Hey! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed do far! It really means a lot to me! Also, don't be afraid to make your own suggestions (I desperately need clue ideas!) Here's chapter four! Enjoy!

Chapter 3:

Chases and Interviews

Alexis shivered. "You mean that freak who wants revenge on you!"

Riley looked ahead for a place to turn. "Yeah, that's him. But I don't think he's recognized me yet. Maybe we can get away up at this next light." He said, sounding like he was really trying to convince himself that there was no danger. He turned right at the light, but to his dismay, Ian followed. "Okay, I'm in a Ferrari. He's in a pick-up. I have the advantage!" Riley thought. He tore suddenly down a residential street to his right and floored the gas pedal.

"Riley, are you crazy?" Alexis yelled. "It's a residential street! You'll get yourself arrested!"

Ian sped after them, pushing the truck to its limits.

Riley took a sharp turn to the left. He flew out onto an access road to a highway and looked for the closest on-ramp. Ian once again showed up behind them.

"Oh, come on!" Riley exclaimed in exasperation. Unfortunately, the next on-ramp was passed a stop sign. There was no way out! He looked at the oncoming intersection. There wasn't anyone stopped, so he blew right through it. Riley suddenly heard the squeal of brakes behind him. "What happened?" He asked Alexis.

Alexis turned her head to look. "He stopped! Riley, he stopped! A car crossed in front of him and forced him to stop! Ha! What a loser!"

Riley guided the car onto the highway. "When he started following us, I thought we were dead! But, oh no, ol' Riley managed to give him the slip!"

"You should call the police and let them know he's been spotted." Alexis said seriously.

Riley knew she was right. "And I will, right after I drop you off. I really don't want someone else to get dragged into this mess." He looked at Alexis. "Well, I guess we'll have to take the long way."

"Why?" She asked.

"We passed the right street during the chase. You don't mind, do you?"

"Chloe will be worried. But I've been back way later than this, so she shouldn't worry too much." Alexis said.

Riley pulled into the parking lot of Alexis's dorm complex. An African American woman ran to meet Alexis when she saw her get out of the car. Riley slipped on a pair of sunglasses attempting to look cool.

"Lexi, where have you been?" She asked. "And who was that?" She got a glimpse of the man driving, but only a glimpse. He waved to Alexis and left.

"Let's go inside and I'll explain!" Alexis said.

But just as they reached their dorm room, the phone rang. Alexis answered it. Her car had been found.

In the craziness of the all the paperwork and other things at the police station, the day's events and the name of Alexis's Good Samaritan were forgotten. An overwhelmed and exhausted Alexis flopped into bed late that night.

Riley was sitting in his bed, typing something on his laptop. He didn't seem to notice that it was nearly11:00. Finally, he sent the message he hade created and went to sleep.

Ian had seen the guards the F.B.I. had placed around the parameter of the Gates mansion. He watched the house from a rooftop a few blocks away with a pair of binoculars. He watched a blue light flicker out in an upstairs window. "So this is where Ben ended up." He thought.

The next morning, Alexis woke up to the smell of brewing coffee. Her roommate, Chloe, had been up for almost an hour. Alexis rolled over and looked at her alarm clock. 8:30. Time for her to update her sight and check for complaint E-mails. She forced herself to get out of bed and walk to her computer. She pulled up her E-mails first. She had one new message. Chloe, who had pulled up her black hair in a cute bun, brought her a cup of steaming coffee.

"Hey, I was wondering when you'd be up." Her attention was grabbed by the E-mail Alexis was reading.

I wanted you to know that I enjoyed your company yesterday and that I'm really sorry about this whole Ian thing. I'm hoping to see you again at Bean Me, but with Ben being Mr. Security, I may not be there for a while. Speaking of Ben, I told him about that key. He's really interested, so don't be surprised if you be a call from him. - R.P.

"R.P.? Who's R.P.?" Chloe asked.

"That's Riley. He's the guy who drove me home yesterday." Alexis answered.

"Riley …" Chloe hesitated in answering, "…Poole?"

"Yup."

"Oooo! Lexi!"

"What?"

"Girl, he likes you!"

"No he doesn't. He just wants to see me at Bean me again." Alexis defended. "And I have class in thirty minutes. I need to get ready.

A woman's voice echoed over the P.A. system. "Flight 178 to New York LaGuardia is now boarding."

Riley, Ben, and Abigail stood. "That's us." Ben said.

The three had so little luggage that they could carry it all on. Riley fiddled with the glasses case in his jacket pocket. He was thinking about everything that had happened the day before. His hand moved across a piece of paper. It was Alexis's cell phone number. He flipped open his phone and texted her. Hey, I'm going to New York today for an interview for NBC Nightly News. You should watch. - Riley Poole.

"Riley, let's go!" Abigail called to Riley.

Riley sent the message and ran to catch up with his colleagues.

Alexis listened to her professor drone on about the importance of her upcoming exams. Chloe was nodding off next to her. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Quietly, she opened it and read the message Riley had sent. Then she texted him back. I think I will. By the way, the police found my car, but thanks for the offer to drive me! – Alexis Lowell

She sent the message and quickly put the phone away. Then she checked to see if Chloe had noticed. She hadn't. "Good." Alexis thought. "I don't want her nagging me about Riley."

A car had been sent to pick them up. The flight had been short, only about 30 minutes. The car ride was relatively silent. Ben and Abigail watched Riley worriedly. He had gone pale again, as he did before all of their T.V. appearances.

"Are you nervous?" Ben asked.

"What do you think?" Riley asked.

"You're just not cut out for fame." Abigail said.

Riley leaned back. He thought about the message he had sent Alexis. Since he had to turn his phone of during the flight, he didn't know if she had sent a reply. He checked his phone and found the message she had sent him. It made him even more nervous.

They arrived at the NBC studios in Rockefeller Plaza around 11:30. They were taken upstairs to the NBC Nightly News studio. Brian Williams met them there.

"Welcome Mr. Gates, Miss Chase, Mr. Poole." He shook all of their hands. "If you're ready, please follow me."

Alexis felt lucky because she got off work before 5:30. She got back to her dorm and immediately turned on the T.V. She sat through the end of the local news broadcast. Chloe walked in at 6:26. "What's up?" She asked.

"Just watching the news." Alexis answered.

The broadcast took a commercial break. The first commercial was for that night's Nightly news episode. Brian Williams's voice began to describe the night's stories. Alexis was glued to the T.V. screen. Chloe didn't understand why. She sat down and watched with Alexis.

"Tonight on Nightly News, President Bush meets with British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to discuss policy in Iraq. Also, more bombings in Iraq. Can the insugencey be contained? And, we'll have an exclusive interview with the three intrepid explorers who discovered the largest and most valuble treasure in history. Tonight on NBC."

"Riley's going to be on there, isn't he?" Chloe asked.

"Without looking at her, Alexis answered, "Yes."

They had to sit through the entire program. Finally, the last story was introduced.

Brian Williams began.

BW: Earlier today I spoke with Benjamin Gates and his two compainions, the people who found responsible for finding the treasure of the Knights Templar.

(cut to interview)

BW: So, Mr. Gates, please explain a little about the treasure's importance to American history.

BG: As most people know, the treasure was hidden by a group of Freemasons who were also some of our founding fathers. The only real connection to American history was that.

RP: The contents were more world history kinds of things.

Alexis thought Riley looked like a ghost under the studio lights. She wondered if he was sick.

BW: Now, Miss Chase. I understand that you tried to stop Ben at first.

AC: Yes, but I eventually became so curious that I didn't want to leave.

BW: Mr. Poole, when did you join Ben's expedition?

RP: I began working with him in late 2003.

BW: So, you had been working with him for about a year.

RP: It was a little less than a year.

BW: How did you react to the news of Ian Howe's escape?

AC: We stepped up security at the National Archives.

RP: I was worried.

BG: Ha! Worried is an understatement!

AC: The safety of others also comes to mind. Ian is very dangerous. He jeopardized the safety of a friend of Riley's.

Alexis jumped up. "That's me! They're talking about me on NATIONAL TELEVISION!"

"Chill out!" Chloe said, throwing a small pillow at her. "Only you and I know that."

Alexis stopped hopping up and down on the couch and plopped back down.

BW: Do you have any current projects?

BG: We have a lead on something, but with Ian at large, I would rather not say anything.

BW: Well, thank you for your time. It's been a pleasure meeting you.

The screen switched back to Brian Williams standing in the studio. "That's it for tonight. I hope to see you all tomorrow night. I'm Brian Williams. Good night."

Ben, Riley, and Abigail had arrived back in D.C. around 3:45 in the afternoon. They sat in the den, watching the interview and making fun of Riley's small, nervous movements.

"Hey, Riley, planning on joining a marching band?" Ben joked, referring to Riley's tapping foot.

Riley glared at Ben. "Shut up." He said.

The interview had just gotten to the part where Abigail explained what happened to Alexis. Then, Ben added the part about the new lead. Suddenly, it hit Ben. "It all makes since now!"

"What?" Riley asked.

Abigail felt Ben's forehead. "Do you feel okay?"

"I'm fine." Ben answered. "But I think I know who stole Alexis's car! It had to be Ian! He must know something about that key we don't know! Alexis may be in danger!"

"What do we do, Mr. Lightbulb?" Riley asked. "We can help Alexis, but how can we find out what Ian knows? We can't go and ask him! 'Hey Ian, what do you know about-' BAMM! Buzzard food."

"You did say you got her cell number, right?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, it's right here." Riley said, handing him the paper.

"I need her to tell me everything about that key!" Ben said and dialed her number. "And we need to warn her before Ian strikes again!"