Sorry I took so long with getting the next chapter up... I tried logging onto the site 3 times yesterday, and it wouldn't let me log in. So, here it is now! Once again, thank you to everyone who's reviewed the story so far. Without further ado, here's chapter 4!

The great pyramids of Giza rose up from the sands as they stood like mighty fortresses in the mid-day sun. They became larger and larger, until the interior of the largest of the three was reached, revealing a dark and threatening corridor. Someone was fumbling through them, desperately trying to make their way to the surface…debris was falling everywhere and the light pouring in from its minuscule entrance was increasingly becoming scarcer. Suddenly, a hand appeared through the shadows, offering salvation…but the walls caved in, crumbling as all light was diminished. A terrified scream pierced the air, as the pyramids' victim fell into the never-ending darkness of the abyss.

FLASH

A hospital room. Everything white, sterile, cold… a feminine form was laying in the bed in the center of the room and the only sound that could be heard was the beeping monitors that surrounded it. A man in a strikingly white suit and fedora appeared suddenly in the doorway, covered in crimson liquid. He slowly inched closer to the bed, his spectacled face in agony as he leaned heavily upon a golden staff, limping slightly. He came closer and closer to as the woman in the bed struggled to get away, but found that she was strapped down… there was no way to escape. The man finally reached the bed, but before she could utter a sound, his hands closed tightly around her neck, constricting her air-way. The woman struggled and thrashed in the bed, desperately trying to get away but it was to no avail. Her breath came in short gasps as she slowly suffocated to death. As she took in a final gasp of air, she stopped thrashing and the beeping of the monitors became deafeningly loud as her vital signs stopped.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEP…

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep…

Lara awoke in a cold sweat as she sat up in bed, breathing labouredly as she struggled to catch her breath. Her hands instinctively came to rest upon her neck as she felt for any signs of her attacker. It took her a few moments to recover her bearings as she looked around at the familiar surroundings her own bedroom, and she came to the realization that there was no attack.

It was all just a dream…she thought to herself. A terrifyingly real dream.

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep…

Or was it?

For a moment, Lara thought that she was going insane, as she could still hear still hear the distinctive beeping of monitors. She nearly smacked herself in the head for letting herself be so paranoid as she looked over at her answering machine and noted that the light was blinking, indicating that she had received a message sometime while she slept. Pushing herself out of bed, Lara clicked the button on the machine and nothing happened. Someone had probably called and then hung up before leaving a message. She made a mental note to inquire Winston about who called.

Still feeling rather distraught, Lara made her way downstairs where she met Winston in the kitchen. As usual, he was waiting for her with breakfast and a fresh pot of coffee already made. He greeted her happily as Lara sat down at the kitchen table, and he placed a plate of toast and a cup in front of her.

"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"

Lara could sense the concern in his voice, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I slept well enough. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you're looking rather pasty this morning… almost as if you've just seen a ghost."

You have no idea… she thought sarcastically to herself, but she answered Winston flatly and changed the subject.

"I'm fine. Did I get any calls?"

"Yes, you did… but first, did you happen to hear the news this morning?"

Lara shook her head. "No, I just woke up a few minutes ago and I didn't have the radio on. What happened?"

"Well, it appears that there was another break-in at the Louvre. When Jean called this morning to inform me that he'd arrived at his hotel, he told me all about it. He seemed rather troubled by the whole thing." He poured Lara a cup of coffee and sat across the table from her.

"So, what was stolen?"

"Now see, that's perhaps the most puzzling thing about it… Jean said that only a small and fairly insignificant Egyptian artifact was taken, and that all of the more valuable treasures were untouched."

Lara didn't seem remotely troubled by the news, and she shrugged indifferently. "There are break-ins at large museums all the time, Winston. Some people are just odd. It gives them a thrill." She paused for a moment as she took a bite of toast, and then continued. "Did he say what the artifact was?"

"No. He didn't say… but I was hoping that you could further discuss this with him at the Grand Opening later tonight. That is, if you're going." He looked at her expectantly, and Lara's eyes narrowed.

"Is that what this is, Winston? A clever way to get me to go to the Museum tonight without regret? And since when do you care about the well-being of artifacts?"

Winston smiled at her, clearly amused by her defensive nature. "I meant nothing by it, Lara. But I really do think that this is significant… and I truly believe that you should go tonight, if only just to see Jean. He misses you and he's anticipating seeing you. You know that."

Lara sighed heavily. If she didn't go, she knew for a fact that she'd never hear the end of it.

"Fine, Winston… I'll go. But I can't guarantee that I'm going to have fun."

"Fun is only optional." Winston stated as he continued to smile, and Lara rolled her eyes at him.

"So, did I get any other messages?"

"As a matter of fact, you did. Someone by the name of Mr. Trent."

Lara sipped at her coffee thoughtfully as she rolled the unknown name around in her head.

"Hmmm… it doesn't sound familiar. Did he leave a first name?"

"Yes, I believe he said his name was Kurtis. An American, by the sound of him."

Lara nearly spit her coffee all over herself, but she managed to swallow it down and regain her composure before questioning her butler further. She hadn't heard that name in months, although it had always been somewhere at the back of her mind…

"Did he say anything else? What did he want?" she asked, attempting not to come off as too anxious.

"He merely stated that he'll be in England on business, and that he'd very much like to see you. He informed me that he'll be arriving at an airport sometime this morning, and that he'd call you as soon as he arrived." Winston stopped for a moment as he tried to read Lara's emotions. "Do you know him?"

Lara nodded. "Yes, we met in Paris."

Winston's eyebrows raised suspiciously, and she scowled at him, realizing what her statement must have implied.

"I assure you that our meeting was far from romantic, if that's what you were thinking."

The butler raised his hands in a defensive gesture, as Lara got up from the table.

"I'm heading off to the shower, Winston. I'm not feeling particularly hungry. If Kurtis calls while I'm in there, come and get me immediately. I can't risk missing his call."

Winston noted the urgency in her voice decided not to question her further, and he merely nodded.

"Whatever you say, dear."

That was a sufficient answer for Lara, and she promptly retreated to her room as a thousand confusing thoughts and emotions overwhelmed her. Kurtis was alive. As much as she had thought otherwise, he was alive…and he was coming to England to see her. It was almost too much to believe. Her life had seemed so boring for months upon end and suddenly, with one single phone call, everything felt as if it was changing. As she took a shower, she continued to reflect upon her current revelation. Utterly lost in her thoughts, she wasn't sure whether she was in there for minutes or hours, as she completely lost track of time.

Lara finally emerged from the shower feeling incredibly refreshed, and she wrapped a towel around herself and walked over to the mirror that hung near the sink. It seemed an eternity since she had truly looked at herself. She studied her face intently, noting that she looked rather different than she had nearly three months ago, and she silently wondered if Kurtis had changed, as well. As she continued to look in the mirror, the phone rang, and her heart gave an unexpected leap in her chest.