Joining Forces
Chapter 3 – Lara's Visit
Lara was clad in her trademark boots, jeans, and a knee length, beige suede coat, which she pulled tightly around her as she crunched her way along the snowy path. The world seemed so peaceful; it was hard to think that the Strahov and all its unspeakable evils were laying in tatters only a few streets away. No matter how much Lara needed to see Kurtis and if he was okay, she needed to take a walk to clear her head first. She kept walking, as if in a trance, for half an hour. Lara looked up to the now gray and cloudy sky, where a few snowflakes were starting to fall. She decided that now was the time to go to the hospital, before she got snowed out.
Lara walked over to the road and hailed a taxi. As it pulled up to the hospital, Lara went rock stiff and suddenly really didn't want to see him. But she knew that she needed his help. Badly. She paid the cabby and stepped out.
'Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Kurtis Trent.' Lara said to the woman behind the desk. The woman dropped her pen, which Lara bent down and retrieved. Lara noticed that the woman's name badge read "Naomi". 'I'll just go and get his nurse. There have been a few – oddities, and I would just like to check if he can have non-family visitors.' Naomi said. 'Has he had any visitors? Apart from me?' Lara inquired. 'No.' Naomi turned and walked down the corridor. 'Thought not.' She muttered to herself. She looked around to check that nobody was looking. Seeing the coast was clear she turned around the computer to face her, then searched for Kurt's room number – just incase she was turned down, she could sneak back later. "517". Lara scribbled it down with Naomi's pen on a post-it note, returned the computer to its original page and place, and then stuffed the paper into her jeans pocket, just as Naomi and Kurtis' nurse appeared around the corner. 'Hello, I'm Ana. I'm afraid that we would not normally allow visits to non- family members, but I am willing to make an exception to someone of your, umm, status, and given the fact that you have traveled so far...' "Damn! Lara thought. Recognized!" 'And besides, Mr. Trent has been asking for you.' This puzzled Lara. 'I thought he was in a coma?' 'I think I had better explain something to you Lady Croft, so it won't be too much of a shock.' Ana took her by the arm and walked her down the corridor. 'Are you familiar with what happens to someone when they are stung by the Box Jellyfish?' Lara thought for a moment. 'You mean apart from just die?' Lara asked. 'Yes. They scream and toss about.' Ana looked grave. 'Understandable.' Ana shook her head. 'Not when you are fully unconscious.' Lara let out an involuntary gasp. 'Yes it is horrible. But at least he isn't screaming. He is talking. Telling someone called Lara to get something. He tells you, I presume, to get this "thing".' 'The Periapt shard.' Lara said out loud, and immediately regretted it. 'The what?' Ana looked inquisitive. 'Nothing. Go on.' 'He is making threats to something he calls "Ekhardt". And he speaks of justice and his father.' The nurse pushed open a door and Lara caught sight of him lying there, suddenly still. 'Oh my God.'
Chapter 3 – Lara's Visit
Lara was clad in her trademark boots, jeans, and a knee length, beige suede coat, which she pulled tightly around her as she crunched her way along the snowy path. The world seemed so peaceful; it was hard to think that the Strahov and all its unspeakable evils were laying in tatters only a few streets away. No matter how much Lara needed to see Kurtis and if he was okay, she needed to take a walk to clear her head first. She kept walking, as if in a trance, for half an hour. Lara looked up to the now gray and cloudy sky, where a few snowflakes were starting to fall. She decided that now was the time to go to the hospital, before she got snowed out.
Lara walked over to the road and hailed a taxi. As it pulled up to the hospital, Lara went rock stiff and suddenly really didn't want to see him. But she knew that she needed his help. Badly. She paid the cabby and stepped out.
'Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Kurtis Trent.' Lara said to the woman behind the desk. The woman dropped her pen, which Lara bent down and retrieved. Lara noticed that the woman's name badge read "Naomi". 'I'll just go and get his nurse. There have been a few – oddities, and I would just like to check if he can have non-family visitors.' Naomi said. 'Has he had any visitors? Apart from me?' Lara inquired. 'No.' Naomi turned and walked down the corridor. 'Thought not.' She muttered to herself. She looked around to check that nobody was looking. Seeing the coast was clear she turned around the computer to face her, then searched for Kurt's room number – just incase she was turned down, she could sneak back later. "517". Lara scribbled it down with Naomi's pen on a post-it note, returned the computer to its original page and place, and then stuffed the paper into her jeans pocket, just as Naomi and Kurtis' nurse appeared around the corner. 'Hello, I'm Ana. I'm afraid that we would not normally allow visits to non- family members, but I am willing to make an exception to someone of your, umm, status, and given the fact that you have traveled so far...' "Damn! Lara thought. Recognized!" 'And besides, Mr. Trent has been asking for you.' This puzzled Lara. 'I thought he was in a coma?' 'I think I had better explain something to you Lady Croft, so it won't be too much of a shock.' Ana took her by the arm and walked her down the corridor. 'Are you familiar with what happens to someone when they are stung by the Box Jellyfish?' Lara thought for a moment. 'You mean apart from just die?' Lara asked. 'Yes. They scream and toss about.' Ana looked grave. 'Understandable.' Ana shook her head. 'Not when you are fully unconscious.' Lara let out an involuntary gasp. 'Yes it is horrible. But at least he isn't screaming. He is talking. Telling someone called Lara to get something. He tells you, I presume, to get this "thing".' 'The Periapt shard.' Lara said out loud, and immediately regretted it. 'The what?' Ana looked inquisitive. 'Nothing. Go on.' 'He is making threats to something he calls "Ekhardt". And he speaks of justice and his father.' The nurse pushed open a door and Lara caught sight of him lying there, suddenly still. 'Oh my God.'