Chapter 23 – To Find An Old Friend
Transcontinental Flight 1305, en route to Los Angeles, California, USA
One week later…
"Are you absolutely positive this guy knows what that thing is?" Alex asked skeptically from his seat beside Lara. Lara rolled her eyes, rubbing a hand across her swollen ribs. Even after a week, her sides felt like raw slabs of meat in a butcher's shop. She had left the temple in West India taped up like an ancient mummy, her bruises still the color of a Canadian sunset. Mason had flown in another of his personal physicians before they left. He was an aging fellow, perhaps sixty. He had six kids and God knew how many grandkids. He wore tiny spectacles and his nose twitched when he was thinking. He took a good long look at her and said he would be a damned red commie if he was going to let her go anywhere. She had two dislocated ribs, multiple lacerations, deep bruising, and her elbow sockets were still swollen from dislocation. She had thrown every sly trick in the book at him, even batting her eyes and cooing like a sweet southern belle on Sunday. He had finally given in to her, making her swear on pain of death that she wouldn't go and do anything dangerous for several weeks. Both fingers crossed, she had promised to do no such thing.
She looked at the screenshots of the golden key she had lifted from the neck of the dying Leviathan flashing across her laptop. The real thing was locked down in a reinforced steel military carry-all crate in the cargo hold below. Mason's scientists had studied the thing until Lara thought they were all going to melt their brains. None of them knew what to make of it, or the strange symbol engraved on the head. Lara had grabbed some digital shots of it before Mason had it stored away. She looked at them now, that same dread she had felt the first time she had seen it creeping back into the pit of her stomach. She had a feeling she knew exactly what the symbol meant… and what the key was for as well. But the thoughts filled her with a deep sense of fear that she didn't like harboring. So instead, she told Mason she knew a guy who knew what he was doing when it came to occult symbols and ancient lore. She also happened to know that he had a particular interest in the Amulet of Immortality. He lived in an abandoned Dairy-Freeze factory in LA, his poor excuse for a safe house. What exactly he needed to keep himself safe from, she had no idea. But he was the closest thing to an expert she could hope to find.
Lara pushed the laptop aside, stretching her legs with a strained grunt. Alex grabbed the computer from her, setting it on the small table next to them. The plane had started life as a military research vessel, but had graduated to a private commercial freighter during the mid-nineties. Now it was used by higher-level science teams and international research parties.
"How you feeling?" Alex asked, touching a hand to hers quietly. Lara withdrew her hand away from his, squirming a little in her leather settee.
"Look Alex… I appreciate you swimming out to my rescue and all, and I know I owe you one. But don't think for a minute that somehow automatically makes us chums," Lara replied a little too curtly. Alex winced slightly, touching a hand to the side of his neck. Lara noticed that he had finally shaved after what seemed like an eternity. While trampling through West India, she could have sworn he never shaved once. He was also dressed a little more genteel, complete with socks and clean boots. Her glance darted upwards as she heard Nicholas Howard come into the main cabin from Mason's private quarters.
"Ms. Croft, we're approaching LAX on the come-down. Mason wants to know what the game plan is once we arrive." He nodded slightly to Alex, who returned the gesture politely.
"Mr. Howard, I've already informed Mason that I am the only one who will be continuing into the city. The rest of you will stay at the resort until I return with more information."
"I don't believe Mr. Mason is entirely pleased with the situation, Ms. Croft. He would rather accompany you to touch base with your…friend."
"Mr. Wolfe is a very old and trusted acquaintance. He will see no one but me on this sort of business, I can assure you. And I have already explained that to your employer. It's best if I go alone." Nicholas only looked at her incredulously, lifting a hand to run through his hair. He looked worn and haggard. Lara guessed he probably hadn't slept since they left their European departure zone. He nodded silently, retreating the same way he came in.
"You know Lara, you don't have to be the queen bitch to everyone. I know he's not all that snazzy, but he has a rough go of it. I mean, how would you like working for Mason the way he does?" Alex asked. Lara nodded slightly, her right hand wandering to her swollen left elbow.
"I just don't like being pushed about, even if it is in the quietest ways possible. Mason and I have an agreement in writing that says I have free run of this thing until the very end, regardless of success. Ever since that incident down in the sacred river basin, he's been acting very strangely. I don't like it. He's been trying to get in on everything now."
"Who exactly is this Wolfe guy you're talking about?" Alex asked, getting up to help himself to the mini bar. "Whiskey?"
"Yes please… no water. His name is Riley Wolfe. We've been friends since our early teenage years. When my mother and father first allowed me to adventure the East with Von Croy, Riley was another of his wards for the summer. But for much different purposes than I. I just wanted to explore the globe and broaden my horizons. Riley was a prodigy in the areas of ancient language and symbol connotation. Von Croy had snatched him out of the private institution his mother had stuffed him in in an attempt to mold his natural talents. The kid was a genius when it came to matters of the ancient occult."
"So what the hell is he doing in LA?" Alex asked, handing her a tumbler with a couple of fingers of whiskey.
"He was originally from New England and decided to move back to the states once he was free of Von Croy. He settled in LA for the atmosphere."
"The atmosphere?"
"Sure. Los Angeles is one of the world's major hubs for occult and paranormal activity. There's also a great deal of demonic presence at the borders. It's the perfect place to be if you specialize in the stuff like Riley does."
"Sounds like an all around good-guy," Alex muttered.
"He's cool. More importantly, he knows what he's doing. I'm pretty good when it comes to stuff like this, but it never hurts to have a second opinion, especially when lives are on the line. And he is the best second opinion money can buy."
Alex knocked back the rest of the whiskey in his own glass and placed it firmly on the counter.
"Well, it sounds like you have everything figured out, Ms. Croft." Lara turned to look at him, one eyebrow cocked.
"Alex… Do I hear a hint of jealousy in that snide comment?" Alex forced a laugh, the palms of his hands burning with useless rage.
"Please. Like you said Lara. We have no business being chums. We've always fought. Why stop now? I just think it's interesting that everything seems to be going your way."
"Alex, nothing is going anybody's way as it stands. The Amulet of Immortality is a dangerous weapon, cloaked in infamy from its very beginning. Nobody is safe where it is concerned. The symbol on that large golden key fills me with a sense of terror that I have only felt in the direst of situations. If it is what I think it is, then we all have a long, hard road ahead of us. Best keep your cool until it's really time to fight, Alex."
Alex only stared at his boots, his face reddening. He left the glass on the counter of the mini bar and left the room in a quick, quiet shuffle. Lara sat alone, looking out the window at the passing scenery. To her right, she could see the Western sun setting over a million glimmering lights from the city below. She suddenly felt a pang of loneliness that caught her completely off guard. She stared at her reflection in the Plexiglas window, disturbed at this new found feeling. She was jolted back to reality as her phone began to ring in her back right pocket. She took her time maneuvering her arm around to get at it, grunting a little at the pressure.
"Lara Croft."
"Lara!" came Bryce's high-pitched voice from somewhere on the other end of the earth. "Lara, are you there? I can't hear a damn thing in this stupid tunnel." Lara smiled at the sound of his voice, happy to know she had a friend somewhere out across the phone lines.
"I'm here Bryce. Where are you?"
"On my way to get that research you wanted. Hilary came down with a slight cold this past weekend, so I didn't have a chance to go earlier. I should have it for you by tomorrow."
"Thanks for that Bryce. I owe you one."
"Where have I heard that before?" he grumbled jokingly. "Where are you guys off to now?"
"To find an old friend, Bryce," she replied, gazing out at the lights of the big city once more. "To find an old friend."