A/N Here's something for the faithful readers of this story throughout the time. Love you guys ;)
Her Instinct
Pulled through the entity of the Gobi desert, beaten to a pulp, blacked out by the crushing of an enormous wave, there were many colourful ways to explain the state that Marion currently was in.
She had no recollection of how she had gotten into her bed, but she could just as easily have been lying out there on that dirt ground. Either way, her body could not succumb to the soft mattress. Sheets where like sandpaper against her skin. Her clothes torn and every inch of her body ached with either bruises or scratches, apparent on her sun-kissed skin. She couldn't even imagine what she must look like, crusted in cakes of dirt and blood, and she hadn't a care. All that came to her clouded mind was a painful clear picture of Indy, looking at her with frown. She didn't even have a care for the endless stream of tears, pooling in the crevice of her neck.
"….Marion…?"
She opened her eyelids, revealing blood stricken eyes. She heard the loud gasp from her mentor as he neared her. She vaguely saw the chocked and frightened look on Jacob's face when he reached out a hand to touch her face, but he let his hand fall away when he caught the look in her eyes. Like he could always see into her, what he found now, terrified him. She knew something about him, and his only secret wasn't even his own, but Abner's, and he knew that she knew.
"Mari-", he started but she interrupted him promptly. "You haven't been honest with me Jacob" she said in a chilling voice.
"We have to get you out of these clothes and get Eliza to attend to those cuts" he said, a nervous tone leaking into his, "As for me being dishonest I don't think this is the time to speak of such unimportant things"
"Get out of my room", she said warningly and turned away from him. He sat there for a while when she could hear him sigh and stand from the side of her bed. She didn't think him worthy of any glance at all as he exited the room with disappointed steps.
Cairo
The exotic air of Egypt flowed freely in the breeze and found the party as they departed the ship. Indy breathed in the scent and glanced around the harbour. Colours of dirt and gravel, mixed with the boisterous atmosphere made the place absolutely unique. Ships on the brink of sinking because of the heavy load of freight sailed into the harbour, and everywhere on the banks slaves where bringing the goods onto land. Clusters of people amassed on every corner to trade to the goods that was stacked in huge heaps. Most of the trades where made with other Egyptian goods. Some trades began as soon as a ship was safely anchored and salesmen had stands and carpets strewn down every street-length with the most unusual items. It was silly really, but Indy already felt at home.
He noticed Seni being especially humble when they walked down the lift. Abner noticed it too, and went over to the servant and said something to him that Indy could not hear, but it successfully removed the frown from the servant's face. Indy continued down the lift following Abner who seemed in a better mood now. He was just about to say something to him, when he noticed a man coming towards them.
Indy noticed him, because of the oddity of him being there, an Englishman in the middle of a market in Cairo. He was dressed in the English attire that was appropriate for any businessman in London to wear, but it did nothing to help him here. The heat and the over excess of clothes made him sweat very much as he dried his forehead with a handkerchief as he approached Abner with the recognition one feels when seeing an old friend again.
"Abner!" he said and hugged Indy's mentor fiercely. "Marcus! I am so delighted too see a known face here!" he said and patted Marcus on the back. They shook hands and grinned at each other, and for a moment Indy could easily imagine them being comrades as far back as school, either way that was the way they acted.
"Marcus, you must meet my student, Henry's son!" he said and turned Marcus around. It was an understatement to say that he was surprised. "This is Indiana" Abner said with a grin. And Marcus looked at Indy with huge eyes and then grabbed his hand and shook it violently.
"Marcus Broody! At your service, ol' chap!" he said and removed his hat. Indy gave him a nod and tried discreetly to get his hand free, when the man was still holding it after turning to speak with Abner again.
"Im so happy that you are finally here, my friend!" Marcus said while wiping his forehead once again.
"And I couldn't be more happy to be here, nor so anxious for you to show me the site!"
That made Marcus come alive in a way that Indy didn't think the man could. He surprised him by grabbing his arm and dragging him across the marketplace to an awaiting car while saying "Come, come!"
Indy humoured him at first, but looked to Abner halfway too the car for help, but his mentor offered no help, only a smirk.
The Dig Site, somewhere between Alexandria and Cairo
When they first eyed the sight of the dig, Indy could literally see Christmas lights in Abners eyes. They where equal combatants to the brightness of the ferocious desert sun, and even though one usually squinted one's eyes like it was with Marcus, Abner didn't. One could really say that this was a devoted man.
Indy followed the line of the road and could see the workers tents up ahead, hundreds of little white tents where to be found on the soft sand-hills and the hard rock cliffs in the landscape. In some places a huge crane, built of tree, scared the horizon as the fog-like clouds that showed in the wind where testament to the working men, digging their way through hard ground and not-so-hard soil.
Soon enough the sounds of pickaxes pounding down in the ground and the screeching shrieks from wheelbarrows moving the dirt elsewhere were heard with the oncoming wind.
When the car finally came to a halt, Abner was out within the second and already heading for the main tent, white and bigger than all the others. Indy followed suit after him and Marcus also hurried along like a wheel-legged dog. Indy couldn't help but think that the Brody-character was least of all built do be in these sizzling locations, least of all here on the outskirts of the Libyan Desert.
His attention moved to Abner who was in the process of greeting yet another dear friend it seemed. Indy walked towards them leisurely with his hands in his pockets and looked on as the dark-tanned man gazed his way. He was quite large, even when seeing him from a distance. A giant compared to the hardworking men out in the sand. When he met Indy's eyes, an unusual great smile spread on his face, but Indy wasn't fazed at all, he strolled along past Marcus who had stopped to tie his shoelaces.
Abner said something to the man and he erupted with a vigorous laugh as he hit him on the back and made the always respectable man stumble a bit. Indy couldn't help but smile at this and reached a hand forward to greet the great man. But to his surprise he was pulled forward into a big bear-hug by the man as he bellowed with a deep Arabic-accented voice, "Indy!"
Indy patted his back awkwardly and waited for him to let go of him. He did a moment later and took one of his hands. "My name is Sallah, and you will come to me if there's anything you need, anything!"
Indy nodded to Sallah and already felt at ease in his company. He replied, "I will come to you when I can't stand Abner anymore"
Sallah laughed at this and hit him on his back as he had with Abner and Indy went forward in a state of surprise. Abner sent him a knowing look as Sallah left the scene to greet with Marcus. "His nature is very forward but I would tell you that he is one of the few that I would trust my life with", Abner said and stepped over to Indy. "furthermore…" he began and put a hand on his shoulder. "When out on our journeys, he always has brandy with him when I only carry water" he said and laughed with Indy.
Sallah and Marcus, the odd pair returned to the scene. "Sallah?", Abner asked immediately and received the man's attention. "Would you be so kind as to show us the outlet?" he asked.
Sallah clapped his hands and motioned with big gestures that they were to follow him. He almost ran and jumped at the same time, reminding Indy of Abner's enthusiasm when he would be asked to tell of The Ark of The Covenant. Indy smiled and felt the rim of his hat, taking it off and waving it at himself for cooling.
"It is here your prize awaits Mr Ravenwood", Sallah said with unusual genteel as he bowed for his long-time friend. Abner patted his back as he went past the Arab and down into the outlet. After him it was Indy's turn and he went down a long rope that went down into the deep cave. The sight that met him, struck him speechless. Never being on a dig before made this an entirely new experience for him, as he watched the structure before him. Abner was humbly nearing its many paths, towers and walkways. A miniature model of the city Tunis before it was destroyed by the wrath of God. He remembered it perfectly from the book that Abner had given him.
"The Well of Souls.." Abner whispered as he withdrew a brush from his chest pocket and crouched on the ground before the city. Indy kept by the rope, ready to literally catch Marcus who swung wildly against the walls of the narrow opening. "Take it easy, Marcus. Just stay calm and hold on to the goddamn rope!" Indy called out to him, trying to keep the poor excuse of a professor in archaeology still. It worked poorly.
Indy looked to Abner for help but he was deep in his own thoughts, running searching fingers over the stone.
He shouldn't have looked away in the first place, it only added to the pain as Marcus yelped and let go of the rope, pummelling down and succeeding in hitting Indiana perfectly square on the head. Indy fell to the ground, crushed by the heavy weight of the big-boned Marcus who was currently trying to sit up but failed miserably with his flailing arms and legs, one of them once again succeeding in hitting Indy square in the face.
"I'm terribly sorry!" he could hear Marcus say but it was drowned out by the great earthshaking laugh from above. "Shut it Sallah!", Indy shouted upwards while wiping the blood from his mouth. Abner turned around and shushed them all and sent a reproachful glare towards Indy while turning back to deciphering the hieroglyphs on the stone.
Indy looked over to Marcus who was still apologizing while dusting of his clothes even though he was hopelessly smeared in dirt already. Indy gave a great sigh of unfairness for his mentor as he took hold of the rope and quickly climbed up to a still sniggering Sallah. He sobered up though when seeing the look of supremacy on Indy's face. Instead he made himself busy with going down the rope himself to Marcus who was still apologizing even though there was no one to apologize to.
Indy walked over to the edge of the hill as to get an overview of the spectacular scenery, a beautiful endless horizon scattered with the hunched over forms of hundreds of working diggers. It was exceptional to say the least. Without any warning or reason as to why it happened as his mind drifted towards Italy and Marion, sitting all alone on the front veranda with iced tee in her hand and a book in the other. The thought was comforting as he searched his inner feelings and found that he actually missed the hot-headed girl that always seemed to be intent on flirting with him, surprising him with a perfect left hook or just being the little vulnerable girl he had spoken to that day in the library.
He sighed when thinking of this complex woman who was as mysteriously enigmatic as she was attractive. Indy's brown eyes raised themselves and settled on the sky. The clouds really shifted, like the day where somehow shorter than usual. Indy could tell that a storm was brewing not far from their location. He didn't know why but he couldn't help but compare Marion to the shifting currents of wind.
The Mansion on the mountainside of La Sila
"Marion?" someone asked her as she tried patching up her face in the bathroom mirror. "What do you want Eliza? I can't give you permission to use any of Abner's stuff" she answered gruffly while wincing when she touched a very sore bump on her forehead.
She heard the door open and the entering of Abner's favoured servant. She heard her outburst of surprise when seeing the flashback of her face in the mirror. Marion didn't really want anyone near her now. She could feel something inside that could break out any moment now if she would just let it. She walked past Eliza and went over to her desk, taking a seat and kept her back to the servant who followed suit.
"Marion, darling I think you should try calming down..." she said and laid a hand on Marion's shoulder only to have it swatted away. She was stunned "Marion…! I'm sorry for your anger, but you have to believe me when I tell you that your father had good reason, doing what he did…" Her voice ebbed out as she realised what she had just revealed.
Marion's head peaked at her comment and while Eliza could only look on with anxiety, Marion turned around painfully slow and gave her a knowing glare that sent chills down her spine. Now Marion knew that she knew…
Marion was appalled to say the least of the nerve of Abner. He would tell his innermost secrets to a stranger like Eliza and not his daughter? His own flesh and blood that deserved to know the truth about her mother more than anyone! The revelation tasted more bitter than the fading copperish taste that had ruled her mouth for the past hour. And now she knew that Eliza knew something she didn't. That qualified her as more than untrustworthy right now.
"Tell me…" she demanded of her, but Eliza just shook her head, whispering that she couldn't.
"Then you have nothing to do here…" Marian ended and pointed towards the door. Eliza looked as if she wanted to protest but left anyway when taking one glance at Marion's face.
When the door finally closed and left Marion utterly alone in her room, she felt her shoulders slump and huge sobs erupt from her throat, but before she could utter any sounds of sadness she clenched her throat and threw her arms around herself, tightening around her to keep the injustice inside. She let the grief fuel her anger towards Abner and thought to herself, that she would not be able to communicate another feeling until she had emptied her rage onto her father. She made that a silent vow and went to her closet, throwing some clothes into a bag and excited the room.
In little time she came to Abner's personal study and went over to the table to grab a clip of money and the keys to the Ranger from a board in the back of the desk. After that she went for the garage.
A/N I have to give thanks to Ms. Crookshanks for her flamer, -Jackisback-2007- for his optimistic views of the story, Yimi Makuya for her remarks, chopperchick123 for letting me know that she thought this was one hell of a fanfic! Mr. 125 for the critique, hippiefaerie for urging me on, Fantacy for being Danish, Jas-TheMadTexan for asking why the title means egg of goat (I have no idea…) and Canyon who I don't really understand but love anyway! ;)
Installments will follow shortly ;)