Death Raids A Heart

Pt. II

Cozumel, Mexico
01:48 hrs

A quiet celebration in America seemed quite peaceful as people painted their faces and drank calmly whilst children played with fireworks and adults danced with their loved ones. After Lara and her faithful companion, Jonah sat down for a drink whilst examining photographs the brunette took after almost dying yet again in a cave in search for Mayan sites. It saddened her that she disciplined David into remaining at home in England despite their past adventures being more dangerous than the last.

"There he is," announced Jonah as he peered over the balcony at the crowd below.

"Anything new on Doctor Dominguez?" Lara inquired as she kept her eyes trained on the photos she took.

"Nothing much. He's leading a few Trinity digs in the area."

"My father mentioned him in his journal. More than once. He's an expert on precolonial ruins."

"Everyone says he's a great guy. Big help to the town. So, how's your leg?"

Avoiding the question, Lara showed a photo of a riddle she discovered which displayed directions. " 'To find the hidden city, go south along the shore until you find the pink fish--' "

"Oh, I-I found something for that. It's pink dolphins. Found only in the Amazon."

Ignoring what he said, Lara showed another photograph. "It goes on, um... 'then chase the heart of the serpent to the silver-crowned mountain.' Look at this! It's the constellation, Hydra, the serpent. This star is the heart. It sets in the southwest."

"So, southwest from the Amazon River... Brazil?"

"Peru."

"Peru?"

Jonah knew full well that when Lara made a discovery, nothing would stop her from getting into the expedition. Even though she wasn't fully whole with going without Jonah or David, she would strive to complete the mission as quickly as possible.

"This date from the ruins, see? If you look closely, it is damaged. This number looks like a Maya thirteen, but what if it's really an eight? With precession, it--"

"What?"

"Uh, precession. The earth tilts, so over time, the stars appear in a different place on the horizon. Important if you're navigating by the night sky. In the Maya calendar, that's a two-thousand year difference. Back then, the heart of the serpent set directly to the west."

"So that's why it's in Peru, not Brazil. Trinity has been looking in the wrong place," said Jonah.

Without rest, Lara continued to explain her findings whilst Jonah sipped on his beer. "Exactly. We need to look for the silver-crowned mountain in Peru. There's more. Um... something about a, a key. What is Trinity looking for in the Hidden City?"

Knowing that with Trinity in the vicinity of Cozumel, the two had to act wisely and blend in if they were to not get caught by their enemy. While calm, festive music played, Lara acted friendly with the locals as she brushed through the crowds as she pondered about what the festival would be like if she weren't working or if she had brought David with her for a vacation. She knew she needed one, badly. At the gate to the courtyard, the two noticed their target pass two guards armed with assault rifles, both of whom were not enjoying the party as anyone would they they might.

As Lara examined the gate and the wall, she spoke clearly to Jonah as the music caused no disruption or miscommunication. "I think I can find another way over the wall."

"I'll take care of these guys." Jonah replied and went to distract them while Lara snuck over to a gate where she peered at two men speaking out of ear shot.

Once the two men were done conversing, Lara mounted over the gate at the same time Jonah finished distracting the guards before divulging back into the crowd. Knowing the danger she posed, Lara acted incognito as she wandered through markets, stalking her targets who spoke openly but aware of the threat possibly present in Mexico which was her. Being lead to a dig site, Lara started to investigate by finding a back entrance before disposing of her disguise where she'd save a local archaeologist from being executed. 

There, Lara found a hidden water entrance to a cave where she were to solve her way to the ruins in order to access a Mayan myth. The only danger at the site being a series of cataclysmic events through the taking of a dagger inscribed with unlocking the cleansing. Irrationally, Lara knew she couldn't let Trinity take ahold of the dagger, which lead to her starting the end of the world. As Lara made her escape, she eliminated Trinity soldiers in her path in order to reunite with Jonah, only to come face to face with Dominguez himself where he would rebuke her for causing a tsunami to activate; one of few catastrophes she caused. 

Heartbroken, Lara felt immense guilt for the destruction and the pain she'd caused as now she was one step behind Trinity. While Jonah assisted the locals in getting the injured out of danger, Lara sat on her legs and witnessed her work as houses and buildings were set ablaze, high water levels sweeping dead bodies as she could imagine what terrible fate she brought onto David if the next event were to attack England - who was now taking the first plane to Venice, Italy to catch up with Trinity with his father's journal.