Akkon, Thanks for the review, haha everyone is worried about Kurtis, but I'm not saying a word, just read and find out:)

NFI, like I told Akkon, I am not going to tell anything about Kurtis his condition, you will find out by reading the story, but thnx for the review and I hope to get more as well:)

Little turtle, Thanks for the review, and don't worry, I will continue the story, but I'm a busy woman so be patient.

Acid rush, Wow thnx for the astonishing review, I am glad u like my 'entrance scene' hope you like this chapter just as much although it was difficult to write. Anyway, no answers on the Kurtis question for you either just read and find out :)

Chain, Thank you for reviewing Chain, hope you like the next chappie:)

Chapter 2, The scent of fish and oil.

It was dark outside, nightfall had passed, but with her sunglasses still on Lara was looking at the sign of a monkey painted in gold. Her eyebrow cocked as she read the small line under the monkey, the ultimate fishermen's bar. A fishermen's bar with a monkey as a mascot, how ironic.

Lara looked away from the sign and walked inside the bar. Indian background music filled the room and the scent of fish entered her nose. The wooden floor under her feet cracked with every step she took proving to Lara that it wasn't one of the newest buildings in Delhi.

There was a small group of men sitting at the bar, all of them with their heads turned in Lara's direction. Another group of three men was sitting behind a table, playing a card game, but they had their eyes away from the cards and aimed at Lara, just as the men at the bar. Lara was used to that kind of attention, she pulled up a smile, passed the men at the table and walked to the bar to ask the bartender about Khoa Yune.

It seemed the bartender was the only one who hadn't noticed Lara yet. But the only reason for that was because he was standing with his back to Lara. Lara saw a cutting knife on his left side, and on his right side she saw two dead fish. He was probably preparing a meal for one of the men in the bar.

"Excuse me…" Lara decided to get his attention.

The man looked over his shoulder, his eyes widened when he saw Lara emerging in his sight. He pulled up a smile and turned towards Lara.

"Yes what is it you want?" He asked with his fake smile.

"I am looking for a man named Khoa Yune?"

The bartender frowned but seemed to be willing to help Lara.

"He is in other room, behind that door."

He pointed to a door at the back of the bar on the right. She thanked the bartender and walked to the door, with all the men in the room still looking at her. Lara opened the door and saw that a small office was on the other side of it. A man was sitting behind an old wooden desk. His black hair almost fell on his shoulders his brown eyes focused on hers when he noticed her presence. He was sitting there with his bare chest, only wearing a pair of jeans. His upper body was slightly muscular and a tattoo of a hawk had been made on his chest. The man was rather good looking, but could he be trusted?

"And who might you be?" he asked Lara and stood from his chair, the tone of his voice sounded very friendly.

"My name is Lara Croft, I need to travel the black river and was told you were the one to ask."

Yune shrugged.

"Why would a pretty lady like you go to a place like that?"

"That's personal, all you have to do is drive." Lara replied with a bit of sarcasm.

But it was enough sarcasm to make Yune laugh. He offered Lara a seat on the chair at the other side of the desk. Lara decided to accept his offer and seated herself placing her backpack on her lap.

"I don't go there for free, you will have to pay for the danger of the trip."

"What is your price?" Lara asked, partly understanding his need for money but also knowing that he would ask more money then just the value of the dangers ahead.

"Ten thousand pounds." He said.

Lara raised her eyebrow, she honestly had expected more, but who is she to complain.

"Alright deal."

Yune smiled at her.

"Good, one half will be paid before departure other half will be paid when we arrive back at Delhi."

"Agreed, can you leave tomorrow morning at seven?"

Yune nodded and almost seemed to be bothered about the time for it to be too late instead of too early

"Meet me at village just outside jungle, my boat is there and I will wait for you there."

"Alright I will see you tomorrow then." Lara stood from her chair and was ready to leave before Yune called for her.

"Lara Croft?"

Lara turned and wondered what he was about to ask.

"Yes?"

"Small boat, no privacy."

Lara shrugged.

"Don't worry, I'm not shy."

Yune laughed and watched Lara leave his office. Back at the bar Lara saw the men looking at her again. She sighed and passed them to get to the exit, she opened the door and walked outside, pleased to be away from these men and their staring disorder.

The next morning

Still wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and hiking boots Yune was leaning back against his boat. His arms were folded together, he was enjoying the beautiful sunrise. The sunrise was beautiful indeed, but you couldn't say that of his boat. It looked like it could fall apart any second. Lara saw there had been leaks on the front side, to fix the leaks he had covered them with wooden planks. Other then that it looked like an old rusty boat.

"Looks can be deceiving." Yune said as he noticed Lara watching his boat with questionable eyes.

"Really?"

"From outside she's ugly, from inside she's beautiful, you'll see."

Lara reached in her bag and pulled out an envelop "Lets hope so," she said and handed him the envelop "or else I want my money back."

Yune took the envelop and put it in the left back pocket of his jeans, he didn't even bother to count the money.

"No worries Miss Croft, my boat is safe, although I can not say of the dangers ahead in the river."

"I'm a big girl Mr Yune, don't worry about me, and please call me Lara."

"Alright Lara, in that case it's Yune instead of Mr Yune." he replied "Now come, I show you boat."

He jumped down on his boat, Lara did the same and noticed the wooden floor under her feet crackling a little.

"I show you where you can sleep." He said to Lara.

He walked to the cabin on the back of the boat and showed Lara a room with a kitchen and two beds. The room was barely big enough for it all to fit in, but Lara had already expected something like this from the moment she saw the boat.

"We sleep here, like I said, no privacy."

"And like I said yesterday, I am not shy."

Yune laughed and walked back outside, he started yelling, calling out for someone in Indian. Lara followed him and tried to see who he was calling. Suddenly at the front side of the boat a hatch opened and a head popped out of it.

"What?" the man said with a strong American accent.

Yune walked towards him and helped the American up. He was short, Lara was about a head size taller then this man, his blonde hair looked all messed up and marks of dried oil covered his face. He wore a sloppy black t-shirt and a pair of jeans with under it a pair of boots just as Yune and herself off course.

"Our guest has arrived." Yune said and pointed at Lara, who was rather amused by this man's appearance.

The man looked at Lara and was about to shake hands with her, was it not that he reminded himself just in time that his hands were covered with oil. Instead of shaking hands he waved at Lara.

"Hi nice to meet ya." He said then he looked at Yune "What was her name again?" he asked his friend.

Lara replied.

"Lara, just call me Lara." She said with a smile.

"Hey you're English." He stated as he heard Lara's fluent English accent.

Yune laughed "This is Andre, he is responsible for the engine and the liquor on the boat." he said.

"And very good liquor to be honest." Andre said. "By the way Yune, engine is all fixed up we're ready to go."

"Good, get yourself cleaned up while I start boat, you stink."

He received an angry look from Andre but Lara had to agree with Yune, he had a terrible scent around him.

"You should be thankful for heaving the best mechanic there is, instead of telling me I stink, you might get a mutiny one day."

Yune laughed at his friend and waved him off. Lara watched Andre walk into the hut and close the door behind him. Two benches stood opposite of each other in the centre of the boat. Lara seated herself noticing that Yune closed the hatch to the engine room and walked up front to start the boat. Not much later their journey had started and Lara was on her way to the dead river to get the shard and stop Karel from his plans to bring back the Nephilim race.

Ihsmir had just brought his daughter and son to school and was on his way back home. He couldn't stop his mind from thinking about Lara. He felt guilty for sending her to the dead river all by herself, but he knew he could not come with her. He couldn't risk putting the lives of his daughter and son in danger.

Letting out a deep sigh he walked into his house, closing the door behind him. As he turned around his eyes met an uninvited guest. Ihsmir was frozen with fear, about three meters away from him stood a man that looked awfully familiar to him.

"Mr Omer, I think it is wonderful to see you again."

"Joachim Karel…" was all Ihsmir managed to say.

"The one and only." Karel replied with a smile.

"Get out of my house Karel, I don't want anything to do with you."

Karel shrugged "then you should never have joined the Lux Veritartis." He said.

"I know nothing Karel, I left the Lux Veritartis for more then ten years ago."

Karel clasped his hands behind his back and started walking towards Ihsmir. Ihsmir did his best to stay calm and to hide the fear that was trying to take control of his body.

"According to Mr Trent you do know something, or shall I put it this way, you have something I want."

Ihsmir was confused when he heard Kurtis' name fall.

"Where is Kurtis what did you do to him?"

Karel smirked.

"Mr Omer, I didn't do anything to him, well not yet that is. But lets not change our discussion, I believe you have a small notebook that is of high interest for me. I searched your house but off course I couldn't find anything which leads me to the next question, where is the notebook?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about Karel, like I said I don't know anything, please leave my house."

A deep sigh left Karel's mouth, it frustrated him that he didn't receive any cooperation from Ihsmir, but he decided to give it one last try.

"Mr Omer it would be best if you cooperated with me, you should know I am not easy to fool."

Ihsmir swallowed deeply and then answered again.

"I don't know anything about a notebook."

Immediately Karel's hand shot out to his throat, cutting of the air from his windpipe. In a reflex Ihsmir grasped his hands around Karel's wrist and tried to pull it away, but the strength of the Nephili was superior compared to his.

"I'm running out of patience Mr Omer, perhaps I should go and see one of your children."

Ihsmir's eyes widened in fear, he knew Karel has it in him to hurt his children, and he could not let his children get involved, Ihsmir had no choice but to tell Karel the truth.

"No please not my children, leave them out of this I will tell you what I know." He begged his enemy.

The pressure on his throat loosened a little "I am listening." Karel said.

"A woman has the notebook." He said.

Ihsmir could see Karel was surprised by his answer.

"A woman?" Karel asked and cocked an eyebrow "What is her name?"

Ihsmir hesitated with his answer. He couldn't just give away Lara's name, but then again, he had already said that a woman has the notebook, Karel actually didn't even have to ask who this woman was, Ihsmir was certain he already knew.

"Lara Croft…"

Karel smiled "off course, who else could it have been, where can I find her?"

Still afraid that Karel might hurt his children Ihsmir decided to answer that question as well.

"She's traveling the dead river."

An evil smile moved up on Karel's face.

"Is she now? This is very interesting, thank you very much Mr Omer but I'm afraid I will have to end our conversation."

Without any warning Karel turned his hand and twisted Ihsmir's neck. He dropped Ihsmir's motionless body on the floor and smirked.

"I wouldn't want you to warn our dear tomb raider about me, I would prefer to surprise her."

He clasped his hand behind his back again and calmly paced out of Ihsmir's house. As he walked down the staircase he was already thinking of a plan to get the notebook from Lara, he was no longer paying attention to Ihsmir or to the fact that he had just killed the father of two very young children.

Well that's it, chapter 2. I hope you liked it, I personally think it wasn't as good as the first chapter, but I promise the next one will be better:)