Larson opened up his laptop and dialed Natla's office on the built-in
satellite videophone. "Welcome to Natla Enterprises," he heard, "If you
know your party's extension please dial it now. Otherwise please hold for
the-"
"Ms. Natla, is that you?" Larson interrupted. The screen flickered to life to show Natla's laughing face. "You wouldn't believe how many people fall for that one! Oh boy," her laughter subsided. "So what's happening down there?"
"We're at the cave entrance. Some wild animals came at us and killed our guide, but we took care of them."
"Is Lara alright?"
"Not a scratch on 'er. She's an amazing shot."
"Excellent. Within an hour we'll have the Scion."
"Ms. Natla, I think it might be better if I go inside with Lara. There could be more trouble inside and she might need my help again."
"You're going spelunking? I thought you hated climbing."
"It's better than freezing my butt off out here, Ma'am."
"Hmm," Natla thought for a moment. "Once you go inside the cave you're not going to be able to reach me by sat-phone. So I'm going to have to tell you now."
"Tell me what?"
"When Lara retrieves the Scion from Qualopec's tomb, I want you to kill her."
Larson gaped with shock. "Are you... serious, Ma'am?"
"Deadly serious. I know you're the right man for the job. Make me proud!" And she disconnected.
***
"Mmmph!" grunted Lara as she pulled herself up onto a ledge. "Your turn, Larson!" Larson tried to imitate Lara's leaping grab but couldn't reach the top of the ledge. He picked up a nearby boulder and positioned it under the ledge. He stood on top of it and reached out for the top of the ledge. Just as he grabbed it the boulder tipped over and he was left dangling. He scrabbled for a foothold but couldn't find one. "Lara, help!"
"Here, take my hand!" Lara grabbed his wrist and pulled backwards with all of her strength. "Mmmph!" She said again. Assisted by Lara's pull, Larson was able to walk his way up the rock wall to the top. He rolled onto his stomach and lay panting for a minute.
"Man, I hope there's not too many of those!" Larson said.
"Me neither. It's like lifting a 250 pound sack of Idaho potatoes!"
"'Cept I'm from Georgia. Heh!"
Lara looked ahead and saw the entrance to the city. "Well, the first stage is finished. From what I've heard there's a key to be found and a few switches to be pulled. But there's no need to drag you along for that. All of the doors are more or less on ground level."
Larson sighed gratefully. "Right. I'll stay down here and watch out for the big bad wolf. Or bear, as the case may be." They had already encountered one grizzly bear in the caves so far and it had taken all of their combined firepower to bring it down. Larson knew where there was one bear there could be others.
Together they entered the City of Vilcabama and faced down another pack of wolves. It took a lot of shots, but Lara had an enormous supply of 9 millimeter ammo in her packpack. Larson was able to borrow from Lara's ammo since their guns were the same caliber. Once the threats were exterminated they searched for a door with a keyhole. When they found it Lara told him to wait there while she found the key. Larson gratefully accepted. He hoped it wouldn't be much further because the climbing was wearing him out.
As he waited for Lara's return he thought about Natla's order. Could he really kill this young, energetic woman in cold blood? It wouldn't be the first time Larson had killed, but the other times had been in self defense. He had faced down armed militia groups when Natla was opening a new branch in Indonesia, on Timor Island. But it was easier for him to kill someone if they were shooting at him first. Could he really shoot Lara in the back? He had only known her for a few hours but he was already starting to like her. This job could be the most difficult he'd ever had.
His thoughts were broken by the sound of Lara trotting back to him. "Ready to continue?" He nodded.
"I love this part," Lara said as she pulled the silver key from her pack. "Opening a door that hasn't been opened for centuries, not knowing what's inside. . ." She sighed.
"After you!" Larson said, graciously extending his arm.
They trotted through the doorway and into a long hall. At the end of the hall were three doorways- the left one open, and the center and right doors shut. "I don't see a keyhole for either of these, but maybe we don't have to bother with 'em. The left one's open," said Larson.
"Oh yes we will," corrected Lara. "Judging by these hieroglyphics, the center door is the one we want. But my gut tells me I'll have to get the right one open first. The ancients did not make access to their tombs convenient."
Larson peaked through the left door and groaned. Stairs and ledges. "I think I can manage on my own, Larson. But scrounge around and see if you can find anything useful." And Lara headed through the open door. Minutes passed, then the right door opened. Lara reappeared, and without a word ran through the newly opened door. In another minute the center door opened as well. Lara leaped down from the roof. "Well, that was some good exercise. Find anything?" Larson handed her what looked like a first aid kit and a box of shotgun shells. "Can't imagine who's leavin' this stuff laying around."
"I don't know about the shells, but that medpack is a gift from the ancients. It's very valuable. I'm glad you found it."
"Is that the tomb entrance?" Larson asked.
"I don't think so. But we're getting close. Come on!"
"Ms. Natla, is that you?" Larson interrupted. The screen flickered to life to show Natla's laughing face. "You wouldn't believe how many people fall for that one! Oh boy," her laughter subsided. "So what's happening down there?"
"We're at the cave entrance. Some wild animals came at us and killed our guide, but we took care of them."
"Is Lara alright?"
"Not a scratch on 'er. She's an amazing shot."
"Excellent. Within an hour we'll have the Scion."
"Ms. Natla, I think it might be better if I go inside with Lara. There could be more trouble inside and she might need my help again."
"You're going spelunking? I thought you hated climbing."
"It's better than freezing my butt off out here, Ma'am."
"Hmm," Natla thought for a moment. "Once you go inside the cave you're not going to be able to reach me by sat-phone. So I'm going to have to tell you now."
"Tell me what?"
"When Lara retrieves the Scion from Qualopec's tomb, I want you to kill her."
Larson gaped with shock. "Are you... serious, Ma'am?"
"Deadly serious. I know you're the right man for the job. Make me proud!" And she disconnected.
***
"Mmmph!" grunted Lara as she pulled herself up onto a ledge. "Your turn, Larson!" Larson tried to imitate Lara's leaping grab but couldn't reach the top of the ledge. He picked up a nearby boulder and positioned it under the ledge. He stood on top of it and reached out for the top of the ledge. Just as he grabbed it the boulder tipped over and he was left dangling. He scrabbled for a foothold but couldn't find one. "Lara, help!"
"Here, take my hand!" Lara grabbed his wrist and pulled backwards with all of her strength. "Mmmph!" She said again. Assisted by Lara's pull, Larson was able to walk his way up the rock wall to the top. He rolled onto his stomach and lay panting for a minute.
"Man, I hope there's not too many of those!" Larson said.
"Me neither. It's like lifting a 250 pound sack of Idaho potatoes!"
"'Cept I'm from Georgia. Heh!"
Lara looked ahead and saw the entrance to the city. "Well, the first stage is finished. From what I've heard there's a key to be found and a few switches to be pulled. But there's no need to drag you along for that. All of the doors are more or less on ground level."
Larson sighed gratefully. "Right. I'll stay down here and watch out for the big bad wolf. Or bear, as the case may be." They had already encountered one grizzly bear in the caves so far and it had taken all of their combined firepower to bring it down. Larson knew where there was one bear there could be others.
Together they entered the City of Vilcabama and faced down another pack of wolves. It took a lot of shots, but Lara had an enormous supply of 9 millimeter ammo in her packpack. Larson was able to borrow from Lara's ammo since their guns were the same caliber. Once the threats were exterminated they searched for a door with a keyhole. When they found it Lara told him to wait there while she found the key. Larson gratefully accepted. He hoped it wouldn't be much further because the climbing was wearing him out.
As he waited for Lara's return he thought about Natla's order. Could he really kill this young, energetic woman in cold blood? It wouldn't be the first time Larson had killed, but the other times had been in self defense. He had faced down armed militia groups when Natla was opening a new branch in Indonesia, on Timor Island. But it was easier for him to kill someone if they were shooting at him first. Could he really shoot Lara in the back? He had only known her for a few hours but he was already starting to like her. This job could be the most difficult he'd ever had.
His thoughts were broken by the sound of Lara trotting back to him. "Ready to continue?" He nodded.
"I love this part," Lara said as she pulled the silver key from her pack. "Opening a door that hasn't been opened for centuries, not knowing what's inside. . ." She sighed.
"After you!" Larson said, graciously extending his arm.
They trotted through the doorway and into a long hall. At the end of the hall were three doorways- the left one open, and the center and right doors shut. "I don't see a keyhole for either of these, but maybe we don't have to bother with 'em. The left one's open," said Larson.
"Oh yes we will," corrected Lara. "Judging by these hieroglyphics, the center door is the one we want. But my gut tells me I'll have to get the right one open first. The ancients did not make access to their tombs convenient."
Larson peaked through the left door and groaned. Stairs and ledges. "I think I can manage on my own, Larson. But scrounge around and see if you can find anything useful." And Lara headed through the open door. Minutes passed, then the right door opened. Lara reappeared, and without a word ran through the newly opened door. In another minute the center door opened as well. Lara leaped down from the roof. "Well, that was some good exercise. Find anything?" Larson handed her what looked like a first aid kit and a box of shotgun shells. "Can't imagine who's leavin' this stuff laying around."
"I don't know about the shells, but that medpack is a gift from the ancients. It's very valuable. I'm glad you found it."
"Is that the tomb entrance?" Larson asked.
"I don't think so. But we're getting close. Come on!"