The Bargain

Part XXII

Location: Unknown 2017

"Go," Lara told Mac as he opened the door and came back for her. He was wasting precious time. "I'll just hold you up. Go, get help, then come back."

"I can't risk him moving you Lara," Mac told her as he pulled her to her feet. Lara's head spun violently as she almost fell back over. Mac was there though, his arm around her, holding her up, keeping her steady. 

Mac led her out the door and into the hall. She hoped, more so she knew, he was checking each corner and blind spot. Lara just focused on staying upright and conscious. When they came to the stairs of what appeared to be an old apartment block, Lara was spent, her legs were shaking and an acute headache was gathering at the front of her head. They only just made it to the first landing.

"Mac,-" Lara began.

"I'm not leaving you Lara," Mac told her, preempting her suggestion. "I don't do that."

Lara winced, she wanted to explain but she could barely think through the fog in her head."Mac I'm going to pass out,"

"Just stay with me Lara,"

"Angus? Is that you?" came a voice that Lara knew and she felt Mac tense. The tone itself was mocking, filled with faux care. Mac quickly guided her off the stairs and into an apartment that had been left unlocked, locking out behind him. Then he made his way over to a window, beyond which lay a fire escape.

"Mac..." Lara cut in as he began helping her onto the fire escape. "Mac I can't. I'm going to pass out." And in doing so would only slow him down more, leaving him to be recaught by Murdoc. She didn't know she was crying until the tears were running down her neck and into her shirt.

"Lara," Mac said, pausing and looking at her, "Lara you need to breathe, we're going to be fine. We've been through worse."His grip tightened around her as he practically dragged her through the window, stopping her from falling flat on her face, before all but carrying her down the fire escape and into the alley, onto the street. Lara had no clue where they were.

"Where are we?" Lara asked before her body finally gave out.