Lane had fitful sleep in the night. He awoke several times, checked on his companions, and used the bathroom and got a drink of water. Each time he had an uneasy feeling that someone was pursuing them with ill intent. Each time he checked the room and his car. Each time he went back to his bed and tried to shut his brain down so that he could sleep. His companions seemed to be sleeping just fine. Mike even had a silly grin on his face nearly every time Lane saw it. Three days on the road was going to be brutal.

This wasn’t a fancy hostel. It didn’t offer a continental breakfast. It was a clean comfortable room for a reasonable price. When the guests showered, dressed and were ready to leave, it was an hour after sunrise. At the beginning of the day, they would be driving into the sun, but it would be cool and not too uncomfortable. Lane would be driving, and he wanted to get as many miles behind them as possible so the last day of driving could be tomorrow. Hopefully they can get a good night's rest before getting to the bank. He wondered if there was really any money to be found in that safe deposit box. And, although he wasn’t trying to, his mind started scheming. He tried to stop himself, but it kept popping into his head.

They were driving for about an hour before stopping for fuel and goodies. Jonathan paid for everything. Mike was all smiles and trust. Lane was scheming. Partially because he didn’t want Jonathan to muscle in on his friend, but also because he felt some entitlement to the treasure. He hadn’t done anything that helped decipher the hidden code, but envy was eating him up.

They motored along at an incredible rate. There was little traffic in the middle of the week. The only problem was all of the summertime construction, but they were fortunate when it came to that as well. They listened to local radio stations and tried to find some classic rock whenever possible. Mike seemed to be in charge of the radio. Nobody complained. It was a pleasant drive like you might have when you were on your way to someplace for a vacation. The drive home might not be as neat depending on how things went in New York. Only Jonathan had been there before, and according to him it had been a while.

They were able to put in 15 hours of driving the second day. The Motel 6 that they stayed at had a small pool with cold water in it. After taking a dip they enjoyed some fine dining at McDonalds and then hit the rack.

The morning ritual was the same other than the men didn’t find a lot of conversation. They had grown road weary and were just anticipating the end of the trek. Some conversation over lunch was therapeutic but nearly nonexistent. They were utterly silent as they drew near to New York City. Only Mike was speaking as they saw the combination of squalor and majesty of the place. To Lane everything looked old and run down. To Mike it looked like a classic that was in a state of restoration. To Jonathan it was intimidating. The last time he had been there he was chased out of town. He wondered if he should be skulking back into town, or if his demons had been forgotten, or went back to whence they came.

They found their B&B just outside of the city where the rates were better, and it had a more friendly atmosphere. An old couple ran the place and seemed interested in the young travelers from Utah. Each of them thought that the others had a funny sounding accent. They had some meatloaf left over from the old couple's dinner. Each of the men had a meatloaf sandwich and some scalloped potatoes with plenty of cheese. Lane shot some of his vlog, and Mike looked in his little metal book.

“The writing in the book continues to get clearer.” Mike said to Jonathan.

“Your eyes are getting better and better at distinguishing the colors out.” Jonathan explained. “May I have another look at that book?”

“Sure.” Mike said as he handed it over to Jonathan.

Jonathan looked at the cover. He couldn’t even see a shadow of a color in it. “I wonder why I can’t see any of it.”

“How many colors are there?” Mike asked. “Not just the primary colors, but the colors of the rainbow.”

“Well crap, I don’t know.” Jonathan answered. “Color is based on temperature. Well according to the color scale anyway.”

“But I can make all of the colors with red, yellow, and blue?” Mike asked. “I never paid much attention to all of that. It never got much of my attention because I never thought it would matter. Not to me anyway.”

“Although it’s true that red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors, that only works with pigments.” Jonathan explained. “Light works on a whole different set of rules. A color television for example uses red, blue, and green. And it’s based on the temperature measured in degrees Kelvin.”

Both men sat for a moment listening to Lane record his vlog. When he stopped recording, he came over to join in the conversation.

“The colors are the same though, right?” Lane asked as he sat by the others.

“They are, but...” Jonathan was saying but stopped. A look of recognition came over his face that caused goose bumps to form on Mikes neck and arms.

“That’s it.” Jonathan said. “That’s why you can see what I can’t.”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Jonathan stood and began pacing the floor, his eyes darting this way and that, furiously. Mike stood too, but his expression was confused as he tried to figure out what Jonathan had discovered. Jonathan began to wring his hands. First separately, and then with each other. Mike was getting exasperated as he watched. Lane was working it out in his mind as well.

“I can see the colors that are the same as the pigments.” Jonathan realized. “You can see those as well as the colors of light.”

Jonathan flipped through the pages of the metal book, carefully examining each page for the slightest hint of visible color but found none.

“We are going to need some help!” Jonathan exclaimed. “I’ve figured out why I haven’t been able to find anybody for so long. And why I found you at this moment in time. How did I not see this before?”

“What are you talking about?” Mike asked with a tremulous voice. “I went to that convention for my birthday. That’s why I didn’t see it before.”

Jonathan finally noticed Mikes body language for the first time. He calmed himself, and then tried to comfort Mike before he had a breakdown. Lane was alert but weary to the bone from driving for three days.

“There are bigger things at stake than these million dollars.” Jonathan said.

“Like what?” Lane asked.

Jonathan stilled himself and took a couple of breaths before sitting back down at the table. His calming effect seemed to transfer to Mike, and he took his seat as well.

“I have been trying to find a way to find another person with vision for a very long time. It’s no coincidence that I didn’t find you until now. Before now there hasn’t been a way to realize the benefits of this knowledge.” Jonathan explained. “This knowledge, and your vision of it, are going to change the world.”

“The world?” Lane asked doubtfully.

Jonathan nodded while looking into Lane’s soul.

“If I had discovered you... even 5 years ago we could not capitalize on what you see. This is the first time in history where your vision has the possibility to achieve its potential.” Jonathan explained.

Jonathan suddenly stood up, went to the window, and looked through it. He looked along the horizon first, and then he moved his head down low so that he could look into the sky. The sun had set, and the stars were beginning to come out. He scanned the heavens looking for a sign or something. Then he came and stood by the others.

“I’m going to stay here tomorrow while you two go get that money.” Jonathan announced.

“Don’t you want to come with us?” Mike asked innocently.

“I better not. It will be better if you and Lane go by yourselves. I will be here when you get back.” Jonathan said.

“Better? Why? How?” Lane asked.

“Just better. The last time I was in town...” Jonathan tried to explain. “I didn’t leave under the best of circumstances. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Lane wondered what motives Jonathan must have for letting them go without him. He didn’t want him there in the first place, but he wished it had been his idea to keep him away.

...

The bank looked like it was older than the country.

"Our outfits, and these packs are going to get us robbed and possibly murdered you know." Lane observed as they waited at the bank in the heart of the big city. Neither of them had considered security before trying to retrieve the large amount of funds from the ancient building.

The two men were waiting at the door when the bank finally opened. Each of them had a small backpack on. They looked like tourists casually walking into a bank with empty backpacks on. Who knew what would be waiting for them to exit?

When they displayed the old safe deposit box key to the attendant she looked down at her watch before giving them a response. Everyone there knew what time it was. The bank had just opened. It must have been an automatic tik that the woman had when referencing time Lane thought.

"The only person who can get you into that box won't be here for another hour. You should have called for an appointment if you were in a hurry." she said apologetically.

"We will just have a seat and wait then." Lane volunteered.

She ushered them over to a lavish waiting area that must have been built when architecture was grand and elaborate. It absolutely reeked of old money.

"Even the waiting room is intimidating in this city." Lane mused.

"Incredible, isn't it?" Mike agreed.

Lane looked around at the architecture while Mike took out his metal book and thumbed through the pages. The domed roof was supported by huge elaborate columns. There were twelve columns made of stone that went up to support the domed ceiling. Lane got a closer look at the designs that were carved into the columns. They looked like glyphs. They were spaced sequentially around the room. The floor was solid and smooth. Made from some green stone that was probably imported a few hundred years ago. This building had endured the test of time and come out unscathed. Lane moved in closer to get a better look at one of the glyphs. It was an intricate design for something that was carved into stone.

"What is that?" Mike said as he stood and made his way over to Lane.

"Some kind of glyph I think." Lane said as he pointed at the design on the column.

Mike had just closed his little metal book, but he reopened it when he saw the design on the pillar. His finger traced along some lines or words that were invisible to Lane. Then he closed it and pointed at the cover of the book.

"That's the dreamcatcher." he announced in a whisper.

Lane nearly shit himself when he heard that the glyph on Mikes book was a glyph. He was certain that Jonathan knew. Maybe that was why he didn't want to come to New York Lane thought.

Lane grabbed the little book from Mike and looked at the cover again, forgetting that he couldn't see the writing on it.

"How similar is the design?" Lane asked as he thrust the book back into Mikes view in front of the column.

Mike compared the 2 images side by side for several moments before taking his book to another column to compare it to the image on each column.

"They are all slightly different." Mike said with his detective look on his face. He had finally found a puzzle to decipher. "It's like a perspective thing." Mike pulled out his phone and began documenting the glyphs on the pillars. He took close-up and perspective photos. Each column had 2 glyphs on it. one on the inside surface toward the center of the room, and one on the outside surface of the column facing the wall. Lane decided to do the same.

"Who knows when we will ever get back here?" Lane said to himself as he started to document the glyphs.