Path of Destruction
Part Six: A Sore Site for Eyes
Miss Lara Croft toppled out of the dark passage like a scratched cue ball. She was totally soaked from head to toe from the underground river that she had been following. She was now lying flat on her back staring up at a dark ceiling while her eyes adjusted to the dim light around her wondering where she was now.
The answer to her query was soon answered when the drenched explorer came back to her senses. As she stood up she was surprised that she was on the aqueduct inside the large room that she had discovered some time earlier. The water that she had been traipsing through a moment ago was now flowing freely past her ankles moved swiftly ahead of her. When it reached the corner it turned to the right and after a short distance fell off of the edge into a small cup just above two large double doors that were now standing wide open.
Smiling contentedly the young lady crossed her arms in front of her in satisfaction. She had suspected as much but up until now she had been having her doubts. Now that she actually saw the opening below her she was reminded of the inspiration that had gotten her into this business in the first place.
In a flash she had scurried to the opposite side of the aqueduct toward the makeshift grappling hook that was still hanging where she had left it. Before she could reach it, however, she felt a rumbling underneath her feet. The stone structure that she was standing on began to give way once again and this time she was too far from the rope to jump to safety.
Stutter stepping backward Croft turned and rushed back the way she had come. As she sprinted back to the gap she could hear the crumbling of the stones behind her falling to the earth quicker and quicker with each step.
With great speed she turned the corner and in two steps had hurtled herself back onto the opposite side of the aqueduct. Without hesitation she spun around just in time to see the rest of the structure collapse to the ground. All that remained was a small stretch of stone in the far corner with a rope hanging from the side.
Just then, before she could breath a sigh of relief, she abruptly realized where she was standing; on top of the same type of structure that had just tried to kill her. It was enough to make her slightly nervous on top of which it also occurred to her that she had no way of getting down to the floor below except via a very long drop.
She was just beginning to chastise herself for following the river instead of backtracking through the cave when she had a wild idea. The large double doors, she noticed, were standing wide open, almost parallel with the edge of the aqueduct. A drop from the top of one of these doors would be far more survivable than from where she presently stood.
Seeing no other immediate options the explorer flung herself into the air toward the door across from her. For a moment she hung in mid air, free from all the burdens of life nearly forgetting everything she ever knew in favor of this new world. But it was only a fleeting instant. The next thing that she knew she was suspended high above the floor by her arms, which upon grabbing the wooden fixture had been nearly dislocated.
As it was she was only inflicted by a slight tingling sensation that ran from her shoulders up through her arms to the very tip of her fingers. At first it was only a very small annoying feeling but as the seconds wore on the sensation started to change. Instead of a tingle it now changed to an aching pain as if she was inflicted with some form of arthritis.
The pain worked on her until the explorer was forced to concede her hold and dropped to the floor. Much to her dismay it was a far lengthier fall than she had estimated. She landed hard on her right ankle twisting it slightly underneath her sending her stumbling backward until she fell to the ground where she slide a little bit further.
The whole ordeal had only a trivial affect on the young lady. Almost immediately afterward she was back on to her feet. Almost immediately after that she was back on the ground rubbing her injured appendage.
It was at that point that she noticed what was behind the door. Through the opening to her left came a tidal wave of green the likes of which she had never seen before. The entire room was one big garden filled from one end to the other with numerous varieties of plants and vines that completely covered the floor and most of the walls. Only small patches of brick were visible through the overwhelming greenery to allow torches to be strategically placed through out the room. So thick was the greenery that the very back of the room was totally obscured from vision along with the owner of a pair of eyes peered out cautiously from the foliage.
Fixed into the ceiling of the garden were several wooden planks lined up side by side and held in place by several small pegs. They were, Croft presumed, for allowing sunlight to enter the room.
Once again the explorer pulled herself up to her feet this time being careful not to aggravate her ankle. She limped slowly forward into the new area filled with curiosity and fascination.
Upon entering the newly discovered chamber her eyes instantaneously affixed them selves to a very large fruit tree that stood directly in the middle of the garden. Besides being the only tree the garden it was also the most extraordinary tree that she had ever seen. It wasn't that it was unlike any other tree, quite the contrary; it would have been totally obscured in any nearly any forest region.
What was actually extraordinary was that there was nothing underneath the tree. Upon close examination of the tree she could find no dried leaves or broken branches or even tiny bits of bark that are usually present underneath such a plant.
Even more curious was the fact that none of these things were present on the tree its self either. It was as though everything about the plant was perfect, just as if it had come from Eden its self.
Not even the fruit that hung from the thick healthy branches seemed to be susceptible to those things that affect other trees. They hung thick and ripe and juicy.
They were unlike any fruit that she had ever seen before. At first sight they appeared to be some sort of genetic mutation for they had the unmistakable shape of a pair yet the outer skin was a bright shiny red such as is the color of apples.
Intrigued by the produce hanging in front of her and due to the fact that she still had not had anything that could remotely considered a decent meal, Croft plunged her hand amidst the branches and took hold of one of the juicy food. But before she could claim her prize a rather large snake leapt out from where it had been hiding and, without a moment of hesitation, sunk its fangs into the intruder sending it flying backward.
Lara's heart pounded from the shock as she looked over her hand. In the midst of the black glove on her hand were two tiny holes. Immediately she ripped off the hand covering. Her bare hand was practically unscathed. The bite marks had only resulted in small indentations on the skins surface.
With a big sigh of relief the young lady stared into the thick foliage in front of her. Behind the thick branches and leaves the faint outline was visible of a serpent slithering around inside the tree. It moved especially close to the fruit nearly embracing each piece as if it were it were a mother protecting its children.
The prospect was worth an experiment. Slowly and methodically the explorer slid quietly around the tree and waited. When the reptile had disappeared behind the trunk she slowly reached out for a piece of fruit.
The moment her finger touched it the reptile reappeared sensing immanent peril. Although Croft immediately withdrew her hand from danger it did not deter the serpent from charging, fangs in full view, as if it were a bull in a blood bank. It made its way up the branch to a spot just above the fruit that the human seemed to be interested in. Then, hissing angrily at the infidel, it methodically wrapped its tail around the limb it was on and coiled the remainder of its body around the produce.
Lara stared at the scene in awe. A theory began to form inside of her brain but she scarcely allowed herself to consider it. As she stared at the nearly perfect tree, and now the whole garden that surrounded it, all she could think of was that she was in paradise. All at once she felt calm, as if the all of the world had started over again. It was as though she was in a trance.
Just then an unknown assailant attacked her from behind with a heavy metal object knocking her unconscious to the ground.
It was some time later that she began to emerge from her forced slumber. As her eyes slowly fluttered open the only thing she was cognizant of was the extreme pounding of her head. With the passing of every second it pulsated as though it were a migraine on top of a hangover. The pain made it difficult for her focus on her surrounding however she was able to notice a set of vertical steel bars rolling in front of her making clear that she was in some sort of a cell.
Just then she felt the warm presence of a hand on her arm accompanied by a faint voice. She was sure that she had heard it somewhere before but due to the intense pulsating within her brain she could not be certain to whom it belonged or, for that matter, what they were saying.
Using all the strength she could muster Lara rolled her head over to the other side in hoping to identify the person speaking to her. To her dismay, she did. There, kneeling above her and jabbering incoherently was Sam Beeman desperately trying to wake her up.
He had been there for some time with Devon locked away by people who, as far as they could tell, were ancient Romans. They had attempted several times to explain away the phenomena to one another but since their eyes behold the whole situation they had little room, except in the extreme realms of philosophy, to disagree.
It was nearly an hour later that Lara Croft entered the cage unconscious and hanging from the arms of two centurions. Ever since then Beeman busied himself by trying to get the young lady to wake up before the Large Texan slumbering in the corner.
Meanwhile the explorer was becoming more cognizant by the second. She could now make out her being repeated over and over from the Americans mouth.
"I thought I told you to stay behind," she groaned half jokingly.
The young man smiled as she spoke. If there was anyone who could rescue him his current situation it was her. Placing his arm underneath hers he helped her over the stone wall where she could sit up. "I didn't have much of a choice," explained, "Devon insisted."
The tomb raider glared over to the side where the second American was napping. He was stretched out comfortably on the floor with a contented smile glued to his face. At random intervals air escaped from lips creating a sound that resembled a class five tornado.
She was now very cognizant of her surroundings and although her head continued to throb it was slowing becoming more tolerable. Placing her hand on the shoulder beside her she lifted herself upward to her feet. She was almost back on the ground in the same moment, however, for in her fixation on Devon she forgot to take into account her injured right ankle. Once she had regained her balance she methodically made her way toward the slumbering Texan.
Lara gazed down at her nemesis. For nearly a year he had plagued her existence. Around every corner he lurked with the intention of doing away with her and all for money. Now it would end. Without an ounce of mercy she placed her right brown hiking boot on the man's throat. Slowly she began to press down gently at first and then harder and harder cutting off his air supply.
As she pushed down she could feel the pain moving up through her leg. It felt as though her whole leg was on fire yet she continued to choke her adversary.
"What are you doing," Beeman asked from behind in shock. Croft made no reply to this query except to press down harder on the man's throat. "Stop it," he ordered in a more authoritative voice than before. When she made no answer to his demand he took a step forward hoping to intimidate the would be murderess.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the young lady cautioned sternly, placing her hand on top of her holstered weapon. "I'm finally going to get rid of this irritation once and for all.
Just then, either from the constant bickering or from the heavy force upon his neck, Devon woke up. Instinctively he took hold of the offensive appendage and pushed upward as hard as he could sending a new rush of pain into the explorer's leg and throwing her off balance to the ground.
Immediately her pistols were unsheathed and trained on her adversary. "I think you got my total attention now," huffed the American as he pulled himself upright, "but I don't think your going to shoot me."
"What makes you say that," she asked pulling back on the hammer of each pistol.
Devon smiled maliciously. "Because you'd rather see me die in that thar coliseum.
At that the young lady's weapons were returned to their holsters just as quickly as they had been deployed. "What was that," she asked curiously.
"Ain't you been paying attention," answered the Texan stunned that the world famous tomb raider was ignorant of the situation.
"She was knock out when they brought her in," Sam explained leaning backward onto the wall behind him.
The southerner glared over at the other man as if he a blight on all humanity. "So you saying that you put her up to trying to kill me?"
Croft returned yet again to her feet chuckling to herself. "As if he would have to," she murmured. "Now, I wonder if one of you gentlemen would be good enough to explain to me what is going on?"
Begrudgingly, the two Americans relayed to Miss Croft the story of their adventure, as you have already heard it, up to the point where they found themselves in a garden amidst many beautiful and exotic plants. This tale, while basically true, was embellished by both men in hopes of impressing or intimidating the explorer. Neither one accomplished this goal, however, and many was the time that they were interrupted by their audience who reminded them, at times under the threat of violence, to return to the main point of the story.
And then they came to the important part. That is to say that they finally arrived at the part of the story that answered the lady's question. Even then it took a great deal finagling by both men on several points to arrive at any sort of a consensus.
In short, the Americans adventure into the garden started very much like Lara's. In the same way, they discovered and were mesmerized by the strange fruit tree in the middle of the chamber. The difference was that instead of a shovel to the back of the head they were forced to contend with two large centurions.
That is, there were two of them to begin with. Moments after their arrival Devon introduced one of them to his weapon. The other one would have, no doubt, received the same treatment had the gunman not found himself without the luxury of ammunition. What followed was a chase followed by a very short skirmish that ended with both men in a lot of pain but very grateful that they were, for the moment, living beings.
"...Then they brought us straight here," Beeman concluded the story.
"Is that all," the explorer asked impatiently as she rose to her feet, "I should have expected as much I suppose. You've stumbled across what could be the world's greatest anthropological find in history and you decide to attack."
"Speaking of that," the agent interjected, "how come you still have your guns?"
Croft turned and moved back to the wall where the man was standing. All the time she was smiling. As she traveled across the room she could still feel a bit of pain shooting up her leg. It wasn't any less painful than before but she was ignoring it in favor of the gentleman in front of her. "The reason that I still have my guns," she answered, "is because I wasn't stupid enough to let these people to know they are weapons."
"Alright, alright," yelled the Texan as he stepped into the little group. He joined; less because he wanted to contribute but out of fear that they might be conspiring against him. "Can we get back to the coliseum?"
"And how do you know we're going into a coliseum," Lara asked in a voice that could only be described as sassy.
By this point Sam was beginning to feel a little intimidated by the situation and talking about the impending trip to the arena only served to increase the anxiety. "You see that ramp out there," he explained pointing outside the cell, "a few minutes after they put us in here they pulled out a few other fellows out and sent them up there. We couldn't see anything but there was a lot of cheering and they didn't come back."
The explorer looked at the American with puzzled eyes. He didn't seem much like a government agent. That is, he didn't act like she thought one would act in this situation. Instead, he seemed nearly petrified with terror. "Are all CIA agents as inefficient as you," she asked half jokingly.
Beeman stared back with an equally puzzling gaze. "What do you mean inefficient, "he asked quite seriously.
It was so serious a response, in fact, that it immediately set off an alarm in Croft's mind. She waited for a moment hoping that the next sentence out of the man's mouth would be something along the line of an idea of escape. It never came. Instead there was only silence, silence that stirred up the embers of doubt in her mind.
These doubts were further substantiated by the Texan's first impression of the news. "CIA," he screeched, "If he's a spy than he's the most spineless one ever saw."
The young lady gazed at Devon as if were the victim of some sort of learning disability. "Despite the fact that I'm sure you've never seen a CIA agent," she stated turning to Sam, "I can't help but agree that you, Mr. Beeman, are a very poor excuse for one."
"What are you talking about," replied the other through a slight nervousness.
"Well," Lara explained, "I would have suspected that any government agent would have no trouble getting out of a spot like this long before I arrived. For that matter, I don't see how it is that Devon is standing here. You did say you had a gun pointed right at him didn't you?"
The alleged agent's face began to turn red as the anger built up within him. "I didn't see any reason to kill anybody," he answered in near desperation.
At that the other American moved close into his counterparts face. "Why don't you tell her," he mocked, "its because you're a spineless, yellow, little - "
"That'll do, Devon," Croft interrupted. She pushed the interloper back and returned her attention to Sam. "Who are you," she asked sternly.
Her answer was only silence. Beeman could feel his soul begin to stir. It grew hotter and hotter until it finally burst forth from his chest as if it a balloon with a pinhole in it. In desperation he leapt forward grasping for Lara's guns. It was not to be however, for, with the speed and agility of a cat the young explorer took hold of his wrist and proceeded to throw him to the ground behind her. Then, before he could return to his feet the explorer quickly deployed weapons and pointed them in the questionable agents direction.
Seeing his opportunity for freedom had vanished he conceded himself to his fate. "Alright," he said as he slowly stood up, "you win. I'm not with the CIA."
To be continued...
Part Six: A Sore Site for Eyes
Miss Lara Croft toppled out of the dark passage like a scratched cue ball. She was totally soaked from head to toe from the underground river that she had been following. She was now lying flat on her back staring up at a dark ceiling while her eyes adjusted to the dim light around her wondering where she was now.
The answer to her query was soon answered when the drenched explorer came back to her senses. As she stood up she was surprised that she was on the aqueduct inside the large room that she had discovered some time earlier. The water that she had been traipsing through a moment ago was now flowing freely past her ankles moved swiftly ahead of her. When it reached the corner it turned to the right and after a short distance fell off of the edge into a small cup just above two large double doors that were now standing wide open.
Smiling contentedly the young lady crossed her arms in front of her in satisfaction. She had suspected as much but up until now she had been having her doubts. Now that she actually saw the opening below her she was reminded of the inspiration that had gotten her into this business in the first place.
In a flash she had scurried to the opposite side of the aqueduct toward the makeshift grappling hook that was still hanging where she had left it. Before she could reach it, however, she felt a rumbling underneath her feet. The stone structure that she was standing on began to give way once again and this time she was too far from the rope to jump to safety.
Stutter stepping backward Croft turned and rushed back the way she had come. As she sprinted back to the gap she could hear the crumbling of the stones behind her falling to the earth quicker and quicker with each step.
With great speed she turned the corner and in two steps had hurtled herself back onto the opposite side of the aqueduct. Without hesitation she spun around just in time to see the rest of the structure collapse to the ground. All that remained was a small stretch of stone in the far corner with a rope hanging from the side.
Just then, before she could breath a sigh of relief, she abruptly realized where she was standing; on top of the same type of structure that had just tried to kill her. It was enough to make her slightly nervous on top of which it also occurred to her that she had no way of getting down to the floor below except via a very long drop.
She was just beginning to chastise herself for following the river instead of backtracking through the cave when she had a wild idea. The large double doors, she noticed, were standing wide open, almost parallel with the edge of the aqueduct. A drop from the top of one of these doors would be far more survivable than from where she presently stood.
Seeing no other immediate options the explorer flung herself into the air toward the door across from her. For a moment she hung in mid air, free from all the burdens of life nearly forgetting everything she ever knew in favor of this new world. But it was only a fleeting instant. The next thing that she knew she was suspended high above the floor by her arms, which upon grabbing the wooden fixture had been nearly dislocated.
As it was she was only inflicted by a slight tingling sensation that ran from her shoulders up through her arms to the very tip of her fingers. At first it was only a very small annoying feeling but as the seconds wore on the sensation started to change. Instead of a tingle it now changed to an aching pain as if she was inflicted with some form of arthritis.
The pain worked on her until the explorer was forced to concede her hold and dropped to the floor. Much to her dismay it was a far lengthier fall than she had estimated. She landed hard on her right ankle twisting it slightly underneath her sending her stumbling backward until she fell to the ground where she slide a little bit further.
The whole ordeal had only a trivial affect on the young lady. Almost immediately afterward she was back on to her feet. Almost immediately after that she was back on the ground rubbing her injured appendage.
It was at that point that she noticed what was behind the door. Through the opening to her left came a tidal wave of green the likes of which she had never seen before. The entire room was one big garden filled from one end to the other with numerous varieties of plants and vines that completely covered the floor and most of the walls. Only small patches of brick were visible through the overwhelming greenery to allow torches to be strategically placed through out the room. So thick was the greenery that the very back of the room was totally obscured from vision along with the owner of a pair of eyes peered out cautiously from the foliage.
Fixed into the ceiling of the garden were several wooden planks lined up side by side and held in place by several small pegs. They were, Croft presumed, for allowing sunlight to enter the room.
Once again the explorer pulled herself up to her feet this time being careful not to aggravate her ankle. She limped slowly forward into the new area filled with curiosity and fascination.
Upon entering the newly discovered chamber her eyes instantaneously affixed them selves to a very large fruit tree that stood directly in the middle of the garden. Besides being the only tree the garden it was also the most extraordinary tree that she had ever seen. It wasn't that it was unlike any other tree, quite the contrary; it would have been totally obscured in any nearly any forest region.
What was actually extraordinary was that there was nothing underneath the tree. Upon close examination of the tree she could find no dried leaves or broken branches or even tiny bits of bark that are usually present underneath such a plant.
Even more curious was the fact that none of these things were present on the tree its self either. It was as though everything about the plant was perfect, just as if it had come from Eden its self.
Not even the fruit that hung from the thick healthy branches seemed to be susceptible to those things that affect other trees. They hung thick and ripe and juicy.
They were unlike any fruit that she had ever seen before. At first sight they appeared to be some sort of genetic mutation for they had the unmistakable shape of a pair yet the outer skin was a bright shiny red such as is the color of apples.
Intrigued by the produce hanging in front of her and due to the fact that she still had not had anything that could remotely considered a decent meal, Croft plunged her hand amidst the branches and took hold of one of the juicy food. But before she could claim her prize a rather large snake leapt out from where it had been hiding and, without a moment of hesitation, sunk its fangs into the intruder sending it flying backward.
Lara's heart pounded from the shock as she looked over her hand. In the midst of the black glove on her hand were two tiny holes. Immediately she ripped off the hand covering. Her bare hand was practically unscathed. The bite marks had only resulted in small indentations on the skins surface.
With a big sigh of relief the young lady stared into the thick foliage in front of her. Behind the thick branches and leaves the faint outline was visible of a serpent slithering around inside the tree. It moved especially close to the fruit nearly embracing each piece as if it were it were a mother protecting its children.
The prospect was worth an experiment. Slowly and methodically the explorer slid quietly around the tree and waited. When the reptile had disappeared behind the trunk she slowly reached out for a piece of fruit.
The moment her finger touched it the reptile reappeared sensing immanent peril. Although Croft immediately withdrew her hand from danger it did not deter the serpent from charging, fangs in full view, as if it were a bull in a blood bank. It made its way up the branch to a spot just above the fruit that the human seemed to be interested in. Then, hissing angrily at the infidel, it methodically wrapped its tail around the limb it was on and coiled the remainder of its body around the produce.
Lara stared at the scene in awe. A theory began to form inside of her brain but she scarcely allowed herself to consider it. As she stared at the nearly perfect tree, and now the whole garden that surrounded it, all she could think of was that she was in paradise. All at once she felt calm, as if the all of the world had started over again. It was as though she was in a trance.
Just then an unknown assailant attacked her from behind with a heavy metal object knocking her unconscious to the ground.
It was some time later that she began to emerge from her forced slumber. As her eyes slowly fluttered open the only thing she was cognizant of was the extreme pounding of her head. With the passing of every second it pulsated as though it were a migraine on top of a hangover. The pain made it difficult for her focus on her surrounding however she was able to notice a set of vertical steel bars rolling in front of her making clear that she was in some sort of a cell.
Just then she felt the warm presence of a hand on her arm accompanied by a faint voice. She was sure that she had heard it somewhere before but due to the intense pulsating within her brain she could not be certain to whom it belonged or, for that matter, what they were saying.
Using all the strength she could muster Lara rolled her head over to the other side in hoping to identify the person speaking to her. To her dismay, she did. There, kneeling above her and jabbering incoherently was Sam Beeman desperately trying to wake her up.
He had been there for some time with Devon locked away by people who, as far as they could tell, were ancient Romans. They had attempted several times to explain away the phenomena to one another but since their eyes behold the whole situation they had little room, except in the extreme realms of philosophy, to disagree.
It was nearly an hour later that Lara Croft entered the cage unconscious and hanging from the arms of two centurions. Ever since then Beeman busied himself by trying to get the young lady to wake up before the Large Texan slumbering in the corner.
Meanwhile the explorer was becoming more cognizant by the second. She could now make out her being repeated over and over from the Americans mouth.
"I thought I told you to stay behind," she groaned half jokingly.
The young man smiled as she spoke. If there was anyone who could rescue him his current situation it was her. Placing his arm underneath hers he helped her over the stone wall where she could sit up. "I didn't have much of a choice," explained, "Devon insisted."
The tomb raider glared over to the side where the second American was napping. He was stretched out comfortably on the floor with a contented smile glued to his face. At random intervals air escaped from lips creating a sound that resembled a class five tornado.
She was now very cognizant of her surroundings and although her head continued to throb it was slowing becoming more tolerable. Placing her hand on the shoulder beside her she lifted herself upward to her feet. She was almost back on the ground in the same moment, however, for in her fixation on Devon she forgot to take into account her injured right ankle. Once she had regained her balance she methodically made her way toward the slumbering Texan.
Lara gazed down at her nemesis. For nearly a year he had plagued her existence. Around every corner he lurked with the intention of doing away with her and all for money. Now it would end. Without an ounce of mercy she placed her right brown hiking boot on the man's throat. Slowly she began to press down gently at first and then harder and harder cutting off his air supply.
As she pushed down she could feel the pain moving up through her leg. It felt as though her whole leg was on fire yet she continued to choke her adversary.
"What are you doing," Beeman asked from behind in shock. Croft made no reply to this query except to press down harder on the man's throat. "Stop it," he ordered in a more authoritative voice than before. When she made no answer to his demand he took a step forward hoping to intimidate the would be murderess.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the young lady cautioned sternly, placing her hand on top of her holstered weapon. "I'm finally going to get rid of this irritation once and for all.
Just then, either from the constant bickering or from the heavy force upon his neck, Devon woke up. Instinctively he took hold of the offensive appendage and pushed upward as hard as he could sending a new rush of pain into the explorer's leg and throwing her off balance to the ground.
Immediately her pistols were unsheathed and trained on her adversary. "I think you got my total attention now," huffed the American as he pulled himself upright, "but I don't think your going to shoot me."
"What makes you say that," she asked pulling back on the hammer of each pistol.
Devon smiled maliciously. "Because you'd rather see me die in that thar coliseum.
At that the young lady's weapons were returned to their holsters just as quickly as they had been deployed. "What was that," she asked curiously.
"Ain't you been paying attention," answered the Texan stunned that the world famous tomb raider was ignorant of the situation.
"She was knock out when they brought her in," Sam explained leaning backward onto the wall behind him.
The southerner glared over at the other man as if he a blight on all humanity. "So you saying that you put her up to trying to kill me?"
Croft returned yet again to her feet chuckling to herself. "As if he would have to," she murmured. "Now, I wonder if one of you gentlemen would be good enough to explain to me what is going on?"
Begrudgingly, the two Americans relayed to Miss Croft the story of their adventure, as you have already heard it, up to the point where they found themselves in a garden amidst many beautiful and exotic plants. This tale, while basically true, was embellished by both men in hopes of impressing or intimidating the explorer. Neither one accomplished this goal, however, and many was the time that they were interrupted by their audience who reminded them, at times under the threat of violence, to return to the main point of the story.
And then they came to the important part. That is to say that they finally arrived at the part of the story that answered the lady's question. Even then it took a great deal finagling by both men on several points to arrive at any sort of a consensus.
In short, the Americans adventure into the garden started very much like Lara's. In the same way, they discovered and were mesmerized by the strange fruit tree in the middle of the chamber. The difference was that instead of a shovel to the back of the head they were forced to contend with two large centurions.
That is, there were two of them to begin with. Moments after their arrival Devon introduced one of them to his weapon. The other one would have, no doubt, received the same treatment had the gunman not found himself without the luxury of ammunition. What followed was a chase followed by a very short skirmish that ended with both men in a lot of pain but very grateful that they were, for the moment, living beings.
"...Then they brought us straight here," Beeman concluded the story.
"Is that all," the explorer asked impatiently as she rose to her feet, "I should have expected as much I suppose. You've stumbled across what could be the world's greatest anthropological find in history and you decide to attack."
"Speaking of that," the agent interjected, "how come you still have your guns?"
Croft turned and moved back to the wall where the man was standing. All the time she was smiling. As she traveled across the room she could still feel a bit of pain shooting up her leg. It wasn't any less painful than before but she was ignoring it in favor of the gentleman in front of her. "The reason that I still have my guns," she answered, "is because I wasn't stupid enough to let these people to know they are weapons."
"Alright, alright," yelled the Texan as he stepped into the little group. He joined; less because he wanted to contribute but out of fear that they might be conspiring against him. "Can we get back to the coliseum?"
"And how do you know we're going into a coliseum," Lara asked in a voice that could only be described as sassy.
By this point Sam was beginning to feel a little intimidated by the situation and talking about the impending trip to the arena only served to increase the anxiety. "You see that ramp out there," he explained pointing outside the cell, "a few minutes after they put us in here they pulled out a few other fellows out and sent them up there. We couldn't see anything but there was a lot of cheering and they didn't come back."
The explorer looked at the American with puzzled eyes. He didn't seem much like a government agent. That is, he didn't act like she thought one would act in this situation. Instead, he seemed nearly petrified with terror. "Are all CIA agents as inefficient as you," she asked half jokingly.
Beeman stared back with an equally puzzling gaze. "What do you mean inefficient, "he asked quite seriously.
It was so serious a response, in fact, that it immediately set off an alarm in Croft's mind. She waited for a moment hoping that the next sentence out of the man's mouth would be something along the line of an idea of escape. It never came. Instead there was only silence, silence that stirred up the embers of doubt in her mind.
These doubts were further substantiated by the Texan's first impression of the news. "CIA," he screeched, "If he's a spy than he's the most spineless one ever saw."
The young lady gazed at Devon as if were the victim of some sort of learning disability. "Despite the fact that I'm sure you've never seen a CIA agent," she stated turning to Sam, "I can't help but agree that you, Mr. Beeman, are a very poor excuse for one."
"What are you talking about," replied the other through a slight nervousness.
"Well," Lara explained, "I would have suspected that any government agent would have no trouble getting out of a spot like this long before I arrived. For that matter, I don't see how it is that Devon is standing here. You did say you had a gun pointed right at him didn't you?"
The alleged agent's face began to turn red as the anger built up within him. "I didn't see any reason to kill anybody," he answered in near desperation.
At that the other American moved close into his counterparts face. "Why don't you tell her," he mocked, "its because you're a spineless, yellow, little - "
"That'll do, Devon," Croft interrupted. She pushed the interloper back and returned her attention to Sam. "Who are you," she asked sternly.
Her answer was only silence. Beeman could feel his soul begin to stir. It grew hotter and hotter until it finally burst forth from his chest as if it a balloon with a pinhole in it. In desperation he leapt forward grasping for Lara's guns. It was not to be however, for, with the speed and agility of a cat the young explorer took hold of his wrist and proceeded to throw him to the ground behind her. Then, before he could return to his feet the explorer quickly deployed weapons and pointed them in the questionable agents direction.
Seeing his opportunity for freedom had vanished he conceded himself to his fate. "Alright," he said as he slowly stood up, "you win. I'm not with the CIA."
To be continued...