The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction

Chapter 20: Talamakan Desert, Chinese-Russian Border, 1960

Agent Chang grabbed Emily Jones' ankle. His fingers curled around the warm leg. He'd had leverage on Jones – Indiana Jones... that was.

"Oof!" A boot slammed into his stomach.

Chang winced and crunched up. Another boot hit him in the face. He grabbed Emily's foot.

WHAM! She'd spun, rolling around and kicked out. Emily sat up and threw a left hook across his face. "Where's Dad?"

"What?"

"Indiana Jones! Where is he?" Emily demanded.

"I don't know!" Chang cried. Suddenly he struck out.

Emily blocked the blow. "What's the connection between my father and this scroll?" Her foot kicked out.

"I won't tell!" Chang grabbed it and pulled Emily off the truck.

Emily wouldn't give up. "Why were you after Dad?" she growled.

"He was an enemy," Chang replied. "Just like you!" His boot hit her ribs.

"What's the information with the scroll?!" Emily screeched, trying to avoid the blows.

"Do you think I'd tell you?" Chang jumped on her.

Emily hit him with her knee. "You'd best!"

Chang ripped at Emily's shirt.

Emily plowed a right hook into his face. Using her left she hit his shoulder with a chopping motion.

Chang gasped. 

Emily hammered her hand to his jaw. "Tell me what you know about Dad!"

"No!" Chang grabbed her hand in his left.

"That's a lie! You've got more tapes! They're from the apartment in Moscow – you came in, raided it and blew Dad's cover!"

His other hand came toward Emily's belt. Emily grabbed the right hand and bucked. She rolled over on her back. "You know everything about Dad – TELL ME!"

"Will you never give up?" Chang growled, ripping at Emily's hair. He grabbed her by the shoulders and flipped her over. "Your father isn't here to save you now."

WHAM! Chang's head was knocked around by the heel of a palm. Emily scrambled out of his grasp, grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him in the sand.

"Listen!" she growled, ramming Chang's head in the sand. "You better talk and talk fast! And you better tell the truth!" Her hand was clamped onto the back of Chang's neck. "Where are the reports?"

"In the truck," Chang gasped as Emily let him up to breathe.

"Where?!"

Chang switched to Russian.

"We can have a tailgate party and I can bang your head to mush!" Emily growled, dragging Chang toward the tailgate. "In English!"

Chang had a fit of cursing.

Emily slammed his head into the sand and dug her fingernails deeper into Chang's neck. "TALK! WHERE'S THE INFORMATION!?!"

"In the glove compartment," Chang coughed.

Emily dragged the nearly suffocated man over to the passenger side of the truck. "Open it!"

Chang unlocked the compartment.

CLICK!

Emily was staring down the barrel of a gun.

Chang got to his feet, a wicked grin on his face. Spitting blood on Emily's cheek, he growled, "I don't know how you survived – but you will die."

Emily felt sweat drip down her face. The gun was steady in Chang's hand.

"Put your hands up, slowly, and turn around."

Emily gulped, feeling death all over again. Her feet already feeling like lead turned slowly, as she lifted her arms and felt the blood run out of them.

Chang grabbed some cables from the glove compartment. He snapped on across her back. "I am being merciful – I could beat you to death."

"Thanks," Emily muttered.

Chang tied the cable around her wrist.

The cold metal of the gun touched her hand.

Blood pounded in her ears. Muscles fired. Arms clasped, back bent forward, body pitched over her head -

WHAM!

Chang was on the ground. Emily held the revolver in his face. Click.

Her finger rested easily on the trigger. Sweat dripped from her forehead. Chang lay helpless and dazed in the sand in front of her.

The gun shook in her hand.

Emily lowered the gun.

"You don't have enough courage to kill me, do you?" Chang taunted.

Anger flared in Emily's dark eyes. "Who said I was gonna kill ya?" She fired.

Chang screeched as the bullet shattered his kneecap.

The desert was silent.

Emily picked up the keys, made Jake comfortable in the back, started the engine and drove away.