Indiana answered the door. 'Can I help you?'
A man with a travelling coat peered at him over his bifocals.
'Doctor Jones, is it?'
'That's what they call me.'
'My name is Richard, sir. Richard Bonafass. I'm from the Museum of Art in Winchester, and I have a rather urgent matter I need to discuss with yo-'
'Regarding what?' Indiana yawned, rather rudely, and looked at the grandfather clock in the hall.
'Doctor Jones, I realise you are a very busy man but this is a matter that needs your urgent attention. I know that your somewhat famous for er, retrieving certain artefacts and I have a jo-'
'Mr, Bonafass, could this matter wait until later? It is, after all, 7oclock in the morning.'
'Yes, and I do apologise for the intrusion at such an early hour. I really do need to speak with you, as quickly as possible.'
Indiana sighed.
'Come on in.'
'And you're sure this, William Hendricks, has the book?' Indiana asked, pouring a glass of malt whiskey. 'Drink?
'No, no thank you. I'm happy with tea.' Richard Bonafass covered his cup, somewhat regrettably. 'I have a long journey home.'
'Yes, we're sure. Doctor Jones, Hendricks is the most talented art thief within the northern hemisphere, and he has never been caught. Our source tells us he's currently hiding in France, waiting for the right moment to auction off the book.'
I have all the information with me here in this envelope, and if you agree to pursue Hendricks and retrieve the book, you will be well compensated for it.'
'Mmmm. This book, what does it contain? It must be mighty precious if you're going to all this trouble to put it back in a museum.'
'It is the diary of Epitahh, son of King Marcus, who inherited his father's fortune and his Kingdom after his father died. Legend says he fiercely guarded his treasure, and trusted no one, so he created the book and wrote down the exact whereabouts in Ancient Latin. I have seen the book myself and it is unintelligible. It is merely the history of the artefact that is priceless, not the content that is inside. I'm sure Hendricks knows this, but he will make a small fortune if it is sold to people such as yourself.'
Indiana finished his drink in one, and placed the glass on the table.
'France, you say? I haven't been there in many years.. I'll do it. What time does my flight leave?' Indiana shook Bonafass's hand.
'Excellent, Doctor Jones. 9oclock tomorrow morning. Here is the envelope containing all you'll need to know. There are some photographs inside of Hendricks inside, and also a woman travelling with him. We do not know who she is, and I don't know how you conduct your business, but good luck. The Museum is counting on you!' Bonafass handed him the package, nodded and left.
Indiana poured himself another drink, and slit open the envelope. Black and white photographs fell out, along with other pages of information about the fugitive. Indiana flicked through the pages, occasionally reading fragments of words, until he froze at the last photograph. A woman was curled around Hendricks as the snapshot showed them in a park, laughter frozen on their faces. Light hair, and smiling, Indiana recognised her face straight away.
"You've got to be joking!'
Grabbing his cloak, Indiana raced out his front door and down the stairs. Bonafass was climbing into a car when Indiana reached him. 'This woman, in the photos, I know her… From a long, long time ago, and let's just say I'm not her favourite person in the world. She's not calling me up for afternoon tea, alright. Find someone else to do it' Indiana slapped the envelope on Bonafass's chest.
'I'll double the price, Doctor Jones.'
Indiana sighed.
'Won't that make it easier that you do know her? Convince her to give up the book, and you'll be home before next Tuesday.'
'Trust me; I will be killed before I get the chance to open my mouth. She doesn't forget the past quickly.'
'I'll triple the price then.' Bonafass waited.
Through gritted teeth, Indiana reluctantly took back the envelope from Bonafass.
'This book better be damn worth it.'
Indiana crawled through the silver tubing, being careful to not make a sound. After a 15 hour flight, a disagreement with a local and narrowly escaping being thrown in jail, Indiana was in France, crawling through the heating system of Hendricks house. Hendricks, perhaps knowing people were soon to be coming after him after the book heist, had the security around his mansion tightened. Indiana had only managed to get past an officer when the man had sneezed, and Indiana caught him off guard. Flicking on his torch, Indy looked at the blue print Bonafass had given him and took a left, crawling along the passage that would take him directly to Hendricks's room. He came to a stop at a grate and peered through the slits, down into a large room with a four poster bed and a dresser. Double checking no one was in the room, Indy prised off the grate carefully and dropped it onto the couch, winching slightly as it teetered on the edge of the leather. I'm getting to old for this, Indy thought. Let's find the book and get the hell out of here. Climbing out of the hole and dropping onto the floor, Indy swore as he knocked the grate off the couch with a clang. He froze, waiting for footsteps to come bursting into the room. Nothing. Indy sighed and took a step forward, but not before he was hit in the back of the head. Falling forwards with his eyes streaming, Indy cursed and flipped on his back to see Willie Scott standing over him, holding a large vase above her head.
Shock and realisation played on her face. 'YOU!' Willie cried out. It quickly turned to anger as she raised the vase higher above her head to take another swipe. Indiana rolled out of harms way as Willie brought the vase crashing down onto the floor, breaking it into a million pieces. Indiana leapt up and tackled Willie against the wall, covering her mouth before she could yell out. They struggled, and Indiana pinned her arms above her head whilst keeping her mouth covered. 'SSHHHHH Willie, will you stop moving! I'm here to help you damn it!' Willie only struggled more, and tried to yell something unintelligible. They both froze as a voice came at the door.
'Willie, is everything okay? I heard something break in there..'
Indiana looked at Willie and whispered 'Tell him everything is fine. Now!'
Willie shook her head and Indiana pinned her harder against the wall.
'Do it!"
Willie breathed hard and then nodded. Indiana slowly released his hand from her mouth, in case she decided to call out.
'Everything is fine, darling. Just a rodent that scared me, but I took care of it. I'll meet you at the table in a few minutes.' Willie looked directly into Indiana's eyes. Indiana noticed they had only gotten bluer since the last time he saw her, and he shook his head to clear his mind.
'Well done, sweetheart. So you can still act, after all this time.'
'You're a rat Jones' Willie hissed. 'What the hell are you doing here?'
'Well, it seems you're boyfriend's been a naughty boy. I'm here to clean up his mess.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'As if you don't know. I didn't realise you had given up your career to become a thief.'
'I don't know what you're talking about.'
'Mmmm, probably do. Well I can't let you go running off to Hendricks, so I'm going to give you a chance to tell me what you know. Where's the book?'
Indy still had her pinned against the wall. He hadn't realised till now she was only wearing a thin silk dressing gown. With nothing underneath.
'What book? I told you I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Get out, now!' Willie spat at him.
'I'm not leaving here without the book. Where is it?' Indiana shook her arm, roughly. His patience was running thin, and if Hendricks burst into the room now, it was all over.
"Let go of me! You're hurting my ar-'
'The book Willie! The one your boyfriend stole from the Museum of Art in Winchester! He's made a lot of people angry over this, so what did you do? Keep a look out whilst he broke in and took it?'
Confusion crossed Willie's face and she tried to remove Indy's hand from her arm.
"You have the wrong person, Jones! William is a real estate owner, he didn't steal a book-'
Indiana looked at her and saw she really didn't know what he was talking about. That or she really was a great actor.
'You don't know about it do you? You don't know your boyfriend is a great dirty thief?' Indiana asked her.
'How dare you-'
'Looking for this, Doctor Jones?'
Indiana froze and turned his head slowly. William Hendricks was standing at the door, holding the book in his hand and smiling.
'Shit' Indy muttered as he spun Willie around so she was standing in front of him.
'Give me the book Hendricks. I'll exchange it for the girl. ' Indiana said as Hendricks laughed.
'There will be no exchange Jones. I knew you were coming for me. The book is mine. Take him.' He ordered two guards.
Two hours later, Indy was driving down a dirt road, in Hendricks's car, Willie bound in the passenger seat.
'I'm going to get you for this Indiana' Willie muttered through her teeth.
'It's to make sure you don't try and run away again.' Indiana smiled.
'Anyone but you.' Willie muttered to herself and kicked her feet against the dash board.
'Cause I'm the best.'
'I'm surprised you can even walk, with that fat head of yours.'
'I'm surprised you didn't know your boyfriend was a rotten thief.'
'Isn't that what you do? Stealing things that aren't yours to steal, hypocrite.'
'Well, least I got Hendricks before he got me. Otherwise I'd be the one tied up, waiting for the police to show up whilst you find something else to hit me over the head with.'
'So why am I still with you? You got William, you can let me go now.'
'Because, sweetheart, his men will be after me, and you. I think running off on your current boyfriend with your ex-boyfriend will make him slightly pissed, don't you?'
Willie glared at Indiana.
After stopping in a town to pick up supplies and making sure they weren't being followed, Indiana drove the car into the forest. He made sure the book was well hidden underneath his seat. Parking in a clearing, he said to Willie, 'They shouldn't find us here'
'I hope they do, so I can watch while they break both of your arms.'
Indiana smiled at her.
'Ready for bed?' He asked.
'Yes, in anyone else's bed but yours'
'Reminds you of the old days does it?'
'What old days? You mean the day you left me, without a word or a letter, for the next ten years? I'm surprised you're still alive, after all the crap you've pulled.'
Indiana was silent.
They moved around for a few more days, Indiana deciding it was best for them to lay low in the bush until they were sure they were not being followed. Driving into the town for food, Indiana slipped his arm around Willie's waist in the fruit store, feeling her breathe in sharply as he did so.
'What are you doing?'
'Relax sweetheart, the owner was looking at us suspiciously so I decided to play it up a little.'
'Am I making you nervous?' Indiana whispered, smiling.
Willie shoved a bag of apples into his arms.
'Just nauseous.'
Indiana put another log in the fire, and lay back on his jacket. He watched as Willie fiddled with her hair.
"You know doll, there's no need to be so icy. I did save your life after all."
"Save..my life? Save my life? My life was perfect before you walked back into it!" Willie crossed her arms and stared at him.
"You were dating a dirty rotten thief Willie. It was gunna come to an end eventually."
Willie stood up.
"And what about you? Where's your, big success story? Still the same Indiana Jones, chasing crap all over the world. You know that you haven't changed a bit? Still alone I see."
"Not alone Willie, I've got you. And you've got a big fat price on your head, so I'd pipe down and go to sleep if I were you."
"Why should I do what you say? You've caused me nothing but trouble, Indiana." Willie picked up her shoe and threw it at him.
Indiana ducked.
She strode over, and started to hit him on the shoulder, then the head, and soon Indiana was fighting back, trying to fend off her hands.
"Never seen a woman with so many arms before" Indiana grunted as Willie jabbed him in the chest. Indiana grabbed her hands and flipped them behind her back, pressing her chest up against his. He felt her breathe in sharply as he did this.
"Stop it" He said softly, taking in her features that reflected in the moonlight. She glared at him, trying to free her hands and distract him from noticing her beating heart.
"Never been beaten up by a girl before, have you?" She smirked at him.
"I let you win" He said back.
Willie awoke sleepily to Indiana shaking her shoulder. 'Willie get up, someone is close by' Indiana dimmed the fire, sending their clearing into darkness. Willie felt Indiana grab her hand as they backed away from the camp, trying to blend into the darkness. Indiana could feel Willie's heart racing against her chest. It made his heart speed up, and he gripped her hand tightly.
'Indy, if they have torches, or light-'
'I know.' Indiana replied, his heart skipping a beat when she called him Indy.
The footsteps got closer, and Indiana could see the light they brought with them.
Six or seven men were just beyond the clearing, and just as they pushed past the last set of trees, Indiana pulled Willie in close to him and whispered 'Follow my lead.'
'What le-' Willie's words were cut off as Indiana pushed his mouth against hers, kissing her and wrapping his fingers around her jaw. He could feel the surprise and instinct she had to push him off her, but she didn't. He deepened the kiss, sliding his hand down her lower back, not noticing the men standing and gawking at them. Willie was taken aback at the intensity and force Indiana kissed her with, and reacted with intensity and force she didn't know she had. On and on it went, the men clearing their throats and finally shooting a pistol into the air. Indiana and Willie jumped apart.
'You two, were you from eh?'
Indiana noticed they wore ranger uniforms, and carried shot guns.
'Kensington, sir. Just camping with my wife here' Indiana said quietly.
'You realise your breaking the rules of the park? You can't just camp wherever you like son.'
'Excuse me. We're not from around here so we didn't know the rules. We'll clear off now, if you like.'
'Well, it's late now son. You can stay until morning, I don't want to er, interrupt your business here tonight' The man chuckled.
'Thank you sir. Uh, goodnight.'
The men left.
Willie was silent.
'That was close.' Indiana said as he turned to her.
She put her hands on her hips.
'What?'
'You think, that I'm going to believe that you had nothing to do with th-'
Indiana silenced her by kissing her again.
This time, there were no interruptions.
