Thanks, Tessa, for the kind words!! (nm)

Posted by The Man with the Hat from port93.maxc02.bignet.net on June 23, 1999 at 12:32:54:

In Reply to: Good chapter 9 and I think we deserve equal billing! (nm) posted by Tessa on June 23, 1999 at 12:11:19:

: : : Ok, I thought I would make it easier. Anyone is free to add to the story...Tessa

: : : Chapter 1 (written by Tessa)
: : : June 1956

: : : Indiana Jones was sitting in his office, getting ready for vacation. He hadn’t had one in years, where he was free from archeology and adventure. He was finishing off grades for his students when the phone rang on his desk. He called out to the outer office,
: : : “Irene, I said no calls.”
: : : “I think you’ll like this one, Dr. Jones.”
: : : Indy picked up the phone and barked, “Hello.”
: : : “If this is how you act on the last day before your vacation,” said a soft voice, “I’d like to see what you’re like in a couple of days.”
: : : Indy smiled a bit and said, “Hi, Kate. It’s not you I’m mad at. I’m trying to finish these grades and keep getting interrupted.”
: : : “I understand, but three little ones were wondering when you were coming home.”
: : : Indy laughed and said, “I’ll be home soon. Hopefully before our plane leaves for Cairo.”
: : : “That bad, huh?” laughing a bit, “I’ll see you at home later. Love you.”
: : : “I love you, too. Bye,” as he hung up.
: : : Indy sat back in his chair and thought back. He and Kate had been through a lot over the years. Finding her again after so many years, he didn’t want to lose her. He almost did after they got married in India six years ago, when she got shot from an Italian crime lord. Since then, he was persistent about leaving Kate and their three children – Eric and Michael, who just turned five, and Lauren, who turned four --- at home when he went off for archeology digs. Kate didn’t mind, she had her hands full of being a mother and working both at Julliard and her family’s music company.
: : : Indy was finishing up his grades about an hour later when the phone rang again. Frustrated, he picked it up and s>

Transfer interrupted!

: : “It’s not Kate,” said a rough voice.
: : : “Who is this?”
: : : “A friend. Don’t go to Cairo, Dr. Jones. An evil awaits you.”
: : : “Who is this?” he demanded as the phone went dead in his hands. Something’s wrong, he thought. He shook the feeling off, went to his car and headed home.
: : : Home was a three-story house in the suburbs of New York, with green shutters and a white picked fence. Indy still couldn’t believe how his life was now, as he pulled into the driveway. One moment he was a bachelor and free of responsibility, the next married with three kids. He shook his head as he walked into the door and called out,
: : : “I’m home.”
: : : Pounding came down the stairs as two little blond boys came down and said,
: : : “Daddy’s home,” as they ran into his arms.
: : : Kate came down, carrying Lauren, who was hiding her face in Kate’s chest. Indy laughed, took her from her mother’s arms, and said,
: : : “Hi, Sweetheart.”
: : : “Hi, Daddy,” as she put her fingers in her mouth, her chestnut curls tickling Indy’s chin.
: : : “Kids,” called a voice.
: : : Indy looked up and saw the maid standing by the kitchen, “Come on and help me a bit,” as she took Lauren from Indy’s arms. The boys followed her in the kitchen as Kate said,
: : : “Missed me?”
: : : “Sure did,” as he kissed her on the cheek.
: : : Kate looked at him, “Something’s wrong.”
: : : “What makes you say that?”
: : : “I know you, Indiana Jones. You usually want to play with the kids when you get home and you never ever give me a kiss on the cheek unless something happened at the office,” looking concerned.
: : : Kate knows me too well. He sat down on the stairs and asked,
: : : “Did you get a call today about not going to Cairo?”
: : : “No, but I did get this,” handing him a letter.
: : : Indy opened the letter and saw in spiked lettering,
: : : Do not go to Cairo. Or you will die!
: : : “Indy,” Kate asked, “What’s going on?”
: : : “I don’t know,” as he reached for the phone, “But I’m going to find out.”

: : :
: : : Chapter 2 (written by Tessa)

: : : Indy and his family arrived in Cairo the following afternoon. He still had an uneasy feeling about bringing his family when their lives could be in danger. Indy looked around and saw someone familiar walking towards him.
: : : “Indy, my friend. Good to see you,” as the man hugged him.
: : : Indy smiled as Sallah let go and said, “Now where is this family I’ve seen pictures and read about?”
: : : “Right here, Sallah,” as he turned around, “Those two blond boys are my sons Eric and Michael,” pointing at them. “And the other blonde and the little girl in her arms are my wife and daughter.”
: : : Lauren raised her head, eyed Sallah, and buried her face in Kate’s chest. Kate laughed a bit, stroked her daughter’s back, and said,
: : : “Laurie, it’s ok. This is Daddy’s friend, Sallah.”
: : : Lauren looked at Indy, as she lunged towards him. Indy took her from Kate as Lauren said,
: : : “Daddy, is he ok?”
: : : “He’s fine, sweetheart,” smiling and looking at Sallah and said, “Sallah, this is my youngest, Lauren Marie.”
: : : “Hello there, Lauren.”
: : : “Hi,” as she put a finger in her mouth. Sallah touched the girl’s hair and said,
: : : “She’s beautiful, Indy.”
: : : “She’s gets it from her mom,” smiling brightly at Kate.
: : : Sallah went over to Kate, gave her a big hug, and said, “Welcome to Cairo, Kate. You’ve transformed my friend here.”
: : : “I just married him, Sallah. Nothing more,” smiling brightly.
: : : Sallah laughed and said, “She does have a sense of humor. Good thing in a woman. Come along to the car.”
: : : “Did you get my message?” Indy asked as they walked out of the airfield.
: : : “Yes, but I don’t quite understand who would be after to you,” smiling a bit, “But with your reputation, I bound its’ just a troublemaker.”
: : : “I hope so,” looking at Lauren in his arms, “I don’t anything happening to my family, Sallah. I almost lost Kate once in Goa…” remembering.
: : : “But Daddy,” Lauren said, “Momma’s right there,” pointing at Kate.
: : : “Yes, she is, pretty one,” Sallah said as he picked her up from Indy and put her into the car and said, “You don’t need to fear, Indy. Your family is safe here.”
: : : I hope so Indy thought as they drove to Sallah’s place. When they arrived, Kate looked at Indy, touched his arm, and said,
: : : “We’ll be fine. Really, no one who harm American tourists.”
: : : “Are you forgetting about Goa?”
: : : “That was a freak of nature.”
: : : “Children,” said Sallah, “Why don’t let your parents talk? You can meet my children.”
: : : “Ok,” as Eric and Michael ran into the house and Lauren held Sallah’s hand to go in. Indy looked at his wife and said,
: : : “Kate, you almost died in Goa.”
: : : “Yes, but I was there to find you, not as a tourist.”
: : : “But…” as he looked at his fair-haired wife. Kate put a hand to his mouth and said,
: : : “No buts. We’ll all be fine. Just relax and enjoy your vacation.”
: : : Kate out of the car as Indy said, “First sign of trouble, we’re going home.”
: : : “Chicken,” as she patted her pocket and said, “I have plenty of protection, Indy. I have my gun in my pocket and two big strong men to protect me. What can go wrong?”
: : : Indy shook his head as they went inside. A man was watching them from a distance and said,
: : : “You’ll regret coming here, Indiana Jones.”

: : :
: : : Chapter 3 (written by Tessa)
: : : Indy woke up the next morning and noticed Kate not besides him He got up, dressed, and went to see Sallah. The burly Egyptian looked up, smiled, and said,
: : : “Morning, Indy.”
: : : “Where’s Kate?”
: : : “No good morning, my friend?” chuckling.
: : : “Indy,” said Fayah, Sallah’s wife, “Your wife and children went out to the marketplace a while ago.”
: : : “Alone?”
: : : “You have nothing to fear here,” Sallah said, “Kate and the children had breakfast and decided to let you sleep.”
: : : ‘What time is it?”
: : : “Almost noon.”
: : : Indy stretched a bit and asked, “How long have they been gone?”
: : : “Almost two hours.”
: : : “They should be back soon” Indy said, “The boys have a time clock with lunchtime.”
: : : “They are a good looking bunch,” Sallah said, “You truly have been blessed.”
: : : “Thanks, Sallah.”
: : : “Now, your daughter is your youngest?”
: : : “Yes, she is.”
: : : “She doesn’t talk much.”
: : : “She’s a bit shy,” Indy said, “but until she knows you better she’ll talk so much you’ll want her to be quiet.”
: : : Sallah laughed and said, “And your boys act like you do, full of adventure. They will carry on for you after you are gone.”
: : : “With my luck, they will be like Kate and become musicians.”
: : : “Your wife is a musician?”
: : : “Used to be,” sipping some coffee, “She owns a music company in New York.”
: : : “I see,” then looked at him, “what happened to Marion?”
: : : Indy’s expression soured a bit, “We drifted apart. She didn’t like all the traveling I did with my line of work, so she left.”
: : : “Do you still love her?”
: : : “There will always be a part of me for her. But Kate was the one person that got away from me.”
: : : “I don’t understand…”
: : : “Remember me mentioning a girl in Chicago I wanted to marry? Before Deirdre?”
: : : “Yes, but…” then his eyes widened, “Kate?”
: : : Indy nodded, “She left me after finishing my studies at the University of Chicago. We met after Marcus died. And the rest is history.”
: : : “You learned to love again. And that is good,” Sallah said.
: : : Indy nodded as he kept thinking back to the day he lost her, the day she came back in his life, and when they got married in India. He smiled at Sallah and said,
: : : “It is good, Sallah.”

: : : Around the same time, Kate and kids were heading back to Sallah’s home. The boys were running ahead of her saying,
: : : “Come on, Mom, we’re hungry.”
: : : “Ok, ok,” as she held a basket in one hand, and Lauren’s hand in the other. She looked at her daughter and said,
: : : “Do you want to join Eric and Michael?”
: : : “No, Mommy. I stay here,” in her soft voice.
: : : Kate smiled a bit at her young daughter. Lauren was the mirror image of Indy but she had Kate’s shyness and gentleness. She spoilt the child since the day she was born, prematurely, on Valentine’s Day. It was a difficult pregnancy unlike with the boys. She had to be off her feet by Christmas and one day didn’t listen and tripped down the stairs on one of the boys’ shoes. Indy was terrified that day, waiting in the waiting room with the boys and Henry. After Lauren was born, Indy held them both tight, sobbing, and praising God that they were all right. She never had known Indy to be emotional as that day in the hospital. Kate snapped out of her reverie as Eric shouted,
: : : “Mom, can we get some candy?”
: : : “You’ll ruin your lunch,” she reminded him.
: : : “Pleassseeee!!!!” both twins said, staring at her with their huge hazel eyes. The vendor , smiling a bit, said,
: : : “Please, madam, I give you free samples,” handing them each a piece of hard candy.
: : : Eric and Michael gladly took their pieces and put it into their mouths. Kate looked at the candy, stuck it in her pocket, and said,
: : : “Thank you,” and then noticed the boys acting differently. Eric turned around and said,
: : : “Mommy, I feel funny,” as he collapsed along with his brother.
: : : “Boys!” as Kate ran to them, leaving Lauren to hide without the vendor noticing. As she looked at them, her world went black as she was hit in the head.

: : : Chapter 4 (written by The Man With the Hat)
: : : Indy paced back and forth in Sallah's house.
: : : "Where are they?" Indy said. "They should have been back by now!"
: : : With reflexes honed by years of adventure, Indy quickly turned as a single thump sounded on the door.
: : : "Kate?" he said, as he opened the door. He was rewarded not with Kate and his children, but with a wicked-looking knife sticking in the door, holding a note.
: : : Indy pulled the paper from the blade and ran his eyes over it.
: : : "Kate", he said, holding the note in trembling hands. "They've got Kate and the children."
: : :
: : : Indy opened his suitcase and pulled out a heavy object wrapped in cloth. He let the object tumble into his hand and Sallah saw that it was his trusty Webley revolver. He laid it on the table and removed a whip from the case.
: : : "You brought that on vacation?" Sallah asked.
: : : Indy replied, "Kinda feel naked without it."
: : : Indy strapped the Webley across his hips, glad to feel the familiar weight of the gun in its holster.
: : : "Where are you going?" Sallah asked.
: : : "A warehouse at the edge of Cairo," Indy answered. "The note said to come alone."
: : : "What will you do?"
: : : "I don't know. I'm making this up as I go."
: : : Indy walked to the door and opened it, then turned to look at Sallah.
: : : "Seems like old times, my friend," Sallah said.
: : : Indy just nodded and walked out...
: : :
: : : The large warehouse loomed before Indy. Years ago, it had been used to store fruit, but now it was abandoned and the desert was taking it over. Indy held the Webley in a clenched fist as he opened the warehouse door, which let go with a loud creak.
: : : Indy thought.
: : : Just inside the door, a large "IJ" had been painted in red with a line leading deeper into the warehouse. Indy followed the line carefully, until it stopped at a door. He shouldered his way through the door, his Webley searching for targets.
: : : There, tied to a chair and gagged, was Kate! Indy moved to untie her, when something caught his eye. There were several holes in the walls of the room, and from each one protruded long, cylindrical rods of metal. Gun barrels!
: : : "Very observant, Dr. Jones," said a voice from the other side of the wall.
: : : "Who are you?" Indy asked. "What do you want?"
: : : The silence was deafening! Then: "We represent a small but growing faction who worship Ahknaton, The Sun..."
: : : "The Sun Pharaoh," Indy finished for him.
: : : "You are familiar with him, then?"
: : : "Any first-year Egyptology student knows the name. He brought a cultural revolution to Egypt; he worshipped the sun."
: : : "Correct, Dr. Jones," the voice said. "The sun, rather than the false gods that his fathers had worshipped before him."
: : : Indy looked at Kate, and saw the tears in her eyes. "What's that got to do with me?"
: : : "You are known for your acquisition of rare antiquities. We wish to possess a certain disc that was once in the hands of our beloved Ahknaton. You will retrieve it for us."
: : : "I'm sorry. I'm out of that business now."
: : : "Well, then, Dr. Jones, for the sake of your family, I would suggest that you get back into that business."
: : : Indy heard the rifles cock behind the walls. "Where are my children?" Indy asked.
: : : "Somewhere safe, for now," the voice said. "But fail us, and you will again be living the bachelor's life!"
: : : "Understood."
: : : "Now go! Time is running out!"
: : : "Right," Indy said.

: : : Chapter 5 (written by The Man With the Hat)
: : : "I know a lot about Ahknaton, And I've never heard anything about a disc!" Indy said, as he looked across the library's table at Sallah. He discarded another volume onto the pile of books that didn't have what he was looking for.
: : : After a hesitation, Sallah said, "Perhaps it does not exist."
: : : "The lives of four people I care about depends on the fact that it does," Indy said returning to his book. His face was furrowed with worry. "It has to," he said, finally.
: : : Suddenly, his eyes lit up!
: : : "Indy, what is it?" Sallah asked.
: : : "This book; it has a fleeting reference to Ahknaton's golden disc," Indy said, as he pushed his chair away from the table. "And the author lives right here in Cairo!"
: : : "Then, what are we waiting for!" Sallah said, then started singing in a booming voice, "I am the monarch of the sea..."
: : : "Sssshhhh!!" came the response from the patrons of the library.
: : : "Sorry Indy."
: : : "Seventeen! There it is!" Indy said and jumped from the car before it had stopped.
: : : "Indy?"
: : : "Wait!" Indy said. "I'll be right back."
: : : Indy took the steps two at a time and banged the door knocker loudly. A delicate-featured Egyptian woman answered, and Indy was taken aback.
: : : "Hello," Indy said. "May I speak to the man of the house?"
: : : The woman looked confused.
: : : "There is no 'man of the house'," she said.
: : : "I'm sorry, "Indy said, a pained look creeping over his face. "I was looking for L.C. Smythe."
: : : Indy turned to leave.
: : : "I'm L.C. Smythe," The woman said.
: : : Indy stopped in his tracks.

: : : Indy and Sallah explained the situation to L.C. Smythe as they drove back to Sallah's house. Smythe agreed to help, but Indy couldn't resist asking about her name.
: : : "My father was a British diplomat. He fell in love with my mother, an Egyptian, and here I am," the woman said.
: : : "What's the L.C. stand for?" Indy asked.
: : : "Nothing," she said.
: : : "Nothing?" Indy and Sallah asked in unison.
: : : "The world of archaeology is not an east nut to crack if you are a woman. My father named me Elsie."
: : : "And you just bastardized it," Indy smirked as they pulled up to Sallah's house.
: : : The door opened and a man walked out, holding Lauren in his arms.
: : : "Does this belong to you?" the man said.

: : : Chapter 6 (written by Tessa)

: : : Indy stared at disbelief at Lauren. He thought he was hallucinating until Lauren said,
: : : “Daddy!” and lunged at him.
: : : Indy took his daughter, hugged her tight, and had tears streaming down his face. Indy looked at her and asked,
: : : “Are you okay?”
: : : “I ok,” as Indy gave her a kiss on the forehead. He looked at the man and asked, “Where did you find my daughter?”
: : : “In the marketplace. She was hiding in one of my baskets.”
: : : “But how did you know…”
: : : “She said she was Jones. I search high and low to find you until someone directed me here.”
: : : “Indy,” as Fayah interrupted, “Let me take her inside. She’s had a rough day.”
: : : Indy nodded as Lauren went with Fayah. He handed the man some money and said, “Thank you.”
: : : The man left as L.C. asked, “Jones? You are Indy Jones, the archeologist?”
: : : “Right,” as Indy crossed his arms, “What of it?”
: : : “I’ve heard about you, but I didn’t realize…”
: : : “That I have a child?”
: : : L.C. nodded and Indy smiled, “It’s ok, I get that reaction all the time.”
: : : L.C. stared at him as Sallah said, “Madam, we need to know about the golden disc of Ahknaton.”
: : : “Why?”
: : : Indy looked at the woman and said, “My wife and sons’ lives depend on it.”
: : : Back at the warehouse, Kate was staring at her captor, tied to the chair and her face stained with tears. She gave him a hard look as he said,
: : : “I hope Jones will find the disc for me.”
: : : “Where are my children?”
: : : “They are safe. Do not worry.”
: : : “You drugged my sons, hit me, and tie the four of us up…”
: : : “Four?” the man said confused, “There are more?”
: : : Kate looked at the man in disbelief and said, “You don’t have all of us?”
: : : “I have two boys,” looking at her.
: : : Kate realized, Lauren … they don’t have Lauren , as the man came to her and asked, “Who else was with you, Mrs. Jones?”
: : : Kate looked at the man, refusing to speak, as he chuckled and said, “Come on now, who else?”
: : : “No one,” defiantly. The man looked at her, slapped her across the face, grabbed her blouse and yelled, “Who else was there?”
: : : “Sir?” said a voice from behind.
: : : The man turned and said the Arabic man in the doorway, “Can’t you see I’m busy?”
: : : “We heard that a man visited with Jones today. The man brought him a little girl. Jones’daughter.”
: : : The man nodded, dismissed the man and turned to Kate. He looked at her, slapped her face and said;
: : : “You whore. You lied to me.”
: : : Kate’s upper lip split from the slap and a bruise started to form on her left cheek. She looked at him and said,
: : : “Go ahead and kill me. And Indy will find you and kill him yourself.”
: : : The man smiled wickedly as he started to unbuckle his belt and said,
: : : “That would be too easy for you,” as the man unhooked his belt and dropped it on the floor. He grabbed Kate’s blouse, ripped it off along with her bra, and said, “I plan on hurting you in the most cruel way.”

: : : Chapter 7 (written by The Man With the Hat)
: : : "I don't like to toot my own horn," Elsie Smythe said. "But I consider myself one of the foremost authorities on Ahknaton and his lineage."
: : : "So," Indy said, "tell me about his golden disc."
: : : "Yes. The golden disc. If such a thing exist, it has been lost to the ages."
: : : "If such a thing exists?" Indy asked.
: : : "I've been in Ahknaton's tomb many times. There was no disc. There was no evidence that there was a disc."
: : : Indy could feel the muscles in his jaw tightening and the pulse pounded in his temple.
: : : "Listen, lady!" Indy began, putting his hands on the arms of her chair and leaning into her face. "This is important to me! Very important! I need your help!"
: : : Indy stood; realizing that desperation had nearly made him cross the line. He walked to his suitcase, opened it, and took out a handful of money.
: : : "Please?" he said.
: : : "I'll take you to the tomb."
: : : The sun was at it's zenith. Indy took off his fedora and wiped away the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt.
: : : "It's gonna be a hot one," Indy said.
: : : "Every day," Elsie said, as she lit a torch.
: : : Indy did likewise.
: : : They walked into the tomb and some relief from the sun.
: : : As they walked, Indy waved his torch slowly back and forth, his eyes full of wonder.
: : : "Dr. Jones?"
: : : "Sorry," he said. "Just been awhile since I've been in a tomb."
: : : "Quite alright," Elsie said. "We should be coming up on the burial chamber."
: : : The gold, of course, had been removed, leaving the nearly empty shell of a tomb.
: : : "As you can see, Dr. Jones, there's not much here."
: : : "I don't know. Let's see."
: : : Indy ran his hands along the wall near the ceiling of the tomb.
: : : "Nothing there," Indy said, mostly to himself. He moved to the next wall.
: : : "What do you expect to find, Dr. Jones?"
: : : "I'm not sure," Indy said. Then a few seconds later: "Bingo"
: : : "Bingo?" Elsie was baffled.
: : : Indy took his jack knife from his pocket and dug a small groove parallel to the floor at about the six-foot level. He then made grooves from the ends of the first groove to the floor, so that it roughly resembled a door.
: : : "Stand back!" Indy said, and beared his shoulder against the wall. It gave way, and Indy tumbled head first into an undiscovered room.
: : : "You're quite resourceful, Dr. Jones," Elsie said, as she helped Indy to his feet.
: : : "Do me two favors, please?" Indy said.
: : : "Yes?"
: : : "Number one. Under no circumstances tell anyone I fell down," Indy said.
: : : "And number two?"
: : : "Please," he said. "Call me Indy."
: : : The hidden room was devoid of artifacts, save a long golden table with the sun in relief dominating the center. Strewn about on the table was an assortment of scrolls, banded with strips of gold.
: : : "Maybe one of these holds some information about the disc," Elsie said.
: : : "My thought, exactly."
: : : The duo walked to the table and began the unsealing of dozens of scrolls. Scrolls were read and discarded as afternoon turned to evening and the torched were nearly useless.
: : : "Got it," Indy said, suddenly.
: : : "You found information about the disc?"
: : : "It's better," Indy said, turning the scroll around for Elsie to see. "It's a map!"

: : : Chapter 8 (written by Tessa)

: : : Elsie and Indy looked at the map as he pointed out, “Look, a river, the temple and in the middle of them, there’s a symbol.”
: : : “The symbol of Ahknaton,” Elsie said.
: : : “But which way?”
: : : Elsie looked at him and said, “Don’t you know your geography, Indy? It’s the Nile. The river is,” looking at the map and then at him, “in the west.”
: : : “Right,” as he folded the map and put it in his pocket, grabbed Elsie’s hand, and started to walk as she said,
: : : “Where are we going?”
: : : “To get some horses from Sallah,” as they walked out of the temple, “and find the disc.”

: : : The man threw Kate into a locked room after he had his way with her. Her torn blouse was replaced with a t-shirt, her face covered in dried blood and dirt and her hair a mess as she curled in the corner and started crying.
: : : Then the door opened, Kate refused to turn around until she heard,
: : : “Mom?”
: : : She turned around and saw her sons. She ran to them and said, “Eric, Michael,” as she hugged them, “Are you alright?”
: : : “We’re fine,” Eric said as he looked at her, “Are you?”
: : : “I am,” putting on a brave smile. Eric was always the stronger, protective twin, even at five years old. Michael had been the shy one and kept to himself as he looked around and asked,
: : : “Where’s Laurie?”
: : : “They don’t have her,” Kate said.
: : : “She got away?” Eric asked.
: : : Kate nodded as her sons looked at her and asked, “What should we do?”
: : : “Pray, pray for your lives.”

: : : Indy and Elsie were mounted on horses in front of Sallah’s house. Lauren’s eyes widened at the sight of her father as she asked,
: : : “Can I come too, Daddy?”
: : : “Stay here with Uncle Sallah and Aunt Fayah,” roughly.
: : : “But,” tears filling her blue eyes, “you need me.”
: : : Indy got off the horse, picked up his daughter, and said, “You’re too young.”
: : : “Daddy,” the tears flowing out harder, “I might lose you.”
: : : Indy suddenly realized what his daughter had seen in the marketplace. Poor kid. She just seen her mother and brothers taken away and thinks I’m next he thought. He hugged her tight, wiped the tears from her eyes and said,
: : : “I’ll come back, sweetheart…with mom, Eric, and Michael.”
: : : “Promise?” looking at him with those eyes that reminded him of Kate.
: : : Indy nodded as he handed her to Sallah, mounted back on the horse, and said to Sallah,
: : : “Keep an eye on her, Sallah.”
: : : “I’ll guard her as I would my own children.”
: : : Indy nodded, turned to Elsie and said, “Let’s go,” as they rode off into the night.

: : Chapter 9 (written by The Man with the Hat)

: : "The best that I can tell, we've been riding in circles," Indy said, climbing from his horse.
: : "I don't understand it," Elsie said. "According to the map, we should be standing at the doorway to the Temple of Ahknaton."
: : "It's a mystery," Indy said, stroking his stubbled chin. "Unless..."
: : Indy grabbed a shovel from his saddle and began digging. Elsie was dumbfounded.
: : "Don't just stand there," Indy said. "Grab a shovel and help!"
: : Elsa did as Indy had asked, still not understanding what they were doing. She started to ask when she heard Indy's shovel hit something solid.
: : "That's it!" Indy said.
: : "That's what?
: : "Don't you see?" Indy asked. "The temple is underground."
: : "But..." Elsie said.
: : "C'mon, help me clear off the edges!"
: : That done, Indy used his shovel like a prybar to lift the cap from the temple. With a hiss, the top broke free, releasing the funk of the ages.
: : He slid it over making a small space to crawl through. Taking a rope from his saddle, he tied one end to the horn, and dropped it into the entrance.
: : Indy held the rope in his gloved hands and began to lower himself into the temple.
: : "What? No 'Ladies first'?" Elsie said.
: : "Sorry," Indy said, and slid himself down the rope. He reached the bottom, and looked up.
: : "Alright," Indy said. "Come on down."
: : Elsie moved deftly down the rope, with Indy helping her, his hands on her waist, for the last few feet.
: : Indy lit a torch, and watched the light bounce from the many golden treasures in the temple.
: : "This place is like a museum," Elsie said.
: : "Only one thing I'm interested in."
: : Indy walked around the room, picking up objects and examining them, but still not finding the disc until only one item remained.
: : In the corner of the room stood a large sarcophagus.
: : The disc had to be in there!
: : "Only one way to find out," Indy said as he opened the lid.
: : There, around the neck of a leaking mummy, hung the object of thier search.
: : They had found the disc of Ahknaton!

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: : : : Ok, I thought I would make it easier. Anyone is free to add to the story...Tessa

: : : : Chapter 1 (written by Tessa)
: : : : June 1956

: : : : Indiana Jones was sitting in his office, getting ready for vacation. He hadn’t had one in years, where he was free from archeology and adventure. He was finishing off grades for his students when the phone rang on his desk. He called out to the outer office, 
: : : : 	“Irene, I said no calls.”
: : : : 	“I think you’ll like this one, Dr. Jones.”
: : : : Indy picked up the phone and barked, “Hello.”
: : : : 	“If this is how you act on the last day before your vacation,” said a soft voice, “I’d like to see what you’re like in a couple of days.”
: : : : 	Indy smiled a bit and said, “Hi, Kate. It’s not you I’m mad at. I’m trying to finish these grades and keep getting interrupted.”
: : : : 	“I understand, but three little ones were wondering when you were coming home.”
: : : : 	Indy laughed and said, “I’ll be home soon. Hopefully before our plane leaves for Cairo.”
: : : : 	“That bad, huh?” laughing a bit, “I’ll see you at home later. Love you.”
: : : : 	“I love you, too. Bye,” as he hung up.
: : : : Indy sat back in his chair and thought back. He and Kate had been through a lot over the years. Finding her again after so many years, he didn’t want to lose her. He almost did after they got married in India six years ago, when she got shot from an Italian crime lord. Since then, he was persistent about leaving Kate and their three children – Eric and Michael, who just turned five, and Lauren, who turned four --- at home when he went off for archeology digs. Kate didn’t mind, she had her hands full of being a mother and working both at Julliard and her family’s music company.
: : : : 	Indy was finishing up his grades about an hour later when the phone rang again. Frustrated, he picked it up and s>
: <HR><H3>Transfer interrupted!</H3>
: : : 	“It’s not Kate,” said a rough voice.
: : : : 	“Who is this?”
: : : : 	“A friend. Don’t go to Cairo, Dr. Jones. An evil awaits you.”
: : : : 	“Who is this?” he demanded as the phone went dead in his hands. Something’s wrong, he thought. He shook the feeling off, went to his car and headed home. 
: : : : 	Home was a three-story house in the suburbs of New York, with green shutters and a white picked fence. Indy still couldn’t believe how his life was now, as he pulled into the driveway. One moment he was a bachelor and free of responsibility, the next married with three kids. He shook his head as he walked into the door and called out,
: : : : 	“I’m home.”
: : : : Pounding came down the stairs as two little blond boys came down and said,
: : : : 	“Daddy’s home,” as they ran into his arms.
: : : : Kate came down, carrying Lauren, who was hiding her face in Kate’s chest. Indy laughed, took her from her mother’s arms, and said,
: : : : 	“Hi, Sweetheart.”
: : : : 	“Hi, Daddy,” as she put her fingers in her mouth, her chestnut curls tickling Indy’s chin.
: : : : 	“Kids,” called a voice.
: : : : Indy looked up and saw the maid standing by the kitchen, “Come on and help me a bit,” as she took Lauren from Indy’s arms. The boys followed her in the kitchen as Kate said,
: : : : 	“Missed me?”
: : : : 	“Sure did,” as he kissed her on the cheek.
: : : : Kate looked at him, “Something’s wrong.”
: : : : 	“What makes you say that?”
: : : : 	“I know you, Indiana Jones. You usually want to play with the kids when you get home and you never ever give me a kiss on the cheek unless something happened at the office,” looking concerned.
: : : : Kate knows me too well. He sat down on the stairs and asked,
: : : : 	“Did you get a call today about not going to Cairo?”
: : : : 	“No, but I did get this,” handing him a letter.
: : : : Indy opened the letter and saw in spiked lettering, 
: : : : Do not go to Cairo. Or you will die! 
: : : : “Indy,” Kate asked, “What’s going on?”
: : : : “I don’t know,” as he reached for the phone, “But I’m going to find out.”

: : : :  
: : : : Chapter 2 (written by Tessa)

: : : : Indy and his family arrived in Cairo the following afternoon. He still had an uneasy feeling about bringing his family when their lives could be in danger. Indy looked around and saw someone familiar walking towards him.
: : : : 	“Indy, my friend. Good to see you,” as the man hugged him.
: : : : 	Indy smiled as Sallah let go and said, “Now where is this family I’ve seen pictures and read about?”
: : : : 	“Right here, Sallah,” as he turned around, “Those two blond boys are my sons Eric and Michael,” pointing at them. “And the other blonde and the little girl in her arms are my wife and daughter.”
: : : : Lauren raised her head, eyed Sallah, and buried her face in Kate’s chest. Kate laughed a bit, stroked her daughter’s back, and said,
: : : : 	“Laurie, it’s ok. This is Daddy’s friend, Sallah.”
: : : : Lauren looked at Indy, as she lunged towards him. Indy took her from Kate as Lauren said,
: : : : 	“Daddy, is he ok?”
: : : : 	“He’s fine, sweetheart,” smiling and looking at Sallah and said, “Sallah, this is my youngest, Lauren Marie.”
: : : : 	“Hello there, Lauren.”
: : : : 	“Hi,” as she put a finger in her mouth. Sallah touched the girl’s hair and said,
: : : : 	“She’s beautiful, Indy.”
: : : : 	“She’s gets it from her mom,” smiling brightly at Kate.
: : : : Sallah went over to Kate, gave her a big hug, and said, “Welcome to Cairo, Kate. You’ve transformed my friend here.”
: : : : 	“I just married him, Sallah. Nothing more,” smiling brightly.	
: : : : Sallah laughed and said, “She does have a sense of humor. Good thing in a woman. Come along to the car.”
: : : : “Did you get my message?” Indy asked as they walked out of the airfield.
: : : : “Yes, but I don’t quite understand who would be after to you,” smiling a bit, “But with your reputation, I bound its’ just a troublemaker.”
: : : : “I hope so,” looking at Lauren in his arms, “I don’t anything happening to my family, Sallah. I almost lost Kate once in Goa…” remembering.
: : : : “But Daddy,” Lauren said, “Momma’s right there,” pointing at Kate.
: : : : “Yes, she is, pretty one,” Sallah said as he picked her up from Indy and put her into the car and said, “You don’t need to fear, Indy. Your family is safe here.”
: : : : I hope so Indy thought as they drove to Sallah’s place. When they arrived, Kate looked at Indy, touched his arm, and said,
: : : : “We’ll be fine. Really, no one who harm American tourists.”
: : : : “Are you forgetting about Goa?”
: : : : “That was a freak of nature.”
: : : : “Children,” said Sallah, “Why don’t let your parents talk? You can meet my children.”
: : : : “Ok,” as Eric and Michael ran into the house and Lauren held Sallah’s hand to go in. Indy looked at his wife and said,
: : : : “Kate, you almost died in Goa.”
: : : : “Yes, but I was there to find you, not as a tourist.”
: : : : “But…” as he looked at his fair-haired wife. Kate put a hand to his mouth and said,
: : : : “No buts. We’ll all be fine. Just relax and enjoy your vacation.”
: : : : Kate out of the car as Indy said, “First sign of trouble, we’re going home.”
: : : : “Chicken,” as she patted her pocket and said, “I have plenty of protection, Indy. I have my gun in my pocket and two big strong men to protect me. What can go wrong?”
: : : : Indy shook his head as they went inside. A man was watching them from a distance and said,
: : : : “You’ll regret coming here, Indiana Jones.”

: : : : 
: : : : Chapter 3 (written by Tessa)
: : : : Indy woke up the next morning and noticed Kate not besides him He got up, dressed, and went to see Sallah. The burly Egyptian looked up, smiled, and said,
: : : : 	“Morning, Indy.”
: : : : 	“Where’s Kate?”
: : : : 	“No good morning, my friend?” chuckling.
: : : : 	“Indy,” said Fayah, Sallah’s wife, “Your wife and children went out to the marketplace a while ago.”
: : : : 	“Alone?”
: : : : 	“You have nothing to fear here,” Sallah said, “Kate and the children had breakfast and decided to let you sleep.”
: : : : 	‘What time is it?”
: : : : 	“Almost noon.”
: : : : Indy stretched a bit and asked, “How long have they been gone?”
: : : : 	“Almost two hours.”
: : : : 	“They should be back soon” Indy said, “The boys have a time clock with lunchtime.”
: : : : 	“They are a good looking bunch,” Sallah said, “You truly have been blessed.”
: : : : 	“Thanks, Sallah.”
: : : : 	“Now, your daughter is your youngest?”
: : : : 	“Yes, she is.”
: : : : 	“She doesn’t talk much.”
: : : : 	“She’s a bit shy,” Indy said, “but until she knows you better she’ll talk so much you’ll want her to be quiet.”
: : : : Sallah laughed and said, “And your boys act like you do, full of adventure. They will carry on for you after you are gone.”
: : : : 	“With my luck, they will be like Kate and become musicians.”
: : : : 	“Your wife is a musician?”
: : : : 	“Used to be,” sipping some coffee, “She owns a music company in New York.”
: : : : 	“I see,” then looked at him, “what happened to Marion?”
: : : : Indy’s expression soured a bit, “We drifted apart. She didn’t like all the traveling I did with my line of work, so she left.”
: : : : 	“Do you still love her?”
: : : : 	“There will always be a part of me for her. But Kate was the one person that got away from me.”
: : : : 	“I don’t understand…”
: : : : 	“Remember me mentioning a girl in Chicago I wanted to marry? Before Deirdre?”	
: : : : 	“Yes, but…” then his eyes widened, “Kate?”
: : : : Indy nodded, “She left me after finishing my studies at the University of Chicago. We met after Marcus died. And the rest is history.”
: : : : “You learned to love again. And that is good,” Sallah said.
: : : : Indy nodded as he kept thinking back to the day he lost her, the day she came back in his life, and when they got married in India. He smiled at Sallah and said,
: : : : “It is good, Sallah.”

: : : : Around the same time, Kate and kids were heading back to Sallah’s home. The boys were running ahead of her saying,
: : : : 	“Come on, Mom, we’re hungry.”
: : : : 	“Ok, ok,” as she held a basket in one hand, and Lauren’s hand in the other. She looked at her daughter and said,
: : : : 	“Do you want to join Eric and Michael?”
: : : : 	“No, Mommy. I stay here,” in her soft voice.
: : : : Kate smiled a bit at her young daughter. Lauren was the mirror image of Indy but she had Kate’s shyness and gentleness. She spoilt the child since the day she was born, prematurely, on Valentine’s Day. It was a difficult pregnancy unlike with the boys. She had to be off her feet by Christmas and one day didn’t listen and tripped down the stairs on one of the boys’ shoes. Indy was terrified that day, waiting in the waiting room with the boys and Henry. After Lauren was born, Indy held them both tight, sobbing, and praising God that they were all right. She never had known Indy to be emotional as that day in the hospital. Kate snapped out of her reverie as Eric shouted,
: : : : 	“Mom, can we get some candy?”
: : : : 	“You’ll ruin your lunch,” she reminded him.
: : : : 	“Pleassseeee!!!!” both twins said, staring at her with their huge hazel eyes. The vendor , smiling a bit, said,
: : : : 	“Please, madam, I give you free samples,” handing them each a piece of  hard candy.
: : : : Eric and Michael gladly took their pieces and put it into their mouths. Kate looked at the candy, stuck it in her pocket, and said,
: : : : 	“Thank you,” and then noticed the boys acting differently. Eric turned around and said,
: : : : 	“Mommy, I feel funny,” as he collapsed along with his brother.
: : : : 	“Boys!” as Kate ran to them, leaving Lauren to hide without the vendor noticing. As she looked at them, her world went black as she was hit in the head.

: : : :  Chapter 4 (written by The Man With the Hat)
: : : :  Indy paced back and forth in Sallah's house. 
: : : :  "Where are they?" Indy said. "They should have been back by now!"
: : : :  With reflexes honed by years of adventure, Indy quickly turned as a single thump sounded on the door.
: : : :  "Kate?" he said, as he opened the door. He was rewarded not with Kate and his children, but with a wicked-looking knife sticking in the door, holding a note. 
: : : :  Indy pulled the paper from the blade and ran his eyes over it.
: : : :  "Kate", he said, holding the note in trembling hands. "They've got Kate and the children." 
: : : :  
: : : :  Indy opened his suitcase and pulled out a heavy object wrapped in cloth. He let the object tumble into his hand and Sallah saw that it was his trusty Webley revolver. He laid it on the table and removed a whip from the case.
: : : :  "You brought that on vacation?" Sallah asked. 
: : : :  Indy replied, "Kinda feel naked without it."
: : : :  Indy strapped the Webley across his hips, glad to feel the familiar weight of the gun in its holster. 
: : : :  "Where are you going?" Sallah asked. 
: : : :  "A warehouse at the edge of Cairo," Indy answered. "The note said to come alone."
: : : :  "What will you do?"
: : : :  "I don't know. I'm making this up as I go."
: : : :  Indy walked to the door and opened it, then turned to look at Sallah.
: : : :  "Seems like old times, my friend," Sallah said. 
: : : :  Indy just nodded and walked out... 
: : : :  
: : : :  The large warehouse loomed before Indy. Years ago, it had been used to store fruit, but now it was abandoned and the desert was taking it over. Indy held the Webley in a clenched fist as he opened the warehouse door, which let go with a loud creak.
: : : :  Indy thought.
: : : :  Just inside the door, a large "IJ" had been painted in red with a line leading deeper into the warehouse. Indy followed the line carefully, until it stopped at a door. He shouldered his way through the door, his Webley searching for targets. 
: : : :  There, tied to a chair and gagged, was Kate! Indy moved to untie her, when something caught his eye. There were several holes in the walls of the room, and from each one protruded long, cylindrical rods of metal. Gun barrels! 
: : : :  "Very observant, Dr. Jones," said a voice from the other side of the wall.
: : : :  "Who are you?" Indy asked. "What do you want?"
: : : :  The silence was deafening! Then: "We represent a small but growing faction who worship Ahknaton, The Sun..."
: : : :  "The Sun Pharaoh," Indy finished for him. 
: : : :  "You are familiar with him, then?"
: : : :  "Any first-year Egyptology student knows the name. He brought a cultural revolution to Egypt; he worshipped the sun." 
: : : :  "Correct, Dr. Jones," the voice said. "The sun, rather than the false gods that his fathers had worshipped before him."
: : : :  Indy looked at Kate, and saw the tears in her eyes. "What's that got to do with me?"
: : : :  "You are known for your acquisition of rare antiquities. We wish to possess a certain disc that was once in the hands of our beloved Ahknaton. You will retrieve it for us."
: : : :  "I'm sorry. I'm out of that business now." 
: : : :  "Well, then, Dr. Jones, for the sake of your family, I would suggest that you get back into that business." 
: : : :  Indy heard the rifles cock behind the walls. "Where are my children?" Indy asked. 
: : : :  "Somewhere safe, for now," the voice said. "But fail us, and you will again be living the bachelor's life!" 
: : : :  "Understood."
: : : :  "Now go! Time is running out!"
: : : :  "Right," Indy said.

: : : : Chapter 5 (written by The Man With the Hat)
: : : : "I know a lot about Ahknaton, And I've never heard anything about a disc!" Indy said, as he looked across the library's table at Sallah. He discarded another volume onto the pile of books that didn't have what he was looking for.
: : : : After a hesitation, Sallah said, "Perhaps it does not exist."
: : : : "The lives of four people I care about depends on the fact that it does," Indy said returning to his book. His face was furrowed with worry. "It has to," he said, finally.
: : : : Suddenly, his eyes lit up!
: : : : "Indy, what is it?" Sallah asked.
: : : : "This book; it has a fleeting reference to Ahknaton's golden disc," Indy said, as he pushed his chair away from the table. "And the author lives right here in Cairo!"
: : : : "Then, what are we waiting for!" Sallah said, then started singing in a booming voice, "I am the monarch of the sea..."
: : : : "Sssshhhh!!" came the response from the patrons of the library.
: : : : "Sorry Indy." 
: : : : "Seventeen! There it is!" Indy said and jumped from the car before it had stopped. 
: : : : "Indy?"
: : : : "Wait!" Indy said. "I'll be right back."
: : : : Indy took the steps two at a time and banged the door knocker loudly. A delicate-featured Egyptian woman answered, and Indy was taken aback.
: : : : "Hello," Indy said. "May I speak to the man of the house?"
: : : : The woman looked confused. 
: : : : "There is no 'man of the house'," she said.
: : : : "I'm sorry, "Indy said, a pained look creeping over his face. "I was looking for L.C. Smythe."
: : : : Indy turned to leave.
: : : : "I'm L.C. Smythe," The woman said.
: : : : Indy stopped in his tracks.

: : : : Indy and Sallah explained the situation to L.C. Smythe as they drove back to Sallah's house. Smythe agreed to help, but Indy couldn't resist asking about her name.
: : : : "My father was a British diplomat. He fell in love with my mother, an Egyptian, and here I am," the woman said.
: : : : "What's the L.C. stand for?" Indy asked.
: : : : "Nothing," she said.
: : : : "Nothing?" Indy and Sallah asked in unison. 
: : : : "The world of archaeology is not an east nut to crack if you are a woman. My father named me Elsie."
: : : : "And you just bastardized it," Indy smirked as they pulled up to Sallah's house.
: : : : The door opened and a man walked out, holding Lauren in his arms.
: : : : "Does this belong to you?" the man said.

: : : : Chapter 6  (written by Tessa)

: : : : Indy stared at disbelief at Lauren. He thought he was hallucinating until Lauren said,
: : : : “Daddy!” and lunged at him.
: : : : Indy took his daughter, hugged her tight, and had tears streaming down his face. Indy looked at her and asked,
: : : : “Are you okay?”
: : : : “I ok,” as Indy gave her a kiss on the forehead. He looked at the man and asked, “Where did you find my daughter?”
: : : : “In the marketplace. She was hiding in one of my baskets.”
: : : : “But how did you know…”
: : : : “She said she was Jones. I search high and low to find you until someone directed me here.”
: : : : “Indy,” as Fayah interrupted, “Let me take her inside. She’s had a rough day.”
: : : : Indy nodded as Lauren went with Fayah. He handed the man some money and said, “Thank you.”
: : : : The man left as L.C. asked, “Jones? You are Indy Jones, the archeologist?”
: : : : “Right,” as Indy crossed his arms, “What of it?”
: : : : “I’ve heard about you, but I didn’t realize…”
: : : : “That I have a child?”
: : : : L.C. nodded and Indy smiled, “It’s ok, I get that reaction all the time.”
: : : : L.C. stared at him as Sallah said, “Madam, we need to know about the golden disc of Ahknaton.”
: : : : “Why?”
: : : : Indy looked at the woman and said, “My wife and sons’ lives depend on it.” 
: : : : Back at the warehouse, Kate was staring at her captor, tied to the chair and her face stained with tears. She gave him a hard look as he said,
: : : : “I hope Jones will find the disc for me.”
: : : : “Where are my children?”
: : : : “They are safe. Do not worry.”
: : : : “You drugged my sons, hit me, and tie the four of us up…”
: : : : “Four?” the man said confused, “There are more?”
: : : : Kate looked at the man in disbelief and said, “You don’t have all of us?”
: : : : “I have two boys,” looking at her.
: : : : Kate realized, Lauren … they don’t have Lauren , as the man came to her and asked, “Who else was with you, Mrs. Jones?”
: : : : Kate looked at the man, refusing to speak, as he chuckled and said, “Come on now, who else?”
: : : : “No one,” defiantly. The man looked at her, slapped her across the face, grabbed her blouse and yelled, “Who else was there?”
: : : : “Sir?” said a voice from behind.
: : : : The man turned and said the Arabic man in the doorway, “Can’t you see I’m busy?”
: : : : “We heard that a man visited with Jones today. The man brought him a little girl. Jones’daughter.”
: : : : The man nodded, dismissed the man and turned to Kate. He looked at her, slapped her face and said;
: : : : “You whore. You lied to me.”
: : : : Kate’s upper lip split from the slap and a bruise started to form on her left cheek. She looked at him and said,
: : : : “Go ahead and kill me. And Indy will find you and kill him yourself.”
: : : : The man smiled wickedly as he started to unbuckle his belt and said, 
: : : : “That would be too easy for you,” as the man unhooked his belt and dropped it on the floor. He grabbed Kate’s blouse, ripped it off along with her bra, and said, “I plan on hurting you in the most cruel way.”

: : : : Chapter 7  (written by The Man With the Hat)
: : : : "I don't like to toot my own horn," Elsie Smythe said. "But I consider myself one of the foremost authorities on Ahknaton and his lineage."
: : : : "So," Indy said, "tell me about his golden disc."
: : : : "Yes. The golden disc. If such a thing exist, it has been lost to the ages."
: : : : "If such a thing exists?" Indy asked. 
: : : : "I've been in Ahknaton's tomb many times. There was no disc. There was no evidence that there was a disc."
: : : : Indy could feel the muscles in his jaw tightening and the pulse pounded in his temple. 
: : : : "Listen, lady!" Indy began, putting his hands on the arms of her chair and leaning into her face. "This is important to me! Very important! I need your help!"
: : : : Indy stood; realizing that desperation had nearly made him cross the line. He walked to his suitcase, opened it, and took out a handful of money. 
: : : : "Please?" he said.
: : : : "I'll take you to the tomb." 
: : : : The sun was at it's zenith. Indy took off his fedora and wiped away the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt.
: : : : "It's gonna be a hot one," Indy said.
: : : : "Every day," Elsie said, as she lit a torch.
: : : : Indy did likewise.
: : : : They walked into the tomb and some relief from the sun. 
: : : : As they walked, Indy waved his torch slowly back and forth, his eyes full of wonder.
: : : : "Dr. Jones?"
: : : : "Sorry," he said. "Just been awhile since I've been in a tomb."
: : : : "Quite alright," Elsie said. "We should be coming up on the burial chamber."
: : : : The gold, of course, had been removed, leaving the nearly empty shell of a tomb.
: : : : "As you can see, Dr. Jones, there's not much here."
: : : : "I don't know. Let's see."
: : : : Indy ran his hands along the wall near the ceiling of the tomb. 
: : : : "Nothing there," Indy said, mostly to himself. He moved to the next wall.
: : : : "What do you expect to find, Dr. Jones?"
: : : : "I'm not sure," Indy said. Then a few seconds later: "Bingo"
: : : : "Bingo?" Elsie was baffled.
: : : : Indy took his jack knife from his pocket and dug a small groove parallel to the floor at about the six-foot level. He then made grooves from the ends of the first groove to the floor, so that it roughly resembled a door.
: : : : "Stand back!" Indy said, and beared his shoulder against the wall. It gave way, and Indy tumbled head first into an undiscovered room.
: : : : "You're quite resourceful, Dr. Jones," Elsie said, as she helped Indy to his feet.
: : : : "Do me two favors, please?" Indy said.
: : : : "Yes?"
: : : : "Number one. Under no circumstances tell anyone I fell down," Indy said.
: : : : "And number two?"
: : : : "Please," he said. "Call me Indy." 
: : : : The hidden room was devoid of artifacts, save a long golden table with the sun in relief dominating the center. Strewn about on the table was an assortment of scrolls, banded with strips of gold.
: : : : "Maybe one of these holds some information about the disc," Elsie said.
: : : : "My thought, exactly."
: : : : The duo walked to the table and began the unsealing of dozens of scrolls. Scrolls were read and discarded as afternoon turned to evening and the torched were nearly useless. 
: : : : "Got it," Indy said, suddenly.
: : : : "You found information about the disc?"
: : : : "It's better," Indy said, turning the scroll around for Elsie to see. "It's a map!"

: : : : Chapter 8 (written by Tessa)

: : : : Elsie and Indy looked at the map as he pointed out, “Look, a river, the temple and in the middle of them, there’s a symbol.”
: : : : “The symbol of Ahknaton,” Elsie said.
: : : : “But which way?”
: : : : Elsie looked at him and said, “Don’t you know your geography, Indy? It’s the Nile. The river is,” looking at the map and then at him, “in the west.”
: : : : “Right,” as he folded the map and put it in his pocket, grabbed Elsie’s hand, and started to walk as she said,
: : : : “Where are we going?”
: : : : “To get some horses from Sallah,” as they walked out of the temple, “and find the disc.”

: : : : The man threw Kate into a locked room after he had his way with her. Her torn blouse was replaced with a t-shirt, her face covered in dried blood and dirt and her hair a mess as she curled in the corner and started crying. 
: : : : Then the door opened, Kate refused to turn around until she heard,
: : : : “Mom?”
: : : : She turned around and saw her sons. She ran to them and said, “Eric, Michael,” as she hugged them, “Are you alright?”
: : : : “We’re fine,” Eric said as he looked at her, “Are you?”
: : : : “I am,” putting on a brave smile. Eric was always the stronger, protective twin, even at five years old. Michael had been the shy one and kept to himself as he looked around and asked,
: : : : “Where’s Laurie?”
: : : : “They don’t have her,” Kate said.
: : : : “She got away?” Eric asked.
: : : : Kate nodded as her sons looked at her and asked, “What should we do?”
: : : : “Pray, pray for your lives.”

: : : : Indy and Elsie were mounted on horses in front of Sallah’s house. Lauren’s eyes widened at the sight of her father as she asked,
: : : : “Can I come too, Daddy?”
: : : : “Stay here with Uncle Sallah and Aunt Fayah,” roughly.
: : : : “But,” tears filling her blue eyes, “you need me.”
: : : : Indy got off the horse, picked up his daughter, and said, “You’re too young.”
: : : : “Daddy,” the tears flowing out harder, “I might lose you.”
: : : : Indy suddenly realized what his daughter had seen in the marketplace. Poor kid. She just seen her mother and brothers taken away and thinks I’m next he thought. He hugged her tight, wiped the tears from her eyes and said,
: : : : “I’ll come back, sweetheart…with mom, Eric, and Michael.”
: : : : “Promise?” looking at him with those eyes that reminded him of Kate.
: : : : Indy nodded as he handed her to Sallah, mounted back on the horse, and said to Sallah,
: : : : “Keep an eye on her, Sallah.”
: : : : “I’ll guard her as I would my own children.”
: : : : Indy nodded, turned to Elsie and said, “Let’s go,” as they rode off into the night.

: : : Chapter 9 (written by The Man with the Hat)

: : : "The best that I can tell, we've been riding in circles," Indy said, climbing from his horse.
: : : "I don't understand it," Elsie said. "According to the map, we should be standing at the doorway to the Temple of Ahknaton."
: : : "It's a mystery," Indy said, stroking his stubbled chin. "Unless..."
: : : Indy grabbed a shovel from his saddle and began digging. Elsie was dumbfounded.
: : : "Don't just stand there," Indy said. "Grab a shovel and help!"
: : : Elsa did as Indy had asked, still not understanding what they were doing. She started to ask when she heard Indy's shovel hit something solid.
: : : "That's it!" Indy said.
: : : "That's what?
: : : "Don't you see?" Indy asked. "The temple is underground."
: : : "But..." Elsie said.
: : : "C'mon, help me clear off the edges!"
: : : That done, Indy used his shovel like a prybar to lift the cap from the temple. With a hiss, the top broke free, releasing the funk of the ages.
: : : He slid it over making a small space to crawl through. Taking a rope from his saddle, he tied one end to the horn, and dropped it into the entrance.
: : : Indy held the rope in his gloved hands and began to lower himself into the temple.
: : : "What? No 'Ladies first'?" Elsie said.
: : : "Sorry," Indy said, and slid himself down the rope. He reached the bottom, and looked up.
: : : "Alright," Indy said. "Come on down."
: : : Elsie moved deftly down the rope, with Indy helping her, his hands on her waist, for the last few feet.
: : : Indy lit a torch, and watched the light bounce from the many golden treasures in the temple.
: : : "This place is like a museum," Elsie said.
: : : "Only one thing I'm interested in." 
: : : Indy walked around the room, picking up objects and examining them, but still not finding the disc until only one item remained. 
: : : In the corner of the room stood a large sarcophagus. 
: : : The disc had to be in there!
: : : "Only one way to find out," Indy said as he opened the lid.
: : : There, around the neck of a leaking mummy, hung the object of thier search.
: : : They had found the disc of Ahknaton!

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