Chapter 7

AN: It was most likely take longer then usually to get the next chapter up as I will be out of town, but I will have 8 done as soon as possible.

Thank you all so much for the reviews, especially of Chapter 6.

Chapter 7

Picking up the last midterm, Faye brought the pile she was holding to the front of the room, dropping them in front of Indy with a slight smile. He was examining an artifact Charles had brought to him at the beginning of class, seemingly absorbed in the analysis. It appeared to be early Egyptian, but she couldn't be sure from a distance if it was authentic or not.

She gave a slight sigh as she looked at the pile of papers. She had survived the first part of the semester with little issue. It was an accomplishment she was sure to celebrate that evening as she started her fall break.

"So, professor," she said with a slight smirk, looking back at Indy, "what's your verdict? Is it really a piece of history, or just a replica?"

He always seemed to have a bit of a child like enthusiasm when it came to new artifacts, and this container was no exception. It looked like it would have been used to store incense and judging by the faded Eye of Horus on the side, she assumed it would have been quiet sacred.

"Real," he told her, looking up with a smile. "In pretty good condition too. No major damage, only a few small imperfections. This is nearly a textbook example."

"Would you like me to leave the two of you alone?" she replied with a wink, causing him to laugh a bit.

"Not necessarily, but you could take the exams to my office," he said, and she nodded. "I'll start working on them tonight at home."

Picking up the stack of papers, she paused at the door to look back at him. He had moved to the window, looking at it under the natural light. She knew he would probably be there for hours looking it over, and thought perhaps she would be able to get started on her midterms before leaving for the day.

She made her way down the hall, the few remaining students watching her as she passed. The dirty looks and whispers seemed to ease a bit more with each passing week. The board was pleased with her work, and she had been able to prove herself as a competent teacher. She knew she still had to be careful, but she no longer felt like she was skating on thin ice with everyone at Marshall College.

Reaching his office door, she was surprised to find it unlocked, thinking she would have had to use her key. Pushing open the door, she moved inside. However, after only a few steps she stopped as if she had hit a brick wall and the papers flew to the ground.

Mutt was leaning against the edge of Indy's desk, looking at her with surprise that mirrored her own. With him was a blonde from Indy's class, Faye was almost sure her name was Cassi. When the door opened they had been quiet cozy and Faye felt her stomach churn at what she saw.

She couldn't breath and everything seemed to slow, even the fluttering of the dropped exams. She wanted to yell and cause a scene, but her body was completely frozen. She felt tears start to prickle her eyes and was finally able to turn away for a moment to hide the emotions that were so openly showing on her features.

They scrambled apart, Cassi quickly picking up her backpack and whispering her apologies before running past Faye out of the room. Mutt ran a hand over his face, not meeting Faye's eyes as she looked back and watched him for a moment. He turned towards her, and she felt she couldn't stand to even look at him.

"Faye, I…" he began and she held up a hand cutting him off.

"Don't," she said, her voice only a shaky whisper. "Don't say anything and don't follow me."

Without another thought, Faye turned and left the office, moving quickly down the hall. She heard Mutt call to her, but didn't stop. She felt as if she had been punched in the stomach, she needed air and it was too crowded in the office for her to be able to breathe.

She should be happy Mutt was turning his attentions to another. She couldn't be with him while he was a student, but she couldn't stop the jealousy she felt bubbling over either. Exiting the building she collapsed down onto the steps, trying to calm her erratic breathing.

Part of her wanted to find and kill the silly blonde who had dared to try to take Mutt's attentions. She tried to erase the image from her mind, wanting to forget the site of Cassi in his arms. She couldn't be with Mutt and she didn't expect for him to not look at or be with another. Yet, part of her wanted to beg him to wait until the timing was right for them.

She told herself he was still a child in so many ways, and it wasn't fair for her to be jealous of another woman. She had told him no, and pushed him aside. She had set the boundary for their own good and now she had to remain on her side of the line. She couldn't help feeling cheated though after already suffering through so much in the previous months.

"Well, it seems I didn't have to look very hard to find you, darling," a familiar voice called, drawing her from her thoughts with a start.

She knew that voice, she had heard it nearly every night in her nightmares for months. Slowly she looked up, praying she was having a hallucination. Her eyes met those belonging to the man she had prayed she would never have to share another moment with and she gasped slightly, struggling to her feet. Her worst fears had come to pass; Maxwell Blakeshire had come after her.

Her mouth was dry and her heart was pounding in her chest. She knew she should scream or run, but all she could do was stare into his icy blue eyes, which were fixed on her with a cold gaze. She wasn't sure if the shivers coursing through her body were from the coldness of the look.

"Hello, Faye," he said with a smirk, moving onto the steps.

He was on the same level as her, and approached her steadily like a predator stalking its prey. She backed up until she felt the railing, leaning against it as he placed one hand on either side of her body, keeping her firmly in place.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to discretely search for the nearest escape route.

Indy had taught her exactly how to escape in this situation, but she couldn't seem to think of a single way to do so. She was sure he could see her trembling, which would most likely add to his pleasure. He looked her over, seemingly enjoying every moment of the intimidation.

"I should think that would be obvious," he told her with a smirk. "I came here for you. You have something that belongs to me."

"Rubbish," she said, trying to not let it show that she knew what he was referring to. "I have nothing of yours."

He would never find the scroll. It was tucked safely away in the floorboards near her bed. No one but her knew they were loose, and no one but her would be able to retrieve them. He would never have possession of the information contained in the scroll.

"Don't toy with me, Faye," he said, grabbing a hold of her arm and causing her to cry out in pain. "Where is the scroll?"

"I don't have it," she insisted, beginning to panic. "Let me go or I will scream."

He laughed slightly at her demands, his other hand reaching into his jacket and producing a small pistol. She immediately stopped struggling, instead she slowly raised her eyes to meet his and she noticed the sinister smile on his lips.

He began to walk, keeping a hold of her arm and she had no choice but to follow. He led her around the side of the building out of the view of any students or faculty. There were two other men waiting for him, and she knew by their state of dress they were agents of some sort.

"Is this the girl?" one said, his voice heavily accented.

She placed the accent immediately; they were Soviets. When they were close to the other men, Maxwell released her with a shove. Faye hit the wall with her shoulder, but managed to stay on her feet. She gave a slight groan of pain, but the sound quickly died as Maxwell approached her again.

"Yes," he said, answering the man's question. "Now, Faye, be reasonable. I know you took the scroll, you know you took the scroll. Just tell us where it is and I won't have to hurt you."

"Just like you didn't have to hurt me in New York, but I wasn't a willing prey," she spat before she could stop herself.

She didn't see him raise his hand, but she felt the force of the blow to her cheek. She stumbled back into the wall again, stars exploding before her eyes. Suddenly she was back in the New York hotel room, unable to fight him.

"Touch her again and I will kill you," she suddenly heard Indy say and she opened her eyes to see him standing with a gun pointed at Maxwell's head.

She had never questioned the guns that he seemed to hide a gun in his desk drawer both at home and at the school. She was certainly glad now that he did seem to have one on hand. Mutt was just a few feet behind him, switchblade in hand. She said a silent prayer that he would not have to use it, even though she knew he was probably quiet capable of holding his own. These men would be more likely to choose the quicker, simpler end to a fight – firing a gun.

"Well, you must be the famous Dr. Jones," Maxwell said, lowering his gun and putting it back in his jacket.

"Faye," Indy said, ignoring Maxwell, "let's go."

She moved past Maxwell towards Indy. Reaching Mutt's side, she turned to look back at her attacker. She felt a twinge in the pit of her stomach at the thought that they might not all walk away from the situation.

"Blakeshire, I suggest you and your thugs get out of here," Indy said, keeping the gun fixed on him.

"Gentlemen," Maxwell said, motioning for the men to leave the alley.

The two Russians moved past Faye and Mutt without a word as Indy kept the pistol ready. Faye watched Maxwell cross towards her and felt her heart rate quicken more then it already had as he approached.

"I will be seeing you again," he whispered into her ear, "and once I have the scroll perhaps we can continue what we began in New York."

Faye stepped back from him, feeling her body shake with the threat. Maxwell smiled at her and she felt her stomach churn as if she would be sick. He opened his mouth to speak again, but no sound came out as Mutt threw him against the wall, knife at the other man's throat.

"If you so much as look at her again, I will kill you," he told Maxwell. "Get out of here and don't come back."

Mutt released him, taking a step back and Faye watched Maxwell head off in the direction of the two Soviet agents. When he disappeared around the corner both men lowered their weapons, Mutt putting the knife back in his pocket. Indy moved towards her, placing a hand on her elbow and urging her to walk.

"We need to get out of here," he told them both, handing his son a set of keys. "Mutt, take Faye back to the house. I'll get Charles to give me a ride, and I'll be there shortly."

Indy released her elbow as Mutt moved next to her, placing a hand on her back. If he hadn't just helped save her she probably would have berated him for his behavior in the office. Yet she was almost sure he wouldn't have defended his blonde companion as fiercely as he did for her.

"Wait," Indy called as they neared the door to the building where he obviously intended to enter, "take this."

He handed Mutt the pistol, and then made his way quickly inside the building. Mutt took hold of Faye's arm, leading her quickly across the quad to where the car was parked. She noticed he was checking occasionally to ensure they weren't followed. She doubted even Maxwell would be brazen enough to try something twice in one day, but she knew he certainly would return, and possibly with more Soviets.

They were both silent as they pulled out of the parking area. She tried desperately to erase the entire previous thirty minutes from her mind. First to find Mutt with another girl, and then to find herself in Maxwell's grasp, it was almost too much for her to bear. She refused to cry though, having done enough of that since she arrived in Connecticut.

"Are you alright?" Mutt asked finally, and she looked over at him.

"Fine," she said coolly, looking back at the road again.

She saw him turn to look at her for a brief second out of the corner of her eye. She refused to give him the satisfaction of telling him all her feelings, telling him how much she hated seeing him with Cassi. If he was expecting their usual course of conversation, he wouldn't find it today.

"Faye, I'm sorry…"

"Save it," she said, cutting him off before he could truly apologize. "There's nothing to apologize for."

They drove the rest of the way in silence, neither looking nor speaking to the other. When they reached the house, Mutt parked the car in the driveway near the door. As soon as the vehicle was stopped Faye got out, not waiting for him as she entered the house. She moved quickly up the steps, hearing Marion's voice as she reached her door, assuming she was talking to Mutt.

She moved inside, locking the door behind her, and moved towards the spot where she had hidden the scroll. Pulling back the rug, she pulled up the floorboard. Underneath the scroll was still there, safely tucked away from the outside world. Pulling it out, she replaced the floorboard and smoothed the rug over it again. Placing the scroll on her desk, she sat in the chair with a sigh.

It was obvious to her why Maxwell and the Soviets would want the scroll, although to most it would just be a paper full of scribbles. To the Soviets, who seemed obsessed with finding a way to control the minds of their enemy, it could be the key to an ultimate weapon.

"I don't know, Marion," Faye heard Indy say, realizing he was home.

About a half an hour had passed, and Faye had yet to move from her seat at the desk. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the scroll and stood. She needed to tell him exactly what Maxwell wanted and why he would certainly come back again.

"So, Blakeshire just shows up with two other men, tries to grab Faye, and you don't know why?" she heard Marion ask as she opened the door.

She descended the stairs quickly, managing to not draw their attention. Looking around the corner, she saw Mutt was with his parents in the kitchen, no one noticing that she had emerged.

"She hasn't said much since it happened," Mutt told his mother.

Marion gave him sort of an odd look, almost as if she knew something had happened. Faye usually told Mutt everything, and they had spent countless hours talking. Surely the two elder members of the family had to found it strange that for once Faye had told him nothing.

"He was after this," she said then, entering the kitchen and holding up the scroll. "And apparently so are the Soviets. Those two men were not part of his usual team."

Indy held out his hand for the scroll and she gave it to him as he said, "So, why is this so important to him?"

"We found it shortly before the New York trip," she told them, leaning back against the nearby counter. "I was working on translating it the night Maxwell attacked me. It's written in ancient Gaelic, and it contains the location of the harp believed to be used by the Pagan god, The Dagda."

"Why would the Soviets want the harp?" Marion asked as Indy who was opening the scroll.

"The same reason they wanted the crystal skulls," Mutt said from across the way, and Faye looked up at him for a moment. "To control the minds of others."

Faye nodded and then added, "It was believed that The Dagda would play it in battle to rally his troupes, making them unstoppable."

"Have you finished translating this?" Indy asked, and Faye nodded slightly.

"I didn't have a chance to tell anyone before I left, not even James," she replied. "The important part of it basically translation states, 'My greatest weapon is hidden in that which rises from the Cliffs of Moher.'"

"What does that mean, exactly?" Mutt asked. "The cliffs rise from the ocean, nothing rises from the cliffs."

"There are two sites rising from the cliffs are O'Brien's and Moher Tower," Indy corrected, looking up from the scroll.

"Exactly," she said. "But, neither is nearly as old as that scroll. I think it's a wild goose chase, but clearly someone believes it to be true."

"If the Soviets were to find it they would be unstoppable," Marion replied.

"The scroll is inconsistent," Faye told her. "That legend is ancient and the scroll is written as if penned by The Dagda. Unless he was predicting the future, there were no rises on the cliffs."

"I suppose there's only one way to find out," Indy said, giving her a quick smile. "I suggest everyone starts packing."

"Indy, don't be crazy…"

"The Soviets wouldn't have contact Blakeshire and sent men here if it was nothing," he told her, handing her back the scroll. "I suggest checking the translation again, perhaps there's something in there we're missing."

They all watched him exit the room. No one spoke, staring at the entryway as if he was still there. Faye knew that suddenly her hope for a quiet fall break had just been dashed.