Author's Note: Thank you as always for the reviews. I'm particularly pleased people are enjoying the interaction between the characters as this is always the hardest bit to get right. Enjoy!



Part Three – The Mystery of the Skulls


Hillary had just shut his eyes for a moment, that was all. A mere moment to give them a rest from scanning the yellowing pages of old books, trying to discover if the text could reveal any clues as to what had been in that Himalayan temple.


He didn't know how long that moment lasted, but it was probably a little longer than most people's definition of a 'moment'. About an hour longer at least. Lara clearly hadn't minded though since she hadn't woken him up before now. That was fair enough – while she'd been sleeping all afternoon, he'd been kept busy sorting and cleaning the clothes and equipment she had brought back with her.


His eyes opened gently now, his rest disturbed by something he had sensed in his sleeping state. As his vision cleared, he suddenly sat bolt upright in shock as he realised what was now floating in front of his face.


A grinning skull, bobbing about a foot beyond his nose. It was almost laughing at him, seemingly pleased with its work of making him jump out of his skin.


Lara smiled slightly too, as if joining in the joke as she held the book containing the malicious picture up for him to see.


"Does this have some sort of significance?" Hillary asked, loosening his grip on the chair arms as the colour slowly drained back into his face, "Or just a method you use to keep yourself entertained?"


"This is what Kennedy had me looking for," Lara said with a small triumphant smile, handing Hillary the book so he could take a closer look, "A quartz crystal skull. No one knows the exact dates, but they are thought to be over three thousand years old."


"Three thousand years?" Bryce asked curiously, glad to be able to drop his book and join them, "How did anyone three thousand years ago have the stuff to carve quartz?"


"That's part of their mystery," Lara said, recalling what she had found out in the short time she had had the book in her hands. It was indeed a mystery as to how such ancient civilisations could produce such detailed and eerily beautiful quartz carvings. Some people said that they simply must be all an elaborate hoax, while others hinted at a more... supernatural explanation.


"You said 'they'," Hillary said, frowning in realisation as he looked up from the book.


Lara nodded, "Legend has it there are five in all – one that was stolen from me at the Indian temple, two still hidden, one in the hands of a private collector and the last seemingly lost."


"Didn't old whats-his-face say one was in Egypt?" Bryce asked, dimly recalling what Lara had told him about the conversation she had had with Sir Nathan hours earlier.


"Yes. Hidden in the Valley of Kings. In one of the tombs I should imagine."


"And I should imagine you intend going after it," Hillary said, not even bothering to think otherwise – she wouldn't have put this much effort in to research it if that wasn't the case, "But I'm not entirely sure why."


"Well, to piss that git off, of course," Bryce explained, easily.


Lara gave him a look.


"I expect they're worth a fair few bob, as well," he added with a shrug.


"Priceless," she said, in an offhand manner, "But that's not why I – Kennedy, I suspect – wants them."


"Why then?"


"The writings here," she said indicating a section in the book Hillary was still holding, "They're incomplete, but they link to skulls to some sort of unnamed power. Something 'one good man alone was never fit to yield.' And I don't believe Kennedy to be a good man."


There was a long moment of silence as they shared a communal look.

"I'll get on the blower then," said Bryce, sighing as he realised the inevitable. Lara wouldn't let someone she disliked as much as Kennedy get his hands on something potentially dangerous. He stood up and headed for the phone.


"Will the next flight to Cairo do?"


Lara nodded in thanks and returned to her desk trying to decide what, if anything, it would be worth taking with her.


"Far be it from me to rain on your parade," Hillary said, following her, "But how on earth do you intend to find the next skull in such a wide area?"


"I have a friend who works out there," she explained, taking the book back from Hillary, "Who should be able to help - if anyone knows where the skull could be hidden..."


"How's 6am for you, Lara?" Bryce asked, holding his hand over the phone, keeping the woman on the other end waiting while he checked.


"Perfect," she said with a grateful smile, "Gives me enough time to pack."


"I'll pack," Hillary said, taking the book from her once more, "You sleep. If you insist upon rushing off again the moment you get home, the least you can do is go fully rested."


Lara smiled softly, "Thank you, Hilly."


As she headed out of the room, she paused and turned back.


"While I'm gone I want you boys to do something for me."


Hillary and Bryce looked at her expectantly.


"One of those skulls is in the hands of a private collector. I want you to try and find out who."


"Of course," Hillary said with a nod.


"More bloody research," Bryce mumbled, looking less than pleased.


Her smiled broadened, "Have fun boys. I have a lord of the realm to piss off."