Chapter 9

"God, I'm so sick and tired!" Ayla exclaimed as she sat on her bed. It had been a week after the battle with Rouze, five days after her arrival in Prague. Here she was, in another cheap hotel, trying to figure out what to do.

During the past five days, she'd been everywhere, from the posh high-society clubs to the holes where junkies lay. No one seemed to know anything about the Cabal; those who did were too scared to say anything. I need to get out or I'm going to lose what's left of my mind! She thought as she slammed the door behind her.

An hour later, Ayla was sitting across the Grand Clock (she didn't know its actual name), sipping on a latté. A tall man came and sat across her table. She was about to tell him off, but he started speaking: "Don't misunderstand me Ayla, I mean well."

Ayla's eyebrows went up in surprise. "How do you know my name?"

"It doesn't matter, I know what you're after."

"And that would be?"

"Rouze. Revenge. The Cabal. How am I doing so far?" The man's green eyes glistened sarcastically.

Ayla nodded. "Not bad for a stranger," she mocked.

"Cal me Ivan."

"Ok, Ivan. What's on your mind?" Ayla raked her hair back with her fingers and waited for his reply.

Ivan leaned forward. "I have maps of the sewers. We can reach the Cabal via the tunnels."

"We? No way, Ivan. I go in there alone."

"No way Ayla, we go in together," Ivan replied, imitating Ayla. "I have unfinished business with Rouze." As he said that, Ayla noticed the scar that stretched across his cheekbone.

"He did that to you?"

"It's beyond that. He killed a colleague of mine. Luddick. It happened when Luddick was preparing a story about the Cabal."

"You're a journalist seeking for revenge then." Ayla paused. "Why should I believe you? You could be one of Rouze's men, luring me in the sewers to kill me."

Ivan shrugged. "Could be Ayla. Could be. You just have to trust your instincts."

Ayla's instincts told her not to let her guard down. "Very well. I trust you enough to help me. So, what do we do?"

Just then, the large clock stroke twelve; Ivan waited for the sound to die down. Meet me here an hour later. I'll have gathered all my supplies and so would you. You'd better be quick Ayla."

She shout him an enquiring look as she left the latté money on the table. "Agreed."

You're not the only one with a plan, she thought as she headed to the hotel.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Ayla grumbled as she followed Ivan through the sewers.

Ivan didn't reply as he walked on. He stopped in front of a ladder. "This is it."

Ayla silently took out her gun. "Indeed Ivan, it is." She shot him in the back of his neck. He let out a low groan as he fell down on the concrete with a thud and splash.

Ayla took his backpack and closed his eyes. "Sorry dear, I just couldn't trust you enough." She climbed up the ladder and opened the sewer lid. At last, I shall have my vengeance! She thought triumphantly.

A few days earlier…

"Yes, Miss Lavrenovich, it's me again. Yes, I need to know where she is at the moment. Sure, I can wait."

Kurtis was at the airport, trying to locate Ayla (as you may have guessed). He had a bad keeling about her. According to what Miss Lavrenovich had said, her resurrection may have altered her personality, making her a bit unstable Kurtis had to find her and help her out.

"Mr. Trent, Ayla is in Prague, Czech Republic. Albert Rouze lives there too. I think she's after revenge, not just the trinket you're looking for. Now, for my bill-"

Kurtis cut her off. "When this is all done, I'll pay for all your expenses. Goodbye." Kurtis slammed the receiver and headed to the nearest flight agency. Lucky for him, a passenger had cancelled his flight, so Kurtis bought the plane ticket and dashed to the gate. Soon he was in the plane, heading to Prague.

In the meantime, Lara was still in Yowan-Te's temple, encountering pits of all sorts. Her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth, so she took a sip from her water bottle. Then she headed to the room, which seemed to be the final chamber.

"Congrats, my dear. You managed to survive all the obstacles." It was Yowan-Te, standing near the north wall.

Lara shrugged. "Thank you, I guess. So, do you know where the first half of the boomerang?"

Yowan-Te made a gesture towards the north wall. On the wall seemed to be a jigsaw puzzle. "When you complete the puzzle, it will reveal a riddle. Good luck."

Te hissed and both disappeared behind a puff of smoke that smelled like sulfur.

"Let's see what we've got," murmured Lara.

Compared to most puzzles she'd solved in the past, this jigsaw puzzle was quite easy, and Lara finished it in no time. The riddle she was expecting had revealed: "It has no door nor lid, but inside a treasure is hid." Below were three buttons: One shaped like a dagger, one shaped like an egg, and the one on the far left was shaped like a eucalyptus leaf. This is easy, Lara thought as she pushed the egg-shaped button. A tile slid loudly on the floor, revealing a shaft that went down. Finally, Lara thought as she jumped down.

There it was, right in front of her feet! She picked up the first half of the broken boomerang. It was plain, wooden and brown; one wouldn't think it had such an importance. One down, one to go, Lara thought triumphantly as she climbed out.