The Arrow of Artemis

Chapter one: The arrow in the alley

It was nearly three A.M when Dianne stumbled out of the club supporting her swaying new friend. She had managed to sneak past Bryce's security systems and catch a ride into London where she had spent much of the evening getting drunk. She felt bad about deceiving her sister Lara and the boys but she knew they'd never have let her go. 'Anyway,' she'd reasoned to herself as she'd shimmied down the drainpipe outside her room and tiptoed past Bryce's van under the cover of darkness, ' How can a woman who last week destroyed an ancient Egyptian monument ground me for a tiny little bit of graffiti on my school desk?' It just didn't seem fair.

The girl that she was supporting swayed ominously. "Come on Liz," she said attempting to straighten her out, "lets get you a cab."

"What 'bout you?" The girl hiccupped attempting to focus on Dianne's face but failed spectacularly. "How's you gonna... gedome" She slurred.

"I'm going the other way," Dianne explained "It'd be too expensive"

"Ha!" Liz laughed throwing her head back, which was a mistake as the rest of her followed. "Your rich aint you 'Lady Croft'?"

Dianne sighed. She pushed her long dark hair out of her eyes and taking Liz by the arm began to lead them down the dark streets towards the main road. It was November and the chill air cut right through them. "Lara is 'Lady Croft' and as she has no idea I'm here so I could hardly ask her to lend me any money." Dianne told Liz, her breath floating in front of her.

"You could've borrowed the car. Bet she's got loads of 'em. Bet she wouldn't even noticed" Liz said stumbling on the curb, the heels of their shoes were echoing through the early morning.

"Oh she'd have noticed," Dianne muttered sadly, "she always notices when I mess something up. She seems to look the other way if I actually get something done right."

"Sounds rotten!" Liz exclaimed stopping so suddenly that she spun Dianne around..

"Oh it's not that bad," Dianne reasoned, "It's just she's not cut out for parenthood."

Liz looked confused "I thought she was your sister?"

"Yeah but she had to raise me didn't she. Mum died having me and dad just after that." Dianne explained and they continued down the road.

"Oh." Said Liz embarrassed "Sorry I..."

"Forget it." Dianne waved her hand as though it were nothing. They had reached a dark run-down building with a flashing neon sign bearing the legend 'Mick's cabs' there was a drunk old man slouched on the curb outside.

"This looks like a nice reputable establishment" Liz smirked sarcastically

"We don't have much of a choice. It's a long journey back to Surrey and if I'm not back by daybreak I'm dead."

"Yeah your sister will kill you." Liz nodded.

"Nah she's done worse. It's the butler I'm worried about."

Liz's eyes widened and she whistled impressed "You've got a butler?! And HE tells YOU off?"

"Yep. But He's more like family than an employee"

It was true Hillary, the butler, and Bryce were more than just employees to her and Lara. Lara had hired Hillary to help her run the estate just after Lord Croft, their father, had died. Dianne had no recollection of her father so Hillary was the nearest thing she had. Bryce had joined them soon after- once Lara had started adventuring. She'd always thought of him as a big bother. 'The weird thing is though,' she thought, 'I'm closer to them than to Lara.'

Lara was never around Dianne often. As long as she remembered Lara was off adventuring. The only times that they ever really spoke was whenever Lara was telling her off. Deep down Dianne suspected that Lara had never forgiven her for the deaths of their parents. Their mother who had died in child- birth and their father who had lived out his last few years in heartache until his murder. Lara had never let go and Dianne supposed that she was a constant reminder of this.

The two girls rushed to the door, eager to escape the cold. As Liz reached for the handle a sudden yell and a loud crash erupted from an alley to the right causing the two girls to start. Dianne moved towards the mouth of the alley to investigate but felt Liz hold her back.

"What're you doing?" Liz asked, her face which was already pale thanks to the drink had now turned translucent with fear. "Leave it. It's none of our business."

Dianne shook her off angrily "Is that what you think? 'It's not me so it doesn't matter'?"

"Yep"

"I'm going to help. You get inside and call the police." She ordered pushing Liz into the cab firms door.

She ran full pelt down the dark alley, which was no mean feet after drinking so much. Up ahead she saw three looming figures kicking a man hunched on the floor. He had stopped yelling now but let out the occasional groan and whimper. Dianne skidded to a halt by a festering dumpster. She cursed herself for being so loud as, at the sound of her approaching footfalls, the assailants had looked up. They lumbered towards her menacingly.

'Run' said a voice in her head, but she didn't. Her gaze fell on the man on the floor. He was thin with dark hair and was bleeding badly. Gingerly he reached out for his cracked glasses which were lying beside him. She couldn't leave him.

"Leave him alone" Dianne growled squaring her shoulders . The nearest man leaned close as the other two bent double with laughter.

"Or what little lady? You'll scream?" Dianne noted how clean and well presented they were they didn't seem like regular muggers.

"No," she smiled confidently, "I wont scream. You might but I certainly wont."

They were beside themselves now. From the floor the injured man let out a groan. The man leaning over her reached out to grab Dianne by the shoulder.

"Listen darlin'...."

She reacted so fast the man had no idea what was happening. Dianne twisted his arm back until it snapped and slammed him face first into the wall with such force that she felt she may have broken his jaw. Behind her another man, the smallest of the three, grabbed her by her shoulders. The third man approached so she kicked off his chest sending him flying. The smallest one holding her stumbled backwards and fell over the hunched man with the broken arm who was kneeling down clutching his injury. Dianne felt herself being released and scrambled forward to the victim on the floor. He was gone.

Where he had been laying there was a shining green object shaped like an arrows head. She scooped it up. Behind her the men got to their feet panting.

"Come on boys." Dianne smiled. "Do you really want me to beat you up again? I mean getting your bums kicked by a girl? That's just embarrassing."

The one with a broken arm let out a roar of frustration and started towards her. The sound of gunfire stopped him in his tracks. They all turned. Behind them, framed in the entrance to the alley, stood a man in well pressed suit aiming a shotgun directly at them.

"Hillary?" Dianne exclaimed shocked.

"Let her pass" The butler ordered. The men stood aside and Dianne crossed swiftly to where the he was standing. "Get in the car." Hillary whispered urgently. The two of them backed up with their eyes and the gun still pointed at the assailants. When they reached the street Dianne dived quickly into the waiting Rolls- Royce.

Hillary drove off quickly in a huffy science. Dianne was waiting for the blow to come but it didn't. Deciding she liked it better when he shouted than when he gave her the silent treatment she began to talk.

"How did you know" She asked timidly.

"Bryce put a tracker on your necklace." He snapped

"WHAT?" She demanded angrily, "Don't you guys trust me?"

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"So you do not have it." The man repeated calmly his back to the cowering men. His voice was soft and though he was well spoken there was a slight eastern- European edge. He stood in a large dark room decorated with the busts off Greek Gods and several glorious portraits depicting battling titans and beautiful nymphs that glowered down at the rooms occupants. Above the desk a set of 'comedy and tragedy' masks watched sightlessly.

"Err no sir" The boldest one muttered nursing his broken arm "He got away"

"How?"

"Well, "The man began, looking desperately at his associates and praying that one of them would take over. They avoided his gaze. "There was this girl.

"A girl?" The man turned angrily and thumped his clenched fist on the large polished desk with such force that it shook. A vase depicting Hercules struggle with the hydra smashed to the floor causing the three hulking figures to flinch in terror. Their boss had hardly noticed. His dark eyebrows knotted menacingly as he brushed a stray stand of his greying hair back. "You let a girl take my arrowhead?"

"We.. We don't know that she took it" stammered the cowering leader.

"So where is it Brooke?"

" Croydon must still have it." Brooke insisted. Behind him the others nodded furiously.

"For your sake he better have." He reached into the draw of his desk and produced a handgun. The three associates backed away nervously. Their boss moved slowly around the desk. Then, to their relief handed Brooke the gun. "Now go and get my arrowhead and leave no survivors!"

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The sun had risen by the time that they'd reached Croft manor. Dianne had pretended to be asleep for the last half hour rather than argue with Hillary. He had calmed down a lot since picking her up from the alley but had moved onto the 'it's only because I care' stage of the argument that was somehow much worse than the yelling. She'd let him down and betrayed his trust, she felt miserable.

Her head was turned towards the window which was now clouded with condensation. As they drove up the driveway she wiped it off with the sleeve of her jacket. When they drove past Bryce's van he emerged wrapped up warm against the cold. Dianne couldn't help but scowl at him as they slowed to a stop.

"Had fun?" He asked brightly as She emerged into the cold morning air.

"Yeah a great time thanks' "She said sarcastically leading the way up the large stone steps, "One of my so called friends bugged me and betrayed my trust."

"Err hang on a minuet," Bryce stopped her "Didn't you just sneak off in the middle of the night to a club a hundred miles from home."

"That's beside the point." Dianne snapped

"No," Said Hillary impatiently as he unlocked the front door, "It is the point. How can we trust you when you go out drinking illegally and start a fight in an alley with three huge thugs?"

"I didn't start it!" She replied indignantly. Hillary and Bryce said nothing.

They made their way into the large warm entrance hall. The hall was one of the few rooms that hadn't changed in the last few hundred years. It remained today just as it had've done the day the manor was built. The only modifications were the security measures that Lara had asked Bryce to install. A large monitor stood by the door showing the occupants who was outside and several infer-red cameras filmed the trio as they entered.

A large bark erupted from inside as they crossed the threshold. In a blaze of black fur Dianne was knocked backwards into Bryce who steadied her and cursed the enormous black dog under his breath.

"Hello Nero" Dianne cooed, kneeling by the huge black brute and tickling his ears. She caught Hillary's eye. His temper seemed to have flared up again.

"I destroyed all three of them didn't I?" She shot. Guessing correctly that he was most annoyed that she had been in a fight.

"Oh so that's why they were all advancing on you?" He nodded sarcastically "They were surrendering were they?"

"I could've handled it." Dianne rolled her eyes. She moved off towards the drawing room, Nero at her heels jumping up excitedly every few steps.

"You shouldn't have been there in the first place!" Hillary exclaimed angrily. His voice rising shrilly "You shouldn't have been in London let alone in a dark alley with those .... Thugs"

Dianne flopped down on the sofa and tried to avoid the boys eyes. From the corner a noise caught her attention. Lara was sitting on an old leather chair reading . She snapped shut the book and advanced on her sister. She looked livid. Her dark eyes were burning fiercely as she lent over Sophie. "Yes you shouldn't have. It's too dangerous for you to be wondering around"

"Why?" She didn't see what was wrong, she'd been alright hadn't she? Why were they so concerned that she'd snuck out "Is someone trying to kill you again?"

"No," Said Hillary removing his coat and motioning that she do the same. "but generally speaking dark alleys and young women don't mix"

"Look I was trying to help that guy" She explained frustrated. She shoved the coat into the butlers hands.

"Oh so your sixth sense told you that you should be roaming around dark London alleys at three A.M did it?" Bryce smirked sarcastically handing Hillary his worn out duffle coat.

"Oh like Lara's never done worse"

"This isn't about me.." Lara started angrily

"No it never is. You did all sorts of crazy things when you were my age yet they're all forgotten. I try and have some fun and I get told off." Dianne muttered. Nero rested his chin on her lap and looked at her reproachfully. She obliged by patting him gently on the head.

"Hanging around in dark alleys is fun is it?" Lara's voice was raising. Recognising the warning signs the boys began to edge towards the door.

"I was trying to help that man!" Dianne stood up facing her sister

"Which man?" Lara demanded

"The one they were beating up." Dianne explained. "I've no idea who he was., he dropped this" She reached into the pocket of her jeans and produced the small green arrow head that she'd found in the alley. The others all moved in closer to look.

"What is it?" Hillary asked

"I'm not sure" Said Bryce taking it and holding it to the light for closer examination. It glowed an eerie green.

"those guys wanted it pretty badly though."

They stood in silence for a moment all staring at the arrow head. Suddenly Lara spoke making them all jump slightly.

"Get some sleep." She ordered turning to Dianne "Bryce come with me."

The two of them let quickly for the tech room. Dianne stared angrily after them for a moment then sank down miserably onto she sofa.

" Typical!" She said to herself "Give her a crusty old relic and she forgets all about telling me off"

"Is that a bad thing?" Hillary smiled. She looked so sad that he didn't have the heart to stay angry at her.

"you hungry?" He asked. Dianne thought for a moment then nodded. He helped her up and led her off to the kitchen "come on I'll make you a sandwich."

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"Why are you so hard on her?" Bryce sighed settling down in his usual seat in the tech room and switching on the laptop.

"She was grounded." Lara reminded him. "It's not like I banned her from going out just for fun."

"I don't just mean tonight," Bryce replied quickly "You two just seem to snap at each other all of the time"

"She's always challenging me!" Lara responded defensively. She was about to say 'it's her age' but something held her back. It wasn't true. Dianne was always pushing her for a reaction.

"Well.." Bryce said slowly avoiding Lara's eye.

"Well what?" Lara demanded.

" Nothing. Bryce chickened out. Quailing under his employers furious glare.

"Bryce?"

"Well maybe she just wants some attention. You're always off around the world and she never sees you." He said this last bit very quickly and waited for Lara to explode. To his surprise she merely sighed and sat down in the chair next to him.

"It's hard to talk to her. We don't have much in common"

"Are you kidding?" Bryce smiled slyly "She just took out three blokes in an alley and recovered a mysterious artefact. I'd say you have a lot in common."

Lara shook her head sadly. "I don't want her to live my life."

"Tomb raiding's all she's ever known though. "Bryce said placing the arrowhead under a scanner. After a few seconds it was displayed on the screen and he was able to magnify it for a closer look. Lara slipped into silence staring at the screen.

"I'll talk to her later" She promised herself.