3- Land Of A Thousand Pagodas
She stepped forward and walked through the double doors of the airport's main hall. Concealed behind her sunglasses, Lara was focused on the incessant movement of the crowd around her. Bag on the back, she turned her glance to one side then to the other, observing the square of the enormous building where businessmen and tourists a little lost crossed path, before taking a look at the carpark where the motorcycles cabs and cars fought in a resounding din to get some clients.
The sun had already begun its descent over the horizon, but the air was still heavy and stifling, charged with an almost suffocating humidity. Just behind the tall concrete airport buildings, the green jungle and the rolling landscape of Burma stood out. The adventuress suddenly realised this was the first time in years she set foot in a tropical country, and she had to admit she was glad to see something other than sewers, disused underground fortresses, snow plains or sand.
A large black car with tinted windows suddenly emerged from the compact traffic, making its way through the countless other vehicles waiting there. It came to a stop almost in front of her. It was a large SUV, which contrasted sharply with the vehicles parked in the vicinity, the exact kind of car a rich businessman who could afford her services would have owned, she deduced.
There was a slam of door and a man in a simple but elegant suit got out of the car. He went naturally towards her. He advanced of a sure step, without the least hesitation, buttoning up his jacket at the same time. His hair was impeccably combed back. He greeted her with a smile and a small bow.
"Welcome to Burma, Miss Croft. My name is Nay. I will be in charge of escorting you to your arrival. May I take care of your luggage?"
The Englishwoman did not move, reluctant.
"I would rather keep my things with me, if you don't mind," she answered as politely as possible. "Just a matter of habit."
Surprise slightly distorted his face for a short moment -he had clearly not expected this reaction-, but he nodded in understanding. With a polite smile as well, he bowed to her again, and held out his arm to indicate the car. The adventuress stepped forward and climbed into the back through the door the young Burmese had opened for her.
She sat in the back of a luxurious car with brown leather seats. The cabin was spacious, with even a mini bar at her disposal. A pleasant floral scent floated in the air. She saw the Burmese man walk around the vehicle and come back to sit behind the wheel. Without wasting any time, he turned on the ignition, and started the car with a bang. A background music started, and the car sped off in the busy traffic of this late day.
As they pulled into the main artery of the city, she saw the man press the button that locked the doors. Instinctively, the young woman reached into one of the pockets of her purse and grabbed the gun that was in it. As she looked up, she met the Burmese's eyes in the rearview mirror.
"Don't worry, you have nothing to fear from me, Miss. It's just a precautionary measure," he said with a smile.
They took a street to the right, thus escaping the monster traffic jams that blocked the city center. He obviously knew the area well.
"Am I to assume we are not safe here?" she could not help asking.
They went further and further into the city, through the small streets that were gradually coming to life in the emerging light of the end of the day. The adventuress was struck by the contrast between the hectic buildings and the older ones with their bright and shimmering colors. In some places, the golden roofs of the country's typical temples seemed to pierce the pinkish sky.
"Burma is a very beautiful country, rich of so many beautiful things unknown to the rest of the world. But the current context makes it unfortunately not very safe. Especially for people who carry the kind of stuff you have with you."
"And what do you know about what I carry?" Lara retorted in a voice of defiance.
The Burmese man gave her another mischievous, almost seductive smile.
"Just enough to know that it would be a shame for it to fall into the wrong hands now after all you had to go through to get it."
The car turned again. They found themselves in the less popular districts, on the outskirts of the big city's effervescence. They crossed a wide bridge, which took them away from the city and its lights. Several minutes went by in a leaden silence. The adventuress remained on the lookout, observing the landscape outside, the driver and the smirk stuck to his lips, but also the bag she kept close to her.
They then took a winding road that went into the forest. There were several curves, the road was going up. They passed the top of a vast hill where the forest was still as dense and green. Below, Yangon shone in the emerging night, stuck between two branches of the river that bore the same name. A little further on, the car suddenly turned off onto a narrower path that led away from the road.
"We're almost there, Miss," the man said, intercepting once again the cold, questioning gaze of the Englishwoman in the rearview mirror.
She did not answer, concentrated. She observed every detail, torn between apprehension and a certain excitement. In the headlights and amidst the lush trees, a relatively large iron gate came into view. They drove on a gravel road, and little by little, the jungle gave way to the luxurious gardens of a property that gradually appeared several feet ahead. There were a lot of exotic shrubs perfectly trimmed and aligned. They finally entered a large courtyard. The driver drove around the illuminated fountain that stood in the center of it, before finally stopping the car. They had arrived at the foot of a gigantic villa, whose huge and all-in-modernity windows reflected the spotlights scattered throughout the gardens.
Lara raised her head and glanced at the security guards who were standing not far from there, sunglasses screwed on their faces despite the late hour of the day.
"They're not mean," the Burmese man sitting behind the wheel told her.
She didn't answer this time either, preferring to wait and see and judge for herself if the situation would require any defensive reaction from her. Without a word, Nay her driver got out and came around to open the door for her.
"Mr. Khin welcomes you to his humble abode, Miss Croft," he indicated, holding out his hand to help her down.
She glanced doubtfully at the outstretched hand, then finally agreed to take it.
Here is a first clue about this mysterious employer, she noted for herself when she was finally out of the car.
She turned her head to one side, then the other, but had no time to linger. The two big guys standing in the doorway had their eyes on her. Nay showed her the front door with a movement of the hand.
Lara slung her bag over one shoulder and climbed the few steps to the entrance with a smooth but hurried step. She entered a large, almost empty space that served as a lobby. Absolutely everything around her exuded luxury: from the marble floor to the elegantly gilded walls to the imposing modern chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. On either side were long, wide corridors, each of which led to a number of outbuildings and served countless rooms. Opposite her, there was a huge staircase, which led to at least two other floors just as vast.
With no doubt an equally large and secure basement
Behind her, the two bodyguards followed them and closed the heavy door, before exchanging a few words that she didn't understand through earphones. Without waiting, the driver went into the big staircase, inviting with a look the Englishwoman to follow him. They went up to the second floor, where he entered a dark corridor. She noticed the thick, dark red carpeting on the floor, which was similar in every way to that of a luxury hotel. There were also large crystalline mirrors hanging on the walls, as well as several modern and older works of art, which gave the place a strange contrast. For a moment, she thought she was in a reconstructed castle.
A little further on, the wall gave way to a series of large French windows on either side of the corridor, which revealed two huge wooden bookcases, obviously imitating the style of the most prestigious British schools. She had only a few seconds to admire the impressive collection of books that this sanctuary seemed to contain, because before her, Nay had stopped in front of a tall wood door with golden handles.
When he opens that door, I'm going to find myself in a dark room that contains a rose imprisoned under a glass lid, she couldn't help but wryly comment when she saw the gilding in the form of leaves and flowers that decorated the ceiling.
The Burmese operated the handle and pushed the door. The Englishwoman gave him a doubtful look, before entering a huge but surprisingly empty office. No rose, but on the floor, there was the same luxurious red carpet. The walls were lined with wallpaper of the same color. Several paintings and fine gold chandeliers decorated the room. A solid wood desk, excessively large for what it was used for -a simple computer and a few files-, sat regally in the center of the room. A gigantic crystal chandelier fell from the high ceiling, and diffused a pleasant light.
The driver gently closed the door behind her. The adventuress stepped forward cautiously, observing the various decorative objects on the shelves. She was struck by the impressive bay window that formed the back wall and gave the impression that the room was completely open to the gardens and jungle. In the distance, the lights of Yangon's city could be seen in the night.
"That's how people usually feel when they arrive here," she suddenly heard.
Lara looked up at the voice coming from somewhere above her. A man, in his fifties and with a certain charm, had just appeared at the other end of the room, at the top of a staircase that led to a large mezzanine. He was holding a glass of wine in each hand. Behind him, she saw a strangely modern space where tasting tables and geometrically shaped shelves lined up with prestigious bottles of wine, judging by the labels she could see from where she was standing.
The man wore a simple but elegant suit, just like Nay, the driver, and the two big guys she had seen at the entrance. A few silver strands dotted his short-cropped black hair, and his eyes sparkled with a certain natural pride that could have passed for arrogance.
"It takes a lot more than just an ultra-sophisticated luxury villa and a few expensive pieces of art to impress me," she replied in the same voice.
The Burmese man smiled, Lara was even surprised to detect a certain amusement in his reaction. With a nonchalant step, he slowly descended the staircase, revealing himself a little more to the young woman under the light of the large chandelier. Her glance did not leave him for a second. Even if she did not feel in immediate danger, she remained on the look out. She knew her weapons were at hand if needed.
"I don't doubt it, Miss Croft. You certainly must be a hard woman to please, as I guess you already have everything."
A knowing smile played on the man's lips.
"Nice try, but that kind of approach doesn't work with me," she retorted as she watched him descend the last few steps.
His smile widened, he even let out a slight laugh.
"Your reputation precedes you, Miss. The rumors were right about you, it would seem."
"It all depends on what those rumors carried to your ears."
He moved forward with measured steps, and handed her one of the wine glasses, which she politely declined with a wave of the hand.
"A whole lot of more than positive things, I assure you," he replied as he went to set the rejected glass on the large desk behind him. "But I imagine a woman with such a reputation would take little interest in the gossip about her," he said with a pretentious smile and an assurance she hardly appreciated.
"Gossip does not affect me, indeed. But I know from experience that it's always best to keep an ear out for what's going on around me. I assume that the world we live in is full of potential enemies, Mister Khin."
She gave him a sharp look, as a kind of warning. The man did not flinch, and watched her carefully in turn, as if trying to pierce her mind and detect what was brewing there. Even if he kept his deceptively warm smile, it was obvious that he was also on the defensive in some way.
He brought his glass to his mouth, swirled the liquid in it and took the time to sip a few times, still staring at her.
"Either I underestimated your deductive abilities, or it would appear that one of my men made a small blunder before I could formally introduce myself to you," he said, lowering the glass.
"I would hope that you would have introduced yourself to me at some point anyway?" said Lara as she lifted her chin slightly and crossed her arms tightly against her chest.
"I thought you were a great lover of riddles."
"People imagine a lot of things about me," retorted the young woman in a much less friendly voice this time.
The man fell silent, and took another sip of his wine. She noticed the look in his eyes that was staring at her with a certain insistence, once again. She didn't appreciate the gleam that shone in his two small black pupils. He seemed to be clearly enjoying the situation and the presence of the adventuress in his home, and she had the unpleasant impression at that very moment that he considered her as a vulgar trophy he would have finally succeeded in bringing back after years of search and struggle.
"So much mystery. But it's quite charming," the man said in a low voice.
"As much as all this mystery you've created around yourself. Were you afraid of me?"
"To be quite honest, I wasn't sure you would agree to work for me."
"Why, because I had never heard of you before?" the Englishwoman retorted with an inquisitive look.
The businessman suddenly pouted, clearly stung by the sharpness of this remark. He politely nodded to her, but did not let himself destabilize by the young woman's impulsive reaction. On the contrary, he even seemed to be amused by it, once again.
"Simple message instructions, with the bare minimum of information, astronomical sums of money paid directly into my account... you will admit that the approach is original, to say the least."
"And yet, it caught your attention and aroused your curiosity, didn't it?", the man inquired with another implied look.
"Curiosity and challenges are part of my job. I sometimes find it hard to let go of my professional side."
Lara supported his glance, well decided not to be caught with his small game. The Burmese man gave her another charming smile, to which she did not answer. Against all expectation, he tended the hand towards her. She lowered a suspicious glance towards this one, before finally presenting hers in turn. She watched him catch it with delicacy.
"In any case, I owe you an apology, Miss Croft..."
He bent down rather reverently to brush his lips over the back of the Englishwoman's hand.
"... I hope I didn't offend you with all those secrets."
The Englishwoman released her hand from his, her gaze still wary.
"I think you underestimate me. I'll really end up offended."
The man slowly straightened up.
"Maybe I'm the one who'll end up taking offense at you being so suspicious of me, Miss Croft."
"Let's just say that I have a natural tendency to be suspicious of rich men who take a keen interest in missing objects."
After a new silence of the Burmese, who seemed to weigh internally the words of the Englishwoman, he suddenly turned his back to her, and moved with a slow step towards the large bay window. He marked a time of stop, his glance falsely lost in the distance, as if he reflected. He raised his glass and took a long sip of wine.
"If we have to make a rough summary of the situation, it could look like this, indeed, although it is more about a form of leisure than anything else, after all. I'm one of the wealthiest people in this country, and in the world if you believe some of the media. I could go on for several minutes and sell myself to you as the successful businessman, the eternal seducer who prefers to be single, the philanthropist who uses his money to help the most vulnerable local populations, or the collector who spends his free time looking for rare objects. It's extremely cliché, quite reductive, but I am, so to speak, a bit of all of these at the same time. I don't do sports, I'm full of myself, I travel all the time and I have a serious penchant for works of art that no one else can afford and I'm a great lover of good bottles of wine," he said, pointing vaguely to the cellar she could see upstairs on the mezzanine. "But you had already noticed that I imagine. But you should know that my world, Miss Croft, is mostly one of business and affairs. Extremely formative, and extremely challenging. I like challenges, and I like to negotiate, I can defend my own interests. I like things to go my way. I have always fought to get exactly where I wanted to go, and to get exactly what I wanted to get. It's taken a lot of sacrifice, but my reward is knowing that the fruits of my professional activities are adding to my personal collections. If I have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get something, I have no problem with that. I have no qualms about paying for things that are worthwhile. And that in itself is my only sin."
He slowly turned around to face the young woman. The expression on his face became a little more serious.
"Archaeology is not just about business, Mr. Khin," Lara answered with a sharp voice.
"And yet you are here with me, because a mysterious person has paid you large sums of money to recover a precious stone."
"I'm just doing my job," the young lady retorted.
"And there's no shame in working for a living."
The Englishwoman glared at him, her arms still tightly crossed against herself. Stung to the core, she lifted her chin a little more in disagreement.
"I use my skills with the aim of uncovering treasures that belong to our world's history. Without me, some items, exactly like the stone you asked me to bring back would remain lost forever."
"And that's exactly why my choice naturally fell on you," Khin replied, looking her straight in the eye. "I may be resourceful, but I'm quite good at recognizing my limitations, and knowing when I need to call in someone better qualified to achieve a goal. And I needed the most qualified person precisely."
For all answer, Lara remained silent, annoyed by his attitude.
"I've heard great things about your work, Miss Croft," he continued. "Your skills have come very highly recommended. I know that you are a highly coveted woman, with... highly-sought-after services. And I also know that you don't grant your favors to just anyone."
"I don't grant favors, Mr. Khin."
He fell abruptly silent, and nodded with a pinched smile.
"Needless to say," he said in a much calmer, more composed voice, as if trying to ease the tension that had built up between them. "What I meant was that you did me the honor of accepting this mission and bringing me this stone, and all the money in the world could not express my gratitude."
Lara did not answer. They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, finally letting the pressure drop and the calm return. She definitely didn't like the way this smug, pretentious man did things. Everything in his attitude revealed a deep egocentricity, and a total disinterest in everything that did not touch his own business or interests, and yet she detected a certain sincerity in his words and in his approach in general. And whether she wanted it or not, they were bound by a commitment, he was technically her boss. It was up to her to take it upon herself, at least for a few hours, the time to let things clear up.
Without pronouncing the least word, the Englishwoman uncrossed her arms and advanced then with slow steps towards the large desk. She slid the straps of her backpack and placed it on the elegantly polished wood. She opened it and took out the huge red stone, which glowed with a thousand reflections under the light of the chandelier. Khin remained a moment without showing any reaction, his eyes slightly widened by discovering the object.
The Burmese man took a few steps forward, and put his glass of wine on the desk without paying too much attention to it, completely obsessed by the stone. He seemed to suddenly forget the world around him. He stopped, held out his hand in front of him, but suspended his gesture, as if he was suddenly afraid to come into contact with the object.
"It is absolutely outstanding. I never thought that..."
The end of his sentence died on his lips. Lara noted with some satisfaction that the pretentious businessman had suddenly given way to a big kid, all excited to discover his Christmas presents.
"So it was really there?"
The adventuress nodded slightly.
"The exploration area itself was quite large, but the GPS coordinates were quite accurate, which made my job easier."
"So Hage, my contact, was right," Khin murmured as he carefully observed the hypnotic reflections of the gemstone. "He had been doing serious research in the area for several years. He suspected the existence of a temple or some sort of shrine hidden somewhere in this part of the desert, without ever having located it precisely."
"Without the spear, they would never have been able to open the access anyway."
"That was the missing element, yes," the man muttered without looking away from the stone.
He finally allowed himself to touch the stone. He gently placed his hands on it one after the other, savoring its touch and its extraordinary light, concentrated. He lifted it up and placed it in the angle of the chandelier's light.
"We have here an absolutely unique stone, Miss Croft."
"This is a pigeon blood ruby, isn't it?"
"A very rare stone, yes. The largest ever unearthed in the world, whose exact value cannot be set as no one has ever discovered such stones to date. And it is now part of my personal heritage, thanks to you."
No sooner had the words passed his lips than the door of the large office opened behind them. Nay, the driver, entered the room, pushing a kind of cart in front of him, on which was placed an enormous iron box. Lara immediately noticed the small number box on top. The man swung the cart around, and stopped right next to them. Lara saw him enter a multi-digit code, and there was a loud click that unlocked one of the side doors of the small safe. Khin carefully placed the huge stone inside and closed the door with a confident gesture. After making sure the safe was closed, Nay immediately turned around and headed for the door, disappearing without a sound and without looking back. The operation had not taken more than a minute.
"I have no doubt that it will be treasured," Lara said as she watched the office door close.
"The advantage of having a fortune like mine is that you can afford not only the most valuable pieces, but also the most advanced protection systems that go with them. I hope you won't hold it against me if I don't reveal which room it will be kept in here, Miss Croft."
She replied with an amused smile.
"I was not willing to try to steal it from you, if that was your understanding, Mr. Khin. But you are quite right, it would be a shame for such a beautiful stone to fall into the wrong hands," she said, thinking at the same time of Croft Manor and its own secure rooms filled with the trophies of former expeditions.
The man nodded slowly. Without a word, he turned around and walked quietly around his large desk. He retrieved the glass of wine he had left behind and brought it to his mouth to finish what was left of the liquid in it. He then stopped once again in front of the large bay window, pensive.
"The world is full of countless undiscovered treasures, isn't it, Miss Croft?"
She approached in turn. Outside, it was now dark, but the view of the large gardens and the Yangon River that snaked a little further down was grandiose, she had to admit.
"And all the more work for me. That's exactly what makes the game interesting."
"So for you, this is all just a game?", Khin retorted, intrigued, but with some curiosity as well.
"As I was telling you, this is all my work. But I'd be lying to you if I told you I didn't do this for sport too. That's my own sin, I think."
The annoying charming smile made its return to Khin's face.
"I truly envy your thirst for discovery and adventure. I admire your courage and pugnacity, your independence and freedom. You are fortunate to have access to places and get your hands on sacred things that no one else on this earth will know about. And I have to say, it's pretty fascinating."
"Maybe you could think about it as just enjoying the reward you paid for once I take care of the practical part, if it makes you feel any better," she retorted sarcastically.
"Admittedly, that's one way to look at it. But it's not all very fair, is it?"
"Life has taught me that nothing is quite fair, Mr. Khin. And I am quite content with that."
Khin was amused by this answer.
"Beauty, intelligence, wisdom, a keen mind, a definite physical stamina and endurance, a strength of character... all rolled into one person... And you're telling me you're surprised to arouse curiosity and admiration?"
"I don't care about other people's curiosity or admiration. I don't hunt for objects to gain any kind of recognition, whatever form it may take."
The businessman gently shook his head in approval. He gave her another piercing look.
"You have mine in any case."
"I wasn't asking for so much," the Englishwoman retorted.
This answer tore a new smile to the businessman. He took a breath, suddenly concentrated.
"I can easily imagine this ice wall of yours is not erected only with rigor and professionalism, and I admire that."
"Is this a reproach?"
"On the contrary."
He fell suddenly silent, observing his host again with attention. He continued, however, to feel her refractory to any approach.
"Forgive me for all these questions and indiscretions Miss Croft," he explained. "You were kind enough to do the dirty work for me, and to come all the way here to give me the stone I coveted. Your part of the bargain is fulfilled - I've already requested that the final transfer be made to your account..."
She nodded and silently thanked him with a look.
"...It is obvious that you're a serious and professional person, and you're clearly not the kind of person to leave a job unfinished."
Lara looked at him without understanding. Khin put his empty glass back on the desk, and started moving again, his hands stuck in the pockets of his suit pants. He began pacing the room.
"Am I to understand that this treasure hunt is not over?"
He paused, and turned to the young woman.
"I may still need your services, indeed."
Lara's eyebrows furrowed sharply despite herself. This confirmed what she had discovered herself while doing some research: the stone hid much more than it let on. But she refrained from commenting. It was better to play it safe and wait until she could clearly determine what this man really wanted from her.
"I'll pay the price, of course," the Burmese added to the young woman's scowl.
"Is this related to the stone?"
"Yes."
She instantly understood that despite his courteous smile, he would not give her more information. At least, not right away. Even though she was doing her best to keep a neutral expression and not let anything show, her curiosity had been piqued, and she knew the frustration was showing on her face. And the businessman was clearly enjoying seeing the adventuress destabilized in this way. It irritated her to no end.
"Don't think I'm cutting this conversation short willingly. Professional obligations oblige me to leave until tomorrow, but I will obviously explain everything in detail as soon as I return."
Without further clarification, a heavy silence settled in the large room. The man took a look at the large metal dial hanging above the door.
"Besides I see it's getting late now, and I think I've bothered you enough for today," he concluded with a petty smile.
"I note that you also like to maintain the mystery, Mr. Khin", retorted Lara in a sharp voice.
He apologized with a look and another nod.
"I promise I'll get to the bottom of this whole thing as soon as I can, Miss. I've already had one of the large rooms in the guest outbuilding prepared for you, if you'll agree to let me put you up for the night, of course?"
She wasn't especially comfortable with the idea -no doubt because of the implied glances her host had not stopped throwing at her since their meeting and this strange admiration of his-, but after all, it was only a matter of staying one night in a luxury villa. Despite his pretentious appearance, Khin didn't look dangerous, and the big guys that served as his bodyguards were only an illusion.
As long as she could keep her weapons close by, she would be fine. And in the worst case scenario, she would just have to run away through the jungle. Easy as pie.
"That's very kind of you, Mr. Khin," she finally said after a brief second of hesitation.
"The honor is all mine," he replied with a small bow.
He held out his arm to indicate the office door. Lara recovered her backpack, and they started walking at the same pace.
"You will of course be able to take advantage of all the amenities of the villa. I will provide a private cook for you, as well as my bodyguards. Nay will be there too if needed, though I imagine you'll be doing just fine on your own by the time I get back."
She gave him a polite smile. As they approached the door, it opened wide. Nay appeared. He stepped aside to let his boss and the young woman pass, then closed the door just after their passage, before following their steps.
"Please feel free to take a look at the books I keep in my library, I'd love to have your opinion on my personal collection. I'm sure some of the books will catch your eye," the Burmese businessman said as they walked up the long corridor that would lead them back to the center of the huge villa.
She glanced at the darkened libraries they were just passing. She remained silent, still pensive, until they finally reached the main staircase.
"I'll leave you here, Miss Croft. Forgive me again for cutting our talk short," Khin said as he grabbed her hand and pretended to kiss it.
"Don't worry about me. At the very least, I hope we can talk business in more detail."
Nay quietly leaned over to his boss at the same time, whispering a few words in his ear.
"Perfect," Khin replied as he straightened up. "Lovely evening to you, Miss Croft."
He took one last and kind of caricatured bow before turning around, followed closely by his driver. She watched them going down the stairs, then disappearing by the big entrance door the two big guys posted there had opened for them.
"Miss Croft?"
Lara suddenly turned around in surprise. She found herself face to face with a young woman she had not heard coming. Her long black hair was pulled back with a pretty pearl clip, and her large almond-shaped eyes stared at her with a certain nervousness, although the soft features of her face suggested a natural kindness.
"I am Yin, one of Mr. Khin's maids. I'll escort you to your suite."
Lara nodded discreetly, and followed the young woman without flinching, though still a little surprised by all that was going on.
"Mr. Khin's quarters are on this very floor," she explained, pointing with a wave of her hand to the part of the villa opposite the office and libraries. "All the amenities, spa, pool, sauna, gym, lounge, kitchen, cinema room are on the ground floor."
The adventuress followed the maid's figure as she strode confidently through the maze of corridors. They gradually moved away from the heart of the house, passing a large, completely glassed-in walkway that overlooked part of the gardens and led them to another building that was just as modern as the rest.
They passed under a large glass archway that marked the entrance to the outbuildings, before walking down a new corridor. After a few feet, Yin finally stopped in front of a magnificent aluminium door, which she opened with a pass. Lara could not contain her surprise when she entered the room, or rather what looked like a real flat. Here again, the decoration was extremely modern and uncluttered. The dark colours of the marble walls blended perfectly with the mirrors and some of the furniture's golden patterns. There was a large living room with a gigantic TV, and on the other side, a sleeping area with an adjoining bathroom. Khin had probably used the same architect to design this suite, she thought wryly, since there were hardly any walls anywhere, except for large windows that looked directly out onto the outside, just like his office.
"Mister Khin has expressly asked us to prepare the most beautiful room for you."
The young woman flicked a switch and the room lit up with a soft, subdued light.
"I really didn't expect so much," Lara said as she discovered the place where she would spend the night.
She turned around.
"Have you been working here long, Yin?"
The Burmese woman raised her eyebrows, surprised that the Englishwoman was interested in her. Her fingers intertwined nervously.
"Um, maybe about a decade now..."
The young woman paused, as if she was afraid to speak, or at least, as if she was not used to having this kind of conversation.
"It's quite nice to work here actually. I mean, I can't complain, I've got room and board, the pay is more than fair. It's always better than being on the street... Besides, Monsieur treats us well, even if it is definitely obvious that he lives in his own world," she added hastily, unable to control the words that came out of her mouth.
Lara gave her an amused look.
"He's quite a character, indeed," the Englishwoman confided half-heartedly.
They exchanged a glance. The young woman bit her lips, obviously embarrassed to talk about her boss in this way - but also obviously relieved to be able to do so.
"I think the right word would be... moody, I think? But never in a bad way. He may seem brash and arrogant at first... But deep down, he's not evil."
"That's good news for me, although between us Yin, rich businessmen who have the unfortunate tendency to try to use the mystical powers of certain ancient objects for their own purposes no longer scare me."
The young woman smiled at her, a little more at ease now.
"I'm not in the habit of meddling in Monsieur's business..." she justified herself. "To tell the truth, I'm not allowed to attend his professional meetings anyway... and then you know here, it's difficult to get out of the role we're given as women..."
Lara gave her a sympathetic smile. She appreciated the simplicity and the naturalness of the smile, yet with a certain resignation, that the young woman returned.
"... but I sincerely believe Mr Khin is simply a person who likes to take care of things, and to keep evidence of our heritage. He always chooses the pieces of his collection with great care, he never invests randomly. And as far as I know, he has never said or implied that he intends to destroy the world in any way. I don't think it's in his interest."
"I hope not for his sake, indeed," Lara tried to joke.
The young Burmese woman let out a small laugh.
"In any case, Monsieur is extremely happy to have you here," she continued. "He's been looking forward to having you here for several weeks. And I must say I'm very honoured to be here myself. I have heard a lot about you and your work. I am very admiring."
"That's nice of you. Thank you, Yin."
"It sounds really interesting, even though I don't know much about history and archaeology," the Burmese woman apologised, shrugging a shoulder.
"You know, my job is mostly about travelling and venturing into unknown places. But I have to admit that every mission is different, there's always something going on."
"That must be really exciting."
They smiled at each other knowingly.
"In any case, don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything. I can be reached by the beeper on the table," said the maid, pointing to the small box that was placed further away. "We are at your disposal day and night, without exception. The whole villa, its gardens and outbuildings are under constant surveillance, and the room is put on an intruder alarm, for your safety."
"I have nothing to worry about, then," the Englishwoman replied with some amusement.
The Burmese woman nodded.
"I won't trouble you any further. Good evening, Miss Croft."
With that, she abruptly turned and left, before Lara had time to answer her. The door slammed softly, and she found herself suddenly alone in the huge room, where silence fell.
Lara stood there for a moment in the middle of the exaggeratedly large room. Then finally, she quietly made her way around the suite, first abandoning her heavy bag of belongings and her backpack on one of the sofas. She glanced at the sleeping area: the bed was huge, like the rest of the suite. A beautiful bouquet of multicoloured flowers had been placed there as a welcome. She felt the warmth coming from the bathroom nearby: a hot bath was waiting for her, with some scented candles.
She turned around and went back to the living room. On the coffee table there was a lovely tray overflowing with brightly coloured fruit and plates full of more than appetising food. The smell of hot chapatis - the traditional wheat pancakes she loved - wafted up to her nose. She didn't resist: she took a seat on one of the sofas and started to peck at the food.
She leaned back against the soft backrest and took a deep breath. She ate quietly, in silence, but her thoughts continued to race through her head. Even though she was beginning to decipher Khin's motivations, there were still many unanswered questions. She couldn't wait for the next day and to have more concrete explanations about what he expected from her.
With one hand, she rummaged in her backpack and took out her mobile phone, which she glanced at quickly. When she had the time - and more importantly the inclination - she would look through and sort through all the emails she saw piling up. Father Dunstan had sent her a message to check in, but he knew her well enough not to expect a reply, obviously.
She put the phone away, and this time reached for her passport, from which she took a photo. As she finished eating her umpteenth chapati, she took a long look at the old butler, the man with the piercing eyes and the little baby girl on it, before carefully putting it away. Then she sat there, staring out at the lights of Yangon city, which she could see beyond the tall jungle trees swaying in the wind. She suppressed the strong feeling of nostalgia that came over her and got up.
A good night's sleep wouldn't hurt.