It felt so good to take a shower after our adventure in the burial chambers. When I got dressed, I joined Dad and Marcus in examining the rubbing. "How's your head, Marcus?" Dad asked. Marcus had an ice pack on the back of his head. Apparently Kazim had hit him, and knocked him unconscious. "Better, now that I have seen this." Marcus replied. Marcus tilted his head in curiosity as he observed the rubbing. "It's the name of a city." he said. I ran over to examine it. "Alexandretta, the city the the Knights of the First Crusade had siege over for a year?" I asked. "Right, it's destroyed now." Dad replied. He sighed before continuing. "The current city of Iskenderun is built over the ruins." he stroked his chin in thought. "Do you two remember what the tablet said? 'Across the desert and through the mountain to the Canyon of the Cresent Moon.' But where exactly?" Dad asked. "Grandfather would know." I replied glumly. "He did know! He made a map!" Marcus exclaimed, grabbing the Grail Diary and turning the pages. As he sped through the book he continued his statement. "He must have pieced it together from clues scattered through the whole history of the Grail Quest!" Marcus exclaimed. Marcus found the page he was looking for. "Now, he knew there was a city with an oasis due East, here." Marcus said, pointing at the city on the map. He knew the course turned South through the desert to a river, and the river lead to the mountains, here." Marcus continued, pointing out the course. "Straight to the canyon. He knew everything, except where to begin!" Marcus finished, laughing lightly. "Alexandretta. Now we know." Dad said solemnly. "Yes, now we know." Marcus agreed. "Marcus, get a hold of Sallah. Tell him to meet you in Iskenderun." Dad instructed, putting the Grail Diary in his pocket. "What about you. Nightie, and Dr. Schneider?" Marcus asked. "We're going after Dad." my father replied. "I'm going to take a nap in my room." I said, yawning. "Sleep well." Dad replied, walking towards his own room. I opened my door and saw that my room was completely ransacked. Who was here?! What were they looking for?! I ran outside, Dad was walking towards my room. "Yours too, huh?" he asked. I nodded silently. "Better check on Elsa." he said. We walked to her room, and Dad knocked on her door. There was no answer, but we could hear a record player in there. Dad opened the door, Elsa's room was in the same state mine was, and she was nowhere to be seen. Dad knocked on the bathroom door, where the music was coming from. There was no answer, so Dad opened it. Elsa was there, wearing a silk bathrobe. A record player was blasting at full volume right next to her. Dad motioned her to follow us into her room, and she turned off the record player as she did so. "My room!" Elsa cried. She didn't hear anything from her bathroom? "Mine too." Dad replied, sounding irritated. "What were they looking for?!" Elsa demanded. Dad held up the Grail Diary, "This." he replied. Elsa stared at it, looking completely outraged. "The Grail Diary... You had it?!" she asked. She started to pout "You didn't trust me." Dad chuckled lightly as he looked at her. "I didn't know you, and at least I let you tag along." he replied. "Oh yes! Give them a flower, and they'll follow you anywhere!" Elsa replied hotly. Dad shook his head "Knock it off. You're not mad." he said. "No?" she asked. "No, you like the way I do things." he replied. Dad then looked at me, and waved me away. Right this was adult business. I closed the door behind me as I left. "Marcus, I'm going to go meet Dot." I told the second father figure in my life, who was laying on the couch. "I'll let your father know." he replied. I went out into the city of Venice.
It was a nice and warm day. I sat at the table across from Dot, quickly filling her in on what had happened since our arrival as we enjoyed some tea. "And she didn't hear anything in there?" Dot asked me about Elsa, raising an eyebrow. "Apparently not. Her record player was pretty loud." I answered, stirring my tea. "She also didn't see or hear anything when your grandfather disappeared?" Dot asked. "No." I said, thinking deeply. "Something about that bugs me, Nightie." Dot said. "I know, I've had the same feeling since I met her." I replied. "At first, I thought it because she was dating my dad, but I still can't shake it off." I finished. "So what's the plan now?" Dot asked after she finished drinking her cup. "We're going to Austria and finding my grandfather." I answered. I drank my tea as questions filled my head. What was my grandfather like? All I knew for sure was that he and Dad had a falling out. I hope that's not what will happen to Dad and I. Sure, we might be angry with each other right now, but that doesn't mean we'll stop talking, right? "It's getting late, Nightie. I'll see you back home." Dot promised, embracing me. "Talk to you then." I said, returning the hug. I made my way back to the hotel, where I saw Marcus passed out on the sofa, and Dad in the middle of making a sandwich. "Want a turkey sandwich?" he asked. "Sure." I replied. He handed me a sandwich and we sat in silence. "Honey, let's talk about you, me, and Grandpa." Dad had suddenly said. "Dad, we need to talk about Elsa." I said at the same time. "Oh, you first." we said simultaneously. "Ladies first." Dad blurted out before I could say anything. "Ok, well, it's about Elsa." I said hesitantly. "It's not the fact she's younger than me, is it?" Dad asked. "No, you're both adults." I said, recalling earlier today. "No, it's... something else." Dad tilted his head in curiosity. "What is it, pumpkin?" he asked. "I don't trust her, Dad." I said. "You don't trust her." Dad repeated. He did not sound happy. "Well, look-!" I started, but Dad interrupted me. "No, you look. Just because you are mad at me doesn't mean you can drag Elsa into this. She is helping us find your grandfather. I turned around, putting my hands on my head. "Unbelievable." I muttered, turning to my room. I leapt on my bed, yelling at Dad internally. Elsa had my father turned against me.
The car drive to Brunwald Castle was slow and quiet. Dad and I barely made eye contact, and you can bet I was not looking at Dr. Schneider. We finally arrived at the castle, and Dad observed it. I could tell he was calculating some half baked scheme. "Whaf do you know about this place?" Dad asked Elsa. "I know the Brunwalds are famous art collectors." she replied. I handed Dad his bullwhip, and Elsa looked at in with a mix of horror and confusion. "What are you going to do?" Elsa asked. "I don't know, but I'll think of something." he replied. "He always does." I said. Dad began staring at Elsa's beret, and she adjusted it. "Switch me coats and hats." Dad told her. "What?" she asked. "Just do it." he said. I almost laughed as they switched. We got out in the rain, I was glad I had enough sense to bring my cap and trench coat, and we made our way to the front door. Dad practiced his Scottish Lord impersonation as we walked. "This is by far the dumbest plan you have made." I told him. "So dumb, they won't see it coming." he said in his Scottish Lord voice. He knocked on the door, and a butler answered it.
INDY'S POV
"It's about time! Did you intend to leave us on the doorstep all day?! We're drenched!" I shouted, fake sneezing on the butler. "Are you expected?" he asked me rather coldy. I pointed my finger at him. "Do not take that tone with me my good man. Now buttle off and tell Baton Brunwald that Lord Clarence Macdonald, his lovely assistant, and her daughter are here to view the tapestries." I ordered him. Nightie seemed upset that I deemed her to be Elsa's daughter, but she'd get over it. "Tapestries?" the butler asked, seeming confused. "Goodness, the man is dense." I said to Elsa. I then looked back at the butler. "This is a castle is it not? There are tapestries?" I asked, mocking his intelligence. "This is a castle, and there are many tapestries. But if you are a Scottish Lord, than I am Mickey Mouse!" he declared. I scoffed lightly, than looked at my companions. "How dare he!" I said, punching the butler in the face. He was out cold. "Elsa, give me my coat and hat back." I said.
NIGHTIE'S POV
We snuck our way through the castle, but we eventually heard people shouting at each other in German. Dad, Elsa, and I peered over the edge of a railing to see them. Brunwald Castle was secretly a Nazi base! "Nazis, I hate these guys." Dad declared. I nodded in agreement. I remembered the unpleasant memories of being kidnapped by the Nazis when they were looking for the Ark of the Covenant. We walked down the hall, Dad kept his eyes on the doorways. One of the doors had wires above it. "I think he's in here." Dad whispered. Elsa looked puzzled. "How do you know?" she asked. "Because it's wired to ring whenever he opens the door." I replied. "Bingo." Dad said. He knocked on the door next to Grandfather's, there was no reply. We walked into the empty room, and Dad examined the window. He had his thinking face on as he looked at the wires in between our window and Grandfather's. He uncoiled his whip and flung it over the wires. "Indy." Elsa said, sounding worried. Dad looked at her. "Don't worry, this is kids play. I'll be right back." he said. He then swung across and landed on a gargoyle. He swung from the gargoyle and through the window. "I hope he didn't scare my grandfather." I said. I felt Elsa grab me and drag me into the hands of several Nazis. "Take her someplace she'll be comfortable." Elsa commanded. Elsa was working with the Nazis! "Yes, Ma'am!" the Nazis replied. "Wait until my father finds out about this!" I shouted. A Nazi tied a cloth in my mouth to shut me up. Elsa smiled at me. "Sweetie, when he does, it will be too late." she laughed. A bag was forced over my head, and a rope was tied around my neck to keep the bag on. My arms were tied behind my back, and I was taken to another room. It felt like hours past, but finally, I could hear Dad's voice as several people entered whatever room they dragged me into earlier. "How did you know she was a Nazi?" Dad asked. Before I could answer an unknown voice reply. "She talks in her sleep." Were they talking about Elsa?! "I didn't trust her, why did you?!" the voice demanded suddenly. Before my father could say anything a new voice spoke. This was a voice I had not trouble recognizing. "Because he didn't take my advice." Walter Donovan said. There was a pause until my father growled "Donovan." I could hear Donovan chuckle. "Didn't I warn you not to trust anyone, Dr. Jones?" he said. The voice my father talked to spoke up. "I misjudged you Walter. I knew you'd sell your mother for a Etruscan vase, but I didn't know you'd sell your country and soul to the slime of humanity!" the voice declared. So this person seemed to know Donovan. "Where's my daughter?" Dad asked, sounding extremely dangerous. "What?! You have a daughter?! And you didn't tell me!" the voice asked in shock. Was this voice my grandfather?!
"Bring out the girl!" I heard a man command in German. I was forced up from my seat roughly, and the rope around my neck was untied. The bag was pulled of my head. "Oh, Nightingale." my father said, his face filled with an apologetic expression. "Nightingale?!" the older gentleman exclaimed. I looked at my grandfather, and I recognized him. It was the grumpy old man that Willie and I met at the theatre when Dad took us to watch Snow White! He seemed to recognize me too. "This is your daughter?" he asked. "Not now, Dad." my father said. "Dr. Schneider, there are pages torn out of this." Walter suddenly shouted. Grandfather looked at Dad in surprise as Dad just smirked. We all turned to look as Elsa took the book from his hands. She looked at my father in anger. "This book contained a map, a map with no names. Precise directions from the unknown city to the secret Canyon of the Crescent Moon." she said. "So it did." Dad simply replied. "Where are these missing pages? This maps we must have these pages back!" Donovan demanded. Elsa sighed "You're wasting your breath. He won't tell us." "We'll see about that." Donovan said. I suddenly felt his hands grab me, and one letting go to put a gun against my head. "Wait!" a familiar voice shouted except it wasn't my father.
Edward Braxton stepped out of the shadows, an angry look on his face. "You promised she'd come out unharmed, Dad!" Edward shouted at Donovan. Edward Braxton was Donovan's son?! There had to be some mistake. But it wasn't. Donovan didn't even flinch at Edward's sudden arrival. "Get back!" Donovan shouted at my classmate. "Mr. Donovan, we don't need to threaten young Miss Jones. It's painfully obvious where her father hid the pages. He's given to Marcus Brody." Elsa said smugly. My grandfather looked appalled. "You didn't drag poor Marcus into this?!" Dad simply nodded. " He's not up to the challenge!" Grandfather yelled. Donovan simply laughed. "He sticks out like a sore thumb. We'll find him." Dad scoffed in response. "The hell you will. He's got a two day head-start on you, which is more than he needs. Brody's got friends in every town and village from here to the Sudan. He speaks a dozen languages, knows every local custom. He'll blend in. Disappear. You'll never see him again. With any luck, he's got the Grail already." It took me all I had to not react to Dad's claims as if they were what they were. Insane. Grandfather however, seemed impressed that my father spoke that way about Marcus. "Right. Colonel, tie up the older Joneses, my son and I are taking the youngest one. Call it, security." Donovan said. "No!" Dad shouted. He was met with a backhand to the face from the Colonel. He and Grandfather were tied up. "Intolerable." Grandfather said. Was he really complaining right now?! "Doctor Schneider. Message from Berlin. You must return immediately: a rally at the Institute of Aryan Culture." the Colonel announced. Elsa looked at him unimpressed. "So?" she asked. The Colonel smiled. "Your presence on the platform is requested... at the highest level." Elsa smiled back. "Thank you, Herr Oberst." She turned to look at Donovan. "I will meet you at Iskenderun." He nodded. "Take this Diary to the Reich Museum in Berlin. It will show them our progress, ahead of schedule. Without a map, I'm afraid it's no better than a souvenir." he continued, handing her the Grail Diary. The Colonel looked at my father and grandfather with a hungry look in his eyes. "Let me kill them now." he said. Elsa shook her head. "No. If we fail to recover the pages from Brody, then we'll need them alive." she reasoned. "Always do what the doctor orders." Donovan said, grabbing my left arm as Edward grabbed my right. I tried to fight them off, but I stood no chance with my arms tied behind my back. "Helen! Helen!" my father shouted, using my real name for the first time in years. Soon I was shoved into a limousine with Donovan and Edward. I was untied, and the gag was removed, however, Donovan held a gun to my face. "One bad move, and your brains will stain my new ride. Gifted to my by the Fuhrer himself." Donovan warned. "What a pity that would be." I replied sarcastically.
At that moment, A Lieutenant walked up to the car, carrying a letter. "Something important, sir." he told Donovan in German. Donovan put on his glasses to read the message. "Well, we have Marcus Brody. But more important, we have the map!" he exclaimed. A radio operator steped forward with another written message for Donovan. "From Berlin, sir." the operator spoke in German. Donovan read the message aloud this time. "By the personal command of the Fuhrer. Secrecy essential to success. Eliminate the American conspirators." Donovan smiled at the Colonel. "Germany has declared war on the Jones boys!" My heart sank as Donovan spoke to the driver in German. "Set off."