PART TWO: ENEMIES REVEALED.
The night air was cool and crisp, and Lara took a deep breath to clear her head. The small deserted airstrip on which she stood was lit up by an almost full moon. Lara had changed, and now wore her boots, a pair of khaki shorts, black T-shirt, belt and her brown fur-lined jacket - with her guns strapped to her legs in their usual places. She heard footsteps behind her as Bryce walked over. "Are you sure you're allowed to wear them in public like that?" he asked.
Lara turned to see Bryce - wearing a scruffy pair of baggy jeans and rumpled shirt - cradling a cup of coffee in his hands. She raised an eyebrow in question to what he meant. "Your guns." He said.
"Ah." Lara smiled. "I don't think I'll be around long enough for anyone to mind."
"We heading home then?"
"Leaving in half an hour." Lara replied. "The local flight control tower just radioed back."
"Oh good." Bryce said. "We should be home in time for breakfast."
Lara smiled. "I'm going to secure the hold." She said, and walked back to the small plane standing in the middle of the runway.
It didn't take long to make sure everything was tied down in the hold, because they hadn't brought much. And Bryce always carried his laptop around with him. Just as she was checking the straps holding the crate containing her prize, Lara heard a noise. She tensed, but continued to check the straps. When she heard the noise again Lara straightened, her hands reaching automatically for her guns, and backed up against the wall of the plane so she could see out the open door.
It was lucky she did, because, at that moment, two men in black burst into the hold, guns held in front of them. Lara didn't waste a second. She leapt through the doorway, landing in a crouch on the tarmac, guns pointing into the air.
Suddenly Lara felt something heavy connect with the back of her head, and the world swam before her eyes. She blinked and staggered forward, pivoting to see who was attacking her. A woman's face swam in and out of sight. Whoever it was had long dark hair pulled into a ponytail and wore a sneer on her face. Lara blinked again, but before she could react, someone else hit her again from behind and she crumpled forward. "Stupid bitch." She heard the woman mutter before her world went black.
* * *
The van screeched to a stop by a small deserted airstrip. A small plane stood in the runway, but no one seemed to be around. Jack jumped out of the back of the van, followed by Teal'c, Daniel and Sam - who had all changed into more practical clothes. As soon as their feet hit the ground, Jack and Sam had guns in their hands and Teal'c was looking alert. Teal'c glanced at Jack, who nodded slightly, and disappeared. "Okay, fan out." Jack ordered quietly.
Daniel reluctantly drew his gun and followed his team mates towards the plane. As Daniel walked across the tarmac, he saw Jack tense and immediately knew something was wrong. He quickened his pace and saw Jack nod to Sam. She nodded in return and began walking to the plane's open hold, her gun held in front of her.
When Daniel reached the spot where Jack was now crouching, he saw the reason for his friends cautious behaviour. Lying on the tarmac was a crumpled figure. "She's alive." Jack said softly when Daniel crouched beside him. "But she took a nasty blow to the back of the head."
Daniel saw the dried blood matted into the woman's hair and winced. At the sound of quiet footsteps behind them, Jack stood, gun ready, but it was only Teal'c. "The perimeter is secure." He said without preamble. "Major Carter found an unconscious man in the cockpit and is trying to revive him. The stone has been taken."
While Jack and Teal'c had been talking, Daniel had been studying the unconscious woman in front of him, but at Teal'c's words he glanced up. "Stolen?" he asked.
"There is an empty container in the hold," Teal'c said, "which appears to have held the stone."
"Alright." Jack said frowning. "Teal'c, bring the man out here. Daniel fetch the first aid kit from the van."
Teal'c nodded and returned to the plane. Daniel jogged quickly over to the van, leaving Jack alone with the woman. He took a long look at her since he hadn't been able to before - he had been too busy scanning the area for threats.
The woman - her name was Lara Croft he remembered - was lying partly on her side, facing away from him. Her skin was tanned to a golden colour and he could see the muscles in her long legs revealed by her khaki shorts. She also wore brown climbing boots, and a fur-lined brown jacket. Jack raised an eyebrow when he saw the empty holsters on her legs. There was no doubt in his mind: She was a mercenary, alright.
He turned to see Teal'c walking towards him, supporting a scruffy-looking young man who was stumbling beside him. Sam was walking on his other side, holding a slim black case. When the young man saw the crumpled figure beside Jack his already pale face went white. "Lara!" he cried and tried to run forward, but Teal'c would not let him.
Daniel raced up with the first aid kit, just as the young man slumped down beside the unconscious woman. As soon as he was on the ground, he carefully rolled the woman onto her back and smoothed her hair away from her face. He winced as he felt the blood. "Oh, Lara." He said again, with a heavy English accent.
Daniel smiled softly to himself at the words, and crouched down beside the woman and opened the first aid kit. Jack looked inquiringly at the young man. "Who are you?" he asked.
"My name's Bryce." He said absently, and took off his jacket.
As Bryce rolled the jacket carefully up into a ball and placed it behind the unconscious woman's head, Jack frowned again. "What are you doing here?"
Bryce looked up. "I'm Lara . . . Lady Croft's, um . . . assistant." He said. "I help her with things."
Jack raised an eyebrow at him and repeated his question. "What are you doing here? In Washington?" he clarified.
"Oh." Bryce said. "Lady Croft flew in to take care of some business and to attend a charity function." He said, and Jack thought he caught a glimpse of accusation and suspicion in his gaze. Could he know that they had been there, too?
At that moment, Lara groaned and her eyes flickered. "Lara!" Bryce said, his relief clear in his voice.
* * *
Lara felt the fog in her head slowly start to fade, only to be replaced by a deep throbbing pain at the back of her head. She groaned as the pain came back with vengeance and she struggled to open her eyes. When she finally did, the first sight she saw was the face of a young looking man with brown hair and a pair of glasses perched on his nose. She didn't know who he was, but she saw real concern in his eyes. She tried to sit up, but the man pushed her back down. "I wouldn't if I were you." He said softly, his American accent slightly surprising her. "You'll just end up making yourself sick."
He smiled wryly. "Trust me on that. I've had a lot of experience."
Lara smiled softly back. The man seemed vaguely familiar, and she could see genuine concern in his face. Then Bryce's face suddenly jerked into view. "Lara!" he cried. "Are you alright?"
"You mean apart from my head?" she croaked.
"Oh!" Bryce scrabbled around in what looked like a first aid kit. "Do you want some . . . " he paused to read the label of the bottle he had just pulled out of it. "Aspirin?"
Lara ignored Bryce for the moment and looked around. Standing behind Bryce was a tall man with close cropped silver hair framing a handsome face and an intelligent and alert gleam in his brown eyes. Next to him stood a large dark skinned man wearing a hat and a woman with short blonde hair and a determined look on her face. Lara's gaze slid over them, and returned to the silver-haired man. He was the leader of this little group. She could see it in the way he stood - that arrogance that comes from expecting your orders to be followed immediately.
Lara smiled to herself. It was a quality she recognised in herself. He was probably from some branch of the military, she reflected.
"Lara?" Bryce asked.
"No thank you." She replied to him, and tried to sit up again. Hands helped her, and she turned to see a pair of blue eyes staring out from behind a pair of large glasses.
"Thank you . . . " She said once she was sitting up.
"Daniel." The man said.
"Thank you, Daniel." Lara said. "My name is Lara . . . "
" . . . Croft." He finished. "I know."
Lara raised an eyebrow and tried to ignore the pain it caused.
Daniel grinned sheepishly at her. "I'm an archaeologist. I know of your, ah, exploits."
Lara smiled back, but before she could say anything the silver-haired man cleared his throat loudly. "I hate to interrupt this charming get together, but we are hear for an important reason." He glared at Daniel, who glared back.
"I was just making sure she was alright." He snapped at the man.
Lara raised an eyebrow and stifled a smile.
The man crouched down beside her. "Are you Lara Croft?" he asked.
"Yes." Lara replied. "And you are?"
"My name is Colonel Jack O'Neill of the United States Air Force." He motioned to the woman. "And this is Major Samantha Carter. We need to talk with you."
"Oh?" Lara said, her tone growing cold.
"You have some information that will help us." Jack said flatly.
"And I am just supposed to give it to you?" Lara asked archly.
"Yes." Jack snapped.
Behind the Colonel, the dark skinned man raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. For some reason Lara found herself thinking that he was amused by all this. But his face betrayed no emotion. She frowned. This night had been trying enough without some bunch of soldiers demanding information from her.
"Jack," Daniel began, "perhaps we should find another place to do this. And maybe let Lady Croft see a doctor." He looked meaningful at the Colonel.
"He has a point, sir." The blonde said.
Throughout the whole conversation the woman had been curiously watching Lara. She - Major Carter, Lara corrected herself - had seemed curious and thoughtful, unlike her hostile commander. And now she looked at Lara with a faint smile on her face, as if she understood what she was feeling in some way. But then since she probably serves under him - Colonel O'Neill - she wasn't surprised.
Bryce nodded enthusiastically at this. "Yes. Good idea. Smashing."
Lara resisted rolling her eyes, but just barely. "Bryce." She said.
Major Carter smiled, and looked at Daniel, who grinned in return. Then he turned to Lara. "Need a hand?" he asked.
"No thank you." Lara replied.
He nodded and stood, as did Bryce - although Bryce was rather more clumsy. Taking a deep breath, Lara carefully began to push herself up off the ground. It took her a while, but she managed it, and she was rather proud of the fact she didn't pass out again once she had. The world swam in and out of her vision for a few minutes, but then settled.
Jack frowned at her, and began walking back to the truck. Bryce eyed the dark-skinned man, who raised an eyebrow at him, and turned to Carter. "I'll take that." He said, and grabbed the bag Lara now noticed she was carrying.
As soon as he had, he began scampering after the Colonel, the large soldier following after him. Lara took a wobbly step forward and almost tripped. Before she could fall, two hands carefully grabbed her arm and steadied her. She glanced over expecting to see Daniel, but found herself looking at Major Carter.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Lara raised an eyebrow. "No." she said.
Sam smiled wryly at her. "You'll have to excuse the Colonel." She said. "He's . . . well . . . "
"Grumpy." Daniel finished for her.
Lara nodded. "I noticed." She said.
They began walking in silence, and Lara concentrated on putting on foot in front of the other. After a while it became easier, and Lara was finally able to let her mind examine her situation. She winced inwardly. Someone had attacked her plane and taken the artefact - and knocked her out cold.
Automatically, Lara reached for her gun with her free hand. When she couldn't feel their usual comforting weight, she looked down. They were gone. "My guns . . . " she began.
"They were already gone." Carter said. "We didn't take them."
"Bloody Hell!" Lara swore.
Carter looked at her curiously. Lara winced. "Sorry." She said. "I just don't quite feel safe without them." Her face hardened. "And I hate having people attack me."
Daniel, Sam and Lara finally made it to the van, where Jack was waiting impatiently. "It seems your friend here is a computer buff." He glared at Lara. "I think it's time you told us what exactly you're up to."
The night air was cool and crisp, and Lara took a deep breath to clear her head. The small deserted airstrip on which she stood was lit up by an almost full moon. Lara had changed, and now wore her boots, a pair of khaki shorts, black T-shirt, belt and her brown fur-lined jacket - with her guns strapped to her legs in their usual places. She heard footsteps behind her as Bryce walked over. "Are you sure you're allowed to wear them in public like that?" he asked.
Lara turned to see Bryce - wearing a scruffy pair of baggy jeans and rumpled shirt - cradling a cup of coffee in his hands. She raised an eyebrow in question to what he meant. "Your guns." He said.
"Ah." Lara smiled. "I don't think I'll be around long enough for anyone to mind."
"We heading home then?"
"Leaving in half an hour." Lara replied. "The local flight control tower just radioed back."
"Oh good." Bryce said. "We should be home in time for breakfast."
Lara smiled. "I'm going to secure the hold." She said, and walked back to the small plane standing in the middle of the runway.
It didn't take long to make sure everything was tied down in the hold, because they hadn't brought much. And Bryce always carried his laptop around with him. Just as she was checking the straps holding the crate containing her prize, Lara heard a noise. She tensed, but continued to check the straps. When she heard the noise again Lara straightened, her hands reaching automatically for her guns, and backed up against the wall of the plane so she could see out the open door.
It was lucky she did, because, at that moment, two men in black burst into the hold, guns held in front of them. Lara didn't waste a second. She leapt through the doorway, landing in a crouch on the tarmac, guns pointing into the air.
Suddenly Lara felt something heavy connect with the back of her head, and the world swam before her eyes. She blinked and staggered forward, pivoting to see who was attacking her. A woman's face swam in and out of sight. Whoever it was had long dark hair pulled into a ponytail and wore a sneer on her face. Lara blinked again, but before she could react, someone else hit her again from behind and she crumpled forward. "Stupid bitch." She heard the woman mutter before her world went black.
* * *
The van screeched to a stop by a small deserted airstrip. A small plane stood in the runway, but no one seemed to be around. Jack jumped out of the back of the van, followed by Teal'c, Daniel and Sam - who had all changed into more practical clothes. As soon as their feet hit the ground, Jack and Sam had guns in their hands and Teal'c was looking alert. Teal'c glanced at Jack, who nodded slightly, and disappeared. "Okay, fan out." Jack ordered quietly.
Daniel reluctantly drew his gun and followed his team mates towards the plane. As Daniel walked across the tarmac, he saw Jack tense and immediately knew something was wrong. He quickened his pace and saw Jack nod to Sam. She nodded in return and began walking to the plane's open hold, her gun held in front of her.
When Daniel reached the spot where Jack was now crouching, he saw the reason for his friends cautious behaviour. Lying on the tarmac was a crumpled figure. "She's alive." Jack said softly when Daniel crouched beside him. "But she took a nasty blow to the back of the head."
Daniel saw the dried blood matted into the woman's hair and winced. At the sound of quiet footsteps behind them, Jack stood, gun ready, but it was only Teal'c. "The perimeter is secure." He said without preamble. "Major Carter found an unconscious man in the cockpit and is trying to revive him. The stone has been taken."
While Jack and Teal'c had been talking, Daniel had been studying the unconscious woman in front of him, but at Teal'c's words he glanced up. "Stolen?" he asked.
"There is an empty container in the hold," Teal'c said, "which appears to have held the stone."
"Alright." Jack said frowning. "Teal'c, bring the man out here. Daniel fetch the first aid kit from the van."
Teal'c nodded and returned to the plane. Daniel jogged quickly over to the van, leaving Jack alone with the woman. He took a long look at her since he hadn't been able to before - he had been too busy scanning the area for threats.
The woman - her name was Lara Croft he remembered - was lying partly on her side, facing away from him. Her skin was tanned to a golden colour and he could see the muscles in her long legs revealed by her khaki shorts. She also wore brown climbing boots, and a fur-lined brown jacket. Jack raised an eyebrow when he saw the empty holsters on her legs. There was no doubt in his mind: She was a mercenary, alright.
He turned to see Teal'c walking towards him, supporting a scruffy-looking young man who was stumbling beside him. Sam was walking on his other side, holding a slim black case. When the young man saw the crumpled figure beside Jack his already pale face went white. "Lara!" he cried and tried to run forward, but Teal'c would not let him.
Daniel raced up with the first aid kit, just as the young man slumped down beside the unconscious woman. As soon as he was on the ground, he carefully rolled the woman onto her back and smoothed her hair away from her face. He winced as he felt the blood. "Oh, Lara." He said again, with a heavy English accent.
Daniel smiled softly to himself at the words, and crouched down beside the woman and opened the first aid kit. Jack looked inquiringly at the young man. "Who are you?" he asked.
"My name's Bryce." He said absently, and took off his jacket.
As Bryce rolled the jacket carefully up into a ball and placed it behind the unconscious woman's head, Jack frowned again. "What are you doing here?"
Bryce looked up. "I'm Lara . . . Lady Croft's, um . . . assistant." He said. "I help her with things."
Jack raised an eyebrow at him and repeated his question. "What are you doing here? In Washington?" he clarified.
"Oh." Bryce said. "Lady Croft flew in to take care of some business and to attend a charity function." He said, and Jack thought he caught a glimpse of accusation and suspicion in his gaze. Could he know that they had been there, too?
At that moment, Lara groaned and her eyes flickered. "Lara!" Bryce said, his relief clear in his voice.
* * *
Lara felt the fog in her head slowly start to fade, only to be replaced by a deep throbbing pain at the back of her head. She groaned as the pain came back with vengeance and she struggled to open her eyes. When she finally did, the first sight she saw was the face of a young looking man with brown hair and a pair of glasses perched on his nose. She didn't know who he was, but she saw real concern in his eyes. She tried to sit up, but the man pushed her back down. "I wouldn't if I were you." He said softly, his American accent slightly surprising her. "You'll just end up making yourself sick."
He smiled wryly. "Trust me on that. I've had a lot of experience."
Lara smiled softly back. The man seemed vaguely familiar, and she could see genuine concern in his face. Then Bryce's face suddenly jerked into view. "Lara!" he cried. "Are you alright?"
"You mean apart from my head?" she croaked.
"Oh!" Bryce scrabbled around in what looked like a first aid kit. "Do you want some . . . " he paused to read the label of the bottle he had just pulled out of it. "Aspirin?"
Lara ignored Bryce for the moment and looked around. Standing behind Bryce was a tall man with close cropped silver hair framing a handsome face and an intelligent and alert gleam in his brown eyes. Next to him stood a large dark skinned man wearing a hat and a woman with short blonde hair and a determined look on her face. Lara's gaze slid over them, and returned to the silver-haired man. He was the leader of this little group. She could see it in the way he stood - that arrogance that comes from expecting your orders to be followed immediately.
Lara smiled to herself. It was a quality she recognised in herself. He was probably from some branch of the military, she reflected.
"Lara?" Bryce asked.
"No thank you." She replied to him, and tried to sit up again. Hands helped her, and she turned to see a pair of blue eyes staring out from behind a pair of large glasses.
"Thank you . . . " She said once she was sitting up.
"Daniel." The man said.
"Thank you, Daniel." Lara said. "My name is Lara . . . "
" . . . Croft." He finished. "I know."
Lara raised an eyebrow and tried to ignore the pain it caused.
Daniel grinned sheepishly at her. "I'm an archaeologist. I know of your, ah, exploits."
Lara smiled back, but before she could say anything the silver-haired man cleared his throat loudly. "I hate to interrupt this charming get together, but we are hear for an important reason." He glared at Daniel, who glared back.
"I was just making sure she was alright." He snapped at the man.
Lara raised an eyebrow and stifled a smile.
The man crouched down beside her. "Are you Lara Croft?" he asked.
"Yes." Lara replied. "And you are?"
"My name is Colonel Jack O'Neill of the United States Air Force." He motioned to the woman. "And this is Major Samantha Carter. We need to talk with you."
"Oh?" Lara said, her tone growing cold.
"You have some information that will help us." Jack said flatly.
"And I am just supposed to give it to you?" Lara asked archly.
"Yes." Jack snapped.
Behind the Colonel, the dark skinned man raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. For some reason Lara found herself thinking that he was amused by all this. But his face betrayed no emotion. She frowned. This night had been trying enough without some bunch of soldiers demanding information from her.
"Jack," Daniel began, "perhaps we should find another place to do this. And maybe let Lady Croft see a doctor." He looked meaningful at the Colonel.
"He has a point, sir." The blonde said.
Throughout the whole conversation the woman had been curiously watching Lara. She - Major Carter, Lara corrected herself - had seemed curious and thoughtful, unlike her hostile commander. And now she looked at Lara with a faint smile on her face, as if she understood what she was feeling in some way. But then since she probably serves under him - Colonel O'Neill - she wasn't surprised.
Bryce nodded enthusiastically at this. "Yes. Good idea. Smashing."
Lara resisted rolling her eyes, but just barely. "Bryce." She said.
Major Carter smiled, and looked at Daniel, who grinned in return. Then he turned to Lara. "Need a hand?" he asked.
"No thank you." Lara replied.
He nodded and stood, as did Bryce - although Bryce was rather more clumsy. Taking a deep breath, Lara carefully began to push herself up off the ground. It took her a while, but she managed it, and she was rather proud of the fact she didn't pass out again once she had. The world swam in and out of her vision for a few minutes, but then settled.
Jack frowned at her, and began walking back to the truck. Bryce eyed the dark-skinned man, who raised an eyebrow at him, and turned to Carter. "I'll take that." He said, and grabbed the bag Lara now noticed she was carrying.
As soon as he had, he began scampering after the Colonel, the large soldier following after him. Lara took a wobbly step forward and almost tripped. Before she could fall, two hands carefully grabbed her arm and steadied her. She glanced over expecting to see Daniel, but found herself looking at Major Carter.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Lara raised an eyebrow. "No." she said.
Sam smiled wryly at her. "You'll have to excuse the Colonel." She said. "He's . . . well . . . "
"Grumpy." Daniel finished for her.
Lara nodded. "I noticed." She said.
They began walking in silence, and Lara concentrated on putting on foot in front of the other. After a while it became easier, and Lara was finally able to let her mind examine her situation. She winced inwardly. Someone had attacked her plane and taken the artefact - and knocked her out cold.
Automatically, Lara reached for her gun with her free hand. When she couldn't feel their usual comforting weight, she looked down. They were gone. "My guns . . . " she began.
"They were already gone." Carter said. "We didn't take them."
"Bloody Hell!" Lara swore.
Carter looked at her curiously. Lara winced. "Sorry." She said. "I just don't quite feel safe without them." Her face hardened. "And I hate having people attack me."
Daniel, Sam and Lara finally made it to the van, where Jack was waiting impatiently. "It seems your friend here is a computer buff." He glared at Lara. "I think it's time you told us what exactly you're up to."