Tomb Raider: The Legacy

Chapter 7: Killer

He was angry. Of course he was - and Lara had worsened it. Selma clenched her teeth and decided to resist. "I'm sorry Kurtis, but it's my life's work. As you can see," she patted the pile of pages, "I've not mentioned you, or Anna... not even Lara. As far as I'm concerned, the Heissturm bloodline ended with Konstantin."

"How nice of you." Kurtis took another drag on the fag. Selma didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not. It was difficult to know in his case.

"I've also camouflaged all the supernatural as myths and legends. To protect you, and also to protect me."

He slowly let out the smoke between the corners of his lips and laughed quietly. "Oh, Selma, you're so naive." He leaned toward her. "Yeah, scientific community will respect you and academics will praise your ability to tell nice tales. But out there," He held out the arm holding the cigarette towards the door, "there's a lot of nerds ready to swallow any shit you let them - and a prestigious and renowned university professor giving that inch only makes it better."

Selma's eyebrows rose. "Since when do we care what nerds think? Internet is full of garbage, also on these topics. I'm not bringing anything new. Which of them is a threat to us?"

"Not them." Kurtis took the fag back to his mouth. "But those who track, investigate and use them as an information channel to reach us, yes."

"I thought all our enemies were dead."

Kurtis arched an eyebrow. A shudder ran down Selma's back. "Kurtis..."

"I've been tracking that bastard of Schäffer for years. Still not been able to catch him..."

"Oh, Kurtis ..."

"And as far as I know, Bathsheba might be alive. I never saw her corpse."

Selma had paled, if that was possible in her. "I don't think she survived... to..."

"We did, why not her? But let's leave it. I'm more concerned about Schäffer. He knows too much and he's very dangerous."

The Turk began to twist her hands nervously. "But... but if he wanted to hurt us... he'd have already tried, right?"

He smiled bitterly. "Not a fan of talking about this, but I've no choice." He looked into her eyes. "Y'know how many people I had to kill to hide the information you want to publish?"

"Oh, Kurtis!"

"I don't waste time figuring out their reasons. Being alive has cost me dearly. Lara's life, my daughter's life, has cost me dearly. So does yours, Selma. I'm not willing to gamble with them again." He let out a dry laugh. "Some of those I had to... terminate, were only indirectly involved - and others had nothing to do with it. They had just asked the wrong questions, had been in wrong places, at the wrong time. I have blood on my hands because of this, Selma." He hit the pile of pages with his finger. "And now you want to publish it."

She had bowed her head, contrite. "I... I didn't know."

"Well, now you know."

For a moment there was nothing heard in the room except for Selma's agitated breathing. Kurtis finished his cigarette and crushed it in the ashtray.

"Does Lara know?" She ventured at last.

"What?"

"That you... that you..."

"That I'm a killer?"

"Oh, Kurtis..."

"Of course she does. She always knew." He sighed. "Anna doesn't, of course, and right now I prefer things to stay like this. She's too young."