Chapter Ten! I have mixed feelings on this one... Sometimes I like it, others I think "What the hell was I thinking when I wrote this?"

Chapter TenScare Tactics

Kurtis couldn't banish the uneasy feeling he had. He'd awoken with the strange sensation that he was being watched, and not by anything friendly, and even as the morning wore on, and he and Lara were preparing to leave, he still kept glancing over his shoulder, expecting something or someone to be there.

"Why so twitchy?" Lara finally asked, shoving her clothes into her bag, "Anytime something moves outside the window, or a door slams somewhere, you look like you're expecting some kind of monster to show up."

Kurtis raised an eyebrow at her, "I am, actually. I can't shake the feelin' that someone's watchin' us."

Lara only shrugged nonchalantly, as if it didn't matter that he could very well have been right. Prepared to start scolding her for that, he almost didn't hear her voice sounding in his head. Don't even think about it. I'm trying to refrain from letting whoever is doing the watching, if anyone, know that we're aware of their presence. If that was her plan, she was certainly doing an amazing job of it. Kurtis shrugged, and let the subject drop, though he kept on alert. Couldn't have their stalker sneaking up on them.

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Lara drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, anxiously, as she drove. Just as she and Kurtis had been about to depart from their hotel, Janine had called. Or at least, she thought it was Janine. The woman was babbling far too fast, and with her accent, it made her difficult to understand. The most Lara had been able to gather was that something had the woman spooked, and considering that this was Janine, Lara doubted it was a mean-tempered mountain lion, or some other mountain critter.

So, she and Kurtis were going to check it out. They would likely be late for their flight back to England, but that was something that could easily be fixed, later on. If Karel had sent some of his goons after them, and they had found out who'd helped her, and her partner, then she doubted whatever would be done to Janine could be so easily remedied. Still tapping her fingers on the wheel, Lara glanced at her rather silent friend. The corner of her mouth twitched upwards, trying to smile, as she watched him. Kurtis simply stared out the window, watching the trees pass by, like a bored teenager, who's been forced to go on a cross-country road-trip. The slight smile vanished, however, when she took the time to think. What was going to happen, once Karel was dead, along with his cronies? It was clear that Kurtis never stayed anywhere for long, as was evident from the fact that just about everything he owned was stuffed in the backpack he had slung over his shoulder. Also evidence to his inability to sit still was the fact that he had even packed all his things, considering this trip had been planned as, and had turned out as, a simple weekend mission.

As silly as she felt for even thinking it, she couldn't help but wonder if it was some sort of security thing, for him. Always being ready to bolt, and never look back if he needed to. But then, maybe it wasn't so silly after all...

She had no more time to dwell on the matter. She barely had time to register the sound of something slamming into the car, and the sound of screeching tires, and crunching metal, before she lost all grip on consciousness.

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It couldn't have been but a few seconds after the car slammed into the bottom of a ditch, as well as the side of the mountain, that Kurtis awakened. If it had been any longer, surely he would have been dead. This assumption was made due to the fact that he knew all too well what the green bits of light flashing everywhere meant. There was a nephilim near by, and said nephilim was responsible for the Lux Veritatis' excruciating headache, busted lip, and various other aches and pains that one acquired when one's car hit a very large, and very immobile bit of rock. Blinking, as if it were going to help him see better through his pain-blurred vision, Kurtis looked towards where Lara should have been. She wasn't there.

Shit shit shit shit shit! his mind repeated as he looked for his companion. What if the nephilim had her? What if they'd figured it out... He spotted her, lying outside, a few feet from car, in the stream. And heading for her was the nephilim Lara had said was called Gabriel. Damn it. Kurtis scrambled over the seats, and out the driver's side door, pulling his chirugai from it's place on his belt as he did so. Since his concentration was on Lara more than it was the weapon, it didn't quite succeed in what he'd planned. Instead of neatly beheading Gabriel, it only sliced through several inches of his throat... Not enough to kill him, but enough slow him down a bit, and to piss him off.

Catching the chirugai, Kurtis knelt next to Lara and pulled her to her feet, as she opened her eyes, as he touched her. He kept an eye on their for-the-moment fallen enemy, and noticed he was already starting to stir. His poor attempt to hit the humans with one of his green bits of flame was easy to avoid. Their car, which had pretty much been totaled by it's intimate encounter with the mountain, wasn't so lucky. The "flame" hit it, setting the inside alight. Not good.

Not wanting to stick around to see if Gabriel's aim improved any when he wasn't in the middle of healing, Lara and Kurtis bolted for the trees, Lara limping slightly, Kurtis' head screaming at him to stop moving before it exploded. Speaking of explosions; the audible proof that their poor little rental was no more came only a minute after they had taken off. It suddenly occured to Kurtis that Lara wasn't the only important thing that the nephilim could be after...

"Fuck!" he muttered, coming to a halt, "Where's the spindle?"

"Here," Lara replied with a nod over shoulder at her pack. It seemed unless she was home, or somewhere where she felt relaxed, she was never without it. Rubbing her knee, which seemed to be the cause of her limping, she spoke again, "We should keep moving, for all we know, he's catching up."

"Where're we headin'?" Kurtis inquired, as they started moving again.

"We still need to check on Janine," Lara informed him, "Especially now. We walked into another trap, I'm afraid."

They had no more time for talk, for a ball of fire hit a tree in the vicinity of their heads... Impressive motivation for 'less talk, more run'.

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He had them... He could kill the Lux Veritatis, and take the woman to Joachim, and the last stage of his brethren's resurrection could begin. Gabriel followed behind his prey, not bothering to rush. There was no way they could outrun him, even if he was still putting energy in making his wound heal faster. Stupid mortal, thinking that he, a nephilim would be any more than simply inconvienced by such an injury. Their efforts to evade him were laughable, as well.

Gabriel raised his hand, prepared to kill the male, when someone blocked his shot.

"Lucas!" he spat, to his younger brother, "Get out of the way!"

Lucas only shook his head. He didn't need to speak to get his message across. Joachim had said to wait, therefore they would.

"Joachim is far too arrogant, little brother," said Gabriel, through clenched teeth, "He thinks that these humans are no threat to him, and that they will fall into place with his plan perfectly! His pride in himself and his assurance that they cannot possibly harm him will be the death of us!"

Again, Lucas simply shook his head, his green eyes locked with his brother's black ones, willing him to back down, and obey the orders they had been given.

Gabriel looked over his brother's shoulder, and saw that the humans were no where to be see, "DAMN IT, LUCAS!" he shouted, more angry at Joachim then his little brother. Lucas' presence, after all, had to be Joachim's doing. Without another word, Gabriel turned, and headed back the way he'd come, his long leather coat snapping loudly at the swift motion.

Lucas watched him for a moment, shoulders sagging a bit, as he sensed his brother's annoyance, then followed his sibling, as he always had, and as he always would. He only interfered out of concern for Gabriel. Joachim would have certainly killed him, if he had succeeded... and if he were to learn of Gabriel's scheme, failed or not. Both Joachim and Gabriel would have called it a weakness, but Lucas did not wish his brother dead. He didn't really wish the humans dead, either. But his brother said it was necessary if the other nephilim were to be brought back. And Gabriel had never lied to him before.

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"Where... the hell... did he go?" Lara gasped, hand against a tree to support her weight. She had quite impressive stamina, but the non-stop running for at least an hour, with her knee out of whack, made things difficult.

"I have... no clue," Kurtis replied, after waiting a moment to regain some air in his lungs. Air! Sweet mother of oxygen! "And what was up earlier? I thought I lost you back there."

"I noticed... That we weren't being... bombarded with fireballs anymore. I stopped to see if Gabriel was still following us..." she shook her head, "He'd stopped. He was talking to Lucas. Couldn't hear what was being said... But, as strange as this sounds, I think Lucas may have just saved our lives."

"Slightly scary thou-... Fuck me..." When Lara gave him a puzzled look, Kurtis pointed towards a clear path through the trees that allowed them to see the clearing where Janine's home sat. The house had been torched, the wood blackened by flames, the windows shattered and melted.

Lara's hands flew to her mouth, to stifle a gasp, as she made her way towards the burned remains of the house. She stepped out of the trees, and ran for the demolished building, looking for her friend. Kurtis tried to stop her, aware that this could have very well been a trap, before he realized they'd already sprung said trap by even deciding to check on Janine in the first place. With a sigh, Kurtis followed his lover, praying that one of the nephilim, or some of their goons weren't hiding in the trees, or waiting amidst the wreck of a house.

They found Janine, dead, in the trees on the other side of the house. There was a large burn in the center of her back, letting them know what had killed her. Her cell phone was still being held tightly in her hand, open, with a number half-way dialed. It seemed Janine had been running into the woods, trying to call the hotel again, when Gabriel or whoever had hit her in the back with a fireball, effectively ruining any chance she might have had of warning her friend.

Turning towards Lara, to see if she was okay, or on the verge of a breakdown, Kurtis was surprised to see that she was expressionless. The only signs she'd even noticed Janine were her white-as-a-sheet complexion, the anger that was evident in her hazel eyes, and the way her entire body shook with rage. Through the connection to his partner that he could now keep up without even thinking about it, Kurtis could feel the anger rolling off Lara in waves. He was more than certain that he had never seen her that pissed, and he was even more certain that he never wanted to see her that pissed again.

"Lara?" he said, trying to get her to do something other than stand there and stare, "Lara are you still with me?" Kurtis put a hand on her shoulder, half expecting her to shrug it off. Instead, Lara turned towards him, and fell against him, embracing him.

Rather confused about her sudden show of affection, Kurtis took a moment before he wrapped his arms around her.

I wasn't lying when I told him everyone close to me ends up dead. Lara thought to herself, forgetting to be mindful of the connection that, for some odd reason, stayed up constantly between herself and Kurtis, Now Janine... Who's next? Winston, Zip, Alis?...Kurtis?

Despite having heard her thoughts, Kurtis kept his mouth shut, knowing better than to try and start up an argument right then. So, instead, he led Lara away from the body of her friend, back towards the house. He'd seen Janine's truck on the other side. Even if the keys weren't in it, he could hotwire it, and at least get them back to Denver, and to the airport.

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Lara was momentarily distracted from being furious at the nephilim, when the overwhelming need to be furious with Kurtis kicked in. Since her landing spot, when she'd toppled out of their former vehicle, had been a small stream that was more mud than anything else, she needed a change of clothes, before they could even think of going to the airport. The problem with this being that all her clothes had been in the no-longer-in-existence rental car. Kurtis' brilliant solution was that she borrow some of his clothes, which, as alway, he kept in his backpack, meaning he still had all his things.

Begrudingly, Lara agreed, and as such, was now wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, a navy t-shirt that looked exactly like the shirt she'd first seen her american friend in, and green fatigues. She wasn't too fond of her current attire. Kurtis seemed to find it amusing.

Her annoyance with her wardrobe didn't last long, though, for the moment she climbed back into the truck, after changing, she was reminded of Janine, and who had killed her. Jaw tightening as she clenched her teeth, Lara silently swore that she would at least kill Gabriel before all this was over, even if it was the last thing she did... And the way things were going, it likely would be.

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The living room in Croft manor was deathly silent as Lara informed Zip and Alister of what had transpired in Colorado. Both men had known, and been friends with Janine. Actually, Zip had known her longer than Lara had. She'd been one of his chef buddies, before she got into the ranching business, and it had been through her that Lara had met Zip. Taking that into account, it was Zip that Lara was worried about, more than Alis, when she'd spoken of Janine's death, and who had been the cause. Zip was sitting, as per usual, with his feet up on the couch, staring absently into the fire, not saying a word.

After several long minutes, he angrily shoved himself to his feet, and stalked off to his computer lab. Alister looked as though he was considering following his friend, to offer some comfort, but Lara caught his eye, and shook her head. She didn't think Zip would take kindly to any of Alister's likely ill-fated attempts to cheer him up. Not that Alister himself was in much condition to be comforting to anyone. He looked as though he were about to cry, and Lara couldn't blame him.

"You can stop fidgeting," Alister said, out of the blue, "No one's going to persecute you for not being all torn up over this."

Lara had almost forgotten that Kurtis was present, standing off in a corner, looking rather uncomfortable. "Alister's got a point," said Lara, "So you can stop lurking..."

"I'm not lurkin'," Kurtis replied, moving forward, taking a seat next to Lara, "I'm thinkin'...Thinkin' that could have easily been one of us, if whatever happened between Lucas and Gabriel hadn't happened... We walked right into another god damned trap, and this time we came close to kickin' the bucket..."

"This is going where?" Lara asked, wondering if he was getting at what she thought he was.

Kurtis took a deep breath, as if to prepare himself for her wrath, as he spoke, "I think I should go on to Egypt alone, to get the shears...If the nephilim are there... Well, at least they'll have killed someone who's expendable..."

Lara didn't reply right away... She was too busy trying not to instantly start shouting at him that a) she didn't need protecting b) she'd dealt with worse (even though that was a bit of a lie) and most important of all, c) he was most certainly not expendable.

Sensing an argument coming, Alister got to his feet, sniffling a bit, "I'll... I'll just be in the library... Looking for ways to kill our not so angelic friends..." With that, he hurried off.

Lara calmed herself before she spoke, "Who said you were expendable?" she said quietly.

"It's you they need, not me," Kurtis reasoned, "They get you, and that's it, it's over... Me, well, all they get is a little self-satisfaction before you send their sorry asses to hell."

"So just because they might get me, I'm supposed to just lay low, while you go and get yourself killed? If you think that I'll agree to that, you've got another thing coming." Lara crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest, and glared at the man beside her, "Did you ever stop to think that they could just as easily get me here?" Judging from his expression, he hadn't. Typical. "You didn't, did you? News flash, Kurtis, if Karel really wanted to get me, right away, or if he even knows what I am, he could just snap his fingers, and have a small army ready to make an attempt to grab me, from here, and probably succeed..."

"But he hasn't," Kurtis replied, "And that's my point. He hasn't tried anything here, so for now, here is safe."

"And the minute he realizes I'm hiding here, while you're out risking your neck, he'll still send some of his goons to get me, and likely kill the others while they're at it. Away from here is what's safest for my friends, if not me. I am not staying behind. I don't need protecting, I don't need you worrying over me, and," she added, as he tried to put a hand on her shoulder, "I don't need to hear your reasoning." She got to her feet, and stomped off, towards the stairs, "Good night."

She heard Kurtis following her, "I said good night," she spun around, the chirugai, which had been sitting innocently on the table, between the couches, sprung to life, and made one circle around Lara before zooming right past Kurtis' arm, close enough to slice the fabric of his shirt, before it buried its self in the mantle of the fireplace. Lara, whom hadn't even been thinking about the weapon looked back and forth between it, and Kurtis, in shock. Shock turned to guilt, when she noticed the red beginning to stain the fabric of Kurtis' shirt. The man looked equally surprised.

"I-... I'm-..." Lara tried to get out some form of apology, but none came.

After a moment, she simply turned and fled to her room, desperate to get away. Upon reaching her room, she slammed the door behind her, and slid to the floor, back pressed against the hard wood. God, what did I just do? I could have killed him... She thought, as various images of different ways the scenario downstairs could have gone, many that had to do with the chirugai having been aimed higher, and spinning with more force than it had needed to nick her partner, bombarded her mind. She entwined her fingers in her hair, clenching at her skull in an attempt to chase the images away. He says I need to stay safe... after what just happened, it's him that needs protecting...

That one thought prompted all the memories of the nightmares she'd had when he'd still been under Karel's watch, and all other dangerous situations she had gotten Kurtis into. It only served to make her feel all the more guilty. Underneath the guilt, she was still more than a little pissed that Kurtis had dared suggest that she try to hide. Hiding wasn't in her nature, never had been, never would be. If she was going to die any time soon, it wasn't going to be hiding in her mansion like a coward. No way in hell. But then... Maybe Kurtis should go alone... Then he would be away from her. If anything like what had just happened, happened again...

She wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She was still wearing Kurtis' clothes, she realized, as she breathed in the faint scent of smoke that lingered in the cloth. Normally the smell, unless combined with the scent of Kurtis himself, would have bothered her, but just then, it comforted her, somewhat. Breathing in the scent that she'd come to associate with her partner, she bit her lip.

Lara's eyes clouded over with tears, and she felt them start pouring down her cheeks, soaking through the fabric of her/Kurtis' pants. She let them. It had been a long time since she'd actually had a good cry. What better time than now? So she cried. Cried out of sorrow, for Janine, out of anger, at herself, and Karel, and all he'd done to hurt her, and her friends, and out of guilt, and regret from all she'd put Kurtis through, what she'd done not five minutes before, and for the hurt she would no doubt cause him in the future. Causing hurt seemed to be one of her talents, of late. She'd led the nephilim right to Janine, and now Janine was dead, and Zip was suffering because of it, and now she'd hurt one of the few men she'd thought she had a chance with...

There was a light knock on the door. "Lara?"

Lara didn't know whether or not to be relieved that it was Alister's voice, instead of Kurtis'. "Yes, Alister?" she sniffed, rubbing her eyes, trying in vain to hide the fact she was crying, "What's wrong?" Stupid question, Croft... You just told him a few minutes ago that one of his friends has been murdered...One of YOUR friends...

"I- I just wanted to make sure you were alright... I heard your door slam, from the library."

"I'm... as alright as can be expected, Alis." Lara got to her feet, and opened the door. Had she not been fighting back more tears, she might have laughed. Alister always did look silly in his pajamas. "How about you?"

Alister gave a half-hearted shrug, "Same, I'd wager... I'm not entirely sure... I just sort of switched off, earlier... It seems to be helping, and I'm afraid I'll break down, and be of no use to you, if I switch back on..."

Lara suddenly grabbed her friend, and hugged him tightly, "Don't 'switch off' Alis," she said, over his surprised sputtering, "That's what I've been doing for longer than I can remember, and it has done me no favors." She gave him one last squeeze, and released him. "Take a break tonight, my friend. You can resume your research tomorrow."

"But," Alister protested, once he'd regained his composure, "I'm sure I can find a way to kill the-"

"Alister," Lara said, her tone changing to one of warning, as she scrubbed at her face with her sleeve, "Do I have to make it an order? We all need a break, it's been a rough couple of weeks." She sniffed again, to emphasise her point. If it had all been enough to break her down, she knew Alister would reason, then it definitely was time for a break.

"Fine. Goodnight, Lara," he turned to leave, but paused, "Oh... Kurtis said to tell you he didn't mean to upset you." With that, he was gone, leaving Lara torn between just going to bed, or going to Kurtis' room, to talk to him... to apologize. In a brief moment of cowardice, she decided that the apologies could wait until she'd gotten some sleep, and had time to clear her head.

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The sound of creaking floorboards woke her. The mansion creaked on its own, yes, but she knew the sound of someone trying and failing to move quietly when she heard it. Someone had stepped on the loose floorboard in the hallway outside her room. Having fallen asleep in "her" clothes, she had no reason to bother finding something to cover herself, as she got out of bed, and slowly moved towards her bedroom door. She stopped briefly, to grab the pistols she kept, behind the medusa shield, before continuing on her path. As she reached the door, and started to reach for the knob, however, it was shoved open.

Kurtis stumbled in, in nothing but the sweatpants he usually wore to bed. Lara didn't get the chance to ask him just what in the hell was going on, before someone appeared in the doorway behind him. Before Lara could shout at him to get down, and out of the mercenary's line of fire, the forementioned merc pulled the trigger of his assault rifle. Lara could only stare in horror, and disbelief as the bullets tore through Kurtis' scarred body.

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Just a friendly heads-up by the way... The next chapter? Bit violent... Bloody too. I would include harsh language in this warning... But that should be something you're accustomed too by now.

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