Egypt 1937
Indiana Jones flexed his aching shoulder and rubbed his throbbing jaw. A memento from an unhappy German soldier he'd ran into earlier. He groaned at the pain as he trudged through the dessert sand.
"I get it. You're hurt." Penny said, walking alongside Indy. "Hey, at least you put up a good fight." She added sarcastically with a mocking laugh. Indy barely touched the towering fighter, let alone injured him. His near-silent African guide Pica walked behind the pair, smiling to himself.
Indy scowled at her and reminded himself why decided to bring them along with him. He'd come to Egypt the same reason he always did. Fortune and glory. A few months earlier he had a tip for the location of a incredibly rare artifact. The Ankh of Tanit. It had never been found, and had apparently been known as an idol of worship, now lost for thousands of years. The treasure attracted Indy and without hesitation he took the next flight to Egypt.
"How much further?" He asked Pica, ignoring Penny's jab.
"Soon" He quickly replied, lowering his eyes. Indy noticed he couldn't have been older than 19.
Indy secretly wished they had bought their camels closer to the site. While he was no stranger to walking, he had no intention of trekking through miles of hot sand, which always irritated him.
He shrugged and was glad he wasn't wearing his usual leather jacket as he marched through the blistering heat of the dessert. He lowered his signature fedora hat to shield his eyes from the scorching sun. He was wearing his usual traveling clothes, for which he was grateful, with his bag and trusty revolver, though he doubted he would have to use it. He noticed Penny also carried a pistol, but he decided not to let on that he knew.
"So what is it with you?" He asked Penny, eager to pass the time. He couldn't see any sign of a temple for miles. "When I asked you to come along for the ride I didn't know you'd already been around a few times."
"I'm on a tour for my museum in Spain, Doctor Jones." She replied, taking a swig of her canteen. "And yeah, I've been around the world a few times, just like you."
Indy had already seen her in action a few times and found she could handle herself. He liked that. The pair had met in a small villiage nearby, both asking around for a guide for the same place. Apparently she was an expert in Egypt history. Once a conversation had stuck up they decided to team up to find the Ankh and work out the details later.
They found Pica offering his services for a ridiculously high price, but since he was the only guide Indiana hired him to take them to the temple.
"What about you, Doctor Jones?" She said, smiling.
"Indy." He corrected, regretting telling her his title when they first met.
"Why do you seek the life of exploration?" She asked excitedly in an intoxicating Spanish accent.
"It's not about the adventure, honey." He replied, taking her canteen and taking a swig. "It's about the glory." He added.
Unconvinced, Penny nodded.
Indy gave the canteen back and she placed it in her backpack. She was wearing her own traveling gear. Shirt, shorts, small backpack the usual for a 'collector of antiques'
Her long hair was tied up in a long pony tail, though a few strands dangled rebelliously onto her exotic face.
"What's with the leather?" She asked nodding at the whip dangling at Indy's belt. "You really need it?"
"It gets out me out of a few jams." He said automatically, grinning to the woman. He didn't usually like talking about his equipment. He liked to think it was a private thing.
The trio approached a giant sand dune and began to climb it. Once they reached the peak, Indy peered curiously over the edge, expecting and hoping to find a grand temple. Instead there was only nothing. Indy sighed and grumbled to himself audibly.
"You'd better not be ripping us off, kid" he said under his breath. Penny stayed silent.
"There." Pica said quietly in a heavy African accent. He pointed to nothing in particular.
"…Where?" Indy asked, his patience wearing thin and squinting into the distance, seeing nothing but sand.
"Come." He replied, and walked ahead. Indy shot a sidelong look at Penny who merely shrugged. He grinned and adjusted his bag strap and followed his guide.
Finally, after some minutes of walking Indy began to see what he thought he should be looking for.
"This is it? We're looking for a damn temple." He cried dismayed at the small mound of sand the guide had bought them to; it looked more like an untouched shack.
"Yes. This is it." He answered. "The door is a fake. You see." He banged on the door but the solid noise that came back told Indy that the door was flat against a stone.
"The entrance itself is here." He added and bent low and uncovered a small trap door with his hands, brushing away the sand that covered it.
"You're kidding, right?" Indiana Jones laughed at the small trap door. "Do you know what a temple is?" he mocked, looking at Penny for support, which wasn't received.
"If the temple was in such full view, do you think you would be the first to find the Ankh?" Penny responded, folding her arms in defiance.
Pica nodded his head and motioned towards the trapdoor. "I have never ventured down the door. But I will accompany you to assist." And he stepped back, signaling to the two that he can guide them no further.
Wasting no time Indy rubbed his hands together. "Alright, stand back, sweetheart." He warned. His earlier wounds forgotten he grabbed the metal ring on the door and gave it a tug.
It didn't budge.
Frustrated, Indy tried it again. Nothing. He stood up and scratched his head under his hat. He looked to Penny hopefully.
"Hey, don't look at me." She said in response. Indy looked back to the trapdoor stumped.
"Maybe if we try... Twisting it? Nope. I'll pull and you lift the sides..?" He mumbled to himself.
"Try pushing it?" Penny said hopefully. Indy scoffed at the notion, but paused and pushed the trapdoor hard almost as an afterthought. It fell open leading to a set of stairs. Indy scowled at her again, silently embarrassed that he didn't think of it first. His pride wounded, he stepped towards the stairway.
"I'll go first." He said unhesitatingly. He walked down the steep, thick stairs leading to unknown depths. Penny raised an eyebrow but took a deep breath and followed him in, holding her arm out to judge the distance between herself and Indy. Leaving the door open, Pica trailed behind.