Istanbul, Turkey-Two Months Later
Traveling from train to train to get to Istanbul took much longer than they thought. The three of them wanted to take a plane to save time, but they figured it was better to stay on ground then on a plane. Ben told Lara and Nadia that Trinity has the resources to track targets via airplanes, but they got too arrogant when they thought they could track them through any means of travel. Traveling via train from country to country was not something on their radar. He knew about this because of his brother.
Lara was the first to step off the train and onto solid ground. Then Ben and then Nadia, who stumbled and fell down, but Ben caught her. "You alright Nadia Ray?"
"Yeah I'm fine. Thanks for saving me though."
Lara was getting slightly jealous of how Nadia and Ben were interacting together. After all, Ben was Lara's man. In the last two months they've been traveling together, their relationship had evolved from a sexual one, to a romantic one and they are both officially boyfriend and girlfriend. If Lara was getting married, she would be one happy wife if she married Ben Wheldon.
Just minutes before Lara and Ben and Nadia arrived, Trinity arrived. Jankovic, Zima, Slavik, Kovak and Ivan arrived at the airport in Istanbul. They did not track Lara and company via satellite, they tracked them via human sources. They made the connection. Lara and company took a train to Austria, then Hungary, Serbia and finally Bulgaria. Trinity's mercenaries and uninitiated members told of Lara buying a train ticket to Istanbul.
"You know, I just find it to be odd how Lara upchucked that GPS tracker prematurely." Slavik complains.
"Man, we should start using more mercenaries to track people instead of satellites." Kovak commented. "Jankovic, how's your head?"
Jankovic rubbed his forehead upon hearing Kovak. After he struck his forehead on the fountain, he received a large gash the size of a walnut on his forehead and as a result, he went into a coma for three weeks. As soon as he awoke from his coma like Rick Grimes from a certain American TV show, he went right back to his services as Trinity commander. "My head is alright Kovak. I swear, once I find this 'Nina Caron' I am going to kill her for giving me a concussion and gash on my forehead."
"And I will help you out man."
"Guys, how about we stay on mission here?" Zima suggests not wanting his team to lose focus. "We still have to look for Lady Lara Croft, Ben Wheldon and this 'Nina Caron'."
"I feel like 'Nina' is not that girl's name. I know it starts with the letter N though, I just can't remember." Slavik states. "I've seen her, I've heard her name before, I just can't remember it."
"Don't matter man." Ivan says. "What matters is what we are going to do to her as soon as we capture her."
"Kill her you mean." Jankovic corrects. "Ivan, that honor is mine." He laughed at the thought of having 'Nina' underneath him and begging for mercy. "Remember, once we capture Lara, no one is allowed to touch her but me. Understood?" He glares at the rapist of the group: Slavik.
"Understood." The men said simultaneously.
Lara was dressed for the occasion and climate of Turkey. She wore a pair boots that have been rinsed black, she wore her brown cargo pants and her blue tank top. The same outfit that she was wore on Yamatai, three years ago. Ben was dressed in his white shirt and blue flannel with jeans and sneakers. Nadia wore her trademark helmet, with a green cargo jacket and dark khaki pants and leather brown boots. All of them were dressed for dinner.
"So Ben, Lara, how long will it take for us to get to, the archaeology site, I am just...curious."
Lara decided to answer right after they walked into a restaurant in the Bazaar called 'The Hasan'. "Well, it should take us a minimum of eight hours to get there, if that's okay."
"It's okay, like I said...I was just...wonderin'."
Ben narrowed his eyes at Nadia, wondering why Nadia always spoke like that.. "Why do you always do that? Why do you always pause when mid-sentence? You say a sentence and then dot, dot, dot."
"I have no idea...actually. Am I still doing it? I apologize if you find it to be...annoying."
"No Nadia you can never annoy...me." He mocked, but in a playful way. Nadia laughed hard at his joke.
"You amuse me Ben Wheldon." She replied, using his full name.
While Ben and Nadia were getting seats, Lara was in the bathroom and splashing water on her face. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she saw an unfamiliar face. The face of a killer. To be honest, in the Yucatan Peninsula, when she was almost raped by those Trinity soldiers and forced to kill her friend, a dark side from within her was emerging. That night in the bar was her trying to drown the dark side Lara from existence. When the Gin had failed to do its job, she lost all hope.
Then came along Ben, who gave her hope. That night they shared in Paris inspired how she can still not succumb to the dark side. Like Darth Vader. From the name of that one American movie she can't remember.
Although she could vaguely remember, on one of their train rides, Lara and Ben actually made love once more in one of the compartments. Nadia was already asleep as well as the other passengers. Like in Paris, it was at nighttime.
As Lara walked out the bathroom, she realized that her feelings for Ben were real and they were pure. She really did love Ben and although they have known each other for only two months, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She wanted to marry him.
Then there was another thing, she might be pregnant. Although there were no sings, she was fifty percent sure.
"Hey Lara!" Ben called out from a table at the far end. The one with a white sheet on the table. Lara hustled her way and sat in one of the open chairs. She scooted her seat in and picked up a menu. She may not know her French, but she knew her Turkish.
The waiter was a tall and handsome man in a red suit with the name tag that read 'Mehmet'. His beard looked as fake as a bad CGI film and his nose was hawked-nosed. "Hello there, my name is Mehmet. How can I be of service today?" Despite speaking the English language fluently, his accent sounded somewhat cockney.
"Hello Mehmet." Lara said politely. She already had her plans on what she would like to eat. "I'll try the fried eggplant with a side of navy bean salad. And for a drink, I'll take a Sharbat."
Mehmet already wrote down her order on a small notepad that came from his pocket. Once he finished, he turned to Ben, who ordered a few simits, a side of menemen and a beverage called Salgam.
"And what about you young lady?"
Nadia was nervous. She was always nervous when she was talking to strangers. "I would like the simit as well, as well as...some coffee and a side order of...Doner kebab,...if that's...okay?"
Mehmet smiled at her nervousness. He took delight in seeing the girl cringe apparently. After he finished writing down the orders, he bid farewell in Turkish and walked away. Eight minutes later, he returned with their drink orders. Sixteen minutes have lapsed and their food finally arrived.
"We hope you enjoy our food. We all like to make sure that all the customers are satisfied in any way they wish." Mehmet said. "If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask me or the manager, Mister Dragan Sular." He waved before walking off. Lara saw him walk to another table and take another order.
Lara stabbed her fried eggplant with her fork and put it up to her mouth. She took slow chews, because it was hot and she had not taken into consideration if it was indeed hot. It didn't matter. They weren't here to sightsee or eat at fancy restaurants, they were here to discuss their plans to seek the crown at the site of Catalhoyuk.
"I was here in Istanbul last year." Ben says offhandedly. "Nothing has changed, except I haven't seen any Janissaries lately." He joked, causing both Lara and Nadia to laugh.
"Oh, so it's not your first time here?" Lara asked after finally swallowing her food. "This is my second time here. The first time I was here, I was looking for Noah's Ark. Did not find the boat though."
Ben shrugged. "Eh well, we all got our ups and downs." He took a large sip of his drink. He sets it down between Lara and Nadia's drink. All of a sudden, he felt something rub up against his inner thigh. He recognized that feeling. Lara Croft was pressing the rand of her boot to his crotch. He did not mine, he was used to it. But doing it in public, that is where he draws the line in the sand, until he felt a tightening in his pants.
Nadia was aware of their sexual relationship.
Flashback
It had been only a few weeks since they left Paris and Nadia was already getting used to sleeping on moving vehicles. After finishing her Turkish dessert, she went to go check on Lara and Ben to see if they were tucked in. She walked up to their compartment door, saw that it was slightly ajar. She was about to knock, until she heard the strange sounds of moaning. Looking through the small gap in the door, she saw Lara and Ben under the cover and doing it. Nadia nearly jumps out of her skin, with her tongue hanging out her mouth as if she tasted sour candy for the first time. She backs away in disgust, shielding her eyes before walking back to her compartment and falling asleep.
"So, what time are we going to the ruins tomorrow?" Nadia asked and Lara answered.
"Ten a.m. sharp, so put your coffee in your thermals and drink it once you wake up." Lara then went back to eating her dinner. "We have to watch out for Trinity though." She whispers very softly. "Trinity likes to use as less initiated members as possible, so they'll hire mercenaries to do their dirty work. We have to be wary of that."
Although Nadia had heard everything that Lara said, she was wondering what was going through her head. Maybe she's getting sexual thoughts. If that's the case, then I am sleeping outside with a cat.
"Ben, can you get us some equipment for tomorrow? We are going to lower ourselves into a bottomless abyss."
Ben smiles and leans back in his chair. "What's this 'we' crap? I am not going down there, not in a million years. A job like that is up to two superior women like yourselves." His smile vanished, then reappeared. "Just kidding, of course I can get some equipment. I will go down there with you guys into the bottomless abyss."
"Finding everything delightful?" Mehmet said, stepping into view. "I see most of you ladies and gent are done. Shall I get the check for you three?"
Ben held up a hand. "Actually, yes. We loved your food, and can we get some bags to take some food home?"
"Why of course." Mehmet said cheerfully.
Nadia went ahead and took Lara's advice and poured her coffee into her thermal mug. She seals it up tightly, making sure no contents spill out on the red carpet.
A minute later, Mehmet returned with several bags. Lara and Ben began stuffing their food in while Nadia got up and went to the restroom, leaving her mug on the table.
"Hey Ben?" Lara whispered after stuffing her food in her bag. "Tonight, after Nadia goes to bed, do you want to go for round three with me?"
Ben smiled for three seconds before answering. "Hell yeah, I could do you all day and night if I could."
Lara instantly remembered how genuine her feelings were for him. She still wanted to marry him and she was about to propose to him. Goddamn, I wish I bought a ring for the occasion.
Nadia materialized into view. "Here's Nadia." She walks up behind Lara's chair and puts her hands on her shoulders. "Ready to go?"
"One second Nadia." She told. Now it was time to break the question. "Ben Wheldon?" He seemed to take a keen interest when she used his full name. He was so interested to the point of leaning in. "Will you marry me?"
Ben's heart sank into his stomach. His love for her was nothing like before. "Hell yes Lara Croft."
Nadia smiled warmly, unable to say a single word.