Chapter 3
As the dust that billowed forth from the passageway settled down and falling debris could no longer be heard, the room descended into an uneasy silence. During this lack of activity, both adventurers wondered how they got into this mess that was not all too unfamiliar for them. Deciding it was the best course of action to find out if this other person was a friend or foe, Indy called out across the room.
"Hey, you still alive over there?"
"Never felt better" Lara replied. "By the way, who the hell are you anyway?" she said calmly a few seconds later.
"Oh yea that's right, we've never been formally introduced. I'm Indiana Jones and I believe you said your name was Lara Croft. And since were asking questions, how about telling me why you're here? I didn't hear of any other people looking for this ruined temple besides those guys out there and myself."
"The same reason as you, to explore the temple." Lara said while trying to think of where she heard his name before. It had rung a bell but she couldn't exactly place it.
"Speaking of which, we'll probably have plenty of time to look around now." After a slight pause Indy continued. "We don't seem to be enemies, so how about we put our weapons away and come out to talk face to face."
"I'll go for that, just as long as you keep that gun of yours holstered" she said after deciding it was the best course of action considering her current predicament.
Cautiously stepping out from their hiding places, both the adventurers slowly walked forward, ready to draw at a moments notice. Now both out in the open, they stopped, keeping a safe distance from one another. For the first time Indy and Lara got a got look at each other and sized each other up.
Despite getting a glimpse of her before, Indy did not get a good look at her because he was more concerned with the Nazis at the time. He was surprised at the way she looked, not dressing in the traditional clothing for going around exploring places like this in the desert. Instead she had on only a tight pair of shorts and a light blue tank top. In addition, she kept a small brown backpack and a pair of holsters with matching colt pistols strapped to her belt. Despite her rather "unprofessional appearance" as Indy thought of it, he had noticed however, that she could easily handle herself in a fight, and she wasn't exactly unprepared for this sort of event. All in all, what really drew his attention were her assets that she chose to show off.
To Lara on the other hand, Indy appeared to be some rugged American explorer who preferred to wear an old and beat up hat and leather jacket and some dusty khaki pants. The next thing she noticed was the whip he had dangling from his side. 'A whip? What kind of guy uses a whip nowadays' she mused 'At least he has the sense to use a gun.' In addition to his appearance, she also saw the way he admiring her. She could tell what he was thinking of, typical male reaction. She did think however that he wasn't exactly that bad looking though.
Lara was the first one to speak this time, saying "Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think we are each other's enemies, competitors maybe"
"Your probably right so how about we stick together and try to figure out how to get out of here and after that may the best man win."
Lara responds to this by raising her eyebrow and saying "the best man….?"
"Ok, best man… Or woman."
"Better" Lara smiles smugly and then adds, "Now that we got That straitened out, lets try to find a way out of here, shall we." She then proceeds to examine the only passageway that she could spot. "Well that's blocked" she said with a sigh, "I hope we aren't stuck here, It would be a rather boring way to die." Lara then began to contemplate her situation within the ruined temple.
Jones on the other hand was busy thinking of ways they would pass the time if they were stranded here. He would rather not have his career end there but at least he would have good company. 'Unfortunately she probably not that type of woman but hey, here's hoping' he thought. 'I wonder if anything like that would cross her mind right now.'
"The hidden entrance!" Lara shouted in realization as she startled Indy in his train of thought. "With all that's gone on I forgot about the passageway I entered through" she said.
"Huh" was all Jones could say, being momentarily confused. "Oh you mean like a secret passage or something" he said as he started to understand what she was talking about.
"Of course that's what I mean, what did you think I meant?" Before Indy could say anything Lara continued. "Wait a minute, the passageway is gone" Lara said looking around, "It must of closed by itself."
Quickly getting back up to speed on the task at hand, Indy went right to work hoping that he will be able to find a way out after all. "There has to be a switch or lever or something that will open it up. Where did you remember seeing it last?"
"Somewhere along the rear wall"
"Whatever you say lady" Jones said as he proceeded to search the back wall for some hint of a hidden passage.
As Indy was doing this, Lara was looking over the wall and then eventually to the alter standing near her. As she was doing this she noticed something, one of the ones that made up the altar, seemed a bit different than the rest. Deciding to try it she pushed and was greeted with it moving forward as well as the sound of grinding stone. All of a sudden the ground under Indiana started to give way as he pitched back and fell into the opening in the ground that opened up beneath him.
Looking up he saw Lara Croft at the top of the stairs, looking down at him. "Ooops, sorry about that" she said, grinning the whole time.
"You know, you could of warned me about that" he said angrily up at her as he got up and dusted himself off.
"Ya but then I couldn't see the look on your face as you fell down the stairs, priceless" she said as she picked up a torch near the wall and walked down the stairs towards Jones.
"Ha ha, very funny…… hey what's that?" he said as he went to pick up something he saw in a nook that was in the wall.
"What is it?"
"A piece of an old parchment" Indy said, carefully picking it up. "It has an something written on it but I can't tell what it is. How about you?" he said showing it to Lara who just shook her head. "Well, I'll keep it for now, I can translate it with some of the stuff I have in my bags."
"Well lets go, remember the longer we stand around the farther away those guys will probably get."
"Ladies first of course"
"Awww, are you still angry at me for not telling you about the stairs" Lara said playfully as she went ahead down the passage as Indy followed.
Soon they reached another room like the one Lara had encountered on her first time through but this time it was slightly different. No longer was the bridge broken but now it stretched out across the pit full of snakes. She momentarily stopped to consider all the weird things that were going on and what she was missing. Lara was interrupted however by a groan that was let out by Indy.
"What's wrong?" she asked
"Nothing, it's just that I don't like snakes"
"Wait, your afraid of snakes?"
"No I'm not afraid. I just have a health respect for them that's all" he said defensively.
"Right, whatever you say" she said, grinning the whole time.
"Just shut up and lets go" he grumbled
As Lara proceeded across the bridge, Indy hesitated briefly to worry about the condition of the bridge over all these years but put that aside thinking it was his fear of the snakes. While crossing, neither of them noticed that one of the support ropes, that had held up the bridge for so many years was now beginning to give under their weight. Stepping onto the other side, Lara her something snap behind her and whirled around to find out what it was. She was surprised to find that one of the support ropes had broke and Indiana was left hanging on for ear life as the remaining rope was beginning to give way as well. Apparently Jones had also been surprised by the incident as well because of the shocked expression that was on his face. The remaining rope caught in a losing battle to hold him up on its own, was not gonna hold on for long and both of them knew it. Knowing that the other side was too far off, Jones reached for his whip and quickly made it grab a hold of a rock that jutted out near the ceiling. No sooner had he did this, the rope had finally given in and broke, letting the bridge fall and Indy dangle from his whip. Using the whip to gradually swing himself to the other side, Lara grabbed a hold of him and pulled him in. Now that he was safely on the other side, he let out a sigh of relief and untangled the whip from the rock that it was rapped around. Winding it back up and attaching it to his belt once again, Indy glared at her.
"Forgot to tell me about that too" he said ready to strangle her.
"I honestly did not know about that" she said apologetically.
Letting his anger slip he let out a sigh. "Why does it seem like you always narrowly avoid getting hurt while I always get the shit beat out of me."
Taking this as a good sign since his humor was still there, Lara decided to remark on his observation. "Just skill I guess, now lets get going"
He was about to dispute it when she turned and walked away. Following her, he finally came to a dead end where she proceeded to search the walls. Finding an odd looking stone panel, she stepped back.
"This is it, it should be able to be pulled open"
Walking up to it, he felt along the edges and found a grove built into the stone. Getting a good grip he prepared to pull on it but hesitated.
"If you want to tell me something a good time is now"
"No nothings gonna happen" she said rolling her eyes. "Your not gonna let me forget that are you?"
"Not likely sister"
With that remark he began pulling and was welcomed by the stone moving aside and was half blinded by the light that poured through the opening of the passageway. As his eyes adjusted to evening light, they walk out slowly into the hot desert air.
"Ok, now that were out, where the hell are we?" Jones said.
"Near the temple, we should get back to the entrance and see if my stuff is still there."
"Fine by me."
Once again, Lara showing him where to go, they walked through the desert mountains for a few minutes before coming near the main entrance to the temple. Without word both slowed their pace and readied their weapons, careful of what they might find up ahead. As they crept around the final rocks hiding the entrance from view they lowered their weapons, it was deserted, No Nazis, no vehicles, no nothing.
"They must of left already" Lara said out loud. "They probably got what they came for and I guess they decided to take my jeep as well"
"Yeah, they took the camel I rode in on too, I guess they figured we wouldn't need it"
"Well we do now"
"I guess we should try to follow them"
"On foot, they already got a head start on us and transportation as well."
"They will probably bunker down for the night soon so we can catch them then. That and you have anything better to do."
Realizing that he had a point, they set out down the mountain path in hopes of reclaiming the artifact and getting some form of transportation out of the wasteland.