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raspberryparfait was particularly lovely, thank you for the detailed reviews, I really appreciate them! Keep them coming!

I've written loads of this story out in a notebook. So I had to type this entire chapter out again. Fun fun.

So yeah, I DO NOT own National Treasure.

Suddenly something was jerking on my arm, and I was being dragged down a side alleyway abruptly.

Great, first I overhear a conspiracy to steal the Declaration, second I get mugged. This day was steadily declining after that interview.

I let out a small squeak as I was span around to face my attacker, while a voice I recognised told me to 'shhhh!'

I stared at Paul Brown –if that was his real name- struggling against the hand that gripped my right arm tightly. I braced myself to scream, not willing to let these guys kill me off, or whatever they planned to do with me now I knew their secret, but paused in my efforts when Paul raised his hands in mock surrender, staring at me urgently.

"Wait! Don't scream, just, just hear me out. Please?" I raised both eyebrows, seeing the genuine look in his eyes immediately. He didn't come across like a bad guy…but did they ever?

I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. It couldn't hurt. Unless his accomplice Bill continued twisting my arm up so high up my back.

"Alright." I sighed.

Paul's eyes lit up momentarily, before he told Bill to let me go.

"Sorry about that." Bill said uncomfortably, coming round into my line of vision. He gestured casually to Paul. "He made me do it."

I nodded nervously, folding my arms. I would normally laugh, but I couldn't trust them. Not yet anyway.

All of this was seeming stupider by the minute.

Paul was seeming relieved by my decision, but I remained skeptical. I was beginning to wish I hadn't been so damned nosy in the first place. When I was a kid I used to listen in on my brothers phone calls to his girlfriend. Which must make me a naturally nosy, or as I like to put it, curious, person. Plus, when treasure is involved, curiosity obviously transforms into nosiness.

"Look, we aren't bad guys. We just, we're trying to protect the Declaration, not steal it-"

"But I heard you say-"

"Can we go get coffee or something?" Bill interrupted suddenly, catching mine and Pauls attentions. "I'm not enjoying standing in this dingy alleyway." He looked around in disgust, as if for emphasis. I watched him, realizing straight away I wasn't willing to go anywhere with them. My mum would have killed me if she knew I was doing anything like this. Two strange men who I'd overheard discussing illegal doings? Madness. I was so out of there. I didn't care how curious I was, or whether or not these guys had a decent reason for whatever they were plotting, the risk was just too huge.

"Y'know what…I'm sorry, but I uh, I can't." I shook my head, deciding right then and there that this had already gone too far. I could be risking my life here.

"But you seemed so curious." Paul almost laughed, he seemed incredulous. "You don't want to know-?"

"Ben..." Bill interrupted. "If the doesn't want to get involved, she doesn't want to get involved…" It was as though he was trying to stop 'Ben' revealing anything.

"We can't let her go." 'Ben' hissed, only just loud enough for me to hear. I frowned.

"I'm going whether you like it or not." Defiant, despite becoming a little afraid, I squared up to the two men, stifling the fear which was threatening me with a heart attack. What he'd said about protecting the Declaration was a new spin on things, I would give him that, but it still wasn't enough to swing my vote on the matter.

"Then promise me you won't tell the authorities about us." Paul, as I decided I was going to call him, until I was positive what his actual name was, said. I was half tempted to lie, to tell him I'd keep mum, that I'd let him run off and cavort around Washington DC with a fake name and a treasure hunting plot. But, unfortunately, I was too stupid to even think of doing that.

"No, I can't do that. You- you can't just go around, being all handsome and blatant about committing a crime!" I was waving my arms around like an idiot at this point, and the two men were watching me with growing concern. I wasn't sure if this concern was for my mental well being or the fact that I was going to rat them out to the FBI. Whatever the reason, I needed to get out of there.

"I'm going. I don't believe this, any of this. I can't stick around. Sorry." I said finally, turning on my heel and stalking back to the main road.

"Don't you care about the mystery?" Paul called after me.

I slowed, the teenage, adventurous side of me willing the part of me which had common sense to stop and run back to him.

"Yeah, but-" I paused, breathing deeply. "I care about my clean criminal record more." Then, with my back still to Paul and Bill, I turned the corner, and vanished from their view.

I knew he was trying to make me stay because he didn't want me to go to the FBI, but it wasn't like I could do a huge amount of good anyway. I didn't even know their real names. 'Ben' wouldn't get me anywhere would it?

There was something unusual about the whole situation though. They just didn't seem like villains to me.

I continued down the street, my mind boggling. Maybe if they had proof of whatever they were claiming...Of course I hadn't stuck around to hear the full story. And why would I? I'd never been in trouble with the police, and I wasn't planning on starting then. No matter how interesting it all was.

Now where was I going again?

***

"Yes, I heard them telling her someone was going to steal the Declaration."
"-And you heard this by eavesdropping, yes?"

My cheeks went hot.

"What is that a crime no too?"

"No ma'am, I'm just getting the appropriate details."

"Well...they told me as well. But I heard more of the story when they spoke to Doctor Chase."

I was sitting in FBI headquarters, ratting Paul and Bill out. I found it odd that I felt guilty for what I was doing, but pushed on anyway, keeping a straight face as the agent interviewed me.

"-And you think these men may be the ones who plan on stealing the Declaration?" I nodded, even though I wasn't completely sure on what I was claiming. Along with this decision, I decided to leave out the part where I heard them discussing stealing the damn thing. While doing so could have potentially got me in trouble, no-one could have proved I had overheard them. I was already a dirty rat, I didn't want to get the guys arrested. For some odd reason.

It was their kind faces, that was what was putting me off.

"Thank you Miss, we'll investigate this."

I smiled warmly, before standing up and leaving the busy office.

He was helpful, but I couldn't imagine he had listened to me one bit. How many tips did they get a week? Ten thousand? Still, I'd done my bit. Everything would be fine.

At least, that was what I thought.

***

Ring ring. Ring ring.

"Hello?"
"Lorna?"
It was Doctor Chase. My heart leapt at the sound of her voice. Had I got the job?

"Yes, that's me." I was trying and failing to hide the excitement in my tone.

"Hi, it's Doctor Chase. I was very impressed by your interview last week. Would you be available for a second interview on Monday?"

"Of course!" I almost shouted, glad the woman couldn't see the huge, almost Joker-like grin on my face. Why so serious?
"Alright, excelling. I'd also like to invite you to the Gala tomorrow night. It's a privilege we only offer to second stage interviewees. The other candidates will be there too. Will you be able to attend?"

"Of course!" I was sounding like a broken record already. I had to get off the phone.

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow." And the line went dead. The woman was very professional, and last minute too, but none of that mattered.

A second interview! Brilliant! I was one step close to-

Crap.

I had no dress.

I was going to have to spend a huge chunk of my waitressing tips on a dress to wear to a party of stiffs. Fun

With that, I scraped my keys off the counter by my front door and dashed out of my apartment, racing to my waiting car.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap!" I panicked as I shoved the key in the ignition and revved the engine, backing out of the space and hitting the road, driving to the department store.

By the time I arrived it was just past two and I hadn't eaten lunch. My stomach growled angrily as I marched into the building, but I ignored it, keeping my eyes on the prize. I made myself a promise I'd have a huge cheese burger from McDonalds later to make up for this stomach abuse.

The dress and suits were on the third floor, I went up in the lift and emerged in the sea of fabrics.

"Ohhh this is going to take a while." I murmured, wandering forward, frowning.

There was a pretty pink one with spaghetti straps, a pale blue one which ended at the knee, and a crimson dress which came down the chest in a V. With those three as the only ones which I decided I liked, I took them up in my arms and hurried to the changing rooms.

I bustled past the tuxedo fitting area, and almost dropped my items in surprise when I saw who was being measured.

Paul Brown stood to my left, his arms spread as a gentleman held a tape measure along the length of his right arm. I tried to regain my composure and continue forward, but he had already seen me, which didn't help my burning, guilty cheeks.

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