Tomb Raider: Genesis
"For every journey, ... there is a beginning"

by Roger Pederson

Part 1

Chapter 1: Croft Manor 
[date: approximately 200 B.C.]

Deep in the jungles of what is now lower Central America, on a clear day, a Mayan priest walks out onto the steps of a great pryamid-like temple. The priest raises his arms to the heavens, grasping a two-inch thick, circular stone the size of a large plate. He chants to the god of weather, Menzabac, and asks that he bless their crops and make it rain.

Priest: "Ahhhhh, Menzabac, skotol vinik o ants ta spejel balumile k´olem x-hayan i ko´ol ta sch´ulal i sderechoetik i, skotol k´ux-elan oyike oy srasonik y slekilalik, sventa skuxijik leknóo ta ju jun ju ju vo." 

A strange beam shoots out from the center of the stone and travels to the clouds. We hear rumbling. The sky slowly darkens, we hear more small claps of thunder and a light rain begins to fall. 

Priest: [looking to the sky, as he lowers the stone] "Yum botic."

The priest smiles and returns inside the temple, as the people cheer.

[fade out]

[Over two centuries later. Present day. A fly-over of the North Atlantic ocean, toward England.] 

Inside Croft manor, sixteen year-old Lara Croft is in the gymnasium, working out on the uneven parallel bars. Swinging from bar to bar, to a hanging rope, then over to the horizontal bar. She makes a perfect dismount that would make any Olympic gymnast jealous! Suddenly, she hears clapping. She looks across the room to see her father, Lord Croft, standing in the doorway, .... beaming proudly and applauding.

Lord Croft: "Very good, .... VERY good my dear. You're getting better every day."

Lara: [smiling broadly]: "I should be getting better, .... I practice enough!"

Lord Croft: "Lara, .... I'm afraid I have to be leaving now."

Winston: [the family butler walks up and whispers to him]: "You're baggage is loaded, sir."

Lord Croft: "Very good, Winston."

Lara: "But father, I thought we weren't leaving until next week."

Lord Croft: "I'm sorry, Lara. But this is one trip I must make without you. I promise I won't be long, .... only a few days, two weeks at the most". [he turns to walk out, then stops and turns to say to her ...] "Besides, you'd only be bored." [smiling] "Nothing but a bunch of old men sitting around discussing past adventures. No tombs or ancient artifacts to discover on this trip."

Lara rushes across the large room and throws her arms around him.

Lara: "I'll miss you."

Lord Croft: "And I shall miss you as well, my child."

They walk out together, hand in hand, to the waiting car. He turns to her, .......

Lord Croft: "Now, remember to practice your studies ..... [smiling] as well as your gymnastics while I'm gone."

Lara: [beaming] "Of course."

They hug. He kisses her and gets into the car.

Lord Croft: "Goodbye, for now Lara. I love you. See you soon" [they grasp hands]

Lara: "Goodbye, father. ...... I love you."

She waves and watches the car, with her father in it, drive away. Lara turns to walk back inside the mansion. An ominous feeling suddenly overcomes her. She frowns. It's almost as if she'd felt she would never see her father again. But, that was silly! She turns and walks inside. Henry, Winston's nephew, is waiting with a towel for her to wipe the sweat from her brow, after her workout. Winston has been training Henry to take over his position as butler at Croft Manor one day.

Lara: [taking the towel, and wiping her brow] "Thank you, Henry."

Lara walks across the large foyer toward the stairs leading up to her room on the second floor (throwing the towel over her shoulder), as she needs to shower and change clothes. She stops halfway up the stairs and turns to look back toward the driveway, as that strange feeling has returned. But again, Lara dismisses it. Her father will be fine. His last words echo in her mind .... "nothing but a bunch of old men sitting around discussing past adventures. No tombs or ancient artifacts to discover." 

When she reaches her room, she glances at the picture on her dresser. She had already lost her mother, Lady Erica Croft, when Lara was only nine years old. But her father would be home soon, she told herself. ....... Or would he?

[ Fade out ]

Weeks later.

Lara is riding horseback on the mansion grounds. She rides up to Henry, who has been waiting for her near the front gate. She pulls up and dismounts, handing him the reins to the horse.

Henry: "Lady Croft, ..... Winston would like to see you."

Lara didn't like the sound of his voice, even though he had done a good job of keeping any expression from his face at the time. Lara rushed to the house. 

Lara: [running up to the doorway, where she saw Winston waiting for her] "What is it?"

Winston: "Come into the study, Lara."

Lara: [anxious] "Winston, what is it? ....... "

Winston stops and turns to Lara in the middle of the foyer. He had hoped to tell her the news in the study, out of sight of anyone else.

Winston: "It's, ..... it's about your father. I'm afraid .... well, ..... there's been a mishap in the field."

Lara: [ever more anxious now] "A mishap? ......... What do you mean? ...... What are you talking about?"

Winston: [a grievious look on his face] ...... "You're father, ..... he's been reported missing."

Lara: "WHAT ....?"

Winston: [in a consoling voice] "Actually, .... I'm afraid he's been missing for quite a few days now. I simply didn't want to tell you until I had exhausted all possible methods of contacting him. I didn't want to alarm you, ........ until ........." Lara: [screaming] "No!!

Lara dropped to her knees, sobbing .... her head in her hands. She felt as if her world were falling apart. Could this be her premonition come true, she thought? God, why? Winston knelt down, as frail as he was, and placed a hand on her arm. She leaned forward and cried on his shoulder. Henry stood in the doorway, watching, as a tear rolled down his cheek. He knew how much Lara adored her father!

[Fade out]

Years later. .......Still no word from Lord Croft. His friends reluctantly insisted, after all this time, that he must be dead. Otherwise, he would have contacted someone by now ...... especially his own daughter!

Young Lady Croft stood between Winston and Henry at the gravesite as the family vicar spoke of her father. Many of Lord Croft's friends attended the funeral. But no words, no matter how eloquent, could ease the pain that Lara felt in her heart. She had lost her father, her best friend, .... her mentor. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Winston and Henry backed slowly away as Lara continued to stand at her fathers grave, her head bowed. She stood there for hours, until the sun went down. Finally, she turned and walked to the car, .... where Winston and Henry had been waiting for her. They returned to Croft Manor. She emerged from the car slowly. The manor had always seemed like home to her, even as large as it was. Now, .... it only seemed large and quiet. So very, very quiet! She went to sleep that night thinking to herself, .... would things have been different had she accompanied him? It was something that would haunt her for the rest of her life. She knew she had to find a way to channel her energies, or it would drive her mad.

The following days were filled with courteous calls from her father's friends, as well as legal dealings with the family lawyers. Not only had Lara inherited Croft manor and all its land, but she had also been left the entire family fortune. She recalled some of her father's last words: "Now, remember to practice your studies ... .... as well as your gymnastics while I'm gone." 

Lara was determined to fulfill that last promise to her father, ..... and carry on his work. She returned to school where she attended a seminar given by an old associate of her father's, ..... Professor Werner Von Croy. It re-awakened the interest in archaeology and lost civilizations that her father had first given her. She studied even harder than before. Her workouts became more intense. She practiced hand to hand combat, and became an expert in the use of many different weapons. She was determined to let NO ONE stand in her way! 

At university, Lara ran into, and later hired, a character named Bryce, .... a techno geek. Bryce was a mathematics genius, and an expert with computers. He also fancied himself a bit of an inventor, always coming up with little gadgets. Since he and Lara were about the same age, the two bonded in an almost sister/brother relationship. Because of Lara's wealth, Bryce now had his own tech center, filled with the most advanced equipment in the world. With all this. he could create a great deal of Lara's gear for her. But, being the eccentric he was, rather than live in the main house, .... Bryce insisted on living in an old trailer out at the north gate to the Manor. 

One day, Winston decided that it was time to let the young people take over.

Winston: [in a soft voice] "Lara, it's time for me to retire."

Lara: "But ..... "

Winston: "I've already informed Henry. He'll be staying on to work for you in my place, ..... if that's all right with you, of course."

Lara: "Yes, certainly .... but you can retire and continue to live here. ....... You're like family to me, Winston. Please stay!"

Winston: [softly] "That means a great deal to me, Lara ..... but I believe I'd like to live out my remaining years in my boyhood home." [sighs, looking around, remembering Lord and Lady Erica Croft] "I'm afraid there are simply too many memories here for me."

Lara: "Of course, ..... if you're sure that's what you want."

Winston: "It is. But, ... [smiling] ... I will miss seeing your bright and shining face every day, so don't be surprised if I pop by from time to time." 

Lara: [smiling] "You'd better!" 

They hug. Winston turns to walk toward the front door. Henry is waiting outside by the car.

Winston: [turns to his nephew] "Take care of her." [they hug]

Henry: "You know I will, ...... Goodbye for now, uncle." 

Winston: "Goodbye, my boy." [patting him on the shoulder]

Lara stands in the doorway, smiling, yet teary-eyed. She waves goodbye to Winston. Another chapter in her life comes to an end, .... and a new one begins! Lara went up the stairs, slowly, to her room. She collapsed onto her bed and curled up into the fetal position, sobbing. Never in her life had she felt so alone, ............ so very alone.

Chapter 2: The Beginning

[fade in ... months later]

Lara trudges up the manor stairs toward her bedroom after another grueling workout. She wipes the sweat from her face with a towel which Henry had just given her. Henry and Bryce stand at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her, mournfully, .... knowing how much she was still hurting inside. They turned to glance at one another, they were starting to worry about how hard she had been working herself. Gymnastics, horseback riding, fencing lessons, diving, archery, rock climbing, hand-to-hand combat (kick boxing, martial arts, etc.), ..... not to mention all the time she was spending on her self-designed obstacle course and firing range. Yet she still found time to continue her studies in archeology, ancient history and mythology in the manor library. She combed over her father's notes, learning as much as she possibly could. She absorbed the knowledge like a sponge absorbs water. What she couldn't find in the family library, she searched for on the internet or in the libraries of the local museums and universities. While she still mourned the loss of her father, she longed for the day when someone would ask for her help in their search for an artifact long thought to be nothing more than myth, .... then perhaps Lara would be able to drown her sorrow in some adventuring.

[fade out]

[Later]

Henry answers the front door.

Henry: "May I help you , sir?"

Stranger: " My name is Chambers, ..... I was hoping to speak with Lady Croft. I'm afraid I've come unannounced." Henry: "And this is concerning ......?"

Chambers: "I'm afraid I'll have to discuss that with her." 

Henry: "Certainly. One moment sir." 

Henry turns and walks to the library, where Lara is working. He opens the doors to the library and enters.

Henry; "Pardon me Lady Croft, there is a Mr. Chambers at the front door. He wishes to speak with you." 

Lara: [without even looking up from the book she is reading] "Henry, how many times have I asked you to call me Lara? I hate that title. ..... 'Lady' Croft!"

Henry: "Sorry, madam."

Lara: [she looks up] "Show him in."

Henry: "Yes, madam." Henry turns and walks back to the front door, where the gentleman is still standing. Of course, it helped that Lara's two dobermans were sitting there the whole time, watching his every move.

Henry: "Lady Croft will see you now. .... Follow me please."

Chambers: "Yes, well.... [he gulps] .... thank you." 

He glances at the dogs again, hoping they won't attack him as he follows Henry across the foyer to the library. Henry opens the doors for him.

Henry: [announcing their guest to Lara] "Mr Chambers, madam."

Lara: [not even looking up to say ... ] "Thank you Henry, that will be all for now." Lara closes the book that she was reading and places it back on the shelf. Before she even turns to look at her guest she says, "Mr Chambers, ..... what can I do for you?"

Chambers: "First of all, Lady Croft, let me express my deepest sympathies for the loss of your father."

Lara: "You knew him?"

Chambers: "Your father and I had talked before, many times on certain subjects."

Lara: "Such as ..... ?"

Chambers: "I won't take up a great deal of your time. Suffice it to say that I attempted to secure your father's help in the search for a certain artifact. One which your father believed to be nothing more than a myth."

Lara: "And what might that be?"

Chambers realized that he had gained Lara's attention ..... and perhaps curiousity. He approached her. 

Chambers: "I told your father that my employer believed that a Mayan artifact, known as the Chinqura stone lies buried somewhere beneath the jungles of Guatemala. A product of the ancient Maya culture, this artifact is of great value. Legend has it that the stone has mystical powers. It's of great intrinsic value to my employer. And, well, ... we believe we know of its possible location.

Lara: "Yes, well, that's all very fascinating Mr. Chambers, ...... but exactly what does it have to do with me?"

Chambers: "Well, you see, .... we don't know it's 'precise' location. That's where we were hoping that your father could help. Sadly, he's no longer with us, ........ but, we were hoping that you might consider taking up the cause in his stead."

Lara: "And who might your .... 'employer' .... be?"

Chambers: "I'm afraid that he prefers to remain an anonymous benefactor."

Lara: "Naturally. .......... Well, ..... I must admit that I am a bit intriqued, but I've never heard or read of this 'Chinqura stone' in Maya history."

Chambers: "Not even in your fathers diary?"

Lara: [frowning] "How did you know that my father kept a diary?"

Chambers: "Well, one can only assume. I mean after all, .... the man was an archeologist, I'm sure he kept extensive notes."

Lara: "Yes, ..... but he made no mention of such a meeting with you, or of this artifact."

Chambers: "Well, he probably dismissed it as something of no importance. But I assure you, Lady Croft, ..... it exists. As you well know, throughout history, many facts have often been shrouded in myth."

Lara: "True."

He approaches the desk Lara is standing next to and places a map on it. 

Chambers: [circling on the map with his finger] "This is the general location where we believe you will find the entrance, ...... where the artifact lies."

Lara: [raises an eyebrow] " ......... You mean a hidden tomb?"

Chambers: "Precisely." [he placed a small slip of paper on the desk and slowly pushed it toward Lara] "Of course, you would be well compensated for your troubles."

Lara picked up the paper and looked at the figure written on it. Then, "Look around you Mr. Chambers." [she looked up at him] "Does it really appear as though I need to be 'compensated'?"

Chambers: "I mean no disrespect, Lady Croft. My employer merely felt that you should be compensated for any, shall we say, 'expenses' that you encure as a result of this venture."

Lara: "I still don't understand. ....... If you know the location, why don't you simply go after it yourselves?"

Chambers: "As I said before Lady Croft, we don't know the exact location of the entrance to the tomb. Only the general area where it may be found. We could only narrow down the position to a certain point in the jungles of Guatemala, ...... the rest is up to you."

Lara thought to herself. This was exactly what she had been waiting for all this time! This is what she had been training for. It might, if only for a brief time, take her mind off the loss of her father. Lara felt beckoned to take up the hunt for this artifact. Not for the money, but for the pure adventure! But was she ready for it? Her answer to that question was a resounding yes! Besides, she could no longer stand the suffocating atmosphere of British upper-class society and the role she was expected to play in it. Young Lara Croft realized now that she could only feel truly alive if she was off adventuring. And if there were one thing that she had inherited from her father (other than his wealth), it was his insatiable curiousity about the past and a thirst for knowledge. 

Chambers: "I've been commisioned to provide you with private transportation as well."

Lara: "First class, of course."

Chambers: "Of course."

Lara: "Very well, Mr. Chambers, ........... tell me more." 

The camera pulls back, as Chambers leans over the desk and begins to tell Lara more about this little 'venture'.

[fade out]

After we see Chambers car travel down the driveway (after his meeting with Lady Croft), he heads out the front gate of the Croft estate and to the road. We then see a car parked off to the side of the road (out of sight). The driver lights a cigarette as he sees Chambers' car emerge from the Croft grounds. We only see the back of his head. As Chambers car turns and heads off down the road, the driver starts his car and slowly pulls out. 

[fade out]

Two weeks later.

We see Lara walking down the steps from the second floor of the manor. Henry and Bryce wait at the bottom of the staircase for her ......... 

Lara: "Henry, are you certain you've packed everthing I asked for?"

Henry: "And then some, madam. We've also provided you with a few extra 'goodies' that Bryce is sending along."

Bryce: "I included a special global hookup that will allow you to communicate with me here at the manor."

Lara: "They're called 'cell phones', Bryce."

Bryce: "Uh, ...... yes, well, ..... this is a much more sophisticated device. Come on, I'll show you." [he turns and walks toward the lab]

Lara: [sighing, she remarks sarcastically to Henry as they follow him] "He does like to show off, ....... doesn't he?"

Henry: "At every possible opportunity, madam."

Bryce leads the way to his lab, to describe some of Lara's new gadgets to her. He sits down at his desk and begins to explain some of the gear he has designed for her use.

Bryce: "In addition to your other equipment, you'll have a special GPS tracker, a pair of high powered binoculars with infra-red lenses and night-scope vision, high-tensile strength climbing rope, a hand held ground-penetrating radar system ..... and my personal favorite, a new global communications hookup. I built this prototype for you to use in the field." [he shows her a picture of the system on his computer screen] "With this system, the information will be collected at an uplink center, transmitted to a broadcast satellite, then re-transmitted back to the dish here at the Manor. The terminal has both send and receive capability. I remedied the problem of one-way communication by simply using a separate channel for both signals." 

Lara: [sarcastically] "Really?" [she remarks while walking around the lab, looking at Bryce's 'toys']

Bryce: "With the help of a special satelite hookup, we'll be able to talk with you at all times, ..... even if you go underground. You'll simply need to plant some small boosters I'll be sending along to relay the signal to each previous booster. It, in turn, will then relay the signal to the small dish that you'll need to set up outside the site. That will then relay the signal to a satelite in orbit. The antenna you'll be setting up is a dish just a fraction of a meter in diameter. It's highly portable and easy to deploy. I designed it to operate with very low power consumption, and it should be good for rural operations." 

Lara: [she turns to look at Bryce and raises an eyebrow] "SHOULD be ......??"

Bryce: "Uh, ....... will be. You see, it uses a group of mobile computers to give you wireless communication access from anywhere in the world. The information is delivered through direct broadcast satellites, then redistributed via local networks. I realize that many of your operations will require "anywhere / anytime" access to information , and since you won't be familiar with the particular area you'll be in, I knew that you would need to be able to interact with remote map servers for directions. Having access to high performance computing centers will provide you with prompt data analysis. When designing this, I kept in mind that this would often be deployed in remote, and sometimes even hostile areas with no adequate communication or networking infrastructure of course." 

Lara: [sarcastically] "Of course." [looking at Henry, who is twirling his finger at his head behind Bryce's back]

Bryce: "I knew you'd have to rely on rapid deployable communication technologies to provide instant access to wireless communications through mobile computers and high-speed remote communications to a global computer and information network to us back here. Naturally, we can't ignore the role of satellites, since only satellite systems can provide high-bandwidth wireless communication with global coverage."

Lara: "Naturally." [looking over at Henry again , who simply rolls his eyes] 

Sometimes Bryce went on and on, describing his inventions almost the way a parent brags about their child. Unfortunately, ...... this was one of those times.

Bryce: "Combined with common terrestrial wireless communications, we can meet the instant communications you'll need by using satellites to deliver the information you need to any remote location you'll be in. This is essentially a satellite information dissemination and wireless redistribution paradigm, working toward global networking and even computing applications .............. 

Henry walks behind Lara and whispers to her, .... "Would you like an anti-depressant?" Lara smirks and shakes her head "No".

Bryce: "The satellites I'll be using with my system operate in geosynchronous orbit. This simplifies the antenna design and eliminates the need for any expensive tracking, or phrase-array mechanisms. The use of a series of a geosynchronous satellite in this case will provide much better coverage. Most worldwide service is possible with only three satellites. The system provides sufficient bandwidth for bulk data transfer and real-time video applications." Lara: [smirking] "I really don't plan on surfing the 'net out there, if that's what you're thinking." 

Bryce: "Yes, well [clearing his throat] ....... satellite communications systems vary substantially on data rate, ground station size, power requirements, and portability. For example, there are small hand-held or briefcase size systems, similar to what I've designed for you, that can send and receive data in a few kilobytes per second ..........." 

Lara: [she yells] "Bryce, ... stop!!" [in a softer voice now, as she leans down to look him in the eye] "Enough of the techno-babble. I just need to know ........... will the bloody thing work?" 

Bryce: [embarrassed] "Well, ......... theoretically." 

Lara: "Theoretically?" 

Bryce: "Well, ..... this will be it's first actual test........ outside the lab." 

Henry: [smiles and remarks sarcastically] "Nothing like going into the field on a positive note." Lara looks over and frowns at Henry, ..... his smile quickly dissappears [he gulps]. Lara walks out the front door to the waiting car. Henry closes the car door behind her, then walks around to get into the drivers seat. Bryce stands in the driveway and waves goodbye, .... watching as the car drives off. 

[fade out] 

Lara arrives at the airport and gets out of the car. She walks over to the Lear jet that is waiting for her, and is greeted there by Chambers. They have to shout above the noise of the engines which are now warming up. 

Chambers: "Lady Croft, welcome ........ all your supplies have been loaded on board, the plane is fully fueled and ready to go, .... and the extra supplies you requested will be waiting for you in Guatemala. I've been asked to give you this as well." 

He hands Lara a large manilla envelope. 

Lara: "What's this?" 

Chambers: "Let's just call it a little 'in-flight reading material'. ........ Maps and certain other information you may find useful to you during your stay in Guatemala. One of our men will meet you at the airport when you arrive. You do have your passport, of course." 

Lara: "Of course. ......... Will you be coming along, Mr. Chambers?" 

Chambers: [smiling] "No, ........... I'm afraid I'm not a field man. Strictly a ..... paper pusher." 

Lara: "We'll talk later then, Mr. Chambers. [turning to Henry] "Goodbye for now, Henry. Tell Bryce that I'll stay in touch." 

Henry nods, as Lara turns and boards the plane. The pilot closes the door behind her. The jet slowly taxis out to the runway. 

Henry: [talking to himself as he watches the plane take off] "God speed, .... Lara Croft." 

Chapter 3: Guatemala

The jet's elegant interior had the feeling of an grand sitting room. During the flight, Lara opens the envelope that Chambers gave her at the airport. She finds several maps of the area surrounding the place where he said they believed she might find the entrance to the lost tomb, ..... along with the names of certain local individuals who could be contacted (for information, etc.). Also, therein was a detailed history of the artifact she was after, and the notes of others who had sought to obtain the Chinqura stone. She knew that the myths of the Maya were derived from a shared Meso-american cultural tradition. The ancient Maya gave high status to the body in both life and death, much like the Egyptians. It was manifested in their common practices of pyramid building and mummification. Lara still couldn't help but wonder, ....... who was this mysterious "benefactor" that Chambers had mentioned? 

They arrive at the Guatemala City La Aurora International airport. Lara disembarks the plane just as a car, and an old army truck following it, pull up alongside the plane. The driver of the car opens the rear door for Lara. 

Driver: "Senorita Croft?" 

Lara: "Si." 

Guatemalan Official: [exiting the car] "Passport?" 

A local airport official examines Lara's passport, which she had at the ready as she stepped off the plane. "Gracias," he said as he handed it back to her after looking at it. He then steps aboard the plane to examine what may be on board. 

Driver: [speaking to Lara] "I am your driver, Miguel. I speak good English, ...... Senor Chambers asked me to pick you up here and take you to the hotel. They will bring your luggage along later, and my friends will unload your supplies and put them on the truck. In addition to being your driver, I am also an excellant guide. I know the jungles, how do you say, ..... like the back of my hand." 

Lara smiled and stepped into the car. They sped off. The first thing she did was call Bryce on her cell phone. 

Lara: "Bryce? .... Just checking in. I've arrived in Guatemala." 

Bryce: "Lara. It's good to here from you. How was your flight?' 

Lara: "Boring, ...... but there was some excellant reading material aboard. I'm on my way to the hotel. I'll call you tommorrow from the field, using your new communications system. By the way Bryce, you did remember to include some setup instructions for this new invention of yours, .... didn't you?!" 

Bryce: "Of course. You'll find everthing you need in an envelope with the black case. Talk to you after you have it setup. Goodbye." 

Lara: "Bye for now then." 

They hang up as Lara arrives at her hotel. Not exactly a four-star hotel, but it would do. She exits the car, checks in at the front desk and goes up to her room. The bellhop opens the door for her and hands her the room key, Lara tips him and he leaves. She sees a suitcase already lying on the bed. "I hope this is what I think it is", she says to herself as she opens it. Yes! Her guns, holsters, ammo, flares, ...... everything that she couldn't bring with her on the plane! Chambers had provided them for her through his local "contacts". Later, her luggage arrives from the airport. She didn't bother unpacking many things, as she wouldn't be spending much time at the hotel. Right now all she wanted was a meal, a shower and a good night's sleep. 

[fade out] 

Later that morning, Lara awakens to the sound of the phone ringing ....... 

Lara: "Hello?" 

female voice: "Ola, senorita, .... " [it was her wake up call] 

Lara: "Yes, thank you." She hangs up. Lara, bleary-eyed, gets out of bed and walks toward the shower. After showering, she changes into a common house dress so as not to attract any extra attention to herself. Lara then gathers the things she may need in the field, puts them in the smaller suitcases, and exits the room with them. In the hallway, waiting for her, is Miguel. 

Miguel: "Good morning, Senorita. You said that you wanted to get an early start. My cousin, Alberto [he motions to the young man standing next to him] will take your luggage down to the truck out front. We can get a quick breakfast in the hotel restaurante." 

They head downstairs to eat. After breakfast, Lara places a map on the table in front of Miquel. Lara: "Do you know where this area is?" [she asks, while pointing to the area circled on the map] Miquel: [he studies it] "Si, ......si ...... I can take you there. But I will have to arrange for additional transportation. I'm afraid this will cost more." 

Lara: "Miquel, I will pay you extra, in addition to what Mr. Chambers has already paid you. Comprende? 

Miquel: [smiling] "Si, senorita. Si. I will make a quick phone call to my friends." 

He gets up and leaves the table to walk over to the phone, makes the call and returns. 

Lara: "Miquel, it's very important that no one else accompany us. Is that understood?" 

Miquel: "Si, ..... but I was told that you would need diggers, ..... many men." 

Lara: "Not unless absolutely necessary. Now let's go." 

The two get up from the table, gather their things, and walk out to the truck. Lara checks the back of the old Army truck to see that all her equipment is there, ...... as well as her suitcases. 

Lara: [speaking to Miquel] "You take us out to that spot I pointed out on the map, ..... I'm going to hop in the back." 

Miquel: "But senorita, ........ " 

Lara: "It's alright. I just need to change into something more appropriate." 

Lara gets in the back as Miquel walks to the front of the truck, gets in, and drives. Meanwhile, she drops the flap on the back of the truck, and opens one of the suitcases. Lara changes into an outfit she'd brought along, ...... rugged boots, shorts (she knew it got hot here), and a tank top. She grabbed the small backpack.as well, and opened the other suitcase. Ahhhh, ..... her guns and holsters. It felt good to put them on. She then placed flares, extra ammo, maps, a compass, and some medical supplies in her backpack. Lara then lifted the front flap of the truck and crawled into the front seat across from Miquel. 

MIquel looks over at her and does a double-take. This is not the same young woman from earlier! 

Lara: "How long before we get there?" 

Miquel: "It's a long drive, senorita ...... about three hours by road, ...... from there, we willl have to travel to the site by river, then hike two or three miles." 

Lara: "In that case, I think I'll do a little light reading." 

She breaks out some of the papers that Chambers had given her. 

[fade out, as they drive off the main highway onto a gravel road, dust kicking up behind them .... ] 

Traveling along a make-shift road through the jungle, they finally reach the river. 

Miquel: [he brings the truck to a stop] "Ahhh ...... my friends have again come through for me," he gloats, seeing a large raft tied up at the river's edge. 

Lara: [getting out of the truck] "Let's get these things loaded onto that raft," she says as she makes her way around to the rear of the truck. 

She hops up and starts handing her supplies down to Miquel, who loads them onto the raft. Once everything is on the raft, they start their trip down river. As they paddle downstream, Lara looks over to see a crocodile jump into the water at the river's edge. She glances around at the jungle. So beautiful, ..... yet so deadly, she thought to herself. 

A couple of miles downstream, Miquel directs Lara to a spot at the river's edge where they can land. They paddle ashore, get out and pull the raft up onto the river bank (watching out for hungry crocs at all times, of course). They unload the supplies. Lara put as much as she could into her backpack and places the 'boosters" Bryce sent along in a satchel that she can sling over her shoulder. Then she grabs the black case with Bryce's communications sytem. Miquel grabs the rest and they start their hike through the dense jungle. Never, thought Lara, would she be on her own (without her father) searching for the entrance to an ancient subterranean Mayan burial chamber in Guatemala. 

Unknown to Miquel and Lara, ..... they were being watched. 

Chapter 4: The Tomb

All along the way through the jungle, Lara was constantly stopping to inspect anything that appeared unusual. Then, after trekking for miles, Lara stops. She looks down her GPS locater, then checks the ground-penetrating radar system she had asked Bryce to send along. It helped detect any signs of underground chambers. 

Lara: "Wait!" she shouts to Miquel. "It's in this area." 

She begins to look around. At first glance, one sees nothing but dense jungle foliage. But Lara has a trained eye, and after searching around for hours, she spots something unusual a few yards away. She walks over to some branches and leaves hanging from the trees. She brushes them aside, ..... revealing what appears to be a stone marker behind them, thickly covered with dirt. Lara wipes it off with her hand, then takes a small, light bristle brush from her pack and wipes off the markings on the stone, ..... she could now see the markings that were carved into it. Symbols. Numbers? 

Lara had studied the interpretation of the codices and the decipherment of Mayan hieroglyphic writings at university. And these particular markings told her that this was a marker to the entrance of an underground burial chamber! From her studies, as well as the teachings of her father, Lara knew that most any of the Maya's ancient writings were based upon numbers. They played a significant role in their culture, since there are few documents that don't contain at least some. 

Miquel: "What is it?" 

Lara: "Hieroglyphs, ...... ancient Mayan hieroglyphs. ..... and they're genuine." [talking to herself now, as well as Miquel] 

Miquel: "You are certain?" 

Lara: "The Maya culture were known to use numbers to specify quantities and distances, just as we do today." [as she ran her hand across the ancient tablet, trying to decipher its markings] She knelt down, examing the markings. Miquel: "But senorita, ...... how is it no one has ever discovered this before?" 

Lara: [speaking softly, almost mesmerized by the tablet] .......... "I don't know. We're in the central lowlands and this part of the jungle is quite remote and dense. Although their have been many finds, there are still undiscovered treasures of the ancient Maya." [speaking both to herself and Miquel again] "In order to read Mayan hieroglyphs, one needs to be able to read the nineteen numbers that form the base of their numbering system, and then understand the combinations ........" 

After studying the stone for some time, she gets up, turns, and looks to her left. There she thinks she may find something. Lara walks a few meters and clears away more jungle overgrowth, where she finds an outcropping of stones. She starts to move the stones away, .... carefully. Miquel watches her at first, then begins to help her move the stones. Behind them, she finds yet another marker with more symbols on it. From her many studies, she knew that Maya hieroglyphic writing was a fully functional system that was based on phonetic signs. After looking at it for several minutes, she pushed in on five of the symbols in a distinct pattern. Lara gets up, turns to her left and steps off twenty-five paces to another group of stones, covered with various foliage, dirt and moss. She removes them, revealing a small opening behind another tablet, ....... barely enough room for one person to crawl through. 

Lara: "Miquel, ..... the black case." [holding out her hand as she stares at the entrance] 

Miquel: "Si." [he hands it to her] 

Lara takes the case, sets it down and opens it. She then reads the papers inside and starts to set up Bryce's communications system. She undoes a small sattelite dish and places it on a large boulder, pointing it almost straight up. Once it's setup, Lara puts on the headset, and dials home. 

[back at the manor] 

Bryce sees the red light on his system blinking. He clicks on his receiver/transmitter. 

Bryce: "Lara, ..... is everything alright?" 

Lara: "Well, if it wasn't you wouldn't be talking to me ....... now would you?" 

Bryce: "How's it going there?" 

Lara: "I think I may have found the entrance." 

Bryce: "To the tomb?" 

Lara: [sarcastically] "No, the loo. ............. Yes, Bryce, the tomb!" [sighs] "Look, I read your instructions on the way here, but you may as well talk me through this as I go along." 

Bryce: "Right."

Lara made sure she had everything she needed. 

Lara: "Miquel, .... you wait here. Keep an eye on things. And you may as well set up your tent, I'll be a while. If you need to contact me, use this." [she hands him a second headset that Bryce sent along]

Miquel: "Si, senorita."

She took off her backpack , then got down on the ground in front of the tiny entrance. She shoved her backpack and satchel ahead of her gently as she followed. The opening was crampt. Good thing Lara wasn't claustrophobic. As she crawled further inside, she turned on her flashlight. Perhaps it was only wishful thinking, but she thought she could see a larger opening a few meters ahead. As she got closer, she saw it. Yes! A larger opening, .... but it almost appeared to come to a dead end. She continueed to crawl forward until she reached the spot where she could at least sit up, as the roof of the tunnel was now about three feet in height.

Lara: "Bryce, can you read me?"

Bryce: "I'm here."

Lara: "I'm at the end of the tunnel, .... it's about .... oh, twenty-five meters or so from the entrance, there's another tunnel leading down at an angle."

Bryce: "You should place one of the boosters at the point where the tunnel leads down, so that it can relay the signal outside to the dish."

Lara: "Right." [she fixes one of the boosters just at the entrance to the next tunnel] ...... "Done. Moving on."

Lara progresses a few meters (at a twenty-degree downward angle) on her hands and knees, until she's finally able to stand up part way. She puts away her flashlight, and lights a flare then continues forward, looking around at all times.

Bryce: "Lara? .... everything alright?"

Lara: [softly] "Yes, .... fine." 

Lara moved forward to a fork in the tunnel. Before turning left, she places another of Bryce's boosters here and moves on. The tunnel continues down at a varying angle of ten to fifteen degrees, .... Lara follows it. After about another thirty meters, she comes to a T-section. One tunnel leads left, .... the other to the right. Which way, Lara thought? Then she saw the carvings on the tunnel wall. She dusts them off.

Lara: [talking more to herself than to Bryce] "Hello, ..... what have we here?"

Bryce: "What is it?"

Lara: "More hieroglyphs." [she stared at them, speaking softly] "Since this culture associated many of their deities with certain numbers, the symbols of those deities came to represent numbers. And they had a standard way of expressing them, .... as well as a method that was not so standard."

Bryce: "What does it say?"

Lara: "Bryce, the style and pictorial complexity of Mayan hieroglyphs are like no other writing system in history. Maya mythology is far older than the Aztecs, and our knowledge of it comes mainly from native manuscripts of the Classic period, over 600 years before the Spanish conquest." [softer] "From these sources as well as nineteenth and twentieth century excavations and research, including the interpretation of the codices and the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing, we can ascertain that certain aspects of ............" Bryce: [yawning] "Lara, do you have any idea how boring that sounds?"

Lara: [sarcastically, scolding him] "Yes, ...... and now you know how it feels when Henry and I have to listen to you go on and on about one of your bloody inventions!"

Bryce [with a surprised look] looks over at Henry, who simply makes a "who me?" face. She continues to examine the writings carefully and consults her notes. ...... [long pause]

Lara: "Right, ... well, it pretty much says 'go any further and you're doomed for all eternity'."

Lara decided to try going down the right tunnel first, just a few meters, watching out for any traps, .... hoping that the burial chamber led to the right, while the left was simply a ruse. But before she did that, she thought she'd better place another booster at the junction.

Lara: "Bryce? I'm going to place another one of your boosters at this point. ........ You DO know I only have ten more of these things left?"

Bryce: "As long as you place them at any sharp turns you come to, so it can relay the signal outside. Distance isn't the problem. It's the twists and turns. There has to be open space for the signal to relay to the next booster."

Lara turned right and headed slowly down the passage. Approximately fifty meters further, she came to another point that led downward at a steep angle, ...... about fifty to sixty degrees down!

Lara: "Bryce? I've come to another steep tunnel here. Could take some time getting back up, so before I head that way I think I'll go back and check out the other tunnel."

Bryce: "Right."

Henry enters Bryce's lab and leans over to the microphone. "Lara, ... everything going smoothingly, I hope?"

Lara: [smiling] "Henry! Good to hear your voice. Yes, .... everything's fine here."

Once she gets back to the junction, Lara slowly, carefully continues straight down the tunnel. About twenty meters in she feels a slight rumbling. She turns and quickly runs back to the junction, as the roof of that section of the tunnel caves in behind her! Well, it appears her first instinct was correct, she says to herself. Lara now heads back to the spot where the steep drop-off was.

Bryce: "Lara? Are you alright? We heard a bit of a rumble."

Lara: "I'm fine. The other tunnel was a trap. I'm headed back to where I was before, ...... I'll need to plant another booster there before I head down."

While planting the booster, Lara spots more hieroglyphs on the wall. "Hello ...... appears to be another warning", she says to herself. 

Bryce: "Lara ....?" 

Lara: "Just more hieroglyphs."

Bryce: "What does it say?"

Lara: [sighs] "You know Bryce, this isn't exactly like reading the 'London Times', ...... give me a minute."

If there were one thing that Lara had inherited from her father (other than his wealth), it was his insatiable curiousity about the past and a thirst for knowledge. After examining the writings and consulting her notes, she speaks up.

Lara: "Well, ........ I believe it says .... if I continue on that I will meet 'Ah Hulneb'."

Bryce: "Alright, I give up. Who's ....... 'Ah Hulneb'?" 

Lara: "If memory serves, he was an ancient Maya god. Associated with the island of Cozumel, he was known as a god of war. 'Ah Hulneb' means ... 'he the spear thrower'." 

Bryce: [softly] "Oh, ......... sorry I asked." 

Lara: [smiles] "It's fine Bryce, ..... only a warning to the superstitious."

She continues on, ..... running / sliding down the passage. At the bottom, she lights another flare. Suddenly, a swarm of bats come flying toward her. Lara ducks out of their way as they fly past her and up the passage. Once they're gone, she stands and looks around the cave. She checks her compass once again. Across the way she sees what appears to be a statue of a warrior against the far wall. She tosses her flare in that direction. Lara's eyes widen, as she sees the statue slowly come to life! It comes toward her. Out of pure reflex, she quickly draws her guns and begins firing. 

Bryce: [hearing gunfire] "Lara!" ..... 

Chapter 5: Discovery

Her shots have no effect on it. Lara jumps out of the way just as it hurls a giant spear at her! She runs across the cavern to a small alcove to elude it. She looks to the left, just above the clumsy thing, and sees a column of rocks that appear as though they could come down at any moment. Lara decides to speed along the process. She runs out into the chamber again to intice it into chasing her. Once she has the thing in position, she turns and opens fire on the column's weakest point. The rocks come tumbling down on top of the statue, ..... disabling ('killing') it. Dust kicks up everywhere.

Bryce: "Lara!? What the bloody hell ......" 

Lara: [waving her hand in front of her face, coughing] "I'm fine, ...... just a little misunderstanding." 

Henry: "Excuse me ...... ?" 

Lara: "Never mind, ............. moving on."

She holsters her guns, picks up the flare, and walks in the direction of the doorway ..... next to where the statue had been on the far side of the chamber. Lara moves carefully down the passage. She comes to the end and another drop off. Time to plant a booster, she thought to herself. After doing so, she drops her flare down the shaft. It was about forty to fifty meters, ..... straight down this time! Fortunately, there's an old rope ladder clinging to the side of the passage going down. Can she trust it, she asks herself? Only one way to find out.

Lara: "Bryce, I've come to a drop off point. I'm going to head down now, .... I planted another of your boosters here."

Bryce: "All right, ...... but be careful."

Lara: [sarcastic tone] "Always sage advice."

[cut scene to the surface, a few hundred meters from where Miquel stands]

We're looking through the binoculars of someone spying on Lara's find.

Bad Guy 1: [peering around the encampment outside the tomb's entrance] "There's no sign of her."

Unknown voice: "You're certain?"

Bad Guy 1: "I see only her guide, .... he appears to be alone." [his binoculars roam to the entrance as he sees a swarm of bats emerge from it] "I think she's found the entrance to the chamber already."

Unknown voice: [grabbing the binoculars and looking through them] "Yes, ...... very gooood, Lara. Your father would be proud." [he lowers the binoculars] "Such a shame, ..... so young, yet ..... I fear you will never again see another tomb ...... except, perhaps, your own." [talking to his "assistants" now] "Let's go gentlemen."

They make their way down the slope slowly, quietly. Two of them sneak up on Miquel from behind and knock him out. The man known as "the Professor" walks up and admires their handiwork. He looks around the camp, .... there's no sign of anyone else. He spots the communication device Lara had left for Miquel. He picks it up and decides to monitor Lara's progress via her communications.

Meanwhile, back inside the cavern, Lara gingerly makes her way down the ladder. She sees the flare getting brighter as she approaches the bottom. As she reaches the last rung of the ladder, she is still eight feet from the bottom. No problem, she thinks to herself. Then as she is hanging there, she looks around to see (by the light of her flare) two skeletons lying below her. Whoever they were, she thought, ..... met their end here. She tosses down another flare. In the opposite wall, she can make out two small holes. The floor of the cavern below appeared to be octagonal in spots. It's quite possible, Lara thought, that these could be pressure plates; ...... tripping spikes or darts from the wall. An ancient booby trap against thieves, she thought.

Still hanging from the rope ladder, Lara reaches into her pack with her free hand. She shoots a tong into the wall next to her and slides a high-tensile strength rope through it. Lara then lowers herself slowly down the rope, making sure she sets foot on a safe area of the cavern floor below her. She places another of Bryce's boosters in the wall. Lara then carefully works her way down the passage, avoiding the pressure plates. Once clear of them, she walks over to one of the skeletons she had spotted from above. She kneels down.

Lara: [whispering to the skeleton] "Sorry, my friend. .......... Thanks for the warning."

Bryce: "Lara?"

Lara: " .......... everything's fine here." [she stands up] "I'm at the bottom of the shaft. I planted another of your boosters. [looking again at the skeleton] "Moving on."

Bryce: "Right then."

Lighting another flare, Lara proceeded carefully down the passage until she came upon some more glyphs on the wall. She dusted them off and examined them. 

Lara: "I've come upon some more hieroglyphs." [reading them and consulting her notes] 

Bryce: "And? .....

Lara: "Basically, .... it says 'beware all those who dare enter the resting place of Menzabac'." 

Bryce: "Who's ..... Menzabac?"

Lara: "He was a Maya god of weather. They believed he caused the rains to fall." [she turns and looks down the dark passage] "If they built him a temple, .... I may find the Chinqura stone there. ... Moving on."

Lara sees three small stones, which she is able to pry from the wall. She places them in her satchel and heads down the passage, her flare lighting the way as she walks off into the darkness. 

[back outside]

The Professor uses a radio tranmitter to relay a message to his other men near the river that they have found the entrance to the tomb. The message is then relayed to a complex in the mountains of Columbia. 

[exterior of a mountainous complex, showing the interior ..... a boardroom]

Peltier: [talking as he walks around a large table at which are seated fourteen men] "Gentlemen, as we all know, our educational system has been manipulated to prevent the average person from being well-trained in logic, mathematics, and science. Most people don't believe that man can control the weather. Earlier civilizations once believed the earth was flat, that if man were meant to fly we would have been given wings. They also believed that the sun revolved around the earth, and that only God could control the weather. Now of course, ..... we know different. A new world order is coming, and we, .... here in this room, .... will be the new leaders. Today gentlemen, I will demonstrate how worthy our belief is. And in the coming weeks, we will show the strength of our resolve."

Peltier continues to walk around the room as he speaks.

"We now believe, gentlemen, that we can control the weather. Not by scientific means, ... which have proven to be unreliable over the years." [he looks over and nods to an associate who has just walked into the room, the man nods back in affirmation] "Instead we are in the process, at this very moment, of recovering an ancient artifact of the Maya culture which holds the power we seek. The Maya were an agrarian civilization, and therefore needed to control the weather. One of their "gods" used the power of the Chinqura stone to acheive this. It will give us the ability to control the weather, and we can use the power to accomplish our goals. Think about it. How many times have you heard the weatherman say: "worst storm in history", or "worst flood in a hundred years"? Now, gentlemen, we will have that very power at our fingertips. The power to shape the world in the manner we see fit. I assure you that no one will ever again look at a weather report the same way they once did."

[they all chuckle] 

Peltier: "Evidence has shown us that scientists have already attempted to manipulate our weather using Tesla Technology, .... developed by Nikola Tesla almost a hundred years ago. That weather control is possible, is a fact of history that rivals any other single fact. The Illuminati made Tesla a very rich man once he signed over his work, his discoveries, and the capabilities of his system to them. Tesla then virtually disappeared from the textbooks of education. But, the Illuminati were driven by their own beliefs and goals. They kept Tesla's technology a secret, waiting for the day and hour when it could be used to set the stage for their own purpose. Ultimately, that technology was lost. But we have found a way to gain this ultimate power with the Chinqura stone."

One of the men at the table speaks up: "We will face opposition, of course."

Peltier: "Of course, ..... it's only natural. But, that is precisely why we must be united, to confront those who would oppose our power. A United Nations treaty exists which pledges all member states to refrain from using weather control as a lethal weapon upon others. This treaty proves the existence, or at least the existence of the knowledge of weather control. But their scientific experiments have thus far failed, and even backfired. Because of this UN treaty gentlemen, there will be no turning back. You have all committed yourselves to this venture. Our goal of a new world order, as you all know, is the reduction of the world's present population by over two-thirds, along with the elimination of our current industrial civilization, which has become so dependent on the use of fossil fuels and poisoned our planet."

Man #2: "What types of 'weapons' are we talking about?

Peltier: "There will be many at our disposal." [he turns on, via remote control, a large wide-screen projection behind him, showing some weather scenarios] "Earthquakes can be the most terrifying, since people cannot live without a foundation. Entire city structures are based upon buildings having dependable foundations. Our new world order envisions the possible elimination of cities that threaten us in any way. Severe earthquakes could result in the wholesale evacuation, or elimination, of cities. Hurricanes or Typhoons can also be a devastating force that, once again, may wipe out large-scale population areas and render that location untenable. Flooding is another huge force that can threaten entire regions of the country and therefore be a most useful weapon. Since population growth over the past sixty years would not have been possible had it not been for the growth in food production, we might expect that drought might also be a useful tool in "persuading" people to .... see things our way. In both flooding and drought, we have the potential of total devastatation. Tsunami Waves are a way to eliminate those along the coastline of any nation. Consistent tsunami waves would be the ideal weapon here. Their huge waves are totally devastating and extremely frightening to anyone in its path. Erupting volcanoes can also dramatically change the landscape of any region in which it is located. Nearby cities can be easily eliminated. Tornado activity is another devastating weapon that can be used in smaller areas, if need be. Severe heat over a long period of time? Think about how many consecutive days of one hundred plus degree weather it would take for fertile and productive farmland to be turned into wasteland. Think about all of these threats, gentlemen. I'm sure you can think of many more examples, but you get my point. "

Man #3: "Will we be safe from any of their attempts to stop us?"

Peltier: "Rest assured, you are quite safe here, gentlemen. We built this mountain complex for that express purpose. Deep in the bowels of this complex, we can even survive a nuclear blast. But, I can assure you that it won't come to that. Any attempt to stop us by land, or by air, will be met with dire consequences. And those who would dare try to stop us, .... those who have control both over a large amount of emergency stocks of food and other supplies ...... will be eliminated."

[back in Guatemala]

Meanwhile, further inside, Lara has found her way to another drop-off point. She drops a flare down the shaft and watches it go out of sight. It looks to be at least two hundred meters straight down. She plants another of Bryce's boosters here. 

Lara: "Bryce, .... are you there?"

Bryce: "Here, Lara."

Lara: "I've reached a steep drop here. I'm going to have to use my climbing equipment." Lara knelt down and took off her backpack, getting out her rope and climbing gear. She produced a small air gun from her pack that, when inserted with an anchor, would shoot the anchor deep into the cave wall, ... easily supporting her weight. She shot an anchor into the wall and attached an owall to it, then looped her rope through it. Lara slipped on her harness and began to rappel slowly down the wall.

Lara: "Bryce, ... do you hear me?"

Bryce: "Loud and clear, Lara."

Lara: "I'm making my way down the shaft now."

Every twenty meters or so, Lara would stop and attach another anchor to the wall along with an owall, and loop the rope through it. With a lighted flare dangling from her hip, she continued her long descent. Finally, she reaches the bottom of the shaft and sees that it ends above a large cavern, with an underground pool. Lara uses her air gun to attach another of Bryce's boosters to the cavern ceiling at the shaft. She then lowers herself to just above the water and tests it with her finger. Seeing that it's safe, Lara drops into the knee-deep water and wades ashore.

Lara: "Bryce, I've reached another cavern, ............. much larger, with a small underground pool." She lights another flare, looks around and turns to see beautifully carved lintels spanning the large double doors of what could be the entrance to a ancient funeral temple. Lara walks over to it. 

Bryce: "Lara, .......... are you there?"

Lara: [speaking softly, as she is engrossed by the sight] "Yes, ...... I'm fine. There's a large set of doors here, ..... more glyphs." [she begins trying to decipher them]

The glyphs portrayed a figure seated in majesty upon ornate litters. Behind him on one of the litters is a huge image of a serpent portrayed as a limbed and clawed monster, covered with mosaic spangles. The monster leans over him to grasp the battle standard attached to the front of the litter. On the second litter, an enormous jaguar, Nu-Balam-Chak, menaces in the same pose, reaching over the king's head to hold the battle standard. Bryce interupts her study.

Bryce: "Anything?"

Lara: "...... There's an older, bearded figure standing upon a glyph representing the portal between this world and the world of the ancestors ...... and the gods. At the center of that is another glyph that might read ...... ki, or heart, ......... perhaps to convey the idea that this figure stands upon the very heart of that darkness." 

Bryce: "Does it tell you how to get in?"

Lara: "Hold on."

She notices something. Lara reaches into her satchel and takes out the small stones she had pried from the cave wall much earlier, at the beginning of her journey. She sees one of them may fit a depression she now sees next to the door. A lock, she thinks? I may have the key! She places the stone in the depression. Dust and small rocks are spewed about as the doors part. After the doors open, Lara lights another flare, and now sees an even more awe-inspiring site, ......... a huge cavern ahead, with foliage all about.

She attaches another booster in the doorway. Tossing the flare back into the pool behind her, she uses the night-vision option on her binoculars. Lara looks about and zooms in on the center of the cavern. Now she sees it. A large pyramid-like temple stood in the center! She slowly lowers the binoculars. The first thing she thought was ....."father". If only he were here to see this! He would be thrilled beyond repair. 

Perhaps this is the temple of Menzabac, the Maya weather god. How, Lara thought? How could such a large amount of foliage survive so far underground without direct sunlight and a water source? Slowly, the cavern begins to become lighter. She sees the dense foliage throughout the cavern. But where was this light coming from? How? 

She lifted the binoculars to her eyes again and continued to look around. At the top of the huge pyramid she saw a small object. A mirror perhaps, she thought to herself ....... as she also saw a small beam of sun light coming from a shaft above the pyramid. The mirror atop the pyramid passes the light to a system of mirrors about the cavern, amplifying the light. The light spreads, and intensifies the rays of light. 
Lara zooms in with her binoculars and, a few thousand meters away, sees what appears to be an underground stream. Something, in a blur, zips past her field of vision. She is not alone! .........................

(end of part 1)

Lara Croft and Tomb Raider are trademarks 
or registered trademarks of Square Enix Ltd. All rights reserved.
This story may not be published, or re-created.
Story by Roger Pederson