A quick one...

"So like a Croft," the gasped voice whispered, "I guess madness and stupidity runs through ALL of your line. Chasing an immortal madman into a dark house."

"Immortality," she said with mock wonder, "how is that working out for you? Gaius Julius Caesar... Caligula?"

"IMPRESSIVE... now prove it. By the way; you skipped Augustus Germanicus."

"Apologies," she locked the door, and pulled out her Glock, "Forgot about them. The real Julius Caesar would be... what? Disgusted by the omission?"

"Ask him yourself. Talker. YAP! YAP! Yap... so like your father. Well... were like your father."

"Like my father was." She inched toward the darkened stairway the blood trail led to, "Proper English too much for your majesty?"

"FUCK OFF... CUNT! Like THAT English? You self-important slag!" The tone was different, more gutteral. "Your dad had the same haughty attitude!"

She tiptoed up towards the voice as he railed away

"SOOOOO certain things would work out for him; that he could beat the devil. HA! PLAY IN OUR YARD! Your... mother... died: HE DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH! We sent him photos of you at your school: STILL! HE DIDN'T GIVE UP!"

She stepped on the floor.

"Go away child." another voice, almost pleading with her, "here is only darkness."

"You should have never killed my friend.. JACK! Or do you prefer The Ripper"

"WELL DONE! Two for two; and once again... prove it " a light bulb went out. She was in darkness.

"Tell me more bullshit about those pics of me," she said, trying not to loose him.

Laughter, twenty yards ahead, "Not bullshit girl. I TOOK THEM."

She lifted the gun, "Creepy," she responded indifferently, "BUT... I'd bet that was a bit beneath your place; isn't that sort of thing?"

"VERY GOOD," he said,"You are good. As 'brilliant' as your selfish father, and twice as perceptive. OK Lara, let's play this game... twenty questions. ANSWERS! GLORIOUS FUCKING... answers"

Metal dragged across marble... the master bath.

Instiinct. Something wrong.

She took off her boots, and socks; and felt with her toes on the floor for the still wet, warm, sticky blood trail. He wasn't healing?

A slight giggle, "Well?"

The breathing wasn't labored. He was feigning injury?... drawing her in? Was he THAT taken down by Himiko's assault on him? THAT humbled?

She was confused, why toy with her? Why not just end her now? She bit the suspected bait, "Why spare Evan?"

A relieved sigh, "An offer, for you to consider. I don't want to waste what the 'old ones' find pleasure in if I don't have to."

"The elemental, the sylph in the ruby?"She peered into the bathroom... empty.

"It has captured the eternal flame of that pretty little toy Hoshi... SHE gives it it's desires, and chooses who it favors. YOU and him made her feel love, lust... "

She entered the empty bathroom, locked the door behind her.

Laughter. He was talking through the air vents; the central heat was shut off. Was he in the basement? HOW?

"So sorry for the deception," he sighed,"can't talk if you want to kill me. I've been trying to figure out what I was truly sent here for. I don't 'like' killing certain people... anymore - well, not like I did... before. Boss knew it, and yet... here he sent me. With no true direction - or literal orders. Just 'what do I think I'm to do'."

She listened as she put her boots on, trying to judge his location. She had to keep him talking, in one place. "BOSS? Who is that? You wrote to HIM, not the police, not the papers, and NOT Lusk during the White Chapel murders... didn't you? Progress reports."

"Flawless," he seemed genuinely impressed.

"Lord Trinity?" She added. A clock ticked audibly... somewhere behind him?

"FUCK! And to think we were worried about your old man! Why not call him by the name YOU know him by; well, by you I mean ALL of England..."

The clock struck three a.m. The old grandfather clock... the study.

"The Fortress on The Sea..."

She unlocked the door, pulled out and loaded the chambers of both Glocks with hollow points.

"...Merlin."

She stood stone-like.

"I have an idea; I'm bored. How about you and I play hide and seek? my turn."

STILL WITH ME? GOOD! BACK SOON.