Cautiously I approached the gatehouse, watching for any hidden traps. I stifled a gasp when Pierre stepped out in front of me, from the shadows of the gatehouse. I felt my gaze harden and I drew my guns.

"Come, come, Lara." Pierre scolded, as if I was a small child. "We are all friends here."

I opened my mouth to retort, and heard the click of a gun being cocked near my right ear. "Beggin' your pardon, ma'am," Larson drawled. "But if you'd like to put those peashooters away . . . "

I growled, but did as he asked, and holstered my guns. Larson gave me a shove forward and I stumbled slightly. "Now the second stone if you please, Miss Croft." Pierre demanded.

I gave him a cold smile. "Come get it." I challenged.

Pierre growled. "It's a little late in the evening for these games. Larson, search her if you please."

"Well, gosh darn if I don't get the best jobs." Larson leered.

He stepped forward as Pierre aimed a gun at me, in silent warning not to try anything. Larson began to 'search' me, and I scowled. "You might want to try the back pockets." I said sweetly.

Larson grinned at me, and obligingly moved his hands around the back. I kneed him sharply in the groin. He squealed and collapsed at my feet, clutching his privates.

"Larson! Enough!" Pierre snapped. "My patience is exhausted with all this childish nonsense. The stone, Miss Croft."

I eyed the gun still aimed in my direction, and raised my eyebrow. "If you put that in the gate, Pierre, you're going to get a lot more than you bargained for." I warned as I held out the second stone. "Trust me."

Larson had managed to get to his feet while we were talking, and snatched the stone out of my hand. "I'll put it in then." He said in a rough voice, seeming to have recovered, except now he walked funny.

"That would be one of the stupidest moves you've made, and that's saying something, I'm sure you'll appreciate." Larson grunted, and the Saturn Stone slipped into its proper receptacle with an echoing click.

"A nice try as always, Miss Croft." Pierre said when nothing happened.

"Wait for it . . . " I said.

Suddenly an electric bolt zapped Larson, and I was forced to cover my eyes from the light. I blinked a few times, once it had disappeared, and stared at Larson. He had been standing, stupidly, by the Saturn Stone, and now he was on the ground, frantically trying to put out the flames flickering up his legs.

"What is it? What have we done?" Pierre cried, running to help Larson.

I smiled coldly at him. "In your usual flamboyant style, you have set in motion the next gate phase."

"The next gate phase?" Pierre repeated, puzzled.

"If my memory serves me, the gate has realigned itself and if it does not receive two stones in the next few moments . . . pow! If I was you, I'd grab your Cro-Magnon cowboy over there and run as fast as your little legs will carry you."

At that I turned and sauntered away, throwing my final words over my shoulder. "Au revoir, Mon chèr."

* * *

Ten minutes later, I stood in the middle of a cobbled street on the other side of the garden wall. On each side was an open doorway, both of which I had searched. As a result, I now had a small crowbar that would be very useful.

Particularly since the door I wanted to go through was block by a metal door. Signs warning of 'Pericolo' - 'Danger' in Italian - covered the door, but I ignored them. I pried open the door, and pushed it so I could get through.

I entered a small room, with scaffolding on the right. I turned and climbed up, noticing a skylight letting in the golden beams of light of the morning. The bells had begun to toll all around Rome, ringing out their early morning message.

To my right was a box, and another tightrope. I climbed onto the box, and gazed at its other end. Not that far, I decided. So I climbed up onto the box and began to walk across the tightrope. I kept my balance much better this time, and soon reached the other end.

At the other end, I jumped across to a window ledge, and then out onto a metal walkway. I felt the sun warm my skin, and savored the feeling. From the metal walkway I ran through a stone doorway and into a new room.

I dropped from the ledge, onto a paved floor. Large square pillars rose up, and a few were connected by large stone arches. I explored the open room, and soon came across a ladder on the right side of a square pillar on the other side of the door.

There was a door in the middle that led to a corridor that ended in a large round door. It looked rather like a giant shield. I walked up to it, and checked around the edges for a latch, but found none. So I returned to the ladder.

I climbed up to the top, and swung around onto a stone arch. I slid down the steep surface a little way, and looked about. On either side of me was another stone arch, so I turned right, and jumped to the next one, hoping to see a clue as to where I was supposed to go next.

In front of me, I could see the corner of a tiled pathway, so I walked towards to wall on my right, before edging around it and onto the path. I entered a small room, and found a rope hanging from floor to ceiling, and disappearing into a hole in the floor.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember my readings. This should be one of the keys to the next puzzle. I took a moment to roll my head and shoulders, trying to relieve some of the tension. Then I stepped forward and pulled the rope three times.

There was a deep grinding noise, as I had hoped. This meant that the gears that operated the next puzzle were moving into place. At least, I hoped so.

I exited, and edged back around the wall, onto the arch. I jumped back to the center one, and then leaped forward to the next one, just managing to grab the edge before I fell. I then slipped around the nearby wall, and into another room.

There was another rope inside, hanging from ceiling to floor the same as the other. I stepped forward and pulled it once, and a heard a deep groaning noise. The large round door slide to the side. I returned to the stone arch, and dropped to the floor, before turning and entering the large room beyond.