DISCALIMER STILL…W/ Exception Of Rose…REVIEW!
Chapter 4: No Believers and No Declaration
"Is it really so hard to believe someone will steal the declaration of Independence!" Riley said frustrated. I was, too. Quite actually. "The FBI gets 10,000 tips a week. They're not going to worry about something they know is completely safe." Ben pointed out. We had been to the FBI, Homeland security. And lastly we were going to the archives. We sat down in a couple of chairs outside an office. "Dr. Chase is ready to see you now, Mr. Brown."
"Brown?" Riley asked bewildered. I looked away, ashamed we couldn't even use our real names. "Family name doesn't get a lot of respect in the academic community." Ben muttered. "Cut down by the man. Very cute man." Riley muttered. I bit my tongue so I wouldn't smile. Dr. Chase was a lithe blonde, woman. Very pretty, if you ask me. "Hello. Dr. Chase." Dr. Chase said holding her hand out for Ben to shake. "Paul Brown." Ben said. "Uh, I'm Mia Brown. And this is…Bill." I said, shaking her hand as well. She didn't extend a hand towards Riley. I smiled wryly. "Your accent, Pennsylvania Dutch?" Ben asked. What is he up to? "Saxony German," Dr. Chase claimed. "Your not American?" Riley asked. I sighed mentally. "I'm American I just wasn't born here. Please don't touch that." Ben was looking at her George Washington campaign button collection. "Sorry, neat collection. Missing the inaugural one though. I found one once…" Ben was not flirting with this woman. "That's very fortunate for you. Now you told my assistant this was an urgent matter?" Dr. Chase said trying to get on with it. "Ah, yes. Well, I'm just going to go straight out with it. The Declaration of Independence is going to be stolen." Ben said. She sat there staring at us blankly. "It's true." I spoke. "I think I should put you in touch with the FBI," She said reaching for the phone. "We've been there already." I said. "And?" She prompted. Riley spoke up, "They assured us the Declaration cannot possibly be stolen."
"They're right." Dr. Chase said. "However we're less certain, if we had the privilege of examining the document, we could tell you for sure if it is in any danger." Ben explained. Dr. Chase seemed curious. "What do you think you'll find?" She asked. "We believe there is…an inscription on the back." Ben tried to be sophisticated. "An inscription? Of what?" She asked still curious. "Of…choreograph." He cleared up. "A map. A map of what?" she asked. "A map to the location…of various items…of historical and intrinsic value." Ben said. "That's where we lost the FBI," Riley muttered. "You're treasure hunters aren't you? Well, Mr. Brown I have personally seen the back of The Declaration, and all it says is Original Declaration of Independence, dated-"
"Four of July 1776." Ben finished with her. I shook my head. There's no way that she'd believe that the map was invisible. Ben sighed. "It's invisible." He practically whispered. "And that's where we lost the department of homeland security." I whispered. She held back her laughter. She went on, "What led you to assume there's an invisible map on the back?" She asked still biting back her laughter. I guess it did sound funny, even to me. "An engraving on the stem of a two-hundred year old pipe." I said pointedly. "May I see the pipe?" She asked. Riley spoke up, "We…don't have it." she leaned forward. "Did Bigfoot take it?" She asked. We stood. "It was nice meeting you. That is a really nice collection you have there." Ben said. "Nice meeting you too," Dr. Chase practically whispered. We walked out toward the archives display area. Riley and I followed Ben over to The Declaration of Independence. "I was thinking we could go public. You know, put the story all over the internet. It's not like we have our reputations to worry about." Riley said. "I don't think that would exactly scare Ian away." I pointed out. Ben ignored our ideas, and comments. "Ten years of searching, and I'm three feet away." Ben whispered. "Of all the lines here, there's one at the heart of them all." Ben read my personal favorite line in the document. It was so beautiful. "Beautiful." Riley muttered. "I have no idea what you just said." he added. "It means if there's something wrong, then those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action." I explained. "People don't really talk like that." Riley said. "They think like that though," I noted. Ben took another look at it. "I'm going to steal it. I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence." Ben murmured. I stood there shocked as he walked out. "Ben!" I called. "Wait! Ben!" Riley shouted. He walked out towards the Washington monument. Riley and I sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. "This is huge. Prison, huge. You do know you're going to prison?" Riley asked. "Probably," Ben agreed. I rolled my eyes. "It bothers most people…" Riley added. Ben shrugged. "Ben, you can't do this. It's like…, like stealing a national monument. Like stealing him!" Riley pointed at the statue of Honest Abe. "None less it shouldn't be done- it can't be done." I nodded in agreement. "Here, let me show you." Riley started off.
We ended up in the library of Congress. The biggest library in the world, over 10 million books. Riley repeated my thoughts, but added to the end of, "Over 10 million books all saying the same thing; listen to Riley." This snapped Ben and my attention over to him. "Here we have an entire layout of the Archives. Builders blueprints, plumbing and sewage, etc. Now, when the Declaration is on display it's behind two inches of bullet proof glass, with heat sensors, security cameras, security guards, and little families from Iowa. When it's not on display, it's lowered into a thick concrete vault, equipped with lock and password." He said. "You know Thomas Edison tried and failed over 2,000 times to make a light bulb. And when asked he said, I didn't fail, I simply found out 2,000 ways not to make a light bulb." Ben quoted. I frowned. "Edison?" I asked. "Here's our way. The preservation room." Ben pulled a book up from by him. "Go ahead. Enjoy." Ben encouraged Riley and me. "Do you know what the preservation room is for?" Ben asked. "Delicious jams and jellies?" Riley guessed. "No, it's where all documents are repaired and restored. Now the best time for us to get it is this Friday night, when all the security is focused on the VIPs upstairs." Ben explained. "The preservation room…?" I muttered flipping through the pages. Riley and I looked up. "This might be possible." I said. "It might." Ben replied.
When we got back to our apartment we made plans for Friday. "Okay, so Ben, you get the photo ID and go in as a maintenance worker. Then get into you're tux. Get that babe's-"
"Dr. Chase, you weirdo. By the way she's way out of your league." I corrected smiling. He glared at me and continued. "Get her fingerprints, and get into that preservation room." Riley turned to me. "You're staying here." Ben beat Riley to it. Riley frowned. "Ben, she's got to help-"
"Set up the-"
"Declaration testing environment. Fine." I snapped. I didn't like it but I had a plan. Finally it was Thursday. "I'm going to get the stuff to make that fingerprint mixture ingredients that you told me about." Ben said. Now was my chance. "Alright. I'll come. Drop me off at Tiger Lily's boutique." I said. It was only a block away from where he had to go anyways. Ben was a little nervous so he didn't ask why, thankfully. I was dropped off and bought the dress I needed. I got a gray knee-length dress, with one sleeve. Which had few brown jewels on it, it hugged my body perfectly. I also bought a pair of gleaming black tall, like 4" tall, high heels. I put my stuff in the back of my closet when I got home. I helped Ben with the finger print stuff, we learned in science last year. It was really nice to know actually. They really shouldn't teach us this for this purpose and now they were going to realize their back fire. I set up the environment after pizza and soda and stale chips accidentally that Riley ate, (they were vinegar anyways, I hate those chips how would I know their expiration date?) I was done in about 10-15 minutes. I smiled mischievously and grabbed Ben's house key. I put on the dress, and shoes and out the door I went. I walked to the gala, it took me about another 5 minutes, or a two minute drive. I walked up to the front doors with my silver shiny clutch and the key. "Hi," I said sweetly to match my smile I had an innocent look in my eyes, " My mom forgot her key to our apartment as I was going to my friend's cousin's wedding." I said to explain my outfit. "Name?" He asked. "Chase, Abigail." I said. "Go right on in sweetie." I smiled. "Thanks."
I put my clutch through security explained as they checked my name on the list. I walked into the and up to Dr. Chase, about a minute before Ben. "Hi, have you seen-"
"Mia, what are you doing here?" Ben asked. I smiled warmly. "Well, I was going to Jane's cousin Addie's wedding, remember? And I saw you left your house key." I said handing it to him.
Mmmm, shorty had those apple bottom jeans (jeans) boots with the fur, (with the fur) the whole club was looking at her! She hit the floor she hit the floor next thing you know, shorty got low, low, low, low, low!
The timer on my cell phone went off, playing Low, by Jimmy Jones. "Oh, I have to take this it's my ride." I said. "Hello?" I waited. Ben stared at me in half- shock, half fury. "Really? Oh, I'm sorry. Well, it's okay. Thanks for calling, Jane. Feel better." More waiting. "Yup, okay. Bye." I said pretending to hang up. "That was Jane. She has food poisoning so I can't go, because she was sort of my invite." I explained. "You'll just have to stay here with me then, huh? Alright." He said. He was still angry, but didn't show it. I smiled a little to sweetly. Ben made a toast grabbing the glass with Dr. Chase's fingerprints. I smiled. Until I heard the toast. "If they hadn't done so, they would have been hanged, beaten,-oh, and my personal favorite-, had their antrill's cut out and burned." Ben toasted. Dr. Chase looked like she was about to be sick, and Stan her boyfriend looked disgusted. "Cheers…?" They said in unison. I shook my head sadly. I saw that Ben was thinking. Probably of a way to ditch me. If he left me here, and was caught, Dr. Chase would probably find me and put me in custody. "Well, good night." Ben said after draining his glass. I followed him. "I can't believe you came." He muttered. "You shouldn't-"
"Have come, you don't know the consequences. Blah, Blah, Blah. I know. So I came!" I explained in a mimicking tone, but ending in my voice. He sighed angrily, and stopped. "Fine, just stay with me." He said stiffly. He started walking. I smiled and followed him laughing. "What are you wearing anyways?" Ben asked in the elevator. "It's just a dress don't have a cow." I rolled my eyes. "This way." I said, he was right behind me. Or so I thought. My high heels clicked to a stop. "Damn it! It's locked…" My stomach lurched at the sound of that crisp familiar voice. Shaw. Which meant; Ian. I looked over at Ben for an answer, but he wasn't there. Damn it! I wouldn't be able to get out of here without being spotted. Would he recognize me, though? He saw sweaty me, freezing her ass of me, and-screw it- he even saw terrified me. I now had my hair in a bun, was about 4" taller with the high heels and was wearing a dress, and even a touch of make up. "Just go over to the other damn side and get it, you idiots!" I heard. Yup, Ian. I quickly did my best power walk in high heels. I kept my eyes down. I decided to get a head start. I forgot to take my noisy shoes off, so when click, clack! I silently cursed. I Was about to bend down, to take off my noisy shoes, when I heard a- "Get her!" I broke into a high-heel-run. "B-Paul!" I called. I called when he saw me he exhaled grateful to the lord he found me. But then he saw Ian. "Rose, get down!" He called. pew! Bam! Ping! Gun shots rang against the glass of the declaration. He clearly didn't have time so he took it all, thankfully it was a great shield. For him. A gun was pointed at me. I heard shots coming my way but thankfully they were in haste and it was so shocking, the person holding the gun, had terrible aim. I made my way over to Ben, and pressed the elevator button. He unwrapped the declaration in the elevator. "Thank god!" I exclaimed. "This is one of the many reasons-"
"Spare me." I claimed. He glared at me. When out of the elevator declaration hidden in his jacket, he tried to go back to the gala. I stopped him though. "Gift shop. Chase alert." I murmured. He nodded. I looked at weird souvenirs, and saw she was gone. I nodded but- "Are you trying to steal that?" I glanced back. Ben was talking to the lady. I saw he was covered, so I scurried out. I walked up to Riley in the van. "What are you- how did you-…?"
"Long story. Ben's coming." I said. Riley just noticed, how much of a girl I looked like. "Nice dress. How do you live in those shoes?" He asked. "Thanks, and I'm a woman. We're tough. Beauty is pain, Riley." I said, smiling. I saw Ben coming out of the archives. Riley and I noticed something, but Riley was the only one Ben could hear. "Uh…Ben the…mean declaration lady's behind you…" He explained. A few moments passed. "Stop chatting, and get in the van." Riley said through grit teeth. I climbed into the front. I caught them in mid-conversation when I started listening. "What's that?" Dr. Chase asked. Crap. "It's a souvenir." Ben explained. Nice cover. Alarms blared from the archives. "Oh, my God! You did not! Oh, my god. Security! Security, over here!" Dr. Chase shouted. "It's yours." I heard Ben say. "What?" I exclaimed. Riley put his hand over my mouth, why did it taste like metal/plastic? "Go!" Ben shouted as he got in the back, Riley removed his hand. "We can't! She has the declaration!" I shouted. "We can. Now go! Wait! Stop! Bad, bad, bad." Ben replied. Ian's men stopped short, and picked up Dr. Chase. "Oh, my God!" Shots rang out towards the van. I squealed, "Duck!" Riley yelled as though it weren't obvious already. We got Ben back in the car, and went off fast. "Follow them!" He said. "No, really?" I muttered sarcastically. "Get me next to her." He said. Riley did as told. I held on for dear life. "Ben! Look out!" I hollered. A bus came blazing between, Ben and Abigail. I heard a woman's scream. Ben and Dr. Chase fell in to the back of our van. "Are you okay?" Ben asked. "No! Those men- They have the declaration!" she shouted. "Are you alright?"
"Little on edge from being shot at, but I'll be alright." Riley said. "Those men- you can't let them get away!" She shouted. "Are you hungry?" Ben asked. "What?" Abigail and I asked totally confused. "Those men have the declaration!" She exclaimed again. "No, they don't we do." Ben said. It was in the van the whole time? Ugh, come on Ben! "They got a duplicate." He explained. "And that was some money. So you owe me for the duplicate. $35, plus tax." He said. I snickered. "Genius." I muttered. "Give me that!" She shouted. "Stop shouting, please. If you would be a little more civilized Dr. Chase, we're trying to think."
"God Verdammt! Give me that!" Abigail shouted. "No. And you're still shouting." Ben responded. "Pretty sure she was swearing too." Riley observed. "Well we probably deserve that." I said. "You can't seriously think you're going to run chemical tests on the back of the Declaration of Independence in the back of a moving van." Dr. Chase said. "We have a clean room environment set up. STDS, everything, the whole shebang." Riley told Abigail. "We do right?" Riley muttered to me. I sighed. "Yes. We do, you can trust me." I pointed out, taking mock offense. "We can't go back." Ben told us. "What? Why not?" I asked. "I had to use a credit card." Ben muttered. "A credit card slip?! Dude we're on the grid! They're going to have your records from forever! They're going to have my records, R-!"
"Mine." I said. Though it probably didn't matter if our names were spilled. "You know what. I take it back, you're not liars; you're insane." Dr. Chase said. "That's been said. And it's very possible." I muttered. "Listen, everything I told you was the truth, I level with you 100%." Ben told her. "I want that document Mr. Brown." She repeated. "My name's not Brown. It's gates, I level with you 98%." He corrected. "Gates? You're the family with that conspiracy theory about the founding fathers!" She exclaimed. "It's not a conspiracy theory." I said. I knew it wasn't, though sometimes I did have my doubts. "Per say." Riley muttered. "You know, Riley take right. Get off the road." Ben instructed. Soon we were parked on the grass. "We need those letters." Ben told us. I knew he was talking about the Silence Do-good letters. "Well, not to be a…nudge but, we probably have our own satellite by now." Riley said. I elbowed him. "He's thinking." I muttered. "You have the original Silence Do-good letters? Did you steal those too?" Abigail asked. "I have scans, now quiet please." Ben replied. Honestly, too. "How did you get scans?" She asked, thrown off. "I know the person that has the originals. Now shush." Ben said. "Why do you need them?" She asked quietly. I laughed. "She really can't shut her mouth can she?" Ben asked us. I smiled. "We're women. That's not possible." I replied. Dr. Chase gave me a look. "I'm Rose. Not…what was it? Mia. He's actually Ben, and that's Riley, though Bill does suit him." I said. She nodded frowning. "Here, you can hold onto this if you promise to shut. Up." Ben said, handing her the declaration. I smiled. "Ben, we have to go." Riley said. "I know, but I never thought I'd have to tell my dad about it." He said. Then Abigail broke into a run. My eyes widened. Ben caught her. "Hey, not cool." He said. He go the declaration anyways. "Let me go!" Ben did so. "Fine, you're let go. Go, shoo." He said. "I'm not going. Not without the declaration." Abigail stated. "Well, you're not going with declaration-you're not coming with us. Rose actually shouldn't have." He said. "You're really still mad?" I asked. "If you didn't want me to come you shouldn't have told me where you're going." Abigail said. I slammed my head on the back of the van. When we finally arrived at Grandpa's place he opened the door, "Where's the party?" He asked. "Dad, can we uh…come in?" Ben asked. "Is she pregnant?" He asked. My eyes widened. I smiled. "No, dad. Abigail's not pregnant." Ben said. I choked back on laughter. Until granddad's next question, "Did this yahoo get Rosie pregnant?" He demanded. "I-" I began to protest.
"Well if he did we aren't just gonna let Rose stand out in the cold are we?" Ben stopped me. I felt my jaw open but clenched it not wanting to spoil Ben's 'plan'. I noticed Riley pale out my peripheral vision as well. Well this was going great so far!