Chapter 4 of Indiana Jones and the Black Book

Posted by Goodsport from adsl-216-102-199-185.dsl.snfc21.pacbell.net on July 08, 2000 at 01:59:41:

Chapter 4

    Indy was on his second cup of coffee when he heard the morning paper skid across his front porch and bang against the screen door. Indy quickly retrieved the paper and spread it across his lap. He scanned it page by page, searching for the promised advertisement for Morgan's shop. He finally found it buried in the back section among the slower news stories. Stories like Britain's newest proposed contribution to passenger air travel, the four jet-engine "deHavilland Comet" airliner, proported to be the fastest passenger plane yet, as well as the unfolding story of the Chinese Communist's successful progression across China, replacing Chiang Kai-Shek's democratic regime with Mao Tze-Tung's "New Chinese People's Republic".

    Bracketed between the two stories, Indy found the small advertisement.

    In large block print, Indy read "Morgan's Jewelers announces a special, today only! Bring in One watch for cleaning, and today only the service will be performed for Five dollars! That's right, ONE watch, FIVE dollars, ONE day only! Owner must bring in the watch in person, sale only at store between 5 and 6 p.m. tonight!"

    Indy re-read the ad, then underlined the capitalized words ONE-FIVE-ONE. No address given. "'Owner must come in person between five and six that evening'. Something must have happened to make them want him to come directly to the shop." Indy pulled out his watch, looked at his reflection in its dust cover and said aloud, "Well, old friend...I guess you're due for a cleaning!"

    The courthouse clock was striking the fifth toll of the hour of five when Indy entered the jewelry store. Morgan was not present, but a young woman was behind the counter, flashing a welcoming smile. Indy wondered how open she flashed the fake toothy grin at potential buyers who entered the store.

    "Good evening, sir. How may I assist you?"

    Indy pulled out the ad and his watch from his pocket.

    "I'm here regarding this ad and the watch service. Specifically, the 'one-five-one' offer today between five and six?"

    The girl's smile disappeared.

    "Please wait here."

    She turned and disappeared behind a curtain in the corner of the room. Indy could hear hushed discussion; when the curtains again parted, it was Morgan who entered the room.

    "Dr. Jones, I am very pleased you accepted the invitation!"

    "I though you were going to supply an address? You could have just told me last night to meet you here," said Indy.

    "Well, things have changed to a degree. Please, follow me," replied Morgan.

    Holding the curtains apart, Morgan lead Indy to the back area of the shop. Indy passed three watchmakers staring intently through their eye loops at the inner workings of timepieces. After walking through several dark hallways full of file cabinets, Morgan stopped and opened a door that appeared to lead down to a basement area.

    "After you, Dr. Jones."

    "No, I insist… you go first," replied Indy.

    Morgan smiled. "Ah, a cautious man. Very good. You're making yourself more valuable by the minute, Dr. Jones!"

    Morgan turned on the lights, then walked ahead of Indy down the steps. After passing through another door, they entered a small room. Out of habit, Indy quickly side-stepped to the right after entering the door to avoid any possible projectile that may head his way, be it lead, edged weapon or thrown fist.

    "I can assure you, Dr. Jones, you are of great importance to us. The last thing we need now is to have any harm come your way at this time," Morgan said.

    "My trust is earned, Morgan," Indy responded, standing still and allowing his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit room. The room was approximately 10 X 15 feet, sparsely furnished with only one long table and thirteen high backed chairs. A pentagon was roughly drawn in the center of the table, and one bare light bulb hung by its wire from the ceiling. The walls and inner doors were painted black, making the room appear smaller than it actually was.

    "Dr. Jones, you'll find a chair behind you in the corner. Please have a seat and I'll see if the others have arrived."

    Indy remained standing and watched Morgan walk to the opposite end of the room, open another door and step outside. With the door opened wide, he could hear muffled conversation. Eleven individuals entered the room wearing black hooded robes, the same as the girl had been wearing that evening in the library. They stood behind their chairs without saying a word. Morgan entered the room wearing the same robe, and was pushing a wheelchair that held an elderly man who sat upright in a strapped position. He appeared to be short in stature, but was also apparently well fed, as the chair seemed to emit groans in its efforts to support the man's great girth. Morgan pushed the man to the head of the table, then took his seat to the man's right.

    The eleven all watched the elderly man's entrance, and once he was in position, all turned as one to look at Indy.

    The silence of the room could have been that of a tomb's. The elderly man gazed up at Indy through pale, watery blue eyes. A gravely voice now came from this hulk of a man, startling Indy.

    "You are no doubt wondering what we are all about, sir!" he growled.

    Indy shook his head affirmatively.

    "We term ourselves as a coven, as we are indeed the descendents of those generations before us who escaped the brutality and injustice of the Spanish Inquisition. Any group who did not agree to participate or adhere in the politically correct nature of man at his worship at that time was tortured and killed horribly by the hand of the Inquisitors. There were, indeed, those of a sect that had gone too far in their search for the 'Dark One'. From what we know through oral tradition, they had delved too deeply into the black arts and had discovered the source that can free that evil force upon mankind. Man, in his piddling efforts to control this new, so called 'atomic age', has absolutely no concept as to what mindless, unstoppable force true evil can be if released! The Court of the Inquisition knew this. They did not know who the members of this dark cult was, and therefore believed that a bonfire of all participants who were non-believers would purge this evil from mankind. Innocents and tainted alike were thrown into their pious inferno to rid the world of this dangerous knowledge."

    The wheelchair-bound man seemed to rise up in his seat with the telling of this story, his eyes shining, his voice rising and lowering with each utterance. He continued...

    "As the fire was growing closer to the guilty, a plan was made to secure by scribe the incantations and evil black words and works that would free the black on the earth. The scribes broke the formula into five pieces, a puzzle. Five books were produced, then given to five separate groups of the sect to carry away from the slaughter and to safety, to be re-assembled at a later date. Those of our sects that knew of this plan tried to stop the books from being created and distributed, but it was too late. The dark sects and books escaped. We gathered together the survivors of our sects and swore an eternal oath to stop the re-assembly of the five texts. We are the 'Watchers', the guardians of the books. We are not allowed to destroy the works, as they are indeed still the most powerful study of the ancient arts that have ever been produced by our groups. We can stop their rediscovery and the possibility of allowing the final release of the Dark One!"

    The final sentence seemed to sap the strength from the man, and he sagged back into his chair. Morgan turned to Indy and said, "Ask what questions you may have and we'll answer if we can."

    Indy looked down the table at the hooded specters, then asked, "Am I then to understand that I have discovered one of the five texts?"

    "Yes."

    "Why haven't you just seized the books and hidden them from the others?"

    "We are denied direct power of absolute possession by decree of the ancients, and other reasons as well that we can not share with a non-believer," replied Morgan.

    "So why do you need me?"

    "The key to the ancient codes and languages died with the ancients, as were held by the dark sect. We have had no way to confirm or renounce the true nature of the volume on our watch. It was my grandfather who donated the book to the college library in the hope that that someday someone would rediscover the key and confirm the texts."

    "That was a pretty risky idea, wasn't it?' asked Indy. "Anyone could have just walked away with it."

    "No, we have always had a watcher over the book at all times, day or night."

    "How has that been possible?" asked Indy.

    Morgan gave a knowing smile, and no reply.

    "So, I ask again, what are you wanting from me?"

    "Dr. Jones, it's imperative that we discover and confirm the authenticity of the other four books, as well as our own volume. Only you, with your knowledge, may have found the key to perform that test," replied Morgan.

    Indy thought of Michaelson's current involvement, but said nothing to the group.

    Indy began to pace back and forth, considering the request. At last he stopped and turned back to the group who had been watching his pacing with no comment.

    "First, if I decide to help, how will this be funded?"

    "You have full funding for any and all ventures, no matter where it leads you. We have many powerful and influential members," said Morgan.

    "Secondly, where do I start? Do you have a clue as to the location of the other books?"

    "Only one, besides the book on our own watch. It is located somewhere in London."

    "Very well, I would like to sleep on this. I want to consider what you've told me tonight and decide whether or not I want to be involved any further that I already am."

    The elder sat up and pointed a pudgy finger at Indy.

    "Do not sleep too long on this, my young friend. We have already heard of the disappearance of your notes from a box that contained our Black Book. You may have already handed the code key to the members of the Dark Sect, allowing them to find and use the other four books! If this is the case, you will have been personally instrumental in opening the door to the destruction of all mankind!"

*************************

Michaelson, we are anxiously awaiting your Chapter 5! :)

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