AN: I still don't own National Treasure. Only unfamiliar characters are mine. Although I do fantasize about dating Justin Bartha. Which probably doesn't count.

Chapter 2
Letters

"Okay. It says here, right on page 122 of The Templar Treasure, written by me, Riley Poole, that the Kennedy family was rumored to have a treasure. Originally buried at the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, it is unknown why it was moved. Clues to the location of said treasure have been hidden in places associated with the Kennedys, often in plain sight. The most notable clue is the famous eternal flame at the grave of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery."

"Riley," Ben began. "Everyone knows Jackie placed the eternal flame there because the flame at France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier inspired her."

"That's what the family wanted the public to think," Riley said. "But insider sources have revealed that the eternal flame is part of a bigger conspiracy: the legendary Kennedy treasure."

Abigail blinked. "I made a couple photocopies of the letter," she said. "Why don't we examine it?" She handed a piece of paper to Ben and one to Riley.

May 12, 1963

Dear Bobby,

I've been thinking a lot about the treasure that Dad told us about when we were kids. I know it used to be buried on the Cape, but it was moved a couple years ago, and even Mom forgot where it is. All she could tell me was one sentence: Happy days are here again. Then she gave me a record and told me to play it in reverse. The record was Roosevelt's campaign song, "Happy Days."

Bobby, what do you think this means? I'm really stumped. I've played it backwards multiple times but it's all gibberish. Does Mom want to throw us off or something like that? This treasure is a family legend. Could you help me?

Jack

"'Happy days are here again'?" Riley mused. "Ben, do you have that record?"

"Somewhere around here," Ben said. He disappeared into the basement.

Ben hadn't been gone for two minutes when the doorbell rang. Riley jumped up to answer it. It turned out to be the mailman. Riley opened the door.

"I have a letter here for a Mr. Riley Poole," said the man.

"That would be me," Riley said.

"Have a nice day, Mr. Poole," the man said, and climbed back into his truck and drove away.

Ben, who had come upstairs with the Roosevelt record, had been watching from the living room. "Hey Riles, what's that?"

"I don't know, I haven't opened it yet."

Ben stared at his friend. "When I said that, it was kind of a thinly veiled way of saying 'open the darn thing.'"

"Okay, okay, I get it."

Riley tore into the envelope and produced a piece of computer paper.

"Read it," Ben demanded.

"You could at least say please," Riley retorted.

"Fine. Please read it."

Dear Riley,

I've idolized you ever since you helped find the Templar treasure. And when I heard you helped find the City of Gold, I almost passed out. My name is Katie Stewart, and I work for the Political Americana shop over on Pennsylvania Avenue, near the Canadian embassy. I have newspaper articles featuring you all over my work space, and I won a signed copy of your amazing book off of an online auction site.

Okay, I admit I'm babbling. This is kind of random, but I want to meet you. Would you mind lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe near Ford's Theatre on Wednesday afternoon? I will admit this is really awkward (believe me, it's even more awkward for me writing this) but you are my hero and I need a chance to meet you face to face. My number is 555-2424.

Hope to see you on Wednesday.

Sincerely,

Katie Stewart

Riley finished reading the letter and could only be described as speechless. "Okay...there's a girl, and she wants to meet me. She says I'm her hero."

"You're her hero? What is she on?"

"Hey!"

"Sorry. It's just that, I'm usually the hero of people. You...not so much."

"I'm perfectly aware of that, Ben."

"Now come on, let's take care of this record thing."

Abigail had dragged out an ancient record player. "Here it is," she said with a smile.

"Let's do this."

Ben put the record onto the turntable and set it up so it would play backwards. "Eright, here goes," Ben said strangely.

The record began to play. Ben sat down on the couch with a legal pad and began to take down notes.

"JFK was right, Ben. It's gibberish."

"Shhh. I'm trying to concentrate."

"On what??"

Ben gave Riley a look that shut him up instantly.

When the record ended, Riley asked to see what Ben had written down. "Probably a drawing of a UFO or something, since the record was complete gibberish."

But when Riley read Ben's notes, he realized that he had been extremely wrong.

"'Light our country...all who serve it...the glow from that fire can truly light the world.' This sounds vaguely familiar," Riley observed.

"Of course it sounds familiar," Abigail put in. "It's a line from JFK's inaugural address."

"And the fire must allude to the eternal flame at JFK's grave!!" Ben exclaimed.

"Yes! I love it when I'm right," Riley grinned.

AN: The character of Katie Stewart is based off of me. I have an enormous crush on Riley.