Indy cautiously returned the hug and in a strange way, he had to admit to himself he too had missed his old adversary, once his friend and colleague.For several years, Indy had often pondered what might have happened if he had had the chance to kill Belloq during the Ark escapade. Many times, he had wanted to wipe the smarmy grin from his face with his fist. It could still come to that, he thought. He could bide his time, and find out what was underlying Belloqs apparent warmth.
He pulled back and said, "What's all this about, Rene, and don't bullshit me. You don't want the cats and don't tell me you're trying to find Cleopatra for the good of archaeology. You never did anything unless it was for the good of yourself."
Belloq laughed.
"You don't change, Indiana. Always suspicious." He shook his head and walked to the table, eyeing the breakfast tray.
"Tea?" He asked.
"Help yourself." Marcus replied.
Belloq nodded toward Marcus and said, "Hello Doctor Brody. Long time." Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and by the way. I really enjoyed your version of events surrounding the Ark. My congratulations. You would make an excellent storyteller."
Smith fidgeted uncomfortably in the background until Belloq noticed him.
"Oh, sorry, Professor Smith," Rene said, pouring himself a cup of tea."I didn't see you there." He nodded to Smith and smiled, adding, "And my apologies about the name. But I didn't want Doctor Jones here to find out about me before he had found the map pieces for us."
Belloq smiled at Indy and stirred his tea before taking a sip.
"You can't beat England for a good cup of real tea." He said.
Indy sat on the corner of the desk and motioned for Belloq to sit down on Smiths chair. Rene nodded and obliged.
There was silence for a moment, then Indy said, "What happened on the Island, Rene. I thought you were dead."
Rene smiled and replied, "As I already said, I enjoyed your report, Marcus. It was quite an exciting tale." He shrugged in a guilty fashion then continued. "Far more exciting than the real events."
"I don't understand..." Indy began.
"Indiana, Indiana," Belloq laughed. "Think about it. You told Marcus your story after the 'adventure' had finished. It was he who, shall we say, 'embellished' the tale and wrote the confidential report."
"That's right!" Marcus exclaimed. "The report was confidential. How did you get to see it?"
Belloq waived the question aside. "I have my contacts." He said nonchalantly.
"The point is," He continued, "You wrote your report based on what Indiana told you."
Marcus shook his head questioningly. "So?" He said.
Rene smiled. "Then how do you explain my graphic death, if Indiana and Miss Ravenwood were the only ones to escape the island and they stated quite clearly that they kept their eyes closed the whole time the Ark was being opened? Where did you get such a wonderful description of the events that took place, when no one actually saw what was happening?"
Marcus looked sheepishly at Indy.
"Well, I admit I embroidered Indy's report a little, but just in the interests of filling in the empty spaces.
Indy nodded in agreement and said, "Anyway. After everything quietened down, the Island was deserted. You were all dead. Well, We thought you were."
Rene stood. "Exactly. You thought we were dead. Did you look? Did you check?" He shook his head. "You always did assume too much, my friend." He turned to Marcus and said, "However, the truth is much more the stuff of real adventures, Doctor Brody. I realised as soon as I looked into the Ark that things were not all well. Some of your account is quite accurate though and when some of the soldiers began to die, I too heeded Indianas words and closed my eyes. I turned my back to the Ark and ran, quite blindly out of the arena. I could hear the noise and the screams as I ran. I didn't stop till I reached the sea. It was quite a while before I opened my eyes. About an hour later I heard you and Miss Ravenwood talking as you went to the submarine to radio for help. When you went back to the Ark, I took a life raft from the submarine and escaped the island. I was adrift for three days before a freighter picked me up. So, now you know the truth."
Rene laughed again. "I must admit, though, I still prefer your version, Doctor Brody. I even heard someone say that one day it would make a good movie! I can see it now. 'Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark'."
Indy scowled. "At least we weren't Raiders like you. We were only after the truth."
Belloq laughed, annoying Indy. "We were both after the same thing, Indiana but you refuse to admit it. You weren't so honourable. You had the American government behind you."
"Yeah, and you had the Nazi's." Indy added darkly.
Belloq dismissed the remark with a wave of his hand.
"A difference of politics my friend, not archaeology." He said, slapping Indy on the arm.
"Imerely needed them for funds. I have no dealings with them now. And as I said, I truly am pleased to see you. I would like to hope the matter of the Ark is behind us?" He held out his hand to Indy, to shake.
Indy did not reciprocate.
"When I'm convinced your not up to no good again." He said.
"Any way, your thugs just tried to kill me." He added.
"A regrettable mistake." Belloq answered.
"That was never my intention. You were attacked, yes. Several times. But never once was your life in danger. I just wanted to arouse your curiosity enough to get you working for me. You always were a formidable detective when you were curious, or angry. That business on the train was not my doing. I didn't expect you to go running around on the top of railway carriages!" Rene chuckled to himself. "I would dearly liked to have seen that."
"Why should we trust you now?" Marcus asked.
Rene nodded in agreement. "You are right. Why should you? All I can say is that if you help me now, then I will tell you what became of the Ark."
Indy stared at Belloq. "What do you mean? How do you know..."
Belloq cut him short.
"I told you. I have connections. All I will say for now, is that after this is finished, then maybe you would like to go and retrieve the Ark once again. Believe me, Indiana, when I say that between us, we could do it."
Indy thought for a moment, then smiled, throwing a friendly punch at Rene.
"I never could resist a challenge." He said. "Now, Rene, as I already said, what's going on? And why do you want these cats?"
Belloq laughed loudly. "Excellent! What a team!"
He drew a notebook from his pocket and opened it to one of the pages, laying it on the table so they could all see.
Even Robert, who had said nothing so far and had been lost by most of the conversation was curious to see the book.
"This is a copy of some ancient writings from the lost library of Alexandria. Obviously I cannot verify the authenticity but I can vouch for the source and the translation ties in with many other findings regarding Cleopatra and her superstitions."
Indy turned the page toward himself and studied the markings.
"Is this an accurate copy?" He asked after a moment.
Rene could sense Indy's rising curiosity.
"Exact." Was all he said.
"What is it, Indy?" Marcus asked. Heiroglyphic translation was never one of his best areas of knowlege.
Indy looked at Rene questioningly and Rene nodded, smiling back at him.
"Well? Marcus asked. Indy scratched his unshaven chin.
"It's a variation on the markings around the cats necks." He said. "According to this, the words don't actually say anyone touching the cats will die." He paused, thinking about the full implication of this new piece of evidence.
"Well, go on." Marcus said, slightly exasperated.
"It says that anyone taking all thirteen cats to a place called 'The Library of the dead' will find....."
Indy looked at the text again before continuing, "Life will become meaningless, as will the eternity of death." He looked up at Rene.
"You know what this means..." Belloq said.
Indy nodded.
"Abners old note books." They said in unison.
"Who's Abner?" Robert asked.
Indy waved the question away, saying, "An old friend of ours."
Marcus was having difficulty keeping up with the tale but was with them instantly at the mention of the notebooks.
"But they have never been found." He said. "And anyway, what have they got to do with the cats, or Cleopatra?"
Indy sat down.
"Years ago, when Rene and me were with Abner, he found some old manuscripts supposed to have come from a lost place in Alexandria. Funny, we never thought about the fabled lost library. Anyway, they told of some place that if you took certain funerary artifacts, and performed some kind of ritual, you would be granted everlasting life. Immortality, I guess."
"The cats?" Smith asked.
Rene shrugged and continued, "The manuscripts never said. It was only recently, when I was first asked, by pure chance, to look at one of the Cleopatra cats that I recognised the inscription and remembered Abners notes all those years ago." He smiled and said, "I knew after joining Smith here at the British museum and getting their support to find the rest of the cats that the only person who could help solve the map riddle was Indiana Jones."
Indy chuckled. "Helluva lot of trouble you went to to get my interest."
Then suddenly he was serious. "Why poison theose people?"
Rene looked genuinely concerned.
"You must believe me, Indiana, that is nothing to do with me. I admit, that foolishly I contacted my old allies in Germany when I first went after the cats. I needed money to conduct the neccessary research and work. Stupidly, I believed they were interested in the archeaological importance of the find."
Indy laughed sarcastically. "You expect me to believe that you didn't think they might be intersted in everlasting life? The master race, living for ever?"
Rene stared at the window. "Yes, it's true, I knew that that was their motive but I thought....maybe..."
"You thought you could outsmart them." Indy concluded.
Rene said nothing.
"Why the hell didn't you just ask me to help?" Indy said.
Rene looked at him.
"The last time we met, I tried to entomb you in the well of souls. I didn't think you would be particularly friendly. Or helpfull." He added.
Indy thought back to the time Belloq had helped the Nazi's push him into the pit of snakes. Snakes, he hated snakes!
He stood and squared up to Belloq, who instinctively backed away.
But the feeling of anger had passed and Indy slapped Rene on the arm.
"You should have known," he said, " I never could resist a challenge."
