The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction

Chapter 36 - Flight Out of Communist China, 1960

Emily awoke to a soft touch on her bruised jaw. The hands that had killed, and fought for their lives now cradled her bruised and broken body, gently warming her and shielding her from the chilly wind.

"Hi," Indy whispered. "Would you like to eat something?"

Emily shook her head.

Indy felt her pulse – it was sky rocketing. "You're safe now, Em. Nobody can hurt you." The pulse thundered more. "Em... I thought you were dead. Your mother and I hunted all over the place for you."

Emily shook in his arms. "They're still out there – and they'll kill us all!"

"Who?"

"Riley D-D-Dawson, and Chang," Emily shivered, stuttering, while her teeth chattered. "McG-G-"

"McGuire?" Indy finished.

Emily nodded, shivering.

Indy pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "McGuire was captured by the KBG earlier today."

"I-I-I kn-kn-know!" Emily stuttered. "I wanted them to haul me up too!"

"You were in the same crevice?" Marion asked.

Emily froze, terrified. She hadn't seen the other person sitting there!

"It's your mother, Em," Indy whispered quietly.

Emily nodded. "You're back t-t-together?"

"Yeah," Marion whispered. "Go on Emily."

"But then I saw the KBG badge and -" Emily started crying. "I'm being such a wimp!" she sniffed, burying her head in Indy's shoulder. Indy wrapped his arms around Emily and held her tight. "It's all right. You've had it rough." He kissed her on the forehead.

"OUCH!" Emily yelped.

Indy loosened his grip. "What'd I do?"

"THAT HURT!" Emily cried.

"Let me see," Indy brushed back some of her dark hair. A cut ran through her forehead, purple and scabbed over. "It's swelled, but not badly. You'll be all right."

"THEY TRIED TO KILL ME!" Emily gasped.

"Who?" Marion whispered.

"Chang, Dawson, the Chinese army, KBG, McGuire, Mac!"

"Mac?" Indy echoed.

Emily shook her head. "Yeah. After I found out what the mission was, he forced me into it! I didn't want to go after the spy – I wanted the scroll!"

"The agent had the scroll?" Indy asked. "We just let the KBG -"

"YOU WHAT?!"

"It's not like it seems, Em. Manifold's fine," Marion explained. "We switched his identity with Vladimir Chang's, so he's under KBG protection and has their medical care."

"They'll kill him!"

"What about the scroll?" Indy asked gently. "Does Manifold still have that?"

"No. I do." Emily reached in the bloody trench coat's collar and pulled out the seam. Indy took a piece of the silken scroll he hadn't seen in years from Emily's shaking hand.

Marion handed Emily some broth and coffee. "I know you don't like coffee, but it'll warm you up."

Emily nodded her thanks as she gulped down the stimulant.

"Easy," Indy smiled gently. "Don't choke on it."

Emily ignored her worry wart father and dug into the broth.

"I see you also found my reports," Indy said, looking over the papers.

"Yeah. I don't know why Chang had them."

Indy felt Emily shiver. "Chang is dead, he can't hurt you."

Emily buried deeper into Indy's chest, nosing away the jacket and leaning against his shirt. "How did he die?"

"He bled to death," Marion said.

"Good. I was hoping I hit a major artery," Emily put the bowl of broth down. "I-I-I'm not hungry anymore..." She grimaced, looking at Indy. "I didn't murder him... did I?"

"Em, Chang was a menace, and I'm sure you were justified in shooting him. I can't condone murder – but I know you, and I'm going to say it was self-defense."

"He was lying on the ground in front of me an' -"

"We'll call it an execution, then," Indy replied quietly.

Emily sniffed. "I don't want to be an executioner!"

"Em, you're not," Indy whispered, stroking her scarred face.

Emily whimpered like a hurt puppy to Indy's touch.

"Hush, Em... hush," Indy whispered.

Emily quieted, leaning into her father's chest.

"That's a good girl," Indy stroked his daughter's bruised face, trying not to cry. "Get some sleep. You'll be safe in Berlin tomorrow."