Ben, Riley, and I left the Arctic Circle in a hurry to DC. We planned on seeing the FBI. Well, Ben and Riley did. I had to meet up with Teacher and discuss the next course of action. He was thrilled to see me. Teacher was like a grandfather to me. However, he was not thrilled with my resolve after I gave him my report, including Ian's new course of action.

"Teacher, it's my job. And after everything Ian did to me, I have to go stop him before he not only endangers the lives of civilians, but also destroys a valuable piece of our history!"

"Esther, I know you want to stop Ian, but he could kill you in the process."

"Teacher, I'm way too valuable to be killed by Ian. He needs me for my talents as a member of KTS and as the highest ranking member of the Society."

Teacher was about to interrupt me on the statement I made, but I cut him off with a reply.

"I know, I know. The title doesn't come into full effect until I'm 18, but I still have access to sensitive information. I'm going out there to help Ben. And you're not going to stop me. Once I make up my mind, there's no stopping me from what I can do."

Teacher sighed, completely defeated by my decision. "Alright. But you're borrowing Betsy for gear. Got it?"

I smiled. Betsy and I fought together and never stopped looking out for each other. She had a great sense of fashion and function. She designed a way to conceal the swords in dresses and skirts. It was possible to hide them in pants but they would have to be sabers. She also made hair pins loaded with sedatives that lasted for an hour when pressed into the target, without the attacker getting injected themselves. Betsy was my Quartermaster of the Society. I planned on visiting her later in the day.

I met up with Ben and Riley outside the FBI building. They were unsuccessful.

"Anyone crazy enough to believe us isn't gonna want to help," Riley mentioned.

"We don't need someone crazy. But one step short of crazy, what do you get?" Ben remarked.

"Obsessed."

"Passionate."

I smiled at the thought. We headed to the National Archives. There we met Dr. Abigail Chase. Ben introduced himself as Paul Brown since the Gates family name isn't well liked in the historic community. I was Paul Brown's niece, Joan. She was quite an interesting character as of her fondness for history. I noticed her button collection. So did Ben and he commented on the 1789 inaugural button she was missing.

"I found one once."

"That's very fortunate of you."

And then we cut to the chase. But of course, she didn't believe us in the end.

"What led you to assume there's this invisible map?"

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

"Owned by the Freemasons," Riley added.

"May I see the pipe?"

"W-we don't have it," Riley stuttered.

Dr. Chase leaned in. "Did Bigfoot take it?"

Okay! We're done here!

We left, thanking Dr. Chase for her time. Ben walked quickly to the museum, his destination being the Declaration. Riley was thinking about putting their story public, but it wasn't going to scare Ian away. Ben just looks at the document.

"Of all the words written here about freedom, there's a line that's at the heart of all the others. 'But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably 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. Huh. No idea what you said."

"It means that if there's something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action." Ben paused. I followed his gaze to the document that gave me the right to be me. "I'm going to steal it."

Riley huffs a little. "What?"

"I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence." And Ben just walks off.

Now that's what I like to hear!

Riley hurried after Ben. I stayed behind.

"You should hurry over to them, Essie."

I know! But I also know they'll go to the Library of Congress eventually. I'm pulling out the books we'll need.

So I waited in the Library of Congress for Riley and Ben to join me. I had the books Riley needed set up as well as Ben's section.

"Okay, Ben, pay attention. I've brought you to the Library of Congress. Why? Because it's the biggest library in the world. Over 20 million books. And they're all saying the same exact thing: Listen to Riley."

He goes into the structure of the Archives and how things work and that it's practically impossible to get a hold of the Declaration. Then Ben quoted something.

"You know, Thomas Edison tried and failed nearly 2,000 times to develop the carbonized cotton-thread filament for the incandescent light bulb."

"Edison?"

"And when asked about it, he said 'I didn't fail; I found out 2,000 ways how not to make a light bulb,' but he only needed one way to make it work." Ben showed Riley a page in a book. "The preservation room. Enjoy!"

Riley took a look at it. Ben leaned in.

"Do you know what the preservation room is for?"

"Delicious jams and jellies?"

Very funny, Riley. Preservation doesn't necessarily mean fruit preserves. It can also mean to keep something for a long time in the best condition possible.

Ben explained the plan: get the Declaration into the Preservation Room during the Gala while there was less security. I already made mental arrangements.

"Well...uh...Ian...Preservation, hmmmm, the Gala. Oh this might be possible."

"It might."

Ben and Riley turned to me.

"If you're wondering if I'm okay with doing this, rules are meant to have exceptions."

"Good. How about we get ready?"

It was time to set the biggest robbery in history in motion: the stealing of the Declaration of Independence.