With steady hands trained by decades of archeology, Indiana Jones untied the string and flipped the card over.

   Indy, I know our relationship is strained as of late, however I do not trust anyone more with this thrilling quest. The contents of this box is incomplete, so I can only guess as to where it leads. I believe the map points to the hiding place of the Jewel of Power. I also believe it is located within an immense cavern beyond the Gates of Doom. As you know, I am still searching for the Ark of the Covenant and cannot pursue this adventure until it is found. If this box finds you, it means I have run out of time. But time is on your side. Good luck.

  "What does he say?" Marion asked, peeking around his shoulder. He handed her the card, thinking she would like to read the words written by her deceased father, even though it mentioned nothing of her.

  "He believes the map will lead to the Jewel of Power," Indy summarized aloud, voice soft with awe.

  "What that?"

  Indy glanced down as he had almost forgotten the young teenager beside him. "Indian legend says that the Jewel of Power is a tiny slice of a dark star brought forth from the heavens by the god Mara. It's the power source of his temple."

  "The Gates of Doom?" Marion read aloud. "Sounds dangerous."

  He smirked at her. "When is it not?"

At last, Indy gently removed the two scraps of cloth from the box and lined them up with his own pieces. With the map complete, understanding flooded the archeologist's brain. He grabbed a magnifying glass to magnify the Marabics.

  He translated aloud, "Seek and you shall find the Temple of Mara. Beware! Never look into the Eyes of Mara."

  "What it mean, Dr. Jones?"

  "Well, Shorty, this is a map to the Temple of Mara. It was given solitarily to worshipers, so only a few were made to keep the location secret. Legend has it that anyone who proved themselves worthy to Mara would receive one of the three gifts of their choosing: eternal youth, earthly riches, or future knowledge. The test was to not look into Mara's eyes. Anyone who failed was never seen again, thrown through the Gates of Doom. About two thousand years ago, the temple was buried by a flood from the Bengal and remains lost."

  "And you want to find it," Marion guessed, noting the familiar gleam in her fiancé's eyes.

  "Fortune and glory," quoted Short Round from their adventure two years ago.

  "I'll have to wait till after tomorrow for the last day of school, but this is the least I can do for your father." He added more somberly, "Even though he's dead, I hope this could help make up for how we left things." He glanced down and grinned fondly at his old sidekick. "You want to come along on this one, buddy?"

In answer, Shorty whooped and raced upstairs to repack his things.

  "I'm coming, too," Marion announced firmly.

  Indy met her blue eyes seriously. When he was first introduced to her by his mentor Abner, the first thing that captured him was her ocean blue eyes. "Are you sure? You said it yourself: It's going to be dangerous."

  She stepped in close, hands on her hips, chin lifted to gaze up at him with a smirk on her face. "You of all people know I'm no stranger to danger. I handled myself quite well during our last adventure."

  "I also remember rescuing you quite a bit," Indy murmured, meeting her with his own trademark smirk.

  "Well, this time, I own a gun. Besides," Marion added more seriously, "I think at least one Ravenwood should be there when you find the Temple."

  "You already proved yourself to him when you helped me secure the Ark," he assured her softly. "That was his life's passion."

  "I know. I just feel like I have to do this."

She stood on the tips of her toes. Indiana bent his head down and met her lips. His rough hands cupped her cheeks gently. Ever since he asked her to marry him, their passionate affection has felt different. He couldn't place it, but he guessed it was because he was soon to be unified with her. They barely did any planning, but the diamond ring on Marion's finger was one more step closer to making her his wife.

They were interrupted by a gagging noise. Short Round stood on the last step, covering his mouth to hide his giggles. Marion smiled while Indy pretended to be angry.

  "No time for love, Dr. Jones!" the boy teased.

  "Amscray."

Grinning cheekily, Short Round ran up the stairs, leaving the two adults chuckling.

* * *

Finally, the bell rang. He was ready for it to ring long before his summer-high students were. He still lingered to say goodbye, especially to those who were graduating despite his frequent absences.

As he was collecting his things in the now empty classroom, Marcus Brody entered. The professor glanced up expectantly. Although they were friends, the museum curator and school dean did not enter his classroom just for friendly calls.

  "Marcus," he greeted, his tone laced with concern.

  "Indiana, they're back," the older man informed him cryptically in a low voice.

  "Who?"

  "Army Intelligence."

  Indy groaned and passed Marcus with his belongings under his arm. "Great. What do they want now?"

  "I know you don't like them after what they did–"

  "Marcus, they cheated us out of the Ark: the greatest artifact I ever recovered and what could have been the greatest display the National Museum ever had."

The two friends navigated through the school halls. They were busier than normal, full of students lingering to bid their friends goodbye and make summer plans.

  "If they're back here to see you, it must be as important as the last."

They stopped at Indiana Jones' office. The professor unlocked the door and let them both in, closing the door behind them. He set his belongings on his desk and placed what he wanted to take home in his bag while Marcus looked on.

  "Do you know what it is?"

  "No, but I recommend looking into it."

  "Don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Five minutes later, Indy found himself in the same echoing room with the same two men from last year when he was given the quest to find the lost Ark of the Covenant. They had promised that they would pay Indy and give the Ark to the museum, but instead took the Ark to be studied by "top men." They paid the museum instead, but Indiana was still miffed. "Fortune and glory" as Short Round would say, quoting Indy's own words.

  "Hello again, Dr. Jones," Major Eaton greeted around his cigar, standing from the table to shake his hand. He was followed by Colonel Musgrove. Indy shook both their hands firmly.

  "Welcome back. Do you have another assignment for me or am I in trouble?" If his handshake didn't betray his dislike, his tone and choice of words certainly did. Still, neither man acknowledged it if they noticed.

  "You guessed it," Eaton answered, gesturing to a chair. The major was the heavier set one out of the two with blond hair and mustache. He spoke more than his leaner companion, mostly likely because of his strong voice that made him sound like he knew what he was talking about even when he didn't and his ability to get straight to the point. Straight to the point was something Indy could appreciate, especially today with his new archeological adventure mere hours away. "Your success with the Ark was well noted and praised in the Army Intelligence. We kept you in mind in case another occasion like that ever occurred again."

  "And now it has," Colonel Musgrove chimed in. "The Army Intelligence has–"

  He was cut off by his companion. "Dr. Jones, you understand that, like before, this is all strictly confidential?"

  "Of course."

  "Yesterday afternoon," Major Eaton continued, "we intercepted a German communique that was sent from Berlin to Tokyo."

  Colonel Musgrove read from a piece of paper. "Giving battalion. Map acquired. Temple of youth, wealth, and foresight."

Indy gripped the table, his knuckles turning white. Major Eaton noticed and eyed him curiously.

  "You understand this?"

  Indy swallowed. "Yeah. I'm leaving today to go after the Temple of the Forbidden Eye myself, actually."

  "Temple of the Forbidden Eye?" Musgrove repeated. Indy could feel Marcus' intrigued gaze on him.

  "It's the lost Temple of Mara that was buried by a Bengal River flood two thousand years ago. Legend has it that the god will grant those who are worthy one of the three gifts of their choosing: enteral youth, earthly riches, or future knowledge."

  Major Eaton gritted his teeth into his cigar as the idea of such power in the hands of Hitler dawned on him. Yet, he spoke coolly, "So you know much about this... magic temple?"

  "Well, most of my theories come from Abner Ravenwood again. He's the one who sent me half of my map. He believes the Jewel of Power is located there." Seeing the men's puzzled expressions, Indiana explained, "A jewel belonging to Mara that is said to power the temple."

  "Didn't you tell us that Mr. Ravenwood is dead?" inquired Musgrove.

  "It was given to me after his death by his daughter Marion Ravenwood."

  "His fiancée," Marcus Brody added with a wink.

  "Then I suppose we don't have to send you," Eaton deciphered.

  "I'm already going, but I'll make sure to find it before they do."

The four men rose from their chairs. Major Eaton held out his hand and Indiana shook it.

  "Good luck, Dr. Jones."

* * *

  "You're going to need more than luck."

  Indy laughed. "Come on, Marcus. After everything I've done, you still doubt me."

Indiana pulled into his driveway and the two men exited the car.

  "I don't doubt you, Indy," Marcus corrected as they walked up the dirt path to the Jones residence door. "I'm cautious. Nazis are not to be trifled with. At the very least, you shouldn't go alone."

  The archeologist grinned and opened the door. "Who said I'm going alone?"

  The moment they stepped inside, a youthful voice cried, "Indy!" as a blur rammed into him. Indy chuckled and patted the boy's back affectionately.

  "Hey, Shorty. Ready to go?"

  "Yep!"

  "Good. Help me carry our bags to the car, will you?"

Short Round nodded and took off deeper into the house with an energy Indiana hoped would deflate by the time they boarded their plane.

  Indy turned to his friend, who looked horrified. "That was Wan Li, but we call him Short Round. He's my bodyguard."

  "Your body... What?!"

  "I met him when he was eleven and he saved my life multiple times. Don't worry. He's good at what he does."

  "But he's a child–"

  "Indy? Short Round told me you were home. Are you ready to–" Marion stepped around the corner and spotted Marcus. A bright smile lit up her freckled face. "Oh. Hello, Marcus. Are you joining us?"

  The British man snapped out of his shock. "Uh... no, Ms. Ravenwood. I'm afraid I cannot this time."

  "Well, maybe next time. Excuse me." With her bag over her shoulder, Marion squeezed between the men to load it into the car. Short Round followed her close behind with one bag in each hand.

  "Marion I understand," the Englishman began, "but a child? Indy, have you gone insane?"

  "Trust me, Marcus," Indiana replied a bit more seriously. "I would be dead or worse if it wasn't for him."

  The dean just shook his head. "All the same, just be careful, my boy."

  Indiana opened his suitcase on his desk, placing his work clothes and bullwhip inside. "You know I am." With those words hanging in the air, he casually yet purposefully tossed in his gun.