CHAPTER 1: CALCUTTA, INDIA

Miss Croft. You all know her. This story so happens to start out with Lara sitting inside of the Imperial Hotel in Calcutta, India. A fan spins around on the ceiling, sunrays flicker through the windows, and Lara reads from her father's journal at the table. Why is Lara reading the journal? Well, she's picking up a bit of what her father had written in his journal long ago:

"Oh Lara, if you were to ever read this journal when I wasn't here, I surely hope that you would go off to find all of the undiscovered worlds that I haven't found. There are so many of them out there. Vilcabamba is one of the most peculiar ones. You and I have tried and tried to find it… but no luck. Atlantis is also a lost city that I am baffled over. There are just simply no other ways that I can think of to find its location. We have searched the Mediterranean Sea time after time… but yet we haven't found it. I am discouraged, and I hope that someday you will gain fame by finding these ancient worlds… let the luck be with you, Lara."

Lara raised her head and sighed. If only she knew… where… where Vilcabamba was. If she could find Vilcabamba, she could find Atlantis… she wasn't sure how, of course, but she just knew that she could. And someday she would. She laid the journal onto the table and glanced across the room. Out of nowhere came a man that Lara had known ever since she visited Rome in her younger years to find the Philosopher's Stone… Larson Conway. Lara sighed and turned her head.

"Why does this always happen to me…"

Larson strolled up closer into view, and then Lara just couldn't resist turning her head and looking at his face. Larson had tried to form a relationship with her once, when she went to Rome. Lara had then been invited to Larson's home, where they spent a good afternoon of horse riding, swimming, and playing golf. Larson had actually tried to form a real relationship that night, but Lara didn't take to it. She decided to leave once Larson started egging her to stay over and sleep in Larson's bed with him… Lara then replied that she wasn't looking for love, but a partner.

Lara turned her head and looked at Larson. He threw down a magazine on the table, which read: Lara Croft Outstomps Bigfoot! On the cover showed a huge dinosaur, and then Lara with her pistols drawn, firing loads of bullets at it.

"Now what's a guy got to do to get that sort of attention?" Larson smiled a bit at Lara.

"I sure hope that this isn't another one of those schemes that you tried with me in Rome," Lara responded.

"Nope, just business." Larson smiled again and turned his head.

Lara responded: "Well, if that's the sort of attention you want, Larson, then you're well on your way."

"Sounds like fun." Larson pulled out a portable device from his pocket and placed it onto the table. "Lara Croft, meet Jacqueline Natla, from Natla Technologies."

Lara's smile faded. "You mean the same people who advertised that commercial with the bunny rabbit and King Tut's artifact?"

"Uh… yeah, that's them."

"Seal it, Larson!" A woman with blonde hair and a black jacket appeared on the screen. She appeared to be sitting at a table in her office at Natla Technologies. Smiling at Lara, Larson then backed away and she continued on:"

"One of my business men created that commercial with the bunny rabbit… when I found out that he had made the bunny rabbit kiss the artifact, I fired him instantly." Lara didn't seem impressed. Natla could tell that, and then she quickly added: "Well… um… good afternoon, Miss Croft. I guess that we should get down to business." Lara still didn't manage a smile on her face. "Okay, how about this. My research department has recently turned its focus to the study of ancient artifacts." Natla stood up from her desk. "And, with the right incentive, I've come to believe that you're just the woman to find them for me."

Lara glared at Larson, and could easily tell that Larson had been the one to tell Natla about her. "I'm sorry; you've been misled. I only play for sport."

"Which is precisely why I've come to you." Natla picked up a controller on the desk, and punched a button. A computer screen turned on in the back of the room. A pixilated object appeared on the screen. "This is a game you've played before. You and your father spent years looking for the Scion of Atlantis." Lara leaned forward and fixated on the screen. The image being shown was the Scion of Atlantis itself. "And all you needed was the location of Qualopec's tomb to find it…"

"You've found Vilcabamba!!!!!" Lara smiled.

"Well, only one question remains," Natla said. "How quickly can you get to Peru?"

"As quickly as you need me to."

"Good. It's 8:00 am right now. If you can board a plane to England and get there to get your stuff, I want you to be in Peru by 1:00 pm tomorrow. Got it?"

"Oh yes," Lara replied. "I'll be there."

Natla smiled and the screen went blank. Larson looked back at Lara again. "You going yet?" he said in his southern accent. "I mean- not that I want you to go, it's just that… um… I've got to get back to Natla Technologies…"

"Yes, I'm leaving." Lara gave a smirk and walked out of the door, taking her journal with her.