Chapter Five – Amanda's Research
"And according to Amanda's research, it's here."
James Rutland, Tomb Raider Legend
Lara returned to Croft Manor that very day. By the time she got there, it was already dark, for the English weather had soon grown bored with the summer sunshine. Lara hadn't even bothered with a bath, and was still filthy when she walked into the library, where Zip and Alister were waiting. It was hard for Alister to conceal his disgust at her dirty figure, and even Zip winced.
"All right. Give me everything you have."
Zip tapped away at a computer on the desk, while Alister filled her in.
"The Tomb of Forgotten Memories was where all the great people who had wielded Excalibur went when they died, if they hadn't been lucky enough to find a gateway to Avalon first. Their servants went there as well."
"But what did . . ." Lara stopped. They didn't know about the dead coming to life. The camera and mike had both gone offline at that point, and if she bought it up, despite all they'd seen together, she didn't feel confident enough to tell them.
"I saw something when the camera went offline, an . . . inscription. It said "What you are searching for is evil. We tried to force our way through, and now we are trapped. Here for the command of the book." What does that mean?"
Alister looked at her. He could see that something was wrong.
"That . . . inscription probably refers to the people in the tomb. Trapped? Possibly they are unable to pass on."
Lara looked pensieve. Alister leaned over the table.
"I think that there was more going on in that temple than you would lead us to believe."
Lara nodded, placing her knuckle in her mouth. She had always done that when she was upset. Even when she was a child.
Without a word, she placed the book on the table. Alister turned it around, and glanced at the first few pages.
"It contains the names of everyone buried here."
"What about that part at the start?"
Alister read it.
"It's Latin. It commands . . . the dead to . . . rise for their . . . final purpose." He looked up, suddenly understanding the look in Lara's eyes.
"Oh, Lara. It wasn't . . . Lara I'm sorry."
She buried her head in her hand, then sniffed, her eyes glistening. Then, all of a sudden, she looked up.
"Any other leads?" she asked.
"Yes. We have some of Amanda's research." Zip said. Lara looked at him.
"Really? How much?"
"We've got about half of it off Rutland Senior. He kept the other half back, he wants more money."
Lara sighed.
"Lets have a look," she said, pulling across a large folder. She flipped it open and flicked through.
It was a treasure hunter's dream. Here, there were theories on what the stone daises were. Here, there were images of Excalibur. Here there was a thirteenth century image of the Lady of the Lake. And here . . . the Gates of Avalon. Lara's hands trembled as she turned the pages, looking at the drawings and examining the writing of her own friend, made years ago.
The daises are the only ways into Avalon, and there were only four of those made, three of which have been used. Each dais is placed at a specific point where the fabric of the universe is weak. This is why there are only four of them. However, there is one other way in; the Gateway. It is not positioned at a point of weakness, and therefore requires immense amounts of power to function. However, what is clear about the gateway is that it has the power to function for a longer amount of time, allowing the gateway to stay open and allow more than one passage through either way. In theory, the gateway could function multiple times, but in practice the entire contraption is highly unstable, and could possibly explode if open too long.
Lara felt her pulse racing again as she realised what this meant. If Amanda was right then there was not only a way into Avalon, but also a way back. She turned to the next page, but the research ended there. On the back of the page, there was a picture, a symbol of a triangle.
"What did you say about this research? Rutland has the other half?"
"That's what he's saying. He just wants more money, basically."
Laa considered the symbol for a moment.
"He's a liar."
Zip looked up. The light of adventure was tingling again in Lara's eyes.
"Amanda always used to admire the Illuminati for their use of symbols, so she adopted the Illuminati triangle as her own symbol. Anything like this that had the symbol on would have been hidden by her in her vault. I can remember her paranoia, and it must have only increased when we . . . abandoned her."
Alister watched her for a moment.
"So the rest of the research is in Amanda's vault?"
"Yes," Lara said. She was already getting up. She walked to the door of the study, then turned.
"Zip, I want you to study the research, see if there are any clues as to where the vault could be located. I also want you to track down that assassin. Find out where he's been, and if there are any common denominators. Alister, call Rutland again. Let him know we're on his tail."
Alister nodded. Lara turned to leave, but then:
"Has it occurred to you, Lara, that we're chasing shadows here?"
Lara looked back. Alister looked uncomfortable.
"It's just that . . . we have no idea where the other gemstones are. It's a big world, and lets face it, we don't even know who else is after them. And even if we did, they have an army of mercenaries at their disposal. We've got virtually no leads, we don't know where the vault is, or how it is disguised."
"What are you saying?" Lara said, her voice tight with emotion. Alister took a deep breath.
"What I'm saying, is that we're not likely to be getting very far with this. We've already lost one friend. What if it's Nishimura next time, or Zip, or you?"
Lara looked at Zip, and found that he was looking up. They had obviously discussed this earlier.
"You're living in the past, Lara. It's time to look to the future." Alister went on. "You could sell the gem, make another fortune and continue your exploits. Maybe even settle down for a while."
There was a long silence. Then, Lara took a single stride towards Alister.
"Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once," she said, cold fury blazing in her voice. Zip and Alister visibly quailed. "Until I have exhausted every single way into Avalon, until I am dead or unable to continue, I will find a way in. I will bring her back, and make up for my mistake." The next words were spoken with such absolute conviction and determination that Lara almost rose into the air.
"My father died looking for her. And so will I. I will find her. Even if it takes forever."
She glared at them, and for a second, no one did anything. They had almost stopped breathing. Lara turned on her heel, and walked out of the room.
The next day
After a refreshing bath and a good nights sleep, Lara felt much better. Her entire figure seemed to radiant light as she descended the steps into the living room of Croft Manor. Winston was sitting at the coffee table with a tray of teacups and a teapot.
"Morning," Lara said, sitting down.
"Good morning, Lady Croft," he said, pouring a cup of tea for her. She picked it up on the saucer and drank. Winston smiled and pushed a folder across the table towards her. She put the cup down and opened the flap, taking a wad of digital photos out. The images featured a large temple, set deep in a forest. The second picture contained an image of a car drawn up alongside the entrance, and a shadow of a helicopter could be seen. The next image featured a male getting out of the jeep. Even with the poor quality, Lara could make a good guess at who it was. The last image was of the helicopter touching down. Lara could see a silhouette of an unusually tall male standing in the hatch, dressed completely in black robes. Unfortunately, Lara couldn't make out his face. Attached to this image was a post-it note. Lara recognised Zip's scruffy handwriting: Positive identity for man in car: Akiba Juden. Man in helicopter – unrecognisable. Photos taken by journalist, body turned up yesterday afternoon floating in a river.
"Do you believe that they are looking to activate the gateway?" Winston asked.
"Yes. They broke into the monastery to look for the gemstones, or to activate the dais. They want to get into Avalon," Lara answered, looking through the photos again. Above the temple doors, which were locked, she could see a triangle cut into the rock.
"That's it." She said. She stood up decisively. "Winston, get me the location of the temple off Zip, then prepare my hand luggage. I want to be there in under twelve hours."
It didn't take long for Lara to reach the island of Madagascar. The bright sunshine seemed to highlight every colourful fruit and berry, reflecting off the turquoise waves that lapped hungrily around the island. It was simply beautiful, Lara thought, surveying the island from her vantage point at the top of a cliff. Dressed once again in her brown shirt, she examined the entire island with her binoculars. Beyond the cliffs, she could see small towns along the edge of the water, but much of the island was covered with dense jungle. She peered over the cliff, and almost tripped over something lying on the floor: an abandoned tripod. It had obviously been used to support a camera. Lara carefully nudged it with her toe.
This must be where the photographer took the photos she thought, and placed the binoculars to her eyes again. She suddenly saw dark grey smoke roiling above the treetops. Exhaust! She zoomed in closer towards the ground, and finally spotted the jeep. Between the trees, she could also spy the temple, and marching up the steps . . .
"Aha, there's our elusive mister Juden. I'll be paying him a visit soon enough," Lara said. Zip whistled in her ear.
"Oooh, I'd hate to be him!"
Lara replaced the binoculars before sliding, quickly but steadily, down the cliff to the bottom of the cliff. Drawing both guns, she yelled through the trees:
"Hey, Juden!"
Instantly, the man stopped, turning around and drawing a rifle. Another man was getting out of the jeep. Marching through the trees, Lara shot him twice. He fell, blood spilling over the seat as he slumped backwards, then fell out and hit the floor with a dull thud. Juden aimed the rifle at her but, too late, she fired. Both shots found their marks; one in the left shoulder and one in the right thigh. Juden's body crumpled, the rifle slipped out of his grasp as he tumbled down the stairs and hit the jungle floor right at Lara's feet.
"I'm here to terminate your employment. Rather unexpectedly, I know, but we feel that we no longer require your services. Now," she said firmly, for Juden showed signs of butting in, "Who are you working for?"
Juden looked up, his face impassive. Even the bullets buried deep in his arm and leg seemed not to hurt him.
"You'll get nothing from me!" he hissed. Even his eyes were snakelike. Lara looked straight into them, and said "If you do not tell me, I will kill you."
The assassin laughed. "I killed your friend, and still you give me an opportunity to live?" He spoke with an extremely strong accent, but Lara couldn't quite place it. "At least I will die having fulfilled my purpose. You . . . you are incomplete. You won't give up! But neither will he, and he is better, he has more!"
"More what?" Lara asked desperately, determined to gain some information about her enemy.
"More knowledge, more ideas, more resources!" Juden spat. "And he has something that you don't know! You may have a gemstone and the sword, but he will have power that he can hold in the palm of his hand! He will be invincible!" Lara stared at him. She stared into his eyes and saw insanity. This was a man grasping at the edge of death.
He had killed her friends.
She raised her pistol to his head.
Her finger tightened on the trigger.
She fired.
Birds erupted from the nearby trees in alarm. Juden slumped forward, hitting the floor. Lara stared into his cold dead eyes with no emotion. Then she turned, and began to climb the temple steps.