Chapter 32

Twenty minutes later Bryce returned to the hotel room. Lara was busy yelling at her computer.
"Here you are." he said to her.
Lara looked at him for a second. At once he realised that Lara was in a bad mood, not only mad at the computer.
"What's happened?" he added.
"Nothing." Lara spat at him. She was rubbing her fist.
"What happened to your hand?"
"It met with Paul Phoenix' face."
"Who is he and why did you punch him?"
"He is the biggest asshole I know. That should answer it all."
"And what exactly did he do?"
"Bryce, leave me alone." Lara yelled.
Bryce got the hint. He went back to his computer and ignored her for a while. Lara sat down at her computer cursing.
"Any success with Downey's computer yet?"
"No." Bryce simply stated.
Lara got up and walked over to Bryce. She looked onto his monitor.
"Why?"
Bryce looked at her rolling his eyes.
"You are sure you have nothing else to do?"
"Yes." she growled.
"Why don't you go to bed? I will monitor the computer and I will call you if anything happens."
"I am not tired."
"Lara, take the phone and call your friend, but leave me alone."
"He has to work." she yelled back at him. "At least that's what he said."
Paul's words were ringing in her ears. Maybe he was with another girl. Nobody could work that much. He went to work long before 8 o'clock and he was still not done? Somehow Lara couldn't believe that. On the other hand she couldn't imagine that he would do that to her. They were all making him worse than he was - Downey, Paul Phoenix, Law...
"What do you mean - 'That's what he said'? Do you have doubts?"
"No! ... I don't know."
Bryce took the phone and gave it to her.
"Call him!"
Lara hesitated, but after she had thought about if for a minute, she agreed that this was probably the best idea. She dialled his number. He picked up almost at once.
"Hey Lara. What's the matter?"
"Ehm, nothing" she stammered surprised that he had picked up the phone that quickly.
"This doesn't sound like nothing."
"Uhm, I am bored and I cannot sleep and Bryce wants to get rid of me and my fist had a meeting with Paul Phoenix' face."
"What? Why?"
"I met him in my hotel..."
"Don't tell me..." he said to her and sighed. "I know where Paul is staying... Now I know where you are."
"So?"
"Lara, you have to be more careful."
"Yes. I'll try." she said and sighed as well.
"Anyway. You met Paul?"
"Yes, and he said some mean things about you..."
"Of course. It's Paul we are talking about."
"... and he tried to flirt with me."
"Remind me to kill him, next time I see him." Kazuya said coolly.
"I will. How is your work coming along?"
"Oh well. I am almost done, but I will be stuck here, until that guy from New York called. Listen when I said you should come here earlier on, I was joking, but actually, since there is nothing else to do for me but wait, you could come and we could order something to eat, unless you have eaten already."
"I have, but it was only a small salad... But how am I supposed to get there. I have no car at the moment."
"Take a taxi. Tell the driver Mishima Office Building, he will know. I will tell the security guard at the gate to let you in."