Chapter18
Lara was amazed by the size of the room. The roof as well as one of the walls was completely made of glass. The pool was nearly as big as the one outside. Around the pool were a couple of tables and chairs. At one wall was a huge TV Screen. There was also a bar and a huge whirlpool.
"If the roof wasn't made of glass and if it wasn't for the pool, I would have guessed that this is a cinema." Lara said. "But there must be far too much light here by day."
"Lara, look up. Do you see those boxes at both ends? In there are the shutters. It's no problem to darken the whole room completely. I would show you, but since it's dark outside..."
"Ah, very clever."
"Look here, this control panel by the whirlpool. These buttons are for the shutters, these for the music, TV, lights..."
"Ok, and where do you turn on the water?" Lara said jokingly.
"Oh, that's very old fashioned, you have to turn this little wheel here." he said grinning and let in the water.
"Let me get this straight. You want to tell me, that there is no remote control for the tap?"
"No." he said.
Kazuya then turned on some music and went to the bar. He returned with a bottle of champagne.
"Are you trying to get me drunk again?" Lara asked.
"Again?" he said. "You weren't really drunk the first time."
"But I had a massive headache next day."
"That's the cheap stuff the sell in that bar."
"Chaolan was right, you like to show off."
"I like to show off? That's what HE said? The guy who could not drive a car and bought a Ferrari?" he said. "You agree with him? I was not the one who spoke of a collection of cars. I only have the Porsche. Besides I wouldn't expect YOU to fall for that."
"Me, you are right, I don't like guys who have more money than I." she said grinning.
"I know what you mean. I don't like my father either." he said and turned off the water.
"I am getting in there now. You can join me, unless you are afraid, that I will show off again."
"No actually, now I am afraid of your jokes."
"Fine, miss your chance to go into the whirlpool with me. Millions of girls would like to be in your place now." he said grinning.
"No! That's too much. Now you are showing off, while trying to be funny. Or is it the other way around?" she said.
"Let me know when you have changed your mind." he said and got into the water.
Lara put her towel on a chair and followed him in.
"That was quick." he commented.
"I wouldn't want to miss your next attempt to show off, or to make a joke."
****
Lara leaned back and looked up at the sky. Through the glass roof she could see the stars. Her eyes wandered around the sky to the moon. It was getting fuller every day. She had to think about Monday. In her head she began to form a plan. Bryce could help her to shut down security systems. But she had to handle human guards herself. She was a bit worried about that part, she didn't really know what to expect. How many guards where there? Maybe she should try to get some information out of Kazuya, which was a huge risk.
At that moment she jumped. She had heard a strange sound coming from outside. Apparently Kazuya had heard it as well. He climbed out of the water and grabbed a towel. He opened the door quietly and sneaked out. Lara followed him. It was really dark outside. Lara couldn't see very far. And suddenly Kazuya was gone; she couldn't see him any more. A moment later she heard someone yell. She ran into the direction it came from. She could see two figures in the darkness in front of her. Then the lights went on. For a moment Lara was blinded, then she saw that Kazuya had caught another man. One of the two left aboard. The other one came running down.
"What is going on here?" he asked.
"Well apparently your colleague here likes to sneak around in the darkness, knocking over stuff." Kazuya said and released the other men. "You should be more careful, I don't like surprises."
"I am sorry, Mr. Mishima. I was just fastening the anchor, and then I stumbled..." the other men said.
"Whatever. Just don't make any noises in the darkness. I don't like that. You are lucky that you are still alive."
The guy mumbled an apology and then both men went back to work.
Lara was amazed by the size of the room. The roof as well as one of the walls was completely made of glass. The pool was nearly as big as the one outside. Around the pool were a couple of tables and chairs. At one wall was a huge TV Screen. There was also a bar and a huge whirlpool.
"If the roof wasn't made of glass and if it wasn't for the pool, I would have guessed that this is a cinema." Lara said. "But there must be far too much light here by day."
"Lara, look up. Do you see those boxes at both ends? In there are the shutters. It's no problem to darken the whole room completely. I would show you, but since it's dark outside..."
"Ah, very clever."
"Look here, this control panel by the whirlpool. These buttons are for the shutters, these for the music, TV, lights..."
"Ok, and where do you turn on the water?" Lara said jokingly.
"Oh, that's very old fashioned, you have to turn this little wheel here." he said grinning and let in the water.
"Let me get this straight. You want to tell me, that there is no remote control for the tap?"
"No." he said.
Kazuya then turned on some music and went to the bar. He returned with a bottle of champagne.
"Are you trying to get me drunk again?" Lara asked.
"Again?" he said. "You weren't really drunk the first time."
"But I had a massive headache next day."
"That's the cheap stuff the sell in that bar."
"Chaolan was right, you like to show off."
"I like to show off? That's what HE said? The guy who could not drive a car and bought a Ferrari?" he said. "You agree with him? I was not the one who spoke of a collection of cars. I only have the Porsche. Besides I wouldn't expect YOU to fall for that."
"Me, you are right, I don't like guys who have more money than I." she said grinning.
"I know what you mean. I don't like my father either." he said and turned off the water.
"I am getting in there now. You can join me, unless you are afraid, that I will show off again."
"No actually, now I am afraid of your jokes."
"Fine, miss your chance to go into the whirlpool with me. Millions of girls would like to be in your place now." he said grinning.
"No! That's too much. Now you are showing off, while trying to be funny. Or is it the other way around?" she said.
"Let me know when you have changed your mind." he said and got into the water.
Lara put her towel on a chair and followed him in.
"That was quick." he commented.
"I wouldn't want to miss your next attempt to show off, or to make a joke."
****
Lara leaned back and looked up at the sky. Through the glass roof she could see the stars. Her eyes wandered around the sky to the moon. It was getting fuller every day. She had to think about Monday. In her head she began to form a plan. Bryce could help her to shut down security systems. But she had to handle human guards herself. She was a bit worried about that part, she didn't really know what to expect. How many guards where there? Maybe she should try to get some information out of Kazuya, which was a huge risk.
At that moment she jumped. She had heard a strange sound coming from outside. Apparently Kazuya had heard it as well. He climbed out of the water and grabbed a towel. He opened the door quietly and sneaked out. Lara followed him. It was really dark outside. Lara couldn't see very far. And suddenly Kazuya was gone; she couldn't see him any more. A moment later she heard someone yell. She ran into the direction it came from. She could see two figures in the darkness in front of her. Then the lights went on. For a moment Lara was blinded, then she saw that Kazuya had caught another man. One of the two left aboard. The other one came running down.
"What is going on here?" he asked.
"Well apparently your colleague here likes to sneak around in the darkness, knocking over stuff." Kazuya said and released the other men. "You should be more careful, I don't like surprises."
"I am sorry, Mr. Mishima. I was just fastening the anchor, and then I stumbled..." the other men said.
"Whatever. Just don't make any noises in the darkness. I don't like that. You are lucky that you are still alive."
The guy mumbled an apology and then both men went back to work.
