Well, everyone...back again!! Here is a short chapter, so read on...
"You're all looking quite lovely this morning," Alister said, sipping a cup of warm coffee. Lara and Kurtis entered the kitchen around 8:30 a.m. to find Alister as the only one moving about.
"Where are Zip and Garin?" Lara asked.
"Zip is off doing the usual," he said, "and Garin is likely to be down in a bit."
Lara poured herself a cup of coffee. "Do you know if Zip managed to fix the security hard drive?"
"Doubtful," Alister said. "You heard the man – several hours. He set up a cheap motion sensor and was done with it. I'm sure he'll have time to fix it on the flight to Le Havre."
"I'm sure," Lara echoed. It was also time for Lara to wake Emily, who was likely still asleep. She sighed, setting the coffee cup atop the counter and brushing past Kurtis, up the stairs to Emily's room. She knocked softly, then pushed the door open. Emily was completely hidden by the blankets and pillows, not a bit of her to be seen. Lara sighed, approaching the bed and patting at the blankets. "It's time to get up," she called softly.
Emily groaned. "Five more minutes."
"No," Lara said. "Right now. Let's go."
Emily threw the blankets off her head and groaned, making no attempt to hide her irritation. "I'm tired, Mom," she muttered.
"So are the rest of us," Lara retorted. "But we need to get out of here quickly. Once we get to Le Havre, you can rest all you want."
Lara turned away to leave her daughter to pack her things up. Then, she returned back down the stairs, returning to her cup of coffee. Alister seated himself at the table, drawing in a breath. "You'll be delighted to hear what I learned," he said.
"Is that so?" Lara asked, leaning against the countertop. "Do tell."
"I found the location of the Black Angel's armor," he boasted, taking a dainty sip from his mug.
"…and?" Lara asked, waiting for an answer.
"And," he said slowly, "it's in Grimsey Island."
"Iceland?" Lara asked.
"Off the northern coast, yes," Alister confirmed.
"Grimsey Island has a population of one hundred people," she said flatly. "That can't be right."
"Quality not quantity," Alister assured her.
"Where is this research coming from?" Kurtis asked.
"Why are you doubting me now?" he asked, taken aback. "Have I ever been wrong before?"
Lara sighed. "Perhaps not," she said. "It's just…"
Alister eyed her suspiciously. "Wait…" he said slowly. "This isn't about the location. It's…it's about Emma…?"
"Keep your voice down," Lara muttered.
"You're going to leave her here? With us?"
"Is that a problem?" Lara asked.
"No, no. Of course not," he said. "It's just…well, Iceland is quite far."
"Exactly my thoughts," Lara said with a sigh.
"Why not take her with you?" he asked.
"It's easier, and safer to leave her here," she said. "Garin will look after her just fine. We shan't be gone too long."
"You're leaving me behind?" Emily asked.
Lara, Kurtis, and Alister turned to face Emily, who stood at the base of the stairs with her suitcase and her backpack. She had a look of disappointment mixed with irritability in her eyes, searching from Lara to Kurtis for an explanation. Lara drew in a deep breath. "It's safer for you to stay here."
"I don't want to stay here," she protested. "I want to go with you!"
"It's not up for discussion," Lara said. "You'll remain in Le Havre with, Zip, Alister, and Garin. We shouldn't be back any later than tomorrow."
"It's not fair, Mom," she argued. "Why can't I just come?"
"And risk you getting hurt? I think not."
"What if those merks come back?"
"You'll be with Garin," Lara said. "He will protect you. Not only that, it's more likely that they'll be after us than you."
"You don't know that…"
"I believe it," Lara said.
Emily sighed loudly. "You piss me off sometimes," she muttered, brushing past them.
"Watch your mouth," Lara retorted. "Take your things to the chopper outside. And I don't want to hear anymore foul language from you."
Emily muttered something under her breath, heading out the door to reach the helicopter on the front yard. Lara sighed, turning back to Kurtis and Alister. "Go on," she said to Alister.
"Anyway," he continued, "off the northern coast of the island, there's a cave you must reach to locate the armor in an underground crypt."
"It shouldn't be a problem," Lara said. "So long as the Cabal doesn't try to find it at the same time…"
"The Cabal is likely busy with other things," Kurtis put in, "like trying to find the Black Angel."
"True," Alister agreed. "But without his sword and armor, he's nothing more than another psychic."
"But Karel will still be just as dangerous," Lara said, a tinge of anxiety in her voice.
"Not once we wake the Knight," Kurtis said.
They heard footsteps coming from above, and saw Garin descending the stairs with bags in his hands. He stopped before the group, drawing in a deep breath. "Are we all set?" he asked.
"Absolutely," Lara said, picking up her bag.
"And don't worry. Zip, Alister, and I will be there to look after her," Garin said. "There's safety in numbers."
Lara met his gaze. "Not always," she said.
Lara strapped on her holsters and tucked her pistols into them. Kurtis tucked his Boran X into his shoulder holster and clipped his Chirugai on his belt. Emily watched on, never having seen either of her parents so…serious. They had the look in their eyes that read of duty and nothing more. They look like really tough cops, she thought admirably.
They had arrived in Le Havre fifteen minutes before, and the helicopter was waiting just outside the mansion (still similar to the home in Amiens) for Lara and Kurtis so they could depart to the distant place of Iceland. Not only was Emily scared for her own safety – she was scared for her parents' safety as well. They'd assured her time and time again that they'd been doing this for years, and knew exactly how to go about it. It didn't convince Emily. She was still afraid that this Karel guy would show up, kill them, and leave her orphaned. That'd be terrible, especially after I just barely met my dad, she thought. She would be safe with Garin – he was one of those Lux Veritatis warriors too. He would be able to handle the pesky merks…
And of course, Emily had her lighter. She could always use that. Well, she could try. She wasn't quite as capable with it as Kurtis had so easily demonstrated that he was. She knew if she practiced, she'd get better.
Lara put her earpiece in her ear and pulled her camera-equipped glasses over her eyes, drawing in a deep breath as she faced Kurtis. "Well, let's get going."
"Are you sure everything is going to be okay?" Emily asked nervously. "What if you…you know…get hurt?"
"Then we put a band-aid on it," Kurtis said simply.
"But…Karel –"
"Stop worrying," Kurtis said. "We're professionals."
"Still not convinced," Emily said flatly.
"We'll be back sometime before noon tomorrow," Lara said. "Behave yourself for Garin and the others. Do exactly as they say, and don't leave the house without permission, or without supervision."
"So there is something to worry about then?" Emily challenged, folding her arms over her chest.
"Precaution," Kurtis assured her. "We'd make you do it even if there weren't Cabal followers wandering around."
"Yeah, sure," she commented.
Lara pulled herself into the cockpit of the helicopter, holding onto the railing above. "Go on inside now," she said. "If you're really so terrified, you can stay with Zip while he watches the feeds in the tech room from my camera."
Emily sighed. "Fine," she pouted. "But if you guys…die…I'll never forgive you."
"It hasn't happened yet," Kurtis said simply, pulling himself into the cockpit with Lara. "Take it easy, kid. We'll be fine."
Emily had tried to be brave, but when the propellers of the chopper started whirring, she felt her bravery convert to fear. She stepped away from the wind, shielding her eyes from the rising dust. The helicopter lifted from the ground fully, then flew off in the distance. Emily sighed quietly to herself. "You'd better be."
Well, there ya have it. I will catch you on Monday with Chapter 11! Toodles!!
