Disclaimer, I do not own any of the tomb raider movie characters
Enjoy the story.
Chapter one, Faith Awaits us
The beautiful brown haired woman stood before the tall iron robot. Her body was covered with sweat and several bruises covered her arms and legs. The robot was in a much worse condition, wires were hanging loose from their original position and the still smoking bullet holes were facts that would make Bryce an unhappy man. Lara smiled at that thought and dragged the robot out of the practice room.
Once she looked up the tech was no where to be seen, only Hillary stood on her right awaiting her with a towel. She looked at her butler with questioning eyes. Hillary raised his shoulders.
"When I arrived here Bryce was already from his place."
The white soft towel was offered to the tomb raider after she dragged the robot down the small stairs and released it with a rather loud crashing sound. She used the towel to wipe away the sweat that was dripping down her forehead.
"Unusual for him to leave while I'm torturing his robot."
A sound came from behind them. "Bugger, not again." It was the voice of the tech. He emerged from the toilet. An evil grin was forming on Lara's face when she saw Bryce hurried over to his robot and kneeled down to see how much damage Simon has this time "Lara, why are you doing this to me?"
Only the evil grin and a wink answered Bryce as her hands trailed down the gun belt around her waist. She removed the belt from its position and hands it over to Hillary. "Build better robots Bryce, Simon is getting old." Again she winked at him and then left the room to walk upstairs for a shower.
"Build better robots Bryce." He said imitating Lara's words. "I'll build you a new robot alright, a robot that makes you beg me to stop it because it's killing you. Yes I'd love to see that happen, Lara Croft begging me to help her because she's not strong enough." He almost screamed at Lara but she ignored the words and only smiled.
Hillary stepped beside him and leaned down to whisper something in his ear. "Keep dreaming Bryce." He said and taps his hand on the tech's shoulder. Angry eyes looked at the smiling butler as Hillary exited the room.
Bryce repeated Hillary's words inside his head and concluded that it had to be a real good robot if it wants to defeat Lara. Sometimes he thinks Lara is unbeatable. She emits self control and power, which is something he has never seen with a woman before. He enjoys working with her, even though it brings many dangers. That's something he and Hillary have gotten used too. Lara would do anything to keep them from harm, he knows she does, just as he knows he can trust his life to the tomb raider.
After the shower and a tasteful dinner, Lara had seated herself behind her laptop reading her mail. It was almost midnight but too early for Lara to retire for the day. This leads her to the decision to check her mail, something she hasn't done for at least a week. Except for the spam and other rubbish, she noticed an email message from Alex West, a rather strange occurrence because she hasn't heard of him for almost a year. Before she started reading his message she first disposed of a few emails from museum. The curators these days seem to think that the relics she finds belong in a museum. A shrug left her mouth as she disposed the last few mails. Once only Alex West's message was left, she opened it and started reading.
Hi Lara
You probably wonder why I'm sending you an email after all these months, and what I'm about to say will probably make you angry, but I need you're help because once again I'm in trouble.
Alex was right, the first few lines of the message was already making her angry. He was in trouble again, but despite the anger Lara decided to keep reading.
I know what you think, only when Alex is in trouble he contacts me, you're right and if I will be able to survive I will visit you personally to apologize. Unless off course you decide to help me and give me a chance to apologize sooner.
Right now I am in GermanyTrier to be exact, hiding from a man called PeterBauer. I've stolen something from him, a map that leads to something I know you have heard of. I'm talking about the bracelet of faith. I can't really decipher the map, all I know is that the bracelet is in Japan. That's why I need you're help Lara, Bauer must not get his hands on that bracelet, and you know why.
Since when has Alex become sentimental, Lara only knew him as the tomb raider with money as highest priority.
Please Lara, I really need you're help on this one, as I said earlier I am in Trier and I will stay here until you come or until Bauer finds me and kills me.
Alex
A sigh left her mouth after she read the letter. Her conscience told her to go to Germany and find him but there was that little voice inside her head that told her he was hiding something from her, actually she knew he was hiding something. He always hides something, he had a secret when they were after the prayer wheels, and he had a secret when they met again in the auction house. If she didn't know better he would make a habit of hurting her.
Even so Lara could not ignore her conscience, he might be a jerk but he doesn't deserve to die. And if this Peter Bauer has the wrong intensions with the bracelet it was important to keep it away from him. Inside her head she started to make a checklist. Bring the mini camera, that way she could film the map to have Bryce decipher it. Bring the satellite phone, once their in Japan she has to be able to contact her tech at the time. For a moment her thought made a side way, what is she was too late? What if Bauer already had found Alex? No, she shouldn't think that way. Alex is too good for that, he wouldn't let himself get caught that easy.
Quickly she pushed the thought aside, not bothering to shut down the laptop, Lara hurried upstairs to change into her more comfortable clothes. On her way up she runs into Hillary. "Lara it is midnight, why the sudden rush." To receive her answer he followed the tomb raider upstairs.
"Read the message in my mailbox." She replied as she reached her room. When the butler was about to follow her inside the door was closed, leaving a stunned Hillary only inches from the door.
The butler walked downstairs again as he decided to follow Lara's advice. His eyes fell upon the laptop. It was still on and he seated behind it. A curse left his mouth when he saw the sender of the message. Hillary knew Alex had hurt Lara many times, he also knew Lara could never forgive him. But after reading the email message he could understand the reason behind Lara's rush. As his eyes turned from the laptop he noticed Lara stood behind him. She had changed into a leather pants and tank top, her gun belt hung over her shoulder as her cold stare looked at the butler.
"I do not need another lecture Hillary, you know I have to do this."
The butler innocently threw up his hands "I won't say a word."
"Good, could you inform Bryce about this? And tell him I'm sending him a map I want him to decipher."
Hillary nodded at his friend. "I will Lara, you just hurry, we don't want pour Mr West to die."
A small smile was forming on her face "Thank you Hilly." She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
Hillary watched her leave, there she goes again, looking for trouble. That's the Lara he knows, helping friends, discovering that what is lost and dispose everyone that's in her way. But what if one day, Lara is unable to dispose of her enemy, he knows that day could come and it will mean the end of Lara's life. What could he do about it? There was a day he tried, one a very gentle way, to tell her she should think about retiring. The reaction of the tomb raider was something he didn't expect. She was angry with him and it took her a couple of days to forgive him for what he had said.
Ever since that day he never tries to talk her out of anything again. Maybe it was her destiny to protect the world from men like Powell and Reiss. And the reason she is going to Germany now was simple the fact that she will blame herself if anything happens to Alex West and off course to prevent the bracelet from falling into the wrong hands.
Germany, Trier.
It was early in the morning when Lara arrived in Trier. And now that she was, Alex still had to be found. After all, he only said he was in Trier. He could be in a hotel, but if he stays in a hotel Bauer could easily find him. So what would she do if she was Alex? Hiding on the streets, no not that. Then there was only one option left. Alex has a friend here, a friend he can trust and from that friend he was able to send a message. An idea slid through her mind and made her decide to contact Bryce. The phone only rang once before he answered. Strange, normally at this time he's still asleep.
"Morning Lara." He said, the sound of his voice wasn't sleepy at all.
"Morning Bryce, you're up early."
"I heard you leave this morning and asked Hillary why. He informed me about the yank and I decided to do a little research for you."
Lara raised her eyebrow "Like what?" she asked.
"I've found some information about this Bauer chap. It says here that he is one of the big men in the German underground. He's been accused for murder, robbery, rape and kidnapping. But not once he was convicted."
Alex really had gotten himself into trouble. Peter Bauer wasn't just an ordinary criminal, to Lara he more sounds like a freak after Bryce had told her this.
"What else did you find out?"
"Well, I figured you want to know where exactly Alex is hiding, so I traced the email message."
Looks like Bryce was one step ahead of the tomb raider. "And did you found the location?"
"Yes, it came from the Auelstrasse, a few miles south of Trier."
The young tech had done a great job. She should give him a vacation once she's back at the manor. "Good job Bryce, I owe you one." And after that she hung up the phone.
Lara walked back to her rental jeep and moves it on the road immediately. After a few minutes she had reached the Auelstrasse. For the first time Lara started to doubt about the information Bryce had given her. There was nothing in this street but a deserted old villa. Could Alex have emailed her from this house, most likely not. Even so, the tomb raider decides to have a look around. Slowly she paced to the front door, her hand reached for the door knob and pushed it open.
A creaking sound disturbed the silence in the villa when the door was pushed open. It was rather dark inside but Lara resolved this partly by using her flash light. The house was entirely empty except for the small table resting in the center and a staircase leading up. There was another door, it would probably lead to the kitchen.
"Alex?" she said softly. But just as she expected there was no answer.
Her eyes fell upon the door in front of her, let's see what's in there, she paced forward and heard the floor creak under her feet. Her hand reached for the knob, but then something unexpected happened.
The door flew open in her direction, too fast for Lara to realize what just happened, it landed hard with Lara's body. She flew through the air for, three, maybe four meters and then connected hard with the only object in the room, the table. Suddenly Lara heard footsteps coming from all over the house, she looked upstairs and saw men in black military clothes walking down. They had their rifles aimed at the tomb raider. There were so many that Lara didn't even have to think of drawing her guns. But there were more, from where the door used to be three more men emerged, followed by a man without any weapons on him, the only thing he wore was an arrogant look.
This was when Lara realized she has been betrayed, it was a trap she had walked right in to. A trap made by the arrogant man, Lara knew exactly who he was. His silver grey hair barely covering his head and blue eyes glaring at her. This must be Peter Bauer, but where is Alex?
"Froline Croft, I knew you would come to us."
His deep voice echoed through her head, she compared him with a freak earlier today and obviously she was right.
"You must be Peter Bauer." She said.
Lara was still lying on the ground, to get herself in a more comfortable position she decides to stand up, something Bauer allowed her to do.
"Off course I am." He replied "And I'm glad to see Mr West's concerning message has convinced you to come here in such a short notice."
"I'm certain you had to use any force necessary to make him send the message."
Bauer started laughing and walked closer to Lara. "I'm afraid my dear, Mr West had volunteered to get you involved."
Lara's eyes turned stone cold. Why should she believe this man, he tries to confuse her so she would turn against Alex.
"Yes my dear, he has betrayed you, but from what I have heard it's not for the first time."
"I don't believe you." She managed to say ignoring the last few words he said..
Bauer searched for Lara's eyes and then spoke again "Mr West speaks very high of you Froline, let's go see how he's doing."
The silver haired German walked to the front door to exit the house. Suddenly Lara felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck and stumbled to the floor. Darkness was what followed after that.
Did you like it? Should I continue? Please let me know!