"Is it really so hard to believe that someone's gonna try to steal the Declaration Of Independence? "Riley asked in frustration.

"The FBI get over 10,000 tips a week they're not gonna worry about something they're sure is safe. "Ben finished.

"But anyone that can do something is gonna think we're crazy. Anyone crazy enough to believe us isn't gonna want to help. "Riley said.

"Can't believe I'm saying this but Riley's right. "I said.

"Thank you!" Riley exclaimed.

"We don't need someone crazy. But one step short of crazy what do you get? "Ben asked. Riley and I looked at each other.

"Obsessed. "we said.

"Passionate. "Ben said matter-of-factly.

*In National Archives*

"Dr. Chase will see you now Mr. Brown." the receptionist said.

"Brown?" Riley asked.

" You know my family doesn't get any respect in the academic community. "Ben said.

"Huh. Being kept down by the man. "Riley said.

We walked in and found a blonde haired woman.

"A very CUTE man." Riley muttered.

I elbowed him in the side. "Good afternoon. "she said.

"Hi. "Ben said.

"Abigail Chase. "she said.

"Paul Brown. "Ben said.

"Hayley Brown. "I said.

"B-bill. "Riley said unsure.

"Nice to meet you Bill. How may I help you?" she asked.

"Oh your accent. Pennsylvania Dutch? "Ben asked.

"Saxony German. "she corrected.

"You're not American ?"Riley asked.

"Oh, I am an American. I just wasn't born here. Please don't touch that! "she exclaimed to Ben who was looking at a pin collection.

"Sorry. A neat collection. George Washington's Campaign buttons. You're missing the 1789 inaugural though. I found one once. "Ben said.

"That's very fortunate for you. Now you told my assistant that this was an urgent matter. "she said.

"Yes ma'am. "Ben said taking a seat.

"I'm gonna get straight to the point. Someone's gonna try to steal the Declaration Of Independence. "Ben said.

"It's true. "Riley said.

"Maybe I should get you three in touch with the FBI. "she said.

"We've already been to the FBI. "Ben said.

"And?" Abigail asked.

"They assured us that the Declaration cannot possibly be stolen. "Riley said.

"They're right. "she said.

"My friends and I are less certain .Although if we were given the privilege to examine the document. We could infact be able to tell you if it were in any danger. "Ben said.

"And what do you think you will find ?"she asked.

"We believe there is an . . . . .inscription on the back. "Ben said.

"An inscription like a code?" Abigail asked.

"Yes ma'am. "Ben answered.

"Of what?" she asked.

"A. . . . .cartograph. "Ben said.

"A-a map? "Abigail asked.

"Yes." Ben said.

"A map of what?" she asked.

"The location of. .ahem. . hidden items of historic and intrinsic value. "Ben said.

"A treasure map? "she asked.

"That's where we lost the FBI. "Riley said.

"You're treasure hunters aren't you?"she asked.

"We're more like treasure protectors."Ben corrected.

"Mr. Brown. I have personally seen the back of the Declaration and all it says is 'Original Declaration Of Independence. Dated. . "she said.

"July ma'am "Ben cut her off.

"But no map. "she said.

We looked at each other and Riley shook his head a little. "It's invisible. "Ben said.

"And that's where we lost the Department Of Homeland Security. "Riley said.

"What led you to assume there is this invisible map? "Abigail asked.

"We found an engraving on the stem of a 200 year-old pipe. "Ben said.

"May I see the pipe? "Abigail asked.

"W-we don't have it. "Riley said.

She bent over the desk." Did bigfoot take it?" she asked.

"It was nice meeting you. "Ben said getting up.

"Nice meeting you to. "Abigail said.

"You know that really is a nice collection. Must've taken you a long time to hunt down all that history. "Ben said pointing to her collection.

*In The Museum*

"If it's any constellation you had me convinced. "Riley said as we walked into the museum.

"It's not. "Ben said looking over the Declaration.

"I was thinking. What if we go public? Plaster the story all over the internet? It's not like we have our reputations to worry about although I don't think that's exactly gonna scare Ian away. "Riley said.

"180 years of searching, and I'm three feet away. Of all the words written here about freedom, there's a line here that's at the heart of all the others. 'But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security. 'People don't talk that way anymore. "Ben said.

"Beautiful huh?" I asked.

"I have, no idea what you just said. "Riley asked.

"It means, If there's something wrong, those with ability to do something have the responsibility to do something.I'm gonna steal it. "Ben muttered.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm gonna steal the Declaration Of Independence. "Ben repeated walking away.

"Uh Ben! " Riley yelled running after him with me close behind.

*Outside of the Museum*

"This is. . . .huge. Prison. . .huge. You are gonna go to prison, you know that right? "Riley asked.

"Yeah probably. "Ben answered.

"That bothers most people. "I said.

"Ian's gonna try and steal it .And if he succeeds he'll destroy the Declaration. The fact is, that the only way to protect the declaration is to steal it. It's upside down. I don't think there's a choice. "Ben said.

"Ben! For God's sake! It's like stealing a national monument. It's like stealing to him!"Riley said pointing to The Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial."It can't be done. Not that 'it shouldn't be done'. "It can't be done. "Riley said.

"I'm sorry Ben. I gotta go with Riley on this. "I said.

"Let us prove it to you. "Riley said.

*Library Of Congress*

"Ok Ben. Pay attention. We have brought you to the Library of Congress. Why? Because it is the biggest library in the world. Over 20,0000 books. And they're all saying the exact same thing. 'Listen to Cassadee and Riley 'What we have here, my friend is an entire layout of the archives. Short of builders' blueprints. You've got construction orders, phone lines, water and sewage. It's all here. Now, when the Declaration is on display, ok, it is surrounded by guards and video monitors and a little family from Iowa. and little kids on their eighth-grade field trip. And beneath an inch of bulletproof glass is an army of heat monitors that will go off if anyone gets to close with a high fever. Now, when it's not on display, it is lowered into a four-foot-thick, concrete, steel-plated vault. That just so happens to be equipped with an electronic combination lock and biometric access-denial systems. "Riley said.

"You know, Thomas Edison tried and failed nearly 2000 time to develop the carbonized cotton-thread filament for the incandescent light bulb. "Ben said.

"Edison? "Riley and I asked.

"When asked about it, he said. 'I didn't fail. I found 2000 ways not to make a light bulb. But I only needed one way to make it work. The Preservation Room. Enjoy. Go ahead. "Ben said.

"Do you know what the Preservation Room is for?" Ben asked.

"Delicious jams and jellies? "Riley asked.

I laughed only to be shushed by the librarian.

"No. That's where they clean, repair, and maintain all the documents, and storage housings when they're not on display or in the vault. Now, when the case needs work. They take it out of the vault, directly across the hall and into the Preservation Room. The best time for us, or Ian, to steal it would be during the Gala this weekend when the guards are distracted by the VIP's upstairs. But we'll make our way down to the Preservation Room where there is much less security. "Ben said.

"Well if Ian. . .Preservation. . . .This might be possible. "Riley said.

"The Gala, huh? "I asked

"Yes. "Ben answered