Chapter 2

Five days had passed since Kurtis left Arezzo, Italy. He was currently sitting at the airport, waiting near gate one. In just an hour, he would be departing for New York City. From there, he planned to airlift his motorbike and travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, his old hometown. He hoped to find the answers he was looking for there.

While waiting, Kurtis was enjoying a cup of black coffee and reading the newspaper. As he was scanning the headlines, he came across an article that caught his attention. The headline read: "Lady Lara Croft back from the dead?"

Kurtis couldn't help but roll his eyes at the article. He wondered how people could be so obsessed with other people's lives that they would speculate on their whereabouts when they went missing. Nevertheless, he was intrigued and decided to read on.

The article stated that Lady Croft had been missing for nearly two years and had recently returned home. However, she had not yet commented on how she had survived or where she had been. Instead, she had locked herself away in her home, leaving many unanswered questions.

Kurtis placed the newspaper down and took a sip of his coffee, feeling frustrated with the media's sensationalism. He couldn't help but think that there were more important things in life than gossip and speculation.

Shortly after Kurtis sat down, a woman came and took a seat next to him. He couldn't help but give her a glance as she settled in. He noticed that she was wearing her usual outfit, which consisted of a pair of short jeans and a black top, completed with some flip-flops. Kurtis smiled at her, appreciating the casual look she was rocking.

As she took notice of him looking at her, she returned the smile, holding a file in her hands. Kurtis couldn't help but wonder what kind of work she did.

Suddenly, the silence was interrupted by a loudspeaker announcement. Flight A320 from Arezzo to New York had been delayed for five hours due to technical difficulties. Kurtis groaned in frustration. He had urgent business to attend to in New York and couldn't afford to waste any time.

He had received word that the Cabal, a notorious secret society, had located the first of five obscure paintings that he had been tasked with retrieving. The closer they got to finding all the paintings, the shorter Kurtis' time was to stop them.

Feeling irritated, Kurtis let out a deep sigh. He knew he had to be faster and smarter to catch the Cabal and prevent them from succeeding. He was one of only twelve people left in the world who knew about the paintings and their significance, so failure was not an option. If they couldn't find the paintings in time, the Cabal would win and their plan for global domination would come to fruition.

"Kurtis."

Turning around, he asked, "Steph, what brings you here?"

"I found something on your brother and the last place he's been," Steph replied, handing him the file.

Kurtis took the file from her, and their hands touched, making Steph blush. "Thanks," he said, looking through the file.

"I think you'll find the last location interesting," Steph said.

Kurtis nodded, "Looks like I'm changing my flight."

Steph chuckled, touching his shoulder, "Be careful."

Her fingers brushed down his arm, causing goosebumps. "Gunderson was blind," Kurtis explained. "But he knew who I was, so I had to escape quickly."

"Still, he knows your moves," Steph said, retracting her hand. "He gave Eckhardt tips to track you down."

"I have to go. You need to go into hiding until the Cabal is gone," Kurtis said. "I'll find all the paintings and destroy them with the Cabal."

They both stood up, and Steph kissed him on the cheek before leaving.

Kurtis couldn't help but think, "Steph, why can't I tell you how I feel? Why does it feel like there's a wall between us? My mind wants you, but my heart tells me no."

Kurtis sighed as he watched her leave, his mind filled with worry and uncertainty. He knew he had to change his flight and head to London, where his brother had last been seen. Walking over to the airline kiosks, he approached the lady who greeted him with a smile.

"Hello, sir. How may I assist you?" she asked politely.

"I need to change my flight to London, please," Kurtis replied, handing her the ticket he had purchased a few hours ago.

"Certainly, sir," the kiosk lady responded, taking the ticket and typing on her computer to generate a new one.

"Here is your updated ticket, sir," she said, handing it over to him. "Your flight is scheduled to depart in half an hour, from gate five. Please be sure to be there on time."

"Thank you," Kurtis replied, taking the ticket and making his way towards gate five. Once there, he settled into a nearby seat and began to flip through a file until he came across the entries written by Steph.

As Kurtis scanned through the file, his eyes locked onto the first entry from 2 February 2001. William and Lady Croft had met in Egypt to unearth the fabled Horus's Tomb. However, something went awry, and Lady Croft was trapped underneath a collapsed temple. Kurtis's heart sank at the thought of his brother being involved in such a dangerous mission.

Rumors had been circulating that Lady Croft had released Seth, an ancient Egyptian deity, and had imprisoned him again before being buried alive. Kurtis's mind raced with questions - had William been involved in this supposed release? What kind of danger had Lady Croft gotten herself into?

The entry from 4 February 2001 didn't help alleviate his concerns. William had continued to search for Lady Croft, even after von Croy and his team had given up. Kurtis couldn't help but wonder how close his brother had been with Lady Croft.

Fast forward to 2002, and William had given up his search for Lady Croft. He had traveled the world, from Egypt to Rome, to Japan, and even back to their hometown in Utah. Kurtis couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness - what had happened to his brother during his travels?

Then came the most recent entry, dated 2003. William had traveled to London and had stumbled upon something significant. However, he had kept the details to himself, leaving Kurtis and the rest of the team in the dark. The fact that whatever William had found had made him scared left Kurtis on edge. What kind of danger was his brother in now?

The intercom buzzed to life once more, announcing Kurtis's location as the next gate. With a heavy heart, he gathered his belongings and made his way towards the gate. He needed to find his brother and figure out what was going on before it was too late.

As the sunlight continued to stream into the room, Lara stretched her limbs and let out a contented sigh. She had been looking forward to a lazy morning, free from any obligations. However, the arrival of Winston with a tray of breakfast interrupted her peaceful thoughts.

"Rise and shine, Lara," Winston greeted her with a warm smile. "It's a beautiful day."

Lara rubbed her eyes and sat up, her attention focused on the tray that Winston had set down at the end of her bed. The scent of freshly brewed tea and warm croissants filled her nostrils, making her mouth water in anticipation.

"Morning, Winston," she replied, unable to hide her excitement.

Winston strode over to the window and pulled back the curtains, flooding the room with even more sunlight. The sudden brightness caused Lara to squint and shield her eyes with her hand.

"Bugger," she muttered under her breath.

"It's a nice day to enjoy," Winston said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Lara lowered her hand and gave him a quizzical look. "And why would I want to do that?"

He only smiled at her enigmatically, producing an envelope from his pocket.

"Because of this letter I got this morning," Winston explained, handing her the envelope.

Lara took the envelope from him and examined it closely. There was a return address that indicated it had been sent from London. Her curiosity piqued, she tore open the envelope and scanned the contents of the letter.

"Thank you, Winston," she said, her voice filled with excitement and anticipation.

Winston nodded and made his way towards the door, pausing for a moment to look back at Lara.

"Enjoy your breakfast, Miss Croft," he said, before closing the door behind him.

Lara took a sip of the steaming tea and savored the rich, comforting flavor. As she nibbled on a flaky croissant, her mind wandered to the possibilities that the letter could hold. Was it a new business proposal? An invitation to an exclusive event? Or perhaps a clue to a new adventure?

She decided to savor her breakfast and take her time before diving into the contents of the letter. After all, there was no rush on a beautiful day like this.

After finishing her breakfast, Lara stood up from the bed, her senses fully awake as she grabbed her cup of freshly brewed tea. She took a deep breath of the morning air, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin as she walked out onto the balcony. It had been a long and grueling week since she had returned home, and only her closest friends knew the truth of what had happened to her. She had no interest in speaking with the reporters who had been hounding her for a statement.

As she reached the balcony, she set her tea down on the small table and leaned over the railing, looking out over the sprawling garden of her manor. The lush greenery and vibrant flowers were a welcome sight after the bleakness of the past few days. Taking another deep breath, she let out a long, heavy sigh and reached into her pocket, retrieving a white envelope.

With trembling hands, she tore off the top of the envelope, revealing a single piece of paper inside. Her heart racing, she unfolded the paper and began to read the words written on it.

Dear Lara,

My heart was filled with relief upon hearing that you had returned from Egypt. The news had spread like wildfire, and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Nevertheless, I was overjoyed to learn that you were alive and healthy. I must admit, I have something that belongs to you, and I feel that it is my duty to return it to you personally.

I understand that you may be skeptical about my intentions, but please know that I have no ulterior motives. I do not seek any compensation for returning what is rightfully yours. I only ask for a chance to chat with you and hear about your experiences since the event.

Would you do me the honor of meeting me at the National Gallery in London, by the Amazonian's story tomorrow at 1 pm? I know it's short notice, but I hope you can make it. The National Gallery is one of my favorite places, and I find the Amazonian's story particularly intriguing. I think it will be an appropriate setting for our meeting.

I hope to see you again and catch up on everything that has happened in your life since the event. Take care.

Yours truly,

William Heissturm

Lara leaned back in her garden chair, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. She had just finished reading a letter from William, her best friend and partner. But instead of feeling happy to hear from him, she felt a twinge of pain in her chest. Memories of their last adventure together in Egypt flooded her mind, and she quickly folded the paper back and glanced around her garden.

It had been days since she had returned from Egypt, but the experience had left a deep impact on her. William had helped her uncover the secrets of the Amulet of Horus, but they had also faced danger and betrayal along the way. She couldn't help but think that if she had listened to his warnings, things might have turned out differently.

"I should have listened," Lara murmured to herself, as she took a sip of her tea. She knew that dwelling on the past wouldn't change anything, but sometimes she couldn't help but wonder what might have been.

She got up from her chair, feeling a sense of restlessness. Tomorrow, she was heading to London for a new adventure, but she still felt uneasy. The thought of facing more danger and uncertainty made her nervous, and she knew that she would have to be on her guard at all times.

As she headed back inside to pack for her trip, her thoughts drifted back to William. They had been through so much together, and he was the only one who truly understood her. But after their last adventure, she had pulled away from him, unable to face the pain and memories that came with their partnership.

Lara paused in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection. She wondered if William felt the same way, if he too was struggling with the aftermath of their trip to Egypt. And she couldn't help but wonder what he had of hers, something that she had left behind in the chaos of their last adventure.

"I wonder what he has of mine," Lara whispered to herself, before shaking her head and turning away from the mirror. She had a trip to prepare for, and she couldn't afford to be distracted by memories and regrets.