Chapter three

About 2 days later.

Zip and Alister got out of the car after a long trip to the doctors, Alister's arm was now in a sling and it had to stay like that for 2 weeks. How could he carry heavy books with one arm? Zip paused outside the door, the snow had gone down but it was still freezing and deep "Well Zip, I'm freezing my ass off here!" Moaned Alister, tutting impatiently. "Hang on Al, I hear voices" Zip replied, putting a finger to his lips. "Its Alister!" Alister snapped, walking up to the door and putting his ear to it. "And you call me sneaky!" Exclaimed Zip, doing the same. The voices were a bit muffled but Alister could make out some words. There was an American Male voice and a British female voice, no mistaking who they were.

"What...bout…"

"…. Tell…and Alister"

"…Not?"

"…they…freak out"

"…about….mission"

"what…it?"

Suddenly Alister sneezed loudly and the voiced stopped. Zip glared at Alister and pushed him a couple of steps back from the car. He did the same. Lara opened the door just as Zip and Alister started walking forward again. "Oh I thought I heard something!" Exclaimed Lara; looking at the footprints they left, leading to the door, then away, then too again. Lara raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "A bit obvious isn't it?" Alister mumbled to Zip as they walked inside. "Well…"started Lara, throwing her backpack over one shoulder "Me and Kurtis are off tonight"

"On a romantic get away?" Zip teased. Lara laughed and begun walking up the stairs. "No, where going to India to explore some ruins. Rumor has it that a priceless artifact rests somewhere there."

Alister brightened at the mention of "priceless artifact" and we seemed to forget about his arm, taking a few steps forward while asking "What kind of artifact?"

Lara seemed to ponder over this "We…we don't know actually. We just know its there. Any way you a zip will have the house to yourselves for about a week" Alister seemed to loose colour in his face again "And don't worry, Zip installed a new security system, you wont get anymore gun wielding maniacs trying to kill you" She laughed, looking over at Kurtis who pretended he wasn't listening. "Anyway, were leaving tonight, right after Zip cooks us a nice dinner".

Zip looked up at Lara "What!?"

"You heard me"

"But-"

"We all know you can cook Zip. Or do you want Kurtis and I to starve, forced to live off the meat of the people and animals we kill in the jungle?"

Zip paused for a while "…yes I do!" He exclaimed, before walking into the kitchen and slamming the door shut. He opened the door again and yelled "frozen Pizza it is!" before going back in.

"Erm…Lara?" Mumbled Kurtis, walking up the stairs next to her, "How long did you say this trip would be?"

"A week maybe" Lara replied "Why?"

"Wondering that's all"

Lara looked at him carefully before climbing the rest of the stairs and walking into her room. Kurtis followed but turned and walked into his spare bedroom. Alister stood there for a while thinking. He sighed deeply as he walked into the kitchen to Annoy Zip.

The kitchen was a mess. Food lay everywhere, the milk had tipped over on the bench and was dripping onto the floor. Alister gasped in disgust and looked around for Zip. He had his head in the fridge and was mumbling some crap about every one knowing he was once a chef. "Zip?" called Alister. Zip jumped in surprise and whacked his head on the fridge ceiling. Oh hell Alister you scared the crap out of me!"

"What are you…doing?"

"Looking for the frozen pizza"

"Hello? Its Lara's house, she doesn't eat things like pizza!"

"What so I actually have to cook her a real dinner?"

"Don't ask me, you're the one who's worked in the best restaurants in Europe" Laughed Alister mockingly.

"Shut up….Al. What am I meant to make?"

Alister thought for a moment "…get take away" he mumbled finally before walking out. "And its Alister!" he called out over his shoulder, smirking.

Later that night Lara and Kurtis were in the lounge, about to leave when Zip and Alister walked in. Lara looked at them for a second and bit her lip. "Well boys, where off. We should be back in a week and Zip" Lara tapped her head set "Ill be in contact"

"No live feed?" Zip asked

Lara smiled fakely and walked up to him "Kurtis didn't want any, He's acting a little strange, I want you lads to call me every now and then. After all I don't know if I can't trust him fully, after he stole my painting in the Lourve" She whispered before turning to Alister. "I want you to research every "unknown artifact" that you can in India OK?" Alister nodded. "Lovely, See you boys in a few days!" She called following Kurtis out the door. "You think she'll be OK?" Asked Zip once they had gone.

"I don't know but we had better stay in contact with out that Kurtis mans knowledge, just in case"

"Good idea. Ill set it up now" Alister watched Zip walk away before shaking his head and walking up into the library slowly. Thinking about what Kurtis was up too. He paused at the door "Hey Zip!" He called out

"What?" Zip called back

'What did Lara say about the lourve?"

There was a long pause

"Something about Kurtis stealing her painting"

"Do you know what she meant by that?"

Another pause

"No idea man"

Alister pondered over what she meant. He only saw 2 options, either question Lara over it and get humiliated, shot, punched or all of the above or to read her journal, without her knowledge of course because other wise he would definitely get humiliated, shot punched or all of the above. Alister smiled and crossed the stairs before slipping silently into Lara's room.

Zip squinted at the screen, he had a massive headache and was setting up the head set live feed. He had been trying for the last 15 minutes but Lara and Kurtis were probably in the air by now and out of range. Zip sighed loudly and got up to get an aspirin when suddenly Alsiter came running down the stairs, practically jumping. He was clutching something light beige in his good hand. "What the hell are you doing?" questioned Zip, trying to make out what he was waving in Zips face "Found it!" Exclaimed Alister, throwing open a book marked page and reading it aloud. "This is from 2003" he added, looking up over his glasses. "After spending so much bloody time getting that damned painting, the blue eyed stranger took it, He cornered me in an alcove in the Lourve and took it right out of my back pack, just like that, holding a bloody gun to my head. Then trying to decapitate me with his…whatever it is! I got bloody knocked out too. I need to find him and get it back before he gets rid of it for good" Alister looked up again to see Zip staring at him opened mouthed. Zip figured it must be Lars journal. "There's more" Alister continued. "Locked in an airlock. Brilliant. The stranger just keeps getting better and better, He locked me in here. And left me to die. Luckily I had my (well its mine now) trusty periapt shard, oh yes certainly coming back now. He's been about an hour so far; I wonder how long this will take. Why do you think I like wide-open spaces? I'm a tad claustrophobic. Wait, perhaps…. I could cli..." Alister stopped "And it ends there" he said. But there's one shorter page. "Well, looks as if were together now, he came back. And now I trust him. I can't believe myself. Although I'm not sure if it was wise, Echart is…"

"The rest of the page is torn off. Then it says stuff about Kurtis being dead and it says something about a man named Karel but not everything, it just stops" Mentioned Alister.

Zip was quiet for a while "We need to keep an eye on Lara" he said quietly.

DUN DUN DUN, Next chapter lets say…a few days. Thanks to buddies at KZAA for inspiration!