Chapter eight

Indiana and Mutt were pushed into the tent and Caty and Marion were pulled out.

"What happened, Dad?" Sam asked.

Mutt sat next to his son. "Max has King Arthur's compass. She wants to see if any of us can use it."

"Can you use it?" April asked.

Indy shook his head. "No. She's going to see if Marion and Caty can use it."

"I wonder if CJ could've used it." Nick said.

"We'll never find out, Nick. She's gone." Mutt said, his vision blurring with unshed tears. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He glanced over at his son. He was surprised to see April glancing over at him. He frowned.

Sam followed his father's gaze. He smiled and looked at April. April smiled back. When she looked away, he whispered to his dad. "I think she likes me."

Mutt smiled and shook his head. Caty and Marion were pushed back inside. Gruff voices ordered that the boys come now. Sam kissed April's hand and left with Nick.

Mutt hugged Caty and Indy hugged Marion.

"April," Caty said. "she's gonna want you next. If the boys can't use it."

April nodded. "You couldn't use it?"

She shook her head. "Neither of us. It only works for the pure of heart." she sat down next to Mutt. "How many times has that come up in all the myths?" she muttered to herself. "Pure of heart. Whatever."

Mutt couldn't help but smile. "Too many times to count."

Caty looked up at her husband. "I'm just frustrated, that's all."

"I know, Caty, I know."

Nick and Sam stumbled in. April, regretfully, stepped out. She was ushered by the guards inside the bigger tent. She was greeted by Max's lounging figure.

"Hello." she said. "I'm guessing your April. Please, sit down." she waved toward an empty chair.

April glanced around then, hesitantly, sat down. She spotted the compass almost immediately. She eyed it with curiosity.

Max followed her gaze. "Go ahead. Pick it up."

She picked it up slowly, letting her thin fingers savor the warmth radiating from it. Instinctively, she let it drop into her palm. There was no change in the compass's temperature as the painted arrow spun. It was moving so fast that it was blinding to look at it. Finally, the arrow settled in a southwest position.

Max smiled widely. "It works." she consulted her maps that had been recently laid out on the table. "Pack it up, boys. Were heading south."

The guards started moving around, packing up objects in small suitcases and taking down the tent. April surreptitiously stuffed the compass up her sleeve. Max compensated. "You." she pointed to one of the goons. His head snapped up and he instantly abandoned what he was doing. "Keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't get away." seeing April's shocked face added. "If you insist on keeping the compass with you, I'm forced to watch you closely." she smiled.

April swallowed and shook out her sleeve. Arthur's compass dropped on the table.

"Good girl." Max said. "Take her back to the others."

April was herdered back into the small tent. Everyone looked up as she walked in. She kept her head down, knowing that she'd just helped Max.

Indy was curious. He watched her sit next to Sam. "So...what happened, April?" he asked.

April looked at him. "It...worked. We're heading south." she said in a small voice.

"What did it do?" Mutt said, fully interested. "I mean, when you held it."

She frowned, secretly wondering why he was so interested. "It was...warm when I picked it up. Then the arrow spun really fast and...pointed in a random direction." she shrugged. "It wasn't much."

Indy smiled. "Amazing. It was cold when I picked it up."

Sam nodded. "Yeah. It was cold. Nick?"

"Me too." Nick said.

Everyone else agreed.

Indy scratched his chin. "This is something...bigger than anything I've went through."

"Dad," Mutt said. "you found the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. What's bigger than that?"

"This, I guess. We're going to travel a lot tonight. If I remember my map correctly."

Nick groaned. "Great. Just what I need." everyone looked at him. "What?"

"It's nothing, Nick." Sam said. "Forget it."

A gruff voice ordered them to get out of the tent. Everyone filled out reluctantly. They watched as the tents were packed up and placed in jeeps. They were pushed into the cramped cargo area of the second jeep. There was one in front and one behind theirs.

"Why does she have so much stuff?" Indiana asked. "Usually, they pack light."

Mutt shook his head. "She's not the usual. She probably has some precious mementos from her past crimes. She..." he glanced at the other occupants, unsure if they were ready for it. "lived a long time." he said under his breath. Only his father heard him.

They sat in silence as the jeep bounced over the dunes. Indy couldn't help but wonder if he was right. If the entrance to Camelot is where he thought it should be. He thought deep into the night, racking his brain for some ingenious escape plan.

He looked around finally and saw the only one still awake besides himself and the driver was April. She sat across from him. She glanced at him and immediately looked away when she met his gaze.

Curious, he spoke. "April?"

She, reluctantly, turned her head to face him. "Yes?"

"I was wondering...you just seem so..." he trailed off trying to find the right word.

"Depressed?" she offered.

"I wasn't going to say that..."

"Do you have a point, Dr. Jones?"

He nodded. "Yeah, why have you been so...quiet lately?" as far as he knew, she was the most outgoing person he'd ever met.

She sighed and studied her fingers. "Well, being kidnapped might be it."

He shook his head. "That's not it. What's bugging you?"

She swallowed and looked up. "I feel like a criminal for some reason."

When she didn't elaborate, he asked. "Why?"

"I wish I knew what I was getting myself into. I mean, I'm sure my dad never went through anything like this and-"

"April, it's a simple question."

"Sorry." she took a deep breath. "I feel guilty for helping...Max." she looked out into the endless desert.

He nodded in understanding. "You know, April. It's not your fault that it works for you. It just happened."

She didn't look away. "I know that but I can't help feeling guilty. It's like...like a bad dream...and I can't wake up. Somehow, I find myself thinking that I'd rather die than betray everyone."

"Whoa, April. I think that's a little extreme. Sure, you'd wish that you couldn't use the compass but...I don't think you deserve to die for that. It's not your fault."

She sighed heavily. "I know. Charlie crashing wasn't my fault either but I still feel guilty about that."

Indy smiled slightly. "I know you feel responsible...but your not. It's okay, April. Just let it go."

She sighed. "I wish it was that easy." she looked at him. "Did my dad really burn you?"

He smiled. "Yeah. Got the scar to prove it." he patted his hip.

She repositioned herself so she didn't have to turn her head to look at him. "Did you really cut that bridge?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"So it was all true."

"Why do you say that? You thought- who told you?"

"Well, my dad told me bits and pieces but it was...Mutt who told me the whole thing."

"Why do you think-"

"Well, I always thought my dad was making it up or over exaggerating. And -no offense- something about Mutt is just..."

He nodded. "I know." he smiled. "It felt that way when I met him."

She seemed a little confused. "How- when did you met him?"

"Well, I'd say he was about eighteen...nineteen."

"Wow. You didn't know?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"That had to be weird."

"Tell me about it. The hardest thing was getting him to go back to school. He's so stubborn."

She smiled and leaned back. "Thank you." she whispered.

"For what?"

"For...reassuring me. You're a very nice man, Dr. Jones." her eyes closed and, no matter how much she fought it, she fell asleep.

Indy smiled and looked out at the endless sea of the desert. Sleep would catch him eventually.