December 21, 1999
This started out as a story to tell my daughter. The idea was to create a simple short story. The premise was to have a brief interaction with two well-known fictional characters and an adventure between them. It didn't turn out that way. The story took a life of its own, and I just followed. The end result became eight times longer than originally designed. The work was completed before October 30, 1999, but I took the extra pain to proofread, edit, and revise. I had taken some latitudes with their personalities, emotions, and reactions in certain situations. I apologize if I tread on someone else's perception of what the main characters should be or do, but this is fiction and there are different interpretations of them depending on whose version you read. Of course, this is my rendition of their encounter and I hope you enjoy it.
Lara Croft and Tomb Raider are creations of Adrian Smith for Core Design and Eidos Interactive, and Tomb Raider comics are published by Top Cow Productions, Inc.
Batman and related characters are creations of Bob Kane for Detective Comics, and published by DC Comics Inc.
The characters and incidents featured in this story are entirely fictional. Any similarities to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. To infringe or challenge the copyrights or trademarks of the above is not the intention of this author.
THE EXPOSITION - Part One
The Concorde emerged out of the clouds from a flawless trip from London, and glided to the runway. The plane rolled to a stop at the boarding gate. Passengers disembarked and breathed the warm humid air surrounding the airport. They clattered through the walkway into a cool breeze from the air- conditioned terminal. Like a cattle stampede the passengers traveled through the hallways to the U.S. Customs area. There the luggages were collected, and lines formed at separate counters.
One young lady, who found her suitcases sooner than the others, approached the Customs Officer and handed over her passport.
"Lara Croft," the officer grumbled. He furrowed his brow and glanced at the young lady. She was dressed in khakis, dark v-neck tee shirt, a loose fitting blouse, and rose colored sunglasses perched above the hairline. Her auburn hair, wrapped in a tight braid, reached her narrow waist. She watched the officer's expressions as he examined her passport.
"Open your bags and briefcase, ma'am," he growled.
Lara pouted. During her previous trips she had breezed through Customs, but the day would come when she will have to stop. She knew that. Unfortunately it happened in front of an overweight, bad smelling officer.
The bags were lifted on the counter and unzipped. When she noticed the officer leering at her breasts, the blouse was pulled over to cover her cleavage. She shuddered when the guard's sausage-like fingers groped around her underwear. From the opened briefcase, the laptop computer was started and demonstrated as truly a laptop computer.
"How long is your stay in the United States?" he grunted.
"Two weeks," she answered still holding her blouse.
He stamped the passport and gave it to her. "Enjoy your visit," he muttered without emotion.
With both hands she refolded some pants, closed her bags, and pulled them off the counter. After a few steps away, she looked over her shoulder.
The officer's mouth hung open as he gawked.
She shouted, "You can stop drooling now, and go back to work."
His face turned red, and he called for the next person in line.
A few yards away, near an exit door, a man held a large sign with 'CROFT' written on it. Next to him stood a young man who appeared familiar.
Her eyes grew wide. "Steven? Steven Lancaster? Yes, it is you!" She kissed and hugged the young man. "Look at how handsome you are!" She held his hands and admired him.
Steven, an inch taller than Lara, was dressed in a gray business suit and high glossed black shoes. He almost blended with the crowd if it wasn't for his shockingly blond hair.
She smiled, "How long has it been? Five years? Six years? My Lord, look at you!" Her excitement couldn't be contained from the fact she knew someone on this first trip to a new city.
"Six years and one month since we did those excavation digs in Central America. That was a long summer I will not forget," he grinned.
She raised her eyebrows. "That's right. I went after my doctorate's degree after that summer. And you still look like you should be on the beach with a surfboard."
"Oh, no. Thanks to you, I continued school and got a Master's Degree in Business Administration." He pulled on the bottom of his jacket, straightened his tie, and beamed.
"Who is this gentleman with you? Is he your chauffeur? And are you my escort?" She placed a hand on Steven's elbow, tilted her head, and winked.
"Actually, Lara, from what I understand, he is your driver. The foundation sponsoring your exhibit has picked up the hotel and travel expenses. Let me help you with your bags."
Steven grasped Lara's briefcase while the driver carried her bags. They went outside and walked briskly to a silver stretch limousine.
"When I heard there was a Croft exhibit for the Exposition, I asked when you were arriving so I could be here to greet you."
"Steven, do you work for this foundation?" she asked.
"No, no. I work for Gregor Shipping Company. It's a division of Gregor, Inc. The owner of the company, Elias Gregor, has an exhibit of his personal art collection as well. It was just by luck that I overheard you were also participating in the Exposition."
He opened the car door and Lara climbed into the backseat. The luxurious Lincoln Continental was equipped with a six speaker stereo system and a CD changer, a car phone with a fax machine, a TV monitor with a video cassette recorder, and a bar with a small refrigerator. A glass partitioned allowed privacy between the driver and passengers. Sunroof, dark windows, and the fresh smell of leather seats made the occupants feel like royalty.
"Oh, my Lord. This certainly is a well-stocked limousine. I can't believe they are paying for my travel and accommodations. Oh, Steven, tell the driver to go to the exhibit hall first. I have to check on the items that were shipped."
Steven spoke to the chauffeur after the trunk was closed. "Driver, take us to the Galleria first, please."
"Yes, sir. Tell Miss Croft there is a package for her next to the VCR."
She found the sealed package, looked at Steven and raised her eyebrows. "I wonder what this could be?"
"Maybe it's your 'Mission Impossible' assignment," he chuckled.
Lara laughed.
The car moved into traffic and steadily gained speed.
After the package was ripped open, she found inside a video tape cartridge, a cellular phone with a recharger, a name tag with her title and name engraved in gold, and various tickets to shows, operas, concerts, exhibits, dinners, and the circus.
Steven slid the tape into the VCR. Lara reclined in the backseat and waited.
The monitor blinked, and then darkened. Seconds later a businessman, seated behind a desk, appeared on the monitor.
"Doctor Lara Croft, welcome to Gotham City. My name is Bruce Wayne, Chief Executive Officer and President of Wayne Enterprises. I wish to thank you in accepting our invitation to showcase your collection during our city's cultural exposition. All efforts have been made to make your stay a pleasant and enjoyable one."
"He looks rather somber. Have you ever met this Bruce Wayne? Do you know much about him?" she asked and opened the cellular phone.
"Personally, no. His name appeared a few times in the society pages of the local paper with some supermodel. Other than that I know he inherited his family's money, but I think he keeps aloof from any business decisions of his company. His somber looks could be a hangover from partying the night before."
"... a room is reserved for you in the Grand Hilton Hotel, one of the finest hotels in Gotham City. A pre-celebration dinner will be held tonight at eight in the hotel's main ballroom. City officials, dignitaries, sponsors, and other exhibitors..."
" Bloody hell. I wanted some time to get over the jet lag and time difference," she complained.
"... if there is anything else you need to make your stay as comfortable as possible, please use the cell phone that came with this videotape. Press star, two, two, eight, and I will personally see to it your comfort has been met. Thank you again, and enjoy your stay."
The cell phone was turned on and the number dialed.
"Maybe I could excuse myself from tonight's celebration. I do need to rest." She turned to Steven, but he watched the promotional advertisements for the Gotham City Exposition, which were included on the tape. He looked like a child watching a Disney movie.
The cell phone beeped, booped, burred a couple of times, and then clicked.
"Wayne Manor." The baritone voice was smooth as silk.
Quickly she surmised the voice did not belong to the executive secretary that had scheduled the shipment of her collection, or arranged the flight from London on short notice.
"May I speak with Mr. Bruce Wayne, please?"
"May I ask who is calling?"
"Lara Croft."
"Ahhh, Dr. Croft! Welcome to Gotham City. I hope your flight was a pleasant one?" The baritone voice became warmer.
"Uneventful, thank you very much," she smiled. "Whom am I speaking with?"
"Alfred Pennyworth, at your service. I am Mr. Wayne's butler."
"May I speak with him, please?"
"I'm sorry, Dr. Croft. Mr. Wayne is presently unavailable. Is there a message I may forward to him?"
"Oh, dear." Lara hesitated, and then asked, "In regards to tonight's celebration at the Grand Hilton Hotel, is it mandatory that I attend?"
"Your attendance is not a requirement, Dr. Croft. But Mr. Wayne will be present, and I am sure he will be greatly disappointed if you did not attend. I do hope you plan to make an appearance," he entreated.
Lara felt the limousine slow down due to traffic to the city. She looked around the interior and shifted uneasily.
"Well... considering the short notice and expense to get me here... I suppose I could make an appearance."
"And you certainly don't have to stay for the duration of the dinner," he added. "Maybe you will meet an associate, or a benefactor to fund your next expedition."
She briefly covered the phone's mouthpiece and laughed to herself. "Very well, Alfred. I will attend tonight's dinner."
"Excellent! I will relay your message to Mr. Wayne. Is there anything else, Dr. Croft?"
"Yes, Alfred. You may call me Lara."
"As you wish, Miss Lara. Have an enjoyable evening."
She closed the phone and watched the tape with Steven. "Do you have plans tonight?" she asked.
He pulled his eyes away from the monitor. "No, not really. Why? What about tonight's dinner?"
She fanned two dinner tickets in front of him.
He grinned, "Certainly glad I dressed for the occasion." Then his grin faded and his eyes widened. "Look, Lara. Look outside."
Through the window was a view of the spiraling skyscrapers of Gotham City. Lara's expression became as if she had witnessed the wreckage from a roadside fatality.
"Oh, my. It looks so..." Her voice trailed off and her brow furrowed from a mental pain. For a moment she scanned the skyline in silence.
The city was engulfed in darkness. Skyscrapers resembled gnarled fingers reaching for the light. Lower buildings were of unusual design with buttresses, cross supports, and archaic architecture. Most of the smaller buildings were exaggerated neo-classical style with thick, thick columns and under a constant shadow.
"Very different," Steven said.
"Different is not the word! Mostly the city has Gothic styling, a bit of modernism over here, neo-classical over there, and something else all in between. It's horrendous! There should be bats flying between the buildings to complete the image! This city needs more help than a cultural exposition can offer to attract people!" she stated and continued to view the skyline.
Steven couldn't tell if she was serious or humorous. He shrugged his shoulders and leaned on the armrest. "Well, they already have a bat."
"What did you say?"
"I said, they already have a bat."
"What do you mean? Is it some sort of mascot?"
"No, no," he chuckled and settled into the seat. "City officials won't admit it, but newspapers have reported there is a vigilante roaming around the city. A crimefighter, of sorts."
"Really! How did they find this out?"
"The reporters say they have their 'informed sources'. One reporter interviewed an off-duty policeman. He said the officer overheard a couple of guys in the holding cells talking about a confrontation with a creature that was half-man, half-bat. The reporter called it The Batman." He made a spooky noise and wiggled his fingers.
Lara shuddered. "I hope it decides not to fly over me while I'm visiting. I have had my fill of winged creatures, thank you very much."
"Some reporters got on the bandwagon and blamed everything from the drop on crime to the changes in the stock market on The Batman. In fact, one reporter suggested a recent drug bust occurred because of him. That happened a couple of weeks ago."
The limousine stopped in front of a large modern building decorated with colored banners and flags. A security officer popped out of a guardhouse and approached the car.
"Sorry folks, the Galleria is closed. It will open tomorrow at ten," he said.
"Officer, my name is Lara Croft. There is an exhibit of mine inside. I only wish to retrieve an article for tonight's dinner." She showed the guard her gold nametag.
"Do you have any identification, miss?"
She handed her passport.
The guard took both and walked over to a monitor in an alcove next to the building entrance. The nametag was slipped into a slot, some buttons punched, and the passport was examined. He waved for Lara to come to him.
"I'll try not to be long," she said to Steven before stepping out of the limousine. She scurried to the guard.
Steven watched as the guard spoke to Lara while pointing to the monitor. The glass entrance door opened and they both entered the building.
"She is still as beautiful when I first saw her," Steven sighed. He reclined in the seat and looked through the sunroof.
Fifteen minutes later Lara opened the car door and climbed in. She carried a leather knapsack.
"What's in the bag?"
"You'll see. Driver, Grand Hilton Hotel, please." She glanced at her watch and shook her head. "I don't know if I have enough time to get ready for tonight's dinner." She opened the knapsack and pulled out two silver 9mm automatic pistols.
* * *
The Grand Hilton Hotel stood majestically amongst its dreary neighbors. It was an elegant U-shaped structure with an enclosed courtyard. The car arrived through the cobblestone driveway, and they were immediately checked in. A bellhop escorted them to the twentieth floor and to an exquisite two-room suite decorated in soft blue hues. He placed the luggage in the bedroom closet, walked to the drapes and exposed sliding glass doors to a walkout balcony. In the living room he exposed another set of sliding glass doors to a second, separate walkout balcony. The dimmer switches for the recessed lights were adjusted for each room, and the room key placed on the vanity table next to the door.
Steven held out some bills.
The bellhop raised his hands. "Everything has been taken care of, sir. Enjoy your stay." He exited and closed the door without a sound.
Lara opened her bags and pulled out a small bag and plastic bottles.
"Maybe I should come back later so you can get ready," Steven said from the other room.
"Please don't go. We haven't spoken for years. I would like to know what you have done so far," she spoke from the bathroom and placed her bottles aside. She walked to the bedroom doorway and saw Steven next to the vanity table. "I received the letters you wrote. Let me apologize for not responding to them. I was quite busy with lectures, book signings, and all that. Please forgive me." She kicked off her shoes and removed her blouse.
"That's okay." He stood still and stunned.
"What have you been doing up until now?" She unbuttoned and unzipped her khakis. Steven's hypnotic look made her stop. She twirled a finger. "Turn around. It's impolite to stare."
He faced the wall, but his eyes caught Lara's reflection on a mirrored decoration.
"Well... I was mostly in school in Florida, trying to get my master's degree..." He saw the khakis drop to the floor while she pulled off the cream colored tee shirt. "Umm... and also trying to get an even tan."
The bedroom door was closed halfway.
"You found your present job after school?" She unfastened her bra and walked to the closet opposite the door. A terry cloth robe hung within the closet. The bra was dropped on the corner of the bed and the robe slipped on. Meanwhile the door moved by itself until it was wide opened.
Steven gulped and responded, "Ahhh... yeah. I learned a particular software a couple of years ago. The company was interested and sent me for extra training. Now I'm doing an installation for them in Gotham City."
Her panties were removed, and the robe tied closed. Her head lifted up and saw the door open. Immediately she went to the door. "Tell me you weren't peeking." She stuck her head out between the small gap.
"I wasn't peeking!" His eyes darted to the floor, ceiling, and wall.
She twisted her lips. "Right." Lara backed away from the barely opened door and spoke, "Are you seeing someone steady? I hope I won't get you in trouble if you are."
"Just dating some of the office girls, but nobody steady." He moved from the table to the couch. "How about you? Are you still seeing that German guy?"
"Past history," she replied from the bathroom. She turned the water on in the shower stall next to the small Jacuzzi.
"So why did you bring guns?"
"A necessary commodity during my adventuring days. I take them along on all of my trips. I... feel comfortable with them nearby." She stuck her head out from behind the door. "Stay and watch the telly while I shower and get ready."
The bedroom door closed.
Steven sat on the couch, grabbed the remote from the coffee table, and flipped through the channels. A Braves baseball game was settled upon, but he put a hand under his chin, glanced at the closed bedroom door, and sighed.
* * *
It was a quarter to nine when they left the room and waited for the elevator.
Lara wore a black full-length evening dress. It had a slit on the side from the hem to the halfway point of her thigh. A sleeveless gown, which fastened around the neck like a halter. The gown covered the front completely, but left the back exposed. She wore a small black jacket, black high heels, and carried a black handbag on a spaghetti strap. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall down her back and around her shoulders. Her composure looked very business-like, and almost distant. In the elevator she stood without expression and kept her eyes straight ahead.
"Did you bring a gun?" Steven asked.
She patted her handbag. Her eyes lost focus, and she appeared deep in thought.
The elevator stopped and the door opened.
She refocused her eyes, straightened her back, and raised her head slightly. With a hand placed inside Steven's left arm, she strode gracefully down the plush hallway to the main ballroom door. The high heels made Lara a couple of inches taller than Steven.
They approached the doorman. Steven handed him the tickets.
The doorman responded, "Ah, honored guests. Do you have your nametags?"
Lara pulled it out from her handbag.
"Please keep it on display. Thank you." Inside the ballroom he called a busboy to escort them to their seats as they entered.
Some dinner guests turned their heads, and others whispered, to see who were led to their table. The majority of the attendees stoically maintained their attention on the guest speaker at the podium.
Lara and Steven were seated at a side table, close to the wall, in between the head table and the exit. The people at their table had finished or were finishing the main course.
As soon as they sat down, two waiters came with food and salad, and said, "We apologize for not having any prime rib to serve, but we have all the stuff shrimp you can eat!"
Steven smirked, but Lara nodded and said, "That's quite alright."
One of the matronly-looking ladies at the table whispered, "I love your accent. Are you from England?"
"Yes, I am," Lara whispered. "Have I missed anything important?"
"Just the mayor's speech and a couple of old farts with important titles," the woman chuckled. "The man speaking now is Willard Slaughter, Curator of the Galleria. He's summarizing a history of the Galleria and its vision for the future. He listed the exhibits during the week. One of them is from the personal collection of that adventurer, Lara Croft." Her voice had a spark of glee.
"I'm Lara Croft." She unhooked the nametag and showed the lady.
"Oh, my! You are!" the woman said in a louder voice. She pulled on the sleeve of the man seated next to her. "Honey, this is Lara Croft!"
The rest of the table turned their attention to her. They introduced themselves and riddled her with questions. When the nearby tables found out, a few were bold enough to approach her and introduced themselves. Soon a small commotion circled around Lara at their end of the ballroom. It prevented her from taking a bite to eat.
The speaker stopped and peered in their direction. Someone from the floor told him what the excitement was about.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Willard Slaughter addressed the audience. "I have just been informed that Dr. Lara Croft has arrived--."
The attendees applauded their welcome. Lara stood for a moment, nodded to everyone, and sat down.
"And she will be lecturing in our auditorium the following weekend. Now, please, take your seats. We are almost finished."
The woman seated next to her asked, "So you are a doctor?"
"Well, if you do this sort of thing long enough, eventually you will get a degree and title," Lara quipped.
While everyone laughed, she popped a shrimp into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
Lara asked in a low voice, "Excuse me. Where is Mr. Bruce Wayne seated?" She popped another shrimp into her mouth while the others looked around.
"He sat at the head table over there," one gentleman said.
Another pointed, "Here he is! Coming this way!"
She noticed a figure standing over her left shoulder. Her face turned red when she realized the shrimp was still in her mouth.
"Glad you could make it, Dr. Croft. I'm Bruce Wayne."
Standing up halfway from her seat, she extended her right arm while her left hand held a napkin over her mouth. A greeting was muffled, and she coughed.
His hand was placed on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into the chair. He squatted with his head inches from her shoulder.
"Finish your meal. I just came by to see if everything was all right," he whispered.
Lara nodded and fixed her eyes on Bruce's. She allowed her senses to soak in the experience of meeting this gorgeous sponsor: intense eyes, dark hair, strong chin, and angular jaw. His cologne disarmed and weakened her. His warm breath tingled her spine.
"I also came to relay a message. The curator of the Galleria would like you to stop by as early as possible tomorrow. He will need assistance on how to showcase your collection." He crept close and whispered into her ear, "I will catch up with you tomorrow, Dr. Croft."
He walked away at the same time the dinner guests applauded for the speaker.
She swallowed the shrimp and spoke towards Bruce's direction. "Please, call me Lara."
But he was already beyond earshot, and the applause drowned her voice.
She watched as he walked into the hallway where an attractive girl in a short dress was waiting for him. Lara placed her fork down and folded her napkin.
"Aren't you hungry, dear?" the woman next to her asked.
She glanced at the woman. "I seem to have lost my appetite."
The woman looked over her shoulder to the door, leaned towards Lara, and giggled. "Maybe you should have asked for a side order of Bruce Wayne."
Lara dropped her napkin on her plate and drank the water. She hid her embarrassment and regained her composure. With her hands folded on her lap, she calmly answered questions from the group of people gathered around her.
Steven finished his meal. He appeared grim, and glanced around. The crowd's attention circled about Lara, and he was unsettled by it. He put his elbows on the table, clasped his hands, and rested his chin on the thumbs. A voice called his name, which startled him.
"Steven, aren't you suppose to be working on my project?" A slim, handsome gentleman edged up and patted him on the shoulders.
"Oh, Mr. Gregor! I'll be on it tomorrow!"
"Don't worry about that now. Just introduce me to your popular and lovely dinner companion."
"Oh, yes! Sure!" Steven touched Lara's arm.
She turned and saw the gentleman moving close to her.
"Lara, this is Elias Gregor. Mr. Gregor, this is--."
"The most beautiful and highly esteemed Dr. Lara Croft, adventurer extraordinaire. Charmed to meet you." He took her hand and kissed it.
"The pleasure is mine," she replied. "Steven told me you have an exhibit at the Galleria as well."
"Yes, I do, and you must come tomorrow afternoon! I will give you a personal tour of my collection! Two o'clock! Please!" he pleaded.
Mesmerized by the sparkle in his light grey eyes she nodded in agreement. "Yes, I will be there."
"Very good. I look forward to spend time with you."
A gentleman by the doorway waved.
Gregor looked at the gentleman and smiled. "Until then, Dr. Croft. Please excuse me." He kissed Lara's hand again and walked towards the waving man.
Lara stood. "Excuse me, everyone. Thank you for an enjoyable time, but I must go to my room and rest."
Steven assisted by pulling her chair out. They walked slowly to the door and stopped to chat briefly with the Mayor of Gotham City.
In the elevator Lara sighed heavily.
"Glad that is over, huh?"
"Actually, it's just the beginning. Right now I feel the jet lag has overtaken me. My only worry was to make a good impression with my sponsor." She snickered, "I don't think that went very well. He must think I'm a stupid git." She leaned against the wall and lowered her head.
"I... thought you did... very well," he stammered.
"Thank you, Steven." She raised her head and looked at him. "As soon as I get to the room, I am putting in a call to my personal secretary. Probably get her answering machine at this hour, but I'll have her do some research first thing in the morning."
"On what?"
"Any information on Bruce Wayne, Wayne Enterprises... and your employer, Elias Gregor. Just as a matter of research."
"Oh, I see," he replied.
A few seconds passed in silence until the elevator door opened.
"Lara, I need to know something." Steven took a deep breath. "Did you receive the last couple of letters I sent you?"
"Yes, I did... and I still have them." She held his hand. "Your words were so sweet... really... but... I didn't know how to reply properly without..." She paused and looked at him.
His head was tilted down and his eyes were closed.
She took his other hand. "Steven, you are a dear friend and I am very glad to have met you. But I don't think of you in that fashion. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, it was quite obvious when you didn't write back."
"I don't think it would have been appropriate to respond by letter. But I apologize for not responding at all."
"You're doing very well, right now."
"Thank you. Right now I need my friends, and of all my friends, I'm happy you are here." She hugged him.
"You can't blame this young man for not trying."
"You are not so young," she retorted.
"Younger than you."
"By three years!"
"Well, that's still young, and I'm surprised you remembered."
Lara giggled, "You're teasing me exactly when I first met you."
They laughed for a few minutes.
She asked, "How about lunch tomorrow?"
"No. I'll be in the office working on Mr. Gregor's project."
"The following day, then. Mark that down." She pointed a finger at him.
He hugged her and kissed her cheek.
"Good night, Lara."
"Good night, Steven."
She watched him disappear into the elevator.
* * *
(TO BE CONTINUED)