William sat on the sofa, lost in thought about the beautiful woman he remembered and how to ask her out.
Ben Gates looked at the banner for the 66th anniversary of the National Archives reception in the waiting area, picked up a pamphlet, and after glancing at it, waved it in front of William's face.
Startled, William glanced at the pamphlet and immediately understood Ben's intention: he wanted to sneak into the archives during the reception.
The security would be too focused on the event to pay full attention to the underground vault, giving Ben an opportunity.
William shot Ben a knowing look, nodded subtly, and felt a secret joy, waiting for him to steal the declaration.
A few minutes later, Joe Bolla came out and said, "Mr. Devonshire, Mr. Smith, please follow me. The doctor is available now."
William looked at Ben curiously. "Mr. Smith?"
Ben awkwardly whispered, "I have no choice. The Gates family isn't well-received in the academic community. I'm Smith now, don't slip up."
William, amused, said, "Maybe you should change your name permanently. Smith doesn't sound bad."
Ben rolled his eyes and joked, "Go to hell."
They entered the office, where Abigail Chase stood up and greeted William and Ben. "What can I do for you, Mr. Devonshire and Mr. Smith?"
Both men were surprised by the young, beautiful director in front of them. She was even more stunning than most supermodels.
William was truly amazed by her, which pleased Joe Bolla, who subtly signaled to Abigail with a smile.
Abigail blushed under Joe's gaze and coughed to get William and Ben's attention.
William awkwardly touched his nose and said, "Sorry, Doctor. I didn't expect the director of the National Archives to be so young and beautiful. Let me formally introduce myself. I'm William Devonshire from Oxford, England. Nice to meet you. This is Mr. Smith from Australia."
Abigail was quite satisfied with William's reaction. Vanity is a common trait, and being admired by a handsome and wealthy man like William made her even more pleased.
Compared to William, the slightly handsome Ben was immediately disregarded by Abigail, who barely acknowledged him.
Ben felt a bit frustrated, thinking he would never meet women with William again, as they would always focus on William.
Abigail smiled at William and said, "I'm also pleased to meet you, Mr. Devonshire. Please sit down. How can I assist you?"
William smiled and said, "My companion, Mr. Smith, has some academic interest in the Declaration of Independence. We're here to ask if we could observe it during its restoration. We are willing to donate to the National Archives for this."
Abigail's attitude improved hearing about the donation. "Thank you, Mr. Devonshire. As a public figure, there shouldn't be a problem, but the next restoration isn't until December. We inspected the declaration last month."
The six-month wait troubled Ben, but William didn't care about close inspection. He shrugged at Ben, indicating helplessness.
Ben quickly asked, "Can't we observe it in the next few days? I'm willing to donate $100,000."
His eagerness made Abigail suspicious. "Mr. Smith, please be honest. Why do you want to see the declaration? Its significance should be clear even to an Australian like you. Otherwise, I must refuse your request."
Regretting his hasty words, Ben stammered, "Of course, it's for academic reasons. William and I have some disagreements about the parchment. We hope to..."
Before Ben could finish, Abigail interrupted, "No need to inspect it again. We have detailed examination reports available for $100. We received numerous academic requests, so we did a thorough examination last year. Ms. Bolla, please get a copy for Mr. Smith."
Joe Bolla nodded and handed the report to Ben. Abigail smiled at William, "Anything else I can help you with? If not, I have other matters to attend to. This meeting is over."
Conning a beautiful woman wasn't easy; she was practically kicking them out. Ben reluctantly said, "Treasure."
"Treasure? What does that have to do with the declaration?" Abigail and Joe looked at Ben in astonishment, then at William.
They couldn't believe a wealthy man like William, known for his stock market ventures, would chase after treasure legends.
Unfazed by their skepticism, William said, "Don't look at me like that, ladies. Treasure hunting is one of my few hobbies, just like some people enjoy bungee jumping or racing."
Turning to Ben, he said, "Sorry, Ben. I can't help you. Better tell the truth."
"This, this," Ben stammered, reluctant to reveal his family's connection. He knew the Gates family had a bad reputation in the American academic world.
"Wait, you're Ben Gates? From the Gates family that promotes conspiracy theories?" Abigail quickly pieced it together, looking at them angrily. It seemed the Gates name was notorious in America, needing no introduction.
Ben hastily explained, "Yes, ma'am. I'm Ben Gates, but I'm not a fraud."
But Abigail wouldn't listen. She interrupted, "Alright, gentlemen. I have work to do. We'll talk next time."
Being dismissed again, Ben sighed, "Please hear me out, ma'am. I'm here to warn you about the declaration's safety. An international treasure thief gang is targeting it. We believe there's an invisible code on it that leads to a treasure."
"The national treasure, I know. But sorry, Mr. Gates, I'm not like William who knows nothing about your family's reputation. You might as well save your breath. Ms. Bolla, please show them out."
Joe Bolla stepped forward, gesturing for William and Ben to leave.
But William wasn't leaving just yet. He told Ben, "Ben, you should go and think of another way. I have some matters to discuss with Miss Chase."
He then whispered to Ben, "Don't get in the way of me asking Abby out, please."
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter