《古墓丽影3》原文剧情

[ilovelctr]

Adventures of Lara Croft -- Backplot
Introduction

Millions of years ago, a meteor survived the plunge through the Earth's atmosphere, impacting the then warm climate of Antarctica...
The first people to discover this land were a tribe of Polynesians. Despite the now freezing conditions, there was an abnormal abundance of life and the tribe settled, worshipping the meteorite crater for the powers it appeared to hold.
Generations later though, catastrophic events forced them to flee in terror...
Today, the same area is being excavated by the research company; RX Tech, who are picking up unusual readings from the meteorite's impact zone. It is in this zone that they uncover the body of a sailor from Charles Darwin's voyage on The Beagle. It seems a few of his sailors had explored the interior of the crater...
Following a story from one of the sailor's journal, RX Tech have started to take a particular interest in, not only the crater area, but other parts of the globe where the sailors traveled to... and died in...
One of these places is India - where Lara is currently searching for the legendary Infada artifact. Unaware of its true history, she only knows that in local beliefs it was supposed to hold great powers and has been revered by tribes there throughout the years...

Soon she will discover a lot more...
________________________________________

Ancient Antarctica

An enormous meteor hurtles towards an unsuspecting Earth. An island continent sits amidst a tranquil sea on an overcast day. The island is lush with vegetation, insects and animal life.
At twilight, a dragonfly flits past one of the continent's many marshy rivers. A small red frog leaps from the long leaf it was sitting on as a bolt of lightening strikes in the distance. The meteor has entered the earth's atmosphere and has become a giant ball of fire. A primitive crocodile swims lazily upstream while a small rodent crawls out of its hiding place to investigate the source of a low rumbling sound, like distant thunder, that can be heard.
The fiery meteor streaks downward, breaking through the clouds and illuminating the sky. The meteor impacts with the ground and a flaming shock wave propagates from the impact site. Creatures attempt to escape or hide, but to no avail. The wave of destruction overtakes them.
The landscape is devastated, scorched and smoldering. What trees that still stand are aflame. In the distance lies a small mountain range, with no longer a trace of vegetation. Pieces of the meteor that were propelled into the air by the impact fall back to earth elsewhere.

Antarctica - Present Day1

Millions of years later. The distinctive mountain chain is the backdrop for a new drama. The island continent is not a lush tropical island, but now covered with snow. There are no indications of the previous climate of this land as snow continues to fall, and the frozen landscape is white; punctuated only by the temporary structures of a research team's campsite.
A worker, dressed for the icy conditions, stabs his shovel into the snow, after finishing clearing it from the treads of a large red bulldozer. Connected by a drive belt to a gasoline engine on the back of the bulldozer is a drilling rig. A second worker is inside the cab of the bulldozer operating the drill, while the first worker comes around from the front to oversee the drilling. The drill is noisily spewing up ice, as a third man, Doctor Willard, is attempting to speak into a radio over the noise of the engine and drill.
Doctor Willard's Scottish accent grows thicker as he shouts into the radio, "I've been yellin' myself hoarse into this radio everyday. It's just the weather dumps on us frequently here." He attempts to block out the noise of the drilling with his free hand and steps into a shelter. "An' maybe my transmission doesn't get through. I don't know," he gripes.
A voice with an American accent harps back through the radio's heavy static, "I can't understand one word of what you say, Willard."
Willard sighs with annoyed resignation. Loudly and snidely, he carefully pronounced, "It's all going swell, sir!" Just then, a loud boom can be heard coming from outside. Willard cuts off his transmission.
Outside the worker is gesticulating wildly to the drill operator and yelling, "Get the bit up! Get it out!" The drill right is producing a screech from the slipping drive belt caused by the drill bit meeting resistance. The once smoothly spinning drive belt is now pulled taut. In the cabin of the bulldozer, the other worker has started to panic and attempts to raise and then lower the bit. Willard exits his shelter crossing and waving his hands in front of himself to signal that the driver should pull the bit up.
Finally, with the drill still engaged, the bit hits rock and a loud thump is heard. The operator is completely flustered and gasps as the drill, which was now throwing up rocks along with the ice, produces a thump with great finality. Willard, stepping out of the shelter, is growing frantic and yells, "Turn it off! Off!" The motor continues to rumble and drive the belt. Finally, at the top of his voice, Willard screams, "Hey! Switch... it... off!" But his screams go unnoticed. The motor is producing black smoke and as the worker outside is watching the gradually slowing drill bit, the drive belt snaps and shoots past. Narrowly missing the worker's head. Willard, exasperated shouts, "Dah!"
The two workers have pulled the mangled drill bit up and one of them drops some sort of sensor device into the hole. The second worker examines the readout of the sensor on a hand held computer. Willard gestures to the worker. The worker looks up and shakes his head.
Just then a snowmobile races up and pulls a sharp one hundred and eighty degree turn in front of the dig site. Willard looks over to the driver, and the driver tells him with a southern drawl, "Think you better come and check out site two."
Willard mounts the snowmobile behind the driver, and the worker looks back at his computer, and a red indicator lights up, indicating solid rock. The worker turns and asks Willard, "What about this?"
Willard turns back and says, "Blow through it!" The snowmobile races off.
Willard asks the driver, "Found more meteorite?"
"Hah! No, somethin' a little more younger than that," the driver replies. The snowmobile pulls up to the second site. Willard turns to look at a bank of snow. Peeking out of the ridge of snow is a statue much like the ones that can be found on Easter Island.
Willard gasps as an awful realization dawns on him, "No!" He quickly lifts his radio to his head and calls into it, "Billy, I don't want you to set that explosive. Do ye hear me?"
Back at the other site, Willard's calls are unheard, as the other radio lies in the snow several meters from the workers. Willard repeats his words, "I do... not.. want ye to set that explosive!" Still, his cries are unheard as Billy hits the detonator and an explosion pops show and rocks into the air. Willard and the driver drop for cover behind the snowmobile as debris is hurtled toward them. They sit back up and shake the snow off of their jackets as Willard curses, "Wretched pyros!"
The explosion shakes the ground and causes snow and ice to settle all around. It reveals several more of those statues, all set in a semi-circle, facing out to sea. Willard and the driver return to the first site and Willard climbs down to examine the crater created by the explosive charge. He finds two pieces of lumber nailed together in the shape of a cross. Willard finds, scrawled into the wooden cross:

Paul Caulfield
1812 - 1834
R. I. P.
HMS Beagle

Willard frowns and scratches his head. He mutters aloud, "This place's had a busy history."
________________________________________

Ashmolean Museum2

Lara Croft shifts uncomfortably in her seat as the Bentley rolls smoothly down the streets of Oxford. She takes a small mirror from her purse to check her hair, as she whispers to herself, "I don't bloody know why I still go to these things." Lara doesn't realize her disdain has made her words loud enough for another to hear.
"Perhaps, it is so that all those lonely archaeologists can have the pleasure of your company, mum," Winston, Lara's elderly butler and occasional driver, mutters into the rear-view mirror.
Lara frowns, "I don't understand why they send me invitations if I'm not welcome there. Besides, it takes nearly an hour just to get up here from home."
"Miss Croft, you know I don't mind the drive," Winston assures her. "Besides, you are responsible for so many of the antiquities in their collection. Of course you are welcome there."
"I'm not so sure," Lara replies. Her eyes stare pensively out the automobile's window. Lara wonders if the museum's invitation isn't merely out of obligation to her newly government appointed position. Winston turns the stately vehicle off of Worcester Street onto Beaumont Street.
The silver Bentley pulls into the parking garage across the street from the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology3. When the vehicle comes to a stop, Lara instinctively reaches for the door handle, but withdraws her hand as Winston begins to get out of the vehicle. Winston shuffles slowly around to the opposite side of the car and opens her door for her. "Thank you," Lara nods, trying to smile pleasantly.
Lara picks up her wrap and steps out of the car, lightly holding Winston's arm. She looks stunning in her long black dress. The evening is cool, but not cold, so she hangs her wrap on her arm. A group of young men appear to be arguing, and the winner finally steps forward toward her.
The well-dressed young man smiles pleasantly at Lara and escorts her across the street, up the main steps to the museum's facade, and into front entrance. It appears they've reopened the front entrance since Lara's last visit, and guests no longer have to enter through the west entrance. The front door opens directly into the Randolph Gallery where all of tonight's festivities are taking place.
A waiter wanders by with a tray of glass flutes. Lara picks one off the tray as he saunters past. She takes a sip of champagne and looks around the room. Crowds of people mingle between the classical sculptures that are arranged in this gallery. Most of the people in this room are well-dressed middle-aged slightly over-weight men who are going bald. Lara smiles to herself as she recalls Winston's comment in the car. Lara recognizes many familiar faces, but not doesn't find a friendly one in the bunch. She's not surprised.
For now, no one approaches her and she is left alone and unharassed as she stands in the midst of this crowd. Lara quietly reflects upon the busy year she has had after returning from China. Shortly after retrieving the Dagger of Xian, she had a very eventful trip to Melnikov Island in the Bering Sea, where she retrieved the Golden Mask of Tornasuk. The renovations to her home have finally been completed after those cult thugs broke in and shot up the place last year. Her activities over the past couple of years have caught the attention and favor of Science Minister Lord Sainsbury of Turville, who recently appointed her an ambassador for British scientific excellence. She regrets how much of her time has been spent fending off film producers, who are trying to get her to sign a movie deal based on the books she's written that detail her exploits. It's been months since I've been overseas, Lara sighs. She's starting to get that itch to get out into the field again. Get a hold of yourself, girl Lara thinks to herself.
Eventually, as is the way these things always seem to go, younger and less well-dressed men begin to flock around Lara. They do their best to pretend to be interesting. Graduate students, Lara sighs to herself. Lara bravely endures, as they vainly attempt to make small-talk Unable to make conversation about anything other than what one or another of them dug up at a recent project, Lara's interest is briefly piqued by one of the men, who mentions some interesting findings as part of a dig in India.
The crowds start to migrate toward the west end of the gallery, where a small podium and microphone have been set up. Finally! Lara is relieved that this evening will soon be over. A distinguished old man steps up to the podium and begins his droning. Lara faces the podium and looks attentive. The man talks about the newly reopened front doors, changes in the museum's operating hours, and how the museum is the recipient of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Then he introduces the new director of the Ashmolean and a younger man steps up to take the podium. Lara recognizes this man as Dr. Christopher Brown, formerly the Chief Curator at the National Gallery, London. Dr. Brown gives his speech about his vision for the the Ashmolean. He extends his thanks toward the museum's private benefactors and encourages their continued support, and finally begins to name and thank individual archaeologists and institutions that have contributed pieces to the museum's various galleries. When he finishes, everyone applauds gaily. Lara smirks to herself, Big surprise. Her name and contributions have been left off of the list.
The evening is starting to break up. There are private tours through the galleries to show off the latest acquisitions. Lara decides not to waste the trip up to Oxford, and wanders north through a couple of galleries. A couple of fellows have gathered in the Indian art exhibit. Lara catches part of their conversation.
"Preposterous!" one man shouts, "There isn't the slightest evidence that suggests it even exists, much less is located so far west!"
A second tries to calm the first by using a smoother tone, "Of course there is evidence. We've heard the usual local superstitions about the powers of the Infada Stone."
"You call that evidence?" the first man interjects, "Besides, what fool would go trudging through those dangerous jungles looking for it?"
A third man, clearly Scottish, chimes in, "O'course there is interest. Remember that crazy lass that planned to start at Calcutta and work her way up the Ganges looking in old temples?" The men all start chuckling.
Lara remembers how her last trip to Calcutta, a little over two years ago, was cut short. She never did manage to investigate the leads she got on that artifact in India. She clears her throat to get their attention. Silence falls on the men like a ton of bricks, and they all turn to face Lara as she smiles cutely, lifts her hand and wiggles her fingers, "Hello", to them.
"Miss Croft," the surprised Scot pronounces, "so good to see you again." He is back-peddling as fast as he can. Lara continues to show her teeth. The smile is starting to get saccharine. "Did you ever find anything in India?"
"My trip to India was cut short," Lara replies, "but now that you mention it, I've had to put that trip off. Have you any suggestions for local sights to take in?"
The Scottish man smiles, "I hear Kanpur, is lovely this time of year."
"Thank you," Lara replies and wanders off.
The second man asks quizzically, "You don't think..."
"I most certainly do," the Highlander replies.
"She has a team?"
"A team of one."
"Is she out of her bloody mind?"
The Scot, staring down the corridor as Lara walks away, "Certifiably." There is almost a hint of admiration in his voice.
On the drive home, Lara stares out the window and, with a contemplative look on her face, watches the countryside roll past. She turns, looks forward and says, "Winston?"
"Yes, Miss Croft?"
"When we get home, would you be a dear and book me a round trip plane ticket to New Delhi?"
"Of course, Miss Croft."

Northern India

Lara Croft's plane lands in the airport at New Delhi, India. A driver is waiting at the gates to take her south to Agra. From there, Lara hops a train to Kanpur.
The humidity in Kanpur is oppressive. Lara steps off the train and walks around the out-skirts of town asking if there was anyone who would be able to be her guide. The reaction is similar everywhere. The Indian people are friendly and warm until Lara opens her mouth. Less than three words escape her mouth before most of the locals lose interest. It's not about archaeology. It's about her British accent. I see fifty years isn't quite enough time for these hard feelings to go away, Lara thinks to herself. Lara, tired of getting nowhere, walks over to a street vendor, purchases a small meal and sits at a make-shift table.
A boy in his teens approaches as Lara enjoys her repast and tells her, "For a tourist, you sure ask a lot of questions." The short boy is thin and ruddy.
Lara looks up from her meal, and asks, "What's your name?"
"Sajit Vohra, at your service," the boy replies.
"Sajit, is it?" Lara asks coyly, "I don't know if you'll do."
"Sajit knows the jungles very well," Sajit answers, standing very straight and thumping his chest with his fist, "What are you looking for? I probably know where it is."
Lara tears off a generous piece of bread and hands it to the boy, then pushes her plate of bhindi masalewali towards him. The boy accepts, scoops some of the spicy okra onto the bread and eats. He looks at Lara, waiting for his next cue. Lara asks, "Do you know about artifacts?"
The boy politely swallows and answers, "It depends on which one you want."
Lara raises one corner of her mouth and tells him, "Now look, I'm not interested in buying one from you. I'm looking for a very special one. It's called the Infada Stone."
"There is no Infada Stone," the boy quips. "Just ridiculous superstitions, but I know of some ruins where maybe you can go look for it." Lara can't tell if the boy knows anything or is just pulling her leg to turn a few rupees.
Lara examines the boy and decides that whether he knows anything or not, he strikes her as sincere. Lara finally shrugs her shoulders, and says, "You can take me there?" The boy nods, and a price is agreed on.
Lara goes off to hire a Jeep, and she returns with it a little later. The boy climbs aboard and they head off, out of the city, and into the jungles. The midday heat is starting to subside and the air decides that it can't hold the humidity up any longer and it begins to rain. After their long drive down twisted vegetation infested roads, the boy looks up and yells, "Stop here!"
Lara pulls the Jeep into a small clearing. They climb out and push through dense tropical plants. The boy stops short, but Lara pushes forward and the vegetation suddenly ends, and Lara stops as well. They've arrived at the top of long slope and she asks him, "What now?"
The boy sticks his head out past the vegetation and tells her, "Down there."
"Where?"
The boy points down the slope, and repeats, "Down there!"
"You're not going with me?" Lara asks.
"You can't pay me enough to go down there with you. I am going back now to the Jeep to wait for you. If you do not come back tonight, I take the Jeep back to get help," the boy tells her, as if he intends to actually come back. Before Lara can ask another question, the boy turns and trudges back to the Jeep.
"Just lovely," Lara mutters. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," she shouts back to him, knowing that he's probably already out of ear shot. Lara takes a long hard look down the slope and wonders, I wonder what I've gotten myself into this time.

[ilovelctr]

Jungle

<Finally>

Lara unlocks a gate and works her way through the mud and finds a camp site. The whole area is a swampy mess. The tent canopies are stamped RX TECH. Looming in the distance is a large ruined temple. A satellite radio is in the middle of the camp site and producing a static hiss. There is a male voice with a Scottish accent is calling through the radio.

"Tech four to five. Do you read me, Tech five? Tech..." The voice becomes impatient and snaps, "Tony, ye loon, I know you're there..." A blue spark of electricity arcs over the front of the transceiver and device cuts out with a pop.
From inside one of the tents Lara hears another voice, apparently happy that the radio has finally given up the ghost, "Whoohoo!"
Lara cautiously steps forward and beckons, "Hello-oh?"

An angry young man, apparently the Tony the voice on the radio was calling for, jumps out of one of the tents, making a whining noise. "What!?" he yells angrily, "What do you want from me now?" He suddenly stops and grabs his head between his hand as if it were about to explode.

Lara attempts to calm him, "Nothing that taxing." She asks, "Are you alright?"

Tony looks up, but appears to be looking through Lara, "If you'd all stop, I might be just fine! Just one hundred percent... just..." His voice trails off and he makes a little whining noise.

Lara is puzzled, "If you'd all stop? Who are you talking about?"

Tony swings around, "All you," he waves his arm in an arc in front of himself, "hundreds of you. Talking and chattering and breaking my brain up..."
"Mmhmm..." Lara interjects, figuring he's lost his mind, "Well, I'm not quite sure where you're coming from, but I just want to know about the Infada artifact." Lara gestures across the camp up at the temple ruins, "In the temple up there?"

Tony suddenly gains a little clarity. His voice now lower and somewhat ominous, "Voodoo magic an' all huh?" He shrugs, "Don't touch the stuff myself." He begins to collect gear and packing it away in a metal case, tossing a bundled up sleeping bag into it first.
"It's not voodoo," Lara is about to begin an archaeology lecture, but changes her mind. She decides that she's not going to get any useful information from this fellow asks, "Look, is there anyone else here with you?"

Something about that question strikes Tony as funny and he snorts, "Yeah, Randy and Rory... peeesh."

"Randy and Rory?" Lara looks around the camp and asks, "Where?" Tony ignores her and folds up the satellite radio and drops the transceiver and the radio into the metal crate. Lara continues to inquire, "What are you all doing here?"

Tony suddenly turns to her. In a spooky voice he says, "Well, they're stayin' put. In that temple." Suddenly his voice changes to an almost pleading tone, "I told 'em not to, warned 'em first..." And just as suddenly, his voice changes again, "Not doing much now I doubt, under half a ton of mudslide. Me?" He points to himself with is thumb, "I'm leavin'. Next bus out. This jungle has rooted enough rot into me. I'd offer the same advice to you," he pauses to look Lara up and down, "But you don't seem the type to take it..." Tony starts to wander away toward an ledge on the far side of camp, "...to care if I said you're gonna die in there." He starts to cackle, "Hahaha." Tony leaps off the ledge into the jungle below, "Yeah.... Die..." His voice trails off as he disappears into the jungle.
Lara is left standing alone in the camp site, and she puts her hands on her hips, to consider the situation. After a quick evaluation, she decides to check out the temple, and walks through camp toward the ruins.

[ilovelctr]

Temple Ruins

<Finally>

Lara steps forward and slides down a dirt ramp out of the temple to find that she's in front of the Ganges River, where it goes over a small waterfall. She looks down at the river to find Tony once again.

Tony is on a raft and drifing slowly downstream. Lara calls out to him to stop, but Tony just laughs maniacally. Lara lifts her pistols to scare him. Tony is not impressed and lifts his fists and points them at Lara. Suddenly the ground starts to rumble and shake. Somehow, Tony is the cause of it. Lara fires a few warning shots towards him, but Tony is laughing harder than ever now.

Lara looks back to see that the temple is starting to collapse. Two stone pillars beside the temple exit begin to totter. Lara dives out of the way to prevent the stone pillars from crushing her. The ground is rumbling so hard that she can't stay on her feet, and she falls down.

Rolling onto her back she looks up to see the shadow of a huge piece of the stone pillar falling towards her. She quickly rolls to the side to narrowly avoid being crushed by the stone pillar.

When the ground quiets, Lara sits up to find that Tony is making his slow escape downstream. His arms folded proudly across his chest. Lara is about to make her pursuit, but stops and looks behind her to find a quad bike behind the waterfalls that Tony must have left behind.

[ilovelctr]

The River Ganges

<Finally>

Lara finds the raft that Tony was formerly piloting crushed on the rocks beneath this large water fall. There is no body in the water and no sign of Tony anywhere. Lara finds a cave behind the waterfalls, and decides that Tony must have entered the cave, so she climbs in after him.

[ilovelctr]

Caves of Kaliya

<Finally>

Lara climbs out of the dark caves. Sunlight filters down through the dense foliage. Lara checks the time. Sajit is probably long gone, and if he wasn't now, he certainly would be by the time Lara hiked back up to where she left the Jeep. "So much for my deposit," Lara sighs.
Lara steps forward into the sunlight and blinks a few times until her eyes adjust. She can hear the puttering of a motor and scans around to find its source. A boat appears rounding a turn in the river and slows down in front of her. A figure on the boat calls out to her in a hoarse voice, "Hey!", and gestures for her to hop aboard.

Lara is suspicious, but figures the ride will be better than hiking out of the jungle, so the runs across the banks and leaps gracefully aboard the boat. The man aboard the ship is Doctor Willard.

Willard casually, "I don't want to be misrepresented by that retarded researcher you just been with, er..." He gestures for a name.
"Lara," she replies.

Not waiting for her reply, Willard turns, walks to the shade of the canopy of the boat, and sits down at a table. "I'm Doctor Willard. I'd come to converse with Tony myself, but I saw you doing a rather more creditable job, I think. Indeed, I'm inspired. I'd like to offer ye other work." Willard gestures Lara to take a seat.
Lara follows him, walking past the pilot of the boat. "What? Shoot the breeze with some of your other boys?" Lara grins and sits down, "No thanks."

"Fortunately," Willard points out, "they were the only lab rats we let loose into the field. Naw, my request is for three other artifacts like this." He points to the carved artifact on Lara's hands.

"The Infada tribe only had the one artifact of this type." Lara looks down, examining it, "It's unique." "Anyway," Lara looks up suspiciously, "what would your interests in it be?"

"I'll show ye," Willard reaches out and opens his palm. Lara looks him over and then places the artifact in his hand. "It's not from India," Willard continues, as he reaches over to open a shiny case beside him. "Rather, an island near Antarctica." Willard reaches into the case and picks up a small pen-like device and opens up a small palmtop computer. "It is in fact meteorite rock," Willard continues, as he begins to scan the Infada stone with the device, "that has been fashioned and used by Polynesians who were once settled there many many years ago. See that?" Willard points excitedly to a spike in the three dimensional graph on the color screen of the computer. "That's unique. An unknown material."

"So how did it end up here?" Lara asks.

Willard, now standing answers while making grand gestures with his hands, "Formed from the planets, sculpted by Polynesians, distributed by goons. Our excavations and investigations have lead us to this." Willard points to a large book, which is also lying in foam padding within the steel case, "A sailer's diary from his voyage on Charles Darwin's expedition on the HMS Beagle."

Lara picks up the book and notices the cover. It has been inscribed, "S. Barr, HMS Beagle, Journal". She flips the book open to a book marked entry and begins to read, "August fourteenth, eighteen thirty four." As Lara reads the words, the authors voice echos in her mind. She pictures the scene described by Stephen Barr. "This voyage is getting too boring for me to continue with this journal..."

The voice of Stephen Barr rings now loud in her minds eye, "...me adventures at sea are an embarrassment. The only tales I'll 'ave to tell are hours of bird watchin', pickin' and pressin' flowers, followin' them blasphemous ideas of the guv'nah, Darwin." Stephen writes this as sea gulls fly over head. He looks out across an expanse of ocean to an icy island, "But this don't even concern me now. I jus' want food. Somethin' more than vegetable broth in me." Five men, Smythe, Henderson, Caulfield, Jonson, and Barr, climb aboard a small boat and row to the shores of the frozen island, "Today, we five 'ave made a pact. The only sampling we're gonna be doing is for meat... pure, solid, blood-rich meat." The men follow tracks that across the icy landscape. The prints look somewhat like animal tracks, but have features like that of a barefoot man.

They track the creature's prints into a icy cave. Inside, icicles dangle from the ceiling and rise up from the floor. They light lanterns to light their way. "The snow's run out," Smythe points out. "The tracks 'ave gone."

"Jus' keep goin'," Henderson tells them. "We're on its trail." They continue forward into the beautiful ice cavern. They cross a narrow bridge of ice. Stephen, lagging behind, looks down and sees the floor of the cavern is covered with stalagmites of ice. They cross over the icy bridge and arrive at a round cavern.
The men spread out to explore the cavern and Henderson calls out excitedly, "There's something here!". Henderson whistles in appreciation and pulls a artifact from the snow. The artifact is carved from a transparent teal stone, almost like glass, into the form of a lizard. The stone glowing faintly in the darkness.

Paul Caulfield finds one and exclaims, "Look, another one!" He calls to Henderson and asks, "Whaddya reckon they're worth then?" Stephen notices a splash of dark red on the back wall. He approaches and raises a lantern to find that it's a large wooden carved idol. The carving is just like a Polynesian idol with brightly colored paintings. He suddenly does a double take and notices more of the strange tracks heading off to the right to where Paul is standing.

"Too late," Paul gloats. "There's only four. None for you..." Paul tells Stephen smugly, as Paul picks up his artifact. Stephen runs to him, and sees a dark shadowy form appear on the rock ledge above Paul.

"Paul..." Stephen calls, with great fear in his voice.

"Wha?" Before Paul can say another word, a wolf-like creature lunges and fastens its jaws on Paul's neck. He instantly falls to the ground. The other men scream and run for the cave's exit. Stephen cocks his pistol and takes aim at the creature as it shakes Paul like a rag doll. Stephen fires one shot and hits the beast in
the shoulder. The wolf creature yelps and runs away.

"C'mon Stephen!" Smythe calls. Stephen sets his lantern down, picks Paul up on his shoulders and starts to carry him toward the bridge. Paul groans weakly.
The wolf creature returns and sniffs at the pool of blood Paul left behind. It licks the blood and pursues Stephen and Paul. The beast barks out after Stephen and Henderson's urgent cries join Smythes, "Stephen, leg it! Quick!"

Smythe is still urging Stephen, "Faster! C'mon!" The beast catches up with Stephen and Paul just as they arrive at the ice bridge. The added weight of the creature and the two men causes the icy bridge to break away. The huge slab of ice that Stephen is standing on drops down to the icy cavern floor below and starts sledding down the slope. The creature falls behind him and is impaled with a yelp on one of the icy stalagmites. Stephen has no choice but to ride it out, screaming and yelling. The block of ice skids its way through the icy tunnels until it smashes into a wall of ice. The impact of the ice sled blasts through the ice wall and hurls Stephen and Paul through the ice where they land on a snow bank a few metres away. Stephen, lying supine in the deep powder, rolls his head around trying to regain his bearings. Paul's motionless body lies beside him.

The four remaining men dig a grave for Paul in the snow and ice and erect a wooden cross at the head of the shallow grave. Henderson tells the other men, "Nobody better say nothing about this to the guv'ner, else we'll be back having to hunt down that creature for his samples. Paul fell down a crevasse, okay?" All the men mutter in agreement except for Stephen, who stands silent.

Smythe turns to Stephen and asks more poignantly, "Okay Stephen?" Stephen nods in resignation.
Jonson, the quiet one dressed in all black, looks down at the grave and says, "Amen."

Snapping Lara's mind back to the present, Willard interrupts, "Stephen was to be the only survivor of the four." He stands, "When he arrived back in London, he superstitiously sold off his artifact havin' seen his pals murdered or killed with theirs..." He puts away the scanning device and closes the palmtop, and continues, "one here in India, one in the South Pacific, an' one in Nevada. The places where I'd like ye to go."

Lara slaps the journal shut, looks up and grins her sly grin, and says, "Sounds good to me."

[ilovelctr]

Nevada Desert

<Start>

Lara Croft is sitting alone in first class of a Boeing 757 bound for Henderson, Nevada.

Lara had just visited Las Vegas within the past year, but had she flown back into Las Vegas this trip, she wouldn't be afforded the privacy she is currently enjoying. She is clearly disturbed and it can be heard in her voice as she talks into the skyphone.

Lara is on the skyphone with Dr. Willard. Willard seems to have a knack for melodrama. He insisted to brief Lara only when she is en route to Nevada. "...What do you mean, that's all you know?" Lara asks, raising her voice into the phone.

"It's like I told ye," Willard replies.

"No, tell me the whole story. This time from the beginning," Lara demands.

Willard complies, "Barr's journal records that Jonson's untimely demise takes place shortly after Caulfield's death while the HMS Beagle was still anchored at Tierra Del Fuego. The men were collecting samples in the Patagonia region of Chile when they were ambushed by some Tehuelches tribesmen. The Tehuelches killed Jonson and dragged his body away into the mountains. It was particularly unusual since the Tehuelches tribe had been formerly known as being quite a peaceful people. Anyhow, they found what was left of Jonson's body, but the artifact was gone."

"So how was the artifact located?" Lara asks.

"Well, that's where this story gets interesting," Willard continues. "The artifact was basically lost until the 1970's. You know that from 1932 through 1973 Chile was an electoral democracy." Willard pauses to listen of Lara is still paying attention.

Lara grunts, "Yes I know this. Get on with the history lesson."

Willard continues, "The people of Chile elected Salvador Allende as president in 1970. Allende was now the first and only Marxist in the Western Hemisphere. Soon, the Chileans could not tolerate Allende's rule, while simultaneously the United States was concerned by the encroachment of Marxism into the western hemisphere. At the command of US President, Richard Nixon, CIA agents were sent into Chile to promote a coup d'etat in Chile, in an operation that was code-named 'FUBELT'. In September of 1973, with military support provided by the US Department of Defense, the Chilean military junta overthrew the Chilean government and Augusto Pinochet was placed into power, ousting Allende."

Just as Lara is wondering about the point of this history lesson, Willard makes the connection, "Declassified documents state that the US involvement was to crush Marxism in the West, but my sources tell me long before Allende was elected into power, US CIA agents discovered that the Chilean government was in the possession of a rare element of unknown origins which had military applications. Apparently Chilean anthropologists that were studying the Tehuelches people found the artifact and brought it to the attention of their government. While the country was busy recovering from a revolution, FBI and CIA agents in Chile appropriated the artifact and any technology that the Chilean government may have developed."

"You're telling me that a bloody military coup that turned South America's oldest democracy into a seventeen year martial rule was to conceal the extraction of this artifact?"

"Declassified documents indicates involvement of the US National Security Council, the Department of Defense, and the FBI as well as the Department of State in the coup," Willard mentions. "I canna say for certain, but there certainly a possibility that this fact was hidden from the public."
Lara asks in amazement. "So how did you trace it to Nevada?"

"Well," Willard pauses, "When I started to investigate the whereabouts of the artifact, I found a reference to it in a journal article that the Chilean anthropologists published. I could not get any information about the artifact until just recently when I located a source in the United States, who calls himself the
'Desert Rat'..."

"Desert... Rat?" Lara asks skeptically.

Willard clears his throat, "He tells me that the US government transferred the artifact directly to a research facility in Nevada. That's where it is now."

"So do you think they would give it to me if I asked nicely?" Lara shoots to Willard sarcastically. A flight attendant wanders by and asks if Lara would like glass of wine. Lara politely refuses, and continues into the phone, "Give me a good reason to infiltrate a high security U.S. military installation to get you your precious artifact."

Willard's tone gets deadly serious, "Look here, what that artifact did to Tony is just the tip of the iceberg. We haven't begun to realize the full potential of this unknown substance. The Chilean government knew it had military significance. The US government knows it as well. What I'm trying to say is this: if someone manages to find a way to develop a weapon using this substance, the results might well make Hiroshima and Nagasaki look like a picnic! I'm not willing to take that chance, are you?"

Lara is silent as she weighs her options. She is familiar with accounts of the sudden onset of aberrant behavior in the Tehuelches people that lasted several generations. Lara's intuition tells her there's some truth to Willard's words. After thinking it over, Lara finally sighs, "I'll try..."

Willard sighs back, "Don't try. Find it. I've given your description to my informant. He will meet you at the airport." Willard hangs up.

Lara is more troubled now than ever, but she is still determined. There's definitely more to these artifacts than mere scientific curiosity. A voice over the plane's intercom announces that the passengers and flight attendants should prepare for arrival.

Lara disembarks the plane and steps down the jetway to the terminal. The waiting area is fairly deserted. Lara looks around as a thin seedy-looking man with long tangled blonde hair and a goatee walks up to Lara.

"And you would be?" Lara asks.

"Desert Rat," the man whispers.

"Of course," Lara says, under her breath. "I suppose I'm to go with you?" She asks him.

"My car is parked in the garage," he tells him and starts to walk away.

Lara follows him past security, down to baggage claim, "Just a moment," Lara tells him. They walk past the baggage carousels to a baggage claim counter. Lara hands the attendant a claim ticket. The man asks to see some identification, and Lara shows him her passport. He turns and walks into a back room and emerges with a medium sized plain cardboard box. He pushes a release form across the counter to Lara. She examines it, writes her initials at various places, and finally signs the bottom. He takes the form back and hands Lara the package. Lara smiles and says, "Thanks."

They proceed out of the baggage claim area to the parking garage to where Desert Rat has parked his car. Lara looks at the old Ford Pinto. Its original color was probably beige, but now it's covered with large patches of primer grey and one of the front fenders has apparently been replaced from a junk yard and is a forest green. Lara looks at the car, then at the man, then back at the car, and back at the man and asks him, "This is just a little too stereotypical, isn't it?"

He stares blankly at her and answers, "I don't know what you mean". He climbs into the drivers seat and pulls up the lock on the passenger side. Lara opens the door for herself and climbs into the car. The vinyl seats are torn and have been repaired with grey duct tape. She looks into the back seat to find a towel tossed over a pile of what appears to be junk. Beneath the towel she can see a tangle of wires and various surveillance equipment. The Rat starts the Pinto. The engine rattles so hard Lara thought the car would shake apart. They exit the garage and stop at the toll booth just outside of the parking structure.

The Rat hands a ticket to the man in the toll booth. A LED screen outside of the car flashes four dollars. Desert Rat turns and stares blankly Lara once again. Lara rolls her eyes and reaches into her pocket and produces a five dollar bill and hands it to the Rat, who in turn hands it to attendant. The dollar change is returned to the Rat who begins to hand it to Lara. Lara shakes her head and says, "Keep it. It looks like you could use it." The Rat shrugs and pockets the dollar, and they head off onto the highway.

"Where are we going?" Lara asks.

"There's a canyon south of Nellis Air Force Base. I'll drop you off there," the Rat tells Lara. "There is a hydroelectric dam there that supplies part of the base's power. Nearby is an outpost. Nellis is a big base, so if you need some wheels to get around, you can probably boost something there. Just watch out, I hear that they've been doing some blasting in the canyon. Don't worry about the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighters that you might spot doing fly-bys. They're always conducting some routine training exercises. They're used to spotting teenagers sneaking around the base anyways."
"Where am I supposed to go once I get inside?"

"Sorry babe, you're on your own there," the Rat tells her. "But let me tell you this: the guys that work on the dam and at the outpost; they're not what they seem."

"What does that mean?" Lara asks.

"Well, they're not in uniform, but they're definitely involved. I think they're 'Majestic'," the Rat says.

Lara is perplexed, "What? Sharp dressers?"

"Hardly! Sheesh!" The Rat exclaims. "Where'd Willard dig you up? You ain't got a clue, do you?" Lara glares at him. "Look, just watch yourself, okay? Those guys will beat the tar out of you first and if you're still alive, ask questions later." They continue to drive as Lara soaks it all in.
After several minutes of silence, Lara asks, "What's 'Majestic'?"

"If you don't already know, then you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. The truth would only leave you without answers," the Rat answers. Lara decides that this cat and mouse game isn't worth playing. The remainder of the drive is silent.

The Pinto turns off of the main highway and travels down a dirt road for several miles. Rat turns off near a canyon. Lara climbs out of the Pinto. She tears open the cardboard box and removes the top layer of packing material. Within are her weapons, carefully packed in molded blue foam. She straps on each weapon, turns and slides down into the canyon.




<Finally>

Lara reaches the perimeter of the high security compound of the Nellis Air Force Base. The gates are locked tight and the high electrified fence is topped with razor-wire. Signs in front of the gates prohibit photography and trespassing.

Lara's come all this way and isn't about to be stopped by some high fences. She begins to scans her surroundings. A rock formation just outside of the fence looks like it can be used as a ramp to jump over the fence. One never knows if something's possible unless one tries, and Lara's always one to try. Lara revs up the quad bike and accelerates it toward the slope and the bike is launched into the air.

Lara experiences a moment of exhilaration as she clears the razorwire, but the feeling is short-lived as a deep sinking feeling immediately sets in. The bike doesn't have enough forward momentum to clear the bent upper fence. Before Lara can jump off the bike, the back tires hit the upper part of the fence. The fence is amazingly rigid and the quad bike bounces off of it like a toy, throwing Lara forward. Lara and the bike take a few tumbles down a rocky ledge and then she and the bike careen over the ledge. Lara screams as she falls down to the stream below.

Lara lands hard on the far bank of the stream, knocking the wind out of her, and the quad bike crashes down beside her. Fighting to stay conscious, Lara's world begins to fill with bright white spots, and then everything fades out.

Two military police walk over to investigate the perimeter breach. One walks over and stabs at the ground next to Lara with his baton to see if the intruder is conscious. "You crazy geek freak," the first MP addresses the unconscious Lara. "What kind of stunt was that to pull?" He turns to the other MP, and tells him, "Let's take her in."

The other guard looks her over and says, "She don't look much like one of them. Maybe she's a eco-terrorist or somethin'." They lift Lara up onto their shoulders.
Stunned by the other guard's inane comment, the first guard points his nose down at Lara and says, "And they wear hot pants, huh?" The two guards walk along the shallow stream and carry Lara between the two of them into a tunnel leading down to a secret underground compound.

[ilovelctr]

High Security Compound

<Start>

Lara regains consciousness while still being supported between the two guards.

She continues to hang limply between them and keeps her eyes closed. The guards stop at a security booth, and they look up into a security camera.
Elsewhere, a man in his early fifties dressed in a wrinkled grey suit looks down at the security monitor, and presses down the intercom button, "What do we have here?"

One of the MP's replies, "She's our perimeter breach, sir."

Lara can hear the man's low hoarse voice over the intercom, "Who is she?"

"We don't know," the MP replies to the camera. "What do you want me to report to my C.O.?"

The voice decides on a course of action, "Nothing. Toss her into the stockades with the others and interrogate her when she comes to. Find out who she is, what she's doing here, and what she knows, if anything." The voice becomes sinister, "I know how persuasive you can be if you set your mind to it."

"Yes sir," the MP acknowledges. He looks down at Lara and asks, "What should I do after we're done with her?"

Without pause the voice answers, "Dispose of her. We're at a critical point in this operation. Too crucial for loose ends like this."

"Sir?" The MP starts to question.

"This is the desert," The man tells the MP. "Ill-prepared backpackers have accidents all the time. Deal with it." There is a tone of finality, so the MP dares not say more. Lara hears it all and her instinct is to panic, but she swallows it down. She can hear her heart pounding in her ears, but she waits patiently and continues to hang limply between the shoulders of the two MPs. The MP swipes a keycard in the slot and they carry her into the compound.

Elsewhere, the older man in the wrinkled grey suit watches the MPs carry the mysterious woman into the compound on the security monitor. He takes a long drag of his cigarette and blows a stream of smoke from his lips as he leans back in his chair and frowns.

Lara is thrown into a cell. She snaps up, but before she can get to her feet, the cell door slams shut with a decisive clink.


<Finally>

Lara steps into the supply truck. She looks around the truck to examine contents. The crates in the truck bear similar markings to those in the loading dock and in the storage area below. They all boldly bear the mark "MJ-12" in red.

Lara hears the arrival of some personnel and ducks behind a small crate as two men close the door of the truck. One of the men climbs into the truck and starts the engine.

Lara finds that the crate she is hiding behind contains sodas. Lara hears one of the men tell the other, "All righty!"

The other man answers, "Okay, see ya." Lara pulls one of the sodas out of the crate, pops open the tab, and takes a sip. The truck begins to lumber away, causing Lara to briefly lose her balance. She stabilizes herself on the crate. When the truck gets underway, she sits down on top of the crate and lets her guard down for a while to enjoy the rest of the soda.

[ilovelctr]

Area 51

<Start>

A phone call is placed from within the high security compound.

The man in the wrinkled grey suit picks up the phone and answers, "Yes?"

The voice on other end of the line speaks, "The unidentified woman's escaped and released most of the prisoners. She's armed and has taken out a few of our men. We're attempting to contain the situation. We believe she's en route to 'the ranch'."

The man takes a puff of his cigarette and says, "No matter. Alert our men at 'the ranch'. Make sure you dispose of the bodies. I don't want any questions. Did you question her?"

There is a hesitation, "No."

"Then we cannot take any chances. She must be silenced." He drops the receiver into the cradle and puffs on his cigarette.


<Finally>

Lara looks around the control room of what appears to be a space craft.

Amazingly, the inside of the craft is larger than the outside. The walls are composed of an unknown material and Lara can see humanoid forms behind some of the transparent walls.

In the center of the control room is one of these strange artifacts. The artifact is spinning in midair. Lara reaches out and grabs the artifact from its place and suddenly the alien space craft becomes dark. It is as if the artifact was the power source for the craft.

Lara quickly exits the craft, taking one last look at the craft before heading out. She does her best to avoid being detected as she makes her way out of the facilities. She clears the main building but hesitates before trying to make her way across the dry lake bed towards the surrounding mountains. Although it is already evening, the dry lake bed provides very little cover for her movements before sunset.

Lara decides that she is unable to make her escape under the current conditions, so she turns back and finds a storage container. She climbs inside and hides in the darkness to wait for night fall. Lara is exhausted, and without realizing it, she falls asleep and wakes up several hours later when it is pitch black.
Lara begins making her way from building to building. She knows that the snipers inside have night vision gear. She rounds the corner of a building and sees the headlights of several automobiles driving up the main road toward the facilities. Lara quickly scampers back around the corner to avoid being seen. She turns and starts to run along the building to the back side.

When she rounds the next corner, she slams into a tall bulky man. Both Lara and the man are startled and both let out an "Oof" when they collide. The man drops his flashlight, but immediately locks his arms around Lara's waist, locking her arms to her side. She begins to squirm and kick to break his hold.
Beside him is a woman, well dressed in a business suit with medium length red hair, also carrying a flashlight. The woman shines the light on Lara and she can see the man. He is tall with short dark hair and he is wearing a dark trench-coat.

"Easy!" the man tells her. Lara stops struggling and takes a second look at the man.

"I... I recognize you," Lara tells him. She looks the man over and imagines him, dirty, unshaven, and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Lara finally places him, "You're one of the prisoners I let out the other day..."

"No time..." the man tells her. They both reach into their jackets and produce FBI badges. "Come with us," the man says, and he and the woman walk back along the building toward the main building Lara managed to escape from only hours earlier. Lara is a little flustered, but goes with her instincts and follows after the two.

The cars have arrived at the front of the main building and military officers step out of the AM General Hummer at the lead, while more men wearing dark suits step out of the dark sedans behind the Hummer. They are all being escorted by a man in military uniform. By all the little metal stars and bars on the military man's uniform, she can only assume that he must be a general. The officer produces a security card key from his pocket and slides it through electronic card reader, and the main doors slide open.

All the men step inside. The tall FBI agent has a look of determination on his face and storms ahead of the group. The general is doing his best to keep in stride with the agent. Lara can hear the general arguing with the agent, "I assure you there are no such projects in existence."
The FBI agent, while facing forward, asks the general, "Do you deny that these facilities are borrowing extra-terrestrial technology to develop top-secret air craft and weapons?"

The general replies angrily, "I most certainly deny it!"

The FBI agent makes his next accusation, "What about the NRL satellite tracking indicating that a large rocket that was launched from this facility and then promptly crashed down in the Nellis Gunnery Range?"

The general is ready with an explanation, "We were simply testing some of our long range rockets. One misfired and the fail-safe guidance systems made the rocket ditch in the gunnery range."

The FBI agent pauses to look skeptically at the general and the agent continues his charge forward until the group arrives at the hanger where Lara found the space craft. When they step into the bay Lara gasps. The FBI agent whispers, "Impossible."

The bay looks completely different. Instead of a single huge tall room with an opening overhead, the room is now much shorter. The entire bay is now a multilevel warehouse with a closed ceiling. The hallway that formerly lead to the medical bay is now blocked by a solid wall. There isn't any evidence of the strange craft. The FBI agent and the general begin to argue.

Military men begin to approach Lara and take her by the arms. The redheaded female FBI agent walks over and tells the MP's that the woman is under her jurisdiction. The MP's aren't sure what to do without input from commanding officers, so they release Lara. The FBI agent escorts Lara out of the building while the other agents and military men argue.

As Lara is escorted out of the building and driven off the base, somewhere the older man in the wrinkled grey suit is watching the whole farce played out on a security monitor. His pursed lips are almost smiling. The MP that is standing next to him who is also watching the monitor turns and asks the older man, "Do you want me to go after her?"

The older man, not taking his eyes off the monitor, replies, "No. Let her go. Killing her will not advance our objectives but only present us with a messy situation that will not be easily covered up with a simple obituary. Our objectives have been accomplished precisely as planned." The MP still doesn't understand, and shakes his head. The old man lights a cigarette and says, "The object is immaterial to us now. It has served its purpose and so has this woman. She holds nothing with which to confirm the truth, much less know its exact nature, and so cannot levy any accusations. The only policy is to preserve the silence, and that is precisely what our version of the events does. Time is precious, and we can waste little to complete this assignment without further incident. Remember, rumors cannot hurt the consortium." He takes a long drag from his cigarette as the MP merely nods and walks out of the room.

The woman FBI agent drives Lara off the air force base and directly to the Las Vegas airport. As they drive away, the car stereo is tuned to a local NPR radio station which is currently reading the headline news, "...reporting from member station, KUNV, Las Vegas. Tragedy struck today at the gunnery range at Nellis Air Force Base. A long range rocket misfired during routine servicing and the rocket's on-board fail-safe mechanisms caused the rocket to crash into the Nellis gunnery range. Forty three servicemen and ten civilians were killed in the unfortunate accident. Air Force spokesmen..."

The FBI agent reaches forward and turns off the radio. There is silence during the remainder of the ride as Lara attempts to make sense of this these events. When the car finally pulls up at the airport passenger drop off, Lara asks the agent, "Why are you helping me?"

The woman, looking tired, turns to her and says, "Whatever your motives were, your efforts have jeopardized an orchestrated hoax. You can choose to believe in unexplained phenomena, but only the truth will result in justice. Without it, all that the future will hold for us will be lies and fear. I don't presume what is true or what is an elaborate fabrication, but you have helped move us closer to that truth and when my conscience collaborates orders, I follow them." Lara gets out of the car and closes the door. The car rolls away and Lara is left standing on the curb.

[ilovelctr]

Coastal Village

<Start>

Lara Croft finally arrives at the airport in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea .

It's been a long flight, and she is feeling edgy from the sense of lost time. She quickly exits the airport and hails a cab. The taxi driver offers to help with her bags, but she insists on carrying them herself. She tells him to take her to the Ela Beach Hotel. The tickets and hotel reservations were already arranged by Willard. All she knows is that he would contact her with further instructions once she has arrived and checked in.

Lara checks into a garden view room in the Ela Beach Hotel that has been reserved in her name. She pulls open the curtain and looks over the beautiful hotel grounds. She's still on edge, so she makes a call to room service to have a light meal brought up. Within twenty minutes, someone arrives with her tray of food. He sets the tray on a table, and Lara drops a few kinas into the boy's open palm. The boy smiles and leaves. Lara lifts the cover off of the plate and looks over the meal. The dinner consists of goat meat with a side of potatoes and bananas and various local vegetables wrapped in banana leaves and boiled in coconut milk. Lara regrets for a moment, that she didn't simply order the pork, but she is relieved, after taking the first bite of the goat, to find that it's all quite palatable. After enjoying her meal, she lies back on the huge bed and waits...

Time passes. Perhaps minutes. Perhaps hours. Lara just lies there staring at the ceiling... waiting... Finally the phone rings. Lara snaps up and grabs the receiver, "Yes?"

"I trust the accommodations suit you?" Willard asks.

"They're just fine," Lara replies. Getting down to business, she asks Willard, "So where is this island specifically?"

"It's about a hundred miles north west of New Guinea," Willard tells her, "It's a small island. Some locals who know it call it Kuru, but it's unincorporated so you won't find any island by that name on any tourist map. The island is located at one hundred fifty-one degrees zero minutes ten seconds west longitude and eight degrees thirty minutes five seconds west latitude. I believe you'll have to get there by boat. Can you arrange some sort of transportation and get a hold of a navigational chart?"

"I'll make do," Lara answers. "Is there anything else I need to know about Kuru? I don't like surprises."

Willard replies, "Barr's journal only states that Smythe was lost there. Aside from the fact that I hear that there are still practicing cannibals on the island, I don't know much more."

"Lovely," Lara mutters. "Thanks, I'll contact you when I return." She sets the receiver into the cradle. She pauses and then dials for the hotel operator. "Hello?" Lara asks, "Could you recommend an airline that charters small planes?" Lara pauses, "Yes, any reputable one will do. Thank you."

Lara waits for an answer on the line. After a moment a young woman's voice comes onto the line, "Hello, Air Niugini."

Lara answers, "Hello, do you have any charter planes?"

"Yes, but only a few," the woman replies, "Where do you need to go?"

"One of the islands north west of here," Lara answers. "I need to hire a small plane for just one passenger."

"Of course," the woman answers. "When do you need to fly?"

"Could I get someone to fly me out tomorrow morning?" Lara asks.

"Yes, Lenny is available tomorrow morning to fly you," The woman answers. "Your name?"

"Croft. Lara Croft," Lara replies.

"How will you be paying for this?" The woman asks.

"Cash," Lara answers.

The woman answers, "That will be just fine. Lenny will meet you at the airfield tomorrow morning at six."

"Thank you," Lara answers.

Lara gets a troubled night's sleep. It's always hard for her to sleep soundly the night before she travels. In the morning, she dresses appropriately for the warm and humid conditions and carries her gear down the elevators and steps into the lobby of the hotel. A doorman opens the hotel's front doors for her, and she steps outside. She hails a taxi to take her back to the airport.

Lara arrives at the airfield, and a dark-skinned man is walking around a Cessna 150 with a clipboard in his hands. The man smiles and introduces himself, "Hi, I'm Lenny. Ms. Croft, I presume?" Lara smiles back, and gives him a nod. Pleasantly, he announces, "Step aboard."

They load Lara's gear into the Cessna. It's an old plane from the 1960's, and it's showing its age. The little two seater is particularly cramped, because it looks like Lenny has made some slight modifications the plane to allow for additional fuel. Lenny looks over and asks, "Okay, where to?"

Lara smiles and asks, "They don't bother with flight plans here do they?"

Lenny answers, "C'mon, this is a small island, and this is a small plane. I told them we're going north west about a hundred miles. You tell me where."

Lara pulls out a navigation map, and points to a tiny nameless dot on the map and says, "Here."

Lenny begins to protest, "Lady, are you nuts? What are you looking to see there? Don't you know the people down there are going to eat you for dinner?"
"Look Lenny, I thought your job was just to fly me there, and that's what I'm paying you for, not to ask questions." Lara gently says and smiles.

Lenny takes the navigational chart, looks it over and mumbles to himself, "she thinks she's a National Geographic photographer or something...." The old plane taxis out to the runway and Lenny applies the throttle and the little plane's engine sputters and pops as it accelerates down the runway. It's not the most graceful take off, but it lifts off the runway and he turns the plane northward.

When the plane reaches the island of Kuru, Lenny flies the plane over the southern shore of the island once to look for somewhere to land. However, the island is covered with dense vegetation. He informs Lara of the situation, "Sorry, there's nowhere for me to land. We've already made two passes over the island. If we keep this up, we won't have enough fuel to get back."

Lara looks over the island and points to a lagoon on the southern end of the island, "Can you slow down and fly the plane in low down there?"

"Sure," Lenny tells her, and begins to dip the plane low toward the lagoon. Suddenly, he ponders the purpose of this little maneuver and asks, "What are you thinking?"

"Get in low, and I'll hop out," Lara tells him while stowing away her gear and strapping on her backpack.

"Wha?" Before Lenny has enough time to argue with Lara, she's already got the passenger door open. Stuff is blowing all about in the cockpit. Lenny starts to scream, "Are ya out of your mind?"

Lenny wants to pull up, but Lara is already mostly outside. The plane is in low and just passing the edge of the lagoon. Lenny is about to pull up when Lara pushes off, clear of the plane, and manages to twist her body to dive safely into the waters of the lagoon. Lenny circles the plane back around once more to see if Lara's all right. Lara surfaces in the waters below and raises her arm to give him a thumbs up. He waves back, but without any means to land and his fuel running low, he turns the plane back to Port Moresby.


<Finally>

Lara steps into the main end room of the tree house and finds a man in is forties dressed in army fatigues lying on a thatch bed in the corner. He's holding a cigar in one hand and a rolled up paper in the other. A constant droning of flies can be heard in the room. The man is intermittently swatting insects with the rolled up paper.

"Not interrupting am I?" Lara asks.

The soldier, who is a commander in the Australian Army, looks Lara over and answers with a distinct Australian accent, "Not bleedin' are yer? Not about to use this place as a dunny?"

Lara answers the Australian commander, "No and no."

He lowers his guard and says, "Good. Good. Just don't want any fly-carrying visitors in here." He thumps on his bandaged left leg, which is missing below the knee.

Lara nods sympathetically, "Right, I understand. What happened?"

The soldier replies, "Woke up in the jungle with one of those little blokes snacking on my leg, didn't I?"

Lara is surprised by his answer, "A tribesman? It isn't usual for them to eat right off the bone like that."

The soldier continues, "Well, it was dark an' I never got the bugger, so I can't be sure." His voice as well as his countenance darkens, "Somethin spooky is in that jungle." The soldier stops and watches as a fly circles his head. He watches it and readies the paper as he continues, "Our air-carrier crashed up in the mountains. Every night some of my men would vanish without a trace, others fled in fear, then this happened." The commander points to his leg, "So I brought the men down to shore for safety only for us all to be captured by this greedy mob. Some sort of sacrifice to their god who lives up in the hills." The fly lands on the commander's bed, and he swats it with the paper. "Though it seems I've not been invited to the barbie."

Lara looks him over and tells him sarcastically, "Maybe you're the dessert. Ripe flesh can be a bit of a delicacy around here."

The commander isn't cheered up by her humor, "For real?"

Lara walks over to the window and looks out over the swamp. She hears the sound of drums and natives and her voice becomes urgent, "Listen, we'd better get you out of here. Do you know how the tribe cross the swamp down there? Which stones they tread on?"

The commander's voice grows weary and grave, "Yeah, but I'm stayin' put. With this wound, I'd be like a fill-up station to ever diseased bug in the bush." He hands her a map and manages a weak grin, "I'd rather be the main course at the real feast." He lies back and rolls over, "Hey, If y'see any of my men alive in there, direct them to the north shore will yer? Away from here."

Lara assures him, "Of course." The commander lies back, rolls over and falls alseep.

[ilovelctr]

Crash Site

<Finally>

    Lara enters a large stone temple and walks down the corridor into a quiet stone room illuminated by torches. Lara scans the room to find an altar flanked by two large statues. Behind the altar is a large Polynesian style painting with smaller paintings encircling it. Suddenly Lara hears the sound of a loud slap of flesh on flesh and a guttural chanting. She swings around to locate the source of the voice. The voice belongs to a dark tribesman in the corner of the prayer room. He is doing some kind of ritual dance and chanting, "Hoombada. Hoombada." The tribesman is slapping his thighs and beating his chest. When he sees Lara, he looks her over and smacking his lips he tells her8, "Is well fa you me fasting dis day. You make plenty good flesh-pot."
Lara sizes him up and decides to call his threat, "You forget. I might be quite hungry myself. Famished actually."
The tribesman grunts with contempt, "Uah!"

Lara looks back over the paintings, points to a drawing of men fleeing by canoe and asks, "Why did your ancestors flee from Antarctica so suddenly?"

The warrior remains crouched in the corner with his hands on his thighs and replies, "Koma-Koma, bad place. Plenty flesh, but fa da price of evil. Mutilation! Da sixth leader, Mauki wa born widout face. Terrible storms. Men afraid. Ran! Set curse of Mauki on da land. No one go there now."

Lara examines the central painting, which is a fiery meteorite with four artifacts below it. Lara asks the warrior, "You still worship it?"

The warrior grins and replies, "White fella later com here wit magic Koma-Koma stone. Inna day we celebrate da death of heem. Da feast of Smythe."

Lara recognizes the name, "One of Darwin's sailors. Poor fool." Lara turns to the warrior to ask, "Where is the stone now?"

The warrior is now just squatting in the corner, chanting and rocking on the balls of his feet. Lara decides that she's not getting any more answers from him, so she turns and walks away. He finally look sup and warns her, "He lucky fella dat keel you. A plenty Mary like you."

Lara is unphased and answers to the warrior, "I'll be sure to point that out to him." She turns and exits through another corridor leading out the right of the prayer room.

[ilovelctr]

Temple of Puna

<Finally>

When Lara emerges from the temple, it is dark, and she makes her way north. She pushes through the dense vegetation and suddenly finds herself on a beach. She glances up and down the coast and spots a campfire further up the beach. She heads towards the fire.

Lara reaches the camp site and finds the remaining Australian soldiers have heeded her instructions and have made their way to the north shore. One of the soldiers stands up as Lara approaches and says, "G'day love. Been wonderin' when you'd show up. You never gave us a chance ta thank you for retrievin' Bishop an' Tuckerman's keys, ay."

"Glad to help," Lara replies.

"The commander didn't make it though. He'd carked it before we got back to 'im in the treehouse," the soldier tells her solemnly.

"So what's the plan?" Lara asks.

"We've already radioed our position. Just waitin' for the Adelaide to pick us up," the soldier tells her. He smiles slyly at her and asks, "Will ya be needin' a ride out?"

"Only if it's no bother," Lara replies.

"Well, fine, it'll be a few hours. You're welcome to join us for the barbie. We bagged us one o' them big lizards. Would wash down better if we had a little tinny, but they tastes like chook."

"You're not serious?" Lara asks.

"Fair dinkum," the soldier replies. Lara shakes her head politely and sits beside the fire. Within hours, S70B Seahawk helicopter from the HMAS Adelaide arrives to extricate the soldiers from the island. Lara catches a ride on the frigate to Brisbane, Australia.

[ilovelctr]

Thames Wharf

<Start>

Back in England, Lara steps into a small pub in the waterfront district of London. The pub is practically empty. English weather is already a tad grey during tourist season, but this time of year is downright gloomy. Beside the barkeep, there's only one other person in the pub. The man sitting alone in the corner nursing an Irish red is none other than Dr. Willard.

Willard looks up as Lara approaches, "Ah Lara! Would ye be ready to retrieve the next item on our shopping list?"

"Certainly," Lara answers. "Care to tell me where to look?"

"It'd be my pleasure," Willard answers. "As the only sailor that made it back alive to England, Stephen Barr sold his artifact to the Royal Society. In fact, until the turn of the century, the artifact was on display at the British Natural History Museum in the Egyptian gallery as the 'Eye of Isis', although Barr never told the museum where the artifact actually came from. Suddenly, it was withdrawn from the public gallery. That took place almost immediately after the museum received an extremely large contribution in 1907 from the Leigh Corporation."

"You mean, as in Leigh Cosmetics Corporation?" Lara asks.

"Yes," Willard answers. "Most analysts believe that the Leigh Corporation secretly and illegally purchased the artifact from the museum. In fact, the Leigh Corp paid enough to buy the whole bloody museum." Willard continues, "For the sum that the Leigh Corporation paid for the artifact, I don't think they'll be all too willing to part with it. Besides that, insiders say that Leigh Corp has been involved in some questionable and shady business practices. My concern is that they've found some way to exploit the powers of the artifact. I recommend that you surreptitiously make your way into their corporate headquarters in the City business district via the Roman tunnels underneath old London."

"And you happen to know how I can get into the tunnels?" Lara asks.

"Actually, I do. Public works is digging up the old Aldwych Underground2 Station which is at the end of the Picadilly line. It's practically deserted since it was shut down in 1994. You can get into the station from the wharf."

"Anything else I should know?" Lara asks.

"Although it's not publically known, the Leigh Corporation has significant influence in the City. I hear that they keep their security well-armed," Willard tells her.
Lara is suprised. She counters, "No one but the police can carry around weapons in London, let alone open fire without the SAS or SO19 breathing down your neck within minutes3."

"It's likely that Leigh Corp has also bought itself a pocket full of the local police. Don't trust anyone. Shoot first and ask questions later," Willard replies.
Lara sighs, "You don't happen to be joking?"

"Sorry. Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Willard replies gaily and stands. "Anyways, I'm off to our research site in Antarctica. The company I work for, RX Tech, has got me busy down there with an excavation, and I also have a few experiments that I need to check on. I leave this afternoon. I'll contact you again once you've retrieved the artifact". He leaves the pub. Lara is starting to find his warped sense of humor quite annoying.

<Finally>

When Lara lands on the roof, a mercenary will pepper the roof from in front of a bell tower. Lara dodges the bullets and returns fire. The mercenary retreats into the bell tower. Lara flips onto the sloped roof and slides down to the bell tower. The bell in the bell tower begins to ring and the mercenary is distracted. Lara takes advantage of the distraction and suddenly slides out in front of the mercenary's location and fires her pistols, hitting the mercenary in the arm. He yelps in pain.

He drops his weapon and the two square off. Lara gestures for him to step forward with her pistol. He eyes his fallen gun as the bell begins to ring. The mercenary reaches down to reclaim his weapon and Lara plants a kick in the mercenary's gut. He grabs her leg as he teeters backwards as he tries to subdue her. Lara pistol whips the brute on the back of his head, but he remains standing. He attempts to regain control of the situation by flipping Lara onto her leg by twisting her leg. He drops her to the ground and then jumps on top of her. Lara calmly raises her pistol under his chin.

Lara asks the man, "Who're you working for?" The bell gongs.

"What?" the man asks back.

Lara isn't interested in getting into any cat and mouse games with the man and tells him, "You heard me."

"Wha?" The thug is confused, "Honest! I didn't!" He pleads as the bell continues to ring. He asks again "What did you say?"

Lara speaks more clearly and this time she wraps her arms around the man's head putting him in a choke hold to make sure he knows she means business. "I said, 'Who employs you?'"

He screams in pain but finally coughs up an answer, "Miss Sophia Leigh."

Lara flips him off of her, and asks, "Who's she? What does she do?" She leans against a wall and aims her pistols at him.

He answers, "I dunno know." Lara looks skeptical and stares at him. He continues, "Really! I don't! I just shoot people for her."

Lara is amused by his frankness, "A commendable work ethic, I guess."

He shrugs, "Yeah, I put me hours into it. As me father did and his father did before."

Lara is in disbelief and asks, "Just how old is this Miss Leigh?"

He shrugs again, 'I dunno. Late twenties. Early thirties"

Lara is convinced that he's pulling her leg and says, "Right."

"Yeah." He quickly reaches down and recovers his gun. Smugly, he raises his gun and continues, "For some people, like yourself, we get a special bonus."

"I'm flattered," Lara calmly tells the mercenary.

He starts to back away from her, and continues to tell Lara, "I mean, I could even be retired from you." He continues to step backwards with pride.

Lara is watching where he's headed and tells him, "Then you might like to mind..." She pauses as the mercenary steps too far back before finishing her sentence. "...the bell. The bell swings forward and plows into the would-be assassin. He is launched into the air screaming.

Lara watches him sail out of the bell tower and flung out onto the roof outside. She tells him, "Happy retirement." She waits for the bell to swing clear and then she slides down into the bell tower.

[ilovelctr]

Aldwych

<Finally>

Lara falls down the shaft screaming and hits the floor below with a hard thud.

She begins to rise, but a gang member walks over and grabs her by the arm. She yelps in pain as she's still trying to recover from long fall. He shoves her forward, forcing her to kneel before the leader of "the Damned".

A hooded and masked man is sitting what appears to be the back seat of half of an automobile, which poses as his throne, and is wielding some sort of trident. He looks her over and asks, "So, you must be after Miss Leigh then?"

Lara replies curtly, "Business, not pleasure."

The gang leader, sporting a Geordie accent, points out, "Though obviously not for revenge, mon. You hardly got the face for that."

Lara, perplexed by the statement, asks, "And you have?"

The leader hufs, "Hrumf!" He spits, "How moronic a question is that, eh?" He slams the trident on the concrete floor and continues, "I don even have a face, mon!" He slams his trident on the ground once again before continuing, "Came down heah looking for work, and what do I get, eh? Miss Leigh's cosmetic company and her lab assistant job." Bitterly, "No experience necessary. Good wage. Accomodation wid it. Aye, locked in a floation tank for days on end in some fetid syrup. And when we come out -cos lots of it was applied, like- no face, or flesh, mon! And a bootin' down the waste disposal chute heah. Presumed dead!"
Lara is trying to put the pieces together, and asks, "Some kind of failed experiment then?"

The leader is pleased that Lara is catching on, "Oh, Tah! Very much! But, aye, and for added insult, when I tried to take me own life, Ah found dat it jus didn't work."

Lara is shocked, "You mean Sophia's testing some kind of imortality power?" Spitefully under her breath she adds, "Along with her own brand of face-lift."
The leader is starting to get excited, "Oy aye, Mon! Everlasting beauty. She's obviously not fully worked it out yet. She takes the best results for herself. See, I don care what your business is wit her is. You can't be any more shiftless than she is. So I'm goin to go out o' me way ta help you. That is, after you done somethin' for us here like."

Lara is suspicious, "Very generous of you. What do you want?"

The leader voice becomes flippant, "A bottle of that mummy preservation stuff. From the natural history museum."

Lara inquires, "Embalming fluid?"

"Aye," the leader answers. He continues to explain, "For rottin' flesh, you canna whack it, mon." He tries to add a little flair to his pitch to Lara, "The museum's pretty interesting, I'm told. You'll like it."

Lara has to wonder so she does it aloud, "So why don't you go yourself?"

The leader explains while walking away, "One of them Egyptian lassies there is a bit pissed off like that she didn't get imortality the way she wanted it. And seein' as we'd done better than her in that department, I didn't care to imagine what curse we could get given any worse than we got already like. You'll be fine though, pet. You die easy."

Lara answers sarcastically, "Thanks."

[ilovelctr]

Lud's Gate

<Finally>

Lara crawls through a ventilation duct and into a large well-furnished office. To either side of her are two enormous fish tanks that contain beautiful tropical fish. Lara cautiously walks forward and finds the proprietor of this establishment seated comfortably behind an opulent desk. Lara walks up to the desk and comes face to face with the beautiful Sophia Leigh.

Sophia watches Lara enter her office, and as if expecting her exclaims with satisfaction, "Aaah! Miss Croft. I take it you're ready to sign on."

Lara asks, "To what?"

Sophia is glad she asked. "Well, my books. You see, with your lifestyle, you'd be the perfect campaign for my products." Sophia looks Lara up and down and continues, "Just think, you wouldn't be needing those unsightly weapons anymore."

Lara isn't the least bit interested and replies, "No, but I probably have an unsightly face, judging by your past experiments."
Sophia is surprised and asks, "My what?"

Lara has the satisfaction of knocking Sophia off balance, "Oh yes. They're all still alive. Very much so, in fact." Lara reaches down and picks up a scepter off of the desk and tells Sophia, "All I want is the artifact."

Sophia laughs at Lara's insolence, and exclaims, "Right! In your next life." Sophia grabs the scepter and runs out of her office.
Lara draws and cocks her pistols and coolly says, "We'll see."

[ilovelctr]

City

<Finally>

After defeating Sophia, Lara turns off the high voltage and retrieves the Eye of Isis. All the shooting and explosions has fially drawn the attention of the local constabulary, as Lara can hear the sirens below. Thinking quickly, Lara jumps aboard the helicopter which Sophia was planning to use to make her getaway. Lara straps herself in and pilots the chopper away.