Okay! Before we start I want to apologize for the extremely long wait that I probably know has been killing all of yall. Lol.

mrs.pace: Thanks for saying it's cool! Lol. Hopefully it get's better.

RileyPoolefan and Carol2flute: Lol :) I find it funny too! I didn't mean to steal it though. Never read yours. Though I read it when you reviewed me. Lol. Love the name!

Sailor Star7: Thanks for the tip! I'm trying. Lol.

They soon pulled up in front of Ben's dad's home. It looked old fashioned but large. "Park a couple of blocks away. We probably got a couple of hours." Ben said. Riley nodded and did the same. Soon, they were walking up the steps to the house.

Riley leaned over and whispered into Lexi's ear. "Sorry about earlier. Didn't meant to sound so mean." Lexi smiled and gave him and small hug and he just stood there shocked. She let go as Ben rang the doorbell and his dad answered it.

An older Ben Gates stood there looking surprised. "Dad." Ben said.

"Where's the party?" Patrick Gates asked.

"In your house, the five of us." Lexi said. Patrick stared at her in amazement on how much of a smartass she can be.

"I'm in a little trouble." Ben said guestering with his hand.

"Like a little as in a molehill to a mountain." Lexi said and Riley elbowed her and she stuck her tongue out.

"Is she pregnant?" Patrick asked.

Lexi snorted and started choking on air as Riley tried calming her laughing/coughing fit down. "Well IF she is," Ben said eying the two, "are you gonna leave the woman carrying your grandchild standing out in the cold?" Ben asked. Lexi calmed down, looked at Abigail, and started laughing again.

"I look pregnant?" Abigail asked Riley. He shook his head no and Lexi calmed down wiping away some tears.

"Come in." Patrick said motioning. They followed in suit.

"This better not be about the dumb treasure." Patrick said to Ben. Lexi overheard though.

"I love treasure! Tell me about this treasure." She said in a girly voice. Riley smacked her upside the head.

They all entered a living room where the walls were green, curtains gold, floor wooden, and pizza on the table. "Pizza?" Lexi asked Riley.

"Pizza." He agreed and they dug in.

"Dad." Ben said. "I need the letters. Yes, it's about the dumb treasure." Ben said before his father had the chance to ask a question.

"And he dragged you three in this nonsense?" He asked the three.

"Literally." Abigail said.

"I volunteered." Riley said raising a hand.

"My brother was evil so I joined them." Lexi said and Pat just looked at her as if she was the craziest girl on the planet.

"Go for the one in the dress. She seems sane." Patrick said in Ben's ear who smirked. "As for you!" He said rounding on Riley. "Unvolunteer. Before you waste your life. And you!" He said looking at Lexi. "Do you have ADD?" He asked.

"I think so." Lexi said joyously eating a slice of pizza with Riley by her side on the couch.

"His dad is a little mad." Riley muttered.

"No shit sherlock."

"That's a funny phrase."

"It is isn't it."

"What do you have? Him?" Pat asked guestering towards Riley.

"That sounded wroooooong." Lexi said laughing. Abigail glared at Lexi not really liking the girl.

"Look, if you just give us the letters, we're gone." Ben said.

"I bet they're very pretty." Lexi added. Riley rolled his eyes.

"You disappointed me Ben." Pat said. Lexi rolled her eyes this time and Riley took another slice.

"That's the Gates-family tradition!" Ben said. "Sons who disappoint their fathers."

"It's in mine too! I mean, look at Ian. I'm the angel here!" Lexi added.

"More like lunatic." Abigail shot back.

"You like that word don't cha?" Lexi said smiling. "Yah know, we wouldn't hate each other if you didn't go and diss Big-Foot like that." Abigail groaned.

"It was a joke."

"Joke or no joke! Big-Foot could be real! You never know. And when he finds out you assumed he took a pipe, then oooo, he gonna eat you! I'm just looking out for yah." Riley was laughing and Patrick whispered to Ben, "If you go out with that psyco path, I'm hunting you down and killing you." Ben rolled his eyes.

"I'm not, but I think Riley is." Patrick oohed and watched Abigail laugh at her.

"You know how stupid you sound?"

"Nuh uh. I'm not using simple words. I used assumed instead of he did it. Didn't I? Yeah! I did! Now shuddup!" Abigail rolled her eyes and Lexi crossed hers. Abigail sat down on the armchair as Ben and Patrick went back to their conversation.

"I found the Charlotte." Ben told his dad.

"The Charlotte? You mean a ship?" Pat asked.

"Yeah. She was beautiful Dad."

"Until my brother blew it up and it went Kaboom!" Lexi added as she recalled the smugglers hold. "That's when Riley learned to voice his stupidity." Riley smacked her upside the head and she stuck her tongue out.

"The treausre?" Pat asked, already getting used to ignoring the two argue and fight.

"No treasure. But we found another clue." Ben said.

"Really? Oh yeah! I fell asleep at that part!" Lexi said. Riley smacked his head. "I remember doing that." She said in excitement.

"You know what? I finally get it. The legend says that the treasure is buried to keep it away from the British. It was probably a lie to keep the British busy so the Americans can win. Treasure is a lie." Patrick said.

"I refuse to believe that." Ben declared.

"You do what you want when you want. You grew up. What am I to do?" Pat said giving up.

"He's probably right, you don't even know if there is another clue." Abby said.

"Shut it Abs. Just because he believes something, doesn't mean you can shoot it down like you do wtih me." Lexi snapped.

"It's okay, Alex. We can find out right here, right now." Lexi pumped her fist into the air. "Cha!"

They set up a work table with lemons, glasses, Q-tips, and gloves. Then they set the Declaration down and onto the back. "Looks like animal skin." Pat said from the doorway. Riley and Lexi were on the opposite side of Ben and Abby.

"How do we get it to show?" Lexi asked.

"Throw it in the oven." Pat answered her.

"No." The four said at the same time.

"JINX YOU ALL OWE ME A SALAD!" Lexi shouted.

"Salad?" Riley asked. "you mean a soda?"

"Fine, if you want to get me a soda, get me a soda." Lexi said throwing her hands up into the air.

"Dad, it's late. Get some rest." They heard Ben say.

"Nope! Fine." Pat called out.

"Lemons." Ben said. Riley handed it to him. Ben got ready to squeeze it over the declaration.

"No." Abigail said grabbing his arm. "You can't do that. Someone who's trained to handle Documents should do this."

Ben shrugged and handed it over. Lexi watched her dab the Q-tip into the lemon. "Now, if there is a secret message, it'd be marked on the upper right hand corner."

So, she swabbed the upperright hand corner. They all waited. "Heat. You need heat." Pat said from the doorway after thirty seconds of waiting. Ben and Abigail bent down and blew on it, showing a weird symbol.

"We need more lemons."

"We need more heat."

Soon, they uncovered a bunch of numbers using lemons and heats. "Is that a map?" Riley asked. "Like, latitudes and longitudes?"

"Wouldn't it have that degree symbol thingy?" Lexi asked. He nodded.

"That's why we need the Silence Dogood letters." Ben said writing the numbers down rapidly.

"That's the key?" Abby asked.

"The key in Silence undetected." Ben quoted.

"God, I wish I stayed awake during that part." Ben rolled his eyes.

"Dad, can we have the letters now?" Ben asked.

"Can someone explain to me what these magic numbers are?" Riley asked.

"They're magic numbers." Lexi asked and he mimicked her and she pouted. "Dork."

"Brat."

"Thank you!"

"Whatever."

"It's an Ottendorf cipher." Abigail observed.

"Oh. Okay. What's an Ottenorf Cipher?" Riley asked.

"Ot...Ote...Cider...what he said?" Lexi asked.

"They're just codes." Pat said.

Ben explained them to the clueless and they awed and nodded. "Still don't get it." Lexi said. "Wait...now I do." She said after a moment of thought.

"So, Dad, where are the letters?" Ben asked.

"It's by shear luck your grandfather even found them." Pat stalled.

"Dad..."

"They were in an antique desk in the press room..."

"Dad..."

"...of the New England Courant."

"Sounds French." Lexi said to Riley who nodded.

"Dad, where are the letters?" Ben asked.

"I don't have them."

"Thrashed." Lexi muttered and sat down along with Ben.

"Where are they?" Ben asked.

"I donated them to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia." Patrick said.

"Time to go." Ben said getting up.

"I still can't believe it. All this time. No one knew. Wow." Abigail said staring at the Declaration in thought.

"On the back of what?" Pat asked lifting it up.

"Whoaa..." Riley said.

"No!" Ben yelled.

"OH MY GOD!" Patrick shouted. "You stole the Declaration of Independence."

"Yes, we know. Now, don't break it. It's delicate." Abigail said rolling it up and putting it into it's containor.

"Dad! I don't have time to explain. You saw the cipher!"

"That will lead to a clue which will lead to another clue." Pat exclaimed.

"That will lead to another and another and another and an.." Riley put his hand over Lexi's mouth again and she licked it.

"GROSS!" He shouted wiping it on her cheek. She laughed.

"You pulled me into this."

"Well we can't have that." Ben said to his father.

"Too bad we aren't bad guys who tape up the good guy." Lexi said.

"ALEX! Flippin genius." Ben said excited. Lexi laughed and bowed.

"Pleasure doing work. For that amazing plan, that will be...money." She said holding out hand. Riley grabbed it and put it by her side. She laughed and Riley let go, but for some reason reluctant.

"Okay, Dad, let's just tie you up, steal your car, and be on our way." Patrick nodded and the plan was completed as they started riding on their way.