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Welcome to Students Incorporated, a podcast exploring the topics of business, education,

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technology and design.

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I'm your host, Mr. Jason.

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Join me weekly as my team and I produce content that's informative, positive, fun and uplifting.

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Episodes include student conversations, interviews with thought leaders and inspirational stories

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with an international flavor.

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This podcast is created and produced with the help of students from the International

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Community School of Bangkok.

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Hello and welcome back.

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I'm Mr. Jason and I'm joined by several special guests today in our studio.

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We welcome Mr. Ben and Mrs. Marilee, along with several student writers.

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We'll be discussing the importance of writing and then we'll hear from our student writers.

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Then for segment two, we'll continue with part nine of our story, The Secrets of El Dorado.

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Part nine is titled, Piecing It Together.

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But first, let's get our quote of the day and hear some headline news.

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Hey everyone, our quote of the day comes from Louis Lamour.

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He said, start writing no matter what.

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The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.

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In this quote, Louis Lamour highlights the importance of taking action and getting started

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on a task, even if you may not feel ready or inspired.

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Writing, like many creative endeavors, can be daunting and intimidating at times.

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However, this quote emphasizes that the key to making progress and tapping into your creativity

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is to simply begin by using the analogy of turning on a faucet to start the flow of water.

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Lamour suggests that once you begin writing, the ideas and words will start to flow naturally.

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It is often the act of starting and breaking through that initial resistance that allows

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the creative process to unfold.

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And that's our quote of the day.

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Now onto some headline news.

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Here's some headline writing and literature news from around the world.

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Starting with our first news, in the state of Michigan, almost all public schools may

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have the chance to get their own library and librarian if a set of three bills that was

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proposed to the Senate Education Committee is passed.

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These bills were proposed in the midst of the state's low academic achievement scores,

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which seem to have a correlation with the degree of access to a library.

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The bill has received widespread support from local educators and parents, as well as from

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figures such as the former president of the American Association of School Librarians,

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who all state that the bill would be highly beneficial for the student's education.

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However, the costs are extremely high, making it a very hard decision for the Senate to

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decide as well.

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Onto our second news.

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As the deadline of May 31st, the Bridport Prize competition is tailored towards poetry

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and has a grand prize of 5,000 euros for the winners.

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The top three winner will have all their poems published in the Bridport Prize Anthology

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and are invited to the award ceremony where they can receive feedback and advice from

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judges and professionals.

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Writers of any nationality are allowed to submit their work, but there is an age limit

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of 16 years and a fee of 12 euros for every poem that you submit.

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However, it is still a great opportunity for you to have your writing viewed and critiqued

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by experts.

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Onto our last and final news.

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Female billionaire Mackenzie Scott, who has dedicated a large portion of her fortune to

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donating to nonprofit organizations and charities, donated a sum of $2 million to the Massachusetts

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Advocates for Children Organization, which is more than the organization's budget for

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a year.

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The money that she donated will go to helping children in the classroom, including those

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with disabilities.

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Additionally, she had also donated $2.5 million to help jumpstart a grant program to help

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Colorado children access vaccines.

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And that ends our headline news for today.

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We're back for our first segment and we'll be talking with two educators and several

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students about the important topic of writing.

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The students will also be sharing a recent writing pace they submitted to an international

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writing contest.

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So for our first guest, we welcome Mr. Ben and Kate.

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Shania will kick off this segment with our first question.

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Hello and welcome to the podcast.

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Mr. Ben, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do?

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My name is Ben Raden and I teach ESL in the secondary with middle school and high school

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classes and I've been here, this is my 26th year at ICS, so I've been here almost since

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the school started.

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Here's another follow up question and it's a big picture question.

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How does learning writing skills impact a student's academic and professional future?

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I think writing is kind of an open window to who this student is, in other words, it's

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important as both a way for colleges to see who this student is, it's also a way for us

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when we do writing that people can look at our writing and they can tell a lot about

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us, tell about our personality, about things we enjoy, our interests.

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So it's really kind of like it opens up a window to the writer themselves, so it's important

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and in our professional life it can be a statement of who we are.

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All right, our next question is for Kate.

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Kate, thanks for being brave and coming on the show.

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What grade are you in and what are some of the things you like to do with your free time?

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I'm in seventh grade and I enjoy baking to relieve my stress.

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All right, I do have a follow up question for you Kate as well.

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Kate, describe the process used for writing.

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How do you get started?

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I like to get into a comfortable position and then I let the words flow.

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Okay, back to Mr. Ben.

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Our next question is what role does writing play in developing critical thinking and communication

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skills in students?

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Writing is a really good way for us to learn how to analyze things, like if we write something

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and then we have the chance to go back and look at that and know I didn't mean that or

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I need to explain this further or how can I support the thing that I've said.

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So it's a really good way for us to learn how to analyze and to be critical of ourselves

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and that's a really hard thing to learn because we don't like to be critical.

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We don't like for people to be critical about us, but if we can learn that skill, then we

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can really use that in a lot of different areas.

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All right, here's another question for you.

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How can a teacher help students find their unique voice and style in writing?

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A lot of times when students write, they like to keep the same style.

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They like to write the way they've always written and for myself, I like to really try

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new things from time to time.

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I never knew that I liked squid until I first tried it and now I really, really, really

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enjoy not dried squid, but cooked squid.

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I really, really like it and I never would have thought I would have liked that.

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So by trying new things and by experimenting with different kinds of writing, then we can

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challenge ourselves in that role as well.

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Okay, Kate, I have another question for you.

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What part of writing do you find most fun?

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I actually like choosing a title.

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I never start with the title.

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I always feel like I have to write at least half of the poem or story before I choose

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a title.

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All right, I like that.

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I think that's probably a smart move, right?

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All right, here's another question for you, Kate, and it's a fun one.

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You'll have to use your writer's imagination for this one.

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All right.

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If you could write a letter to anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be and

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what would you say?

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I would write a letter to Christine de Pizan.

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She is one of the first women poets in the medieval time period.

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I would tell her about her impact on many writers today as well as her impact on rules

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to equalize men's power.

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Wow, that's really cool and insightful.

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Thank you so much, Kate.

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Now before we have Kate read her writing piece, here's our last question for Mr. Bent.

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What kind of encouragement or advice would you give to young writers out there?

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I think one really good thing that we as humans can benefit is to give ourselves a voice by

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writing to ourselves.

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In other words, writing journals or notes or comments about things that we like or don't

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like or what we want to do or want to see changed.

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Even for myself, I look back now at things that I wrote in high school and college and

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even after college and different periods of my life and I review things.

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I go back and read some journals that I wrote when I was living in Europe and just different

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things that make me or allow me to reflect on myself and to see what I've been through,

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my different experiences and lessons I've learned.

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So I think by writing to ourselves, it really helps us to think about ourselves and think

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about our lives and what we're doing in this world.

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Thank you, Mr. Bent.

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To end the first part of the segment, we've asked Kate to read one of her written pieces.

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Kate, what is the title of your piece and can you briefly describe what it's about?

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The title of my piece is called The Maze of Life.

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It's about the troubles of life and how God can help you through it.

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I wrote this piece around the time I was baptized.

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Thank you, Kate.

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You may now read your writing piece when you are ready.

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The Maze of Life, twisting and turning, lost in my thoughts.

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Every corner I turn leads to another.

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Fear lurches at one corner.

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Nervousness is hiding around the bend.

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Guilt seems to be above.

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The claws of loneliness are below.

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The maze has no start.

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The maze has no end.

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Every time I think I've made it, something is waiting.

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Something with claws, something that will torture me into doing essential action.

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I had no choice to go, no choice to fall into this endless maze.

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Trapped and locked away.

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Nowhere to stay.

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Nowhere to feel safe.

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I felt hidden, lost without moving.

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I was scared.

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I fell into the claws of fear, running into tears.

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I seemed to be swinging from mood to mood.

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That's when I finally heard, people.

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They were calling to help me.

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They had always been there, helping.

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I had never noticed.

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They were lost in the same maze, but stronger against fear, nervousness, guilt, and loneliness.

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They seemed to have armor on, wearing it with pride.

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We became stronger together, but still I felt fear.

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Still I felt nervous.

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Still I felt guilt.

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Still I felt loneliness.

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Like there was something I was missing.

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Always remember hearing about him.

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I said I knew him.

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The savior, God.

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I didn't really know him fully.

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I didn't know how to feel, or how I would feel, if I trusted.

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If I stopped trying to fix things myself.

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If I trusted he would care for me.

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I wouldn't need to feel fear, feel nervous, feel guilt, feel lonely.

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I could be free.

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Even though I'm still in the maze, wandering through, I would never be alone.

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Free to dance.

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Free to celebrate.

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I have found hope.

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Hope in the Lord.

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Everyone is stuck in this maze, but everyone can find him.

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God brings joy in the maze of life.

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Wow.

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Thank you very much, Kate.

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That was wonderful.

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And that's the first time I've heard that.

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And probably you too, Chania, but that was super powerful.

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So thank you for that.

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And thank you for sharing that with everyone else that's listening to this podcast right

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now.

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Hello and welcome to the podcast.

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Mrs. Merrily, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you do?

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Sure.

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I work in the elementary school in Bangkok and in Udantani, and I support teachers.

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And one of my special privileges is to help with the ACSI Creative Writing Festival.

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And fourth and fifth graders can participate in that.

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Wow.

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Did you move here from Udantani?

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I actually moved to Bangkok from America, and then I taught grade five for three years

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in Bangkok.

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And then I've been working in supporting teachers for three years now.

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Wow.

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That's really good.

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My follow up question is also for you as well.

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How does writing help students develop critical thinking and communication skills?

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That is a really interesting question because actually the process of writing requires you

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to do a lot of thinking and organizing your thoughts.

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So sometimes even before you write, you've already gotten a clear understanding about

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what you're thinking on a topic or what you'd like to communicate.

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And then as far as the critical thinking, when you're writing, you need to consider

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who your reader is going to be and think about can you communicate clearly with them and

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what would matter to them?

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So it depends if you're trying to persuade them or share information.

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But that idea of taking somebody else's perspective to see what would be important to them is

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pretty important when you're solving basically any kind of problem as a critical thinker.

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And I think being organized and being respectful when you share your perspective is also really

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helpful in making any change that you would want to affect in the world, make it something

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that other people could join.

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Thank you so much.

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That was really insightful.

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Our next question is for Minhoo and Hamwon.

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Thanks so much for coming on to the show.

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What grade are you in and what's your favorite thing about writing?

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I am in fifth grade and my favorite thing about writing is writing line by line and

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making it as creative as I can so that the readers can imagine it as a picture and like

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they can understand what I'm trying to say.

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I am in grade five and I like the feeling after I'm done writing of my accomplished

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writing piece.

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I love that.

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That Minhoo, yeah, that's literally the definition of imagery.

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I love that.

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And also for sure when you are done with your piece and you work really hard on it, that

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sense of accomplishment is so rewarding.

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And our next follow up question for both of you is what kinds of things do you like to

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write about?

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I like to write about my own life because I can bring back memories.

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I like to write about fiction and fantasy because it helps me think about what maybe

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other people is thinking about.

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I love that for both.

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Minhoo, they do say like write what you know, you know, like write the experiences that

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you know, but also Hamwon, like that's so true.

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And when you can explore and break down the barriers of like the reality that we live

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in, the fantasy world also so so inviting.

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Our next question is for Mrs. Merrily.

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How is writing incorporated into different subjects at the elementary level?

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Well sometimes I think students don't even realize that they're using their writing

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skills.

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Because in all the subject areas when you want to share your thinking with somebody

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else and you can't do it immediately, you need to write notes to yourself or you need

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to write it out, right, to really explain your thinking.

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So we have a lot of that going on in science and social studies where you're either taking

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notes about what happened in class or you're looking at a scenario and explaining what

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you think could happen, especially in math as well.

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You would explain in Bible we oftentimes have the opportunity to journal, so to reflect

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on how what we're learning really connects with our lives.

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And then of course elementary is the time when you actually learn to read and write.

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And so we're using the processes of reading and writing to help each other all of the

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time because when you learn to write you have all of the skills that you need also to read

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well and then of course reading helps you write well.

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So we're using it all day long and we're studying good writers as well, even in grammar when

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we study mentor sentences from read alouds that we have in the classroom, right, and

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then we're imitating and copying maybe the type of sentence they used.

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So writing is actually a big part of the day.

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And I think it's also a really good time for self-reflecting in life.

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And here's another question for Mrs. Merrily.

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What advice would you give to young writers who are trying to find their voice and style?

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Based on my experience I didn't get to do so much writing, especially creative writing

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when I was in school, but as a teacher I got to join a special writing group at the university

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where I was living one summer and it was my first opportunity to have a writing partner.

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And I would say that if you can find a writing partner that would be my number one piece

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of advice.

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So find somebody who would be interested in reading what you write and talking with you

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about what you write and helping you make it better.

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00:18:00,260 --> 00:18:02,720
And then just write regularly and take risks.

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So write in different genres, maybe even write about the same topic in different genres just

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to try it out, how it could go.

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And then read really good writing in all different genres because you'll get ideas that you can

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use in your own writing.

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Yeah, I totally agree.

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Two are better than one and we can be supportive to each other.

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00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:24,600
Yeah, I think so too.

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I think like the biggest writing advice that I hear from like other writers is also just

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experiment and that like your best mentor is reading, like it actually is.

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And just like exploring and reading different genres.

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I'm trying to do that for myself too and wanting to expand the genres I read a little bit.

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00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,520
All right, and now it's your turn, Khamwan and Minho.

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Any of you can go first.

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Here's another question for you.

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What part of writing do you find the most fun?

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Most of the time in writing I find myself slumped in a chair and sometimes I get a creative

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00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:02,000
flow in my mind and I just start writing and writing and I can't stop writing.

301
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,200
I feel like that's really fun because it's a part of me that I don't really see often.

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00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,120
Ah, I love that.

303
00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:12,040
You know, I think there's like a term for that in the writing community.

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00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,040
I think it's called morning pages.

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00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:18,640
Like in the morning you just come in 10 minutes, you just put like, you just put on a timer

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00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,560
and then just keep writing, writing it like, I think there's a word for it, but like you

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00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:26,440
just write everything that you know or everything that comes to mind, just write it all out

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00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:28,120
and it's like really good.

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00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:29,120
So I love that.

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You find that fun.

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00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:32,000
All right, what about you Minho?

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00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:38,400
The part that I like a lot about writing is finding the words that fit what I'm writing

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about because it might be the hardest part because finding words can be really hard to

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00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:51,760
describe what you're trying to say, but it's really fun for me to like find words to put

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00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:58,920
in my writing so that it can help the readers imagine what message I'm trying to give them.

316
00:19:58,920 --> 00:19:59,920
I love that.

317
00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:01,600
That's a really well thought out answer.

318
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:02,600
Thank you.

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00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:08,240
All right, and here's our last question for the two of you and it's a fun one and you'll

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00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,720
also have to use your writer's imagination for this one.

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00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:18,240
If your life has been a book so far, what would the book title be?

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00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:26,280
If my life was a book so far, the title would be Finding Myself because every day I grow

323
00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:35,960
in potential and grow in knowledge and that helps me become a better person when time

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00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:37,880
passes.

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00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:38,880
I love that.

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00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:40,880
Finding myself.

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00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,560
Everyone look out for that someday in the future.

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00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,440
It's going to be like in bookstores titled what?

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00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:47,440
Finding Myself.

330
00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,200
All right, what about you, Kwan-Wan?

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00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:55,240
If my life was a book, I'd probably have it called Someone Out There or Somewhere Out

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00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:56,520
There.

333
00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:57,680
I love that.

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00:20:57,680 --> 00:20:59,240
Someone out there, someone out there.

335
00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:00,240
Look at that.

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00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:01,240
Great titles.

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00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,600
Thank you, Mi-Hoo and Kwan-Wan.

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00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,960
To end this segment, we'd love for you to read the written piece you brought.

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00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,840
Mi-Hoo can go first and then Kwan-Wan.

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00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:14,600
To begin, please give us the title and explain briefly what it is about.

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00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,760
And you can read it to us and your audience.

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00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:24,040
So the title for my poem is A Bit of Hope and it is about the conflict and violence

343
00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:29,120
and all the wars that are going around nowadays in some countries.

344
00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:31,800
And I'll read it to you.

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00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:39,320
Only a little bit of hope when I look outside and see, oh, how the prettiest of nature has

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00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,880
become a killing spree.

347
00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:46,480
How neighbors become enemies over the darkest of nights.

348
00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:52,480
When no one sees eye to eye, innocents get involved in plight.

349
00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:57,520
All the violence and all the wars have gotten me beyond lowest.

350
00:21:57,520 --> 00:21:59,720
Uncountable loss of lives.

351
00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,080
People are at their darkest.

352
00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,520
Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, Russia.

353
00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,240
I am on no one's side.

354
00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:13,240
Violence is not the answer and I pray that peace will turn the tide.

355
00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:19,480
When tears are gone and all have learned to cope, I kneel down and pray with only a bit

356
00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,440
of hope.

357
00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,020
So good.

358
00:22:24,020 --> 00:22:33,840
My poem's title is Hope Reborn and it's about a girl who was lost in misery and she met

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God and her life turned around and she's happy.

360
00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,240
Lost in misery, trapped in a cell.

361
00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,560
In a grim world, a girl did dwell.

362
00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:49,720
Beneath the weight of life's cruel distress, she did not find love nonetheless.

363
00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,840
Through tear-stained nights, she sought comfort.

364
00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,720
All she needed was love of some sort.

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00:22:55,720 --> 00:23:00,880
Yet in darkness, where despair was shown, a new time came, a presence unknown.

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00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,280
Divine encounter, moment bizarre.

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00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,040
God embraced her like a shining star.

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00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:12,720
Looming words like healing songs lifted her spirit, a soothing song.

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In God's embrace, her anguish seized a metamorphosis, a soul released.

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From misery's grip, she found a sense.

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In the arms of hope, her heart content.

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With her new strength, she faced a storm.

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For in meeting God, her hope was reborn.

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Riding in God's chariot of gold, just as fascinating as told.

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00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:45,240
And now with God for eternity, living in God's realm peacefully.

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00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,040
Thank you so much to both of you.

377
00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:51,120
That was absolutely beautiful.

378
00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:55,800
I think that poem really just encapsulates a lot of what is going on in our world and

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00:23:55,800 --> 00:24:01,560
I think sometimes it's hard to find the words to express the emotions that are coiling

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00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,200
inside and I think that poem does such a great job of doing that.

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00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:09,560
And I think that's a really, really beautiful poem as well and the figurative language or

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00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,240
the imagery you use is absolutely like out of this world.

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00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,160
So good job to the both of you.

384
00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:23,360
Thank you so, so much again for coming on our show.

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00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:28,560
To all our listeners, graduation day is fast approaching and we couldn't be more excited.

386
00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:33,240
Whether you are a senior eagerly counting down the days until your big moment or a supporter

387
00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:38,560
cheering on your loved ones, we want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the seniors

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00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:39,560
out there.

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00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:45,080
Your hard work, dedication, and resilience have brought you to this moment and we can't

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00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,480
wait to celebrate your achievements with you.

391
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:52,840
And to everyone else, mark your calendar and join us in celebrating the seniors' graduation

392
00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:54,680
on May 25th.

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00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:59,480
It's sure to be a day filled with joy, pride, and unforgettable memories.

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00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,000
That ends our PSA for today.

395
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:19,520
Moving on to our story, The Secrets of Elder Rattle.

396
00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:23,800
We are back for our second segment and we will continue with part 9 titled,

397
00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:25,720
Piecing It All Together.

398
00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,000
But first, here's a quick recap from our last episode.

399
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:33,560
In the last episode, Lily escapes captivity and the Professor nearly was shot.

400
00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:38,160
Ava and Cira discover a trove of evidence and materials that would prove to change the

401
00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:39,880
lives of many, many people.

402
00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:45,640
Just as they return to safety, or the semblance of safety, Professor Sharptons shows up at

403
00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,480
Ava's grandma's house.

404
00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:52,920
Nearly escaping danger once again, they return to Ethan's cafe to catch their breaths and

405
00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:53,920
solve the mystery.

406
00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,880
Thank you, Premi, and without further ado, let's get back into our story where we join

407
00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:07,080
Ava, Lily, Cira, Ethan, and the Professor.

408
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:12,400
Ava has always been a fan of adventure, doesn't mind tension, and even enjoys a healthy amount

409
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:13,400
of danger.

410
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:18,080
However, the last two days have proven to be a little bit too much.

411
00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:22,280
She finds herself still catching her breath, having just sprinted across her grandma's

412
00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:26,600
backyard, through the neighbor's property, and onto the back street.

413
00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:31,120
After having put some distance between her and Sharpton who was sitting at her grandma's

414
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:35,720
kitchen's table, she's now bending over it and inhaling sharply, and trying to calm

415
00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:37,380
down.

416
00:26:37,380 --> 00:26:40,480
She pulls up her phone and calls Cira to warn them.

417
00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:45,240
And knowing Hawthorne and the other girls sure they can't be that far away yet since

418
00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:50,800
Ava's entire interaction with Professor Sharpton was only about five minutes or so, she's

419
00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,580
also wanting them to come back and pick her up.

420
00:26:53,580 --> 00:26:58,800
She notices that her heartbeat is beating twice as fast as it normally does.

421
00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:04,720
Cira feels her phone buzzing in her side pan's pocket, pulls it out, and looks at it.

422
00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,880
She's puzzled when she realizes it's Ava calling her.

423
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,360
I mean, she did just drop off a few minutes ago.

424
00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:13,560
I wonder what she could want?

425
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,340
Cira thinks to herself.

426
00:27:15,340 --> 00:27:20,040
As soon as Cira hits the green accept button and puts it on speakerphone so Hawthorne and

427
00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:24,480
Lily can hear, they all hear Ava's frantic and out of breath voice.

428
00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:28,160
Ava sounded terrified, her voice dripping with fear.

429
00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:33,800
Ava takes a deep breath the moment Cira takes the call and says in one long breath, Cira,

430
00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,560
Sharpton's at my house right now, pick me up please.

431
00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:36,560
No, save.

432
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,600
I'm on one street over behind my grandma's house on 11th street and I'm hiding.

433
00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,560
The Professor shoots a look over at Cira, who is now sitting up front in the passenger

434
00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,760
seat with Lily still in the back seat.

435
00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:50,440
His eyes grow wide as he contemplates what to do.

436
00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:52,640
Keep her on the line, he instructs Cira.

437
00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:53,640
Don't hang up.

438
00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:54,640
We're coming right now.

439
00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:56,360
We're only a few minutes away.

440
00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:59,840
A dozen questions raise through the Hawthorne's mind.

441
00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,280
Sharpton is at Ava's grandmother's house?

442
00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,560
How did he know she was onto something?

443
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:06,060
What else does he know?

444
00:28:06,060 --> 00:28:08,020
Is Cira's family in danger?

445
00:28:08,020 --> 00:28:09,900
Is my wife in danger?

446
00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:11,880
What about Ava's grandmother?

447
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,560
What did Lily tell Sharpton about us?

448
00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,200
These were all questions he could not answer.

449
00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,100
As soon as the road widened a bit, Hawthorne did a quick U-turn.

450
00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:26,360
That quick movement to turn the steering wheel reminded him of the large gas in his side.

451
00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:32,040
Ugh, he quietly said as he straightened the Bronco back on the road, headed in the same

452
00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:33,720
direction they just came from.

453
00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:37,440
Lily, who was sitting in the back seat, says they're frozen.

454
00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:41,960
She had just experienced her own trauma a short time ago and never ever wants to hear

455
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,080
Professor Sharpton's name again.

456
00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,920
She taps her foot anxiously on the back seat floor.

457
00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,640
Several minutes later Hawthorne pulls into Grandma Turner's neighborhood, making sure

458
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,600
not to drive down her street.

459
00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,920
Instead he drives past it and then makes a turn onto 11th Street.

460
00:28:55,920 --> 00:29:00,400
Professor Hawthorne then says out loud, so Ava can hear him on speakerphone,

461
00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,520
Ava, we are on 11th Street.

462
00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,040
Direct me to where you are at.

463
00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,640
Ava whispers back in her phone, I see you guys coming towards me.

464
00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,960
I'm hiding behind a trash can beside the red house on your left.

465
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,480
As soon as you pull up, I'll jump in and then we can go.

466
00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:17,160
Professor Hawthorne pulls up to the place Ava had directed them and looks over at the

467
00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:20,360
side of the red house and says, here she comes.

468
00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,600
Lily opened the door for her and move over so she can hop in.

469
00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:28,320
Lily opens the side door and then moves over in the seat to make room for Ava.

470
00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:32,720
Lily sees Ava and moving quickly toward them and says, get in quick Ava.

471
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:34,080
Phew, that was close.

472
00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:35,600
Thank you so much guys.

473
00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,360
Ava says, having finally caught her breath, let's get to the cafe.

474
00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:45,000
Sarah, Lily and the professor nod in agreement as Professor Hawthorne drives off again.

475
00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,800
As the Bronco pulls out of the neighborhood, Ava feels her phone vibrate.

476
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:52,920
She answers it and almost starts crying when she hears her grandma's voice.

477
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,040
Grandma Turner says, oh, there you are.

478
00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:56,480
Are you okay, Ava?

479
00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,120
I figured out your coded message and went over to Frank's house when you excused yourself

480
00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:01,360
to go to the bathroom.

481
00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,320
I left that Sharpton guy just sitting at my kitchen table.

482
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:08,320
I don't understand what's going on and where are you?

483
00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,920
Grandma Turner was quite stressed and worried at this point.

484
00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,160
Yes, I'm safe and okay.

485
00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,160
Ava responds and tries to reassure her grandmother that she's safe.

486
00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,720
I'll get in plain later, but you will just need to trust me right now.

487
00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,760
Don't go back to your house until I call you back until it's safe.

488
00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:23,760
See you at Frank's for now.

489
00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,200
I'm heading to the cafe to meet with the others.

490
00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,400
I'm so sorry I got you caught up in all this, Ava says.

491
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,720
Her grandma has to be safe to have been able to have made this phone call, right?

492
00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,720
Oh, honey, don't worry about me.

493
00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:37,960
I understood your cues back at the house.

494
00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,160
I'm safe and sound at Frank's place.

495
00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:45,760
Him, his wife, and their two big dogs are keeping me company, Grandma Turner says.

496
00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:48,960
Hearing her words and confirmation, Ava signs with relief.

497
00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:50,720
Okay, that's good.

498
00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,680
I'm so sorry for putting you in danger, Gran.

499
00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:57,680
Ava feels a growing anger towards Sharpton for having tried to use her grandmother as

500
00:30:57,680 --> 00:30:59,520
bait and possibly leverage.

501
00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:04,800
Ava doesn't mind putting herself at risk, but when a family member is put to danger,

502
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:09,880
the fear she felt before becomes anger and motivation to move forward and to end the

503
00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:10,880
story.

504
00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:11,880
Absolutely.

505
00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:14,680
And no one gets to make my family feel unsafe.

506
00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,800
I'm really sorry for not having seen through that professor's lies.

507
00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:23,320
He seemed like such a nice man, and yet there seems something off about him, and now I know

508
00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:27,480
why, Grandma Turner says before voicing out the thoughts she had had since Sharpton had

509
00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:31,560
stepped foot into her house, worries spilling over as she continues to ask more questions

510
00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:32,560
of Ava.

511
00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,460
How do you know that man?

512
00:31:34,460 --> 00:31:36,120
How does he know where I live?

513
00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:37,940
Are you in danger, Ava?

514
00:31:37,940 --> 00:31:39,140
Are you in danger?

515
00:31:39,140 --> 00:31:40,920
I don't know, Ava thinks herself.

516
00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:42,140
I don't know.

517
00:31:42,140 --> 00:31:46,440
Not wanting to further risk her grandma or make her more worried, Ava responds and says,

518
00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:50,520
Gran, I'll be okay, and once we get to the bottom of this, I can come tell you the whole

519
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:51,520
story, okay?

520
00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:56,120
She reads again, reassuring her grandmother that everything is going to be okay.

521
00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:59,880
Grandma Turner feels a little more relaxed now, thinking that Ava will be safe.

522
00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:03,960
Just before hanging up, Grandma Turner tells Ava, Oh, I almost forgot to tell you.

523
00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,900
I told Frank to watch out the front window, and he said he saw that man walking away from

524
00:32:07,900 --> 00:32:11,800
my house, go across the street, get in a parked car, and then drive off.

525
00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:16,760
Ava's eyes widen before telling her grandma to stay put in Frank's house, telling her

526
00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:19,320
to be safe and to take care of herself.

527
00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,640
Ava hangs up the call and immediately informs Professor Hawthorne, Cira, and Lily that her

528
00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,560
grandma is safe at her neighbor's house and that Sharpton has left.

529
00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:38,520
Ethan says out loud, I wonder where Sharpton's going now.

530
00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:42,520
Meanwhile back at the cafe, Ethan sees off another large group of customers who stayed

531
00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:43,960
for a late lunch.

532
00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:47,520
He walks with them to the front door, thanks them, and then tells them that they are always

533
00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,080
welcome back when they are in town.

534
00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,760
It was almost half past two in the afternoon already, far later than the time the last

535
00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:55,880
group of customers from the day before had left.

536
00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:59,080
At least, that's what his staff had reported to him.

537
00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:03,160
Lunch was especially busy today, with all the people in town for the Gold Red Festival

538
00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,800
and with the freaking right around the corner.

539
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,960
Ethan's happy about the sales in the cafe and hopes this summer is even bigger than

540
00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:10,340
last summer.

541
00:33:10,340 --> 00:33:15,360
He strolls back to the kitchen, almost forgetting the other saga that's happening with his

542
00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:16,360
friends.

543
00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:19,600
Just then, he hears a knock on the back cafe door.

544
00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:24,680
It was a secret knock Ava, Cira, and Professor Hawthorne had used earlier that morning, even

545
00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:26,200
thanks to himself.

546
00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:28,040
Must be them again.

547
00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:31,920
He hurries to the back door before any other staff could get there, unlocks it, and then

548
00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:32,920
opens it.

549
00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,320
Come in, come in, quickly, he says.

550
00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:38,840
Ethan watches as Cira, Lily, Ava, and then Professor Hawthorne all enter the back of

551
00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,400
the cafe and retreat to Ethan's office again.

552
00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:45,480
After closing and locking the back door, Ethan meets them in the office and asks, I bet you

553
00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:46,920
guys are starving.

554
00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:47,920
Especially you, Lily.

555
00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:49,720
I can have my staff make you all something.

556
00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:50,720
Just let me know.

557
00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:56,280
Hey Ethan, thanks for the welcome back, Lily smiles, suddenly feeling like she was finally

558
00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:57,280
safe.

559
00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:01,400
I'll definitely take your famous sandwich with a mound of fries and something to drink.

560
00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:03,480
I haven't eaten in…

561
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:07,360
Lily hesitates, trying to remember back, before realizing.

562
00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,800
I don't even know the last time I ate.

563
00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:10,800
Maybe yesterday morning?

564
00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:13,000
Ethan, can I get something too?

565
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:17,720
We haven't had lunch, Ava says, before looking around to find Cira and the Professor nodding,

566
00:34:17,720 --> 00:34:21,680
and adding, and something for Cira and the Professor too, whatever you're making Lily

567
00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:23,240
if you can make for them.

568
00:34:23,240 --> 00:34:26,240
Sure, no problem, Ethan said.

569
00:34:26,240 --> 00:34:29,920
Give me a second to get these orders to my kitchen staff, then, when they're ready,

570
00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:32,960
I'll have them deliver to you in here so you can eat and talk.

571
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,480
In the meantime, you should get Lily caught up on what happened yesterday after she was

572
00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:37,480
taken.

573
00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:42,360
Thank you so much, Ethan, Lily says as she pulls out one of the chairs, takes a deep

574
00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:44,320
breath and then sits down.

575
00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,440
Wow, the past two days have been crazy.

576
00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:51,940
As Lily says this, she points to the gold bar now sitting on Ethan's desk, and then

577
00:34:51,940 --> 00:34:56,800
points to her backpack which is resting on the floor next to Cira.

578
00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:59,000
And where did you find my backpack?

579
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,160
And what's inside of it?

580
00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:04,780
Professor Hawthorne smiles and then takes a seat across from Lily and gives her a brief

581
00:35:04,780 --> 00:35:09,920
recap of what he and Ethan's field trip to Rob's Peak, the characters they discovered

582
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:14,080
in the mines, and the substance they had found in the mine number three.

583
00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:18,520
After finishing the story about Rob's Peak, he then scratches his head and says out loud,

584
00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:20,280
hmm, what else happened yesterday?

585
00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,560
I mean, it feels like forever ago.

586
00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:24,520
A lot, Ava responds.

587
00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:27,880
Cira and I had our own little adventure at the reservoir after Cira got off work and

588
00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:28,880
lay into the night.

589
00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,880
Hold on, I'll write all this down since it's fresh in our minds.

590
00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:36,360
We'll need to record this sequence of events with as much detail as possible.

591
00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,320
It'll be helpful for when the FBI gets here.

592
00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,240
Ava says all of this while thinking in the back of her mind that the documents she creates

593
00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:47,680
will also help her write her series of articles for the B1 in its time.

594
00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:49,660
However, she doesn't say this part aloud.

595
00:35:49,660 --> 00:35:52,320
She does not want us to come across as self-serving.

596
00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,680
Ava looks over at Cira, who is sitting next to Lily.

597
00:35:55,680 --> 00:36:00,400
Hey, Cira, why don't you catch Lily up about what happened at the reservoir and how we

598
00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:02,080
found her backpack?

599
00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:04,420
And maybe even the scary ledge part.

600
00:36:04,420 --> 00:36:06,600
This way, I'll type while you talk.

601
00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:12,840
Of course, Cira responds before telling Lily about being suspicious of Professor Hawthorne,

602
00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:17,760
which became the reason the two girls went without telling him or Ethan, and how Ethan's

603
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:21,960
tracker, which she put in Lily's backpack for a test, was what allowed the Professor

604
00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:26,560
and Ethan to stop at the reservoir on their way back from Rod's Peak because they thought

605
00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:32,040
Lily was there but instead finding Cira and Ava trapped on the spillway ledge and holding

606
00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:34,180
on for their dear lives.

607
00:36:34,180 --> 00:36:39,280
She then tells Lily about the meeting her and Ava overheard the bad guys having, taking

608
00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:44,720
blurry photos, having an audio recording, and then discovering that one of the bad guys

609
00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:46,880
was Professor Sharpton.

610
00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:51,560
Cira then tells Lily that they found her backpack in the room the bad guys were having their

611
00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:56,440
meeting and that she thinks they forgot to take it with them because they left in a hurry

612
00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,800
after hearing the breaking picnic table.

613
00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:00,600
Yep, Ava interjects.

614
00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,280
Lily, we were still worried when we found out you were gone.

615
00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:06,360
We were all over the place trying to find where you were.

616
00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:07,760
Cira was especially worried.

617
00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:08,760
She's the sweetest.

618
00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:10,840
Aww, Lily says.

619
00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:12,560
She is the sweetest.

620
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:16,800
Thank you all for worrying about me and then finding me in the woods and then driving me

621
00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:17,800
back.

622
00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:20,240
What happened after the reservoir then?

623
00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:24,760
We were really overwhelmed by all the facts and new knowledge that presented itself that

624
00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:25,760
night.

625
00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:30,980
The most pressing and heaviest part was that we realized whatever this is, it was a lot

626
00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:32,840
bigger than any of us.

627
00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:37,080
It's not just about a kidnapping or two or a simple misunderstanding.

628
00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:42,080
There are some important people, public figures, and prominent community members involved and

629
00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,520
I think this has been going on for a long time.

630
00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:49,880
And they've used the tunnels on Old Man Sutter's property to keep all their secrets from the

631
00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:50,880
public.

632
00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:56,640
I mean, if the secrets of El Dorado County came out, as I think they will now, this county,

633
00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,800
the state, and potentially the entire country will not be the same again.

634
00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:03,740
US history books may have to be rewritten.

635
00:38:03,740 --> 00:38:08,720
We have in our possession, in this office in fact, what appears to be a trove of damning

636
00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:12,960
evidence that dates back to the mid-1800s.

637
00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:17,120
Just then, Ethan returns with trays full of sandwiches, fries, and drinks.

638
00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:19,560
Alright, I hope I didn't miss too much.

639
00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:20,680
What went down today?

640
00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:22,240
Wow, these look great.

641
00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:26,000
Thanks so much, Ethan, the professor says as he grabs a sandwich and a soda from the

642
00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:27,000
tray.

643
00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:28,400
You're just in time, too.

644
00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:31,240
Lily knows about Robb's Peak and the reservoir.

645
00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:35,360
The professor continues as the others are getting their food and getting situated in

646
00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:36,360
the office.

647
00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:40,880
Also, really early in the morning, Ava came through with her contact at the Bee who had

648
00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:42,840
connections with the FBI.

649
00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:48,320
We now know the identities of two of the other people in the meeting at the reservoir, besides

650
00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:49,320
Professor Sharpton.

651
00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:53,800
Let's see, Mayor Ruiz and California State Rep Brown.

652
00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:58,000
We are unsure about the other two identities, but my guess is that they are quite prominent

653
00:38:58,000 --> 00:38:59,840
in our community or state.

654
00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,760
Lily's eyes widen as she says,

655
00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:04,880
Wow, that's crazy.

656
00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:06,200
And then she asks,

657
00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,880
So how did you end up at the same place I was being held?

658
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:10,880
The tunnels.

659
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:12,640
It's actually pretty simple.

660
00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:17,440
We went on a hunch and followed some more clues from the manuscript, the professor answered.

661
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:21,560
However, we had no idea what we were getting into to say the least.

662
00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:25,120
I mean, look at me, my clothes are still wet and I still need to go see the doctor about

663
00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:26,480
this cut.

664
00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,440
And I've never been shot at before.

665
00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:31,560
The professor pauses, sits back in his chair.

666
00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:33,120
Ethan then interjects,

667
00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:34,120
The professor's right.

668
00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:37,800
Lily, we met here this morning and talked about the plan for today.

669
00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,880
I couldn't go since I was caught up with the cafe because one of the morning staff

670
00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:43,280
members didn't show up.

671
00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:46,760
Ethan goes on and asks, Lily, how did you escape?

672
00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:50,280
Ava stops taking notes for a minute and looks up to repeat the question.

673
00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,320
Yeah, Lily, how did you escape?

674
00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:53,920
We haven't heard that part yet.

675
00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:58,400
Having just taken another bite of food, Lily waits a moment and then gives them all a bite

676
00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:02,920
of a play-by-play account of what happened in the tunnel and how she was able to push

677
00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:07,520
the gate open, find her way through the dark maze and then out to freedom.

678
00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:12,100
She explains to them about the guard being distracted by what may have been the noise

679
00:40:12,100 --> 00:40:18,220
of the other three entering the tunnel, about her being scared but brave, her thought process

680
00:40:18,220 --> 00:40:22,560
discovering Chen's sweatshirt and then wondering what they have done with him.

681
00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:24,440
You're so right, Lily, Ava interrupts.

682
00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:26,760
You're still a missing person out here.

683
00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:31,300
Lily continues, I mean, I assumed Chen was held in that very room you were, but before

684
00:40:31,300 --> 00:40:32,840
they brought you there.

685
00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:35,600
So where did they move him to?

686
00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:41,340
Lily points to the dirty sweatshirt hanging over the back of one of the chairs and says,

687
00:40:41,340 --> 00:40:43,640
his name is written on the inside tag.

688
00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:44,960
Lily continues talking.

689
00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:48,400
I really need his help with the formula that he wrote.

690
00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:50,440
I think that is why they took him.

691
00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:54,520
I think that formula is the key to why we are all in this situation.

692
00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:55,520
She goes on.

693
00:40:55,520 --> 00:41:00,400
I mean, I don't remember much about being taken yesterday morning, but I do remember

694
00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:06,160
that I was in the science lab at the college and the formula called for a substance that

695
00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,240
the lab did not have.

696
00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:13,440
So I asked Professor Sharpton, who was there monitoring the lab, if he could help me.

697
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:18,040
As soon as he saw what I was working on, all these bad things just started happening to

698
00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:19,440
all of us.

699
00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:23,520
Sierra lets out a sigh and adds, I don't know Chen very well.

700
00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:28,680
I know him just as a customer here at the cafe, but I do hope he can be found.

701
00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:31,960
I hope he is safe and hasn't been harmed yet.

702
00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:32,960
Hawthorne interrupts.

703
00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:34,440
I hear you, Sierra.

704
00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:37,280
He was one of my best students and a great TA.

705
00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:41,600
I think he stumbled upon something he was not supposed to, tried it, discovered it,

706
00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:45,120
worked, and then that's what triggered all these things.

707
00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:46,780
The professor continues.

708
00:41:46,780 --> 00:41:51,560
So Lily, you mentioned a mystery element the science lab at the college did not have, an

709
00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:53,960
element the formula caused for?

710
00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:55,720
Yes, Lady answers.

711
00:41:55,720 --> 00:42:00,000
Lily proceeds to grab a piece of paper from Ethan's desk and starts scribbling down a

712
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:03,880
formula and then says, see this symbol right here.

713
00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,440
This is the element I need in order for this formula to work.

714
00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:12,760
I also memorized the formula yesterday morning as I was tired of having to go back and forth

715
00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:14,960
between my phone and the lab tools.

716
00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:19,080
The professor jumps in just as Lily is done speaking and says, I don't want to get ahead

717
00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:23,800
of myself but I think Ethan and I found the missing element you need for the formula.

718
00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:30,000
I mean I'm not 100% sure, but the substance we found in mine number 3 on Rob's Peak, which

719
00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:36,120
was labeled positive by the miners, contained some sort of element in the walls of one of

720
00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:37,520
the shafts.

721
00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:41,200
I scraped off some samples which I left here in the office this morning.

722
00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:42,800
Oh, there's the sample.

723
00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:45,200
Over there, that's on the shelf by the door.

724
00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:50,800
The professor gets up and grabs the baggie off the shelf, looks down at it and continues.

725
00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:55,000
I've been around a lot of different rocks and dirt in my lifetime and this sample here,

726
00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:57,000
well it's unique and rare.

727
00:42:57,000 --> 00:42:59,040
Wow, Lily responds.

728
00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:04,400
The two things I was missing in the lab yesterday to make this formula work was, number one,

729
00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:05,640
extreme heat.

730
00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:09,920
More heat than the small Bunsen burner the lab has on hand.

731
00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:12,600
And that substance you are now holding, professor.

732
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,080
We need to find a way to test this.

733
00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:20,320
That's the only way we will be able to know why these people want to keep it a secret.

734
00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:26,720
Cira half listening as she finishes her salty fries says, Lily, did I just hear you say

735
00:43:26,720 --> 00:43:29,040
you need extreme heat?

736
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:34,040
One of my artisan friends has a kiln at her house and according to her, she has to fire

737
00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:38,860
her porcelain pieces at a much higher temperature than her clay pieces.

738
00:43:38,860 --> 00:43:40,520
Maybe her kiln would work.

739
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:44,440
If so, then don't we have what we need?

740
00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:47,760
Lily answers, yeah, I think that would work.

741
00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:50,600
Okay guys, let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

742
00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:55,080
Now that we have our sequence of events all figured out, let's lay out all the evidence

743
00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:59,280
Ava and Cira pulled from their rooms in the tunnels and see if we can put more of the

744
00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:00,800
pieces together.

745
00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:05,800
He continues, We haven't received a call back from Agent Carson yet, so we're not sure when

746
00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:11,240
he's going to show up and I don't think it's safe yet for us to be out and about, especially

747
00:44:11,240 --> 00:44:12,880
while it's still light out.

748
00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:18,640
Also, Lily, there's probably a few other items you would need to get from the science lab

749
00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:23,200
that the formula calls for that you don't really have on you right now.

750
00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:26,560
Ethan jumps in and says, I'll bring up the big elephant in the room.

751
00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:31,200
I mean, there's a US treasury gold bar sitting on my desk and when you look at it, it's probably

752
00:44:31,200 --> 00:44:32,920
over 25 pounds.

753
00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:36,920
And also, what's with all the old dusty stuff in Lily's backpack?

754
00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:43,560
Ethan, if that gold bar is what I think it is, then it's 27.4 pounds or 12.4 kilos.

755
00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:48,240
That's the international standard for traded gold bullion between central banks.

756
00:44:48,240 --> 00:44:50,340
I wrote about it in one of my books.

757
00:44:50,340 --> 00:44:55,460
It's also got the US Treasury Department stamped on it, which means it either was minted by

758
00:44:55,460 --> 00:45:00,520
the Treasury Department or was minted and is heading to the Treasury Department.

759
00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:07,560
Either way, the thing sitting on your desk is worth about three quarters of a million US dollars.

760
00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:11,920
Everyone in Ethan's small office immediately stopped eating, looked up at the professor

761
00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:16,000
and then around the room with faces that said, you've got to be kidding me.

762
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:20,800
Ava breaks the silence with a question to Cira and says, Cira, do you remember that

763
00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:24,800
large pallet that was covered with the tarp in the tunnel room?

764
00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:25,800
Yeah.

765
00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:29,240
Cira answers, knowing where Ava is going with this question.

766
00:45:29,240 --> 00:45:32,360
Well, there's probably hundreds more.

767
00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:36,960
Maybe upwards of a thousand of those gold bars down in one of the tunnel rooms Cira

768
00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:38,040
and I were in.

769
00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:41,360
They were covered with an old cloth tarp.

770
00:45:41,360 --> 00:45:45,120
We didn't get to look, but the shape and the size of the objects under the tarp match

771
00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:51,000
description of being a lot of those gold bars all stacked on top of each other.

772
00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:53,840
Ava is smiling as she's saying this.

773
00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:57,520
Okay, but let's get back to the backpack.

774
00:45:57,520 --> 00:46:01,240
I'm not going back down in those tunnels again right now, Cira says.

775
00:46:01,240 --> 00:46:05,520
Yeah, I would not go down those tunnels either, but back to the backpack.

776
00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:13,880
Come on guys, there could be close to $750 million in gold sitting down that tunnel.

777
00:46:13,880 --> 00:46:17,560
Ava pauses for a moment, thinking about it and then continues.

778
00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:22,000
Cira and I found a lot of other odds and ends in one of the other rooms.

779
00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:26,160
We filled Lily's backpack with what we could carry, but there's a lot more of this stuff

780
00:46:26,160 --> 00:46:29,360
down there than what we could carry out.

781
00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:33,640
My hope is that we can study this together and it'll help us piece the other parts of

782
00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:34,640
this puzzle together.

783
00:46:34,640 --> 00:46:38,440
We'll need to be efficient about looking at all the stuff in the backpack and making

784
00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:40,440
note of each item though.

785
00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:44,960
Once we hand it over to the FBI, we probably won't ever see it again and it's our only

786
00:46:44,960 --> 00:46:47,680
leverage we have at this point.

787
00:46:47,680 --> 00:46:51,840
Cira and Lily open the backpack and start laying out all the items from the backpack

788
00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:57,400
onto the small table sitting against the wall in Ethan's already small office.

789
00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:02,280
Cira then says, I'll just pick up an item, pass it around and see if we notice anything

790
00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:03,280
about it.

791
00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:08,440
Ava then instructs, once you're done looking at it, place it over by the door on the floor.

792
00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:11,560
I'll take a photo of it and then I can make a note of it.

793
00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:12,560
This is exciting.

794
00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:17,640
I'm actually doing things we learned about in forensics classes this past year.

795
00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:18,940
I can't believe it.

796
00:47:18,940 --> 00:47:21,120
This is so surreal.

797
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:25,420
The professor and Ethan watch as the girls lay out and organize the items that were jammed

798
00:47:25,420 --> 00:47:27,320
into the backpack.

799
00:47:27,320 --> 00:47:32,800
Professor Hawthorne noticing the pain more now from his cut on his side then says, I'm

800
00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:37,920
going to need to sneak over to Doc Rivers office across the street as soon as he closes.

801
00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,180
He's going to need to clean and stitch this cut.

802
00:47:40,180 --> 00:47:42,760
Let's get started and see how far I get.

803
00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:48,780
Cira passes around old newspaper clippings mostly intact from old and local small newspapers

804
00:47:48,780 --> 00:47:51,760
from the early and late 1930s.

805
00:47:51,760 --> 00:47:54,960
Some were quite hard to read and were too torn or faded.

806
00:47:54,960 --> 00:48:00,280
However, the group found several references in the clippings about several families in

807
00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:05,180
the local family that were relatives of the family who had traveled from Virginia in search

808
00:48:05,180 --> 00:48:06,640
for gold.

809
00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:13,160
One of the interviews that the paper had conducted was with a very old man who told some outlandish

810
00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:16,160
stories about what his relatives had done.

811
00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:18,600
Ava then says, yeah, let me see that.

812
00:48:18,600 --> 00:48:23,080
She reads a few of the clippings and then says, the man being interviewed alleges that

813
00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:27,880
the two Chinese brothers who owned the cabin up on Rob's Peak were robbed and murdered

814
00:48:27,880 --> 00:48:30,360
because of something they had discovered in one of the mines.

815
00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:34,200
Oh, it also says that the two brothers made gold.

816
00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:35,200
Weird.

817
00:48:35,200 --> 00:48:40,600
The article then talks about large amounts of cargo being wagon-trained across the US

818
00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:46,040
back to Virginia, especially between 1851 to 1861.

819
00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:51,240
And it continued after the Civil War by railroad train to Virginia and Washington, DC.

820
00:48:51,240 --> 00:48:56,080
The professor then adds, this old map here confirms the location of some of the cabins

821
00:48:56,080 --> 00:49:00,360
on Rob's Peak along with the worker camps that used to be in the valley of what we now

822
00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:02,500
know as the reservoir.

823
00:49:02,500 --> 00:49:07,320
You see, there used to be a dozen or more worker camps along the reservoir valley.

824
00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:11,720
Ethan interrupts everyone and says, well, this seems like a plastic cover-up of some

825
00:49:11,720 --> 00:49:17,760
sorts, steal from the little guys, destroy the evidence and get rid of all the witnesses

826
00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:19,240
and then cover up what you did.

827
00:49:19,240 --> 00:49:24,000
The room went silent for a moment and then the professor followed that up with, okay,

828
00:49:24,000 --> 00:49:27,800
let's go with this theory and assume that's what the evidence is showing us.

829
00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:31,200
He continues, bear with me as I play out this theory.

830
00:49:31,200 --> 00:49:35,440
Okay, the two brothers from China come to the new America looking for work and a better

831
00:49:35,440 --> 00:49:36,440
life.

832
00:49:36,440 --> 00:49:40,860
They bring over some ancient alchemist formula, discover that it works after they find the

833
00:49:40,860 --> 00:49:44,000
one element they're missing in Mind Sight number 3.

834
00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:48,200
This mind sight also included an inscription of the Chinese character that translates as

835
00:49:48,200 --> 00:49:50,400
positive, as Ethan and I discovered.

836
00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:54,780
The two families from Virginia, who were part of the ruling and political class back east

837
00:49:54,780 --> 00:49:59,040
at that time, sent several family members here at the beginning of the gold rush in

838
00:49:59,040 --> 00:50:00,040
1849.

839
00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:05,000
I'm assuming they were either wanting to get rich themselves or were needing the gold

840
00:50:05,000 --> 00:50:06,960
they were going to find for something else.

841
00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:09,560
I mean, why would they come all this way?

842
00:50:09,560 --> 00:50:14,320
They were already wealthy and well to do back in Virginia, unless the professor stopped

843
00:50:14,320 --> 00:50:15,320
for a moment.

844
00:50:15,320 --> 00:50:18,680
They needed the gold for the south because at the time the southern states were wanting

845
00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:21,240
to secede from the union, the northern states.

846
00:50:21,240 --> 00:50:24,960
They wanted to find gold and send it back to Richmond, Virginia, which was the capital

847
00:50:24,960 --> 00:50:25,960
of the south.

848
00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:30,120
Eva says all of this as she slowly gets up out of her chair and takes a couple steps

849
00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:33,420
over to the table that's holding all the stuff in the backpack.

850
00:50:33,420 --> 00:50:38,940
She then picks up one of the dirty old sealed glass jars, tries to pry the lid off, no luck.

851
00:50:38,940 --> 00:50:41,720
So then she drops it onto the floor.

852
00:50:41,720 --> 00:50:44,880
Glass breaks and shatters, revealing all the contents inside.

853
00:50:44,880 --> 00:50:46,520
Yup, Ethan says.

854
00:50:46,520 --> 00:50:49,240
I think my theory is going to be proved correct.

855
00:50:49,240 --> 00:50:52,640
If I'm not mistaken, these look like real gold nuggets.

856
00:50:52,640 --> 00:50:56,540
The room is silent for a moment as all of them look down at the numerous gold nuggets

857
00:50:56,540 --> 00:50:58,520
laying around the broken glass pieces.

858
00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:05,160
The professor then says, if this is true, if that formula has the capacity to make gold,

859
00:51:05,160 --> 00:51:08,360
then that's a pretty big secret that needs to be kept quiet.

860
00:51:08,360 --> 00:51:12,400
I'll bet that some of that gold made here back in those days was used to help fund the

861
00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:14,960
Confederate army during the Civil War.

862
00:51:14,960 --> 00:51:19,840
Those two families from Virginia not only had ties to the political class in Virginia,

863
00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:21,880
but also had ties to the military.

864
00:51:21,880 --> 00:51:24,940
Sierra then asks another question to the group.

865
00:51:24,940 --> 00:51:31,140
When Eva and I were down in the tunnel room, we found old, I mean really old mining tools

866
00:51:31,140 --> 00:51:36,440
that had Chinese characters etched into some of the wooden handles and on some of the metal

867
00:51:36,440 --> 00:51:37,560
parts.

868
00:51:37,560 --> 00:51:39,600
What could that mean?

869
00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:41,720
Eva took photos of some of them.

870
00:51:41,720 --> 00:51:45,000
Lily then asks, Eva, let me see those pictures.

871
00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:47,720
I may be able to tell what the characters represent.

872
00:51:47,720 --> 00:51:51,800
Lily looks at several of the images and then blurs out.

873
00:51:51,800 --> 00:51:54,000
Those characters are family names.

874
00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:56,800
Those tools have the names of families on them.

875
00:51:56,800 --> 00:52:01,040
My guess is that those tools belong to certain worker families.

876
00:52:01,040 --> 00:52:05,380
Eva then says, here's another article from I guess the same time period as the other

877
00:52:05,380 --> 00:52:06,920
ones we read.

878
00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:09,240
And it talks about the gold rush days as well.

879
00:52:09,240 --> 00:52:14,640
And then it talks about the several large fires that ripped through all the worker camps,

880
00:52:14,640 --> 00:52:15,960
killing many of them.

881
00:52:15,960 --> 00:52:20,560
And then some of the workers and their family members just disappearing, never to be seen

882
00:52:20,560 --> 00:52:21,560
again.

883
00:52:21,560 --> 00:52:23,720
I told you, Eva replies.

884
00:52:23,720 --> 00:52:25,160
A classic cover up.

885
00:52:25,160 --> 00:52:27,360
Wow, it sure looks that way.

886
00:52:27,360 --> 00:52:28,360
This is huge.

887
00:52:28,360 --> 00:52:34,200
Wait, okay, so the two families and their paid cronies just basically wiped out over

888
00:52:34,200 --> 00:52:39,320
a dozen worker camps and murdered countless prospectors and their family members.

889
00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:42,680
And they took that formula and made gold and then sent it back to the East to fund the

890
00:52:42,680 --> 00:52:46,280
Confederate war effort against the Union?

891
00:52:46,280 --> 00:52:50,000
Eva's creative mind is spinning all over the place as she continues to type out all

892
00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:52,880
the details the group is talking about.

893
00:52:52,880 --> 00:52:56,840
As they are picking up the glass and looking at the small gold nuggets they had been on

894
00:52:56,840 --> 00:53:03,440
the floor, Sarah sees the Ludge book sitting on the table under a few other, under a few

895
00:53:03,440 --> 00:53:06,440
other newspaper clippings and old letters.

896
00:53:06,440 --> 00:53:12,000
She grabs it and then opens it and says, I forgot I grabbed this, but this ledger booklet

897
00:53:12,000 --> 00:53:13,940
may also be important.

898
00:53:13,940 --> 00:53:17,620
It contains dates, names, weights, and money amounts.

899
00:53:17,620 --> 00:53:24,400
This ledger has names and dates that range from the 1850s through the early 1900s.

900
00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:29,320
There are two names that show up a lot here, Stewart and Johnson.

901
00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:32,880
Professor, do either of those names ring a bell?

902
00:53:32,880 --> 00:53:37,840
Professor Hawthorne thinks for a moment and then says, California State Rep Deborah Stewart

903
00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:39,340
Brown.

904
00:53:39,340 --> 00:53:44,040
He pauses for a moment and continues, She kept her maiden name Stewart.

905
00:53:44,040 --> 00:53:48,640
When she was campaigning many years ago, I remember her making a big deal about why she

906
00:53:48,640 --> 00:53:51,680
kept her maiden name when she got married.

907
00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:56,520
She said something about how her family helped build the state of California and how she

908
00:53:56,520 --> 00:54:00,320
always wanted voters to remember that when they heard her name.

909
00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:06,380
The professor stops for a moment, cracks a half smile and then says, hmm, the irony here.

910
00:54:06,380 --> 00:54:11,800
This ledger book records hundreds of payout amounts to the Stewart family over 50 plus

911
00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:15,640
years and I'm guessing these are all bribes.

912
00:54:15,640 --> 00:54:19,480
Wow, this is huge, especially if this is still happening today.

913
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:24,840
I mean, think about it, State Rep Stewart Brown helped pass legislation years ago to

914
00:54:24,840 --> 00:54:27,040
create the dam and the reservoir.

915
00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:31,600
Here's an article from that pile about how her bill passed and then became law.

916
00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:37,080
The article praises her as being a conservationist along with her efforts to protect and preserve

917
00:54:37,080 --> 00:54:40,540
the natural beauty and water resources of this area.

918
00:54:40,540 --> 00:54:45,060
She also controls the budgets of certain parks and rec areas in El Dorado County.

919
00:54:45,060 --> 00:54:51,480
The ledger that you found in the tunnel incriminates just about every one of her ancestors.

920
00:54:51,480 --> 00:54:55,400
Fast forward to today, my guess is that this secret group is still using their power and

921
00:54:55,400 --> 00:55:01,280
wealth to bribe corrupt politicians and prominent city and county officials like the mayor,

922
00:55:01,280 --> 00:55:04,360
professor Sharpton, maybe even the sheriff's office.

923
00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:08,760
I mean, the man who shot at me in the tunnel still had his deputy's uniform on.

924
00:55:08,760 --> 00:55:12,920
Ava knows they've hit the jackpot and can't wait to get started structuring her series

925
00:55:12,920 --> 00:55:13,920
of articles.

926
00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:18,680
Ava picks up her phone and calls her editor at the be and asks for more resources.

927
00:55:18,680 --> 00:55:22,680
She informs editor that she's working on a series of articles that will hit the national

928
00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:24,100
news.

929
00:55:24,100 --> 00:55:26,540
Hopefully the international news circuit too.

930
00:55:26,540 --> 00:55:30,800
She requests the help of Ted along with a larger budget so she can set up a working

931
00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:33,160
office in Coloma for the next few months.

932
00:55:33,160 --> 00:55:36,800
The investigation and incoming warrants and arrests will take months to follow and report

933
00:55:36,800 --> 00:55:39,240
on and she wants to be on the front lines.

934
00:55:39,240 --> 00:55:44,400
She doesn't want the story to fall into the hands of any other reporter, especially since

935
00:55:44,400 --> 00:55:49,520
she and her friends have risked so much to get the information they're now looking at.

936
00:55:49,520 --> 00:55:54,480
As all of this has been happening, Lydia has been going over the formula and this new element

937
00:55:54,480 --> 00:55:55,480
in her head.

938
00:55:55,480 --> 00:56:01,320
She's also been looking at some of the other old papers found which include chemical symbols,

939
00:56:01,320 --> 00:56:02,640
numbers and temperatures.

940
00:56:02,640 --> 00:56:08,120
She's pretty sure the formula she had will work with the right heat and this new element

941
00:56:08,120 --> 00:56:10,320
the professor had a sample of.

942
00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:15,680
She picks up another cell jar that is sitting on the table and then notices that the contents

943
00:56:15,680 --> 00:56:20,280
look similar to the element the professor found in mine site number 3.

944
00:56:20,280 --> 00:56:25,680
She then says, I've got enough information and substances here to recreate the experiment.

945
00:56:25,680 --> 00:56:31,360
It looks like this other jar contains the same substance the professor and Ethan found

946
00:56:31,360 --> 00:56:32,880
in the mine site.

947
00:56:32,880 --> 00:56:38,280
She continues and says out loud, I think this formula, if mixed properly, can convert a

948
00:56:38,280 --> 00:56:46,760
base metal like lead, zinc or tin into gold and depending on what base metal is used,

949
00:56:46,760 --> 00:56:54,800
the gold produced could be graded between 18 to 24 karat gold, the latter being 99.9%

950
00:56:54,800 --> 00:56:55,800
pure gold.

951
00:56:55,800 --> 00:57:02,080
If I had to guess, that gold bar there looks to be close to 24 karat gold.

952
00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:06,240
Professor Hawthorne then says, the FBI will need to investigate the connection between

953
00:57:06,240 --> 00:57:08,880
all of this and the US Treasury Department.

954
00:57:08,880 --> 00:57:13,000
I hope the corruption does not go up that far in our federal government.

955
00:57:13,000 --> 00:57:14,000
Eva chimes in.

956
00:57:14,000 --> 00:57:19,040
You never know professor, money makes people do weird and unforeseen things.

957
00:57:19,040 --> 00:57:20,040
She continues.

958
00:57:20,040 --> 00:57:24,600
A little secret bad guy group is being paid and it's paying other people to keep their

959
00:57:24,600 --> 00:57:26,100
little secret.

960
00:57:26,100 --> 00:57:30,740
So now that we know how all the history stuff is connected, we still need to find out how

961
00:57:30,740 --> 00:57:34,680
Chen came about getting this formula and where he's been taken.

962
00:57:34,680 --> 00:57:38,200
The conversation among the group is like popcorn.

963
00:57:38,200 --> 00:57:42,560
The evidence and details help them connect just about all the dots.

964
00:57:42,560 --> 00:57:48,640
Eva then says, I looked up the name Johnston online around that time period in history,

965
00:57:48,640 --> 00:57:53,600
specifically during the 1850s and 1860s and well, according to what I found, there was

966
00:57:53,600 --> 00:57:57,440
a family with the same name that played an important part in the political structure

967
00:57:57,440 --> 00:57:58,720
of the South at that time.

968
00:57:58,720 --> 00:58:02,160
If I had to bet, these people are probably related.

969
00:58:02,160 --> 00:58:06,520
Eva then interjects, I think I found an identity of one of the other persons in that secret

970
00:58:06,520 --> 00:58:07,520
meeting at the reservoir.

971
00:58:07,520 --> 00:58:12,040
I'm not a hundred percent sure, but there's been a recently published magazine that includes

972
00:58:12,040 --> 00:58:18,120
a long and flowery article on the newly elected Coloma City Council member Margaret Deason.

973
00:58:18,120 --> 00:58:24,280
Ciara then responds, if she's potentially the fourth person in that room, then who was

974
00:58:24,280 --> 00:58:25,600
the fifth?

975
00:58:25,600 --> 00:58:27,600
We know it was a man.

976
00:58:27,600 --> 00:58:28,720
Was this man large?

977
00:58:28,720 --> 00:58:32,800
The professor asks with the hopes it was the guard he encountered in the tunnel.

978
00:58:32,800 --> 00:58:34,840
No, he wasn't very large.

979
00:58:34,840 --> 00:58:38,320
I would say he was average build, Ciara answers.

980
00:58:38,320 --> 00:58:42,640
The professor looks down at his watch, feeling quite tired and achy, and says, I need to

981
00:58:42,640 --> 00:58:45,520
head over to Doc Rivers Clinic across the street.

982
00:58:45,520 --> 00:58:49,880
The clinic just closed and I need to catch the Doc before he leaves for the evening.

983
00:58:49,880 --> 00:58:53,960
I also need to check in with my wife and let her know what's going on.

984
00:58:53,960 --> 00:58:58,240
There's no hiding these scratches on my face or my ripped and dirty shirt.

985
00:58:58,240 --> 00:59:02,360
By this time, the group had looked at and documented all the things Ava and Ciara had

986
00:59:02,360 --> 00:59:04,160
taken from the tunnels.

987
00:59:04,160 --> 00:59:07,760
The professor stood up and looked around at all the others.

988
00:59:07,760 --> 00:59:11,080
Ava was still typing some of her own thoughts and ideas out.

989
00:59:11,080 --> 00:59:15,600
Ciara was still snapping photos of some of the last bits of items from the backpack.

990
00:59:15,600 --> 00:59:19,440
Ethan was studying some of the letters that were recovered and Lily was inspecting the

991
00:59:19,440 --> 00:59:22,640
gold nuggets she had picked up off the floor.

992
00:59:22,640 --> 00:59:27,520
Before the professor could walk out of the office, Ava's phone rings and startles them,

993
00:59:27,520 --> 00:59:31,000
almost at the same time the professor's phone rings.

994
00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:36,000
The professor answers and then says to the group, it's the FBI, it's Agent Carson.

995
00:59:36,000 --> 00:59:41,880
The professor stands there nodding his head and then replies, no, we're all together.

996
00:59:41,880 --> 00:59:45,920
It wasn't safe for us to go back to our own houses, he continues.

997
00:59:45,920 --> 00:59:51,440
Okay, yes, we're currently in town and hiding out in the back of Ethan's cafe.

998
00:59:51,440 --> 00:59:54,880
Yes, we have the things we took from the tunnel.

999
00:59:54,880 --> 00:59:59,560
No, we haven't interacted with anyone or shown anyone those things.

1000
00:59:59,560 --> 01:00:03,160
The professor listens a bit longer and then hangs up the phone and says to the others

1001
01:00:03,160 --> 01:00:07,480
who are looking back and forth at Ava and the professor who are both on calls at the

1002
01:00:07,480 --> 01:00:09,480
same time.

1003
01:00:09,480 --> 01:00:14,120
Agent Carson is on his way here as we speak and he's being accompanied by the special

1004
01:00:14,120 --> 01:00:20,400
agent in charge of the San Francisco FBI field office and by a forensic officer.

1005
01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:23,600
I think he said his name was Williamson or something.

1006
01:00:23,600 --> 01:00:28,400
This is a pretty big deal if the lead field office agent and the forensic officer will

1007
01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:30,120
be here within the hour.

1008
01:00:30,120 --> 01:00:32,760
Ava then jumps into the conversation.

1009
01:00:32,760 --> 01:00:37,540
I just got off the phone with Ted and he and the editor will be here tomorrow, mid-morning.

1010
01:00:37,540 --> 01:00:41,200
This is a big deal if the B's editor is coming here personally.

1011
01:00:41,200 --> 01:00:45,120
She says that since she's trying to hold back her excitement, it will probably be a

1012
01:00:45,120 --> 01:00:48,200
career changing event for her and in a good way.

1013
01:00:48,200 --> 01:00:51,720
The professor then says that he's standing in the doorway getting ready to leave for

1014
01:00:51,720 --> 01:00:52,720
the clinic.

1015
01:00:52,720 --> 01:00:57,320
Okay, okay, we know this is a big deal so let's not slip up right now.

1016
01:00:57,320 --> 01:01:00,200
Let's keep all this evidence here in this room.

1017
01:01:00,200 --> 01:01:04,160
The FBI is going to want all this stuff intact when they arrive and I'm assuming they'll

1018
01:01:04,160 --> 01:01:06,580
tag it, bag it and take it with them.

1019
01:01:06,580 --> 01:01:10,080
The professor turns around and then adds as he exits the office.

1020
01:01:10,080 --> 01:01:12,200
I'll be back shortly so stay put.

1021
01:01:12,200 --> 01:01:16,620
He exits the cafe and into the alley closing the back cafe door behind him.

1022
01:01:16,620 --> 01:01:19,520
He takes a few steps and then his phone rings again.

1023
01:01:19,520 --> 01:01:20,520
He answers.

1024
01:01:20,520 --> 01:01:24,600
Hey honey, I was just going to call you and ask if you could come meet me at Doc Rivers

1025
01:01:24,600 --> 01:01:26,840
Clinic on Main Street.

1026
01:01:26,840 --> 01:01:28,560
I had a small mishap today.

1027
01:01:28,560 --> 01:01:31,480
No, no, I'm okay, nothing serious.

1028
01:01:31,480 --> 01:01:33,320
I'll tell you when I see you.

1029
01:01:33,320 --> 01:01:34,320
It's a long story.

1030
01:01:34,320 --> 01:01:37,960
Yeah, sorry, I must have been in a place with no cell phone service.

1031
01:01:37,960 --> 01:01:41,120
No, I didn't get your text message either.

1032
01:01:41,120 --> 01:01:45,520
As Othorn talks with his wife, he observes many of the downtown shops starting to close

1033
01:01:45,520 --> 01:01:50,640
early because of the annual Gold Rush Festival Parade which will be happening that evening.

1034
01:01:50,640 --> 01:01:54,540
The parade starts several blocks down and several streets over and comes directly down

1035
01:01:54,540 --> 01:01:58,800
Main Street in front of Ethan's Cafe and all the other shops located there.

1036
01:01:58,800 --> 01:02:03,200
The parade attracts a mixture of local town residents and tourists as they all cram into

1037
01:02:03,200 --> 01:02:07,200
the downtown area to enjoy a family fun summertime event.

1038
01:02:07,200 --> 01:02:11,920
The parade often includes festive and decorated floats that are usually pulled by pickup trucks

1039
01:02:11,920 --> 01:02:16,960
and tractors, two or three county high school marching bands, local clubs, and the ever

1040
01:02:16,960 --> 01:02:22,200
so popular El Dorado College's award-winning Drumline members.

1041
01:02:22,200 --> 01:02:26,400
The parade is a colorful and fun event that brings so many people together from all over

1042
01:02:26,400 --> 01:02:27,740
the place.

1043
01:02:27,740 --> 01:02:32,860
The evening then concludes with a controlled fireworks display which the county parks office

1044
01:02:32,860 --> 01:02:36,780
approved since there was plenty of rain and snow melt during the spring season.

1045
01:02:36,780 --> 01:02:38,600
No worries of forest fires this year.

1046
01:02:38,600 --> 01:02:42,880
Professor Hawthorne's phone is about to die because of the water damage it sustained during

1047
01:02:42,880 --> 01:02:47,160
his swim across the river earlier that day, so he says to his wife quickly,

1048
01:02:47,160 --> 01:02:52,200
My phone is acting weird and it may cut off, so really quick, can you bring me a fresh

1049
01:02:52,200 --> 01:02:53,200
shirt as well?

1050
01:02:53,200 --> 01:02:57,720
Yes, I'm walking over to the clinic right now, I will see you in a few minutes.

1051
01:02:57,720 --> 01:03:00,120
No, okay, really quick.

1052
01:03:00,120 --> 01:03:03,880
The professor stops walking and just stands here on the sidewalk now, next to Ethan's

1053
01:03:03,880 --> 01:03:06,160
Cafe and directly across the street from the clinic.

1054
01:03:06,160 --> 01:03:10,040
Professor Hawthorne then says abruptly, Wait, what?

1055
01:03:10,040 --> 01:03:12,440
Bill Sharpton called you today?

1056
01:03:12,440 --> 01:03:13,440
Really?

1057
01:03:13,440 --> 01:03:16,120
No, no, no, you didn't do anything wrong.

1058
01:03:16,120 --> 01:03:19,240
Okay, okay, just get here as soon as you can.

1059
01:03:19,240 --> 01:03:23,160
I'll be at the clinic, so just knock on the front glass window and someone will come out

1060
01:03:23,160 --> 01:03:24,160
and let you in.

1061
01:03:24,160 --> 01:03:32,740
Hawthorne then walks across Main Street toward the clinic.

1062
01:03:32,740 --> 01:03:38,240
Another person emerges from the alley but stays close to the building's side wall.

1063
01:03:38,240 --> 01:03:43,280
This person had been hiding near the fire escape staircase on another business's back

1064
01:03:43,280 --> 01:03:44,860
door.

1065
01:03:44,860 --> 01:03:49,800
The stranger peers across the street and watches as the professor greeted by the doctor at

1066
01:03:49,800 --> 01:04:09,000
the front door of the clinic and then is let inside.

1067
01:04:09,000 --> 01:04:10,000
And that ends part 9.

1068
01:04:10,000 --> 01:04:11,000
Thank you for listening.

1069
01:04:11,000 --> 01:04:16,280
Tune in next episode as we conclude our story, The Secrets of El Dorado with our season finale

1070
01:04:16,280 --> 01:04:31,800
part 10 titled, The Showdown and Reveal.

1071
01:04:31,800 --> 01:04:37,080
As we end this episode, we'd like to again thank Mr. Ben and Ms. Marilee and our student

1072
01:04:37,080 --> 01:04:41,860
writers for joining us and for sharing not only insight into the importance of writing

1073
01:04:41,860 --> 01:04:44,300
but also sharing their writing pieces with us.

1074
01:04:44,300 --> 01:04:45,300
So thank you.

1075
01:04:45,300 --> 01:04:50,240
Again, make sure you don't miss our next and final episode of season 2 which we will

1076
01:04:50,240 --> 01:04:55,000
bring you the conclusion to our epic adventure of The Secrets of El Dorado.

1077
01:04:55,000 --> 01:05:00,280
And as always, this podcast would not be possible without the hard work and support of our international

1078
01:05:00,280 --> 01:05:01,960
student production team.

1079
01:05:01,960 --> 01:05:07,680
All music and sound effects are courtesy of Pixabay.com, a vibrant community of creatives

1080
01:05:07,680 --> 01:05:11,560
sharing copyright free images, videos, and music.

1081
01:05:11,560 --> 01:05:13,960
And we are signing off until next time.

1082
01:05:13,960 --> 01:05:17,000
Be your Students Incorporated, because your voice matters.