Okay, I'm back with another update. Now readers, buckle up, because I'm going to take you on a ride! Expect a chapter every week, at most. I have the whole of the sequel of ROD now settled, and ready to be typed in and posted. I have completed editing ROD. When I'll post the sequel, I'll tell about the changes mainly, so chill and enjoy!
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Ending
Chapter 11: Locked up
After having their brunch, the two colleagues discussed matters over some coffee. It apparently seemed that the authority now doubted Lara being the Monstrum, but then there was strong evidence that made them reach the conclusion. The only way to prove her innocent was to find even stronger evidence of her innocence. And, both of them admitted, was much more than difficult.
"So lemme get this straight," Kurtis began after scribbling down some points in his notebook. "The authorities suspect you being the Monstrum. The footage of you leaving Von Croy's apartment with blood on your hands-"
"I wiped them off!"
"Sorry," he muttered and cut something on the page then continued, "They taped you going to Mademoiselle Carvier's apartment… almost. Next we have your handprints from the passports you dropped off in Rennes' Pawnshop, and some more on his clothes. Then you are viewed in the Louvre, during the siege attack and," he faked a cough. Lara looked up from her cup and threw him an angry glare.
"Our brief encounter in the Louvre... (ahem) before the attack," his eyes glinted mischievously.
Lara managed to keep a straight face and said curtly: "Continue with the points."
"You wanted it badly!"
"Kurtis! Please… I'm in the middle of a huge mess, and you know that!" she blurted out, spoken truthfully.
"Okay, okay… But just, chill girl. Relax-"
"Relax! Trent, I've been followed around, shot at and blamed for things I've not done! My life, my reputation my everything is at stake and you're thinking of relaxing!" she asked angrily.
"I meant that you stop taking tension, 'cause it ain't gonna help us at all! You know I'm involved in this mess too. They may suspect me helping you about because I too was caught on tape in the Louvre," he calmly responded. The raider glared daggers at his calmness, yet somehow unwound with the concern in his deep blue eyes.
"It's the best for us to concentrate on this stuff and never think of us getting together, because it's not gonna happen," Lara answered smugly.
"Course, and I was just playin' with ya! Now, back to business. So we're caught on tape, escaping the Louvre. Your fingerprints again, this time on Bouchard's body. Taped when I trapped you in the air lock, plus when I returned…" He paused for a second, burying his face in his hands, then bringing it up to meet her steady gaze. "We're caught in this web deeper than you might think. I think there are enough points here now… Believe me, if I was the police, I'd suspect you for the Monstrum myself."
"I know…" Lara said with a sigh, and then whispered to herself, loud enough for Kurtis to hear. "What have I landed myself into?"
"Hey, don't worry. We are in this together; we'll both get out together. Your very presence comforted me back in the lab, as I thought that at least I was not alone in the whole vengeance thing. I'm just fulfilling this obligation." Upon seeing Lara's apologetic expression, he quickly added, "Not that I'm forced to do it and all, I just feel that you need someone right now, who knows what you've been through," he said softly, and patted her folded hands on the table.
"Excuse me." Both adventurers looked up to see the very same blonde receptionist present last night.
"Yes?" Lara answered her with a question.
"I just got a call from Inspector Elliot; he is expecting you to visit him in the police station. The snow is now cleared and there's a van waiting outside for you."
"Thanks," Kurtis muttered, and the twosome walked away from the restaurant. They sat in the van and were off.
After fifteen minutes, they were seated on a table with Elliot and an old man. He had olive green eyes, white hair and beard and was wrinkled as a prune. He wore a black coat and Lara immediately realized that this was her lawyer for this case: Maurice Sylvester.
After the introductions, Elliot said, "I expect to leave you both with Mr. Sylvester alone, to discuss the matters," and turned on his heel and left.
The threesome discussed their current position, occasionally re-hearing the fact that the lawyer had never lost a single case before.
"This is very, very difficult and a serious case, I take it," Sylvester continued in his deep voice.
"We know," Lara returned. Kurtis looked at the lawyer. "Would we win this case? I'm involved deeper in this than you think."
"But I don't know the whole story, if Ms. Croft would be kind enough to explain me the whole situation, before and after. How you met this young man and all, we'll be able to prove out if you're innocent or not," Maurice answered.
"I hope you have faith in your religion," Lara asked, before beginning her story.
"I am a true Christian."
"Excellent. Here is how it all began…"
Lara told the lawyer that she worked with Werner in Egypt, but in the middle of something, he left her wounded and almost dying. She managed to keep both the men out of "her being buried alive" part, Sylvester knew the whole story as he read it in the news, and knew this had nothing to do with the case. Kurtis on the other hand, believed the factual points of the whole incident. The raider told them about Werner's murder, how she was knocked out by Eckhardt and he finished him off. It was a matter of twenty minutes when she was done with her story, explaining everything, the Hall of Seasons and the Obscura Paintings and the Nephilim and all. The lawyer looked quite unsettled with the story.
"Are you sure about this, Ms. Croft?" he asked, anxiously.
"Yes, and I understand your anxiety. The Nephilim and all, the outside world is not going to believe this, so it's your job to prove me innocent," Lara paused. "Is it that bad?"
"You have no idea. The outside world is never going to believe all these Paintings and Vaults, I hardly do so myself, but gathering on what you have been through in your early experiences, the Dagger of Xian, Scion and the Infada Artifact and all, I have no choice. I will help you, and we will win this case. I-" Sylvester was cut off by a cough. John Elliot beamed from the doorway, and he entered the room.
"Well… anything else from the Strahov?" Kurtis asked him.
John looked at Kurtis, smiled maliciously and produced a pair of handcuffs. Lara's eyes popped open, and seemed dazed as they locked in her wrists, and threw her into solitary confinement. Soon, the metal cuffs were off, but Lady Lara Croft was behind bars.
"What the!" she began.
"Officer, why you locking her up!" Kurtis asked ferociously.
"Evidence, Mr. Trent. Look at the basic facts. She committed six murders and stole a car. We have eye witnesses who saw her leaving the crime scenes, we have found out who the Monstrum is and-"
"SHE IS NOT THE MONSTRUM!"
"Please calm down, Kurtis. I believe you both are emotionally involved-"
"We're not!" Kurtis returned, his words dripping with venom.
"Then why are you believing a killer?"
"Mr. Elliot," Kurtis began, his voice low and controlled, "Have you ever put yourself in her shoes then thought about it?"
"Yes, and if I was her, I wouldn't go about like a lunatic killing people and drawing symbols in blood."
"John, you don't know how we met. The Monstrum killed my father years ago, before he became a serial killer!"
'Kurtis! Don't give yourself away like that!'
'Face it, Lara. I have no choice'.
"You can check my history, and you'll see that the 'Monstrum' had previously murdered my father, my mother, my uncle, all my cousins and even my sister. It was the same person before, why don't you understand!"
"Mr. Trent, stop blaming someone else for the deaths of your family members. I am truly sorry for you, but she has trapped you with her looks, and you're losing it," Elliot told him smoothly, such the manner that made Kurtis' blood boil, but he kept it to himself, and glared daggers at him.
"Besides, I have orders from the Head Commissioner," he said lightly, almost amusingly. "The first trial will be held this evening, I expect you to be there. It would be in about four hours. Meanwhile take care of yourself," and with this, John Elliot turned and exited, with Maurice following. The twosome were left alone.
Lara walked forward and grabbed the bars, not believing where she was. Kurtis placed a hand on the lock, looked to see if someone was watching them, and a click told them that it was now open.
'No!' Lara whispered in his mind.
'What no? Hurry up. We're gettin' the hell outta here.'
'Please, this all is being taped on camera. There is no way to escape'
"Kurtis get me out of here," she said quietly to him, naturally everything being taped on camera. This was a dialogue, and also not a dialogue.
He used his telekinesis and the door locked back. He lifted his eyes to her meet hers. They held an expression of sorrow, regret and somewhat anxiety for the future.
"I will get you out from there. I swear on the Heavens I will. And I'd better start working now. Lara, calm down and don't worry," Kurtis turned and picked up his coat.
"Where are you going?"
"The Strahov. There must be something they would have overlooked," he stopped at the doorway. He turned and walked back to her cell, where she stood thanking the adventurer silently, finding in him the route to her salvation.
He grabbed her hand and put it within his, placing the other one on top of it and squeezing it as an act of concern. "If they do any harm to you, tell me immediately. You know how," he whispered and tapped his temple. Managing a small smile, he walked out, not glancing at the distressed raider behind the bars, confidant he will get her out, somehow…
Muaahahahahhahaahahahha! Cliffhanger! Well, you'd better review me if you want me to continue, and I mean it! Next chapter… Kurtis' adventure in the Strahov and the hearing… though I'm warning you, there's gonna be a HUGE surprise by the end of it. Thanks for your time… Enjoy! (and list all the things you'll hit me with, meanwhile… :D)