Part 10
Katie clutched at Abby's hand as they traversed the tunnels. Abby, just as fearful, kept a firm hold on her hand. That sense that something bad was going to happen washed over the two of them. The two girls were polar opposites. Katie was athletic, Abby was artistic. Katie was tall, Abby was short. Katie was quiet, Abby was loud. But in this case, their cautious, studious natures took over and they were on guard.
When they finally arrived at the staircase, Etta looked out in awe. This surprised everyone because she was rarely in awe of anything.
"Here, help me with this." Ben said, motioning towards the chandelier. Katie moved to help him, staring downward at the stairway.
"Are those elevators?" Etta asked.
"How did a bunch of guys with hand tools build all this?" Shaw asked.
"The same way they built the pyramids and the Great Wall of China." Ben said.
"Yeah," Riley nodded. "The aliens helped them."
Abby almost laughed but she was still too nervous.
"Alright. What are we waiting for?" Ian asked.
"I'm not going out on that thing." The elder Gates objected. "200 years of termite damage and rot."
"Dad, do what he says." Ben said firmly.
"Watch your step." Katie warned. A loud tremor shook the structure making Abby clutch the rail fearfully.
"What was that?" she whined.
"Subway?" Etta reasoned.
"The restaurant?" Erica asked. Trust Erica to be joking in a situation like this.
"Oy! This one's got a gun!" Shaw shouted, drawing his own weapon.
"PLAN B!" Erica shouted.
Abby, who happened to be the unlucky one, grabbed Ian's wrist. She pulled the knife from her back pocket as Ian reared back for a punch. She leaned forward, plunging the knife into his left shoulder, his punch glancing off her own.
Behind her, Katie and Erica double teamed Powell. Kicking, punching, and hitting. Erica even bit him in the forearm.
Etta had drawn her gun, ready to shoot but as she took aim, the floorboards under Shaw's feet gave way. The wooden stairway began to give way and crumble. Etta jumped, landing onto a jutting platform
"Jump!" she shouted. Katie shook with fear as she leapt, landing awkwardly close to the edge. Erica jumped right after her and the two collided, sending them both flying into the abyss below.
"NO!" Etta cried, looking down. By some miracle, Katie managed to grab a hold of another platform. Erica crash landed on the elevator platform next to Ian.
Riley and Abby tumbled down as the stairs gave way and were somehow able to land near Abigail and Katie on the level below.
"I never want to do that again." Katie breathed. Ben came running over
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I dropped you. I had to save the Declaration." Ben said quickly.
"No, don't be. I would have done exactly the same thing to you." Abigail said.
"Really?" Ben asked.
"I would've dropped you both." Riley spoke up.
"Freaks." Abby muttered.
"Ian, it's not worth it." Ben said sternly.
"Do you imagine any one of your lives is more valuable to me than Shaw's?" Ian asked, sending the girls a look of pure hatred. "We go on."
"The status quo. Keep the status quo." Ben's father said, leading them onto the elevator. Ian stopped the machine and waited for everyone to get off.
"This can't be it." He growled. The room around them was empty. Nothing but silvery cobwebs and golden dust littered the room.
"Where is the treasure?" Powell asked.
"Well?" Ian snapped.
"This is it?" Riley asked dubiously, "We came all this way for a dead end?"
"Yes." Ben said. And for the first time he sounded truly defeated.
"There has got to be something more." Riley said.
"No, there are no more clues! That's it! It's over! End of the road! The treasure's gone, moved, taken somewhere else." Ben yelled.
"You're not playing games with me Ben? You don't know where it is?" Ian asked.
"No." Ben replied.
"OK. Go." Powell began to raise the elevator.
"Wait a minute!" Ben called.
"Hold up!" Erica cried, "You can't leave us here."
"Yes I can. Unless Ben tells me the next clue."
"There's not another clue." Ben affirmed.
"Ian, wait. Listen, why don't you come back down here and we can talk through this together." Riley suggested. Ian drew his gun and trained it on the speaker.
"Don't speak again." Ian snarled.
"Hey! Get that gun off of him!" Abby snapped. She turned to tell Riley to back into the room and out of range.
That's when the gun went off.