Cato, You think the first chapter had a cliffhanger, wait till you come at the end of this one, thnx for the review!

MJ-Skywalker, here's more and i am so glad u like my story, and i must keep saying that yours is just as good, no it's better, well enjoy the next chappie MJ!

Darlian, Yes this is the sequel. Glad u like the humor, I am trying to put more of that in the next few chapters. It took a time to come up with the rings, but im glad they turned out okay! Here's the next chapter Darlian, thnx again for youre review!

Freya, Yeh lara and alex are great arent they. They were made for each other that's what I think. Thnx for ur review and enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter two, Enemies from the past

It was a mess in Croft manor, walls were filled with bullet holes, drawers and closets were ripped open and the furniture was torn apart. Still Lara had no eyes for it, all her interest went to her two friends. Fortunately Bryce and Hillary were still alive, Hillary was only unconscious, but except for being unconscious Bryce also had been shot. It wasn't a lethal wound though, the bullet had landed in his left upper arm. Once she and Alex had placed Hillary and Bryce on a couch they started looking if anything was missing.

The first thing she did was looking up the secret room under the staircase. She had never known about its existence, until she heard the clock ticking that her father had hidden there. The clock with the all seeing eye hidden inside of it. A sigh left her mouth as she thought back to the adventure with the Illuminati. It all ended perfectly, especially when she killed Powell. The man that killed her father, if she had know earlier...well never mind. She knelt down and removed the wooden cover that prevented the secret room from being discovered.

Her hand reached to the right and turned the light switch upwards, a dim light gave just enough light for Lara to see a small metal box. A thin smile moved up when she saw it, happy to see that it was still at its place. She reached for the box and opened it. The stone was still in it, it was the stone from her last adventure. Together with Alex she managed to keep it from the grasp of a American criminal named Jack Lewis. It was the same adventure where she and Alex came back together again. The only good thing that happened during her adventure. The stone could not be destroyed, at least they haven't found a way to destroy it yet. Lara believes that there has to be a way to destroy the stone, but until she finds out it stays here, in her father's secret room.

"Lara!" it was Alex calling from the other side of the manor. "You better come and look at this."

He sounded rather serious, so Lara placed the box back in the secret room. She turned the light off and put the wooden plate back at its place. She stood back on her feet and hurried over to Alex, on her way to the American she glanced at her two friends for a moment, but they both were still unconscious. Then she arrived with Alex, he was crouched down beside a dead body. Now there's a miracle, Hillary managed to actually hit a man with his shotgun. She crawled down beside Alex, wondering what exactly the reason was for him to call her.

"Look at the tattoo in his neck, you won't be pleased to see it."

Her eyes fell upon a circle, decorated with ancient markings, but what scared her most was the triangle in the centre, an eye rested in the triangle something she had seen before.

"Bugger, the all seeing eye..."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Alex asked her.

"The Illuminati." She said and Alex replied with a nod.

"Bugger." She repeated. "Let's go and see how Hillary and Bryce are doing."

Together they walked back to the two men and noticed Hillary had started to wake up. He was sitting straight up on the couch, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes widening in surprise when he saw the couple standing in front of him.

"Lara, are you back already?"

It was almost funny, the manor had been ambushed and Hillary was only confused about the early arrival of Lara and Alex.

"Yes, there were some complications during the exhibition." Lara answered "But I see you two had your own problems to deal with."

Hillary glanced around the manor, memories of the last few moments in his life slowly entered his mind.

"It all went so fast, I was barely able to get my shotgun. They came out of nowhere, I think I had been able to hit one or two men and then everything went black, I didn't even knew where Bryce was."

He looked to the right, as his eyes landed on the tech he sighed "Dear God, is he alright?" the butler asked, sounding very concerned.

"He only got shot in his arm, he will be fine." Alex replied.

"Hillary, do you have any idea what they were looking for?"

"No, I don't have a clue."

"Well whatever it was, they didn't find it, right Lara?"

"Well, as far as I know, there is nothing missing."

"Uh, Lara, what were you saying about complications at the exhibition?" Hillary asked.

"Urg...me arm..."

Lara had to wait with her story about the exhibition, Bryce was waking up. His eyes opened and landed on those of Alex, it confused him, he looked further to the left and saw Lara. He frowned and tried to sit up straight, though Lara wouldn't let him and pushed him back down.

"Oh no, you don't, you stay down until Hillary managed to take the bullet out."

His eyes widened at Lara's words

"What, no, no, do you have any idea how much that hurts?" he asked a little panicked.

Her lips curled into a smile "Actually...yes I would happen to know how it feels." She said, thinking back at the last time Hillary was forced to remove a bullet from her body. It was the bullet Jonathan Reiss had shot in her lower arm. Actually she had been shot by Boris after that, but Anne had removed that bullet and she had done while Lara was still unconscious so Lara had never felt any of that.

"Very funny Lara." Bryce answered nervous.

"I'll go and get the first aid kit." Hillary said as he removed himself from his seat.

"Good, when you're done with Bryce, Alex and I will tell you what happened at the exhibition. But first I have to put on some other clothes, this dress is killing me."

"Oh, I'd love to help." Alex said smiling as he followed Lara to the stairs.

Lara glanced over her shoulder and smiled "down boy, Hillary needs you're help more then me, I can unzip the dress on my own."

The smile faded and a disappointed look formed on his face, he did not argue and knew he will have plenty of more chances to please the woman he loved.

While Lara had been changing her clothes she could hear the pour tech screaming, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. In all the years he had worked for her he had never been shot, this was the first time. Even so Bryce was a brave man, she couldn't imagine what to do without him. She will miss him as her tech but even more as her friend.

Once she had changed and went back to Hillary, she and Alex explained the two men what had happened during the exhibition. They felt sorry for Lara to hear that the life work of her father had been stolen. However Lara had the idea she will soon find out who was behind it, why, because she noticed the good doctor was hiding something and the first thing she will do tomorrow is paying Dr Wagner a visit to hear him out.

"So what are we going to do now?" Alex asked "There is the robbery at the exhibition and there is the assault on the manor."

Lara leaned back into the couch she was in and folded her arms. "At first you and I are going to visit Dr Wagner tomorrow, he was hiding something and want to know what."

"So you noticed it too?" Alex said.

Lara nodded "yes, but now that the manor has been assaulted by the Illuminati I'm fearing the worst."

Alex narrowed his eyes "What? Do I get this right? You think that Dr Wagner is a member of the Illuminati, just as it had been with Mr Wilson?"

Lara nodded in reply.

"But that means that the robbery at the exhibition and the assault at the manor are,-"

Hillary was cut off by Lara "are linked together, yes that is what I think."

"Blimey, don't you think that is a little far sought Lara?" Bryce asked

"Perhaps, but we'll find out tomorrow." She replied to the tech.

"Well these guys certainly haven't forgotten about the Crofts." Alex said. "First you're father crosses their path and then you, they must be very pissed at you."

Lara's eyebrow moved up "Thank you Alex..." she replied sarcastic, just as Alex realized his words weren't really helping.

"Enough talking for today, why don't we all get some rest."

Bryce jumped up at Hillary's words "Good idea Hillary, good night everyone."

The tech walked away, to the front door to get to his trailer. Lara stood up from the couch but first placed a soft kiss on her butler's forehead.

"Good night Hilly." She said and then she too was on her way to get some sleep.

Alex cleared his throat "Milady, do I get permission to join you now?"

The young tomb raider turned to the yank and pulled up the thinnest of smiles "if you can be a good boy." She said teasingly.

"Oh, absolutely, you can count on me."

He hurried over to Lara's side and slashed his arm around her, their heads moved together for a kiss and then they walked to Lara's room.

Italy, Venice

In his usual calm pace he walked through the hallway that leads to his office. He had no more interest in the boring artwork that decorated the hallway, seen it too many times. His hand reached for his jacked pocked to retrieve the key to his office, he opened the door and walked inside. His office is a place that is much better decorated then that boring hallway. He sighed and tossed his keys on the table next to the door. His jacked was hung over the chair behind his desk and then he dropped himself on to that same chair.

He was thinking back of today's mission, it had succeeded, partly. Just as he knew, Croft was at the exhibition and she could not prevent him from stealing the rings and the diary, that was the good part. The bad part was that his men had not been able to find the stone. He had been told they had looked everywhere, the entire manor had been put upside down and still they had not be able to locate the stone. Croft was good, she knew where to hid her important possessions, so if she does it might be time to go back to the manor again and ask her in person, or perhaps the good doctor knows something.

While he was drifting in his thoughts a knock sounded on the door. His eyes moved up to the door.

"Come in." he said.

It was Daniel, his assistant. A much better man then his former assistant, Pimms.

"Yes, Daniel what is it?" he asked as he locked his eyes on those of Daniel.

"Mr Powell, you're presence is requested."

Wow, cliffhanger! ( didn't I tell ya Cato, huh) Please review I'll promise not to wait too long to update!