Tomb Raider: - Unfinished Business.
This is my first story so please be fairly nice. I am sorry if there are any discrepancies within this story. Also to understand this better you may wish to watch Deus Obscura and Deus Manifestum (a fan film) on YouTube as this is based after those. Happy reading (hopefully)!
Disclaimer- This is a fan fiction and is not intended for profit. The characters depicted in this story belong to their respective owners. Thank you.
Chapter 7: This Day Keeps Getting Worse.
Lara had begun to wonder the streets of Rome aimlessly with Kurtis's words repeating in her mind, her tears still flowing. It must have been a good ten minutes or so before she realised she didn't really have anywhere to go. Her legs had started to grow tired after her long eventful day in the magnificent Italian city. Seeing a fountain ahead she sat on the edge and rubbed the remaining tears from her eyes.
"I never thought that I would ever see a girl like you cry." Preparing herself for another fight Lara looked up at the man stood in front of her and with a sigh of relief saw it was Angelo. With another sigh she looked back down at her feet. Realising that something was wrong Angelo grabbed Lara by her arms, pulled her to her feet and put his hand under her chin pulling her face up so he could look into her deep brown eyes. He could see now that something had shaken her to her core.
"C'mon you can stay at mine tonight." Angelo still had a hold of Lara's arm as he led her away from the fountain and down a well-lit, open street opposite the fountain. Lara's mind had calmed down somewhat with the arrival of Angelo but that did not make her feel at ease. With some strange sense of foreboding Lara clutched her bag and pulled it slightly closer to her.
"So…did you go to the apartment then?" asked Angelo taking a quick glace over to Lara. It was clear that she wasn't listening or just didn't want to talk. "Hmm…I take it something happened then". Lara occasionally looked around to take in the sight of Rome at night.
After a while she decided to respond to Angelo "I didn't get the answers I was after if that's what you're asking." she still didn't look Angelo in the eyes. Her eyes were still filled with tears but they no longer fell down her beautiful face.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, every so often Angelo kept looking over his shoulder. Lara pretended that she didn't notice this but she had and it did not make her feel any safer.
Lara was taken aback when she saw Angelo's apartment. It was very spacious and was rather modern. The living room had a massive TV hung on the wall; the sofa was big, plush and a cream colour. It seemed that everything had its place. Lara had expected it to be rather messy with clothes and unwashed cutlery dotted around but there was nothing in sight.
He turned, saw the look on her face and giggled as he lay on the sofa, kicking off his boots. "I know! It's tidy right." He laughed with a smile on his face "I can't stand it when it gets too messy. Ah speaking of mess, you look like crap so…" he saw the look on her face "Don't punch me! Feel free to take a shower. I'll stay out here I promise." He winked at her. Lara looked down at herself and chuckled for the first time since her conversation with Sully and Nate about Elena Fisher.
"Thank you Angelo. You've really helped me today." He nodded at her and switched on the TV turning it to a film channel. Lara headed down the hallway and in to the bathroom. It was a pristine white. Everything looked brand new, it was that clean.
She put her bag in the corner of the room, to prevent it getting wet and lent over the sink looking into the mirror above. She was tired and you could see that on her face. Lara sighed once more and opened the door slightly as she was getting undressed "Angelo? Do you have any clothes you don't want that I could have please? Mine are a bit tattered." She could hear the sound of an action scene coming from the TV and Angelo walking down the hallway.
"Here. The shirt is too small for me and the pants I don't wear anymore so feel free to do what you want with them. They might be a bit big for you. Oh there is a needle and thread in the cabinet if you want to change the trousers because knowing you, you'll want shorts." He passed them through the door "accidently" knocking it causing it to open a little further. Lara, however, was too fast him and grabbed the door before it opened too far. She put these next to her bag and got into the immaculate shower.
The water felt like it was washing away all of her worries and all of her pain, physical and emotional. The waterfall of hot water slid down her skin taking all the unease she had felt and disposing it in the drain. Lara felt like she could stay in there for hours but, since it wasn't her apartment, thought it would best she got out when she was sufficiently clean.
Lara grabbed a fluffy, cream towel off of the rack and wrapped it around her. Taking a look at the trousers she realised Angelo was right, they were too big for her. Even if she had tucked them into her boots they would still be too baggy. Taking some scissors and the needle and thread from the cabinet she sat on the floor and began to personalise the pants.
Five minutes later pieces of scrap fabric was scattered across the floor. "Judging by the tidiness of the bathroom I'm going to go ahead and assume he might kill me if I don't tidy up after myself. Not that I would leave it a mess." She picked up all the pieces she could find and put them in the bin beneath the sink.
Now that she was dry she put on her newly fashioned, Angelo was once again right, shorts and tucked the black tank top into the khaki shorts placing her belt through the loop holes on the pants. She looked at herself in the mirror. Lara felt, and looked, like she had more energy. Feeling revitalised she grabbed her bag and headed back into the living room and saw the movie still playing but no Angelo.
"Why am I not surprised that you're watching Blade Trinity? Hmm mind you…" a cheeky grin appeared on her face. She was interrupted by Angelo grabbing her arm once more and dragging her to the window. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Lara's sense of uneasiness had returned swiftly.
"You need to get out of here! I've done something so stupid. I hope someday you can…" he was cut off by the sound of a slamming door and the arrival of another man. His black hair was covered by Stetson hat, his grey coat reaching the back of his lower legs.
"Tut tut tut…Angelo we had a deal. You give me Croft and I let you go with no repercussions." Both Lara and Angelo's jaws dropped. She couldn't believe he had even thought of selling her out. Angelo went to grab Lara's arm in an attempt to give her an apology, she instinctively moved away.
"Aww it seems Lady Croft doesn't trust you anymore Angelo…and who can blame her. Now Lady Croft you can either hand over Marco Polo's journal or my friends" more people appeared from the room Tollorov hand entered from, "can apply some pressure." A vicious smile spread over his face as he nodded at his mercs. They strode over to Lara and Angelo. One pulled Lara one way, holding her tightly in his grip as his companion pointed his gun at her face and another forced Angelo to his knees, aiming his gun squarely at the back of Angelo's head.
Lara was facing the floor, eyes closed tight.
"I see you don't feel like co-operating. Do it." A deafening scream echoed around her. The merc holding Angelo had shot him in the knee. Lara's eyes were still closed and a knot in her stomach had contracted. She could hear him whimpering a few feet away.
"I'll ask you again…hand over the journal or our friend Angelo…won't…be able…to walk." Angelo's breathing was rapid as Lara remained silent. "Hmm…ok. Again."
"WAIT!" Lara couldn't bear the thought of another friend dying because of her lifestyle choice. She shook free and pulled the journal out of her bag and threw it at Tollorov's face. Her tears were again flowing. Tollorov held the journal in his hands as if he was holding the Holy Grail. His eyes were wide and his palms sweaty and shaking.
"Well we must be going now Angelo. I hope you get that raise you were gunning for." Once again Tollorov nodded at his mercs to follow him. As Lara started to go over to Angelo, the merc that had had hold of her grabbed her once again and pushed her towards the door.
Tollorov turned to face her "You didn't think I wouldn't let you see the fruits of your labour. You are coming with us." The merc followed Tollorov out of the room whilst wrestling with an aggressive Lara. The events of the day had left her physically weak even though the shower she had had made her feel so much better.
As she was being dragged down the stairs in the corridor she realised that one merc was missing. The knot in her stomach grew tighter. She fought with every fibre she had against the merc holding her. Eventually she broke free and sprinted back to the apartment only to be halted by the sound of a singular gunshot. She was too late. The merc who had hold of her appeared behind her and, with one quick move, knocked her clean out.