A/N:

kiku-chan214: I'll make sure it's easier to figure out who is saying what. If that doesn't work, then I'll accredit who is speaking.

Kat: Thank you so much. I'm so glad you like it. :D

Now. ONWARD!

It felt like it took ten years to get back to D.C.. As soon as we got back I went straight to my apartment to shower. There was no way I was going to walk around looking like I just rolled around in ashes. No way, no how. I got dressed, making myself presentable. I am all for fashion and looking good. There is almost nothing worse than walking around like a hobo. I was just about to leave my apartment when I remembered my glasses. I have this really nice pair of black Prada glasses. Well, I had them in brown too. But I hated contacts. Why would I want to stab myself in the eye every morning just to put in a little piece of plastic? I left my apartment finally, meeting up with Ben and Riley outside.

"Now that my sister has finally joined us, we can leave."

"Shut up Ben. I at least try to look good."

He waved his hand in a "yeah yeah whatever" motion. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Riley. He was staring. Oh yeah, the only times he's seen me I've either been in a suit or snow gear.

"Hey Riley."

"Yeah Ellie?"

"Take a picture, it'll last a whole lot longer."

He blushed and turned away from me. When he turned away, I got my chance to look him over. Jeans, button up shirt, blazer, converse. Very nice. Computer nerd chic.

"So, Ben, can we leave now?"

"Oh of course Ellie."

"Where are we going anyway?"

"Well, Elle, we're going to the Department of Homeland Security and then the F.B.I. If all else fails, we're going to go to the Archives and talk to the director there."

I linked arms with both men.

"Well, I guess we're off to see the wizard."

A couple hours later found us outside the Hoover F.B.I building. Riley was complaining… again about how no one would believe us.

"Honestly, how hard is it to believe that someone is going to steal the Declaration?"

"The F.B.I gets 10,000 tips a week. They're not going to worry about something they're sure is safe."

"Ben's right Riley. That thing is well protected."

"Yes but anyone that can do anything will think we're crazy. And anyone crazy enough to believe us isn't going to want to help."

"We don't need someone crazy. Go one step short of crazy and what do you get?"
"Well Ben, you get obsessed, like Ellie over here."

I glared at him.

"No Riley, you get passionate."

With that I stormed off in a huff. Did I mention that I tended to over react? Well I do. Riley looked at Ben.

"What did I do?"

"You insulted her."

"How?"

"She's very passionate about her job and history in general. And you just called her obsessed."

"Oh, well I didn't know I was insulting her."

"She's a bit of a drama queen."

"That's good to know."

They followed after me and found me in the Archives, looking at the documents. Instead of disturbing me, they decided to talk to Dr. Chase themselves.

Riley POV

Ben and I were seated in the waiting room, waiting to speak with the director. I watch Ben as he grabs a pamphlet that's sitting on the table in front of us.

"Ben, don't you think we should have brought Ellie with us?"

"No, she's worked so hard to make a name for herself in the historical community. If whoever we're meeting with knows her, and sees her with us, all that hard work will have been for nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"My family has been ridiculed for years because of this treasure. She's had to work very hard in order to get people to see past our family's belief in this treasure so they could see the intelligent woman she is."

"Oh, so that's why she gets upset when people call her obsessed?"

"Basically. That's the reason I didn't want her to come with us today. But she's very stubborn."

"That I noticed too."

The secretary walked in while we were talking.

"Dr. Chase will see you now Mr. Brown."

"Mr. Brown?"

"Like I said, family name doesn't get a lot of respect in the academic community."

"So you're getting cut down by the man."

We walked into the office and saw a woman on the phone. An attractive woman.

"A very cute man."

She waved her hand as a way to us them she'd be with us in a moment.

"Thank you."

She hung up the phone and turned her attention to us. Looking at her again, I realized that she wasn't as attractive as Eleanor. And she was a little old.

"Good afternoon gentlemen. I'm Abigail Chase."

Ben stuck out his hand.

"Paul Brown."

"Nice to meet you."

I stuck out my hand next. I was debating on whether or not I should give her a fake name. In the end, I decided I would.

"Bill."

"Nice to meet you Bill. Now, how may I help you?"

Ben was going to do all the talking. I probably would have said something stupid.

"Well your accent… Pennsylvania Dutch?"

"Saxony German."

"Wait, you're not American?"

"No I am American, I just wasn't born here. Please don't touch that."

I knew I was going to say something stupid. I looked over at Ben to see him by the mantle of the fire place admiring some old buttons maybe?

"Sorry. Neat collection. George Washington's campaign buttons. You're missing the 1789 inaugural once. I found one once."

"Well that's very fortunate for you. Now you told my assistant this was urgent."

"Ah, yes ma'am. I'm going to get straight to the point. Someone is going to steal the Declaration."

"Maybe I should put you gentlemen in touch with the F.B.I."

"We've been to the F.B.I."

"And…?"

"And they assured us the Declaration could not possibly be stolen."

"They're right."
"My friend and I are less certain. However, if we were given the privilege of examining the document we would be able to tell you for certain if it was in danger."

"What do you think you're going to find?"

"We believe that there is an encryption on the back."

"An encryption of what?"

"Uh, a cartograph."

"A map?"

"Yes ma'am."

"A map of what?"

"The location… of items of historic and intrinsic value."

"A treasure map?"

I sighed and muttered to myself.
"That's where we lost the F.B.I."

"You're treasure hunters aren't you?"

"More like treasure protectors."
"Mr. Brown, I have personally seen the back of the Declaration and I promise you that the only thing there is a notation that reads 'Original Declaration of Independence dated…'"

"4 of July 1776. Yes ma'am."

"But no map."

There was a very long silence. And not one of those good ones. It was a very uncomfortable silence.

"It's invisible."

"Oh right. Invisible."

I sighed again. She didn't believe us either.

"And that's where we lost the Department of Homeland Security."

"What led you to assume there is an invisible map?"

"We found an engraving on the stem of a 200 year old pipe."

"It was owned by free masons."

"May I see the pipe?"

"We don't have it."

She leaned over her desk a little.

"Did Bigfoot take it?"

Ben stood up and I followed suit. That was our cue to leave.

"It was nice to meet you."

"It was nice to meet you too."

"You know that really is a nice collection. It must have taken you a long time to hunt down all that history."

We left after that. The two of us headed to the display room. We headed over to the case with the Declaration in it and each of us stood on one side of Ellie.

"So how'd it go boys?"

Ben looked surprised.

"How'd you know we went without you?"

"I'm not stupid."

He turned his head back to the Declaration.

Ellie POV

I felt two people join me. One on either side. I knew exactly who it was on each side.

"So how'd it go boys?"

Ben turned his head to me, he looked surprised. Riley did too.

"I'm not stupid."

Ben turned his head back to the Declaration.

"Ben, if it's any consolation, you had me convinced in there."

"It's not."

They were talking around me. I just stood there, staring at the most important part of American history.

"Well, Ben, I was thinking. What if we go public? We could put this story all over the internet. Although, I don't think that will scare away Ian."

"180 years of searching and we're 3 feet away. Of all the ideas that became the United States, there is a line here that is at the heart of all others. 'But when a long train of abuses and years of patience perusing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is there right it is their duty to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security.'"

I looked at him.

"No one talks like that anymore."

"Ben, that was beautiful, but I have no idea what you just said."

"It means, if something's wrong, those that have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action. I'm going to steal it."

I looked at him incredulously. Riley looked at him like he was insane.

"What?"

"I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence."