Masked

XXI.

People, I have truly failed you! I am so sorry for my long absence, but school and writers block have been getting the best of me. But I am back, with good news: School will no longer kick my butt since I passed my final exams this year! Now, I'll be dedicated to this story like never before. By the way, thank you for almost 3000 reads, it means the world! Love you 3000! (Yes, I've hopped aboard the Endgame hypetrain as well.) Happy reading!

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Panting and coughing, Lara resurfaced after what seemed like an eternity in the cold water of the Amazon. During her escape from Trinity's heavily armed helicopter, their bullets managed to graze her arm. The archaeologist felt the warm blood running down it when she crawled on land, head hanging low and still coughing the water out of her lungs. In the meantime, it had started to rain again, and the tiny droplets of water felt like they were piercing her skin like hundreds of little needles.

She tried sitting up, calming her breath, while her stare on the muddy jungle floor went blank. She had lost Jonah. Again.

Lara reached for her radio.

"Jonah..."

Nothing.

"Jonah?"

Once again, static was the only answer she received. ... And someone else had heard her desperate calls as well. Heavy steps were making their way through the underbrush, only to come to a stop in front of her.

"Well, look what I found."

The brunette kept her head low when the man – obviously one of Trinity's mercenaries switched on his light and tried blinding her.

"Don't. Move."

Lara grit her teeth. This was the last thing she needed now.

"Don't try me...", the deadly hiss escaped her lips.

As soon as the archaeologist finished that sentence, the mercenary had already approached her, and she got thrown to the side with a single hit of his rifle. He had no time to continue with his brutal ways, though, with a groan, Lara heaved herself up again, ready to tackle the mercenary down while he got ready to hit her with his gun once again. The brunette couldn't let that happen and tried to knock out the rifle out of his hand.

They both started fighting hand to hand combat-style, with the mercenary trying to tackle her down on the ground again. Lara stumbled, giving all she had to shake off the enemy, reaching for the knife he had secured on his belt. She succeeded, now holding the deadly blade in her hand, but the brunette had no time to celebrate her victory. The mercenary had attacked her again, throwing her to the ground while positioning himself over her, but Lara's reaction was faster. She wrapped her leg around his arm before straightening it, pushing him away by his throat. He stumbled backwards before falling to the muddy floor.

The positions had changed. Lara hovered above him, trying to end the enemies life with pushing down the knife, but the mercenary defended himself until the very end, grasping around her throat, choking her. A growl escaped Lara's throat, and with one single thrust, the weapon suddenly stuck in his chest. His movement ceased until the hand of the mercenary went limp and fell to the side.

The brunette was breathing heavily when she rolled herself off the corpse. She had no time to calm down, though.

"Check over there."

Lara's head shot up. Without much hesitation, she lifted herself up, hurriedly reaching for the knife that stuck in the dead body next to her before hiding herself in the thick underbrush of the jungle again.