Something's wrong, I can feel it deep inside my heart. I pull the skulls out from under the bed and look at them, like they could provide some kind of answer for me. I feel like I can communicate with them. "Okay Lassie? Did Lara fall down the well?"

Two pairs of crystal eyes stare at me like I'm a psycho. Then pain courses through me, right through my center and I curl into a ball. I can see Lara. She's hurt. I push myself back up to my knees and look at the skulls. "...okay she fell down the well but where the hell is she?"

Pretty sure I can't do this alone, but there's not many people I can turn to about this. What happens if I can find her? How do I get to her, will she even be able to walk? Or talk? God, who were these people and what did they want?

Before I can think about it more I start dialing a phone number and wait nervously while it rings. The voice on the other end is familiar, even if I haven't heard it in close to a year. We still keep in contact, just usually email and texts. Reyes is pretty busy so I don't like to disturb her, plus I'm pretty sure she still blames both of us for Roth's death. Which isn't exactly fair. I don't think she hates us. She can even be a little warm at times. Mostly to me, though I'm sure she respects Lara. It's weird.

The last time the four of us got together had been for Jonah's birthday. That had been my idea. I thought it would be good for Lara and I missed the big guy. I hadn't expected Reyes to show up, but she and her daughter had and we'd had a good awkward dinner. We avoided talking about Yamatai but it had kinda hung in the air over our heads.

"Hello? Joslin? It's Sam."

"Sam? What's up? Did you get a new number?"

I smile into the phone. "That's complicated. I know it's kinda not cool to call like this but I didn't know who to talk to. And I really need help or advice or something."

"What's wrong?" There's guarded caution in her voice. I know then that she's not going to come to our rescue. I can't blame her, she has a kid. I could never ask her to put us ahead of Alisha. So I spill my guts. About the skulls, about our plans and the attack in the apartment and I kind of gloss over the fight Lara and I had but Reyes probably picks up on that.

"So I don't know where she is but I'm pretty sure she's hurt. We're both hurt. But I'm more concerned about her."

"You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of Lara," she points out. I don't like that answer, probably because it's partly true. I glare at the wall.

"The type of shit that the two of you get up to is fucking ridiculous," she continues. irritation creeping it's way into her voice. "I don't want to know, I don't want to be involved."

"I'm not asking you to be involved, I just need...advice. I guess." I hear her sigh on the other end of the phone.

"What would Lara do. Assuming she had to go somewhere with your apartment on fire."

"I don't know."

Another sigh. She has to think I'm an idiot. "Come on, kid. You know her better than anyone."

I think about that. "Well she'd hate it but she'd probably go to her parent's house."

"So go there. Maybe you can find answers. It'll be safe anyway. I'll...make some calls. Roth knew some people and maybe one of them could help you."

I'm nearly bowled over with relief. "Oh my god, Reyes. Thank you so much." She doesn't answer right away and I chew on my lip waiting for what she's going to say.

"Just be careful, okay? You've already been through so much. Don't let this crazy follow you home and ruin the good things."

"Lara is the good thing." I wet my lips, and add. "We're … "

"Going out finally?"

Yeah, I stare dumbly at the phone and then put it back to my ear. "What? Yeah. What? How?"

She laughs. She actually laughs. It's not an unpleasant sound, really. "Call me back in about five hours. I'll have more information for you then. Next time I see either of you it needs to be someone's wedding, and there's nothing crazy. Nothing. Not even one little crazy thing is allowed to happen."

"Well I can't promise there won't be crazy dancing, but sure." I hang up and stare at the phone in my hands. Okay. Croft Manor. I know the keycode, unless Lara changed it. I call a cab before I start to pack everything, more carefully this time. I'm going to save my girlfriend. I'm going to hold onto her and never let her go. I'm going to hurt the people who hurt her. Before packing the laptop I check my mail one more time, and I'm rewarded for my efforts. I let out a woop that could wake the dead, then call Reyes back. I don't think about what the skulls showed me earlier. I chalk it up to not sleeping well.

"Hey! It's me again! Lara's okay, she just emailed me!"

"Leave it to that girl to make us look like fools. Look, I'm still going to make some calls because I know someone that can help." Reyes grunts. "Not looking forward to that..."

"Okay. Thanks again, I really appreciate the help. I'm headed to the manor, she went to see if she can salvage anything else from the apartment." I hang up and exhale in relief. I could meet her at the apartment but the mansion is safe and I really kind of want to be there when she gets back. Knowing my luck I'd miss her anyway. When I open the door to the motel room, I notice it's raining. I don't mind, not much could ruin my mood now!

The cab's waiting for me. I get in and give the driver the address, hugging the backpack to my chest as we go. I'm really protective of everything in it, especially as the weather worsens. I hope I can get into the manor because otherwise I'm going to be standing getting soaking wet until Lara gets back. And when I'm actually standing on the doorstep fumbling for the key and the alarm code, I know she's not back yet. I'm disappointed. I'm cold, hungry, aching and a little scared and the person I want to faceplant on decided to dig through rubble. Ugh, way to be selfish, Sam. I should have just gone to the apartment.

Someone does open the door before I can turn the key and I nearly freak out before I recognize him. "Oh! Hi.. uh."

Winston nods at me and steps aside. "Come in, Miss Nishimura. I'm afraid you missed Lara, she just left an hour ago. I came by to clean up a few things, but I missed her too."

I've only met him a couple of times. Lara likes to avoid this place like the plague and everything. But he seemed really nice the times I did get to talk to him and his smile is warm. He even produces a towel from somewhere and puts it around my shoulders. I give him the most grateful look I can manage. "I was so worried about her. "

The man leads me into the dining room and makes me sit. "She took the Range Rover to your flat, I think, but I don't know if she's on her way back. I'll ring her up."

Again, something from nowhere. There's a bowl warm soup in front of me. I look at him like he's Jesus. Soup Jesus. Why the hell had Lara given this up? This man is amazing. A way better father figure than either of our dads, to be completely honest. "You're Soup Jesus. Thank you!" It warms me up and for the first time in like two days I feel like a human being."

He chuckles at me. "I started it when I saw the taxi come up the drive. When your done, we should retire to the study. Lara was there before she left. She might have left something behind to clue us in.

"I didn't check my email until I was just about out the door. I would have been even more worried." I jump when lightning flashes outside, and rub at my temples. I hate storms now. They're not at all as fun as they used to be before the island. At least when I'm alone, anyway. "I need to call Reyes soon. She's doing something to help, but I don't know what. Lara won't like it, but I don't want to keep doing this alone."

"You can use the house phone. There's a change of clothing in Lara's bedroom." He came around the table and moved the towel aside to look at my shoulder. "We need to look at that, first."

There's way more to this butler guy than you'd think. I've barely got the last of the soup in me before he's whisking me off to one of the bathrooms and sitting me down on the toilet. He's not just Soup Jesus, I think he's first aid Jesus.

My wound looks a little infected, and it hurts like hell but he cleans it out and then he breaks out a needle and thread and I zone out because no, just no. He snaps his fingers in front of my eyes until I snap out of it."

"It's done, Miss Nishimura." He helps me to my feet and I look at the neatly sewn and bandaged wound.

"Wow. That's...really good."

"I had a lot of practice," he replies. It's a little cryptic and when I push him for more information he just smiles patiently at me. "Now, we should study that study."

I nod, but the doorbell chimes, so I follow him to see who it is. When he opens the door, there's a woman standing there. She's probably about six feet tall and can meet Winston in the eye without difficulty. Her hair has been dyed purple and hangs loosely just past her ears. Her face is sharp and she has pronounced cheekbones. Her skin is a shade darker than bronze and she's just gorgeous. But in a hard way. I've seen eyes like hers before. Roth had them. Lara has them. She's intense.

She's also wearing a form fitting pair of blue jeans with a simple black t-shirt and leather jacket. My eyes linger a little too long on her legs and I force myself to snap out of it.

"Miss Touma, you're early. Come in. This is Samantha Nishimura."

"What? Oh. Hi. Just call me Sam." I stick my hand out and she shakes it firmly. Her grin is a little sassy and ... She's hot. It's ridiculous. Put me Lara and her in a room together and we'd incinerate the place. She looks like she's a few years older than Reyes, and her hazel eyes make me want to melt into my shoes. She's studying me and I feel exposed, like prey. When she talks I can't even place her accent. It's faint, but present, and gives her voice a slight musical lilt to it.

"It's just Soraya. We need to talk. Joslin didn't make much sense over the phone."

We settle in the study, and Soraya listens to me intently as I try to explain everything. I show them the skulls and Lara's notes and then I show them the videos from Peru and Costa Rica. They aren't special effects, I make sure to hammer that home. Winston gets up and leaves the room and I check the time, because Lara still isn't back yet.

"Describe the men to me," the woman asks, settling back in her chair. She has one leg thrown over the arm of the chair, and her left arm is hanging off the back. I feel a little irritated because that's Lara's chair. Or her dad's chair. Whatever. I describe the men, at least what I can remember, and she frowns.

"Okay. I'll help you out."

Relieved, I sink down in the chair. "Thank you so much. What is this going to cost?"

The woman smirks, like she knows a secret but won't tell. "For you, base expenses. You and Lara, you're family."

I've never met this woman before in my life and I'm family? Before I can open my mouth to speak, she explains, "I do this for Roth, and for Joslin. Roth was a good man, and Lara is his family and that makes you his family. You two, you're like two peas in the pod that fuck, right? That's how Joslin described it."

"How do you know Roth and Reyes?" I've finally found my voice and my curiosity is killing me. My face turns red but I can't lie. Lara and I really are like two peas in a pod. Okay, I do have an objection. "And it's more than just fucking."

"I've known Roth since I was a little younger than you. I was one of Roth's crew." She shrugs a shoulder. "And Reyes..."

Winston returns before she can continue. "I've loaded your car as you requested, Miss Touma."

Soraya jerks a finger towards Winston. "Thanks. Come on. Lets call your girlfriend, I know where we need to meet, because I know who attacked you, I think." She gets to her feet, untangling herself from the chair in a single fluid motion. I feel a little less than graceful around her.

"Did you know Lara's dad?" It's a reasonable assumption, if she did stuff with Roth and them. And with the way Winston had sewn me up and the fact that he knew her, makes me think Lara's dad had been getting into the kinds of messes we were involved in.

"Yes." She glances at me. I've moved to walk next to her while Winston sees to it the skulls are put away safely. She towers over me, and it's a little intimidating. Then she puts her arm around me and squeezes. "I'm not going to bite. Not too hard. You ask a lot of questions."

"Knowing the answers keeps me out of trouble," I point out, shivering and pulling out of her grip. I'm not in the mood to flirt. A first, I know. Winston catches up to us then.

"The police phoned. Miss Croft's Range Rover was found abandoned near the flat, the doors opened. There were signs of a struggle."

I pale and feel the world start to spin around me. I sag against the wall. "Oh god what now?" I'd seen this. The artifacts had tried to warn me and I'd ignored it and now Lara is missing!

"Then we need to hurry," Soraya says. "You drive." She tosses her keys at me and I fumble them, still worried sick about Lara. We walk to the car, and I don't ask how she knows where Lara is or what we'll do when we get there. I try think of something else to fill the silence because if I think about Lara right now I might seize up. If she knows where to look I'm not going to argue.

My voice shakes just a little as I ask, "So what's the story with you and Reyes, then?"

She slides into the passenger seat, pulling out some handguns and inspecting them. She spares me a glance and a raised eyebrow, then shrugs her shoulders and slides the magazines into place. "Bitch broke my heart."