A Warrior is Molded: Book One

by In Pursuit of Magic

Dying is scary. Forgetting you died is Bliss. Until Kathrine took a whack to her head at age three. She remembered her old life from her childhood to her death. She took it in stride until she found out who she now was. Kathrine Warren and she was in Raccoon City. In trying to prepare for her future, many changes occur. One big change involving a notable Island Known as Yamatai.

16. Chapter 14: Alex

Chapter 14: Alex

I don't own anything. Resident Evil belongs to Capcom and Tomb Raider belongs to Core Design, Crystal Dynamics, and I think Square Enix. The only thing I own is the changes made to the stories of the Tomb Raider games/comics and Resident Evil games/comics/CG movies, the persion that has taken over Kathrine Warren's life, and Rose Warren. This story also will be bloody, violent, and have curseing. It's rated T for Teen.

Country: Philippine Sea, State: South of Japan, City: Dragon's Triangle, Place: Yamatai, Area: Shipwreck Beach, Month: August, Day: Wednesday 19th, Year: 1998, Time: 1:42 AM…

Kat and Lara stood from the shipping container. They looked at where the Endurance had run aground. It looked foreboding. Like most of this beach, it looked like the home of ghosts. They dashed and jumped off into the waist high water and ran onto the beach toward some steps up to an old and broken dock. Once at the end of it, Lara drew a rope arrow and nocked it to her new compound bow.

"So, this bow can sink arrows into stone?" Kat asked unsure that physics would allow that.

"Yes, compound bows are some of the strongest." She drew back with a grunt aiming both with sight and the sights of the bow.

She loosed and the arrow flew than sank into the stone across from them. Lara then tied off the rope to the post next to them. Kat looked at the bow, she held feeling it might be inadequate.

"Note to self, commission a compound bow from Kendo when I get back…" Kat stated as Lara looked at her.

"Hell, I'll buy one for you. Thinking of swinging around Raccoon during that outbreak?" Lara asked as they jumped to the rope, skipping their bows to their backs, and attaching them to their quivers.

"No, it's fine Lara." Kat said as Lara pulled herself up onto the wooden platform. "And yeah. Stick to roof tops. The last place I'd expect Irons to look for me and I can keep an eye out for Claire and Leon from up there." She said as Lara helped her up.

"Leon…Is that someone you know?" Lara asked smiling a little before running up a ramp and jumping for the bar above her, grasping it and swinging to the next platform and landing.

Kat shook her head, running and jumping like Lara, but her swing was less like a practiced Gymnast and more like a newbie parkour student. She landed with a small fumble thanks to her thigh and ankle.

"He's—"

"Okay, Reyes…" Came Alex's voice over their radios. "I'm getting close to the Endurance. What do you need exactly?"

"Alex!" Came Reyes' worried relieved voice. "We were getting worried." She sighed as Lara looked around. "I'm gonna need a breaker bar and the rest of my kit." She said as Lara and Kat jumped onto an old, rusted bit of metal that could've been part of an old ship. "I can't fix this boat without them."

"Alright, I'm on it." Alex said as the pair landed on it hearing it groan and whine.

"Lara and Kat are heading your way." Reyes informed him. "You should wait for them."

"Lara…? And Kat…?" Alex asked shocked. "No, no I got this." He assured as Lara and Kat scared some seagulls as they landed on a metal platform piece. "I'm heading in. Going radio silent." He stated.

"Alex…what are you doing?" Lara muttered worriedly.

"I'm not sure." Kat voiced looking unsure. "But in the original timeline he died…I just can't remember how." She told Lara honestly.

Lara nodded as they jumped to a crate and onto the broken ship they were by. As they jumped to the ship and looked around the chains and rust. Kat gasped as she picked up a stuffed bunny from a table. She looked it over. It had scorch marks as if it had been close to a fire. Lara came over and took it gently from Kat's hands.

"Millie…" Lara read a name on the inside of the little dress that it wore. "What happened to your owner…?"

"Died…" Kat voiced with a low thick voice. "Ether in a fire, killed by the Solarii, or…the fire ritual."

Lara looked to Kat. "We'll get back."

Kat took a breath and nodded. "I know."

Lara put the toy on the table and looked around. "Let's climb up. I saw a rope line up there."

Kat nodded. They left the toy and climbed up to the ruined dock they climbed up on a crate before jumping onto the rope line with their axes. Lara hit the sandy floor and fell onto her side as Kat fell next to her. They stood and froze at male voices.

"So, what'd they say? What's going on up there?" One of them asked as Lara and Kat drew their bows and nocked arrows.

"Some women busted out all the prisoners…killed anyone in their way?" The other said.

"Damn, seriously?" Asked the first. "Who the hell are they?"

"I don't know." Said the second as they looked for a way to get up to them. "They think they both came in from the new wreck." He explained. "The Dark haired one killed Vlad and the light haired one killed Jake during the round-up."

"What!? The dark one killed one of the Russians?" Asked the first shocked by that. "Holy shit, has anyone told Boris?"

"Damn, when he finds out his brothers are dead…" Said the second as Lara pointed them out to Kat and they both took aim at the two that were above them.

"Yeah, glad I ain't on that crew." Said the first guy as the pair drew back.

Lara loosed first. Her arrow went all the way through his head and the head poked out the back. Kat loosed next at her guy and killed him with a shot to the left eye as he turned to look at them. The pair climbed up to where the bodies were and took their arrows back and then climbed up to the top and jumped onto a rope line with their axes. Once they hit the ground and paused standing when they heard voices again.

"Alright, that should do it." Said one as the two nocked arrows to their bows.

"What the hell are we going to tell the enforcers?" Asked the second as the pair ducked behind cover, they both saw the men holding bows.

"Don't worry about it." The first one said as Lara took aim. "We'll say he lost it, jumped to his death."

Kat loosed first, her arrow hitting the guy who'd just finished speaking in the throat, forcing him to gurgle and choke on the arrow and his own blood. Lara's arrow was next and hit the second guy as his arrow flew. Lara's sank into his chest knocking him back and he died as he hit the sand. However, his arrow had good aim as luck would have it. If Kat hadn't moved to the right, then she'd be dead with an arrow in her skull. Instead, she got a deep grazing cut on the left side of her forehead, close to the temple and above her eyebrow. Blood started running and she closed her left eye to stop it from going in as she lifted a hand up to it hissing out in pain. It felt like a paper cut but freezing cold then hot.

"Shit, Kat, are you okay?" Lara asked turning to her and moving her hand to see the blood that was almost pouring from the cut.

"Hurts, looks worse than it is." Kat assured as Lara started ripping the bottom half of her tank top. "I'm fine, Lara."

"We need to wrap it and stop the bleeding. And this shirt's on its last legs anyway." Lara told her before she started wrapping Kat's head with it, whipping up some pf the blood from Kat's eye as she did so. "There. You should be good by the time we get back. Maybe we'll find some first aid on board."

"My first aid spray should be in my room." Kat nodded as she opened her eye. "Which one of us looks more like Rambo right now?"

Lara snorted as she jumped onto the upper ground that the men had been on. "With your new headband I'd say you. You're more beat up then me."

"True, but you've got more weapons then me and can track." Kat replied as she jumped the gap to join Lara.

"Hmmm, we're both halves of Rambo." Lara smirked as she walked up to a door and got it open with her climbing axe.

The pair walked in and found some salvage and found that (After climbing a metal ladder, rock wall, and through a partway collapsed tunnel) the place was a research facility.

"Were they sent here to investigate the storms?" Lara asked as Kat walked over to one of the walls and froze.

"Fuck me, how are they everywhere?" Kat asked as she rubbed away some moss and dust from a chipped logo on a wall.

Lara walked over and her eyes widened as Kat frowned. It looked like the Umbrella Logo, but with black and gold wings on either side and the red parts of the logo had faded to a dark black red. Underneath were the words, 'Black Umbrella'.

"Who the hell is 'Black Umbrella'?" Kat asked confused.

Lara frowned too. "I thought you had memories of this."

"I do…but it seems a lot is changing to adapt to two timelines mixing." Kat muttered. "So, I haven't any idea who this 'Black Umbrella' is."

Lara frowned as they started searching around. Lara lifted a paper they looked as if it had been typed on a typewriter.

"Trinity…and Umbrella?" Lara read out loud.

Kat turned at the two groups named. "What?"

Lara looked to Kat and handed her the paper. "It's a letter from Chief of Security or something…Trinity and Umbrella are mentioned."

Kat walked over and took it.

TOP SECRET September 16, 1972 3:15

To the Head of Field Leader

"Operation Corvus" is underway. Complete the following orders within the week.

1. Get to the Dragon's triangle in the Philippine Sea South of Japan and find Yamatai.

2. Build the Research base and start investigating the storms and the Himiko Virus.

3. Contact Trinity and Umbrella security bi-weekly with report of progress.

Black Umbrella

"Shit…if Black Umbrella is the branch of Umbrella that works with Trinity…then this is worse than I thought." Kat stated tucking the paper away for evidence.

"Why? I get Umbrella is bad and you've mentioned that Trinity is bad too, but…" Lara looked at the symbol on the wall.

"It means that Umbrella is looking into old myths for more viruses." Kat said looking at the console. "Well…if we're in an Umbrella research facility…we might find a rocket launcher." She smiled.

"Is that really the only upside?" Lara asked raising an eyebrow.

"Evidence of Trinity and Umbrella's bullshit and evil that could help with the Raccoon Trials that start this year and end in 2003." Kat stated looking through the window.

Lara pushed a green button on the console by the window and it sparked to life making the power come on. "The power is still on…how is that posable?"

"Not sure…but it looks flooded down there and the water's electrified." Kat stated frowning. "We'll have to be careful…"

Lara nodded. "And hope that there is an away to the Endurance through here."

"Yeah…" Kat nodded as they went downstairs and to the partly open door.

Once at the doors Lara pushed the button on the console next to them. The doors started to open, the top going up and the bottom going down. They sparked then stopped as the bottom dropped open and the top seemed to glitch and jerk up and down.

"Well…I'm getting Déjà vu about this door." Kat stated as they ducked a bit to enter the facility. "Oh, yeah, this has Umbrella written all over it."

"Really?" Lara asked looking at the electrified water and very few platforms.

"Oh yeah. Abandoned facility with a puzzle and more than likely death trap? Yeah, this is typical for mainland Umbrella stuff." Kat stated as she tapped her temple hissing at the aggravated cut she tapped. "Shit…ow."

"Then we have to find a way across." Lara nodded looking around. "I've got it. Kat, let's get on this raft." She said jumping onto the raft.

Kat joined her as Lara drew back on her rope arrow. She loosed her arrow, and it sank into the rope that was tied to the metal. She then pulled on the rope hard. A broken cable was then lifted out of the water which stopped the electrical current. They waited a moment as the cable dropped slowly back into the water splashing and electrifying the water. Kat looked at the rope that kept the raft anchored to the post. She drew her knife and cut it.

Lara blasted some wood blockage with the trench shotgun, and she looked at the edges of the raft then to the wall and back to Kat.

"I've got an idea." They said at once. Laura continued, "We go to the opening, use the rope arrow and pull the raft to us."

Lara smiled as Kat bit her lip.

"I think we forgot how quickly we came up with the same idea…" Lara smiled.

"Yeah." Kat agreed.

"I'll shoot the arrow; you pull the rope line?" Lara offered as they hopped off the raft.

Kat nodded as they rushed over the small little room and stood at the new opening Lara had made. Lara took aim with her rope arrow and loosed. Once it sank in, Kat gripped the rope and pulled hard. It got to the stairs before it stopped. Kat pulled again, making it get to the front of the stairs.

"Wait here." Lara said. "Keep a grip on the rope."

Kat nodded as Lara ran around to the stairs that lead into the sparking water and jumped onto the raft. She tipped her head, her eyes scanning the cable and the distance to the other side. She then jumped back onto the stairs and came back over to Kat.

"Pull it again." Lara told her before running back to the steps.

Kat then pulled hard on the rope. The raft was pulled to an angle so that it was like a sort of bridge from the stairs to the open platform on the other side of the wall that Kat was by.

"Okay, come on!" Lara called to Kat then jumped onto the raft from the steps.

Kat dropped the rope and ran around and jumped onto the raft with Lara. These two jumps moved the raft closer to where they wanted. They then jumped onto the upper platform and got to the water's edge on these steps. Lara took aim at the rope metal that would pull the cable up.

"As soon as the cable is out and the water stops sparking, I want you to run across to the other side." Lara told Kat.

Kat nodded. "Okay." She looked at the water and waited.

Lara loosed the rope arrow. Once it sank in, Lara pulled on the rope sharply. The cable lifted out of the water and Kat jumped into the de-electrified water and then waded to the other steps. The moment her feet were out of the water and on the steps, the cable dropped back into the water making Kat spin around panting with wide eyes.

"Holy crap. If I hadn't got out…I'd be broiled and fried." Kat released. "Want me to try for you?"

Lara nodded as Kat nocked an arrow with a rope. She loosed the arrow and pulled on the rope. The cable lifted and Lara bolted into the water and wadded over. As her boots left the water the cable dropped back down. Kat tipped her head at the raft then to the cable. She nocked a new rope arrow and loosed it at the raft.

The rope sank in and Kat pulled on it. The raft was pulled close to the cable. Kat changed her position then grabbed the rope still attached to the cable pulley. She pulled hard then grabbed the rope attached to the raft and pulled it. This made it so the cable dropped back down onto the raft, effectively stopping it from electrifying the water.

They walked into the room and found it was empty. But they could see a set of metal stairs on the other side of the window.

"We can get to those stairs now. The water's not electrified." Lara pointed out.

Kat nodded. "Come on, more secrets of Umbrella and Trinity await."

The pair left the room and jumped into the water. They wadded through it to the stairs. Once on them they heard the metal clunk and whine with strain yet a weird sturdiness. At the top they found artifacts, lab supplies and candles.

"It's a storage room…" Lara voiced as they walked in. "Artifacts from an ancient tomb. What were they looking for?"

Kat looked over the lab stuff and found test tubs with dried dead plant samples. "I think they were trying to find this 'Himiko virus' that the order letter mentioned." She stated as she backed up. "Let's not touch anything to do with these tubs. Okay? Who knows what they found and messed with."

Lara nodded. "Hey, over here." She grabbed the edge of a crate. "It's heavy."

Kat came over. "Get ready to hold your breath, just in case. T is air-born for the first few days after release."

"I both hate and relieved that you know that." Lara stated as Kat took hold with her.

With a nod and a deep breath, they pulled the crate open with the sound of old aged wood groaning. Once it was open and the dust settled, they found packing straw. Lara held the lid open as Kat carefully removed the straw. She let out a breath of delight then grinned.

"Fuck yeah!" Kat beamed as she reached in and pulled out a green rocket launcher with only two rockets. "Perfect! I just need to put the Ofuda on there…Oh! And her name in red! Yeah, that'll do it!"

Lara sighed out her held breath and shook her head. "I don't recall you being this violent when we were together."

"Oh, it's not that. I'm just really pissed at Himiko and she sooo needs to move on like she was supposed to thousands of years ago." Kat smiled darkly. "The name in red is bad luck and a threat, the Ofuda will insure she moves on."

Lara snorted then looked around at the lab. "With your knowledge of the future, why did you go for Mythology instead of Biology?"

"I wanted nothing to do with viruses at first. Like I said, I wanted to be as far from Raccoon as posable. So, I wanted a job that would guarantee that I might move around a lot. Archaeology and mythology insured that. Ether by sabbatical or an expedition." Kat explained as she put the launcher to her back with the two rockets in hand. "Now we need to find an item box to put these in and find Alex."

Lara nodded as they walked back into the lab. Finding one such box with a diary on top. It appeared to be from a scientist from Umbrella.

September 18th, 1972

Management has appointed me and nine others for this expedition. I was skeptical of this Trinity and the new Black Umbrella branch. But if Myths truly have some facts, imagine all the things we could accomplish. After all, Mister Spencer is having that blonde looking into immortality with the Progenitor Virus. What if we can find it in an easier and more obvious way. It will be my name, not Birkin, not the Weskers, nor the Ashfords, not even Marcus. My name that will be remembered for greatness.

September 23rd, 1972

Damn the sea! If I could have the power to make it disappear I would. I'm sick of the smell of fish and salt. I'm sick of the constant rocking and the creak of metal. Why is this island so damn hard to find? Dose it even exist? Or is Trinity and Umbrella both sending me off on this wild goose chase? Have the others sent me out her to drive me to insanity? I can't even work on a virus all the way out here. This is madness.

September 28th, 1972

Fucking idiots! They steered this ship right into that storm! Now we've lost communications with Black Umbrella and all of the outside world. We are on this Island in the middle of nowhere and we are currently trying to find out where we are. At least the men from Trinity know what they're doing. The men they sent with me don't know a damn thing about the land or shit. I was sent here with builders, and a handful of researchers. What the hell was management thinking?

September 30th, 1972

Yamatai. The Island we were looking for. Incredible fucking luck. But now what? The builders are working on a research facility and the other researchers and I are looking into the plants. But I didn't come here for fucking flowers or leaves. I came here for the Himiko Virus. That's all that matters now. If we find it and cultivate it, we can then focus on getting off this worthless rock.

October 12th, 1972

Who the fuck were those men?! They just showed up after the building was completed and killed ten of our builders and took four of our men! They didn't look like natives. They looked like…like wild men. Uncivilized men. Well, if they're here, then we are not the first to find this rock.

October 17th, 1972

They came back. This time one of Trinity's solders caught one. I've never seen a man be tortured before. It was…oddly fascinating. He broke after a day of no food and just certain spots cut on his body. His people are called the Solarii and they are led by a man named Mathias. I'd call them a cult. They believe that Himiko brought us all here. That her spirit has trapped us until her new host is found. What a load of bullshit. This Mathias man has clearly lost his mind and had lead these men into his insanity like a cult leader.

October 24th, 1972

The researcher from Trinity and a few of our guards came back today with artifacts. Things that prove without a doubt that we are on Yamatai. But they haven't found Himiko's body. Is it that hard? Is it that hard to find a big temple and search it for a bit sarcophagus and take a finger? Or some hair? No! It's not. I'm not interested in anything unless it's a part of Himiko's corpse!

October 28th, 1972

The Trinity men have been talking. They don't want to look for Himiko anymore! They want to leave and go back home. I can't go back empty handed! I'll lose any respect I had gained before being sent to this rock in the reeking sea and bullshit! They can look for a way off, but I won't!

October 31st, 1972

A storm. It came out of nowhere and killed the raft with them on it! That's not normal! What's happening here? Why was I sent here?

November 3rd, 1972

The Solarii, they came back…they plan to kill us. Oh god! Why am I here? Why did I get picked to come here? Why couldn't I be sent to the African branch? Or the Antarctic branch? Please god help me…what do they do to women?

"Shit…that's the last entry." Kat stated pointing.

Lara nodded. "She was so…bitchy in the beginning and then…"

Kat shook her head. "A lot of Umbrella scientists are. They are so high and mighty until something screws up and then they get scared and just sad." She sighed. "At least we know now when all this was built and when it happened."

Lara nodded as they opened the item box and popped the pages, rockets and launcher in before closing it and taking the zip line out of there. Once at the exit they stopped at the camp and fixed up their weapons. Lara handed Kat a scope as she attached one to her assault rifle. Kat put her scoop on her rifle, so it was a sniper rifle. They then cleaned the rest and left the abandoned Black Umbrella facility.

After some climbing and a rope line, they found a scroll from the last priestess that Himiko possessed, the one that killed herself to stop Himiko.

The Sun Queen grows old. Soon she will choose her successor. I fear it will be me. I am now her favorite. She dotes on me, calls me her precious first daughter. Like a doll, she always keeps me close to her, brushing my hair, dressing me in her favorite clothes. It unsettles me beyond words.

But more disturbing, she constantly gazes upon my features as if... as if she's looking at her own reflection.

"Priestess Hoshi seems frightened in this diary. She's beginning to suspect she will be chosen as the new Sun Queen." Lara stated as she tucked it away.

"Yeah." Kat nodded. "And then…we have to destroy her body."

"Right." Lara nodded. "Come on, we have to find Alex."

They left the small cover and walked through a small tunnel that forced them to crouch. As the stood from the tunnel they found another campsite and they could see the ruined wreak of the Endurance.

"The Endurance…they're tearing it apart." Lara said as she got to the edge and drew a rope arrow back.

She loosed the arrow, and it sank into the stone on the other side of the gap. She then tied the rope to the post. She and Kat pulled out their axes and put their bows to their backs. Kat was first as she jumped onto the line and slid to the stone and started climbing with her axe. She jumped to some old pipes and out of Lara's way. Lara was next sliding down the line. She hooked into the wall and looked to Kat.

"I just remembered you didn't answer my question before." Lara stated smiling.

"What question?" Kat asked as Lara joined her on the pipe.

"Leon. Who is he?" Lara asked as Kat jumped to the next pipe.

Kat bit her lips. She hadn't really thought too heavily about him. But from what she could remember… "He's a rookie cop that comes to the city of the dead on his first day."

"Wow, that's an eventful first day." Lara stated. "What's he like? Is he your type?"

Kat fumbled her grip as Lara jumped to the pipe she was on. Lara grabbed Kat's hand to steadily her.

"Umm…" Kat again hadn't thought about it. "He's…he's umm…" She shimmied to the end of the pipe and jumped to the stone, sinking her axe in.

"He must be. You're blushing and are stuttering over your words." Lara teased as she shimmied over. "Come on, details, Kat." She said sounding just a little out of character.

Kat groaned as she moved to the side of the rock wall. "You sound like Sam, Lara." But Lara was right, Kat could feel her face was hot and could only guess how badly she was blushing.

"Maybe Sam can astral project and has possessed me." Lara joked as she jumped from the pipe to the rock wall. "Come on, I know she would've asked you about him. She wouldn't want just his occupation."

Kat bit her lips as she jumped to the pipe on the side of what looked like a base from World War II. "He's…he has blue eyes."

"Oh? That's new. The last two people, including me, had brown eyes." Lara pointed out.

"Yeah I know. He had brown hair but bleaches it later or it lightens later…" Kat described as Lara joined her on the pipe. "He becomes an agent for the US Government after Raccoon…" She looked to the next pipe as she shimmied over to it. "He's excellent with just about any weapon…graduated top of his class at the police academy and more than likely barely needed much training for becoming an agent…He's smart, kind, and stubborn." She frowned. "But none of it matters, Lara."

"Why?" Lara asked as Kat pulled herself up and into the bunker.

"Because he's just broken up with his girlfriend right now…she didn't want him to go to Raccoon because of the 'Cannibal murders'." Kat explained as Lara joined her in the bunker. "Then he meets Ada and only has eyes for her. He's also a womanizer."

Lara thought about it as they walked passed a rusted cannon gun of some sort. "Hmmm, I seem to have lost the ability to channel Sam." She sighed. "I don't know what to tell you. But maybe get to know him in person and not rely on your memories? And who is this Ada person?"

"A spy for hire…I think?" Kat frowned as they got to a big open crack in the wall and ducked down to slip into the collapsed tunnel. "She's manipulative and a real—"

"That should do it." They heard a voice that made Lara put her finger to her lips, all teasing gone. "Alright, try now!" The two looked to the exit crack and saw the Solarii men.

"This is a waste of time…how many generators is this?" Asked one as Lara got behind one and sank her climbing axe into the back of his head, killing him instantly.

They ignored any other words the others said as Lara drew her handgun with silencer attached and Kat her crossbow. Lara pulled the trigger with Kat pulling it on the other man. Lara's bullet hit the man's head as Kat's hit the head of the other. However, it cut off what he was saying and that alerted the others to the attack.

Lara traded her handgun for her assault rifle as Kat switched her crossbow for her handgun. The pair took aim at the men and pulled the triggers. Lara's shot killing a man below them by hitting his chest and throat. A man tried to climb up but took a bullet to the face from Kat's revolver. The pair eventually dropped off their high vantage point as Kat pulled her knife out.

Lara took out a man as he was moving to Kat and Kat tricked a shield man into swinging at her then slashing his side, making him take a knee before she pulled the trigger at his head. Lara looked around them before they set to looting then moving on to finding a letter or telegraph from a scientist, but not one form Umbrella.

Our coastal base has been attacked by unknown assailants. We suspect the Americans have arrived and are attempting to sabotage our operations. Communications have been disrupted across the island and we've sustained heavy losses. Many of our soldiers have simply disappeared.

All remaining personnel are proceeding to the ancient monastery to ensure control of the weather phenomenon. We expect to meet heavy resistance enroute. Request reinforcement as soon as possible.

"They headed inland, to the monastery, but I don't think they succeeded in their mission." Lara voiced as they put the letter away.

"I don't think so. This is before the Solarii were established. So, it must have been the Oni." Kat said as they switched weapons again. "Let's get moving."

They wrenched a door open and got behind cover as they were fired upon from the stairs. Lara fired on the barrel the men had planned to use on them and killed all three. Then three more with handgun fire before they climbed the stairs. At the top…

"What's going on…Who's shooting!?"

"Take cover…there's two intruders!"

Lara and Kat took a moment to reload ammo on all weapons before moving forward. They tried to stay crouched, but they were still spotted as they took to cover.

"Over there!" Yelled one as Kat swapped for her bow. "They're on the second floor!"

Lara stepped out and killed the two men on the other side as another two came out from a room to the left. Kat turned and loosed two arrows at them, getting throat shots for both. Lara swapped to her handgun from her assault rifle. They ducked to cover as bullets ripped the concrete pillar apart. Lara peeked around cover right as the gunfire stopped, took aim and pulled the trigger four times, changing aim after the second shot.

All men were dead, and the pair jumped to a different platform. Then jumped onto a bar and swung themselves onto a sort of pipe ladder. They climbed up before pulling themselves up onto the upper platform.

"Oh shit, they killed 'em all." A man called making the two duck behind two separate pillars for cover. Bullets made brick dust fly as they waited.

"I saw a red barrel." Kat called over to Lara.

"I saw it too. Got a good shot?" Lara asked.

Kat peeked around the edge seeing it as she switched to her rifle and loaded it. "Yep. Can you draw they're fire?"

Lara nodded. "On three?"

Kat nodded as she finished by pushing the loading bolt on its slide. "Three!"

Lara jumped out and fired on the men drawing their fire. Kat then stepped out and looked through her scope, getting the barrel in her cross hairs. She pulled the trigger and ducked back behind cover as Lara ducked down behind her new bit of cover. All that just as the bullet hit the barrel. With a fiery explosion, the three men were killed by fire, explosive proximity, and shrapnel.

They stepped out of cover putting their weapons to their back and jumped for the stationary lift. They pulled themselves up onto it then jumped for the last platform. They looted a little before jumping down and stumbling. They were now closer to the endurance and at another campsite. Not only that but it appeared that the sun was either setting or was close to doing so.

"Alex, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?" Lara asked as she looked the wrack of the Endurance.

"What time is it? How long?" Kat asked looking to the small campsite.

Lara looked to her watch and cursed. "Crap. My watch is broken."

"Okay…that's fine." Kat stated biting her lips.

"Kat…its Alex's." Lara said picking up a dairy page.

Kat came over and read it over Lara's shoulder.

Lara and Kat are totally right. Something seriously fucked up is going on here. The "natural" phenomenon that causes the weather to go apeshit, the military research base, some kinda Sun Queen and a crazy cult? If I didn't know better, I'd say this was a big put-on. Are there TV cameras hidden in the trees?

But you know, I gotta admit, it's scaring the shit out of me. I keep cracking jokes to cover it up, Reyes looks ready to kick my ass. I think I need to do something useful before I completely lose it.

I wish I could be more like Lara... she just blows me away. Not only is she brilliant, she's also an amazing ass kicker. And if she didn't notice me before, she sure as hell won't now. But maybe I can still do something to get her attention.

Lara's eyes widened at the end. "What was Alex thinking? This place is unforgiving. And the price of surviving it is just too high."

"He's got a big crush on you." Kat stated. "When people have a crush on someone, they want them to notice them and or be like them." She sighed.

"Crush or not, it's reckless and dangerous for someone with not experience." Lara stated sounding both worried and annoyed. "It doesn't help that you said he died in your memories, but you can't remember how."

"I hope we can get to him in time and not have any more deaths, Lara. I really do…" Kat agreed as the young survivor tucked the page away.

Lara then walked to the edge and drew back a rope arrow, taking aim at the rocks of a platform below them. She then loosed then tied off the rope as the arrow anchored to the rocks. Lara jumped on first sliding down the line then sinking her climbing axe into the wall. She pulled herself up as Kat jumped onto the rope line after her. Kat then climbed up and stood with Lara and walked to the edge of the grassy platform seeing a rope line leading right to the deck of the Endurance.

Lara and Kat both jumped onto the line and slide down it toward the ship. The closer they got to it, they then saw more Solarii. They dropped into the cover of some metal pipes and listened as they spoke.

"Here, let me try." Lara and Kat drew their bows and nocked arrows. "Come on…come on…" He said as Lara and Kat crouched and moved slowly to the exit of the pipes.

"Goddamn this unstable ship." Said another as the pair got to the end and took aim at one man each seeing they were either pulling on rope to move something or searching. "You two! Go ransack that cargo for transport after you finish with that!"

Lara and Kat then dropped down behind more cover as a man walked passed.

"It won't…budge…" Growled one of them at the ropes.

A man walked over to the rope worker. "Out of the way, I got this."

Kat stood and drew back her bow as did Lara. They loosed. A throat shot for Kat with the heavily armored guy and a headshot for Lara to the rope man. The moment the big man dropped to his knees, Lara and Kat both rushed him. A swing from Lara's axe knocked his head back as he fell back. Kat wrapped an arm around his shoulders and then sank her knife into the side of his neck. He gurgled as he tried to stand, he was just tall enough that Kat's legs dangled from the ground. She growled as she pulled on her knife, cutting across his throat, and opening it, sending blood gushing out.

He dropped down on his stomach as Kat pushed off panting. He tried to reach out to Lara, who just slammed her axe home. The sharp point of her axe sank into the left side of his temple. A cracking yank and he was dead and the men around them who were still alive yelled and screamed in horror and ran. Lara tipped her head at the tool on the man's belt. She grabbed it and looked it over. It was a rope ascender.

"You okay?" Lara asked as Kat started at the man.

"He's as big as Mr. X will be." Kat swallowed. "Except my knife won't pierce a Tyrant's tough skin."

Lara looked to the man and swallowed. "The tyrants are as big as him?"

"And bigger." Kat nodded. "Come on. We've got to find Alex before they do."

Lara nodded looking to some cargo. She took aim with a rope arrow then loosed. Once anchored she slipped the rope into the ascender and pulled the trigger, holding it. The little thing whirred and groaned as it spun. The rope snapped making Lara stumble. But it did its job as the cargo spun over the deck. Then its cables snapped, and it fell through the deck making Lara and Kat a hole to travel. They both walked over and jumped down. It was as if it were four days ago. Sparks still fired form snapped cables, water still dripped from walls and ceiling.

"Here we are…" Kat stated as she drew her crossbow.

"Back here again…" Lara agreed.

They walked down the hall and stopped by Kat's room first. Inside Lara and Kat started looking for her first aid spray for Sam. It was as Kat pulled open her locker inside that she froze. Four photos were pinned to the door and below her mirror. Kat saw her reflection and didn't recognize herself for a moment. Her hair had bits of red from blood in it, brown and black from dirt, and was greasy from sweat and oils. Her face had a few cuts on it and was grimy. But it was her eyes that had startled her. Their blueness seemed cold and sorrowful, haunted, and hurt.

She ripped her eyes away and looked to her photos. The first picture was of herself, Lara, and Sam at the graduation. Lara had her hair down along with Kat and Sam. Their caps and gowns were black. Lara had her arms slung over Sam and Kat's shoulders, making herself the one in the middle. All three were smiling and wore makeup. Kat remembered it was one of the few times Lara and she wore makeup and heels. She flipped it around and read the back, 'Kat, Lara, and Sam; Graduation from UCL, 7/17/1998'.

She tucked the photo away and looked to the next one. This one was of herself and Jill in Jack's bar each holding a drink in hand and smiling. Jill was in her S.T.A.R.S. uniform, but her shoulder armor swat gloves and hat were missing. Kat was in a purple tank top and jeans, her hair in a bun. At the top left corner was a pinkish blur. She knew that to be Chris's finger from a badly taken picture, since both Jill and Kat's eyes were closed.

She tucked it away and looked to the next one. This one was of her, Claire, and Chris in the S.T.A.R.S. office at his desk. Chris and Claire were in their matching leather jackets, Claire's was red and Chris' brown, Kat remembered both had 'Made in Heaven' on the backs. Chris had an arm around Kat's shoulders and Claire had hers around Chris's. All three smiling like a little family, three sets of blue eyes locked on the camera.

She pulled it away and tucked it in her pouch before feeling her breath hitch at the last one. It was of her, Sherry, and Rose. They were outside of their school at night. Sherry was in a little blue glittery dress with her blonde hair curled with a silver bow headband. Rose was in a white blouse, gold silk vest, black bowtie, black shorts, black jacket with tails, gray tights, and a black top hat with a gold ribbon that was off center on her brown curly hair. Both held up yellow participation ribbons. Kat was in a simple green dress with her hair up. Again, all three were smiling at the camera.

Kat let out a shuttering breath as she stared. She remembered this. Sherry and Rose had teamed up to do their school's talent show. Sherry as Rose's assistant for her magic act. Sherry couldn't play the piano like she thought she'd do originally. Kat also remembered it was the only School event that Annette bothered to attend, though she left halfway through Rose and Sherry's performance. Kat had called her after both had fallen asleep and spoke with her angrily.

Kat's reminiscing was interrupted by Lara gripping her shoulder. Kat looked over and felt a wetness on her cheeks.

"We'll get back. You'll see them both." Lara assured ass he looked at the picture of the two smiling children.

Kat whipped at her eyes and put the photo away. "I…I know that…I'm just worried about if Rose…Will she recognize me?"

Lara didn't know how to answer that. "She will. I think she will. She's a strong understanding girl."

"I hope…I hope you're right." Kat said as she sniffed to stop the tears and snot form flowing. She couldn't break down just yet.

"I found the spray." Lara told her holding the small can. "I'm sure Sam will be glad for it."

Kat nodded. "I would be if I just got the tattoo."

They pocketed the can away then walked out of Kat's room into the corridor. They found their way to Lara's room. Lara paused as she grabbed the edge of the door frame. She stepped inside looking around at how messed up it was. Blankets, cloths strung about from when the storm hit. Books and papers on the floor. She stopped at her open locker and saw that same graduation picture that Kat had. She grabbed it and looked it over before tucking it away like Kat had done.

She closed the locker saw herself in the mirror, like Kathrine, she looked so different from four days ago. Her face had scraps and cuts from falls and getting beat up. It was covered in sweat mixed grime. Her eyes looked darker, the naive innocent gleam was gone from them, replaced with a wary haunted look.

"So much had happened." Kat said pulling Lara's narrowed gaze away. "You see what I mean."

Lara nodded then saw a page on the floor. She kneeled and picked it up. "Another page from Sam's diary…"

Kat leaned over to read it over her shoulder.

I suppose on some level I have Lara to thank for this job. She's always believed in me. The academics at college dismissed filmmaking as nonsense. They just saw me as this ditsy American troublemaker with a camera.

But you know what? Most people can use a little trouble in their lives. And deep down, I know Lara wanted to just cut loose sometimes. She just needed a little help unlocking her inner party girl.

We had so many awesome adventures together. That insane backpacking trip through Bulgaria, I was always dragging her out to clubs. And the hiking trip on the south face of Kilimanjaro; all Lara wanted to do was explore ruins, but who knew we'd run into so many cute guys? Certainly not Lara, haha!

I have a feeling this expedition is going to be one for the books. Lara with her notebook, me with my camera... another crazy adventure!

Lara sighed as she stood and tucked the page away. "This is one adventure neither of us will want to remember." She muttered.

Kat nodded as she rubbed her locket. "Nightmares on the way…"

Lara nodded as they moved to the door but stopped at the sound of boots on metal. Lara and Kat drew their bows and nocked arrows as they stepped out into the corridor.

"Where's the rest of the crew?" Asked the man that was in front of them, he had his back to them and was walking down the hall.

"Down below…they went after a survivor." Said another as the man vanished around a doorway at the end of the hall.

"They found someone alive?" The first asked as Lara and Kat bent their knees and jogged on the balls of their feet, keeping quiet.

"Yeah…" Said the other as Kat switched her bow and arrow for her knife and stepped through the doorway and cupped a hand over this first guy's mouth. "We caught him in the water sneaking abroad, but he escaped below." Kat then slit the man's throat as the other hadn't even noticed his buddy killed.

Lara then loosed her arrow at the second man who was on the other side of the ship's split by a rope line. A perfect headshot and he was down like his gurgling buddy. The pair then swopped their weapons for their axes and jumped onto the rope line, zipping down it to the other side. They dropped to the ground and were less awkward than before as they stood and drew bows and their arrows. They jogged into the hallway and turned a corner to see the floor was gone making a large hole to the lower levels. It was flooded and a glow from the red emergency lights, making the water look like blood and just giving it an eerie feel.

They put their arrows away and bows to their backs before dropping down into the water. When they stood and shook water off their hands, they found that the water line was at their waists, meaning they'd be slow as they moved. They moved forward, pulling their bows back out and nocking arrows.

"Alex?" Lara called out, her voice echoing off the metal walls and water. "Are you in there?"

They reached the other side of the water and walked up a ramp out of the water and into a new hallway that turned left.

"Lara!" they heard Alex's voice from the left. "I'm down here!" He sounded pained and tired.

"Fuck…" Kat breathed worried for his wellbeing.

"We're not too late." Lara stated sadly. "We…we can't be."

They entered another flooded room as Alex groaned.

"Come on…come on…Ahh, goddamn it! Ow! Fuck!"

Then they saw him. He was through a doorway with white light around him and he was on the floor. They rushed to the door but found that there were cables with a metal blocking their way. They couldn't even crouch under them without getting electrocuted.

"Alex?!" Kat called out as she and Lara put their weapons away.

"Lara! Kat! What are you two doing here?" Alex called out looking scared that both of them were there.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" Lara asked looking around them for a way to get to him.

Alex sighed looking at his predicament. "I'm pinned down in here…it doesn't look good." He looked up from his leg, which had two heavy large pipes on it, to them.

Kat hissed through her teeth. "No, it doesn't!" She agreed.

"Damn it, the door's blocked!" Lara called to him glaring at the cables. "Just hold on! We're going to get you out of there!"

"Okay…just hurry!" Alex called back grunting in pain.

"Kat, Keep an eye on Alex. I'll figure this out." Lara said looking around the room.

Kat nodded as she looked to Alex and his leg. Lara loosed a rope arrow at a crane of some sort and used the ascender to pull it down the ceiling tracks. But it hit a pipe that blocked it from getting too close to the cables of the door.

"Damn it…the track's blocked." Lara growled. "If I could get up there somehow, I might be able to clear it."

Kat looked from Alex to Lara and then a hole in the ceiling with a ladder. "Lara, I could give you a boost up there."

Lara looked to Kat then the crane. "I could get the ladder on this there." She said.

Kat looked at it but was already walking to the hole. "Come on, this will be quicker than a puzzle worthy of Raccoon." She cupped her hands and laced her fingers, making a stirrup for Lara's foot. "Come on."

Lara sighed but walked over as Kat bent her knees to make Lara some foot holds. Lara slipped her foot into Kat's hands and grasped her shoulders.

"One, two…three!" Kat then stood quickly, Lara then pushed off and jumped up.

Lara's hands gripped the yellow ladder. Kat turned hissing a wince from it then looked up as Lara pulled herself up.

"Lara, Kat, I'm sorry for dragging you two into this mess." Alex called out as Kat walked back over to the door. "I don't know what I was thinking coming out here." He said as Lara moved along the top and got to the pipe that blocked the crane.

It was broken in a spot and hanging loosely. Lara lifted her leg and kicked at it hard, sending vibrations through it making it bend more.

"I thought I could be the star of my own goddamn action movie…" Alex admitted as Lara kicked the pipe again. "Guess it doesn't always work out like that."

Lara then kicked the pipe a third time seeing it was about to come loose. She kicked one more time. It snapped and fell, but so did the part of the ceiling she was on. She hit the water making an oof sound. Slowly she pushed herself back to her feet.

Alex grimmest as Kat looked to Lara. "Oh god…Guys, I'm in bad shape." Kat looked back to him seeing some red on his pant legs.

"It's okay…I've got it." Lara assured as she got the crane as far back is it would allow.

"Great…" Alex panted as his eyes started to flutter and Kat stepped away for the crane. "Good…job…so sleepy." He panted as Kat's eyes widened.

"Alex, stay awake!" Kat called as Lara grabbed the rope.

Lara looked over to see his eyes closing. "Alex! Oh god…we've got to get in there!" Lara said as she slipped the rope into the ascender.

"We'll have you out soon, Alex! Just stay awake!" Kat called as Lara pulled the trigger on the little machine. "Just have to clear the door."

The rope snapped and the crane rocketed forward and hooked onto the cables by the door and stayed there. Lara then dashed around to the other side and grabbed the one snapped rope and slipped it into the ascender. It whirred then with a sharp yank the crane rolled back on its track. The cables snapped and left the door open for Kat and Lara.

They dashed into the room and saw just how bad his leg was crushed. He lifted his head to look at them as Lara got to his side first.

"Oh, Alex…" Lara breathed as she kneeled next to him. "You got the tools…" She voiced as he shakily lifted a wrench.

Alex chuckled dryly. "Finally I impress you!" He joked.

Lara moved to the pipes with Kat. "Let's get you out of here." Lara said as Kat and her grabbed at the pipe.

The moment they tried to move it Alex's eyes closed as he yelped and gasped in pain. They both let go looking to him worriedly.

"Sorry, sorry." Both apologized.

"Looks like my dance career's over." Alex gritted jokingly as Kat snorted ruefully.

They shared a small laugh, but Kat remembered and lowered her head. This was the room. This was Alex's death. It hurt, knowing this.

"We got them!" Yelled a male voice and then bullets splintered over the metal by their heads.

Alex looked up as two Solarii men were on the metal platform above. He lifted his gun and took aim then squeezed the trigger. His bullet hit the oxygen tacks behind the two men, and it exploded, setting of the one next to it and killed the two men in a fiery blast.

Kat looked at them then at Alex. "What are you doing? You'll kill everyone here!"

Another explosion went off shaking the room as Lara and Kat shielded their heads. Alex sighed lowering his gun to look at the pair. His eyes grim and accepting as he looked at them through his fogged lenses.

"I'm not going to make it out of here, guys. Take the tools." He told them pushing the box toward them.

Lara's eyes widened. "Not without you!"

Alex smiled sadly. "How often does a guy like me get to be a hero?" He asked honestly.

Kat saw a man enter on the side above them. She drew her revolver and got a headshot on him. But more entered forcing her and Lara to take cover. Alex squeezed off a few shots before leaning back. They saw a man coming at them through the door.

"Nowhere to run!" He yelled at them.

Alex looked to Kat and Lara. "The others are counting on us." He reminded them as she took the more important tool and shoved them into Lara's hands. "Go!" He told them.

"Lara…" Kat breathed looking around them. "We have to go."

Lara whimpered and shook her head. She lost a person she didn't know, she lost Grim, and she lost Roth. She didn't want to lose anyone else.

"Now!" Alex growled at her urgently.

After a moment Lara took the tools in hand with a grim look. She couldn't break down. If Alex was going to die, she'd make the Solarii pay. To do that was to kill Himiko, and Mathias. Lara then leaned over to Alex and kissed his cheek before pulling away. She and Kat then stood and bolted for another open door, arms over heads to shield from gunfire. Alex covering them as they ran. They slipped through the door as Lara slipped the tools into her belt pouch. Kat grabbed the door and pulled it shut then locked it by spinning the wheel.

Alex panted then looked to his left and saw the gas leaking into the room. He lifted his handgun and took aim at it. He let out a small breath sending a prayer to his sister, to Lara, to the others. He then pulled the trigger.

Kata and Lara jolted as they heard the loud ship rattling explosion. Lara sucked in a shuttering breath as tear fell from her eyes. She spun from the wall to face the door that Kat was braced against.

"ALEX…!" Lara screamed.

Kat gasped as she pulled her hands away. "Hot…Crap…" She backed up only to stumble into Lara as another explosion shook the ship. "Run!"

They ran down the hallway as the door blew open from an explosion. They bolted and jumped a gap, grabbing a rope line.

"Hold on to me!" Lara yelled as she got the ascender out.

Kat did so. Lara then pulled the trigger of the devise and they were rocketing up the line as lightening speeds, missing the fires, sparks, and explosions as they moved. They then were hit by the rain as they got outside and looked back as they moved, seeing the side of the ship that Alex died on, explode and collapse into the sea. They dropped off the line when they reached the intact side of the ship as it was now split in half from the explosion.

Lara whimpered and turned away as the half they just left continued to sink and break apart. She covered her mouth as Kat pulled her into a hug. They stayed there for a moment before Lara pulled away.

"We…have to get back to the others." She muttered.

Kat nodded letting go. "Then let's not keep them waiting."

They ran down the hallway and onto the deck they'd first entered from.

"We can't let anyone else die." Lara added as they got outside, finding that it was night.

They ran over to the built-up cargo and climbed up to the rope line. Lara jumped onto the line and climbed a bit forward as Kat jumped on. Kat then took a hold of Lara who got out the ascender. She pulled the trigger and they zipped from the ship up the line. The cold night air blew passed them, cooling their skin from the hot fires of the explosions. They got to the end and dropped off. They then ran to the next line and repeated the process. Backtracking all the way to the beach and where the others were camped. Once back at the bunker's campsite they took a moment by the fire to rest their legs and clean their weapons.