Tomb Raider: Lilith's Scepter

Chapter 30: Save Him

Ten o'clock at night. Thames dock in London's heart.

Lara waited patiently, sitting on an old bench with the box containing two Shards - hers and Selma's - on her lap. After so much discussion with Marie, she'd convinced her to stay in Surrey. Lara was taking no risks concerning the Navajo woman.

While twisting her braid absently, the British explorer noticed a small shadow moving quickly. Two large figures escorted it, and when coming into the light, Lara saw a short and funny looking man, as comical as the two bodyguards looked threatening. She looked him up and down.

"Who are you?"

"Hugh will be enough, Miss Croft." Said the other with a piping little voice. "I serve the Cabal, as you'd probably have guessed. You won't be wise in judging me by my size and appearance, you'll regret it."

Lara twisted her mouth and looked at the two goons with their huge arms folded across their broad chests.

"Well?" Hugh said. "Where are the Shards?"

For answer, Lara held out the box. Hugh took it and opened it. He immediately frowned and said shrilly: "Only two Shards! You take me for a fool?"

"Not yet." She mocked. "Of course there are only two Shards. One's mine and the other is Selma's. I know nothing of the third, as you'll understand."

Hugh closed the case with a snap and hid it inside his coat. "You must be an idiot". Hissed the man. "You really think I care? You really think I don't know the third Shard is owned by Mrs. Cornel, who according to my sources is with you?"

Lara's eyes darkened. "I'm not an idiot -. but you are, Hugh. You really think I was going to give you all the Shards without proof of Radha being alive? Where is she now? Is this your way of trading?"

"I don't make trad..." He didn't finish the sentence. A dozen of armed men emerged from the darkness. The two thugs reacted by pouncing on them, but were gunned down in seconds. Hugh, terrified, tried to flee but a burly soldier grabbed him by the neck and lifted him in a twinkling. "Well, well, Lara!" He sang. "Is this a Cabal member? Boring!"

"You can let him go, Justin." She smiled.

Hugh was thrown on the floor, but he got back up with a jump, while Justin took back the box with the Shards and handled it to Lara.

"I didn't expect this to be this easy." She mocked again. "So many mercs you have, and you didn't even bring one with you. Who's the idiot here?"

"Oh, excuse me ma'am!" Hugh spat sarcastically. "They are all busy tearing Mr. Trent's skin to shreds, so I had to come with such a small escort."

Lara's smile faded as she stepped forward but Justin stopped her by grabbing her arm. "Okay, runt". She gasped, controlling herself. "I'm now putting conditions. If you want the Shards you'll free both Kurtis Trent and Radha Deli and you'll forget about us forever."

Hugh laughed dryly. "Your Kurtis is almost dead, just a wreck...we'll return him for burial, or maybe you'd like to use him as manure for your manor gardens..." He didn't see Lara's fist arriving, but it hit him in the mouth and threw him spinning to the ground. Next thing he noticed were her hands gripping his throat and shaking him like a puppet. He breathed again when the soldier named Justin pushed Lara backwards. The spy choked with his own blood and began to spit teeth.

Suddenly he felt himself lifted and strongly bound by Justin. "Well, little man, you know now not to piss off the lady, right? Now behave."

Lara, panting heavily, collapsed on the bench as the soldiers surrounded Hugh, while others were hiding the bodies of the thugs. Stunned, she held her head, suddenly feeling dizzy. "Well." She said at last. "Since you won't do this by hook, you'll do by crook. You won't get the Shards. If Bathsheba wants them, she must come for them. Now you'll tell us where you have Radha and Kurtis."