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

Chapter 70: Jones Ranch, Wyoming, 1960

Jones Ranch

Wyoming

1960

Indy's four year old granddaughter, Laurel Dawson dropped a dish in the sink and screamed.

"Now what?" Her older brother Tyler snarled.

"There's a man in the sink!" She screamed.

"Stop it, Laurel! Stop being afraid!" He looked into the dishwater and yelped in sheer terror, jumping away from the sink and bolted toward their mother, Annie.

Indy's oldest daughter looked up from her reading as her children bolted out the door, onto the front porch, terrified.

"Mommy! There's a man in the sink!"

"What?" Annie asked, putting down her book.

Tyler nodded. "I saw it! Just a head in the sink."

Annie stood. "Ok. Let's see this."

"You don't believe us, do you?" Laurel pleaded.

"I believe you - it's just - strange."

"Everything is strange here," Tyler mumbled grumpily. "I want to be back with Dad!"

Annie sighed and let the comment go. She didn't have time to explain and didn't want to explain. It was too horrible. "Where is this?"

"The sink!" Laurel tugged at her mother's hand, pulling her back into the house.

Annie moved to the sink, expecting to see a gruesome human head. "Grandpa?"

"Annie!" The image flickered in the dishwater. "Annie, dear girl!"

"Grandpa... what are you doing in the sink?"

"Dear girl! My you've grown!"

"Grandpa," Annie half warned. "What is this?"

"Oh! This is the Mirror of Heaven! I recently discovered it went two ways! So I had to inform someone of this grand discovery!"

"Grandpa -" Annie struggled to maintain the professor on task.

Marion walked into the kitchen from the garden, covered in dirt and carrying armfuls of vegetables. "Henry - use the telephone like everyone else. I have to wash vegetables."

"But this is a grand discovery!"

Marion dumped vegetables into the sink. The image disappeared as dirt clouded the water. She looked at Annie and uttered a perturbed sigh. "I am stuck between managing two boys... your father and his father. They don't grow up - they just grow beards."

Laurel and Tyler peeked into the kitchen.

"Is the man in the sink gone?" Laurel asked.

Marion smiled. "Yes, Laurel. He's gone. He knows he's not supposed to use top secret ancient technology for personal calls. You won't see him in the sink again. Or in water or mirrors anywhere else."

Laurel stepped into the kitchen, clutching one of Indy's worn jackets as a security blanket. "I miss Gwandpa. When are he and Aunt Em coming home?"

Marion glanced at the calendar. "They were supposed to be home..."

The phone rang. She dried her hands and walked into the living room to answer it. "Jones Residence."

On the other end of the line Henry excitedly announced, "Marion, dear! The Mirror of Heaven can be used to communicate messages both ways! I heard you clearly! Much clearer than this line!"

"Henry," Marion warned. "You are to use the telephone when you call us. Nothing good except my marriage, has ever come out of messing around with ancient mystical artifacts!"

"Yes. Agreed! But this is tremendous fun! My son was right! This madcap adventure is archaeology!"

"Henry," Marion wanted to get his attention. "Do you know where Indy and Em are?"

"Oh! Yes! Yes, of course! That's what I was calling for - before the tiny child dropped a bowl on my head."

"You showed up in our kitchen sink, Henry. She was frightened. People are only supposed to show up in moving images in the movies or tv screens. Don't do it again."

"Right. Right. Oh fantastic discovery!" He paused. "I was... supposed to tell you something...."

"Yes, Henry. You were supposed to tell me something." Marion sighed.

The line cracked.

"Oh! Yes! Junior and Emmaline are on their way to Kamchatka with Shortbread to rescue a girl and avoid opening hell!"

Marion looked at the package on the table containing Emily's high heels. One of them was broken. "Shoulda known. When Ravenwood women kick off their shoes there's always trouble...."

"Oh. And they took Abner's books with them. Turns out Abner was right."

Marion's hand tensed on the phone. "On what count?"

"The apkallu. And the swords of Diya. Probably the sacrifice too."

"Henry! That's my husband you're talking about!"

"He's my son too," Henry admitted. "Don't you think I'm worried?"

"Then why did you give them the swords?" Marion nearly shrilled.

"Emmaline has such a charming smile and irresistible dark eyes! I caved to my granddaughter's charms. I'm sorry, Marion."

Marion sighed. "Did they tell you when they were going to be back?"

"No. I'm afraid not. But Shortbread is with them."

"Well, I'm glad they took food," Marion retorted. "At least there's that. I'm calling Mac. Kamchatka's in Russia and he would have had to organize the flight." She hung up,  looked at Annie wearily and fumed. "Like I said, 'men don't grow up - they just grow beards.'"

"Is Dad going to be all right?" Annie asked.

"He'll be fine. He's got Em with him. My concern is that your father never takes legends and the supernatural seriously - despite everything he's been through. This time it might get him killed."

Laurel clutched the jacket tighter and wailed, rushing for her mother.

Annie swung the girl up in her arms. Tyler just angrily stormed away.

Marion watched Annie swallow her fear and pain.

"What are you going to do, Mom?" Annie asked.

Marion thought for a moment. "I'm going to go pack. Then I'm stopping by the CIA and turning on the Ravenwood charm."

Annie swallowed, a smile creeping across her face. "That means there will be fire and firearms involved, right?"

Marion smiled sweetly. "Only if they don't listen."