Chapter 11:
Exiting through the balcony door, The church building stood before her. Glancing back at the churchyard, Lara saw another balcony just over the wall.
I need to get to that balcony.
To her left, the next balcony was a bit too far to jump. There was no way to go around the corner. But, there was a ledge that went right around the corner.
That will work.
Going to her right, she found another balcony a bit closer. She jumped and grabbed the railing of the balcony, pulling herself up. There was a pipe leading up to the ledges.
It might hold my weight.
Lara climbed the pipe, grabbing onto the ledge. The ledge made the turn by the corner, creaking at the end.
Looks unstable.
Lara took a step.
It cracked.
Francine's voice echoed in Lara's head.
Watch out for the ledges. They are dangerous.
"I better time this right," Lara said, taking a step back.
Lara stepped back, to the edge of the ledge, and then readied herself for a sprint. She took some breaths, running over the ledges. Their cracks reached her ears. She made it to the other side just as the ledge fell, crashing onto the floor with a loud boom.
That was close.
Lara lowered herself to the corner ledge, shimmying over to the next balcony. As she got underneath, she let go and jumped down to the next one.
A wire was suspended mid-air, glinting.
I can use it to get across.
After leaving Bouchard's hideout, Kurtis found himself inside the church building. Gym equipment lay scattered in the hall, a boxing ring in the middle. Something in the ring caught his eye. Or more like someone.
I need to talk with him.
Kurtis strolled toward the boxing ring.
The trainer blocked his way. "Stay away from the ring."
The boxers haven't noticed the commotion.
"I want a word with one of your boxers," Kurtis said.
"Why?" The trainer said.
"I need information."
"What kind of information?"
"The Cabal kind," Kurtis said, the trainer's face went pale as he looked up to the ring.
"Zak," the trainer said.
The one with the tattoos gasped and climbed out of the ring.
"Kurtis, are you still alive?" Zak said.
"Nice seeing you too, Zak," Kurtis said. "Might I have a word alone?"
"Sure, the locker rooms are on this side," Zak said. "Anton, I'll be back in a few."
Anton nodded, turning to the other guy in the ring. "Carl, head over to the boxing bag."
They left the ring and entered the locker rooms, Zak shutting the door with a click.
"So what brings you to Paris?" Zak said.
"Eckhardt," Kurtis said.
"I see," Zak said, running his hand through his hair and opening his locker. "I have a file on his movements here in Paris only."
"Thanks," Kurtis said as he took the file.
"I joined the club here because I got word that Bouchard was being threatened by Eckhardt." Zak sighed. "But I've seen Bouchard meet with Eckhardt in the park over the street a few times. Overheard them talking about a professor who must find all five painting locations."
"Do you know if he found anything?"
"I think he did. He contacted Vasiley in Prague. They exchanged information," Zak said. "Vasiley confirmed this. But he said he kept the fifth engraving back from Werner."
"Smart man," Kurtis said. "But we trusted the Vasiley family for years. Why give it away like that?"
"He didn't want to say it. But I could hear in his voice that something was scaring him."
"Thanks, Zak," Kurtis said. "Just watch your back. Eckhardt already killed everyone. If I'm right we're part of the few left of the order."
"Okay, I will," Zak said. "Kurtis, one last thing."
"Yeah?"
"Glad you're back,"
I didn't have a choice.
Lara made it to the balcony. She dropped down one of the mausoleum roofs, jumping to the next until she found the mausoleum. She moved toward the statue of the Angel, pushing it so it fell onto the crypt. The tomb opened up, revealing a passageway.
No wonder no one knows where he's hiding.
Rats scurried into the tunnel. She sighed, walking down the dark and damp path. A pile of rubble sat at the end, barring her passage. . Lara turned and went in the other direction, past a door. The floor collapsed just ahead.
Just my luck.
Lara onto the pit, climbing out the other side using the vine-covered wall. She used the pipe on the right wall to traverse the second pit.
Lara pressed on, but the next section of the floor was also ruined. She dropped into the pit again, crawling through the low, rat-infested tunnel as she headed to the second pit.
At the far end, Lara found a small rock that she used to boost herself up, managing to grab the ledge above. She angled herself right and jumped to the next ledge.
Lara ran, turning to another collapsed floor.
How do they get through here?
Lara glanced at the pit. It was submerged in water. There was a crevice in the wall but it didn't go any further.
Lara dived into the nasty water, swimming under the obstacle to the far side of the pool. She scaled the vine-covered wall up, emerging from the pool.
How many tunnels are there?
Lara climbed up to the crack in the wall, dangling and dropping on the ledge.
She continued along the passage, reaching a cave-in. There was a gate next to the rubble.
I can crawl in there to the other side.
Lara pried the grating open, going down on all fours. She crawled through the opening until she got to the other side of the rubble, footsteps padding on the floor. Need to sneak past those guards.
Lara found another door and peered through. A deformed man squirming on a cot and growling in pain. Metal grew out half of his body.
No guards.
Lara went past the sick man and to another larger door. She looked through the small window and saw a man sitting on a chair.
That must be Bouchard.
Lara took a breath and opened the door widely, stepping into the room.
"What happened to your man in the room out there Bouchard?" Lara said.
Bouchard rose. "To Arnaud? You got something to say about that?" he said, holding his hands up.
His men flooded in, surrounding Lara.
Figured they'd come to protect him.
"Maybe. It might be linked to what happened to a friend of mine."
"I doubt it," Bouchard said. "Get her out of here."
"Do you know the name, Eckhardt?" Lara said.
"Never heard of him," Bouchard said, twisting his fingers.
He's lying.
"Okay," Lara said. "You helped a friend of mine a while back. Werner von Croy."
"Names don't mean a lot here. Even real ones." Bouchard said, wiping his face with a cloth. "What did he want?"
Better to just ask about the Louvre for now.
"Maps and information on the Louvre ."
"I remember. Four weeks ago, he wanted to take a coach of Japanese tourists to see the Mona Lisa."
"Easy, Bouchard. I lost that friend yesterday and now I'm wanted for his murder."
"There was a newscast about a Monstrum killing earlier. What would you know about that."
"Nothing that will interest you."
"You'd be surprised how much the Monstrum interests me."
"My friend? The Louvre?"
"Yes, the academic. Wanted access to recent archaeological diggings inside the Louvre. I gave him a contact. You want the same?"
I want to know who the contact was. Maybe how Werner and Carvier met.
"And more. I need 9mm protection, a backpack, plastic explosives, and a stunning pack. Paris isn't safe these days."
"Who for? You obviously can take care of yourself."
"Do you have what I need?"
"I know who does. Daniel Rennes works out of the pawnbrokers on the corner of Rue st. Mark and Cours la Seine."
"A front."
"Yes, Rennes needs careful handling, but he can get you what you need if you know how to make the right approach."
"What would you suggest?"
"A trade. I have to get certain things into his hands. Passports. You could deliver them for me."
"Passports," Lara said, her breath hitching.
That's some dirty work.
"Czech Passports, nothing to dirty your hands with," Bouchard said, Lara, giving him a hard stare. "It's a business arrangement."
"For which he would give me what I need," Lara said, sighing.
Just deliver the passport and get what I need.
"For the right price, the passports will prove you came through me."
"What happened with your man in the sick room back there? Was he delivering packages for you too?"
"Poor Arnaud, one of my toughest. The only survivor of four attacks so far."
"Attacks? By who?" Lara asked.
"An interesting question. We don't know for sure. Yet."
That means you do know but have no proof.
"The Paris Monstrum perhaps?"
"We're looking into that." Bouchard put his hand through his hair. "You should take care."
"An automatic would help," Lara said. You sold my friend some hardware. I need the same."
"That was then. We need all the firepower we can get," Bouchard said. "Rennes is your man. Is it a deal?" He held out the passports.
"Okay, deal," Lara said. She took the passports, placing them in her jeans pocket.
"Make sure Rennes gets that package," Bouchard said. "And be sure it's Rennes."
What, is there a shapeshifter I don't know?
Lara shook her head."Why? Who could it be?"
"I'd like to ask poor Arnaud that, but he can't talk anymore." Bouchard nodded at his guards. "Take care."
There's some really weird shit going on here in Paris.