Disclaimer: Simply put: The characters aren't mine. Only the plot of this story is.
Thank you for reviewing godavari. It's nice to hear that someone still reads this and likes it.
Do review if you read. I won't be putting a new chapter for a while if I don't get some reviews. I know that's bitchy but I don't care.
On the Phone
She had sat there for aeons or at least she felt she had. She could see Gertrude's mouth moving in slow motion and every word that came out of it didn't make any sense. It probably didn't matter anyway 'cause she couldn't remember anything wise coming out of the blond's mouth. Last thing that hadn't sounded like nonsense was the part when she mentioned the story about the house and Lara had hoped to hear more about it but nothing else had been said about the matter. All the rest had been about the house and how it had perfect plumbing and was painted a little while ago. She sighed and kept on staring at Gertrude or better said through her. Well...perhaps Konstantin would find something while she was suffering from the endless talking of the over-enthusiastic German woman.
The saleswoman didn't seem to notice Lara's utter lack of interest and kept on talking without noticing what Konstantin was up to. She hadn't even noticed the man left the room like she was bewitched by the sound of her own voice or then something she was telling about the roof tiles had really gotten to her. Lara tried to stifle a yawn but she was pretty sure the other woman wouldn't have noticed. Perhaps there was nothing wrong with the house and all the people had left that they wouldn't have to hear another word escaping Gertrude's lips. She hoped Konstantin would find something and quick.
While Lara was sitting with Gertrude in the living room Konstantin had made his way up to the study where Nikolas had kept all of his research. Nikolas' study wasn't large and there was only a writing table, one bookshelf and an old statue of angel with broken wings. Konstantin had always found the statue attractive in some strange way and he had always understood the name of the piece of art: Innocence lost. It could be seen so clearly. Every chip of rock that the sculptor had removed was removed for a reason. The marble statue was in perfect condition like all the years it had faced wouldn't have had any kind of effect on it. Only thing broken was the wings and to this day Konstantin hadn't been able to decide whether the sculptor had wanted them to look like they'd been ripped of or had someone else done it on purpose. He was sure of one thing - time hadn't caused it. There was a single tear rolling down her face and she was reaching for something that was left to the imagination of the one watching it. On the first glance someone might've thought the angel was burning to get back from whatever she'd been ripped apart of but if one looked at her face closely there was a faint smile on her lips. Konstantin had always wondered this. There was a contradiction between her acts and expressions like she would've known what she was letting go but was happy at the same time knowing she would gain something the ones who stayed behind could never dream of. She had made a sacrifice and knew what it would cost her but it was something she wanted to do in this world where everything came with a prize.
Konstantin knew exactly what he was looking for. As long as he had known Nikolas the man had had a note book where he had written everything he had thought was something a normal mind couldn't take, something behind the border as he had said. Slowly Konstantin walked to the bookshelf but to his surprise the book he was looking wasn't there. All the books in the shelf were thick but the one he was looking for was thin with black leather covers badly worn because of use. He walked to the table and opened all the drawers seeing only pieces of paper and pencils. Nikolas had always kept his working table in perfect condition. Konstantin checked under the papers but didn't find anything. He knew for certain that Nikolas had never taken the note book outside this very room and now there was only one place where it might be. He walked to a small painting in the room,studied it for a moment and took it of the wall. He smiled to himself when the small safe behind the painting came visible. It was the oldest trick in the book but sometimes it still worked. He remembered the number combination and hoped Nikolas hadn't changed it. The safe opened with an almost silent creak but there was nothing inside it. Simply nothing. Not even dust or a piece of paper.
He walked back downstairs and to the living room only to find Lara sitting on the sofa her face buried in her hands and Gertrude still telling something that didn't even seem to consider the house.
"May I use the phone?", he asked. He didn't have a cell phone and neither did Lara. Both their phones had been taken away when they had been captured by Karel. What had happened to the phones then was a total mystery.
Gertrude only nodded and kept on explaining to Lara. Konstantin wasn't even sure if he had the saleswoman's permission when he picked headphone and dialed Wolfgang's number. He heard the clicking sound when his German friend lifted the headphone.
"Where is it?", Konstantin spat out as soon as he was sure it was the right number and the right person. "Don't! I'm sure you know what I mean!". He sighed and relaxed a bit. "The notebook" he said in such a low voice that Lara and Gertrude weren't able to hear him. The answer almost made him drop the headphone and he swallowed hard. "I see", he said slowly and put the headphone down. He stood there a moment collecting his thoughts and figuring out the next move. He closed his eyes and opened them again while walking to the living room. Hearing his steps Lara lifted her eyes to look in his.
"Come on Ms. Croft. We've got some digging to do"
Thank you for reviewing godavari. It's nice to hear that someone still reads this and likes it.
Do review if you read. I won't be putting a new chapter for a while if I don't get some reviews. I know that's bitchy but I don't care.
On the Phone
She had sat there for aeons or at least she felt she had. She could see Gertrude's mouth moving in slow motion and every word that came out of it didn't make any sense. It probably didn't matter anyway 'cause she couldn't remember anything wise coming out of the blond's mouth. Last thing that hadn't sounded like nonsense was the part when she mentioned the story about the house and Lara had hoped to hear more about it but nothing else had been said about the matter. All the rest had been about the house and how it had perfect plumbing and was painted a little while ago. She sighed and kept on staring at Gertrude or better said through her. Well...perhaps Konstantin would find something while she was suffering from the endless talking of the over-enthusiastic German woman.
The saleswoman didn't seem to notice Lara's utter lack of interest and kept on talking without noticing what Konstantin was up to. She hadn't even noticed the man left the room like she was bewitched by the sound of her own voice or then something she was telling about the roof tiles had really gotten to her. Lara tried to stifle a yawn but she was pretty sure the other woman wouldn't have noticed. Perhaps there was nothing wrong with the house and all the people had left that they wouldn't have to hear another word escaping Gertrude's lips. She hoped Konstantin would find something and quick.
While Lara was sitting with Gertrude in the living room Konstantin had made his way up to the study where Nikolas had kept all of his research. Nikolas' study wasn't large and there was only a writing table, one bookshelf and an old statue of angel with broken wings. Konstantin had always found the statue attractive in some strange way and he had always understood the name of the piece of art: Innocence lost. It could be seen so clearly. Every chip of rock that the sculptor had removed was removed for a reason. The marble statue was in perfect condition like all the years it had faced wouldn't have had any kind of effect on it. Only thing broken was the wings and to this day Konstantin hadn't been able to decide whether the sculptor had wanted them to look like they'd been ripped of or had someone else done it on purpose. He was sure of one thing - time hadn't caused it. There was a single tear rolling down her face and she was reaching for something that was left to the imagination of the one watching it. On the first glance someone might've thought the angel was burning to get back from whatever she'd been ripped apart of but if one looked at her face closely there was a faint smile on her lips. Konstantin had always wondered this. There was a contradiction between her acts and expressions like she would've known what she was letting go but was happy at the same time knowing she would gain something the ones who stayed behind could never dream of. She had made a sacrifice and knew what it would cost her but it was something she wanted to do in this world where everything came with a prize.
Konstantin knew exactly what he was looking for. As long as he had known Nikolas the man had had a note book where he had written everything he had thought was something a normal mind couldn't take, something behind the border as he had said. Slowly Konstantin walked to the bookshelf but to his surprise the book he was looking wasn't there. All the books in the shelf were thick but the one he was looking for was thin with black leather covers badly worn because of use. He walked to the table and opened all the drawers seeing only pieces of paper and pencils. Nikolas had always kept his working table in perfect condition. Konstantin checked under the papers but didn't find anything. He knew for certain that Nikolas had never taken the note book outside this very room and now there was only one place where it might be. He walked to a small painting in the room,studied it for a moment and took it of the wall. He smiled to himself when the small safe behind the painting came visible. It was the oldest trick in the book but sometimes it still worked. He remembered the number combination and hoped Nikolas hadn't changed it. The safe opened with an almost silent creak but there was nothing inside it. Simply nothing. Not even dust or a piece of paper.
He walked back downstairs and to the living room only to find Lara sitting on the sofa her face buried in her hands and Gertrude still telling something that didn't even seem to consider the house.
"May I use the phone?", he asked. He didn't have a cell phone and neither did Lara. Both their phones had been taken away when they had been captured by Karel. What had happened to the phones then was a total mystery.
Gertrude only nodded and kept on explaining to Lara. Konstantin wasn't even sure if he had the saleswoman's permission when he picked headphone and dialed Wolfgang's number. He heard the clicking sound when his German friend lifted the headphone.
"Where is it?", Konstantin spat out as soon as he was sure it was the right number and the right person. "Don't! I'm sure you know what I mean!". He sighed and relaxed a bit. "The notebook" he said in such a low voice that Lara and Gertrude weren't able to hear him. The answer almost made him drop the headphone and he swallowed hard. "I see", he said slowly and put the headphone down. He stood there a moment collecting his thoughts and figuring out the next move. He closed his eyes and opened them again while walking to the living room. Hearing his steps Lara lifted her eyes to look in his.
"Come on Ms. Croft. We've got some digging to do"