alright my fellow readers... i FINALLY have this chapter up! a big thank you to Janelle Winter and Emily Hayes for being my "editorial" assistants! i love ya guys!
This one is pretty long, purposely so you guys can have some more to read. anyways i DON'T OWN ANYTHING- except for Vasiliev. alright enough small talk here's the chapter!

When Lara awoke, she found herself lying in a small yet very comfortable bed. Looking around she started to remember the events leading up to her collapse. She was still in the same room, but instead of just having a chair and a small table, it now also contained the bed she was laying on. Nearby were two small circular tables and a digital clock. However, what was peculiar about the clock was the fact that instead of gaining minutes, it kept on decreasing them. It read; 22:43.

Lara got up, rubbing the back of her head. What the hell happened to me? Suspiciously sitting on one of the tables was a small package. She walked up to it and opened the note placed on top.

–Might as well enjoy your last 24 hours pleasantly. Put this on, we're going out tonight.

-Alex

A small smile formed on Lara's lips. She gazed at the mysterious package. Suspicion and curiosity took hold of her, and she gently ripped the brown cardboard material. Lara's expression progressed from curiosity to complete bewilderment. She held up the maroon-colored corset top. It was gracefully laced with Mahogany and Crimson ribbon. Ornate diamonds clung to the reddish fabric, twinkling in the dim light. You've got to be kidding me. She carefully placed the shimmering top down on the table. Looking at the remaining clothing items in the box, she pulled out a dark denim mini skirt. Alex has quite the imagination. She smiled to herself and glanced around. If this was going to be her only time out of this god forsaken cubical, she wasn't just about to pass up the opportunity to escape.

Lara hurried over the wall with the heavy door. With new clothes in hand, she slipped out of her current attire. The white button-down shirt and dark blue shorts came off, and Lara once again eyed the skirt and corset suspiciously. She drew in a deep breath and slipped into the new garments.

There was a quiet knock on the door, and then it creaked open.

"Hey, you ready? We've got to get going before the club closes down for the night." It was Alex; his deep voice filled the air.

"Yes," Lara stepped into the light. "Where are we going?"

He ignored her question. "Wow, Lara. I'm, speechless." He slightly chuckled.

Lara stared at Alex, shivers tickling up and down her spine. She glared at him, but with a hint of a smile accumulating on her lips. You've got no idea what you're getting yourself into Alex. As if she were a ballerina, she gracefully turned 360 degrees and strode over towards the door.

"Looking pretty good yourself Alex" she passed by him and stood by the open door. He took her by the hand and led her out into the corridor.

"Vasiliev owns this place, quite interesting from what I've heard." He glanced sideways at her. The movement reminded Lara of someone else. Kurtis.

Deep pounding music could be heard in the distance. As they made their way through the dim concrete corridors, Vasiliev stepped out from one of the other rooms and stopped, obstructing Alex's path.

"What do you think you're doing? She's in no condition to leave that room!" He spat at Alex. His cone-shaped baldhead was glowing red, and anger was evident in his voice.

"Hey, relax." Alex pressed his hand against his jacket, "If she runs, she won't go far." He winked at Vasiliev. "Plus, we wouldn't want such a famous guest to die bored now would we? Come on Lara." He nudged his head towards the exit.

Just as Alex and Lara were almost out of reach, Vasiliev yanked his arm out and grabbed Alex. "If she gets away, I will hold you fully responsible for her escape, understand?" he gritted his teeth "Do you understand?"

Alex turned his head to face him, sighed, and chuckled. He shook away the Russians' grip and continued making his way down the corridor and up the stairs with Lara.

The nightclub was packed with nocturnal beings. Benny Benassi's "Illusion" pounded through bodies like vibrating drums. The steady beat pumped through Lara's sick body. Occasionally random men would stare at her like some sort of object of lust. It disgusted her the way society had down graded itself.

"You wanna dance?" Alex watched her observe her surroundings. She stood so stiffly, it almost looked like she had stacks of books balancing on her head. "From the way you're standing I'd assume you have stick up your ass." He grinned, and Lara couldn't help but smile either.

She turned to face him; looked straight into his eyes and simply replied, "I'd love to dance with you"

Smiling he took her hand and led the way onto the crowded dance floor. Dancers we're grinding to the sensual hypnotic beat. Neon and strobe lights quickly flashed rhythmically to the music.

Alex turned around to face Lara. They both were getting sweaty; the heat from other dancers lingered around them. They moved together as one, first only dancing apart, but as the music pounded through their bodies they slid together. Lara wrapped her arm around his lean neck and pressed close. He shifted his muscled arms from her waist to her hips, and their bodies rocked together.

Sometimes I wonder why,

We have no limits.

Everything we do is timed,

To find out who we are.

As the music vibrated though their close bodies, an idea formed in Lara's mind. She turned around, facing away from him, and guided her toned arm up his chest and around his neck again. She smiled to herself as they continued dancing.

"Alex!" his name was being bellowed out. "Alex!" Lara turned her head in the calling direction. It was one of Vasiliev guards. Alex jerked his head to face the guard.

"What!" he growled. Turning to fully face the large man, he finally took his eyes off Lara.

"We found the Key; it's located in her estate." He paused, "Alex, she's useless now." The guard stared blankly at Alex.

Now, you go now! Lara couldn't make herself move for a moment; it was like some other force was completely controlling her. She quickly glanced around, saw an exit sign and ran towards it for her life. The floor was crowded, so instead of going straight she zigzagged around to the bar, and then back towards the DJ booth.

Alex was still talking to guard. "Alright, I'll take care of it." He spun his head around. That little bitch. Lara was gone.

She was watching him, making sure he didn't see her. If anything she didn't want to get caught trying to escape. She seated herself on the bar stool facing Alex's direction. Lara enjoyed this little feeling of playing cat and mouse. Every time his line of site passed her, she would inch her way towards the exit.

Alex spun around, looking for Lara. It was like she just disappeared. He glanced at the bar, the stage, and the exits. Silently he cursed himself for being so oblivious. But something caught his eye, the glimmer of diamonds near the bar.

Kurtis's bike tore through the freezing, 3AM, autumn night. He was nearly there, perhaps only a few more kilometers. God, I hope she's alright. With the thought he pressed his bike harder exceeding the speed limit by at least 50. There were no cars on the road, nothing. Every thirty minutes he had passed a gas station, but even those seemed lifeless. It was so desolate that anyone could think they're entering a spiritless abyss. He could see the city by now. The small buildings glimmered in the night, casting a beautiful neon glow. In the distance, Kurtis was able to make out faint music.

Lara chuckled quietly as she strode towards the formidable bouncer that guarded the front door. I can't believe how easy that was-, but as the thought fully wrapped itself around in her head, someone caught her arm.

"And where do you think you're heading?" Alex turned Lara around facing him.

Bloody hell. "It was getting really hot in there, I needed some fresh air." Not. She was hoping it sounded at least a little convincing.

"Oh, really? That's good; I was getting worried, thinking that you were trying to run." Sarcasms lingering, he tightened his grip on Lara's forearm. Lara stubbornly walked back into the crowded building following Alex.

"Sit." He shoved her into the barstool. "Drink?" She shook her head. "Oh come you're going to be dead in less then 24 hours and you refuse a drink?" He glared at her, "If you think you can just waltz out of here alive," he tipped his head, "you've got another thing coming."

"Can I get anything for you sir?"

"You sure can, SoCo-Lime for me, and for this fine lady-"

"Water on the rocks is fine." She interrupted.

Alex seated himself next to Lara. As he did, he couldn't help but eye her exposed legs. The wound in her left thigh seemed to have faded. He took a sip of his beverage and set it back down. The fast paced music beat through the speakers.

Lara finally broke their silence. "Why do you do this? For money? For pride? Why?" She didn't understand why she was reacting this way, but there was something that told her to in the back of her head.

"This? You mean the whole shebang? Well of course it's for money; Vasiliev's giving me £50 million for the Key, which we now know the location of if I may add."

"Oh your little puppets found it didn't they? Well you can tell Vasiliev that it's mine and I will get it back from him." She held her drink in her hand, squeezing the cut lime into the cup then placing it in her mouth and sucking the rest of the juice out.

"Lara, exactly what do you know about the key?" His tone switched from irritation to complete curiosity. He leaned in close to her. "What it does, or can do?"

"Alex one thing I know for sure is that I had a job to do. I did it and got away. Why the hell you want that damn key so badly is not my problem, but what is," She glared at him, eyes narrowing. "Is the fact that you're trying to kill me."

He scoffed, "Well like Vasiliev said. It's insurance."

That was it, something clicked inside of her and she threw herself at Alex. "Help me, help me get out of here. You already have the key; please get me out." She was practically leaning on his knees. Her hand wrapped around his neck. "Please Alex." She softly whispered into his ear.

"Lara," he gently touched her arm and brushed it. "You know I can't let you go. Vasiliev would kill me." He pulled away from her, just far enough so he could clearly see her beautiful face.

"Where's the antidote? Does Vasiliev have it?" She watched his eyes for some sort of answer. He shifted in his seat, obviously mentally deliberating whether to tell her its location.

He let out a soft sigh. "He has it in his office. Remember the room he came out of earlier right before we left? That's his office."

She brushed her lips against his ear, sending shivers through his body. Straddling his left knee, she kissed his soft neck, and then raised her head level to his. Their lips were millimeters apart. Lust and passion ignited in his ocean blue eyes. Lara's arm was still loosely hanging around Alex's neck. She slowly caressed his soft blonde hair while leaning into his ear again.

The music was building, its pace quickened and the speakers roared.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"For what?"

"For this-" she found the crown meridian pressure point on the back of his neck and forced her thumb hard into the soft cartilage. For a second he gripped her arm, but then suddenly slumped over. Lara stood up looking at him and then at the surprised bartender.

"He's had a little too much to drink." Her lips curved into a small smile. She turned and made her way back towards the exit.

"Hey! Stop her!" someone was bawling behind her. Shit. She started running towards the large metal doors, but the massive bouncer shoved his way through in front of her. He grabbed her neck, and Lara's instinctive response was to knee him hard in the groin. It took a few seconds for the pain to fully realize itself, and then he was down on the floor. She continued sprinting, her chest burning, when she finally flew out into the night. She glanced back and saw the men that were chasing her out of the building. She pushed herself harder until she reached the side alley.

"Lara?!" someone hollered from the motorbike parked on the other side of the street. She froze, and it took her a moment to realize who it was.

"Kurtis!" Thank god. She ran towards the bike with all her remaining strength. Kurtis glanced behind her and grabbed one of her pistols from his shoulder holster. "Here-" he threw the pistol to her, and she caught it flawlessly in mid air. Spinning around, she aimed the gun and fired in the direction of the guards. Instantly bullets hailed back, and both Lara and Kurtis jolted behind a large metal dumpster. Kurtis stood up, still under the protection large metal container, leaned out from the side of it and fired off seven shots at the guards. Moments later, low-pitched groans were heard. He glanced at Lara, who looked breathless and confused.

"Lara, we have to go-" he touched her arm and she yanked it back as if she touched something lethal.

Standing up she looked back and saw the guards lying in pools of blood. "How did you know I was here?"

"I'll explain all of this later; right now we need to get as far away from here as possible-"

His words drifted away to subconsciousness and all she could think about was the antidote that awaited her in Vaseliev's office. Her chest burned and she felt like puking. She coughed slightly, but then it turned violent and blood spilled from her lips. Her delicate hand wiped away the crimson liquid, but she fell against the dumpster. Kurtis darted to her side, catching her.

"God Lara, you okay?" he supported her weight as she wiped the excess blood.

"I'm fine- but I need to go back in to get something." She could barely speak. She checked her pistol and looked back at Kurtis. "Six minutes, I'll be back, I promise." Even with her current state, she was still able to cast a small smile.

Then she was gone, fading into the alley's darkness.

well hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. hopefully i'll have the next chapter up sooner. review review REVIEW! click the button... you know you want to : )