speaking, "'When a long train of abuses, usurpations, pursuing variably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and provide new guards for their future security…' People don't talk that way anymore."
"Beautiful…" Riley murmured, "No idea what you said."
"It means if there's something wrong," Ben explained, "Those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action." Letty and Riley shared a glance, a little confused by Ben's words, "I'm gonna steal it." They both looked up at him in surprise.
Letty and Riley chuckled slightly, "…What?" Riley asked.
"I'm gonna steal the Declaration of Independence." Ben said, and then he walked away. Riley and Letty shared a nervous glance, and followed him.