A NUMBERS GAME, Chapter 3
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT
The stone...look at all the freaking stone...!
"These Ivy League places sure have a way of making one feel inadequate, don't they?"
"A perfectly sound education may be had in the most humble of places, Elsie."
The drizzle had long since dissipated by the time they'd reached New Haven, the overhanging carpet of grey having given way to a rather more optimistic mixture of blue and white. The midday sun punched through the scattered clouds to dazzle the imposing masonry of Yale's Old Campus.
Elsie drove slowly, the narrow streets squeezed further by endless rows of parked cars on either side. The faculty staff and students had a distressing habit of crossing anywhere and everywhere, seemingly daring traffic to run them over - which did nothing to hasten their progress.
"These people are worse than bloody meerkats."
"I was gonna say drunken lemurs, but okay..."
Elsie swatted away the brunette's attempt to punch the horn.
"G'way, you," admonished the blonde. "It doesn't work, anyhow."
"Why am I not surprised," sighed the brunette.
"Laraaa..."
"Sorry."
Elsie's butterflies were in full flutter. Her resolve to help her friend hadn't wavered, but she was intensely aware that a self-imposed career change was looming ever closer. She was coming up on one of life's major forks in the road, made infinitely more stressful by the fact she hadn't seen it coming.
She'd put on a brave face for Lara's benefit - the last thing she wanted was for the brunette to feel even more responsible than she undoubtedly would. She hoped her outward lack of concern would remove some of the weight from the archaeologist's shoulders: Lara undoubtedly had enough on her mind.
In the meantime, the American steeled herself to the inevitable.
She would start over.
But of more pressing concern was a large church, near cathedral-like in size and stature, looming directly ahead, blocking the way forward.
"Okay, where to?" asked the blonde.
Lara was concentrating on the phone in her palm.
"Keep straight another block."
"I can't," returned Elsie. "Not unless you want to crash a wedding."
Lara looked up. "Oh."
She frowned at Elsie's phone. "I think there's something wrong with your GPS."
"Dammit...I'm terrible at keeping my apps updated..."
The archaeologist quickly scrolled through the display.
"Okay, hang a left up ahead," instructed the Englishwoman. "The Library is just northwest of here."
The Beinecke Library - Elsie could scarcely believe she would soon be setting foot within its hallowed spaces. With over a million tomes to its credit it could accommodate the Gallery's entire collection five times over.
They have a Gutenberg Bible on permanent exhibit, for God's sake!
But there would be no time for sightseeing.
The lights at the three-way intersection glowed red. Elsie gingerly applied her foot to the brake pedal and grimaced as the resulting squeal drew glances from nearby pedestrians. But significantly more embarrassing were the irritated stares from the wedding congregation directly across the street.
The blonde slid down her seat until the top of her head dipped below the windowsill.
"I doubt they'll think this is a self-driving car," remarked the archaeologist.
"I don't care," said Elsie from her temporary refuge. "Tell me when the lights turns green."
"They're green now."
The American popped back up and kicked the clutch -
- and promptly slammed the brakes at the sight of the still-crimson lights, the car lurching into an inelegant stall.
Elsie ducked back down behind the dashboard. "You rat! You did that on purpose!"
Lara laughed, the rare sound doing much to check the American's anger.
"Sorry," said the brunette as she affectionately stroked the blonde's mane. "Guilty as charged...I was just trying to take your mind off things."
Elsie's shoulders drooped slightly. "Is it that obvious?"
"Truthfully? No. You do hide it well."
The blonde sighed as she restarted the engine, the familiar mechanical drone filling the cabin. "Stop worrying about me, I'll be fine."
"And if I asked you not to have a care for me...?"
Elsie looked up at her companion and smiled sadly.
"'Kay. Point taken."
A thunderous honk from behind almost caused both women to hit their heads against the canvas top.
The blonde scrambled back into her seat and threw the car into gear. "Cripes! What is that, a train? I asked you to keep an eye on the lights!"
"Sorry!"
The car lurched forward. Elsie hung a left, glancing in her rear view mirror to see the large cargo truck behind turn off in the opposite direction.
Relieved to leave the impatient truck driver and wedding congregation behind her, Elsie now had to navigate the ever denser crowds of students.
"Oh, for crying out loud," lamented the blonde as she slowly crept along the teeming street, "There's sidewalks for a reason, people!"
Lara was tapping her foot impatiently. "Could we not walk from here? We'll get there faster on foot at this rate."
The blonde glanced at her passenger. "Why, afraid they might see us pull up in my car?"
Lara shifted uncomfortably. "I...I didn't mean -"
"Relax, I'm razzing ya," returned the blonde. "I was thinking the same thing...look, that guy's leaving..."
Elsie pointed to a car pulling out from the curb. The blonde squealed to a halt, biting her lip at the glances thrown her way. She deftly backed into the vacated space along the sidewalk, relieved to come to a comparatively silent stop.
The American joined her companion on the curb, handing the briefcase off to the brunette as she reached back and tied her long hair back into a bun.
"How do I look?"
Lara smiled as they set off. "Convincingly professional."
"Good," replied the American as she took her briefcase back from the archaeologist. "Though I gotta say this really isn't my style...I never get dolled up like this at work."
"You're managing the heels well enough," observed the brunette.
"Hockey gives you strong ankles. But these things are awkward as shit."
"On that, we are most definitely in agreement."
They continued on, edging past innumerable pedestrians and coping as best they could with their unaccustomed footwear; Elsie consoled herself that only a couple of blocks lay between them and their ultimate goal.
Hang in there, footsies...
At the corner down the block the two young women turned right - and almost immediately came to a stop.
In the distance loomed the Beinecke Library, its geometric marble facade rising five stories from ground level.
But between them and their destination a large crowd had congregated. Through the occasional gaps in the mass of bodies Elsie could glimpse waist-high bands of yellow ribbon.
Police tape...? Please don't let it be police tape...
Lara had evidently noticed the same thing.
"This isn't good," muttered the brunette under her breath.
"It might be just a fire drill or something," returned the blonde encouragingly. "No one's panicking, right?"
The brunette made for one of the park benches lining the sidewalk and clambered onto its wooden surface. And swore.
"Shit..."
Elsie joined the the archaeologist, the combination of skirt and heels making what would normally be an effortless movement awkward.
Cupping the brunette's shoulder for balance, she spied the tops of police cars beyond the crowd. Several law enforcement personnel were busy keeping the throngs of curious gawkers behind the tape.
She looked to her friend - no doubt the archaeologist was reaching the same conclusion.
The brunette was shaking her head in disbelief. "No...no, this isn't happening..."
The Englishwoman jumped to the sidewalk and burst into a run, the blonde following suit as best she could.
"Lara! Lara, wait!"
Elsie's sprint was hampered by the unaccustomed footwear - but thankfully so was the brunette's. The American was able to grab her companion's arm and drag her to a stop.
"Hold on!" beseeched the blonde, pulling her friend back from the back of the crowd. "Let's not go off half-cocked!"
"I need to get to that book!"
"Just wait a damned minute, will you? Dude! Hey, you!"
Elsie snagged a passerby by the strap of his shoulder bag, the freckled young man stumbling back in surprise.
The blonde wasted no preamble, knowing full well Lara would not wait for long. She nodded in the direction of the Library.
"What's happening over there?"
The student's eyes darted between her and Lara.
"Uh...guess you didn't hear?"
"That's why I'm asking!"
A young woman to their right piped up.
"Someone broke into the Library last night," said the bespectacled student as she brushed by. "I heard a guard was shot...crazy shit."
"Most of the Old Campus was cordoned off till about an hour ago," said another passerby.
Elsie could sense the brunette's growing agitation - she was on the verge of losing her. She needed to get answers quickly, or the archaeologist would get them herself - possibly with disastrous results.
Up ahead several large vans with protruding antennas were parked on the curb and nearby lawn. At this distance Elsie had to squint to read the network logos plastered onto their sides.
"Uh...can I go now?"
The blonde released her grip on the young man's shoulder bag and whipped out her phone.
Lara edged a half step towards the crowd.
"Elsie -"
"Just a sec!"
She thumbed the CNN app.
"Oh, crap..."
Elsie moved to the brunette's side so both could read the headline.
YALE UNDER LOCKDOWN FOLLOWING OVERNIGHT INCURSION.
The blonde could almost feel the archaeologist's sudden drop in energy.
"Maybe...it's not what we think..."
She pressed the banner.
TWO SECURITY GUARDS SHOT.
The Beinecke Library on Yale's Old Campus was subject to a violent incursion earlier this morning. Law enforcement officials report two unmarked helicopters arrived over the campus shortly after midnight. Preliminary reports indicate a small team forced their way into the Library and quickly overpowered the two security guards on duty, one of which is currently in hospital in critical condition.
Chief Sanchez of the New Haven police stated the operation had clearly been carried out by professionals.
"This was not the work of common criminals. This was a methodically planned operation," said Conway.
Surveillance footage timestamps indicate the thieves departed within six minutes of entry, strongly suggesting the Library had been canvassed in the days prior to the intrusion. Among the priceless works reportedly seized were the Library's Gutenberg Bible, Voynich Manuscript and Vinland map, among others. Estimates of the total value of objects taken is impossible to ascertain at this early stage but is certainly in the tens of millions.
"Fuck...if they were - Lara?"
Elsie spun around. The brunette was no longer at her side.
What the hell?
She spied the archaeologist several yards down the sidewalk, slowly trudging back in the direction they'd come.
"Lara? LARA!"
Elsie ran after her companion.
"Wait up!" exclaimed the blonde as she grasped the Englishwoman companion by the sleeve and forcing her to a stop. "Where are you going? There's more to the article -"
"I've seen enough," rasped the brunette.
The blonde pressed on. "Look, maybe...maybe the police have leads, maybe they left clues behind, where they've gone, who they were -"
Lara turned to face the American, brown eyes pained.
"They were bloody Trinity, Elsie!" snapped the brunette. "They're long gone! And so is the Manuscript...if it even still exists..."
The archeologist turned and sat down heavily on the park bench they'd stood upon a few minutes before, elbows on knees and hands tented together against her lips. She stared straight ahead, unseeing.
Elsie bit her lip.
She walked over and sat down next to her friend.
"Hey, come on," said the blonde, wrapping her arm around the archaeologist's shoulder and gently rocking the brunette. "The Lara I know wouldn't give up so easily. Hell, she wouldn't give up, period."
But the Englishwoman's mien had mutated from cautious optimism to emotional exhaustion.
She slowly shook her head.
"Maybe it's time I should," said the archaeologist, her voice hoarse. "I'm so tired of fighting them, Elsie..."
"You'll figure something out. You always have so far, right?"
A sigh.
"You don't understand."
Elsie squeezed her friend's shoulder.
"Then explain it to me."
The archaeologist was silent for a time, to the point the blonde began to think her request would be denied. But the brunette finally relented.
"All this business with Trinity...this isn't what I'd signed up for," said Lara, her voice thick with emotion. "I didn't get into archaeology to fight some ever-present shadow organization for the rest of my life."
She looked at the blonde, anguish etched in the Englishwoman's deep brown eyes. "I wanted to make my mark, to make discoveries that people would talk about. To bring knowledge to the world. To have a career. Not this..."
Elsie pressed her knee against her companion's. "You have made your mark, girl, on me anyway. I know that doesn't count for much..."
Her words at least managed to drag out a slight smile from the brunette.
Elsie seized on the brief ripple of positivity.
"Look, you'll lick those dudes," said the blonde encouragingly. "I know you will. And then you can dig up old stuff to your heart's content. Make the news you want to make, rather than having those goddamned tabloids make it for you."
But far from offering succor, Elsie was mortified to find her words have the opposite effect.
The brunette flopped back against the bench's backrest. "Elsie, they've existed for centuries! I'm barely a blip on their radar...this was my one real chance of bringing them to their knees. To finally take them out of the picture. And now it's gone."
"Well...maybe there's a way you can get it back...Mom always told me that sometimes when we -"
"Wake up, Elsie!" snapped the brunette. "They obviously know what was in that book! They've either secreted it away to God-knows-where or more likely destroyed it by now!"
The blonde would not be dissuaded. "Look, you don't even know for sure it was those Trinity dudes. They took other stuff too, right? Maybe it was organized crime, the Manuscript just happened to get caught up in the heist -"
Lara shot up from the bench and stormed off, Elsie scurrying off in pursuit.
"Hey, wait -"
The brunette whirled on her. "Enough with the sodding sunshine! Stop trying to make it sound like everything will work itself out! Get your head out of the clouds!"
The blonde recoiled. She knew Lara was lashing out in frustration and she was simply within range of the fallout - but it still hurt as hell.
"I...I'm sorry..."
Lara glared at her. "All the bloody inspirational quotes in the world won't get me that book, Elsie! It was my ONE chance to finally make a real career for myself, get it through that perky blonde head of yours!"
Elsie bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering.
Okay, you...
She raised her briefcase and held it before her at arm's length.
The reminder had the desired effect: Lara's eyes immediately softened in concert with her sagging shoulders.
"Don't think for a second you have the market cornered on lost careers," said the blonde painfully. "I've already kissed one goodbye was willing to lose another, even though I knew it would give you no more than a snowball's chance in Hell."
The blonde set off for the car.
"Elsie -"
The American whirled on the brunette in turn.
"And you know what the worst part is, Lara?" asked Elsie in a strained voice, "I'd do it all again in a fucking heartbeat. God, I'm such a loser."
"Y-you're not -"
"Come on," said the American as she turned her back on her companion. "I imagine you'll be wanting to get back home..."
With the brunette following at a discreet distance, Elsie finally allowed her tears to break their banks.
~oOo~
The drive back was excruciating. And not solely due to the stifling midday heat.
The two young women sat in awkward silence, the blonde countering the archaeologist's occasional attempts at conversation with monosyllabic grunts.
Elsie knew she was being immature; the better part of her desperately wanted to make up with the brunette. But it was being kept in check by the devil on her shoulder, incessantly repeating the Englishwoman's hurtful words.
Eventually Lara gave up trying to converse. It was only when a service station loomed in the distance did she finally break her silence.
"Stop here, please."
Maintaining her gaze on the highway, Elsie allowed herself a single word in response - though she ensured it was uttered with the utmost apathy.
"Why?"
"I have to go."
The blonde sighed. "Fine."
Elsie guided the car into the gravel lot, kicking up dust as she slowed to a stop - she hadn't even pulled the handbrake by the time brunette's feet touched the ground.
Elsie kept the car running; in the stifling heat, there was no guarantee it would start up again. Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with Lara right now was not an appealing prospect.
She slouched back in her seat, watching as the brunette disappeared into the station. Two hours into their return trip, and she was almost sick to her stomach.
How long will you keep this up, Elsie...how long before you start doing real damage...?
She took a deep breath and whipped out her phone.
No service...naturally...
She opted for a game of Scrabble against the computer to change her mindset.
A couple of rounds later - both losses - she began glancing at the station.
What's she doing in there...?
She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.
I'll give her one more round.
A third consecutive defeat finally convinced the blonde that her mind was not on the game.
And still no archaeologist.
Dammit...
Did she dare go inside and leave the car running? True, theirs was currently the only car in the lot, but...
You'd better not leave me high and dry.
She shut off the ignition.
She made her way across the lot, cursing herself for not bringing along a pair of sneakers as she navigated the gravel in the unaccustomed heels. She was grateful she still had untwisted ankles once she'd reached the station's door.
Inside, the service station looked echoed its exterior facade - old, run-down and not exactly clean. Johnny Cash was crackling over the radio.
The balding man behind the counter looked up from his newspaper.
"Afternoon, missy. Looking for your friend?"
"Yeah, where's your - never mind," replied the blonde, eyeing the bathroom sign.
Behind a magazine rack and out of sight of the proprietor, she pressed her ear to the door of the women's washroom.
But she could hear nothing over Johnny Cash's baritone drone.
Oh my God...she didn't leave through a back window, did she? Shit!
She opened the door a hand's breath.
To her relief, the brunette came into view.
Lara was leaning against the bathroom counter, hands splayed out against its dingy surface to either side of the sink. Her head hung low, her shoulders rising and falling in rhythm with her shuddering breaths.
The mirror directly before the archaeologist he been shattered, a spiderweb of fractures emanating from it's centre. Given the dilapidated state of the washroom Elsie wouldn't have given it a second thought, but the glass shards scattered on the floor around Lara's feet raised alarm bells - which were made louder by the splattered crimson dotting the porcelain basin.
The American's stomach lurched; the compassionate Elsie finally broke out of her spiteful self's chokehold.
Oh no...oh, Lara, girl, no...
She pushed her way into the washroom, the squeak of the door filling the small room.
Lara's head popped up; for a moment their gazes locked via the shattered mirror.
The archaeologist's eyes were reddened.
The Englishwoman quickly pushed off from the counter and made her way to the paper dispenser, hastily palming her cheeks - the brunette's right hand was clumsily wrapped in what appeared to be layers of blood-soaked toilet paper.
"Sorry," croaked the archaeologist in a voice clearly intended to sound nonchalant - and failing. "Didn't realize I was taking so long..."
Lara hadn't finished pulling a sheet from the dispenser when she found herself enveloped from behind.
"I'm so sorry!" cried Elsie, clutching the brunette to her. "Please forgive me...I can be such a jerk sometimes..."
She could feel the stiffness in the archaeologist melt.
"Elsie, You have nothing to apologize for," rasped the Englishwoman as she covered the blonde enveloping arms with her uninjured hand, "There is a jerk in the room...only it's not blonde."
Elsie's sobs were broken by an awkward laugh. "Well...from one jerk to another...I'm glad we're talking..."
Lara turned to face her companion.
"Elsie...what I said...was unforgivable."
"Don't," replied the blonde as she caressed the archaeologist's cheek. "Okay? You were lashing out at the world and I caught some of the shrapnel, is all."
Lara's gaze dropped to her companion's collarbone. "I just get so angry sometimes...the red mist tends to descend..."
"I noticed," said the American while gently stroking archaeologist's ponytail. "I'll make a note not to use hot water when you're in the shower."
It was Lara's turn to laugh awkwardly.
Elsie drew closer and whispered into the brunette's ear.
"I'm on your side, thick and thin. You mean everything to me, girl."
The brunette broke out into a teary smile.
"I can't imagine what I've done to deserve you."
"'Deserve's not nuttin' to do with it'," said Elsie, pulling back to brush stray chestnut locks from the brunette's face. "Shit just happens sometimes..."
She glanced down. "Speaking of which -"
She grasped the Englishwoman's wrist and held up the injured hand for inspection.
"Geez, what a mess..."
Elsie gingerly peeled back layers of matted toilet paper to reveal still-bleeding cuts scarring the back of the archaeologist's fingers.
She carefully ran her index across the undulating ridge of the Englishwoman's bruised knuckles. "Is anything broken?"
Lara shook her head while palming her cheeks with her free hand. "Well...apart from the mirror."
Elsie ducked into a stall and yanked out a fresh bundle of toilet paper.
"There's a first aid kit in the car," said the blonde as she began reapplying the improvised dressing. "We need to get some rubbing alcohol on that, no telling what you might've picked up in here...warning you, though, it'll sting as all get out."
The brunette eyed her companion with concern.
"Elsie...you know I didn't mean what I said...yes?"
"Of course I do."
"Seriously, I -"
"Just stop it, okay?" interjected the blonde as she finished applying the temporary bandage. "This is really my fault, anyway."
"Of course it isn't!"
"It is," insisted Elsie firmly. "I knew you didn't mean that shit, but I still reacted like a freaking ten year-old...if I'd displayed even an ounce of maturity your hand wouldn't look like it's gone through a blender."
"Elsie, this is not your fau -"
"Yes. It is. And you'll never convince me otherwise."
Lara's gaze faltered.
"I suppose...this hasn't exactly been our finest hour, has it?"
Elsie smiled. "Well...we've had better."
A thought occurred to the blonde.
"Lara...why don't you stay for a couple of days? Take your mind off things."
The archaeologist tentatively raised her gaze. "You would invite an ungrateful skank into your flat?"
The American chuckled. "In a New York minute...come on, waddya say?"
"That's...so tempting, Elsie," returned the brunette. "But I can't. I need to meet my contact tomorrow, the one who'se been deciphering the few pages available to us. I need to fill him in, and also warn him...he may be in danger."
"Oh," returned the American, slightly deflated. "Okay, so...rain check, then?"
"Yes," replied the brunette, smiling softly. "Definitely rain cheque."
On their way out the blonde slipped two twenty-dollar notes before the bemused attendant - which elicited a protest from the brunette once they were in the parking lot.
"For God's sake, Elsie! At least let me reimburse you for half -"
"Half, heck, I have no idea what those mirrors cost, and I wasn't about to ask. Tell you what, next time you break something you can pick up the tab."
Lara suddenly became very quiet.
Elsie did a double take as she opened the car's bonnet. "You okay?"
"Yes...yes, of course," said the brunette sheepishly.
Elsie pulled out her first aid kit and proceeded to treat the Englishwoman's injured hand, grimacing in concert with the archaeologist while she poured the alcohol over the gashes.
"Sorry," breathed the blonde.
"It's...not so bad," rasped Lara.
Once she'd completed her ministrations the blonde returned the first aid kit to its nook and closed the hood with a loud clank.
"Elsie -"
The blonde turned back to her companion.
Lara's mouth was open, seemingly frozen in mid-speech.
Elsie tilted her head. "Yeeesss?"
The brief glimmer of hope that had briefly fluttered in her friend's brown brown eyes had vanished.
"No," finally croaked the brunette, shoulders drooping. "No, I've already asked entirely too much of you."
"Oh no you don't! Spill them beans, girl!"
Lara hesitated.
"Come on!" insisted the blonde, drawing closer. "If there's another way I can help -"
"Come with me."
Elsie blinked. "Say again?"
"Come with me," repeated the archaeologist, coming to stand before the blonde.
The American was still unsure she'd heard right. "You want me to go with you...to your meeting with that dude?"
Lara shook her head.
"No, silly," explained the Englishwoman, "You can stay with Sam and Doppie at the flat. I'll be back by morning."
"Annnnd...then what?"
Beautiful brown eyes searched her own.
"We just...go."
"Go...where?"
"Anywhere," voiced the brunette. "Wherever the wind takes us...you mentioned you always wanted to visit Scotland, yes?"
"Well...sure," replied the blonde. "Mom was born there, but...Lara, are you serious?"
The archaeologist shrugged slightly. "Recent events have conspired to...clear my schedule, as it were..."
Elsie gaped at her companion. "Oh my God...is Lara Croft actually being spontaneous?"
The Englishwoman's brief foray into whimsy quickly gave way to vacillation. "Of course...I wouldn't want you to get in trouble at work..."
"Trouble?" returned Elsie. "You're kidding, right? This'll just irritate a few people, is all. I'm still way ahead."
She pressed against the brunette and grasped the Englishwoman's uninjured hand.
"Please tell me this is happening," breathed Elsie, grey eyes supplicating. "Oh, please tell me we're doing this..."
Lara reached behind the American and gently tugged on her knot of hair, freeing the blonde's long mane from its restraining bun.
She pressed her forehead to Elsie's and smiled, the tips of their noses nudging together.
"As I recall, you mentioned something about a boon...?"