Disclaimer: Don't own Tomb Raider, please don't sue me
Summary: See Previous Chapters

CHAPTER SIX

Colloqually referring the the weekly movie discount sessions as 'Tight-ass Tuesday' didn't actually stop anyone from taking advantage of said discount. As such, the local movie theatres found their half-price sessions crammed full of students, seniors, and anyone else in the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum.

Addy and Jaci indulged whenever they were between missions and could afford it. This time, John found himself being dragged along, because friendship and teamwork meant extending invitations to do things outside of professional interactions. According to Jaci, anyway, and John didn't exactly disagree.

He'd been looking for an excuse to watch that particular movie, anyway, and 'outvoted by new co-workers' was a good excuse if he had to talk his way out of getting beaten up for seeing a movie marketed for girls. His new friends might have long experience with ignoring toxic expectations, but John didn't.

Halfway through the movie, John frowned at the row in front of them, where a collage-aged young woman had her phone out and pointed at the screen, recording. "Isn't it illegal to film inside a theatre? Especially once the film has actually started?"

Addy hated the shiver of dread that shot down her spine. "Yes, but it you have to do something, report it directly to the theatre. Calling her out will only cause trouble."

John's brow furrowed in confusion, but he did as she said. At least they were near the isle, so he didn't cause much of a fuss. Jaci hunched down in their seat, gripping Addy's hand tightly and trying to appear less noticeable.

The lady in the next row lowered her phone, then turned and glared at them. Addy fixed her eyes firmly on the screen, praying to whatever powers might owe her a favour that she wouldn't end up a statistic on the evening news. It would be in that higher power's best interest; Addy couldn't keep restoring relics if she was legally murdered by an overly zealous cop.

No such luck.

Addy felt, as much as saw, Jaci cringe, and barely held back her own instinctive flinch, as the woman unleashed her vitrol on them. "You have no grounds to complain about me, bitch!"

Her voice was significantly louder than was appropriate for the inside of a theatre, but Addy forced herself not to respond. Fear made her stiffen in her chair as the woman continued to rant, her friend already dialling on her own phone. "I'll get the cops on you for assault, and the bitch with you can go back over the border where she came from!"

Addy had faced countless threats, many of them supernatural, and had made her way through countless temples that posed a far greater threat to her life than one entitled white brat who looked like she could barely lift a suitcase. Yet, it was the spoiled mortal that rendered her speechless and immobile with terror and the possibility of her own death. That, more than anything else, infuriated her.

Beside them, another white woman shifted, leaning forward to block the filmer's view of Addy. "The only one causing problems here is you, lady. Back off and shut up."

Luckily for all concerned, John and a few members of theatre security chose that moment to appear, restraining the filmer before she could lunge at the woman who had been kind enough to intervene. John pointedly positioned himself between Addy and the now-enraged patron, and for a few shining moments it seemed like everything would be fine.

Then the actual police showed up, along with the theatre Manager and Mall Security. They zeroed in on the commotion, and Addy felt her heart stop in her chest. The police wouldn't dare open fire inside a crowded theatre, but once the movie let out…

Her terrified train of thought was derailed when the woman who had spoken up on their behalf earlier leaned forward, pasting a customer service smile on her face. "Thank you for responding. These two," (she gestured to Phone Girl and her friend) "tried to attack me, and have been disturbing the entire film after one of the other patrons mentioned getting security because they were pirating."

Phone Girl all but screamed in outrage, which didn't really help her case. "I was just sending it to a friend! You're discriminating against me!"

With an actual confession, the Police assisted the ushers in removing Phone Girl, and the entire theatre relaxed, just in time for the end credits to start tolling.

Following the flow of people toward the exit, Addy smirked at Jaci as John wriggled through the crowd to catch up with the woman who had diverted the cops. "Hey, thanks for sticking up for my friends."

She smiled briefly, tucking a flyaway lock of brown hair behind her ear. "No problem. What good is the sword of Privilage if it can't be used to smite the ones who abuse it and defend those who are persecuted?"

Her companion, walking on the woman's other side, rolled their eyes. "She's an opinion writer; she can't help sounding like a greeting card. 'Ri, this is why I hate taking you anywhere."

'Ri's smile dropped. "You hate taking me anywhere because your basic decency becomes obvious in its absence as soon as there's anyone to compare you against."

She stalked off, and John watched her go, a hint of admiration in his eyes. Jaci nudged him. "You can run after her and ask for her phone number, you know."

John shook his head. "Nah, I don't have the time to devote to a relationship that she would deserve. If she's an opinion writer, there'll be a piece about this in a few days, and I can trawl through the webs to find her public contact and send a less-personal message. Chasing her down is creepy."

Addy wasn't entirely sure that tracking the lady down through her work was less creepy, but the intention was sweet. Jaci's raised eyebrow spoke volumes about their opinion of John's chances, but it wasn't as abysmal as it could be.

Addy shook herself out of that line of thought, and changed the subject. "How is that security program of yours going?"

John perked up a little. "Nearly finished. I'll have all the bugs out by the time we have customers."

The code was simplistic, but it was a relief that they didn't need to remind him to be discreet in public. "Well, we rarely last more than a few weeks between commissions, so don't get too comfortable."

Now that Addy considered it, the time between missions had been getting shorter and shorter, coinciding with reports of temples that suddenly started deteriorating more rapidly. That bore further consideration, and possibly another talk with Maiara. There was one obvious conclusion for the increase, but Addy really, really hoped that she was wrong about it.

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A/N: The events in this chapter are something that happened to me late last year, except I was actually escorted out of the theatre on potential charges of assault after tapping a woman on the shoulder and telling her that snapchatting videos of the film was piracy, not to mention extremely rude and disruptive for the other patrons.
I'm not black, and Australian Police generally don't go around armed, but it still left me quite shaken, not the least because I am autistic, another minority frequently at risk from American Police, and because I work as a carer for vulnerable people, and a charge of assault could easily see me fired and blacklisted.

Feedback is always appreciated.
Thanks,
Nat