Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've been really busy this week! Also, I had some ideas for other stories, two of which are up. (Please read "Catch Me If You Can!" and "Charlotte's Legacy" Also, I will be posting another one shot called "Riley's Almost Perfect Day" very soon, but it's a long one,11written pages, and a page is a piece of paper, front and back! so it may be a few days.) Also, thanks a whole bunch to AbigailChase (author of National Treasure II: The Mason's Journey), who sent me some very helpful info to help me come up with clues! I do know how I'm going to use that info, but now I face the daunting task of writing a new riddle! Not exactly my area of expertise. Wish me luck! Now, while you read this next chapter, I'm going to see what I can come up with on this riddle! See you at the end of the chapter!

Chapter 4:

The Argument

Alexis received Ben's call just after the program ended.

"Is this Alexis Lowell?" Ben asked when she answered the phone.

"Yes." Alexis said.

"Hey, it's Ben. Ben Gates."

"Oh hi! Riley said I might be getting a call from you. Is it about my key?"

"Yes." Ben said. "And your safety. I believe the story you told Riley may actually be true."

"Somehow, I was expecting that." Alexis said.

"I also think Ian Howe may know as well. He may even have been the one who stole your car, looking for anything else pertaining to the key." Ben explained.

"Well, he didn't find what he was looking for, since he abandoned my car."

"Apparently not. Hold on, I'm putting the phone on speaker." Ben pushed a button on the phone. "Now, tell me what you can about the key."

Alexis sighed. "I'll start with how it came into my family. In 1830, a guy named Charles Carroll gave this key to my grandfather, seven generations back. His name was Louis Winston, and he was a good friend of Carroll's. The key was given to him as a token of their friendship. Louis was crushed when he learned of Carroll's death two years later. According to early descriptions, the key was very tarnished and old-looking, even then. The key has been passed down to the first-born of every generation. As I told Riley, it's rumored to unlock the door to some treasure, but no one has bothered to look."

"I don't believe this." Abigail whispered.

"Believe what?" Riley asked.

"So you see it, too?" Ben asked.

"See what?" Riley asked impatiently.

"I didn't think it was likely, but now…" Abigail trailed off.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Riley demanded. 'You better not be planning something else illegal! We can't get away with something like stealing the Declaration again! They let us off once but-"

Ben looked sharply at Riley. "Do we need to get the duct tape?"

Riley's eyes widened. He remembered an incident during his freshman year in college where a group of seniors jumped him and wrapped him in duct tape. He shuddered. "I was hairless for a month." He said. "I don't think you'll need to do that."

Ben continued, explaining his theory to Alexis. "I think the treasure may have been split."

Alexis gasped. "You're kidding."

"No, it's the only explanation. Charles Carroll was given two clues and the job of separating them. It's the other half of the treasure we found." Ben said.

Riley's expression was one of shock. "Split?" He asked.

Ben nodded to answer his question. Suddenly, his voice took on a much more worried tone. "If Ian is after your key, as I believe, you may be in danger. Until he is captured, I feel it is necessary to ask you to come and stay with us. You are an easy target alone."

Alexis was wary of the request. "You mean, with you and Riley?" She asked. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Don't worry." Abigail said. "I'll be here while you're here."

Abigail's words calmed Alexis's reservations. "Fine. When do you want me to come?"

"Tomorrow would be great." Ben said.

"Alright, see you guys tomorrow. Bye!" Alexis said and hung up.

Ben hung his phone up, then turned to Riley and Abigail. "Until Ian is caught, I want you guys to follow some extra precautions. I don't want either of you to leave the house without me or unless it's necessary."

"You're crazy!" Riley shouted.

"Why, because I invited Alexis to stay with us?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, and when she gets here, what will she do? What will I do? You don't plan to keep us cooped up in the house, do you?"

"I hardly doubt either of you will get bored." Ben said calmly, ignoring Riley's harsh tone. "If you do, though, you can entertain her."

"Oh, that sounds like fun. 'Hey Alexis, wanna go see how many different color books we can find in Ben's library?'. Doesn't sound like fun to me!"

"Riley, I…"

"And if I can't leave the house, what will you do to her, the one in real danger? Lock her in a tower?"

"Riley, would you please calm down and-"

"It's just like you to put me under these kinds of restrictions! I'm 23 and I'm not your son! I don't know why you do this to me, but I'm sick of it!" He walked out of the room, and out the front door, slamming the door behind him.

Ben and Abigail glanced at each other in silence. Riley was normally very docile and spacey, but when he got into these moods, he was wild and rash.

Riley started his car and drove down the driveway. He came to the gate where two F.B.I. agents stood guard. One of them stopped him. "We have specific orders not to let anyone out unless Ben is with them."

Riley rolled his eyes and growled in frustration. He backed down the driveway.

Ben and Abigail heard the door open and close again. "I'll go talk to him." Ben said. He rose from his seat and followed Riley upstairs. He could sense an underlying disturbance that was causing Riley's extreme irritability. Ben knocked on the door of Riley's room. There was a very Riley-ish "Go away." from the other side of the door.

"Riley, what's going on?" Ben asked from the other side of the door.

Riley said nothing. Instead, Ben heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. It opened. "Can we talk, Riley asked sincerely.

Ben entered and closed the door behind him. Riley's room was a mess…as usual. It was unusually dark. There was a window, but Riley preferred to keep the blinds shut. The walls were a dark shade of blue, making the room seem smaller than it really was. Ben sat down on Riley's unmade bed. Riley found his desk chair.

Ben spoke first. "Riley, I know you want freedom, but is it really worth risking your life for?"

"Ian wouldn't follow us like that. Him finding me Thursday was a coincidence!" Riley defended. He paused.

"That's not what's bugging you." Ben said knowingly.

Riley sighed. "I'm nervous about Alexis coming over."

"Why?" Ben asked.

"That's just it." Riley said. "I don't know. But I do know that she won't want to be stuck here."

Ben came to the conclusion that Riley was just tired and his nerves had really been frazzled over the last few days. "Don't worry, Riley. This won't last long. Ian can't avoid the F.B.I. for long." He got up and crossed the room to the door. He thought about telling Riley that he should clean up a little, but after the exchange that had occurred earlier, he though better of it. He walked out and shut the door quietly.

Saturday. Abigail and Ben were up early make preparations before Alexis arrived. Abigail did some cleaning inside while Ben went to inform the F.B.I. agents about Alexis.

At 10, Abigail went upstairs to see what Riley was doing. Lightly, she tapped on the door. There was no answer. She cracked the door open. Riley was asleep his side. His laptop was open, but had long since run out of battery power. Gently, she shook Riley's shoulder. "Riley." She said. "Riley, you really need to get up."

Riley groaned and turned over. "Let me sleep, I'm exhausted." He said in a scratchy, barely audible voice.

"I can see that." Abigail said.

"What time is it?" Riley asked groggily.

"Ten." Abigail said. "How late were you up?"

"I don't know." He said, sitting up. "I fell asleep working on the Internet."

"Well, Ben made you some coffee if you want it." Abigail said.

"I'll be down in a while." Riley yawned.

"Great." She said and left the room.

Riley sighed. "It's going to be a long day." He put his laptop on his desk and went to find something else to wear.

Abigail set out some jewelry cleaner and put one of her silver necklaces in the solution to soak.

Ben made a few rearrangements here and there, then went to get himself ready.

Alexis drove her black Crossfire up to the gates of Ben's mansion. One of the agents stopped her and asked her to show I.D. Gladly, she showed the agent her driver's license.

He smiled. "Sorry about this, Miss Lowell. We're just trying to keep Mr. Gates and Mr. Poole safe." He opened the gate and she drove through. She made her way up the driveway and parked her car. "Well, here I am." She thought and walked to the door.

Hey, hope you enyoed the chapter! I still haven't come up with a riddle yet! (I hate these kinds of things!) I won't be able to post chapter five untilI come up witha riddle, so if I don't update soo, please bear with me! Thanks for reading! Please review! Remember, ideas are welcome! And can someone PLEASE tell me what a Mary-sue is!