Indiana Jones
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Posted by Muppet from dialup159.manuel.kingston-internet.net on April 28, 2000 at 04:04:32:
Okay...I know it's been a long, long time since I posted anything that resembled some creative writing - and even longer since anyone actually read the thing :-) but for anyone interested, this is Chapter 14 of Indiana Jones & The Curse of Rhan. There's 22 chapters in total - but I have to disappear for a few weeks, so the rest will be up from June onwards.
I hope that whoever's still reading - all one of you :) - enjoys it.
-Muppet-
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Chapter 14 - The Mediterranean Sea, 1956
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“Kill you?”
“Yes” said Indy.
“Why would they want to?” asked the deep-voiced man.
Indy was sitting on the deck of the fishermen’s ship he had escaped on. Around him lay old nets, discarded pieces of fish and bones, and even what was left of a clearly very popular bottle of some exotic spirit.
A good half hour had passed. Indy had taken the time to dry off and get his breath back. His crumpled fedora lay on deck, drying out in the baking Medietteraean sun. Indy had been chased, shot at, punched
and kept captive all within the last few days. He was taking what chance he could to simply sit back and regain his energy.
Thankfully, the fishermen hadn’t thrown Indy off the boat once he’d jumped onto it. On the contrary, after their argument with Belloq’s men, Indy was something of a hero to them. He’d stood up to the obnoxious Frenchman, and in the captain’s eyes, that equated to a hero’s welcome for Indy.
The captain repeated his question, lighting a cigaretter. “Why do they want to kill you?”
“Because Belloq is insane” said Indy.
“Smoke?”
Indy shook his head ‘no’.
“This man Belloq,” said the captain, “look at what his men did to our boat - bullet holes; if the ship holds together till we reach our destination it’ll be a miracle”. Indy looked worried, but the captain bellowed out a laugh, patting Indy on the shoulder. The captain was strong, and the pat shook Indy slightly. “A joke, my friend - this ship may look small, but it’s sturdier than any other in the Mediterannean. We’ll get you where you want to go - and in one piece”
The fishermen’s boat was indeed small - a small trawler, with only a sparse sleeping cabin below. Indy was sitting to the side of that day’s catch, a net filled with fish. There were only five people on the boat; Indy, the captain and three other fishermen.
“Why did they stop you?” asked Indy.
“The Frenchman...”
“...Belloq”
“Yes, him,” said the Captain. “His cumbersome ship was in our path. What an infernal machine; a great lumbering thing in these waters! They disturbed our fishing - scared the fishes away with their loud motors. We’ve only caught half our regular catch...and when their ship crossed our path, we refused to move”
Indy grinned.
“We’re stubborn like that” smirked the Captain.
Indy laughed. “I’m grateful you didn’t move”
“Yes, it did turn out for the best, didn’t it?”
“Have you finished for the day?”
“Oh yes. We’ve caught all we can. We’re headed back home now”
“Where’s home?” asked Indy.
The captain paused. “Where do you need to be dropped off?”
They were nearing Egypt now. “I suppose...Cairo...I’ve got an old friend there” said Indy.
“What excellent news. We are headed there ourselves” The Captain patted Indy’s shouler again, then walked off in the direction of the other three fishermen. He muttered something to them, and they all nodded. Then the Captain turned back to Indy “We should arrive in Cairo in no less than a half hour!”
“Thank you”
Indy realised that Belloq had made a mistake with his extreme arrogance. Belloq, who was so sure of himself that he had Indy caught and unable to escape, had willingly revealed the location of the Temple to Indy back in Paris. Whilst Belloq and Dr. Jerome were translating the scroll with Indy sat inches away, Indy had taken in every detail, every place name. He took in all the throwaway comments, the intricate plans, the destinations - memorising everything.
Indy took it all in; he thought that if he did get the chance to
escape, he would rather have some sense of where to go than let Belloq continue on to - what? Indy knew he was headed for a village called Bokao which he had never heard of in Chad, a place he had never
visited. This wasn’t going to be easy. Although Indy knew that Chad had borders with Niger and Libya, there was no associate or friend - or even enemy - that Indy knew within Chad. The nearest would be Sallah - and that was dependent on his still being in Cairo. Perhaps Sallah had been hired for work in Tunisia or even further away? Thoughts that Indy didn’t want to have raced through his mind. Thoughts of facing Belloq and his gang alone.
The only plan Indy had seemed simple, but would prove devilish to put into action. Find Sallah, track down Louis armed and prepared, settle the score. If only it were that easy, thought Indy. Indy didn’t know how Sallah was going to react He hoped that his old friend would go with him. Otherwise it was going to be an impossible fight.
. . .
“Fools!”
It had taken another hour and a half to rectify the problem with the motor on ‘La Haise’, but the boat had eventually started movingagain. An annoyed - but calm on the exterior - Louis Belloq stood on his own on deck, watching Cairo approach.
“Fools!” repeated Louis. Kas nodded, eyeing the horizon menacingly, as if he could see Indy. Kas wringed his thick hands, but Louis didn’t notice. Belloq was more concerned with getting the Staff of Rhan in one piece. His anger dissipated as he reassured himself that although it was an arduous trail, the prize was magnificent, beyond the contemplation of ordinary, powerless people.
‘La Haise’ approached Cairo, Louis shifted slowly in the heat of the sun. In days he would uncover the Temple of Rhan, and find out what glorious fate awaited him - and the rest of the world. However, a million thoughts played on his mind as he stood on deck. A million thoughts revolving around Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. Yes, Louis wanted the Temple. But he also wanted Jones dead.
In Louis’ opinion - and that of the high-ranking Nazis and the files Louis had managed to investigate - Jones was the man responsible for Rene Belloq’s death. He was, thought Louis, a common murderer. An American at that. “Two good reasons to kill him”.
Jones had evaded Louis and his men every time they came near to killing him. “Like vermin...or a snake” hissed Louis. He wringed his hands as thoughts of a painful, lingering death for the American archaeologist crossed his mind. Things had taken a turn for the worse; Jones had escaped. His location now was a mystery; he could be
anywhere from Egypt to England.
Louis had to decide what to do. Either trace Jones’ movements from Cairo, find him - and kill him - or set out to the Temple’s supposed location, ignoring the trials of a petty archaeologist. Louis was sure that Jones had overheard his ideas and plans of how to reach the Temple ofRhan, of what power was held inside. “He could prove an unnecessary annoyance” Louis said to Kas.
Kas nodded.
It didn’t take long for Louis to decide which course of action to take. “Dr. Jerome!” shouted Louis, “When we dock at Cairo, we will need transport. A truck, digging tools. We will proceed to Chad as planned. See to it. And don’t let me down”
“Yes, Louis”
“Soon, very soon, I will be at the Temple”
“WE will be at the Temple,” said Dr. Jerome.
Louis paused. “Of course”
. . .
Late.
It was late when the small fisherman’s boat had eventually docked, letting Indy off to continue on his way. Indy had used what persuasion he could to get transport to Sallah’s house, hoping that his old friend would be home - and willing to help.
The moon was already out by the time Indy arrived at Sallah’s house. It was getting colder, and Indy’s ripped clothes and battered body both needed repair and rest. Rapping on the door, Indy took a deep breath, unsure of what his opening line should be. How about hello? he asked himself.
The door opened.
“Indiana!” cried Sallah’s wife. She was standing in the doorway, smiling. She wrapped her arms around Indy, embracing him with the vigour as if she’d just met a long-lost relative. To Sallah’s family, Indy was that - a relative of sorts. It was helpful knowing Sallah; he’d helped Indy out of a lot of tricky situations. Indy hoped that Sallah would be willing to help out again; one more for the road.
“How are you?” smiled Indy.
“Marvellous, Indiana, just marvellous”
“How are the children? How’s Sallah?”
“They are fine” Sallah’s wife stood back, ushering Indy inside the house. She closed the door behind Indy, leading him through a set of rooms to a large rectangular room where Sallah’s children sat, eating. When Indy entered the room, they turned to see him and sprang out of their seats excitedly, racing up and asking him a million questions at once.
The last time he had been here, Indy remembered Sallah’s children as small teenagers - now they were growing up, more sensible but all with that charm of their father.
“How’ve you been?” Indy asked them all at once.
They responded with a chorus of more questions.
An overwhelmed Indy turned to Sallah’s wife. “Where’s Sallah?”
“Tunisia”
“Tunisia?” asked Indy, trying not to shout. “Tunisia?”
“Yes, he is working on a site there. It is going to bring in a lot of
money. Good work, honest pay” smiled Sallah’s wife. “It will come in
very handy - he has been out there almost a month now. We will have a fair amount to spend when he returns” she grinning.
Indy was concerned “When will he return?”
“Five weeks’ time”
Indy looked stunned. Quickly, Sallah’s wife beckoned for Indy to take a seat, and then told one of her children to fetch Indy a drink - preferably alcoholic.
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To be continued (in a month...)