William's apartment

London

William

"No, you're gonna tell me," Lara said. "You're gonna tell me whether you like it or not."

Why won't she just let this go? Stubborn like always.

"Look, Lara, it's complicated and dangerous." He said.

"No, William, don't give me that. I've been through more danger than you ever have been in. Whatever this trouble you've got yourself into I can help."

I wish that was true, but I can't risk you finding out about this war.

"Look Lara, thank you for caring and I'll ask for help when I can't handle it anymore."

Those paintings of Lauren still held a message about both you and Kurtis I still haven't figured what.

"William," she said taking his hand "You can trust me."

"Lara, please, just-" He was cut off by a hard knock on his apartment door. Then after the knock, a man's voice followed.

"William, I know you're in there. open up!" the man shouted. "Now!"

"Sssh,'' he told Lara, grabbing his gun off the coffee table and walking to the door.

Lara was right behind him with her guns also at ready. He peeked into the hole, his brother standing on the other side.

This is so great.

William looked at Lara who was staring at him with a frown. "Go, Lara. Get out of here."

"Why? I don't run away from a fight," Lara said.

"No time for that, please, Lara," William said. "The window. There's a fire escape. Please, I'll call you when I'm done here."

Lara wanted to refuse, but he looked at her with those eyes that read please just go.

Lara sighed and walked to the window, glancing back for the last time. She climbed to the exit and made her way down the stairs.

William's apartment

London

Kurtis Trent

Kurtis had arrived at his brother's apartment block after getting Gunderson and his soldiers off his back by dogging them through traffic and taking the highway to town. He glanced up at the building in front of him. The building was high and needed a paint job. At the door sat two children playing as Kurtis neared them, they gave him an unwelcoming smile.

They seem… scared… Maybe because of the crime.

Kurtis gave them a kind smile and walked in. He looked to see an office on the right.

Could be the landlord's office.

Kurtis peeked in but no one was inside.

Great. Now to find his room on my own.

Next to the office, there was an elevator with stairs beside it. The wall opposite the elevator showed all the floors with room numbers on them.

"Looking for number 70," Kurtis said, checking the list.

Fifth floor.

Kurtis looked at his options and decided to take the stairs. He always hated elevators for numerous reasons.

He got to the fifth floor and walked through the hallway, weird noises coming from the numerous rooms.

Don't want to know.

Kurtis found the door to the apartment and knocked as hard as he could so William would hear him.

"William, I know you're in there, open up," Kurtis shouted. "Now!

Kurtis didn't wait too long before the door finally opened and he found himself staring at the barrel of a gun.

"William, is this how you treat your only brother?" Kurtis asked as he raised his hands in the air.

"Kurtis, you shouldn't have come," William said, his voice quivering. "You don't belong here."

What's going on and why is he so scared?

"What's going on?" Kurtis said.

"I want you to turn around and walk away," William said, still pointing the gun at Kurtis's face.

"I'm not leaving my little brother alone. Not this time," Kurtis said with a sigh. "I already lost our father. I don't want to lose you too. "

The gun lowered and Kurtis saw his little brother's face more clearly. He looked shocked and Kurtis knew at that time that his brother didn't know that their father was gone.

"What do you mean? What happened?" William asked, walking away into the living room area.

Kurtis stood there for a few seconds looking at the area in front of him. There was an old sofa with a rigid and coarse frame, two chairs stood opposite the sofa sides, and a small coffee table in the middle. On the left sat a small kitchen with a few counters, a stove, a small fridge, and a sink.

Kurtis closed the door behind him and sat down on one of the chairs as William stood at the window looking down at the streets below.

"Father was murdered," Kurtis said, breaking the silence.

William turned around and looked at Kurtis, tears forming in his eyes.

"No…" he said and sat down on the sofa, cupping his head. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I came to find you because I didn't see you at the funeral. Thought you just didn't want to be there," Kurtis said. "Wanted to make sure you were fine."

"Thanks, brother. But I didn't know," William said. "I talked to our father on the phone a month ago. Told him I'll meet him in Turkey. But that was only for next week and I hadn't heard from him since."

"I found out a day before his funeral. Steph searched for me and told me," Kurtis said. "I thought they would let you know."

"Oh, well they didn't. Who killed him? Was it Eckhardt?" he asked and Kurtis sighed again.

"Yes, it was Eckhardt," Kurtis answered. "Well, so far we know it's Eckhardt and his Cabal members."

"Okay, so what's the plan," William asked.

Kurtis told him what he was going to do.

Hotel

London

Lara Croft

Lara arrived at a hotel not so far from William's apartment block. It was a small old hotel. Not a lot of tourists used it, which made Lara happy. The fewer people see her the better. She went inside the lobby and walked up to the receptionist. The lady looked old like the building itself, chattering as Lara booked herself a room.

Lara took the elevator up to the last floor and entered her room. It was small with a single bed and a bedside table.

She threw her backpack on the floor and fell on the bed. But just as she wanted to relax, her phone rang.

Lara fished out her phone, hoping it was William but she only saw an unknown number.

"Hello."

"Hello, Lara. Please before you put down the phone, listen to me first," he said.

"Okay, Werner. What do you want." Lara said.

I've changed my number so many times and he still finds my new number.

"I'm in some trouble and need to talk to you," he said. "In person."

"Is this why you wouldn't stop calling me? Because you need my help?" Lara said. "Why should I even help you?"

"Please Lara," Werner said. "There's something dark going on and I'm in trouble."

Let's just hear what he has to tell me of this trouble and darkness.

"Okay, where are you?" Lara said.

"I'm in Paris, I'll send the address to your phone," he said.

"Okay, I'll see you in two days in Paris."

"Thank you, Lara," Werner said and hung up.

Lara walked out to the balcony, watching the sunset.

Looks like my past keeps finding me.

William's apartment

London

Kurtis Trent

Kurtis looked at William as they went through the info they both had on Eckhardt - where he was at the moment. Papers were laid out on the small coffee table, on the floor, and even on the sofa. They had to find the Cabal and fast.

"I gathered this info on Eckhardt ever since mom disappeared two years ago," William said. "Until last year and then father said I should leave it to him."

"Father never told you why?"

"No, I never asked him."

Kurtis's phone beeped. A message. He took it out, opening it. It was from Steph. He read the message out loud so his brother could listen in.

"Cabal is going to Prague in two weeks to meet up at the Strahov fortress. Eckhardt had hired a man five weeks ago in Paris to track down all five paintings. Eckhardt is going to visit this man in two days at 8 pm. The man is Werner von Croy. The apartment is the Rue Valise. The Chantell building. Floor 4, door number 24. Hurry for Eckhardt's going to kill this man after getting what he wants."

William took out his phone and called someone.

"Larry, can you arrange a flight to Paris ASAP," William said. "Thank you, Larry. I owe you one...Yes, I owe you a lot. Bye." He turned to Kurtis. "We're flying first thing tomorrow morning,"

"Then we should plan how we're going to stop Eckhardt from killing Werner," Kurtis said. Then he saw his brother's face. "What's wrong?"

"It's just I know Werner. I helped him with a dig two years ago," William said. "That woman you saw at the gallery was the same woman who was buried alive two years ago. Somehow she survived and she still doesn't want anyone to know how."

"I heard about it," Kurtis said. "William, are you two very close?"

"Friends only, brother," William said, smiling. "In high school, we had a thing but it didn't work out. She's too much for me. She's kinda like you, stubborn, brave, smart, etcetera ."

"Oh, okay don't start getting ideas, William. The less she knows about this, the better."

"Yes of course. I don't think she even wants to hear that her Mentor that turned enemy is now in trouble."

Kurtis nodded and they went on with how they were going to talk to Werner and how they were going to protect him from Eckhardt. The night was going to be long but they needed to plan it all out.

Even how they were going to get into the Strahov.