Let go to the next scene since nothing interesting happens until we get back in the good old, and warm, USA except a long (and well made up if she did say so herself) story on her life. Luckily Ben and Riley believed her and she had taken up temporary residence on Ben's lumpy couch.
Thankfully that was one off the few things under one hundred years old in his house. Everything from tables and chairs to the mirror in the bathroom were antiques from the 1930s at the latest.
Clothing, now that was an issue. All she had was her Save Carson Beckett T-shirt and a pair of jeans and tennis shoes. He had taken her to Target and after about ten minutes of watching her pick out shirts, jackets, and other articles of clothing he disappeared. She also took the liberty of picking out a rather nice pale lavender skirt and flouncy white top to wear to the Gala. No way was she going to wait in the van with Riley while all the fun stuff was happening inside. He was funny and all but its not like he cracked jokes the entire time he was waiting. She had finally caught up with Ben in the books, no surprise there.
But man did Ben have an amazing book collection. Rachel loved old books. She had her prized one hundred year old French reader that she got for about $2.00 at a flea marked in...well Washington DC, kind of where she was now.
Anyway back to the story you know...
Ben, Riley and Rachel were walking out of the FBI building, they had failed yet again.
"Is it really so hard to believe that someones gonna try to steal the Declaration of Independence?" Riley stated. You know when you've watched this movie as many times as she had that line really started to get annoying, especially faced with the failure to convince yet another government office.
"Apparently." she scoffed.
"The FBI gets a thousand tips a week. They're not gonna worry about something they're sure is safe. "
"But anyone that can do anything is gonna think we're crazy. Anyone crazy enough to believe us isn't gonna want to help. "
"We don't need someone crazy. But one step short of crazy, what do you get? " Yet another moment to please Ben.
"Obsessed." Riley said with a bit of a laugh in his voice.
"Passionate." Both she and Ben said in unison...this is going to be a long movie...story.
He turned to her. "Stop that, its getting really weird."
"Sorry."
So off to their next stop, a fair walk away. The National Archives.
They had been waiting outside Dr. Chase's office for awhile. it didn't look it in the movie but it really was.
Finally...
"Dr Chase can see you now, Mr Brown. " The secretary told them.
"Thank you." Ben said, smiling politely.
"Mr. Brown?" Riley asked.
"The family name doesn't get a lot of respect in the academic community."
"Huh. Being kept down by the man." Just then, on cue they stepped inside and saw that Dr. Chase was in fact a woman. (though to anyone who saw the movie, DUH) "A very cute man. "
"Riley shush." She said and slapped him on his chest with the back of her hand. She had always wondered if Abigail had hear Riley say that or not. Perhaps she would ask her later in the story.
"Thank you." Abigail said and hung up the phone."Good afternoon, Abigail Chase."
If this wasn't a deja-vu moment nothing was.
"Paul Brown. This is my daughter..." Hm, daughter, interesting concept.
"Samantha." She answered quickly. Abigail shook her hand.
"Uh, Bill." Riley said, flashing her a dorky smile in the process.
"Nice to meet you Bill." She sat back down behind her desk."How may I help you? "
"Your accent. Pennsylvania Dutch? " He was trying to make conversation.
"Saxon German." Rachel mumbled right as Abigail said the same thing.
"Your not American."
"Oh, I am an American. I just wasn't born here. Please don't touch that! " She nearly yelled.
"Sorry. A neat collection. George Washington's campaign buttons. You're missing the1789 inaugural, though. I found one once. "
"That's very fortunate for you. Now, you told my assistant that this was an urgent matter. "
Ug this was not going to go well.
"Yes, ma'am. Well, I'm gonna get straight to the point. Someones gonna steal the Declaration of Independence. "
"Its true." Riley added.
Abigail made an 'oh' face. "I think I'd better put you gentlemen in touch with the FBI. "
"Oh we've been to the FBI. They assured us that the Declaration can't possibly be stolen." Rachel rattled off waving her hand around lazily.
"They're right."
"My friend and I..."
Rachel gave him a look.
"And my daughter, are less certain."
"However, if we were given the privilege of examining the document... we would be able to tell you for certain if it were actually in any danger."
Ha, like the mean Declaration lady was going to agree to that.
What do you think you're gonna find? " She asked with a slight smirk as in 'I know theres nothing there your all just some more conspiracy theorists.'
"We believe that there's an... encryption on the back. "
"An encryption, like a code?"
So the long conversation begins
"Yes, ma'am. "
"Of what?"
"A... cartograph." Ben was fidgeting in his seat by this time.
"A map." Abigail said patiently. She really was good at dealing with people like, well how she thought they were.
"Yes, ma'am."
"A map of what?"
"The location of..."
"...of hidden items of historic and intrinsic value." Rachel finished for him.
"A treasure map?"
"That's where we lost the FBI." Riley said.
"You're treasure-hunters, aren't you?"
She smacked her palm against her head.
"We're more like treasure-protectors."
"Mr Brown, I have personally seen the back of the Declaration of Independence, and I promise you, the only thing there is a notation that reads, "Original Declaration of Independence, dated... "
"Four of July, 1776." Yes, ma'am. "
"But no map. "
He looked over at Riley and Rachel. Riley just hung his head. She gave him a nervous smile.
"It's invisible. " He finally ended.
"Oh! Right. " Abigail said. There was that smile again.
"And that's where we lost the Department of Homeland Security." She said from behind her hands that were now over her face.
"What led you to assume there's this invisible map?"
"We found an engraving on the stem of a 200 year old pipe."
"Owned by Freemasons. " Riley stuck in.
"May I see the pipe? " She said, leaning back and crossing her arms.
"We don't have it."
"Did Big Foot take it?"
She couldn't take it anymore, that line was the best line the way she said it. She burst out laughing. Everyone in the room looked at her.
"Sorry." She mumbled.
"It was nice meeting you." Ben said, getting up. Rachel and Riley followed suit.
"Nice to meet you, too."
"And, you know, that really is a nice collection. Must have taken you a long time to hunt down all that history. "
They left her office and went back down to the display area. The three stood, looking over the document. The writing so faded she was nearly unable to read it.
"If it's any consolation, you had me convinced. 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 lan away."
"Not really...and do you know how many stories are over the Internet, not many people with influence would believe it."
"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 any more. "
"Beautiful, huh? No idea what you said."
"It means, if there's something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action." Woo score one more for Rachel, after this Ben might just adopt her.
"I'm gonna steal it." Ben said finally and started to walk away.
"What?" Riley said in disbelief.
"We're gonna steal the Declaration of Independence." She said, following Ben. Leaving Riley by the case with a wonderful look of confusion on his face.
"Uh Ben, Rachel." He said and ran after them.
Okay, this one was a bit bare in my opinion, there just isn't much for Rachel to do, I promise the fourth chapter will be better. But it may take a bit longer than a week. We'll see.
Anyway thanks for sticking with me and don't forget to press that little button and drop me a review.
