Treasure Hunters: A National Treasure Fanfiction

Prologue

Grandpa slept soundly in his armchair before the fire this stormy night.  Ben crept out of the room and down the hall to the staircase leading up to the attic.  With Grandpa asleep now was the time. 

Taking a flashlight with him he started slowly up the staircase, trying to walk as quietly as possible.

Ben jumped when he heard a creak on the stairs behind him and threw a panicked look over his shoulder. It wasn't Grandpa though.  It was Alex.

"Bennnnn!" she cried accusingly, her voice a high-pitched whisper. "You're not supposed to go up there! You know that! Grandpa said we're not allowed up here."

"I just want to see," Ben said.

"But Grandpa said-"

"I know what Grandpa said," Ben interrupted.  "But I'm still going to look. Now shh, or you'll wake him."

His sister looked as though she was about to protest again, but instead walked up the stairs to join him.  "Fine.  But I'm coming too."

"You're too young."

"Am not! You'd better let me come or I'll tell Grandpa!"

"Fine," Ben sighed.

The siblings crept up to the attic.  When Ben pushed open the door it made a loud creak.  Both winced.  A flash of lightning lit the cluttered space for a moment before all was dark again.  Ben turned on his flashlight.

"Do you think there's ghosts up here?" whispered Alex.

"I don't think so," answered Ben.  He stepped into the centre of the room, the floorboards creaking eerily beneath his feet.  It was dusty up there; Alex kept sneezing. He stepped up on a stool and retrieved a large book.  He was bringing it down so they both could see but when he turned around he gasped, startled by a sudden figure behind them.  Alex too jumped.

"Grandpa!" Ben cried.

Their grandfather eyed them.  "You're not supposed to be up here."

"We just wanted to see," Ben said.

A smile crept up their grandfather's lips at their obvious interest.  "Very well. I suppose you're old enough now." He pulled over a chair and sat down, Alex climbing up to sit on his lap like she always did for one of his stories, and Ben standing before them, waiting expectantly for Grandpa to begin.

Alex was a little confused by all the names and places, but she thought she got most of it: there was a treasure, a very old treasure, and it was hidden somewhere. She caught 'knights' and 'America' many times throughout the story. However, she did catch how exciting it all sounded.  She loved her Grandpa's stories, and this one might just be her favourite.

"Grandpa, who's Mason?" she asked.

"Not Mason, Freemasons," Ben corrected.  "They're the one's who hid the treasure."

"Yes, and among them were some of our Founding Fathers," added Grandpa.

"Our father?!"

"No, the Founding Fathers," Ben corrected yet again, sounding annoyed.  "See I told you you were too young."

"Am not!" Alex defended herself.

"Stop interrupting."

Alex stuck her tongue out at her brother before turning back to her grandfather.  "Where's it hidden Grandpa?" she asked. "The treasure."

He chuckled.  "Even I don't know that. But clues were left for us to try and find it. Like the message from my story: 'The Secret Lies With Charlotte'."

"'Charlotte', that's a pretty name,' said Alex.

"And that'll lead to another clue, which will lead to another, and another, and another." They were interrupted then by the presence of Ben and Alex's father, Patrick. "There is no treasure. Ben, Alex, come on, we're leaving. Time to say goodbye now." He gestured for his children to follow him and headed back down the stairs.

Once he was gone, Grandpa sighed.  "Your father doesn't believe the stories.  He thinks they're silly, made-up."

"Well I believe them!" Alex said firmly, hopping down from his lap.

"Me too," agreed Ben.

Grandpa smiled down at them. 

"Grandpa," Ben then said.  "Are we knights?"

Grandpa chuckled. "Do you want to be." Both children nodded.

Ben turned to his sister.  "But you're a girl, girl's aren't knights."

"Yeah we can be!" she cried, punching him in the arm.

"Yes, you can be the first Lady Knight of our family," Grandpa said, smiling down at his granddaughter.  She smiled proudly. "Alright, kneel." The two did so.  "Benjamin Franklin Gates, Alexandra Mary Gates, do you swear to take on the duty of the Gate's family?"

"We so swear!"

"We so swear..."

(Hope you enjoyed the prologue :) I recently discovered these movies - super late I know - and they are just such me movies! As a history nerd myself I adore the idea of history nerds running around searching for ancient treasure! Anyways, hope you enjoyed! Thanks again!)