The Empathetic Prism

The three of them lingered around the dinner table, savoring the last bites of dessert.

"Peter, this tiramisu is incredible!" Mary exclaimed. "You truly outdid yourself with dinner tonight."

"Thanks, Mom," Peter replied with a warm smile. "I've been learning how to make it for a while now. I actually wanted to take you both to that new Italian restaurant, but—"

"True," Mary interjected, "but there's something magical about celebrating at home, wouldn't you agree, David?"

David grinned. "Absolutely. I've been missing this homey vibe ever since I moved to Philadelphia for the current project."

David, an architect for the restoration company Conscom, had moved to Philadelphia six months ago for a prestigious project: the restoration of Independence Hall. Built in 1753, this historic building is the birthplace of the United States, where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed by revolutionaries like John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.

Peter had been working as a tour guide at the Independence Hall for the past year. Throughout the restoration project, he and David developed a strong bond through their collaboration. Today, they were celebrating Peter's mom Mary's 51st birthday at Peter's home.

"So, Mary, how did you celebrate your birthday last year? Peter mentioned it was quite a milestone," David asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Last year was special, not just because it was my 50th birthday, but because it marked the beginning of something wonderful," Mary said, her smile warm and proud. "Peter surprised me with a trip to Independence Hall, and that's where we met Mark for the first time."

"Mark? The big boss here at Independence Hall?" David asked with surprise.

Mary nodded. "Exactly. We were admiring the architecture when Mark joined us. We became so engrossed in our discussion of America's War for Independence that we completely lost track of time."

"At that time, I was actively job hunting but facing constant rejections," Peter explained. "During our conversation, I mentioned my interest in a tour guide position at Independence Hall. Mark promised to look into it, but I honestly forgot about it. To my surprise, I received a call from the interview committee just two weeks later. Things fell into place, and I landed my current job a month later."

"Wow, that's an incredibly quick turnaround," David remarked.

"We were just as surprised," Mary agreed. "It seems Mark was impressed by Peter's passion for the American Revolution. And I'm sure Peter's strong performance in the interview sealed the deal," Mary added, giving Peter a proud look.

Peter, feeling a bit shy at his mom's praise, added, "Luck played a big role too. Mark asked me a random question about Benjamin Franklin's electrical experiments, and I happened to know the answer. I think he was surprised I could recite the exact date of his famous kite experiment."

Since Peter started working as a tour guide at Independence Hall, he considered Mark not just his boss but also a great friend with whom he could chat about history. Peter felt a deep sense of gratitude for Mark's instrumental role in launching his career.

"That's incredible!" David exclaimed. "Your passion for history is evident in your tours. Your eyes light up when you're sharing stories with visitors."

"I do enjoy interacting with visitors," Peter responded with a wide smile. "But lately, the tours have felt incomplete without showcasing the Assembly Room and the Supreme Court Chamber."

The Assembly Room in Independence Hall was where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed, serving as the epicenter of American democracy. Right next to it, the Supreme Court chamber was the first place where the country's most important laws were decided.

"Do you have any idea when the entire building will re-open to the public?" Mary inquired.

"Not yet. Let me check my restoration file," Peter said, heading towards his study to gather his file.

"This is strange," Peter mused, his brow creasing in confusion as he searched the folder. "I can see the restoration plans for every room except the Assembly Room."

"When was the last time you looked at those plans?" David asked.

"Actually, I never looked through the restoration plans," Peter admitted. "I only used the weekly schedule that outlined which teams I'd be working with. Let me call Julio; he's the chief conservator for the Assembly Room."

"I have no clue, man," Julio said on the call when Peter asked him if he knew when the renovation work would be over at the Assembly Room. "I haven't been in the Assembly Room for the past two weeks. They reassigned me to a different area upstairs, but... to be honest, I wasn't happy with how they were handling the initial excavation down there."

"What do you mean?" Peter grew tense. He placed the phone on speaker so Mary and David could listen.

"They were digging like crazy, as if they wanted to excavate the entire room," Julio explained. "I told Mark about potential structural issues, but he dismissed my concerns."

Peter thanked Julio for the information and ended the call. He and David exchanged shocked looks. "Excavating the entire room? Why would they need to do that?" David asked, bewildered. "And why the Assembly Room of all places?"

"This is insane," Peter shook his head, his voice filled with disbelief. "If there are structural issues, this could be catastrophic. We have to figure this out."

"But how?" David shared his concern. "The Assembly Room must be locked up by now."

"There's a way we can sneak in tonight. I remember a back entrance Julio showed me when we were working together," Peter responded calmly.

Mary's face paled. "No, Peter, that's too risky. I won't allow it."

"We're not going to steal anything, Mom," Peter replied, sensing her worry. "We just want to see what's going on."

"And as employees working on the restoration, we won't arouse suspicion. We have our access badges," David added.

"Mom, we have a responsibility to protect this place," Peter said with a sigh, feeling he had exhausted his arguments.

After a moment, Mary nodded, her expression still filled with concern. "Alright, but be extremely careful and please take a torch."

David and Peter cautiously navigated the dimly lit corridors of Independence Hall, making their way to the back entrance. The door, a seldom-used service entrance, creaked open under Peter's gentle push. They slipped inside the Assembly Room, staying close to the shadows.

David pulled out his phone, the faint glow of the screen illuminating their faces. "Let me gather some evidence," he whispered and started taking pictures of the Assembly Room.

From their vantage point, they saw that the Assembly Room was in disarray, with iconic furniture scattered haphazardly. The central area of the room was marked by large, gaping holes that had been dug extensively.

At the far end of the room, Mark conversed with a tall, thin man with curly hair. Several construction workers, their heads illuminated by bright helmets, meticulously examined the area around the iconic center table and the Rising Sun Armchair.

This particular armchair held immense historical significance. The Rising Sun Armchair was occupied by George Washington when he led the important meeting in 1787 where the U.S. Constitution was created.

Peter and David exchanged horrified glances. The damage was far worse than they had imagined. "I can't believe Mark would let this happen," Peter whispered in disbelief. "And I don't recognize the man he's talking to"

"That's Brooks, the founder of Conscom," David replied grimly. "He's notorious for being ruthless—pushing his employees to their limits with no regard for their well-being, only concerned with profits."

As they attempted to remain concealed, Peter inadvertently leaned too heavily on the door, causing it to creak loudly. The noise immediately drew the attention of Mark and Brooks, who directed their flashlights towards Peter and David. Mark's expression turned severe as he recognized Peter. 'You!' he snarled."

Before they could react, the construction workers advanced towards them, their voices muffled by their helmets. Peter and David turned and sprinted towards the exit. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind them as their pursuers gave chase. They ran for what felt like an eternity and eventually burst out of the back door into the cool night air.

"I think we got away just in time. I need to send the evidence to Mom. Could you send me the pictures you took?" Peter asked David.

Mary called Peter almost immediately after seeing the pictures, her voice filled with shock and disbelief. Peter put the phone on speaker so David could listen as well. As Peter described the scene, Mary insisted there must be a misunderstanding. Having known Mark for months, both Peter and Mary were in denial of what they had witnessed. They couldn't believe Mark would commit such a grave act.

David, listening to the conversation, grew impatient and remarked, "Come on, is nobody going to say it?"

"Mark is the mastermind behind this destruction. We don't know why he's doing this, but he's the main—" David's words were cut short as a beam of flashlights momentarily blinded them. Three men with guns emerged from the shadows.

"Give me the phone and follow us," demanded the burly man in the center.

They were marched back to the Assembly Room, their captors following closely behind. As they entered, Mark glared at Peter and said, "I may dislike many things about you, but your nosiness is what I hate the most."

"Mark, how could you desecrate a national treasure like Independence Hall?" Peter demanded, his eyes locked on Mark's.

Mark, his face devoid of remorse, smirked. "Necessity knows no law, Peter. This is bigger than a building. It's about the future."

"Future?" Peter scoffed, disbelief and anger mingling in his voice. "You're destroying history for your own selfish gain!"

Mark ignored Peter's outburst. "In my previous roles, I discovered documents and letters from Benjamin Franklin hinting at a special device called the Empathetic Prism. Created by Franklin, it's supposed to nullify the negative opinions of people on any topic. Today’s world is biased and impatient, Peter. Franklin foresaw mind control as a powerful weapon and therefore invented this device."

He continued, "Your deep knowledge of Franklin made you an invaluable asset, so I brought you on board to help decipher the remaining clues. To gain unrestricted access, I ensured Conscom won the restoration contract. With Brooks on board, a long-time ally who believed in my theory, manipulating the excavation became easier," Mark explained, glancing proudly at Brooks.

"You used me and exploited my knowledge for your own gain. Do you really think you'll be forgiven when your actions come to light tomorrow?" Peter responded with a mix of anger and resolve.

"Tomorrow, the world will hail me as the discoverer of the Empathetic Prism. My actions will be seen as a necessary sacrifice for humanity," Mark declared confidently.

Mark and Brooks' men cleared away the table and iconic chair, revealing a faint golden imprint beneath. Digging deeper, they uncovered a wooden keyhole. Mark studied it intently, puzzled. Sensing his predicament, David and Peter demanded the clue that led Mark there.

"By the seat where Washington once held sway, Liberty's flames will guide your way," Mark recited, frustration evident on his face.

Peter pondered the clue. "Seat where Washington held sway surely referred to the rising sun armchair, but what about 'Liberty's Flames'?" he mused. "Does it point to the Statue of Liberty in New York? That can't be possible because it was brought into the USA long after Franklin died. So then what could it be?" Peter kept thinking and thinking until sudden realization struck him.

"This points to the Liberty Bell," Peter declared confidently. "The 'Liberty's flames' part is obvious, and the bell is synonymous with the founding of our nation, much like Washington's chair represents leadership."

Mark considered Peter's theory. A glimmer of understanding appeared in his eyes. "You might be onto something, Peter," he conceded. "Adam and Jones, finish these two gentlemen when I give you the instructions."

With that, Mark and his team set off towards the Liberty Bell. But as they reached it, they were unexpectedly greeted by a large contingent of police officers. Standing amidst them was Mary, her face etched with determination. She had alerted the authorities to Mark’s schemes after seeing the incriminating pictures Peter had sent her.

The police swiftly intervened, apprehending Mark and his team before they could execute any further plans. They then proceeded into the Assembly Room to arrest the remaining accomplices. As the police handcuffed Mark inside, Peter approached him and said, "How does it feel to be misled? The clue never pointed to the Liberty Bell. The answer was right here in the Assembly Room all along."

"That's not possible! We excavated the entire room and found nothing," Mark replied defiantly from behind his handcuffs.

"The key was never buried in the ground," Peter replied assertively. "The phrase 'Liberty's flames' points to the two fireplaces in the Assembly Room. The answer was in the word 'flames' not 'liberty.'"

Peter then moved to the left fireplace and pressed his hand inside. He soon felt a brick that didn’t match the others. He took it out and discovered it was hollow, containing one half of a magnetic split key. He repeated the process at the other fireplace and found the second half. As he brought the two pieces together, they magnetically joined to form a full key. Peter inserted the key into the keyhole and opened a hidden wooden box, revealing a small glass prism inside.

"'The game is not over, Peter! I will come back to take what is rightfully mine,' Mark shouted as the police dragged him out of the Assembly Room. Peter felt a sense of accomplishment as he watched Mark being taken away. 

He turned his attention to the small glass prism in his hand. Holding it up to the light, he saw it refract into a spectrum of colors. The prism was a key to something much larger, a hidden legacy left by the Founding Fathers. Did this prism actually have the power to sway people’s minds? He didn’t know the answer yet, but for now, he, David, and Mary had ensured that the secrets of the past remained safe.