10740/Roman Nuisances

Roman Nuisances
Date of Scene:	14 January 2020
Location:	Rome, Italy
Synopsis:	Indy and Cindy find themselves helped by the last person Indy expected.
Cast of Characters:	Indiana Jones, Silk

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Indiana Jones has posed:
Landing in Rome is a little odd. Fiuminico (AKA "Leonardo da Vinci") Airport is crammed with people, but the vibe is different than JFK. A little more artistic, a little more ornate. But considering it is the largest airport in Italy, it would put its best foot forward.

Indy is finishing his explanation of why he is packing a bullwhip in his luggage and getting his passport stamped. He looked around wondering when he'd been in Rome last.

"Dr. Jones...we meet AGAIN."
Ergh, some memories are best left forgotten, but he couldn't forget. He stood near the courtesy seats, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. He'd just wait here until Customs was done with Cindy and then they could go to Baggage Claim....

Silk has posed:
"They're just candy!" comes a protest from Cindy's direction, as a drug dog is snuffling around her luggage. He hasn't seemed to hit on anything, but they aren't taking any precautions. Before long, the source of the conflict has become clear. Six three-point bags of gummy bears, all already opened, have been pulled from her carry-on, and set in a row on the counter. "And yes, I /do/ in fact need all of these gummy bears. Don't you--YOU ATE ONE. He ate one, I saw him do it!" Cindy points accusingly at a man in a security uniform, who stands stonefaced in the presence of his accuser. "If you guys are through pilfering my things, I have a job to do..." She is resealing the bags and stuffing them into her carry-on again.

"I /told/ you they were just candy..." The four customs officers just watch her go. One tilts his head a little, looking a little lower, and he smiles. Cindy is looking for Indy.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy was looking around, and then he spots Cindy. She looks a little miffed. He wonders if her snacks were the issue. No idea where she's putting it all, but she seems to have a good method.
He approaches her slowly as she gets closer to him, then says wryly, "Let me guess. Your snacks?"

Silk has posed:
"That one," she says, pointing back toward a guard who instantly straightens up and looks away, "ate one of my gummy bears. He said it was for research purposes, but I suspect he was researching what flavor the clear ones are."

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy chuckles. "Come on, Gummy Girl, let's go get our bags. I was told someone from the conference would be coming to bring up to the hotel hosting it. No name, but we gave them ours, so they'll be looking for us."

As they rode the escalator down, he asked, "So, how did the city look from the sky, Cindy?" He was curious considering her long incarceration. He had spent time in various cells, but for years? He couldn't imagine it.

Silk has posed:
"Beautiful! Of course, I see cities from the sky a lot. But never THAT high. It was something to behold, for sure." Then, she crinkles her nose and squints sidelong at Indy. "So what's gotcha in a twist? Bad blood here or somethin'?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy sighs. When you get to be *my* age, you remember things you might want to forget. Ten years ago, I proved a Mona Lisa was a fake, and the buyer offered five million for me to say it was genuine. I conned him into thinking I did, but made it here before he realized I signed the certificate in the name of Mickey Mouse. His high-society friends thought it very amusing, but he sent someone to bring me back and do it proper...or he'd have my eyes gouged out."
The couple behind them seemed to lean forward slightly.
"The cops got him, but he vowed vengeance. And no one does vendetta like the Italians."
They stepped off the escalator, walking towards the conveyer island with their flight number on a screen over it.

Silk has posed:
Cindy cringes slightly. No place better to accuse an entire country of vengeful behavior than the busiest place in that country. She turns to look at all the little shops as they move to a lower level. "So you figure he is hangin' out with an eye gouger, just waitin?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy shrugs. "Last I heard, he is in a South African jail for trying to buy blood diamonds." He stops at the carousel, then looks around. "I think you've probably noticed by now that this is an occupation where it is healthy to expect the unexpected..."

Doctor Jones!"
Cindy suddenly saw all the blood drain from Indy's face in a moment. His eyes went wide with shock. He jerked upright and turned to see the man walking towards them.

*"Once again, there is nothing that you possess that I cannot take away. And you thought I'd given up."*
When you see something that has no rational reason to be there, it takes on the flavor and tone of nightmare.
Rene Belloq was walking towards them, a broad smile on his face.
"...Belloq..." Indy says. His skin has gone cold and clammy.
The man smiles. "Yes, sir. Philipe Belloq, at your service." He extended his hand for a handshake.

Silk has posed:
There is a tingle that makes Cindy straighten up just before Indy's name is called out. Then, seeing Indy's reaction to the man, she can guess why. "Friend of yours?" she asks quietly as the man extends his hand.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy suddenly looks confused. "...Philipe?"
The man smiles. Indy looks again. He is younger, broader, but the face...it's uncanny. "Yes, Doctor Jones, and let me say it is a singular pleasure to meet you." He looks to Cindy, giving her a pleasant smile. "And this must be Miss Moon. Welcome to Rome."
Indy blinks, trying to wrap his head around something. "Did...you have a relative name Rene...?"
Philipe nods. "My great-grandfather. The black sheep of the family, I've afraid. But I was hoping I could talk to you about him, Professor. I understand you were the last to see him alive."
Indy frowned cautiously, and Philipe chuckled. "In certain circles, you are an oddity. Something of a relic yourself."

Silk has posed:
Cindy looks from Indy to Belloq, and back again. Cautiously relaxing. "Cindy, yes, thank you," she replies to the man. The confusion is beginning to make sense, as she observes the exchange.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy eyes him carefully. "Rene was a competitor of mine, before World War 2."
Philipe nods. "Yes. I was hoping we could talk, so you could tell me more about him. Who he was...and what happened to him."
"It's...not very flattering. You know he was Vichy France, right?"
Philipe nods. "Yes, but I feel the family must know. *I* must know."
Indy nods warily as he gets his duffel bag. "You may not like what you hear." He looked to Cindy. "Do you see your bag?"

Silk has posed:
Cindy is making her way past Indy, down the conveyor, and reaching for a large, nondescript black suitcase. "Yep!" She grabs it and moves it with extreme ease, as if it were filled with tissues, back to where Indy's standing.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Philipe raised an eyebrow. "She's very fit."
"Gymnastics training when she was a kid," Indy volunteered. "Were you here to bring us to the conference?"
"Oh, oui! Vincent is with the car. If you'll follow me, we can get you set up at the hotel in no time at all." He walked towards the south entrance, and Indy shrugged. "When in Rome..." he said, picking up his suitcase and following along.

Silk has posed:
"Yup!" Cindy replies, smiling at Indy as she carries her suitcase alongside Indy. Once Belloq is a little farther ahead of them, she grins and leans in toward Indy as she walks. "Want a gummy bear?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Indy said quietly, "I think I could use one..."

The car is a large SUV, with a thin Italian gentleman who is standing at the door, opening it as they approach. Philipe is given a nod, Indy a SLIGHT nod, but his eyes light up when he sees Cindy, and a smile touches the corners of his mouth.

"Vincent, ge their bags." He smiles to Indy. "Vincent's been a loyal employee of the Belloqs for quite some time. He and I have been together since childhood. When I got my Ph.D. in Anthropology, Vincent was there to drive me to the party."
"Loyal fellow," Indy says wryly as he hands his suitcase to the man, who takes it and stows it in the trunk of the car.

Silk has posed:
Cindy relinquishes her suitcase to Vincent, but she keeps her carry-on guarded closely against her. When time permits, she slips a few randomly-colored gummy bears into Indy's hand. "So what are you doing with your PhD now?" she inquires curiously of Belloq. Perhaps...just maybe...He and Indy are in the same field...or competing for it.

Indiana Jones has posed:
Philipe smiled as he got into the car. "Researcher for a museum."
Indy gets in, with Cindy next to Indy in the back seat, with Vincent driving and Philipe riding shotgun.
"As I was saying, Mademoiselle Moon, I am providing assistance with the Surete, the French Secret Service, in handling the smuggling of antiquities. I have an office in the Louvre, where I do my work for the musem and for them. It is very fulfilling..." He looks over his shoulder to Indy. "...but, I am sure that fieldwork is much more exciting, n'est pas?"

Silk has posed:
"Any job can be exciting. But I find Dr. Jones' work fascinating," she replies. "Yours sounds rather interesting, too. Do you catch a lot of smugglers? Do you get to pull a gun and tell them what to do?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Philipe laughs merrily. "My dear, WHAT has Doctor Jones been filling your ears with? Heavens, no. The Surete brings me items and I tell them their provenance, whether they are real or fake. My official term is 'forensic anthropologist.'" He looks to Indy. "Has he been telling you about tales of high adventure? My dear, that is simply *not* modern archaeology."

Silk has posed:
"Oh..." She looks a little crestfallen. His job certainly sounds a little less exciting than it did two minutes ago. "If...you find a fake..." She is about to ask if he pulls a gun on it and tells it what to do, but she decides she is punch drunk from the flight, and alters course..."how hard is it to figure out where it came from?"

Indiana Jones has posed:
Philipe chuckles. "There is a very long list of criteria, Cindy. Are you sure you want to hear it all?"
"She's got a good memory, Philipe." Indy smiled his trademark smile to Cindy. "How long to the convention center?"
"A good two hours in this traffic." Philipe looked at Cindy speculatively, but shrugs.

In truth, it was known that the Italians were famous for acts of vengeance, seconded by the French.
Philipe looked from Cindy to indy, smiling warmly, and thought, *You know what they say...NUMBER TWO TRIES HARDER...*