Okay, new chapter! Yes! This story is kinda slow going because I do not have all of the story threads for this one worked out. Riley is on his own for a while, while Ben and Abi are in England doing their own thing. The name of this story has changed, because I didn't think that one fit it really well. the new title will explain itself eventuallly through the story. I name my stories initially by whatever pops into my head when I save the first part, lol. Even if its something random like: JJJhds. But usually, its nothing like that in case you're wondering. Ok, so here goes, Enjoy! Feel free to inform me about mistakes, because its been awhile since I've read over this. Also, any ideas you have are welcome.
Disclaimer: I do not own National Treasure, except secretly...Well not even secretly. Dang it.
Still sitting at the breakfast table, they were interestedly pouring over the section in the paper about the remains of the manuscript that was centuries old. It was said to have been dated back to the Glorious Revolution, in fact written by the Constitutional Monarch William of Orange around the time of the publishing of the English bill of rights that was also passed during the rule of "William and Mary."
Their food arrived and they set it aside and looked happily at the food-Abigail's headache seemed to have faded a little bit, because she wasn't in quite as bad a mood as before. They talked idly of what they would do that day and ate their scrumptious breakfast. Ben's cell phone rang shrilly, surprising them both.
"You brought your cell phone to the restaurant?" she whined.
"Yes, in case of emergency. Oh hey it's Riley. I'm surprised he hasn't tried calling before now," Ben said with a shrug.
Abi gave him a look that said "please don't answer it!" but rolled her eyes when he pulled his best puppy dog face.
"Fine, fine. You two are only apart for like four days and you can't even ignore his call," she pouted.
"I have to take his call Abigail, or else he'll give me that sad look the next time we see each other, the one that makes you do whatever he wants and then you feel bad if you don't."
Abi rolled her eyes, "Just answer it."
He grinned at her and flipped open the cell phone, "Hello?"
"Hey Ben, its Riley. I..."
"Really?" Ben asked with mock seriousness. "I thought it was someone else using your name."
"Shush, Ben. I need to talk to Abi and I didn't feel like pressing the speed dial for her number because I knew she wouldn't pick up."
Ben made an annoyed noise. "Well fine, see if I answer your call next time I'm not supposed to; here Abi…"
Abi looked at him strangely. "What?"
"He wants to talk to you." Ben replied in annoyance. "My best friend and he wants to talk to you,"
"Hello Riley,"
"Hey Abigail," he greeted her. "I have a question for you. So, my friend recently found an ancient Egyptian document- and I was wondering if maybe you knew anyone who would translate it for him?"
On her end of the conversation, Abigail looked thoughtful. "Well, I know a guy at the University. His name is Dr. Ahmed Élan. If your friend tells the good doctor that I sent him, then he should be happy to."
"Thanks Abi, you are a total lifesaver, have I ever told you how much I love you?"
"Shhhh Riley, Ben is right here," she replied in a mock whisper, which earned her a glare from her husband. She smiled and gave Riley Dr. Élan's number.
He chortled as he took down the number. "Thanks again. I'll see you two love birds when you get home, and don't do anything I wouldn't do. Ciao."
"Bye," she flipped the phone closed and handed it back to Ben.
"What did he want?" Ben asked curiously, looking up from his pancakes.
"I don't know-something about a friend of his finding an Egyptian document. He wanted to know if I knew anyone who could translate it." She answered disinterestedly. "At least he's found something to do, rather than just lounge around the house or spend all his time on that computer of his."
"Yeah, that's true," Ben said turning his attention back to his pancakes. "So I was thinking that we should go to the museum where this letter is at and talk to the curator."
"Sounds like a plan to me, after we finish breakfast we can head over there. They should be eager to help us anyways, since we did donate a good portion of the treasure to it."
"That's true." He grinned and shook himself, he was giddy. He was excited. A new treasure to look for!
Abigail's nose crinkled and she rolled her eyes, it was kinda endearing when he looked so exited. It was like a kid on Christmas morning who knew what he was going to get before he opened the present.
"You're cute," she remarked with a happy glimmer in her eyes.
He gave her a bewildered look, but smiled back all the same.
"Where should we go first?"
She considered this. "The curator,"
"The curator," Ben agreed with a grin. "Good choice."
--
Riley stood outside of the D.C. school of social sciences looking up at it. It was a cool looking place, he had to admit. He had decided to drop his uncle back off at the store so that he could do this alone. It wasn't that his uncle wouldn't have been welcome company; it was more like he was afraid that the man would embarrass both himself and his nephew, or insult someone. Either way it was not the desired effect or impression he wanted to have on the college. Making his way into Constitution Hall, he observed the door numbers. Abigail had told him that Dr. Élan was on the third floor, room 302.
He soon discovered that Dr. Élan was a native of Egypt, and was definitely nothing like he had pictured in his head. Riley had pictured a stiff, well dressed and graying man in his later years with a gruff disposition but a good sense of humor. Instead, the man was about Riley's own height; with darkened skin that only comes from living somewhere in the Middle East, and he was young. The doctor looked to be about 34, and he definitely wasn't wearing the dress slacks and nice shirt. He wore jeans that fit him snuggly with a somewhat dressy whites shirt; un-tucked.
'Interesting,' Riley thought to him self. He gently rapped on the door frame and coughed, making his presence known. The man looked up from his desk and beckoned Riley forward.
"Dr. Elan," he began.
"If you're here to see your test grade, I'm sorry but I just haven't finished grading them. I have over 400 students you know." The young man (though a little older than Riley) said a little harshly in an accent that was more Americanized than Riley had imagined.
"No, I'm sorry sir. I'm not here about the test. I'm not even in your class,"
The teacher interrupted him yet again, not even bothering to look up; Riley was starting to become annoyed with him.
"Well then, if you're here about joining the class, there's no room left, but I can put your name on a list."
"Look up from your work for a second. Do I look like a student to you?" Riley asked in agitation.
He finally looked up, "Well…no. I guess you don't; well if you're not a student, what can I do for you?"
"My name is Riley Poole, and a mutual friend of ours- Abigail Gates, well I guess she was Abigail Chase up until recently,"
"Ahh," Dr. Élan said standing up, a smile lighting up his face. "Forgive me; I thought…well, you know what I thought. Please, please come, have a seat. Any friend of Abigail's is welcome here, Mr…. ah?"
"Poole, Riley Poole. Thank you," he answered sitting down and pulling out the document. He paused, curious, "How do you and Abigail know each other?"
"We met a long time ago, in high school," he replied in his heavily accented baritone. "We dated for a while actually,"
Riley coughed and began choking.
"Are you alright?" the professor asked in concern when he stopped.
"Yeah, sorry, I'm good. I was just…coughing. Anyways, Dr. Élan, I…"
"Please, call me Max." the man interrupted again.
Riley sighed in exaggeration, "Alright, Max. Wait, why Max?"
"Max" chuckled, "Well it's easier than trying to pronounce my full name, so I just tell people to call me Max. So, was there something I could do for you?"
Riley was cool, choosing to ignore the last comment; because wasn't it obvious he came here for a reason? "Yeah, I do actually. My Grandfather just passed away and found this document in his safety deposit box; I wasn't sure but I thought it was Egyptian and Abi said that you were my man for translation."
"May I see the document?" he queried, standing up and putting on some reading glasses.
Riley handed it to him, "I took an Egyptology class when I was younger, and I picked up a little bit of Ancient Egyptian, but not enough to be fluent. I think it says something about a prince (Again- the Egyptian equivalent) and betrayal."
"Max" nodded, but did not look up as he concentrated on the sheet before him. It was a good half an hour before the man looked up again, and Riley was bored out of his skull. He took to counting the tiles on the ceiling and noted that there was an irregularity in their formation. The fact that this fascinated him was proof positive of how bored he was.
Max had been scribbling on a notepad for a few minutes when he finally looked up, a somewhat confused look on his face. "I've finished translating this. And I must say, I have no idea why your grandfather would have such a document."
"What is it," Riley was immensely glad to have something other than the ceiling to focus on.
"Well, it's a…It's a manuscript that dates back to the earliest times of Egypt. To the third Pharaoh () I believe. It's a myth in Egyptian history, about the two princes who were born two years apart. There was an intense bond between the two, from a young age. Their names were Hafed and Seti. According to the legend, the younger of the two was obsessed with continuing to stay wealthy, and have the family be well liked and at the very least dominating. The older, well he was a dreamer. He was a romantic, and was a firm believer in the people. Even though the two were vastly different, they were best friends. Until one day, when their father died.
And…"
"Yeah, I know they Seti tried to kill Hafed for the throne, but the god Anubis cast accurse upon them for the greed they displayed. They both disappeared, and Egypt was thrown into war, I remember learning that in class. But experts on the subject called it a myth because there was no actual proof that either of the sons existed." Riley recalled.
"Yes, all of that was part of the legend, but from what I know, there's a lot of variation to it. There was even one variation that claimed that Seti was collecting treasures from the world when he went on crusades for his father, and that when Hafed kept the secret for his brother- all of the gods cursed them; not just Anubis. But there was never actual proof of their existence except by word of mouth and the occasional testament. But this, if this is validated it could be the missing key to what really happened! I would advise you to take it to a museum, the Cairo museum specifically."
Riley raised his eyebrows and frowned, "Go to Egypt?"
"This is possibly a priceless document Mr. Poole; I would suggest to you that it's the best thing to do." Dr. Élan said harshly.
"Well, I will consider it, Dr. Thank you for your help in this matter. I'll tell Abigail you say hello," Riley said, barely resisting the urge to run from the room. That guy was weird. He oddly reminded the young man of his two best friends: History buff, pushy, excited about anything in their category of knowledge, felt the need to explain every detail, distracted…Check, check, and check; that definitely described Ben at least. Abigail was a little less…Ben-like about it.
When he got into his bright red Ferrari, he failed to notice the car across the street with the two men who were staring intently at him, watching his every move. Riley also failed to notice the small micro chip tracking device attached to the back of his car, and that as soon as he pulled out the two men got out of their tan Cadillac and walked into the building. Up to the very room he had come from. But then again…why would he notice anything like that? It's not like he was expecting it.