The Seven Swords of Diya: An Indiana Jones Fan Fiction Part 1

Chapter 48: Flashback: Jones Ranch, Wyoming, 1942

Jones Ranch

Wyoming

October 1942

5 Months Later

Indy bolted in the house, slamming the door. He was in the mud room amid boots, saddles, dirty clothes and he was shushing the front door.

He wrestled off his boots and snuck the duffle down the hall, past the living room and into the kitchen.

No one had made coffee yet. The house was quiet. He moved the duffle to the table and started rummaging through it. "Where are they? I know I brought them - There!"

He removed several brown paper packages and set them on the counter, then lit the coffee pot and waited. And... waited...

"Why...?" He touched it, yelping.

A portly shadow filled the doorway - carrying an umbrella as a weapon - "Junior!? What are you doing here?"

"I live here, Dad."

He turned around and collided with his father's embrace. "We thought you'd been captured by the Japanese!"

Indy swallowed. "No. Well... almost. Why is the kettle not working?"

Professor Jones tilted his umbrella downward, took a towel and popped the lid on the coffee kettle. "Probably because you have no water in here, Junior."

"Ah. Yeah. I was gonna make coffee for Marion." Indy stared, listening to the water that wasn't there refuse to boil. "How is she?"

"Oh she's fine as fire. Chased Mac off the ranch. I swear she has more brains than you sometimes. Even with the children diverting her attention."

"She's always been smarter than me, Dad," Indy replied, finally remembering that he needed to add water to the coffee pot. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help with the grandchildren after you left."

"Right. Right... I remember that," Indy moved the packages. "Had to make a detour through Persia."

"From Attu?"

"Long story, Dad. Prefer to tell it when everyone's awake." Indy blinked. "If... I can stay awake..."

He cleared the duffle off the table and set it in the corner. "But... I got real coffee. And some Persian spices... Maybe Marion can adapt it to her Nepali foods? Curry? Stir fry? I missed her.... And her cooking. If I see borst one more time -"

"Junior, what were you doing eating borst?"

"Can't talk about it, Dad." Indy set the spices aside and poured himself a cup of coffee. Then stared at it. "This... isn't... coffee..."

"Sit down before you hurt yourself, son," Professor Jones Senior instructed. "You forgot to add the coffee."

"Right." Indy reached for one of the packages, opened a small jar and added a spoonful. He stirred his drink.

"Daddy?"

Indy set the cup down, pivoted and kneeled. "Annie!"

She rushed him in a hug. Indy picked her up in his arms, swung her around and kissed her forehead. "Darling Treasure, how are you?"

"Missed you, Daddy." Annie snuggled into his shoulder.

"Missed you too," Indy replied. "I think you grew while I was gone."

"Am I not supposed to?"

"Nope. That's just how things are." He tossed her gently. "Wow. Just... Yeah. I missed you."

"Where were you?" Annie asked.

"My pilot made a wrong turn and I ended up in Russia." Indy moved across the kitchen to where a world map was posted. There were various pins and markers in the map. "Can you point to where we live?"

Annie pointed to Wyoming.

"I was supposed to go to Attu," Indy told her. "Remember when I told you where Attu was?"

Annie nodded and pointed. "I made Momma draw a green dot that way we'd all know there was land there and you weren't just swimming...."

"Thanks, darling." Indy smiled. "And instead of flying home... my pilot... flew to his home, in Russia." Indy drew a line with his finger across the map and slightly up. "We landed in Kamchakta on a military base at the very bottom of the peninsula. And then I had to travel all the way... over to Persia..."

"On the Silk Road?" Annie asked. "Grandpa said the Germans call it Sidenstrasse."

"Well, I did take part of the Silk Road," Indy admitted. "But not all the way. And then I came home... to you!" he tapped Annie on the nose. "Let's get breakfast and not wake your mom."

"No! Momma should wake up!" Annie cried. "She thought you weren't coming home at all! She was really scared! MOMMA!"