Treasure Hunters: A National Treasure Fanfiction

Chapter Seventeen: Keep to the Status Quo

With that the group headed down to the boiler room of the church. Here, Patrick stopped his children.

"Look," he began softly, checking to make sure their captors weren't paying attention. No, they were too busy searching for 'Parkington Lane'. "Cooperation only lasts as long as the status quo remains unchanged. As soon as this guy gets what he wants he won't need us anymore."

"So we find a way to make sure the status quo changes in our favour," Ben devised.

Patrick nodded. "How?"

"I'm still working on it," Ben admitted.

"Guess I'd better work on it too then."

"Me too," agreed Alex. Then she said, raising her voice. "What is it we're looking for down here Ben?"

"Parkington Lane," he answered.

"Wait, Parkington La - I found it - him!" called Riley. The others rushed over to join him by the wall inlaid with tombs.

"Parkington Lane," Ben read aloud from the tombstone. "He was a third-degree master mason," he gathered from the symbol carved into the grave. "Of the Blue - hey!" He dove out of the way just as Viktor came along with a wrench and started beating away the tombstone. Once it was just crumbled pieces Ben, Ian, Shaw, Powell, and Phil all pulled the coffin from the tomb.

As if on cue, once the coffin was free, the bottom popped open and out spilled the remains of Parkington Lane. Everyone jumped back.

"Careful no one steps in him," joked Powell as they set the coffin down. Then they all crowded around to peer inside the tomb, which extended into a tunnel leading to the unknown.

"Okay." Riley was the first to break the silence. "Who wants to go down the creepy tunnel inside the tomb first? Any volunteers?" he added in a sing-song voice. Always leave it to Riley to lighten a tense situation with one of his sarcastic comments.

"Right. Viktor, McGregor, you stay here," ordered Ian. "And if anyone should come out without me well-" He paused, grinning. "Use your imagination." Then he turned back to the others with a fake smile. "Shall we?" He looked at Alex, stepping aside and giving a sweep of his arm. "Ladies first."

"Oh Ian," she said, stepping forward. "Always the gentleman," she sneered and faced the opening of the tunnel.

"Here." Her brother handed her a small flashlight.

"Thanks." She took it and flicked it on. She could see the faint, delicate outlines of numerous cobwebs up ahead all throughout the tunnel.

"Spiders," she mumbled. "Great. Just great."

Ben came next, then Ian, then Shaw, Patrick, Riley, Abigail, and Powell. At the end of the tunnel there was a step down and then the tunnel widened and continued.

Ben pulled a torch off the wall. "Got a light?" he asked Ian.

Ian pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the torch. Ben took the lead. Torch in hand he led them down a small set of stairs and under a partially-blocked archway. Ian went through first, followed by Shaw.

"Careful," Ben said as his sister stepped over a fallen board. She gave him a smile which he returned.

Riley came next, walking close behind her, patting Ben on the shoulder. Then came Abigail.

Ben took her arm. "Come here." Riley and Alex watched as Ben pulled her to him in a quick but tender kiss, leaving her smiling.

"Romantic," mumbled Riley sarcastically. Of course Ben would kiss the girl in some tunnel in some tomb while out on a treasure hunt.

The group then went down another staircase, longer this time.

"What's this?" came Ian's voice from ahead. Ben came closer, the light from his torch showing them a great wooden structure spiraling down before them.

"It's a chandelier," Ben realized aloud. He reached out and touched his torch to the hanging part in the middle, it immediately igniting. Then, with Riley's help, they lowered it into the middle using the ropes and pulley system which hadn't been used for hundreds of years, but it still worked remarkably well.

With more light now, everyone was able to see the intricate combination of wooden platforms and staircases leading down to the unknown. Whatever it led to was too far down to see from up where they stood.

"Look at the elevators," remarked Ben in awe.

"It's a dumbwaiter system," concluded Patrick.

"How did a bunch of guys with hand tools build all this?" Powell wondered aloud.

"Same way they built the pyramids, and the Great Wall of China," Ben answered.

"Yeah, the aliens helped them," added Riley.

"Right, let's go." Ian turned to continue on. "What are we waiting for?"

"I'm not going out on that thing," stated Patrick firmly. He was standing at the front of the group. "Two-hundred years of termite damage and rot." He shook his head in emphasis.

"Dad, do what he says," pleaded Ben. Alex nodded in agreement.

Looking conflicted, Patrick gave in and began walking down the rotting stairs - he really had no choice. One board cracked beneath his foot and he quickly drew back. Everyone froze. "Watch your step," he said and gingerly continued on. The rest of the group cautiously followed him.

As they were cautiously making their way down the stairs, a sudden rumbling overhead caused them all to freeze.

"Subway," said Ian.

Then suddenly, without any warning, there was an echoing crack! followed by a scream. The whole group watched in horror as Shaw fell through the floorboards and plunged down into the pit.

(Yikes! We all know what happens next! Thanks so much for reading! :))