because jones was mac's friend for a long time, the u.s government thinks that jones might be a communist. at marshall college the next day (where jones teaches), the head dean informs him that he is on a "leave of absence" and that the dean resigned in order to protect jones. jones packs his bags and leaves new york. before he can leave, though, a young man named mutt williams comes to him and shows him a letter. williams says that harold oxley, one of jones's old friends, has been kidnapped. later, these people kidnapped williams' mother mary and will kill them both if the crystal skull cannot be found.