A/N: REPOSTED...sorry, in my excitement over having written it so quickly, i left a part out which makes more sense...

Strahov, Prague

He'd been to Prague too many times to count; it seemed to be a hotspot for both mercenary dealings and Lux Veritatis business. His favored, and most remembered visit, was the time he'd visited the Elder Vasiley at his art dealership, with his father. The thought of visiting the place to get information was discouraging, his surprise that Vasiley was the last Lux to be killed hindered only by the fear that the location would remind him too much of his own father's demise. He remembered his father telling him once that Vasiley had, safely stored within his possession, the engraving to one of the Obscura paintings. And the actual painting still rests beneath the Strahov. Well, somewhere. And the only way to find it is with the engraving. He side, a deep, exhausted sigh. Best let Croft find the engraving then.

He knew he was there several hours ahead of her. He'd left Paris as soon as he could get on his bike after regaining conscience outside the Louvre. And he knew it was a lot easier for him to pass through border control than Croft, she being a wanted woman and all. I've got some time to kill. Or, time will kill me. He looked around the street. He didn't know much Czech, but he could speak enough German to read a sign for a brothel-like operation. Tempting…he shook his head. He had time enough, but he wanted to stay on task, No time for distractions. And a certain face meandered into his mind as he stared at a watched an apprehensive little mouse of a man walk up to the door and in. He smirked at the face inside his head. He didn't even know if it was a real face, it was simply what his mind had pieced together to fill the void around those sensual lips and piercing gray eyes…

The cold shook him. He didn't know how long he'd been standing there, staring absentmindedly into the space that was Prague. Shaking slightly with the falling snow, he got back on his bike. I'll stop for coffee if I see a place.

But he didn't.

Instead, he rode the old blue motorcycle directly to the Strahov. He stared at the massive structure for a moment, built by King Vladislav I of Bohemia in 1140 A.D., and originally known as the Venue of Diets. In 1258 A.D., a fire ravaged the building and it was completely destroyed. After it was rebuilt, it was named the Strahov, after the Czech word 'strahovat,' which means to guard. The Strahov became a monastery when the Bishop of Olomouc, Jindrich Zdik, founded an order of Premonstrates there. The Bishop had become acquainted with the order on his pilgrimage to Palestine. He recalled on the old Lux Veritatis lesson like a textbook, of course this is where the Cabal have been. What better place than a former monastery. He chuckled in spite of himself, choosing to ignore the fact that this new revelation had come only after countless deaths occurred, including that of his own father.

He parked his bike in the recesses of a shadow from a building near the Strahov. He didn't really have a plan about what to do next, but he was never exactly one to create plans. He wasn't really the shoot-first-ask-questions-later type either. Or maybe he was? He'd never really thought about it.

He hid behind an abandoned crate across from the entrance to the Strahov. He needed to find a way in, but he knew that entering through the main door would probably not be a great idea. Well, there aren't any other options now, are there. Well, he might have to go in through the loading docks, but he sure as hell wasn't going to make a big deal about it.

He pushed the main door open, finding himself in a high-ceilinged warehouse with a few crates. Hearing footsteps, he quickly ducked behind one of the crates, hugging the wall and peeking around the corner to see one guard, lazily walking away from him. He smirked.

Carefully walking in a stealth position, he walked behind the guard, who was caught unawares. With a deft movement, the neck snapped and the guard dropped to the floor. He dragged the body back behind the crate, inspecting it for any useful items. He smirked when he found the ID access card, his fingers feeling the material of the suit. Maybe I should do some exploring.

He disposed of the body in one of the empty crates. Securing the helmet snugly over his head, he grabbed the Mag Vega as an afterthought. If I'm trying not to get noticed, I'll have to do this right.

The motored door slid up between the two partitions of the warehouse. There were three, maybe four guards in this area, but he knew they wouldn't threaten him. He walked through.

The guards barely noticed him, but when they did, it was simply to nod in his direction or open the next partition for him. You can always count on The Agency to hire half-wits for these kinds of jobs. The ID card successfully disabled the machine guns mounted high above the loading docks, and he was able to slip into the next room undetected, or at least undetected as a threat. Through a series of passages, and a disabled hallway riddled with traps, he found himself at a control-type room, adjacent to a lounge for the other Agency members. He knew as he walked in that although there were others present, he was a familiar sight and no threat.

He looked at the controls, equipped with a detailed map of the fortress. He didn't know where he wanted to go, but realized there was only one option, through an area labeled "Biodome" he grunted. Here goes nothing.


A/n: Okay, i was inspired to update so quickly. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep reading and reviewing, and i promise i'll reply!

thanks to everyone!