Louvre, Paris

He coughed a few times, the dust from the minor explosion into the restrooms becoming threateningly thick. He hurried into the hall, finding himself in an impressive gallery. He hoped to find that woman before Gunderson did. He wanted to talk with her: clearly they had similar interest in the painting, and he was in for all the help he could get.

He walked through the gallery with care, knowing the tactics of his former employer well enough to understand that not even the priceless art and antiquities in the gallery could save him from the Mag Vega of the mercenaries. His chirugai hung limply from his belt, his Boran X hung in his shoulder holster, but he knew Gunderson well enough to understand that his mercenaries pulled the trigger before they aimed, realizing he would have plenty of time to react if under attack. He walked into the gallery, almost immediately regretting his failure to check the room first as he felt the cold barrel of a desert ranger at the back of his neck. So she found me first.

For a moment no word was spoken until he felt hot breath at his neck, smooth lips near his ear whispering in a voice just audible enough to discern distinction in speech. He slowly reached for his gun in his holster, before being silenced by the woman

"Don't move." The voice of a woman said. He could tell by the accent it wasn't the woman from Café Metro; this woman spoke in an American accent, with an ever so faint hint of something else…Russian, maybe? He felt her hand move slowly down his abdomen, trailing across his belts as her hand found his Chirugai, unclipping it and throwing it to the floor, a firm, booted foot over it before he could react. So she knows what it is? The hand traced up his torso and across his chest, obviously feeling his muscles as the hand moved, teasingly sexual, to his holster, removing his gun and leaving him slightly hot from the contact. "Ah, the notorious Kurtis Trent, last of the Lux Veritatis. Ha, my master would be so pleased." She said, but he couldn't tell if the emphasis on "master" was sarcasm or incredible reverence.

"Listen, I haven't much time. In the next gallery there is a woman, Lara Croft. She has taken the painting, which I believe is in your best interest to retrieve. She is heavily armed, and rather dangerous if you believe the press these days. Take it from her, but do not kill her. I have a feeling I'll need you two to work together, but not just yet. Do you understand?" He didn't move.

"Good. Now, turn around…slowly… I want to see your face…" he did as instructed, turning to face a figure clad in the shadow of the corner, the only thing visible being the sensual lips that had breathily whispered in his ear, and piercing gray eyes which now looked him over. He watched as a smile danced playfully across the woman's lips. "Pleasure." She said, and he admittedly wasn't sure if she was referring to his acquaintance or his person. "Here." She handed him his gun back, and kicked his glaive to him, which he signaled so it flew up into the air and to his hand, as he stared puzzled as to why she would give him his weapons, she answered his unspoken question "you can't afford the sound of a bullet. Or a thudding body to a floor. Are you familiar with the Strahov Fortress in Prague?"

He nodded.

"Good. That's where you're headed. That's were the Cabal's main base of operations is located."

He chanced a word. "Why should I trust you?"… Or five.

"Don't trust me, Mr. Trent, just remember, I'm on your side." The heavy footsteps of a mercenary echoed through the halls, distracting her attention briefly. She turned back to him, the smile gone, "Now, run." she whispered. He turned back around, glancing back at her before turning to face his destination, knowing full well her gun was still trained on him, but he began to run only when the sound of a bullet whizzing past his head to embed itself in the door in front of him. He glanced over his shoulder to see that the woman was now firing at him, and sped on into the adjacent gallery.

He saw Lara Croft before she saw him. He watched her for a moment before unleashing his Chirugai so it confused the woman as to his location. Still feeling hot, and a bit bothered, from his encounter in the previous room, he smirked as he watched Lara Croft. Might as well have some fun.

----

His eyes fluttered open, a fierce headache resounding within his skull. He stood up slowly, the effects of the impact slowly wearing off. He looked over his shoulder to see Lara lying on her back beside him. I'll need you two to work together, but not just yet. He smirked as he thought of that other woman before hastily getting up and walking out of the alley, not glancing back. Until then, Lara Croft.


A/N: hehe, i took the liberty of explaining why KT acted that way in that very memorable cutscene from AoD...

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