Chapter 3
Surrey, England
Croft Manor.
10:00, 23rd June 1994.
Lara and Hilary both met in the lobby of the manor, both of them having search the entire manor top to bottom for any sign of Hailey, but neither of them having found anything, at that moment Bryce entered with no clue what had happened, having spent the night away from the Manor.
"Hey guys." Bryce said making his way to his tech room.
"Bryce you seen Hailey, at all today?" Hilary asked seriously.
"Not since I left last night why?" Bryce asked then taking the state they were in, including the blood stains on Lara and Hilary. "Ok what happened while I was gone last night?"
"An assault team came into the manor approximately 5 O'clock this morning, killed both myself and Lara and we think they took Hailey with them." Hilary answered.
"Oh shit, what do you want me to do?" Bryce asked quickly absorbing the information.
"Find out everything you can about a group called the Watcher's Council, specifically were we can find them, and where they are based." Lara snapped and Bryce nodded.
"Tap all your sources Bryce." Hilary stated and Bryce nodded heading to his office.
"Was it really necessary to tell Bryce I died?" Lara asked. "And how comes I am still living if I died?"
"I will explain once we know what is going on and Hailey is safe ok." Hilary offered and Lara nodded. "I am presuming you intend to mount a rescue of Hailey?"
"Of course." Lara replied deadly seriously, heading to her study. "I intend to call in a few favours, and get an assault force here as soon as I can."
"I would suggest someone mystically inclined, the Council deal with the supernatural and will have magical defences." Hilary answered but Lara looked confused. "I've looked for them in the past Lara, but the council I knew died a long time ago, and I no longer trust the new council at all."
"Ok, do you know anyone mystically inclined that could help, because I don't usually have that sort of help." Lara answered.
"I may know someone I will contact them." Hilary answered and Lara nodded.
"Thanks Hilary." Lara said smiling briefly and entered her study quickly, activating her phone, and dialling an automatic number and it was answered. "James it's Lara I need your help."
"What wrong Lara?" James Bond asked from the other end.
"The Manor was hit last night, by a group of special ops soldiers they neutralised myself and Hilary and grabbed Hailey." Lara stated over the speaker phone.
"What do you know?" James asked beginning to worry about his god daughter Hailey.
"They were good, but not good enough I managed to take five of them down permanently before they got me, but when I came too the bodies were gone." Lara answered.
"What proof do you have they took Hailey?" James asked wanting to confirm the facts.
"Well there was nothing taken at all including from my secure vault, which had no sign of being attempted to be forced." Lara answered. "And I think if they just wanted us dead, they would have left her dead in the Manor, and both myself and Hilary have search the whole place top to bottom."
"Ok so it sounds like they grabbed her, do you have any clues who they might be?" James asked beginning to calculate the situation.
"One of them told Hilary they were from the Watcher's Council, but I have never had of such a group in my travels, so I have Bryce looking for information on them, Hilary has had dealings with them in the past and doesn't trust them and reckons this is their style and we will need mystical help to deal with them." Lara answered.
"Ok, Lara I will see what I can dig up on them here, and then I'll be with you as soon as I can, I should be there in 5 hours or less." James replied.
"Thanks James." Lara said hanging up.
London Dock, London,
MI6 Headquarters
10:05.
James sat back in his figuring what he would need to help Lara, what he hadn't told Lara was that his organisation and their sister agency MI5, had had their fare share of dealing with the Watcher's Council, and personally he really didn't like the group at all. Checking his pistol in his shoulder holster, James grabbed his jacket exiting his office and made his way along to his superior's office to clear the time off, he just hoped M wouldn't have a problem with it.
Entering the outer office of M's inner sanctum, he see Miss Moneypenny sitting there at her computer typing away with something for M, who he knew realty appreciated all her help.
"Hello James, M hasn't summoned you has she?" Moneypenny asked surprised to see James there, without being summoned.
"No I need to organise some immediate leave, something has come up that I need to deal with." James replied smiling. "Can you see whether M will see me please?"
Before Moneypenny can do anything M voice comes over the intercom. "Moneypenny, please 007 to report to my office straight away."
Moneypenny looks to Bond who shrugs and she nods, James quickly opened the door to the connecting office, and knocks on the second door which is closed for the moment.
"Come in." M's voice states and James walks through seeing M, and another gentleman he doesn't recognise in the office. "That was quick 007, please have a seat."
"Thank you M." James said sitting down opposite his boss. "I was hoping to gain some immediate leave M, a family problem has developed within the last 24 hours, and I have been asked to assist."
"What is the problem?" M asked.
"Hailey Croft has been grabbed from her home, by suspected members of the Watcher's Council special ops team M." James answered. "From what I understand Lara, at the moment is assembling a team to rescue her from the Council, if they do indeed have her or whoever does. I owe it to Lara and Hailey for their father, to help them with this."
"James I would like you to meet Michael." M said introducing her guest. "It seems you are right and the Council has grabbed Lady Hailey Croft, Our information says the grab originated from the Slayer Liaison Department, but we don't know why."
"Is it possible Hailey has been called as a slayer?" James asked.
"No the current slayer is working her way through Africa chasing a demonic tribe and cleaning up their messes." M answered. "That was the first thing we checked, when I heard about the ops team last night."
"Ok then what is going on?" James asked.
"We don't know and that has me worried." M answered looking to James nodding and passing over a folder. "That contains everything we know about the Council and their activities, since MI6 can't officially act on British soil I am afraid that is all I can give you 007."
"Thank you M." James said standing taking the folder with him and going to leave the office.
"I think Q wished a word before you leave 007." M said as James left.
"Of course I would like to see him." James replied getting the hint and left.
"Are you sure that he will succeed in rescuing Young Miss Croft M?" Michael asked. "There is an awful lot depending on Miss Croft succeeding in her destiny."
"Yes I know James." M replied sadly. "But between James and Lara, I am sure they will be able to scare up enough support, to deal with Travers and his people."
"Of course M." Michael said disappearing in a flash.
"Be careful James." M said looking to her office door, hoping her agent would return ok.
Liverpool,
Watcher's Safe House 5,
10:30.
Hailey began to feel like she was coming too, the last thing she remembered was seeing her sister shot down 5 times in the chest, and seeing her die as she felt a dart strike her in the back and then everything went black. Trying to move, she found herself lying on a bed with her arms and legs chained to the sides of the bed, opening her eyes she found out that she was also naked.
"Ah you are awake, very good." A male voice said from her left hand side, looking she saw a middle aged gentleman in a suit, with two others in robes either side of him.
"Who are you?" Hailey stammered out finding her mouth not fully working.
"My name is not important, you will address me as Watcher." The man in the suit stated. "As to your next question, you are here because, you are to become my slave and servenant, and serve the will of me and those that I follow."
"Never." Hailey screamed as she felt like her body was on fire, as it stopped a minute later she collapsed.
"Now, now lets not be hasty shall we." The Watcher stated. "We have plenty of time to convinces you, to follow my orders and eventually you will follow my order, or you will die."
"You don't know what you are doing, you have to let me go." Hailey stated.
"Now what do you mean by that?" The Watcher demanded.
"The future of the Earth is at risk, I need to leave." Hailey screamed as she broke out of her chains.
"Stop her!" The Watcher exclaimed and Hailey was shot down with a tranquiliser strong enough to put a rhino down.
"Well that went well." Quentin Travers said as he entered the room.
"It is only the beginning with time we will brake her, and this time we will use stronger chains." The watcher stated.
"Of course it is only the beginning." Quentin answered. "And you have done well in your beginning Rupert, and you may continue but make sure to inform her that her family is all dead, that will break her spirit."
"Of course Quentin, I intended on doing that when the time was right." The watcher stated a.k.a. Rupert Giles answered. "But do we know what she was talking about with the future of the Earth being at stake?"
"No, but you will find it out for us." Quentin answered and Giles nodded smiling.
London
Town House,
10:35.
Inside what like a normal town house for central London, was the secure residence of one of the most powerful warriors and wizards, that currently walked the Earth, using the current name Nathaniel though he had used many other names throughout history, always pulling the string from within the background. Nathaniel had walked the Earth for over 10,000 years, 10,000 years ago he had beaten back the most powerful demon of the time, stopping the summoning of a hell god, but the demon died he had cursed Nathaniel with magic making him an eternal cursed to walk the Earth until the end of the human race.
He was currently in his study reading Shakespeare's Macbeth, one of his favourite plays of all time, while sipping a cup of fresh coffee, wondering what to do for the rest of the day. When his secured line telephone rung, knowing only a few people knew this number, and only called when they were in desperate need of help he activated the speaker phone.
"Nathaniel it is Hilary, I am in need of your aid." Hilary said over the speaker.
"What do you need Hilary?" Nathaniel asked his former student.
"Hailey's gifts were awoken on the night of Summer Solstice as we were expecting, and she seemed ready to begin her quest." Hilary said.
"So why do you need my help?" Nathaniel asked.
"The Watcher's Council, struck here last night killing myself and Lara, and took her out of the mansion, one of their special ops teams." Hilary answered.
"Those god damned fools." Nathaniel cursed. "I presume Lara is ok?"
"Yes Lara is fine." Hilary answered. "She awakened as a new immortal, though I haven't had chance to explain this to her yet."
"Of course." Nathaniel answered. "I will be with you within an hour."
"Thank you old friend." Hilary said hanging up.
London, Surrey,
The O'Connell Residence.
10:40.
In the study sat Alex O'Connell, his mother Evy, Alex's son Jason, and Evy's brother Jonathan now an immortal, along with their old family friend Indiana Jones. They were together to remember Rick O'Connell Evy husband and Alex's father, who had died 20 years to this day, destroying Imhotep in latest attempt to regain his body and rule the Earth.
Their butler entered the study, with the phone.
"Lady Lara Croft." He says passing the phone to Evy,
"Lara how are you?" Evy asked surprised to here from Lara today.
"Evy, I hate to disturb today of all days, but I need the help of Alex and Jason if you know where they are." Lara answered.
Evy passed the phone her to son. "Lara needs your help."
"Lara, what's wrong?" Alex asked full of concern.
"Hailey's been kidnapped for some unknown reason." Lara answered.
"Do you know who by?" Alex asked, Lara went on to explain the situation. "Ok Lara hang on in there my friend, Jason and me are on our way."
"What's going on dad?" Jason asked concerned.
"Hailey Croft has been grabbed by the Watcher's Council, some sort of Special Ops team did the dirty work, leaving Hilary and Lara for dead." Alex answered. "Lara's recruiting a team, and she wanted both of us Jason."
"When do we leave?" Jason asked.
"Hope there is room for one more." Indiana volunteered. "I have had dealing with the Council before, and I owe them death for their involvement in my past."