AN: Hello Everyone, first off I would like to say, I hope everyone who is being effected by Hurricane Sandy is okay. We're seeing some of it where I'm at and it's not pretty. I wanted to get this chapter out though.
I also want to thank all my readers who have been reading, commenting, following, and favoriting the story. I am so glad people like this story. It's really fun to write. I've got ideas for it to be a series. I'm definitely doing Book of Secrets, but would you guys like to read about a couple of other adventures that they have after that? That is my question for you guys today.
Did anyone figure out the movie reference that was made in the last chapter? If not, I'll give you two hints:
1. The reference is made when Bianca is talking about her past and how she knows the boy.
2. It's referring to an Arnold Schwarzenegger film.
I think that's all ya need.
I don't own National Treasure. I also don't own the Pirates of the Caribbean references.
Waring, I do change a tiny part of this part of the movie. But it's important for the end of the story.
Chapter Eight: Affects
We rushed off to tell Ben and Abigail.
"Hey!" Riley greeted them as we came up the stairs of Urban Outfitters.
"Hi guys!" I greeted them.
"You get it?" Ben asked.
"We got it." I told them and got out a piece of paper from my back pocket and opened it. "The vision to see the treasured past comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and Stow." I read.
"Now Pass and Stow referring to, of course, the-" Ben and Abigail cut Riley off.
"Liberty Bell"
"Why do you have to do that?" Riley asked them.
"You shouldn't show off." I told them.
"Well, John Pass and John Stow cast the bell."
Ben looked at me and gave me a couple of hundreds. "Go change."
I bit my lip and replied annoyed. "I'm not a little girl, Ben. I'm fine in what I'm wearing."
"You're in Riley's jacket and a ripped formal. You almost look like a hooker, Bi." Ben replied.
"If you think about it, that's how I funded in the treasure business." I replied sarcastically.
"What?" Abigail asked.
"I'm going to go change now." I said, taking the money from Ben, not wanting to answer the question. I walked off to the women's department.
"I'll help you with that. We'll let you guys figure it out while get clothes." Riley followed me.
"You could have stayed with them, you know." I told him as I looked through the clothes.
"I'm fine. Just so you know, I don't think you look like a hooker…Nowhere near it."
"Thanks…I think getting me to go change is a waste of time for us. It's hard enough shopping for me now I have to do it on a time limit." I rolled my eyes.
"Why is it hard for you to shop?"
"I'm 5'1, petite, and a size zero. As much as I've tried, I really don't gain weight… No I don't have any eating disorders before you ask."
"Just a fast metabolism…I understand, my sister and I are like that. I've heard the questions."
"Yeah..."I replied. I grabbed a pair of jeans that were almost my size. They were the smallest they had and we didn't have much time. I grabbed a belt, a blue scoop-neck long-sleeve shirt, a light blue tank top, and a grey wool hat.
"Hey Riley, can you hold a few things for me? I want to change into this."
He nodded, "Yeah, sure, what do you want me to hold?"
"I'll need a changing room first. And when I give you the items, don't tell me what they are or freak out about them."
"Why it's not like you have a-" He started. I nodded slowly. "Yes, you do..."
"And a lot other things…"
We went over to the changing rooms. I went inside one, Riley leaned against the door. I took off his jacket first. "Uh…He's your jacket back…Thank you…" I handed it to him. He turned around and took it with a smile.
"It wasn't a problem; you can hold onto it if you want…I'm fine…"
"Are you sure? I mean-" Riley cut me off.
"I'm fine. I'll hold it for now and let you borrow it after you change."
"But-" I started again.
He laughed. "No buts. Change, we don't have time to argue about trivial things. We can argue later."
"Okay. You win." I conceded. He smiled. "Now turn around." He turned around. I took off the guns strapped around my thighs. "Riley, can you hold these too?" I asked him. He turned around, I handed him the weapons.
"Uh…These…these are-" He started.
"I know what they are and I have them for two good reasons. 1. That was the reason I got an invitation gala. I was in a sense a security guard without the uniform. 2. We're dealing with Ian. One of us needs to have weapons."
He nodded, took the weapons, and turned around. I took off my shoes and took off my dress. Unexpectedly, Riley turned around. I shrieked and covered myself with the dress.
"What the heck?! Why did you turn around?!" I quietly screamed at him.
"Sorry! People are starting to come and holding weapons looks a little suspicious." He spat.
"Then cover them with the jacket and turn around!" I replied.
"Okay! Sorry!" He covered them with the jacket and turned around. I unbuttoned the dress and put it on.
"Bianca?" Riley asked getting my attention.
"Yes, Riley?" I asked.
"…Don't take this the wrong way…but you are a very, very, very beautiful woman."
"Thanks Riley…"I replied and putting on the "Riley?" I put on my shoes.
"…yes?" He asked.
"You're attractive too, you know..." I told him, "Can I have my affects please?"
"Do you want a hat too?" He joked.
"I have one with me." I laughed. "You're smart though. Most I've tried that with just give me them. I like that."
He handed me my affects and smiled at me. "Thanks."
"Turn around…"I commanded gently. He did so. I put the gun strap over my belt, thanking God it was adjustable to fit anywhere on the body.
"Bianca…?"
"…yeah?" I asked him.
"…never mind…"
"Okay…"I replied. I came out of the changing room.
"Here…"He said, handing me his jacket.
"Are y-" I started.
"I'm sure." He replied. I put on the jacket and zipped it up so it would cover the guns. We went back to Ben and Abigail.
"So…What's the clue mean?" I asked them. I went and paid the cashier, then went back to them.
"The vision to see the treasured past must refer to the map."
"But the cipher was the map…"Riley said confused.
"No the cipher was a way to find out how to read the map." Ben corrected.
"You were close…"I told Riley with have a smile. He looked so dejected; he really thought he was right. He gave me half a smile.
"And the way to read the map can be found where the timely shadow crosses in front of the liberty bell." Abigail said getting closer to Ben.
"In front of the house of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall" Ben dissected.
"Alright, so timely shadow. It's a specific time." Abigail said starting to get excited. Ben got a wide smile on his face.
"Uh…What time?" Riley asked. We were both starting to get uncomfortable watching them.
"What time?" Ben repeated. The two separated from each other a bit. Ben turned to Abigail. "You're gonna love this." He went over to the cashier. "Can I see one of the hundred dollar bills I paid you with?"
The cashier looked at him as if he were crazy. She shook her head. "No…"
"Oh…well, I have this diver's watch." He took off his diver's watch. It was his favorite watch. He's had it since he was fifteen. "It's called Submariner. I dive with it. It's actually quite valuable. You could use it as collateral." She took the watch. He thanked her. He turned to Abigail. I turned to Riley.
"If it's any consolation, I thought the cipher was the map at first too."
"What made you change your mind?" He asked.
"Pass and Stow, and the cipher leading to Independence Hall; I think we're going to find something at Independence Hall, but it isn't going to be the treasure…" I replied.
"…..Can you explain the converses and ties thing more?"
I shook my head and smirked at him. "I think you're smart enough to figure it out…"
"Um sir? Hello?" The cashier tried to get Ben's attention.
He turned to face her. She handed him the hundred dollar bills. "The artist was a friend of Benjamin Franklin."
"Fascinating…"The cashier rolled her eyes.
Ben gave Abigail the document. "I'm not going anywhere." She consoled him. He smiled, switched the container to her other shoulder.
Ben unfolded the bill. "Now I think, if we look at this clock tower." Ben grabbed a water bottle and used it as a magnifying glass. "We may find the specific time."
"What do you see?" Abigail asked him.
"It's 2:22."Ben answered.
"What time is it?" Abigail asked.
The cashier looked at Ben's watch. "Almost three." She answered.
"We missed it." Abigail said dejectedly. The countenance on Ben matched her tone.
I looked down. "All this way for nothing, I guess…"
"No, we didn't. We didn't miss it because…wait you don't know this? …I know something in history that you don't know." Riley said, mostly pointed at Ben.
"I'd be really excited to learn about it, Riley." Ben replied dryly.
"Hold on one second…"Riley took in a deep breath. "Let me take in this moment..."He looked around. "This is cool…Is this how you feel all the time?" He asked Ben and kept going. "Cause you know, except for now of course."
"Riley!" Abigail exclaimed annoyed.
"Alright." His tone almost matched hers. They could have let him go on a bit longer. "What I know is that day light savings was not established till World War I. If it's three p.m. now, okay, that means in 1776, it would be two p.m." Riley explained.
"Let's go." Abigail said starting to go.
"Riley, you're a genius." Ben told him, following Abigail.
Riley went after them. "Do you know who the first person to suggest daylight savings was?"
"Benjamin Franklin." They answered.
Riley hung his head down and was about to go down, but stopped short and turned around. "Bianca? Aren't you coming?"
I nodded and gave him a smile. "Yeah, go ahead. I have to do something first. It'll only take a second."
"Do you want me to wait?" Riley asked.
"Honestly, I'm surprised you noticed I wasn't behind you… No, um, I'm fine. I'll catch up. It's okay." I replied.
"I can wait." He replied leaning against the railing.
"You don't take no for answer do you?" I laughed.
"Not usually."
I shook my head and turned to the cashier. I got a fifty and twenty out of the jacket pocket I had taken out of my wallet earlier. "Here's seventy dollars. And here," I took off my sterling silver heart-shaped locket grandfather gave me before he died. "It's sterling silver; and the emerald, in the center, is real. It's valuable. Both you and I know what a Submariner is worth. I saw the look. I want my brother's watch." I kept a business like tone. She nodded her redhead and gave me the watch. I went over to Riley.
"Okay. We can go now. I got what I wanted." I smiled at him and gently pulled him ahead.
When we caught up to Ben and Abigail, they weren't too far ahead; I causally put the watch in Ben's hand. "I think you left this behind." I told him as Riley and I went a head of them a bit.
"Bianca! What did you give up for this?" Ben called after me.
"Seventy bucks and a locket… It's fine Ben. I know what that watch means to you and I can get a new locket." I looked back at him and gave him a smile. "You two better pick up the pace. Time's not on our side." I chided Abigail and him jokingly. They smiled and picked up the pace.
