Chapter 4: Convince her

She swung off the bike and made her way into the pub. Once inside, she looked around to see the place was almost vacant of other patrons, the only other occupants being the bartender and one other patron sitting by himself at a corner table. Satisfied that there weren't many people inside, she walked up to the bar and pulled a stool out from under it, and sat down. The bartender walked up and set a glass in front of her.

"What can I get you?" He asked.

"Anything strong." She simply said and heard the door open behind her; curious, she looked over her shoulder and saw a man wearing a blue shirt, green pants, and boots. He had hair on his face, so Lara couldn't really make out his features clearly.

"Here you go." The bartender said making her look back at him.

"Thanks." She said and picked the glass up and drank it all in one go. She placed the empty glass on the table, her face scrunching up in reaction to the drink's bitter taste. The taste soon turned to a burning sensation that grew to be unpleasant as she shook her head slightly, but the aftertaste was somewhat satisfying as she soon felt slightly lightheaded, the taste of apple accompanying her momentary lightheadedness. "Wow, that's some good stuff."

"Another one?" the bartender asked.

"No thanks," Lara said and the bartender only nodded.

The man that had just come in after the Tomb Raider took a seat next to Lara. She looked at him as he reached for her shoulder, stopping at her emotionless look.

"Hey Lara," he spoke with a noticeable accent.

Lara looked at him for a long while, trying to figure out if she knew him, her mind a bit hazy from the drink.

Yes, she did know him, he was a close friend, back in college just like Jake but he had gone into the career of studying symbols and old languages. Lara found it strange that he of all people had been invited to the Vatican in Rome as he had requested to go into the Vatican Secret Archives to do more research and they let him. Lara smiled as the memories of their friendship went on in her head. He had called her four years ago after he found something in those Archives that shocked the living hell out of him and again like always, Lara had to save the world.

"François?"

"Yeah, it's me." He answered with a smile as the bartender walked up to his side, glass in hand as he wiped it with a cloth.

"What can I get you, sir?" the bartender asked.

"Nothing, thank you," François answered and the bartender walked off after nodding.

"What are you doing here?" Lara asked and François looked back at her.

"Jake called," he answered, smile gone and replaced by a tight frown on his face.

"If he sent you to convince me to save this fucked up world, forget it," Lara said, trying not to get angry.

"No, he didn't. He's just a little worried about you, Lara. We all are. After what happened in Egypt and in Paris, you've become someone we don't know anymore." He replied and heard her sigh.

"François, I need time. Can't you all just give me time?!" She said and slammed her fist on the bar table.

"Lara, I understand; but from what Jake told me... we all don't have much time left, please, Lara." He said, touching the hand that had been slammed down on the table.

She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "So, he did send you to convince me." She stated in a harsh tone, angry at his beating around the bush.

"No, he didn't, he only told me about the end of the world" François sighed "Look, Lara, is there anyone else that can help us? Then we will give you the time you need?"

She looked away for a moment, thinking about someone when it hit her: "Yes, there is." She answered looking at François again.

"Who?"

"She's an old friend of mine. She helped me back in Egypt and India." Lara took a breath. "Find Liz, Liz Maree, she can help you".

"And where must I start looking for her?" Francois asked.

"Try Utah Salt Flats in America. The last time I had heard she needed to go on some field trip dig or something and that was last month." Lara answered him.

"Okay, is she as good as you?" he asked with a little worry.

"She's closet of a second me that you can get," Lara said and got up. "It was nice to see you again but I need to go. I'm sorry François but my tomb-raiding days are done." She added and paid for her drink.

"Good Luck, Lara," he said and she only nodded at him and walked out of the pub, leaving him at the bar with his thoughts.

"What? That's not good." The woman spoke amidst the ambient quietness of the area, phone in hand.

"We don't know what to do, Liz." A man's voice answered.

"Find a way, we can't let him die again." She sighed. "Look, bad things are starting to happen because of him, if he dies, we're all doomed."

"Liz, the guy's wound just doesn't want to heal. He is badly injured, he can't survive." The male answered her "I still don't know how he survived till now!"

"I said find a way!" She yelled at him through the speaker.

"Okay, okay…We will try to a find Healer." The man said in a shaken voice.

"Good, now don't let me down. I have to go; I'll see you guys back in Turkey." She said before hanging up. 'Oh god, don't let him die again.' Liz thought as she walked back to the tent.

Inside it, there was a man busy reading a scroll. When he turned around, she spoke. "Any luck finding the other piece of the scroll?"

He turned and looked at her, taking his glasses off. He was old, had grey hair and a beard. "No, nothing. We are wasting time, Liz."

"If he is still alive then we have a lot of time."

"We need help and you know it!" The old man said angrily.

"I- I know. But the only one that can help us is Lara and she's having a crisis at the moment. So, it's just us for now." Liz answered him, scratching her head.

"Can't you go find her and convince her to help?" The old man asked.

She looked at him for a while "Maybe... I don't know. Okay, I'll have to track her down in the meantime try and figure out what that piece says." She left the tent, taking out her cell phone again so she dialed a number and held it by her ear. Soon, someone answered.

"Hallo." came the voice.

"Winston, is Lara there? It's Liz," she asked.

"Hallo Liz, no Lara isn't home, she took a trip to relax." She answered.

"Damn, do you know where she went or did she do it again?" Liz asked.

"Unfortunately, she did it again, must I leave a message for her if she returns?" Winston asked.

She sighed "No, just tell her I called if you hear from her. I'll just have to track her down. You think she's still in Britain?" Liz asked with a worried tone.

"I have no idea, maybe. Is everything alright, Liz?"

"Yeah, everything is fine, Winston. I need to go. Thanks anyway."

"Okay, goodbye, Liz," Winston said and they both hung up the phone.

Liz pocketed her cell phone and walked around, trying to think where Lara could go and relax; that is, if she really is relaxing and not just out there trying to find herself. Liz had spoken to Lara almost a month ago, long after the events started happening. She thought as hard as she could until it hit her.

"London."