Chapter 3 - Venice

Lara arrived in Venice 2 days later. She had one suitcase containing all of her clothes and permits, and her gun trunk.  She and Bryce were waiting at the luggage carousel for their bags.  Lara could see her 2 cases come down and onto the carousel. She looked at Bryce trying to get his comparatively light bag off the belt, and tried to hold back a laugh.

Her trunk and case came to her, and she grabbed one with each hand, and effortlessly, pulled them off the belt.

"Show off!" came Bryce's voice from behind her.

"You should get some exercise Bryce. I don't sit all day, everyday with my arse in front of a computer"

"Thanks Lara. Don't forget it's this arse that has found out loads of information for you, and, and.. made you loads of life saving equipment"

"True. But I seem to remember..oh..never mind!"

"Ha!.  You can't think of anything! Admit it"

"Can - but I'm getting a phone call!"

"Oh"

Lara's phone was ringing - she grabbed it from her pocket.

"Hello"

"Lara. It's Lexa. I've had to change my address. Via Maralosa. Top floor.  See you soon"

The phone went dead again.

"Damn!. That woman has a knack for hanging up the phone just when you're going to say something"

Lara walked off carrying her suitcase over one shoulder and dragging her gun case behind her. Bryce came running up with a trolley. Lara dumped her stuff on it and walked off, leaving Bryce to push it behind her.

"Thanks" she called back

She turned back to smile at Bryce.  Just as she turned back to the face the front, she bumped into a man who had stopped at a queue in front of her, at passport control.

"Oh! I'm so sor…no I'm not!"

"Cherie!"

"What have I told you?  Don't ever call me that. Ever. On pain of death.  BRYCE!"

Bryce barged his way forward, hand outstretched.

"Hi. I'm Bryce. Lara's assistant"

Lara glared at him.

"Chase Carver. Archaeologist"

They shook hands.  Lara snorted.

"Archaeologist!  Yeah, Right. And I'm the Queen of Sheba. Come on Bryce"

Bryce, meanwhile, had taken in every aspect of Chase, and summed him up to be exactly Lara's type. He was about 6ft tall, 30 years old, clean shaven with sandy hair and very good looking. He noticed immediately that this guy liked Lara, a lot, but there was a lot of tension between them, more hatred on Lara's side.  He wondered what had happened.

"Bryce!"

"Coming Lara.  Nice to meet you Chase"

Chase saluted by way of goodbye.  Bryce followed Lara.

"Bye Cherie" called Chase.

"See you around"    He blew a kiss and winked at Lara.

"I don't think so" replied Lara, turning her back on him.

Bryce and Lara joined another queue. Bryce didn't know whether to say anything, because Lara was looking extremely pissed off.  She was obviously deep in thought about something else too. But Bryce being Bryce……

"Where did you meet him then?"

"The bastard stood me up a few years ago, and was working on a job I was working on too.  He'd been hired by the same person, who was playing us off against each other. And he's a pain in the arse!"

"Stood you up!  You mean, date kind of stood you up?"

"Just leave it. Seeing that …..man! has spoiled my day"

By now they had reached passport control.

"Reason for visit?"  asked the guard

"Business" replied Lara.

"Any weapons?"

"Yeah!  Loads of them"

"Errrr!"

The guard looked panicked.

"Do you have permits?"

"Of course" said Lara, and handed over her gun permits.   Finally, when they had been checked, Lara and Bryce wandered into the main airport area and out into the sunlight. Bryce hailed a taxi and they got in.

"Via Maralosa please" said Lara

"Ok sweetie. Anywhere you'a want to go'a"

Bryce sniggered.

"Shut it Bryce"

"OK. Anything you say …………sweetie"

Disclaimer.  I do not own any of the characters in this story except for Alexa Munroe. 

If you want to use the name in any of your stories, please contact me at athlete@talk21.com

Please review my story.  Your reviews help me to write it faster.

This story is dedicated to my best friend Jaina

Always, Lara

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