Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins
Lara leaned against the rail on the port side of the boat. She felt the sea spray her face as the ship sped steadily towards the island of Costa Delahoya. A voice announced over the PA, "Five minutes until we arrive at our destination of Puerto Rico, but until then, if you turn to your left, you can see the peaceful island of Costa Porta. If you look upwards you can see the majestic volcano that crowns the island. Ya know, it is said that the volcano is still active. Har har har."
Lara shrugged and returned her attention to the sea. "Excuse me," an older tourist said as she bumped into Lara, passing across the ship. Lara pulled out the newspaper clipping from the London Times. She studied the picture of the boat when the authorities found it. "Wow," Lara muttered. The wreckage was chewed up really bad. Even worse, they said that the ship was carrying some artifact, the Eye of Horus. an extremely large diamond. That was Lara's reward.
The PA crackled again, then the speaker announced, "Two minutes until arrival. And, if you look to your right, you can see the island of Costa Delahoya." Lara turned at the sound of the island. She turned and ran to the oppostite side of the ship. There was Costa Delahoya, just as Lara left it. Taking a breath, Lara climbed onto the railing and lept into the Sea. "Oh no!" One passenger cried out. "Man overboard!" Another yelled.
Lara didn't bother telling them she was okay, instead, she swam to the island and dragged herself ashore. Lara pulled off her coat and pants, revealing her trademark tight shorts and tank top shirt. Lara pulled her pistols from their hiding place in her coat, and holstered them. "Hmmm." Lara quietly said to herself, while she surveyed the island.
The sound of a helicopter roared overheard. Lara looked up to see a large cargo helicopter, with RAF markings, fly towards the interior jungle of the island. "What's this?" Lara asked herself, and ran into the jungle.
After a few minutes of walking, Lara entered a large clearing. It was dark, and damp. "Damn rainforests." Lara mumbled. She suddenly heard a growl come from the bushes. Lara drew her pistols and pointed them to the source of the growl. With a scream, a large ocelet jumped from the bushes behind her. Lara spun and fired, putting the cat to sleep. She rubbed her scratched arm and continued her walk.
Lara finally made it to the RAF compound, an hour later. The fence had a "Keep Out" sign and another sign indicating the voltage, 10,000 volts. "No biggie." Lara said smugly and pulled out a grappling hook and some rope. She scaled the tree behind her and attached the rope to one side, and threw to other end to a pole across the fence. When the grapple stuck, she attached a rope slider and soared across the fence. She dusted off and drew her pistols, bound to be guards. Lara ran past one building, and past another, finding a large warehouse in the middle of the compound. Strangely, the warehouse was built where the Obelisk of Atlantis once stood.
"Hey you!" A guard called out from behind her. Lara spun around and fired at him, but he was wearing a flak jacket. He smiled evilly and pointed an MP5 at her. Lara flipped to the side and ran past him. The guard turned, and began to fire. Before he could unload a round, another man grabbed the guard from behind and restrained him. "Hey!" The guard cried out. He then noticed it was his superior, "Oh, sorry Commander Green." The guard left to return to his post. Commander Green smirked lightly and waved hello to Lara. "Long time no see." He then said. Lara got to her feet, holstered her guns, and returned with a grin, "Yah, long time no see, Tobias."
"So, you're here at Costa Delahoya for what exactly?" Green inquired while her poured some Scotch for himself. "Business, not pleasure." Lara replied. "I'm sure you've heard about the attacks at sea?"
"Yes, with the Atlanteans." Green grimly conformed, "The little buggers are making the Carribbean a horrible place to tour."
"I understand. But why are you here? Last time I checked you were a bounty hunter." Lara then asked.
"The RAF gave me a choice, die, or tell no one about Atlantis and get a high paying rank in their air force. Being the business man that I am..."
"No no, I mean, you in the plural sense, what's with the operation?"
"The RAF claim they're guarding the place from terrorists or something. Bah I say, damn government!" With that outburst, Green looked around to see if anyone heard him.
"Who's in charge?" Lara then asked.
"Some brain named Doctor Porter. Classy Geordie. I don't trust him m'self. Very suspicious bloke if you ask me."
"Doctor Porter, eh?"
With that, a guard ran to Green, panting from exhaustion. "Commander Green," he panted out, "Porter, stole helicopter, headed for mainland with a tank." He collapsed. "Bloody fool." Green then said contemptedly.
"Tank?" Lara then inquired. "Oh fine," Green started, "I'll show you." The two got up and headed for a locked door. Green typed in a few numbers and the titanium doors creaked open. "Oh my, Green you stupid son of a..."
The room was lined with rows and rows of glass tanks, filled with a weird fluid and an Atlantean inside. "We recovered them from the Obelisk ruins. There were only twenty still alive, in a sense of the word. We shoved the buggers in these tanks and let them gestate. I don't know what Porter intended to do with them." Green concluded and Lara stood there, checking out the situation. "And this, Doctor Porter escaped with on of these?"
"Not just one." Green grimly started, "The strongest one, a Prime Atlantean, as Intel calls it." Green crossed his arms. "A Prime Atlantean?" Lara questioned. "A Prime Atlantean is a larger, stronger version of the normal species. According to our records, Natla intended to use it as the 'calvary' of her demon army. We have an embryo of the Prime, but it's locked up on our facility in England. You won't be getting to it anytime soon."
"We'll see." Lara said haughily. Lara dashed to the door and said her goodbyes. "I'll see you again." Green then said with a smirk. "Bet on it." Lara replied. She dashed out the door for a helipad.
Lara ran up to one of the helicopters and climbed into the cabin. A pilot was already inside. He started to grin at the sight of Lara. "Hello." He then said. "Afternoon." Lara replied, but then grabbed the pilot and tossed him out of the craft. She climbed into the pilot's seat and flipped on the copter. The helicopter lifted into the air and Lara steered it away from Costa Delahoya.
Porter was ready though. "Lass, I suggest ya turn 'round." His helicopter swooped at Lara's, machine guns firing. Lara flew to the side, dodging Porter's advances, but taking damage. Lara pulled hard on the stick, swinging the copter 180 degrees. With Porter in her range, Lara fired her machine guns. Porter evaded fire and flew east, towards the Atlantic Ocean.
"Damn." Lara said as she pulled hard on the stick. The helicopter swooped eastward. Lara hit the "gas" and sped off after Porter. She couldn't let him get away with that Atlantean.
Lara caught Porter in her sights. "He wasn't going to get away," she thought to herself as she flipped open the controls for the air-to-air missiles. Lara tumbed around the switch, then pushed the trigger. Just as the missile was launching, the helicopter shook violentley. Lara looked out the window to spot several flying Atlanteans trying to rip the copter to shreads. The missile was knocked off course and harmlessly flew into the ocean, exploding, and alarming more Atlanteans.
Lara grabbed the shotgun that was stowed behind the pilot's chair and set the helicopter to autopilot. She ran to the side of the helicopter and opened fire on the demons. Unfortunately, a Atlantean hit the helicopter, knocking her into the water below.
Lara opened her eyes to see a large mound-like structure below her, and a pack of Atlanteans swimming her way. Lara stroked her way to a nearby rock and grabbed a flash bomb she kept handy, who knows why though. Lara threw it towards the demons and turned, as it exploded, distracting them. Lara swam to the surface, catching some air.
"Ah!" Lara yelled as a beast grabbed her foot and pulled her under. She turned to the side and saw the shadow of Porter's helicopter flying off. The swim was long and Lara was short on breath. Soon after, she passed out...
"Wake up..." An Atlantean groaned to her. Lara's eyes opened to see the fleshy face of a demon staring at her. She tried to squirm, but she was stuck to the wall by some bio-chains. "You can talk?" Lara replied calmly. The Atlantean groaned again, "You think... we are... stupid?" It inquired. "No, no." Lara insisted, "I just didn't realize your species were uh, capable of speech." The demon smirked at Lara's words, "Feelings mutual."
"You tried to kill us. We be mad. REAL mad." It then said. The demon got close up into her face. Lara cringed at its decay-smelling breath. "I didn't know." Lara squeezed out, trying not to puke.
"Me no care, us no care. You die now." It smirked again. The demon clapped and two Atlanteans unchained Lara and picked her up. They dragged her to a small platform above a watery pool. They strapped her to a stone table and one of the Atlanteans revealed their claws.
"Wait!" A familiar voice called from the opposite end of the platform. It was Green, and a group of RAF troops. The Troops pushed they're way in front of Green and opened fire with their MP5s. The beats that tried to kill Lara flipped over and exploded from the bullets. A swarm of flying demons flew from the rafters of the room and charged the troops. The Troops started to fire on them. Green ran up to Lara and cut her from entanglement. "Funny how we keep running into each other." Green then said smugly. Lara grinned sarcastically.
All of a sudden, a light flipped on, revealing the size of the chamber and the contents. The walls of the massive room were lined with egg after egg after egg. "Holy shit!" One trooper yelled out as he opened fire on an egg. "You idiot!" Green yelled to the trooper, realizing his mistake. At once, all the eggs exploded and the demons, both winged and un-winged, flooded out. Green grabbed Lara's arm and dragged the two out of the chamber. "Hold them off!" He commanded the remaining troopers as he closed the door behind himself. "Those men..." Lara then commented. Green stared straight ahead as the two broke into a dash for the RAF Submarine.
They hopped on board the submarine as the door at the end of the hallway, leading to the large chamber, exploded. Two Atlanteans with the limbs of troopers int their mouths, turned their attention to the departing submarine. "Get them!" One Atlantean called out, pointing to the sub. The Submarine dove underwater with Atlanteans in hot pursuit.
"I can't lose them." Green said nervously, trying to shake the pursuing demons. "Let me try." Lara said as she pushed Green aside. She pulled hard right on the stick, turning 180 degrees, toward the demons. She pressed the torpedo button, launching a missle at the beats, blowing them to kingdom come.
"Behind every great man is an even better woman." Lara said with a smrik. Green laughed. She pulled left on the stick and the Submarine headed out into the Atlantic.
"Commander Green." A voice buzzed in on the dashboard. "Yes?" Green replied. "We got trouble... big Atlantean, clawed arm and all.... killed five of our men... oh no! It's coming for me! Help me, Commander, help!" With that, the radio seemed to buzz off. Green pressed a few buttons, trying to regain the signal. "We have to turn around." He said solemnly to Lara. Lara pulled on the stick, and the Submarine spun around and headed back to Costa Delahoya.
"Drive into there." Green intsructed, pointing to a large metal door. When the door came more into sight, they noticed a large gash in the side of it. They didn't bother opening the door, but just drove through the gash. "My lord." Green silently said as they saw the bodies of RAF troopers thrown against the compund. They parked the Submarine in a pool and climbed out. Lara drew her pistols, and Green drew a MP5 assault rifle.
The two inched down a hall, cautious of any Atlanteans. "Croft..." A voice echoed throughout the halls. It was scratchy and evil sounding. Lara shuddered, it was almost familiar. "Ahh!" Lara screamed as a large claw sliced through the wall to her left. "Croft..." The claw-possessing creature groaned again. Lara fell back and Green opened fire on it. The creature fell back, stunned. "Let's go!" Green suggested as they made a break for the oppostie hall.
The creature got up and raised its arms. It charged the two as Green frantically mashed the control buttons that opened the security door blocking thier escape. Lara stood there, firing at the beast, as Green tried to open the door. The creature was closing in until Lara drew a shotgun and fired, sending the cretaure backwards, and making it slide to the opposite wall. Green successfully opened the door, and the two ran in, and shut it behind them. They could hear the creature on the opposite side of the door scratching furiously. "It's futile." Green finally said, after taking a deep breath. Suddenly, the scratching stopped.
"What was that?" Lara asked. "An Atlantean Prime." Green explained, "Porter must have set it loose on us, but, I don't remember it ever being able to talk... unless...."
"Unless what?" Lara yelled. Green turned away, "I can't explain now, we need to go to NTInc, a seclusive company that sent Porter to help us, but they're in England, and we're... here."
"Damn right we are." Lara then said. She reloaded her shotgun. Then she turned to Green, "What do you have for weapons?"
Green tunred on a light in a dark room. When it lit up, a rack of military assault rifles became visible. There were M16s, MP5s, and other assorted weapons. Lara grabbed a M16 and strapped it on her back with a belt of ammo. She then grabbed an MP5 and loaded it. Green reloaded his MP5. The two ran out of the room and down another darkened hallway.
Lara and Green had just run down the hallway, when the Prime crashed through the wall again. "Croft..." It moaned menacingly as it raised its claws to charge. Lara opened fire with Green, knocking the creature back. Lara and Green took the chance to run past another security door, but this one was weaker... the creature burst through it as if it was cheesecloth. Green and Lara stopped in a room with a pool to fire at the Prime, but stopped as they notice the room filled with Atlantean Eggs.
Lara motioned to the control panel for unlocking another security door. Green ran to it carefully and began mashing some keys. The creature started to almost, causually walk to Lara, arms raised. Lara fired, but the creature kept walking. After about 5 meters away from Lara, the creature jumped at her, pinning her on the ground. Lara pointed her gun into its mouth and pulled the trigger. The creature flew backwards as the bullets pierced its skull, but that wasn't slowing it down.
Green pushed the final button and the door slid open. As the door slid open, a wounded trooper ran out, being chased by two Atlanteans. "Help me!" He cried as he ran past Green and Lara, right into the Prime's "arms". The pursuers tunred at the sight of the Prime, but after it had torn apart the trooper, the Atlanteans provided an appetizer for the Prime. Lara and Green took the opportunity to escape. They ran down a long hallway and emerged on the Costa Delahoyan beach, with a large cliff above them, and unfortunately, several eggs were calling the cliff home.
The eggs exploded and a swarm of flying demons attacked the two. Lara and Green ran down the beach, firing round after round at the demons, but with only little results. The demons began to close in as the two spotted a doorway at the end of the beach. They dove into the doorway, barely dodging an Atlantean swoop. Lara and Green took out the demons from the safety of the doorway. Taking a moment to breath, they reentered the compund.
"I know this place." Green then said. "This is a secret area of the compound, the beach door, should not have been open..." He scratched his head. "You mean that door?" Lara asked, pointing to a torn apart door leaning against a wall. Apparently the door had been ripped off its hinges and tossed aside.
"Wait," Green started, "This passage leads back to the Submarine bay. We can get out of here." The two ran up to another panel and opened the security door.
"Croft..." A voice echoed from the beach. The Prime emrged into the passage from the beach and charged again. Lara and Green jumped onto the Submarine in the adjacent pool and hopped inside. Before the creature could catch them, they were already underwater and heading to NTInc HQ at London, England.
The Prime stood at the side of the pool, scratching its chin, and watching the submarine escape. It sickly grinned and tunred to go back in the secret passage. As the creature walked, the wound in its skull, inflicted by Lara, healed. "Croft..." It quietly groaned.
