The last of his drink slid smoothly down his throat and he set his glass down with a dull tap. He had the intel he needed. Now he was to meet up with his partner.

Indiana Jones stood out as a foreigner in Shanghai, but he was no tourist. Lao Che had hired the famous American archeologist to recover the lost remains of Emperor Narhachi in exchange for the Peacock's Eye, a priceless diamond Indy had been searching for since his youth.

With the help of Guang Ho's knowledge, he now had at least a clue as to wear the ashes were hidden.

Before he could pay for his drink and the intel, he felt a small hand slip into his back pocket and draw his wallet out. He recognized the hand to be a child's and grimaced. He wasn't angry, just upset that a starving and probably orphaned child needed to steal in order to survive because circumstances gave him or her no other choice.

Still, he needed his money back.

Turning a one-eighty on his barstool, Indy spotted a young Chinese boy around ten to twelve years old slipping out of the bar while clutching his prize close to his chest. Standing, Indiana removed his bullwhip from his belt and delivered a quick yet very gentle flick of his wrist.

Crack! The whip wrapped around the boy's waist, halting him in his tracks. Shocked, the kid dropped his wallet onto the floor. Everyone's heads turned to the sound of the whip and began to watch the scene before them with piqued interest.

Unable to escape, the boy stared at him in terror as Indy grabbed his arm.

  "Please, mister," the pickpocket begged in the Shanghainese dialect as he started to struggle. "Please, I will give it back! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

  "Relax, kid," the archeologist grunted in the same language. The boy stopped squirming, awed that a foreigner spoke his own tongue.

With another flick of his wrist, the whip loosened and dropped from the boy's waist, but he did not release the thief's arm. Indy picked up his wallet from the floor and tossed some Chinese currency on the bar, slightly more than his drink was worth to cover for the information he was given.

Curious eyes still watched them, expecting Indy to start shouting and then call for the authorities to arrest the child. It disgusted him.

Not wanting to embarrass the boy any more than he already had, Indiana Jones gathered his whip in his free hand while escorting the thief into the vacant alley next to the bar with a dead end.

  "If I let go of your arm, you know you can't run, right?" Indy asked.

Eyeing the whip, the boy nodded wisely and he released his arm. The boy stepped back, but did not attempt an escape.

  "What's your name?"

  "Short Round."

Indy was surprised that the boy answered him with a strange English name. Obviously, it was not the name he was given at birth.

  "You know English?"

  "A little."

  "Your name is Short Round? Is it because you are short?" Short, but hardly round.

  Short Round shrugged. "I don't know. Opium dens, they call me that."

It was as bad as he feared. He crouched down until he was eye level with the kid and pushed his fedora back so Short Round could look him in the eyes.

  "Where are your parents?"

  "Dead. Japan bomb Shanghai when I four." He held up four, grimy fingers.

Indy nodded. He suspected as much.

  "Are you hungry?"

Short Round's stomach growled in answer. The corner of his lips quirked in amusement while Short Round grinned sheepishly.

  "I suppose that's why you stole my wallet."

  "Sorry."

He straightened and Short Round tensed, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.

  "Relax, kid. I'm not going to turn you in."

  "Why?"

  Indy paused and gazed down into the boy's dark brown eyes seriously. "Because you're just a kid facing unfortunate circumstances." He pushed his hat low over his eyes again and gestured to Short Round. "Come on. I'll get you something to eat."

Indiana Jones knew his strides were too long for Short Round, but they needed to walk fast. In his experience, every archeological expedition was a race. Everyone wanted the fortune and glory of finding a lost piece of history. Also, he didn't trust Lao Che.

  "Who are you, mister?" Short Round asked, slightly out of breath, as they pushed their way through the busy street.

  "My name is Dr. Indiana Jones."

"Doctor? You make people better?"

  "No, I'm an archeologist." Hearing only confused silence, Indy explained, "I find artifacts, old objects to put in a museum."

  "Ahh." He wasn't convinced that the boy understood exactly what he had been told, but it was difficult to explain in Chinese, keep watch, and speed walk at the same time.

Finally, they found the restaurant that Wu Han had suggested to meet. It was a local spot. Only a few commoners were inside. Although Indy stood out as an American, so would Lao Che's wealth and any other foreign, competing archeologists.

Waiting at a table set for two was Wu Han. The younger half-Chinese, half-Dutch man who had joined him on numerous adventures rose to his feet in greeting. His expectant face faded to confusion when he noticed Short Round sticking very close to Indy's side, or his leg as his short stature ended at the man's hip.

  "Indy, who is this child?" he inquired in near perfect English.

  "This is Short Round. Short Round, this is Wu Han," he introduced.

The child flashed a wide grin and waved.

  "Now that you are here, Indy, I will order our food now. I will get more for the boy." Wu Han smiled at Short Round before leaving to speak with a waiter.

  "Dr. Jones?" Short Round began timidly. "Why Wu Han call you Indy?

  "It's a nickname my friends call me."

  "Oh." After a pause, he then asked, "Can I call you that?"

  "Only if I can call you Shorty."

"Okay, Dr. Jones! You be Indy and I be Shorty!"

  Indy ruffled his new friend's black hair affectionately. "The restroom's over there, Shorty. Go wash up."

Once the kid was out of earshot, Wu Han returned to their table, adding a third chair for the new member of their company.

  "Where did you find him?" Wu Han inquired.

  "I didn't find him, I caught him."

Indiana Jones proceeded to tell him the entire meeting, including what he knew of Short Round's past. When he finished, Wu Han shook his head.

  "What?" Indy demanded.

  "I found out you had a fondness for children a long time ago, but you cannot simply adopt every orphan you come across!"