Tomb Raider
Valley of the Ancients: Part 2
************** On the Trail **************
The worn dirt road was rough, but why shouldn't it be? Had it ever been said that trudging through the jungles of east Peru would be easy, of course not. In fact, in all of her travels she had never heard anyone say that traversing through any jungle would be easy. Even sitting in a rugged all-terrain vehicle, as she was, Lara's rump was taking a beating. Still, the Tomb Raider was used to this kind of treatment. Dealing with the bumps and bruises was nothing new. Even this kind of treatment was favored over some of the high-class dinners she'd been to.
Lara often times preferred the ruggedness of the jungle, or desert, or even the mountains rather than the association of some people.
Sweating, being bitten by bugs and/or even her skin being ripped open by thorns and sharp grasses was more tolerable over some of the high-browed stares and the snooty looks she was given sometimes (she really was her father's child).
Anyway, Lara accepted the discomforts of her craft. One could not do this kind of work, even as a hobby, and refuse to accept the difficulties. Even still, when in nature, the archeologist always prepared as best she could.
Now, riding as passenger in an open-aired jeep was better than walking, even if the driver be a madman. Byron Platt, his wasn't the smoothest ride she'd ever had.
Lara dodged a leafy branch just as it swung over the top of the windshield. She looked over at her associate in this endeavor (at about the same time Byron glanced over at her). She smiled, giving him that pretty, white teethed, broad grin. He smiled back. She never let on that she thought he was driving like a maniac (even though the death-grip she had on the roll-bar should have given him a hint). Turning her head Lara looked back to the rear seat. Her eyes focused on Amelia Sanchez. She could see that the jungle guide was being bounced around as much as she, maybe more. They may get killed before ever reaching the outlying area of the hidden city. Not that she hadn't been there before, she had.
Lara had come to this region years ago. She'd been accompanied, at that time, by her acquaintance and dear friend Jonah Maiava. They had had quite the adventure. They had faced death many times, and, had saved the world. Of course saving the world to Lara was much like getting up in the morning and brushing her teeth. She didn't view the things that she did as spectacular.
(Lara believed in a greater..."Conscious Good", a "Universal Morality" or "Cosmic Righteousness". She didn't believe that the "Scales of Justice" were necessarily balanced. She felt that between the measures of good and evil the edge always tilted in good's favor. It may only be a slight advantage but sometimes that was all that was needed. Lara believed that there was something up in the heavens looking out for us, watching out for humanity. If there hadn't been, then we would have definitely destroyed ourselves by now. Still, Lara believed that there was no one faith, no single religion which had all the answers)
Anyway, here she was again, on the road to Paititi. Byron Platt was certain that he'd been given a treasure map. The organization that he was working for had given him the confidence that he was on the right path...and, what were her thoughts about Amelia Sanchez...? Well she wasn't sure about that fellow. He was quiet most of the time, and rarely smiled (was he mistrusting of her?).
Lara knew that she must stay vigilant. There was no dropping her guard or getting comfortable. The jungle would show no mercy for anyone waking up in the morning with their throat cut. The Tomb Raider was back in the wild, and as such, had to be just as wild.
************** Suspicions **************
After driving as far as their vehicle could carry them, Lara, Byron and Amelia stowed the jeep in some bushes, doing their best to conceal it, and then continued their journey on foot.
Their backpacks filled with the supplies they'd need, the three headed off in what was said to be the path of the hidden city. Still, Lara knew they were going in the wrong direction. With Amelia in the lead, she was wondering what the "jungle guide" was up to. However, she stayed quiet for now. They traversed another ten miles before they came to a stop and the Peruvian said that they needed to make camp for the night. Lara had questions, but she held her tongue. Calling Byron aside she quietly voiced her concern.
"Byron, are you sure about this guy? How well did you check him out?"
Her associate looked at her.
"Well enough," he answered. "He supposed to be one of the best, and comes highly recommended. Why?"
"I don't know," Lara didn't want to lay all of her cards on the table, not yet anyway. "He just seems a bit questionable is all..."
"Well, is it because he doesn't like you," Byron asked?
"Doesn't like me, what?"
"Yeah...He told me in the lobby of the hotel after meeting you. He has some concerns."
"Well it goes both ways," Lara answered. "I've been on many treasure hunts, and sometimes there are bodies found, and they aren't all ancient...get my meaning?"
Of course Byron understood.
"Lara don't worry...Amelia is trustworthy, I guarantee it. Besides, there are two of us, so it's two against one."
He turned to look at the man as he swung his sharp machete clearing a wider campsite for them, and then he turned back to Lara.
"And too, you've got me to protect you," he said. He raised he arm and flexed his bicep. "With pythons like these bet I could scare the life out'ta real pythons in this jungle." He smiled at her.
"I feel so safe," Lara said with a touch of sarcasm.
It was oblivious to her that her "protector" hadn't noticed the tone of humor in her response.
END PART 2
