I pulled out at least $200 from the account for food and clothes. I was feeling weighed down with the gear I had so I reassessed what I needed. I only needed some duct tape, a mini cleaning kit, some extras, and communication equipment. I met up with a fellow member by showing my pin: a gold, equally sized cross with "Sum Regente Deo" pressed in and a red stone in the center. You always carried the pin under some flap whether it was a hood or a collar. When you uncovered the pin by pulling up the flap, it meant "Meet up. Must discuss matters."

"Name?"

"Bellator Eget Christi."

"It is an honor to meet you, high one."

"And you are?"

"Vulpeculae, my lady."

"I am humbled to meet a fellow member, Cunning Fox, as I have not seen one in ages." I handed her the large bag. "I need a smaller bag, one best for quick escapes."

"You can take mine. I will unload it and you can fill it."

We exchanged small words in Latin while changing bags. Afterwards, I gave her the salute: right hand over the heart, left hand on the opposite person's right shoulder, and the head bowing. Finally, we shook a firm hand and I left to find Riley.

"Esther! I've got it!"

"Good. Let's get out of here and tell Ben."

We went to the shop where Abigail and Ben were buying new clothes. I looked over my clothes and quickly grabbed a new pair of jeans, button-down shirt, and a sweater. I paid for it with the money I had and listened to the discussion. I knew I missed half of it at least. But it didn't matter because I already knew what Riley had found thanks to the cipher and Silence Dogood letters:

/

The vision to see the treasured past comes as the timely shadow

crosses in front of the house of Pass and Stow.

/

It's not that hard to figure out if you understand part of American Revolution history. John Pass and John Stow cast a bell and there is only one bell everyone knows that was made then and the only place that was considered the house of the bell.

"On the back of a hundred-dollar bill is an etching of Independence Hall based on a painting done in..."

"Hello."

"Thank you. ...in the 1780s, who... The artist was actually a friend of Benjamin Franklin's. It's wonderful."

"Fascinating."

The clerk was so rude. I wanted to smack some sense into her.

"Hold this," Ben said as he handed the Declaration to Abigail.

"OK." Ben looked at her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Now, I think that if we look at this clock tower...we may find the specific time."

Ben held up the water bottle to the back of the 100 dollar bill to get a closer look at the clock.

"What do you see?"

"2:22."

"What time is it now?"

The clerk checked the watch. "Almost 3."

Shoot. So much for finding the next clue.

"We missed it."

"No, we didn't. We didn't miss it because-" Riley turned to look at us. "You don't know this? I know something about history that you don't know."

"I'd be very excited to learn about it, Riley," commented Ben, in a patronizing way.

"Hold on one second, let me just take in this moment. This is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Well, except now."

"Riley!" Abigail rushed.

"All right! What I know is that daylight savings wasn't established until World War I."

That's right! Why did I forget that!?

"If it's 3 p.m. now that means that in 1776 it would be 2 p.m."

"Riley, you're a genius."

Ben and Abigail walked ahead. I trailed behind Riley as he started his gloating.

"Do you actually know who the first person to suggest daylight savings was?"

"Benjamin Franklin," Ben and Abigail spoke at the same time.

Riley stomped his foot in frustration at the loss of his intelligence in history to Ben and Abigail.

Hmm. Ben and Abigail sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. That would work out pretty well.

We hurried to Independence Hall. I knew that I was a violation if I went through security, so I went around through a back way so that I wouldn't get caught possessing weapons. I climbed the stairs and walked normally on the floor as we quickened our pace to reach the bell tower.

"What bell is this?" Riley asked, confused.

"It's the Centennial Bell. It replaced the Liberty Bell in 1876."

We peaked over the railing to see the shadow on a brick wall. Only one of those bricks had the key.

"There it is."

"All right. I'm gonna go down there, and you meet me in the signing room. OK? All right."

"All right, let's go."

Riley looked over the railing at the shadow on the wall.

"3:22. My idea."

"Yes, Riley. Now hurry up."

I followed Ben to keep an eye on him. He took out his knife and removed the brick once he found the symbol. He turned the brick over and a pair of code glasses fell into his hands. He put the brick back and we went to the signing room. I kept a lookout, not caring about what Ben found because I knew what he would find on the back:

/

Heere at the Wall.

/

"Wow."

"Why can't they just say, 'Go to this place, and here's the treasure, spend it wisely'?"

Knights Templar and Freemasons don't work that way. We need to be sure we're handing the treasure to those worthy of it.

"Oh no."

I looked out the window. It was two of Ian's guys. Riley joined me shortly.

"How'd they find us?"

"Well, Ian has nearly unlimited resources. And he's smart."

Unfortunately, Ben's right.

"I don't think we can get out of here without being spotted."

"Well, we don't want them to have the Declaration, or the glasses. But we especially don't want them to have them both together."

Riley and I regrouped with Ben and Abigail for the plan.

"So what do we do?"

"We separate the lock from the key. We're splitting up."

"Good idea."

"Really?"

Yeah. It's a good idea.

"I'll take this. And those. You keep that. Meet me at the car and call me if you have any problems."

"Like if we get caught and killed?"

That's a big problem.

"Yeah - that would be a big problem. Take care of her."

"I will."

Rily and Abigail looked at each other after saying the same thing. I laughed a little. It was an odd bunch, but one I loved being around.