Tomb Raider: - Unfinished Business.
This is my first story so please be fairly nice. I am sorry if there are any discrepancies within this story. Also to understand this better you may wish to watch Deus Obscura and Deus Manifestum (a fan film) on YouTube as this is based after those. Happy reading! (Hopefully) I would greatly appreciate any advice that you may have to give me. Warning I couldn't actually remember how the saying went so I adapted it a little (at least I think there is a saying to that affect). xD
Disclaimer- This is a fan fiction and is not intended for profit. The characters depicted in this story belong to their respective owners. Thank you.
Chapter 11: The Plan, the Intrusion and the Bait.
Lara gathered herself and sat up legs crossed on the bed as Sully and Nate pulled up chairs and sat either side of her. Kurtis sat on the edge of the bottom of the bed, his focus locked firmly on Lara.
"Ok, right, Tollorov" Said Lara breaking away from Kurtis's gaze "I remember reading about, erm, a waterfall I believe. I think Tollorov mentioned that there was some kind of door, lever, passage or whatever."
"Probably something to do with the lantern on the little island" finished Nate eagerly, pulling out the journal and leaning closer to Lara so she could see. Sully, however, lent back in his chair pulling out a cigar. As he went to light it, it was slapped out of his hand.
"No! This is a sacred place!" the healer had returned to give Lara a foul smelling drink "Come, it will help the healing and stop the pain." She basically choked Lara with the drink because she forced it so fast down her throat. The healer began to leave the room as Lara gagged on the drink. Clearly it tasted worse than it smelt but that is how the saying goes- that which tastes awful is usually good for you.
After Lara finally stopped gipping and Sully had stopped laughing at her Nate gave his profound theory. "Knowing ancient civilisations there is probably some kind of puzzle that we need to solve in order to get in." The other three turned in slow motion and face Nate.
"Well no shit genius!" mocked Kurtis, eyebrows raised and a wide smile on his face. Nate heaved a deep sigh as Lara took the journal from him, examining the map within carefully.
With a sudden burst of energy Lara let out a load laugh and bounded off the bed, nearly knocking over Sully who was leaning far back on his chair.
"You, Mr Drake, have missed something in Polo's drawing." Nate snatched back the journal and began to scan it again whilst Lara looked smug. She could see that he didn't know what she was talking about. "Check the water. I've found it's a common way to hide a tomb."
Nate still looked confused; he couldn't find what she was hinting at and that frustrated him. Now it was Lara who sighed while Sully and Kurtis were in the dark. She walked past Kurtis and stood behind Nate.
"Then how about I sh…" she was interrupted by an explosion followed by the all too familiar sound of gunfire. The explosion shook the very foundations of the building, knocking Lara off her feet and into Kurtis's arms. Pulling herself away from his clear blue eyes, the group grabbed their things and rushed out into the corridor only to be pushed back inside by Bao-Zhi.
"Be quiet, we have little time before they find us." He looked straight at Nate as he still had a firm grip on the journal. "You better have found a way to stop them." His tone was stern "I have" replied Lara shooting a playful look at Nate whilst taking the gun from Bao-Zhi.
"Hmm" he could see the conviction in her face "then I shall supply you with a distraction" As he bowed low and left, Lara grabbed his arm jerking him back into the room. She now had a mixture of worry and anger on her face.
"What do you mean by distraction? If anyone should be putting themselves into immediate danger it should be me! I caused all this and you and your people have done nothing but help me!"
"Whoa, we travelled around the world just to save you so don't you dare think that I'm…we're gonna let you go out there to get slaughtered!" she thought that statement would have come from Sully-he seemed the type of guy to moan. But it didn't. It came from Kurtis.
She turned to face him and could clearly see the fear on his young face. Lara had never heard that amount of care in anyone's voice except from Winston's. When she had first met Kurtis she knew that there was some connection but she just put it down to the situation. Her mind began to dwell on their argument back in Italy and how angry she was with him. If someone else had said the things he had would she have reacted in the same way? Would she have felt so much hurt, so much betrayal?
"It is about time that this order actually re-joined the real world. Do not blame yourself Miss Croft. Sooner or later someone would have gone looking for that disc. It was only a matter of time." Bao-Zhi bowed again but this time took a hold of Lara's hand. He again went to leave the room but, once again, turned back. "I believe the saying honesty is the best policy would apply to you Mr Trent" with a cheeky smile he left them there stunned and confused and Kurtis with a slight tint of red in his cheeks.
Screaming and gunfire could be heard echoing through the corridors. Women and children running one way and the abled bodied running the other. The group began to sprint to the main entrance when another explosion burst through the main doors.
Kurtis's ears were ringing yet everything else sounded muffled and looked blurry. He looked up to see bodies scattered everywhere. The blood had coated the walls like paint. As everything came back into focus he was dragged up from the floor, held by two burly looking fellows.
"Now now everyone calm down. We are only here for a certain person." Tollorov's booming voice brought everything to an eerie stand still. Those who had escaped them majority of the blast were frozen to the spot.
"Now lady Croft," he said in a mocking tone, "if you would kindly give me the REAL journal." He sounded playful yet his face told another story. His brow was furrowed and his lips were tight. Lara walked cautiously to the front of the developing crowd, her hand holding on tight to her gun.
"Don't give him it Lara." Tollorov knelt down beside Kurtis who was now forced to his knees.
"Is that anyway to treat an old friend? The funny thing is if I hadn't gone looking for the disc…you would. But I bet you didn't tell little miss pretentious over there."
Lara's mind was spinning in circles. Is that what Bao-Zhi meant by honesty is the best policy? "No he can't have done. He wouldn't have let Kurtis in otherwise" She thought keeping her focus on Tollorov, not flinching in the slightest.
"Hmm, apparently she holds you in more regard than I thought. Very well." He rose and tucked his hands into the pockets of his trench coat "You have one hour to decide what you want to do, then you must meet us at the waterfall. If you don't comply…I will string up Trent's body for everyone to see." A vicious smile spread across his evil face.
Kurtis was again hauled to his feet, punched in the stomach and dragged away from the monastery. Lara tried to get to him but was held back by Sully and Nate.
She shook free but did so too late; Tollorov and his gang were too far gone. "Damn it!" she kicked a small piece of rubble and began to pace. She felt a strange yet familiar presence, a sort of warmth. She realised what it was and held out her hand. A spinning disc glided into her hand. "Why does it always seem like he has a plan?" Lara held Kurtis's Chirugai close to her chest.
Sully looked at Nate and sighed, "Two peas in a pod." Realising that the imminent threat had gone, the residents left and began looking for their loved ones or consoling others. Nate walked forward and stood beside Lara, his arms folded.
He placed his hands on her shoulders sympathetically. "I have an idea but I need to know what I missed in the picture" She had no ideas herself leaving her with no choice but to trust Nathan Drake.
