Spark of Interest
By Donna and ABs

The four newcomers to Esperanza had all slept well, despite the excitement of their arrival on a new world. After all, they had all just experienced a rousing adventure before coming there! The next morning they rose up, and after having a filling breakfast, they set out to explore the town.

One of the first places that they found was a brownstone building that Marcus swore looked like the first museum he had worked in. He was all for barging in to look it over, but the others talked him out of it. "We need to find out if that is one of the empty buildings we were told about first!" Henry admonished him.

It certainly *looked* empty, but the others would hear none of it.  As they continued to look about the town, they were surprised to find a small café.  Being hungry after their look around, they went in.

Marcus was still mumbling under his breath about that house as they walked in, but the others were ignoring him. They paused at the door. As with the rest of the town, the café was awfully quiet. Their hostess had told them the day before that most people in Esperanza went abroad at night, but she had not elaborated as to the reason why.

Indy looked in to see if the café was deserted, and when he pressed the door it opened. So the four hungry men went in.  They were surprised to see a pretty blonde reading at one of the tables. When she saw them come in, she put the book aside and went to grab some menus.  "Hello," she said, "and welcome to our Eatery."

"Coffee?" Sullah asked hopefully. Indy seconded his request, while Henry and Marcus both asked for tea.

"Sure thing.  Look at the menus and I'll be back in a tick.  The lunch crowd, if you want to use such a word, are not due in for some hours." They thought her way of talking was strangely formal for a waitress, but all agreed that she was easy on the eyes.

When she returned, she gave them their drinks and waited for their orders.  While she waited, she asked if they were new in town, and if they were going to the party at the House, or the Penguin.

"Party?" all four asked, glancing at each other. 

"On Halloween." 

"It would be a good way to meet the other residents of this place," Henry said. Then, smiling at the lady, he asked her which one she would recommend for newcomers such as themselves.

"Well, that depends.  The House is a brothel, but most there are passing normal. If the wee folk could be termed normal.  As far as I know, Grisham is the only werewolf on the premises.  The Penguin will be no doubt be populated with vampires and weres . . . but we will not harm you."  She smiled.

For a moment, no one said anything, just sat there with their mouths open. "By 'wee folk' I assume you mean faeries?" gasped Henry.

"Vampires? Werewolves?" Sullah moaned. "Allah protect me! What kind of place is this?"

"An interesting one," said Indy. "Did you say *we*?  There's a full moon coming."

The waitress shifted her shoulders.  "Yes, indeed.  And I am starting to feel the pressure already. Of course, if you desire safety," she said, eyeing Indiana, "then by all means go to the House party.  Many will be going to both."  Somehow she knew he'd rise to the bait!

"Can you get us an invitation to these parties?" Indy asked, leaning forward and giving her his lop-sided grin. "They sound like fun!"

"Tis the easiest thing, Sir!  They are open to all.  Even a man who has your questionable appearance!"  The other men laughed good-naturedly, and they finally gave her their orders.  When she left, they teased him some more about the waitress, but it was all in fun.

After their snack, they rose to pay. "We have no idea what you are using for currency here," Indy said apologetically pulling out from his pocket coins from at least ten different countries! The others were digging into their pockets as well, hoping she would see something in their collections of coins and knickknacks that she would accept as payment.

The girl looked at the coins. "Rafe?" she called over her shoulder.  A handsome young man emerged, wearing an apron.  He was Hispanic in appearance and seemed strong, despite being only of medium height.  He came over and looked at the coins, finally deciding on one to pay the entire bill.

"Miss," Marcus said once the bill was settled. "There is a brownstone that I saw while we where exploring. Could you tell us if it is occupied?" He tried to describe where it was, but it was obvious he was hopelessly turned around. Indy rescued him and told her exactly where it was. 
    
"Never mind him," he said charmingly. "He gets lost in his own museum all the time!" 
    
"I do not!" Marcus grumbled. "Well, maybe once."

"This home does not sound familiar," said the girl.

"Which only means it is probably not being used," Rafe put in.  "There are a lot of empty buildings in Esperanza.  We tend to group together by animal."

Sullah shuddered, murmuring prayers under his breath. "Come on Sullah," Indiana growled, grabbing his sleeve. "Let's go!"

A quick search of the building - once Indy found it again - proved that it was uninhabited, and quite full of artifacts already.  All of the men were very interested in these, so much so that the week was spent pursuing all the treasures, and it was late on the 31st before someone remembered the party that night!  Some were all for ditching the festivities in favor of cataloging what was in the "museum", but Indiana did not want to wimp out in front of the pretty blonde.  He'd never be able to show his face in the café again!

There were living quarters on the top floor, and they decided that they would all move in to them.  As they poked around the bedrooms, they each found items that could be used as costumes! 

Sullah found robes that looked made for a rich desert sheik, and Marcus found a toga that could very well have been worn by a Grecian philosopher.  Henry Jones found a suit of armor, but no one knew what Indiana found.  He refused to wear anything but his beat up leather coat and raggedy hat!

The others tried to talk him into dressing up for the occasion, but he would hear nothing of it! They finally gave up and the four men stepped out into the street. "Which one first?" Marcus asked. "Whores or weres?" Beside him, Sullah moaned again and would have fled back into their new home if Indiana hadn't grabbed hold of him. 

"Weres," he said in that determined growl they all knew so well.

So the four adventurers showed up at the Penguin. As Indy knocked on the door, the others had to keep Sullah from running for his life!  The girl who answered the door, however, was so pretty and innocent looking that they all relaxed.  "Are any of you wearing a cross?" she asked.

Sullah of course was not, and the other three shook their heads. "I left mine home," said Henry.

"We are new in town," Indy said with all the boyish charm he could muster.

"Yes," she smiled back. "We haven't seen you before.  Go on in and enjoy yourselves! It will probably be the most authentic Halloween you will ever experience!"

Inside, they immediately realized why the girl had wanted their Holy Items.  "That is a real Vampire," said Marcus.

"Fascinating," Indy said, leading the way into the house. Once inside, there were surprised not only to see *animals* wandering around the room, but apparently normal looking humans. One of them, a fresh-faced girl wearing a gingham and lace dress, looked up at them and smiled, waving at them. She was talking to a woman wearing what looked to be an authentic Egyptian queen's robes!

This attracted all of them; they were archeologists and that outfit was worth
millions. But the woman who wore them seemed casual to the point of carelessness about them.  Almost like they were her normal clothes!

"Ladies," Indiana said, taking off his hat and bowing at the waist. "I'm called Indy. And these gentlemen are Henry, Marcus, and Sullah." 

"We are new in down," Henry spoke up. "Marcus here wants to open a museum that we found empty."

Phoenix and Sarah Jo looked up and smiled. "That sounds wonderful," said the Egyptian.  "You will find many artifacts in town."

"Your dress, might I say, is absolutely marvelous," Marcus said. "I have had some on display like that, but to tell you the truth, seeing it on a beautiful woman such as yourself puts any poor display of mine to shame."

"Why thank you," she said.  "I was lucky to find it here.  It's exactly like one I had . . . but of course, fashion changes. I rather like your leathers, Indy," she added flirtatiously.

He grinned, shooting an *I told you so* look at the others. "Thank you. Dr. Indiana Jones, professor, archeologist, and adventure seeker at you service, ma'am."  He reached out and kissed the back of her hand, causing Sarah Jo, who was watching all of this from the side to giggle behind hers.

"Adventure seeker, huh," said Phoenix.  She stood, and the men sort of held their breath. She was tall, thin, and stately - everything an Egyptian Princess should be.  "Will you be staying in town, or do you plan to explore this new world?"

"Explore," he chuckled. "Marcus wants to stay. My father, Professor Jones, would dearly love to see Camelot. I was thinking of taking him there, and then seeing what I can see."

"Then perhaps you and I can partner up. I've been in Edan for nine months but an unfortunate . . . but also fortunate . . . delay has kept me from the life I desire.  I am hoping for some excitement after sitting on my bottom for that long, and would be ready to leave as soon as the celebration ends."

The grin on Indy's face lit up the room. "I would like that," he chuckled. "I would like that very much!"