Chapter Two – Cairo
Declaimer: I do not own National Treasure or any of the characters. That right belongs to the Disney Corporation.
Author Note – Now I know that the first chapter is a little lagging, very slow moving, and probably just about the most uninteresting chapter I've made. This basically is because I wanted to give that interview fully instead of just saying 'the reporter asked questions' and to introduce all of the situations I'll be dealing with in the climax of my story. This chapter is going to cover a 'quick' look at the museum at Cairo and the contribution with the artifacts found.
As planned the jet picked them up the next morning, which included a fight to drag Riley out of bed.
They flew for fifteen hours which incorporated many napping moments and scenic views of the navy blue ocean. It was around 4 o'clock that afternoon when they landed safely at Cairo's tiny airport on a short runway.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Riley whispered holding back his sickness as he stumbled down the jet's steps.
Abigail and Ben followed Riley slowly. Abigail more slowly than Ben because she had just woken up and was very groggy.
As they descended a woman approached them, they believed she was the museum's curator because of the attire she was wearing.
"Hi my name is Evelyn and as you may have already guessed I am the Cairo museum's curator here to direct you straight to the conference for the opening of the huge exhibit you've contributed to."
They all headed to the huge audience awaiting their entrance. Thousands of residents of Cairo and other foreigners from around the world stood in front of the great museum ready to see the exhibit for the first time. It would also be the very first time the three of them would be able to study the very treasure they found. The first to walk up the podium was Ben who gladly wanted the chance to express how he felt about his contribution,
"Hi, my name is Benjamin Franklin Gates and I'm sure you already know that I am a part of the Gate's family known throughout the government as the family with the crazy idea about the conspiracy theory within American's past. Since this treasure has been found I hope you all think differently about the Gate's family legacy. First off, I would like to thank you all for attending this historical event and hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed finding it. Secondly, I would like to acknowledge my companions Abigail Chase and Riley Poole who also gave their help in finding the treasure. Last, but not least I would like to take a minute to invite Abigail Chase up here a moment." Riley quickly pushed Abigail up next to Ben. Ben leaned down toward the ground, kneeling on his knee. "Abigail Ann Chase, I know I haven't known you for too long of a time, however, I fear that if I didn't get the chance now to devote myself to asking you this than I wouldn't get the chance. I've felt myself open up more than ever since I met you and you've given me hope in my life,' he takes out a tiny black box, opens it up, and reveals a diamond ring, "Would you partake in the greatest journey of our lives to be married?"
Caught up in the surprise, Abigail remained quiet for a few minutes but for what seemed like hours. Everything that had happened reflected heavily on what was going through Abigail's mind. She was excited, nervous, and taken aback by the way that Ben had gone about asking her the question she had been waiting to hear from him for a long time. She already had planned out her answer for three months since they started going out. "Yes, I will." She finally replied, less dramatically than Ben. Even though she adored the lovely words he had expressed to her at that moment she felt less capable of coming up with such a thoughtful reply.
Ben smiled, knowing that from this point on he was going to be starting a new chapter in his life, one that didn't include loneliness and bachelor qualities.
Riley grinned in the background, eyeing the people in the audience who all seemed to be clapping as he now realized. Suddenly a thought struck him, "Ben, whoa wait a minute…am I still going to be staying with you? You know I already sold my apartment.." Riley's words seemed to trail on and on, but Ben and Abigail's attention was focused mainly on each other, ignoring everyone else around them.
When the opening was over the heroes retreated to a lovely five star hotel nearby, one of the newest editions to the historic Cairo village. They all shared their thoughts on the future of Mr. and Ms. Benjamin Gates. Along with that subject, Riley got his answer on whether or not the plans would change due to the marriage of his closest friends.
"You're welcome to stay with us Riley. I don't think there is anywhere we would rather have you." Abigail chimed drinking a cup of tea at the hotel lobby's café.
"I'm glad to here you say that. For a minute there I was worried you'd forgotten poor ole little me." Riley said, overreacting purposefully.
Ben looked up around the café from his cup of freshly brewed tea, "I had been planning this for a while now. Although I wasn't sure going through with this proposal in Cairo was such a romantic idea. Something more along the lines of a private dinner in Washington D.C. Park in front of the Washington Monument would have been a better setting." Ben thought out loud.
"Why didn't you?" Abigail asked curiously.
"It's just what you would expect, that's why. I figured the best way to keep things from being figured out is to be less suspicious to the people you are trying to fool. I guess you could call it a way that I could tell you, without telling you." He replied, quite pleased with his explanation. He loved leaving the mind flustered with so much knowledge.
After their dinner they headed up to their rooms and all took long enduring sleeps and not waking up until 5am the next morning. The same private jet that had picked them up from Ben's manor was now picking them back up for their journey home.
When the plane landed in the sparkling knoll of grass located in the back of the Gate residence they all stepped out, collecting their baggage, and waving the jet out for clearance.
What they encountered next left them all in shock. Upon entering the house they noticed things were not as they had left them. Books off the bookshelves, broken glass, and pieces of torn linen lined the hard wood floors of the beautiful house. They quickly checked to make sure nothing was missing and came to the conclusion that nothing was stolen.