* * *
"So THIS is Gorky Park." Thomas said. "I always heard it was a sight to see." He said that evening as the group stood outside of Gorky.
"Always with the understatements, Thomas." Lara observed. "This place looks HUGE!"
"It IS an entire city district." Christopher pointed out.
"And you're telling me that it's free?" Nick asked in disbelief.
"There's a slight fee on Friday evenings and on weekends, but since today's Thursday it doesn't cost a thing."
"Sweet."
"What to do first?" Lara asked, taking it all in.
"I always liked the giant Ferris wheel." Christopher suggested. "It gives one of the best views of the city."
"Good suggestion, Christopher. It will also give us a birds-eye-view of Gorky so we can choose where we go next." Aeryn complimented. Christopher's face grew warm at her praise and he just stared at his feet. Aeryn, completely oblivious to his embarrassment pointed in the direction of the Ferris wheel and said, "Let's go."
As they moved toward their two-person seats, Lara "accidentally" pushed Christopher into the seat next to Aeryn. Before he could say a word in protest, the giant wheel started turning and they found themselves being lifted into the air.
Lara found herself grinning at the exultation as she sat next to Thomas. What a sight! She could see everything from up here; the meandering Moskva River, ornamental gardens, auditoriums, concert areas, lakes, booths, games, rides, stages, she could even see the spires of St. Basil's from up here!
Suddenly she felt herself pitching forward, an unseen hand gripping at her throat. Icy tendrils seemed to wrap around her heart, she couldn't breath. An unbidden image sprang to her mind. It was a map of some kind, starting from Red Square and ending about a kilometer and a half to the west. At the end was...a cave! The same one from her first "vision," but what did it all MEAN?
"Be there." Came that annoyingly familiar voice. Suddenly, her weird "episode" ended as Thomas shook her by the shoulders.
"Lara! What's going on? Are you all right?" He asked, a tremor of worry slipping into his normally calm voice.
"I'm fine Thomas, really." She said unconvincingly. "Maybe I'm just a bit lightheaded." Thomas didn't buy it for a minute, but knew his girlfriend well enough to know that if she didn't feel like talking, nothing he could say would convince her to. He just hoped that she showed enough common sense to come to him when she needed help.
Unfortunately, the one thought that Lara-Su had was "I'm going to figure out what the hell is going on here." And being the prideful echidna that she was, the thought of asking for help with a personal problem never occurred to her. A decision she would soon come to regret.
* * *
"So THIS is Gorky Park." Thomas said. "I always heard it was a sight to see." He said that evening as the group stood outside of Gorky.
"Always with the understatements, Thomas." Lara observed. "This place looks HUGE!"
"It IS an entire city district." Christopher pointed out.
"And you're telling me that it's free?" Nick asked in disbelief.
"There's a slight fee on Friday evenings and on weekends, but since today's Thursday it doesn't cost a thing."
"Sweet."
"What to do first?" Lara asked, taking it all in.
"I always liked the giant Ferris wheel." Christopher suggested. "It gives one of the best views of the city."
"Good suggestion, Christopher. It will also give us a birds-eye-view of Gorky so we can choose where we go next." Aeryn complimented. Christopher's face grew warm at her praise and he just stared at his feet. Aeryn, completely oblivious to his embarrassment pointed in the direction of the Ferris wheel and said, "Let's go."
As they moved toward their two-person seats, Lara "accidentally" pushed Christopher into the seat next to Aeryn. Before he could say a word in protest, the giant wheel started turning and they found themselves being lifted into the air.
Lara found herself grinning at the exultation as she sat next to Thomas. What a sight! She could see everything from up here; the meandering Moskva River, ornamental gardens, auditoriums, concert areas, lakes, booths, games, rides, stages, she could even see the spires of St. Basil's from up here!
Suddenly she felt herself pitching forward, an unseen hand gripping at her throat. Icy tendrils seemed to wrap around her heart, she couldn't breath. An unbidden image sprang to her mind. It was a map of some kind, starting from Red Square and ending about a kilometer and a half to the west. At the end was...a cave! The same one from her first "vision," but what did it all MEAN?
"Be there." Came that annoyingly familiar voice. Suddenly, her weird "episode" ended as Thomas shook her by the shoulders.
"Lara! What's going on? Are you all right?" He asked, a tremor of worry slipping into his normally calm voice.
"I'm fine Thomas, really." She said unconvincingly. "Maybe I'm just a bit lightheaded." Thomas didn't buy it for a minute, but knew his girlfriend well enough to know that if she didn't feel like talking, nothing he could say would convince her to. He just hoped that she showed enough common sense to come to him when she needed help.
Unfortunately, the one thought that Lara-Su had was "I'm going to figure out what the hell is going on here." And being the prideful echidna that she was, the thought of asking for help with a personal problem never occurred to her. A decision she would soon come to regret.
* * *