Chapter 5

Georg searched frantically. "There," he pointed at a car sitting in front of the Horsepond. Indiana smirked and nodded. "Know how to hotwire a car, Captain?"

"I…" Georg could hardly believe this was happening, but it was indeed too late to request a parting of the ways. Before he could reply, Indiana was jerking the car doors open. "Get in!" he shouted.

Aghast at theft, Maria hesitated. The small explosion of a gunshot shattered her momentary paralysis, and she ducked with an alarmed scream. Georg pushed her inside before jumping in after her.

Indiana handed him a revolver. "Here, Captain," he said and played with the wires under the dashboard.

The familiarity of gun handling returned instantly to Georg. He rolled down the back window, glancing at the angry quartet shouting at each other. But he needn't take action just yet; the car roared to life, and they sped away, the thieves disappearing in the road's dust.

"To Mondsee?" Georg asked, breathless.

"To Mondsee," Indiana answered. "How do I get out of here?"

Georg gestured to a sharp right ahead of them. "Turn there," he instructed.

They tumbled as the car took the corner onto Griesgasse too quickly. Indiana swore and gestured to pedestrians to get out of their way. He glanced quickly in his rearview mirror to his passengers. "Are they following us?"

The Captain risked a peak over the backseat. The confused crowd suddenly shrieked as a loud roar came up from behind them. Several people dove aside, barely being missed by a small car that was rapidly approaching.

"Shit!" Indiana muttered and shifted the gear. "Where to!?"

"You need to cross State Bridge," Georg answered.

Maria had been clutching the seat belt and glanced out the window to the many people staring at them. She closed her eyes, and Georg knew she was praying.

"Hold on!" their driver shouted.

"They wouldn't shoot at us with – "

A loud crack silenced her question. Georg spun around, about to return fire.

"Captain!" Maria gasped, and he knew she was right. He could not shoot while they were still in the city. But he hoped showing the pistol would be enough of a deterrent.

The car lurched to the left as Indiana swerved to pass the slower vehicles. With an alarmed grunt, Georg slipped toward Maria. It was only by reaching for the driver's seat that he prevented the collision.

"Oh!" Maria exclaimed, her cheeks flushed.

The car jerked the other way, flinging Georg backward and Maria toward him. She reached out to catch herself, but she was not in time and she crashed into him. Her head rested against his chest, and Georg didn't know where to put his hands as he tried to untangle himself. There was a loud din in his head as his pulse rushed through him.

"Sorry," he muttered. Maria's face was fully flushed as she tried to push herself upward against the car's momentum. Finally the car straightened, and Georg gently helped guide her back.

"Sorry about that," Indiana called out. Georg looked up and caught the other's eyes in the rearview mirror. Did Georg misread, or was Indiana smirking?

There was a momentary lull in surrounding traffic, and the car steadied. "Once we're over the bridge, then what?" Indiana asked.

The Captain, trying not to look at Maria, was checking the gun's barrel.

"Where to!?" Indiana shouted.

"Left onto Schwarzstrasse," Maria answered with a cracked voice. She crept closer to the driver's seat. "Do you have any additional – " Her request was cut off as the car jerked sideways again, and she clutched the seat to remain still.

The Captain was both surprised and impressed at Maria's sudden change of heart.

"I have five shots left, Professor," he added.

"They're in my bag," the American answered. "But I'd prefer to lose them in the city."

They swerved around a bus. This time, both Georg and Maria held themselves secure. Maria risked a glance behind them; their pursuers were still too close.

"Head towards the train station," the Captain guided. "Turn right here!"

"But Mirabell is closed to automobiles!" Maria said.

"Fear not, Fraulein." Indiana's voice was calm. Maria and the Captain glanced at each other. The car slowed to a respectable pace, and the vehicle behind them slammed on its brakes. A large group of pedestrians emerged from the sidewalk and encircled it.

"That'll give us some time," Indiana muttered.

"Once we're past the Palace, turn left. That will take us to the train station and from there, we can head east to Mondsee," Georg explained.

"Shouldn't we try to lose them?" Maria asked.

Indiana glanced quickly to the Captain. "How's your aim?"

Avoiding Maria's troubled expression, the Captain looked apologetic. "It's been a few years since I've fired a weapon, I'm afraid."

The American offered a small smile. "They won't want to kill us. At least not yet."

Maria turned pale, and Georg pursed his lips. "Thanks for the motivation," he quipped. "Just give me your extra rounds."

Indiana tossed his bag to the back seat and started to speed up as they neared the end of the roadway in front of Mirabell Palace. Behind them, the crowd had started to clear, leaving the path clearer for their pursuers to close the gap once again.

"All right then!" Indiana said and revved the engine. There were fewer pedestrians after they'd cleared the train station and they started along the road out of town.

"East," Georg shouted, reverting to muscle memory as he loaded the gun.

Finally free of obstructions, their car lurched forward, pressing Maria and the Captain against the back seat as Indiana wove through cars.

"They must be desperate," he said. "We need more seclusion. I'm getting off here!"

Before Georg could see where they were heading, the car swerved on to what looked like a much more deserted road. Frustratingly, their shadow was close behind.

Nothing but forest surrounded them, and Georg knew the time had come. But before he could turn around, a loud pop startled them all, and the back window glass shattered. He threw himself over Maria as the shards cascaded around them.

"You alright!?" Indiana asked.

The pair rose and looked at each other. Georg was relieved to see they both appeared unscathed. The pure terror on Maria's face made the Captain snap around and reach out the window. His eyes narrowed as he aimed for the passenger-side tire. But his aim was rusty, and the headlight shattered instead.

The passenger emerged from the window and pointed his pistol forward.

Georg fired again. There was a deafening crack, and the enemy's front passenger tire exploded. The car tossed from side to side, falling further and further behind. Finally, it turned sharply and collided with a fallen tree.

Maria let out an exuberant whoop, and Georg smiled in relief. They watched as the thieves' car vanished into the distance, the urgency fading more and more. The trio remained silent, letting the reality of relative safety settle over them. Georg turned at the sound of swooshing and a light twinkling sound. Maria was using her skirt to sweep the glass from the seat to the floor. Indiana leaned against the headrest. Only the sounds of Maria's ministrations and the car's engines filled the silence, covering Georg's deep breaths as the adrenaline faded. He was so relieved, he almost didn't notice the approaching sign for Thalgau and Fuschl.

He cleared his throat. "Head towards Thalgau," he instructed and placed the gun on the floor beneath him.

Indiana nodded and turned briefly to meet the Captain's gaze. "I'm sorry about this."

Georg looked over at Maria and then back at Indiana. "I must admit this wasn't what I was expecting when we went into town today," he said wryly.

The other let out an ironic laugh. "I never plan on these things happening."

Maria paused, her hand still wrapped in her skirt. "Do you mean you go through this often?"

He shrugged. "Occupational hazard."

She released an incredulous breath and gave one final sweep of the seat. Satisfied no shards remained, she looked up at Georg and offered a small smile. "Hopefully we can find the ring and there will be no more adventure."

Instinctively, Georg placed his hand over hers. Her skin was warm and soft, and he wasn't entirely sure if her pulse was racing or if the car's engine made her ever so twitchy. She stared down at their hands and then back up at him. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was windswept. She looked rather lovely.

The adventure was nothing he'd imagined he would have encountered when he woke up this day. Now that they'd had a chance to catch their breaths, he was wondering how he could suggest they part ways with Indiana in Mondsee. But he could see Maria was still determined.

He offered a wry smile. "All this for a parasol?" he said and Maria honored him with a radiant smile.

To be continued...