Disclaimer: I don't own the characters used, their ownership goes to their respective authors. This is just a fan fiction and doesn't reflect the published works of the characters used.
Chapter 1: Rude Awakenings
In a small misty village somewhere in Eastern Europe, Lara Croft lay in her bed fast asleep dreaming about a warm beach somewhere in the South Pacific. She could feel the cool ocean breeze in her hair flowing and the smell of the crisp ocean air fill her lungs with a soft palette of sea salt on her tongue as she inhaled. Suddenly as she felt herself smile, she was abruptly interrupted by a persistent beeping. Opening her eyes she was greeted by the cold dark reality that she was no where near the beach or any place warm for that matter. "Bloody hell..." she softly remarked.
The alarm kept beeping from across the room as it would reveal 5:00 AM had just pasted moments ago. Lara would pull the covers off her body to a stark reminder of just how cold it was at that time in the morning in the Autumn weather of the Eastern Block. A small backpack lay open with little bits of stuff Lara had brought with her. She hadn't planned to vacation here. Bringing only the things she needed. As she walked over to the alarm clock in nothing but panties and an undershirt tank top. The alarm would feel cold in her hand as she pressed the button to make it stop beeping.
Lara gave a slight sigh, "When this over, I know where I'll be going. I'm sure Winston doesn't mind having the house to himself a little longer." A slight smile would surprise Lara as she hadn't realized how much the thought of the South Pacific had become a new thing for her yet again. Looking over at the empty room she was in. It wasn't much to look at and the grey skies outside would reveal today would probably be dark and gloomy just like London always was. Lara felt better when she reflected on the fact that she wasn't in London. The adventurer in Lara had always wanted to go to new places and her need for excitement brought her to push herself even further after every place she had visited.
When she thought about being back at home, all she could think about where the obscene messages and invites for luncheons and socials she'd nothing to do with. Former family friends and colleagues from University whom wished Lara to grace them with her presence, only to know they more than likely gossiped about her behind her back and hadn't much nice things to say about her. If anything more often than not, these people would have something in mind, whether it was for her to give them a financial favor or to steal any ideas she might have had on any archaeological finds that were recently announced for use in their paper. It was usually always the same mettle as before. The kind of thing, she wanted to distance herself from.
After washing up, dressing and packing up her things. She put her backpack over her shoulder and proceeded to leave. Lara had walked down 3 flights of stairs before reaching the ground floor. She would reach the reception and would slip the key along the counter. The receptionist had been reading something while feeling around for the key not bothering to look at Lara, waving their hand to leave, "Da. Blagodarya vi za tova da ostanem. Shte se vidim otnovo po nyakoe vreme". Lara wasn't very knowledgeable on the Bulgarian language but understood the gist of what the receptionist was saying. When she got outside, the mist in the air had dropped the temperature down by 5 more degrees. Though there wasn't any wind. She was thankful for that.
Now making her way along a cobblestone path towards the train station in town. She was a few stops away from her destination which wasn't any real habitation but a road leading to an obscure part of Bulgaria. If her Intel was right, there was ruins that hadn't been properly excavated and Lara had read about legends in that area dating back centuries of an old king's rich claim of fortune long hidden and lost among a city now gone from written history. Only legends spoke of it and Lara was determined to find it before anyone else could. It was a test to her, a challenge, a calling. An hour or two had passed as Lara had already gotten on the Train headed for the trail she was about to embark on.
In that time passed, Lara had cautiously tried to keep an eye out for everyone around her. The area wasn't necessarily safe and she knew to take precaution hearing of the horrors of train theft and killings in the eastern block knowing woman were usually a target. It would be another 40 minutes before their stop, a group of men would start to stalk the train cars from Lara's view. She watched as the hooligans had started to rummage through some of the passengers luggage in front of them while their owners had watched them in peril. Lara tried not to become concerned but it was clear that the train had absolutely no security on board. This was the price of regions hostility and danger associated with the ongoing conflicts in the region. It was something Lara had prepared for but she hadn't known that so many people unable to flee the region go about their lives despite the dangers. The men had just finished in their current car and were on their way into the one Lara was in. The people inside the car with her were silent. Only the sounds of turmoil in the next car could be heard as everyone was dead silent in order to hear what was going on.
Lara had been eyeing the events as they unfolded and started to look around for anything really. She wasn't quite sure what she should do but the fear and adrenaline in her was helping to keep her ideas flowing. There was about five of them. Maybe one or two more but from where she was sitting she wasn't entirely sure. The men had just robbed almost everyone in the car or rummaged through their stuff picking only the things that had interested them. The car door slide open as crying and whimpering could be heard from the next car over. Lara closed here eyes and took a deep breath preparing herself for what might happen. A sense of calm washed over her as she followed the sound of the men's footsteps as they walked inside. A 6 foot tall, bald man had walked in with slow footsteps. He would stare at everyone as they stared back in horror. Two more men followed him as they would also start to intimidate those around them.
Lara eyes opened as the man was now half way through the car, She stared at the man all the while the silence in the air was as tense as ever. The cries would now fill the air from across the car as pillaging started to ensue. A woman would cry out as her belongings were now on the floor as she tried to plea to them to stop. It was to no avail. Lara had wanted to help but wasn't sure if more men would emerge from the other cars ahead. The man had stopped beside her and stared. Lara looked up at him as he remained standing staring down at her. Lara then noticed he wasn't necessarily staring at her but at her breasts. Disgust filled Lara as she looked into the window avoiding eye contact as the man molested her with his eyes. He then asked, "Are you American?" in a broken European accent. Lara hadn't replied, though her clothing would reveal she wasn't from the region. "Are you American?" he'd ask again. Lara replied finally, "No. I'm English." The man would continue to stare at her. "You lie!" the man motioned his hand over to the others, "I have found the American". Lara would remain quiet as she slowly edged the backpack into her hands. She wasn't actually staring out the window, she was staring into the reflection watching everyone and preparing her next move.
As the men walked over, Lara had slowly zipped down the side of her backpack to allow herself to reach inside. She did it very slowly so the man staring wouldn't notice her completely. Lara though slightly unorganized had always knew where she kept her Knife just in case she needed it. It wasn't much but in this situation it was better than nothing. She also had to question whom the American it was these men seemed to be after. The men would be near them any second as Lara had her hand on the knife now. In a very quick motion she'd unbutton it's strap and pushed the knife out of it's sheath with her hand as was about to make her move. The man would grab her arm, "You come with me!" Yanking her in a swift and abrupt motion.
Lara pulled out her knife and stabbed the man's arm. "Like bloody hell I am!" with her hand on the knife as it impaled both the arm and the seat next to her. She used her free hand to swiftly lean back and thrust her palm up at the man's face, going for his nose. All she could make out was a thick snap that had a nice ring to it. The man quickly grabbed his nose with his free hand as Lara pulled the knife out of his arm. She would push him out of her way as the next few men would run at her. Lara had but mere seconds to react to them. The man would go to punch her face as she motioned out of the way. She could feel the air of his punch against her face knowing damn well she had almost gotten hit but wouldn't have time to care. She had thrust her knife upward at the man going for his chest, the next moment all she could feel is the wetness of his blood on her hands as she clenched the knife and repeated the motion until the man went limp pushing him off her as he leaned in while his heart gave out. Pushing him to the side as he now lay dead.
The other man having seen what had just happened would go for a gun in his jacket. Lara was roughly a yard or two away and wasn't able to run towards him in time and in a quick motion had switched the knife's position in her hand as she now held the blade and threw it at the man whom was about to shoot her to death. The blade had traveled in the air as the man was in the midst of grabbing his gun. He didn't react in time as the blade pierced his body. A slight groan would be heard as he fell into the seat beside him and fell to the ground trying to support himself with the chair but it was clear he was dying. Lara knew the others were about to shoot her and she quickly ran up and grabbed the gun from the other man. Ducking down into the seat booth as she'd ignored the dying man. Lara held the gun, it wasn't one she'd used before but her training with guns was enough to keep her going. A bullet would puncture the seat she was hiding behind as Lara leaned into the seat even more. "Fuck!", Lara would hold the gun up and fire a few blind shots. She knew there was people on the train still, but it was the only way she could get them to fire back at her, using the gunshots they fired to get an idea of where they were standing.
She then used what little moments she had to peek out and fire a well aimed shot at one of the attackers. It would hit his shoulder as the man would talk to the others in Bulgarian. Lara could only make out some of what they were saying but it would appear they weren't going to let her live now that they found her. Lara was running out of ammo and wasn't prepared to make any more random shots. She had to become more calculating and got down on her knees and pushed her head down into the floor to look under the seats to know where exactly these men were standing. There was only three of them left. Lara realized she had the perfect opening and the others hadn't noticed it yet. She then lay on the floor and curled up a little, positioning herself for easy firing. She was now sideways on the floor staring at the feet and legs of those shooting at her. One of the men started to walk over to her position as they figured she was now too scared to shoot. They were dead wrong as she then fired a shot into the ankle of the man walking towards her. She then quickly took two more shots at the ankles of the other two men.
This would keep them immobile giving her some time to breath. Getting back up she then stood up and pointed her gun at the man on the floor in the aisle. Taking a shot at his head and then walking closer. She would take his gun from him when she got close enough and would now point both guns in the same direction. Lara took a chance and would now run and jump aiming herself and her guns at the men hiding behind the seats she'd shot them at. They weren't prepared for her and she put the rest of her bullets into them as she hit the floor knowing it would hurt but it was survival after all. Letting out a yell as she fired at the two men in mid-air. They now lay dead as she breathed heavily both shaken and hurting from the sideways jump. When it was all over she'd looked over to see if anyone else was injured. Though the people inside the car were both scared and hiding. No one seemed to be completely hurt. Though one or two the people inside the car had gotten shot accidentally through the crossfire. It wouldn't be anything severe.
Lara had quickly got up and went back for her backpack. She knew she had to get off the train and it wasn't due to stop for few minutes. She also didn't want to be on train when it had stopped, knowing damn well there would be more men waiting for her. She did what she could to recover more ammo from the other men and left filling her backpack in what little time she had. Making her way through the train, she would now in the next car with private quarters. Lara tried to open every door she could until one finally opened. These private quarters were a bit overpriced and Lara's credit cards were void in the region. She didn't care so much but now wasn't the time for her to be thinking of this. She closed the door behind her and locked it as she now inspected the window. The windows were the type that didn't open and were made just to give a view of the outside. She could hear the men whom were searching for her walk by while speaking to one another. She wasn't scared but was a bit concerned that they would find the others soon after. Lara then made a choice and held her guns out at the window.
She waited for a moment giving enough time for the others to go into the next train car. Taking a few shots into the window she ran and leap through the window smashing through it as it made a loud noise alerting the others. Lara crashed through shards of glass as went into a roll from the speed of the train. It was a crazy thing to do but Lara wasn't without much options, she took what little chance she had and went with it. It worked and now Lara was free from the Train. The others wouldn't be far behind her but the train still in motion bought her some time. Watching the train move on from where she was gave her a sense of relief as she ran into the wilderness. The only place she could think to go was the ruins she was already headed for.