England
Present
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Lara Croft is sitting in her study, alternating between lazily
thumbing through her journal and typing at her PowerBook. She is attempting to review some notes she
took while she was in
Tibet.
She has made little progress this morning and is beginning to find
it impossible to concentrate over the endless banging and buzzing of
the carpenters. Lara needed some work done on the old mansion after
a few thugs shot the place
up. She decided to take this opportunity to make a few additions
as well as the needed renovations to her home.
Lara is on her computer, searching for a particular book on
Tibetan antiquities. She finally locates the reference within the
holdings at Cambridge. She furrows her brow and sighs at the thought
of having to arrange for an inter-library loan. Suddenly, her eyes
brighten, and she snaps the PowerBook shut, scoops her journal and
computer into her weathered knapsack, and scampers down the
stairs.
Winston shuffles up to the foot of the stairs to see if there's
something he can do for Miss Croft. Lara rushes past and announces,
"Winston, I'm going to take a drive out to Cambridge. There's a book
I need."
Winston asks, "I can drive you, Miss Croft. I just need to get my
coat."
Lara answers, "That's quite all right, Winston. You should stay
and oversee the workmen. I'll be just fine."
"Will you be taking the Norton?" Winston asks.
Lara smiles. Winston always worries when she takes the Norton
out. "No, I'll take the Bentley," Lara tells him reassuringly. She
had a quiet drive in mind anyway. She hops into the big silver
automobile and pulls off the estate grounds.
The two hour drive across the English countryside passes quickly
and soon she arrives at the University of Cambridge campus. She pulls
into the parking lot near the Scroope Terrace and she walks to the
Faculty of Architecture and History of Art Library.
Inside the library, she loses herself among the silence of the
stacks. She locates the book she was looking for and brings it over
to a carrel. She opens the musty book and begins to flip through the
browning pages while jotting more notes in her journal.
A man approaches from behind Lara, stretching his neck left and
right trying to get a glance of Lara's face. After a moment's
indecision, he leans forward and asks softly, "Miss Croft?" Lara turns
around and tries to identify the man. The gentleman offers, "You were
at my lecture a year or so ago about significant findings in KGB
documents that Russia recently declassified. You approached me about
whether there were any documents that discussed Soviet stashing of old
Russian antiquities."
Recognition washes over Lara's face, "Of course! Dr. Andrew.
You're the Head of the Faculty of History here."
Dr. Christopher Andrew smiles,
"Yes. Since we first met, I've heard of a few of your exploits, Miss
Croft. It's quite a coincidence to find you here today. There's
someone I think you should meet. I'm meeting him for tea now. You're
welcome to join us."
Lara does what she does best and follows her instincts. She
smiles sweetly and answers, "I'd be delighted." She quickly finishes
jotting down the remaining notes, and closes the book.
Lara follows Dr. Andrew out of the library, across the campus, to
the faculty club. They exchange pleasantries as they walk. Inside
the dining hall, Dr. Andrew approaches a dark-haired man in his
sixties. Dr. Andrew introduces the man to Lara, "This is Vasili
Nikitich Mitrokhin." Lara extends her
hand. Mitrokhin, stands and takes it.
They all sit, and Dr. Andrew continues, "Vasili was the Chief
Archivist for the FCD, which was the foreign intelligence arm of the
KGB. For twelve years, Vasili smuggled his own notes out of KGB
headquarters. In 1992, he stepped into a British Embassy of a newly
independent Balkan republic and offered his notes to the British
government. Now he is a British citizen. He and I are working on a
book together. I think a few of his
notes may be of interest to you."
Dr. Andrew nods to Mitrokhin, "The Melnikov file. Would you
please show it to Miss Croft?" Mitrokhin takes out an old leather
satchel, and sifts through it slowly. The satchel is packed full of
file folders. Each contains handwritten notes and photostats.
Finally he produces the folder he was in search of. His motions are
quite methodical as he opens the folder with great care and produces
two old pieces of paper and hands them to Lara. Lara carefully
unfolds the first dark oily page, to find that it is the front page of
an old newspaper. It reads:
US Daily, Volume IV, issue 13, May 24, 1945. The headlines read,
"Cold War Coming? Tension mounts over gold claims."
"Alaskan Discovery Sparks International Territory Dispute by Unified
Press. San Francisco, May 24 - On May 21, an American PBY Catalina
spotted a Russian merchant fleet several miles off the coast of
Melnikov Island. This island, located in the Bering Sea, was
previously thought to be uninhabited and of no discernable strategic
value. Further investigation by US military operatives revealed the
possibility of hitherto unknown constructions present at that
location...
The second item merely confirms the first. She examines it to
find that it is a partial blueprint for a Russian military base. Lara
looks up, somewhat perplexed asks, "I don't understand." Then
Mitrokhin produces a third piece of paper from the folder. This time
it is an old black and white photograph. He hands it to Lara as
well.
It is a photograph of what appears to be an Inuit man holding a large ornamental mask.
Although the photograph is not color, the mask is clearly a hammered
work. Lara instinctively turns the photograph over and finds a note
on the back, "Melnikov Island. 1945".
Dr. Andrew finally speaks, "I thought that perhaps you might be
interested in this relic. It appears that during the Russian
incursion, they must have come across this mask."
Mitrokhin adds, "According to the records, a Soviet military
outpost was established on Melnikov Island because a large deposit of
gold was found there. Interestingly, although quite a lot of
resources were spent on constructing a mine, the whole operation was
suddenly abandoned for reasons that are not clear from the records I
have. However, I do know that it was abandoned without any response to
the incursion by the United States."
Lara gingerly hands the newspaper clipping, the blueprints and the
photograph back to Mitrokhin. Mitrokhin refuses, "No. Please, you
keep them. I have my notes and copies of those." Lara thanks him and
carefully places the three items in her backpack.
Lara rises, "Dr. Andrew, thank you very much for your kind
invitation. It's getting late, and I have quite a drive back to
Surrey. I hope you will excuse me, I really should make a move." She
turns to Mitrokhin, "Thank you for sharing this information with me.
It's quite interesting. I will have to look into it."
Both Dr. Andrew and Mitrokhin both rise, but Dr. Andrew speaks,
"Of course. It was our pleasure."
Lara turns to Mitrokhin, "It was a pleasure to meet you,
Mr. Mitrokhin."
Mitrokhin's soft spoken voice rings with a strong Russian accent,
"Likewise." Lara leaves the hall and heads for home.
Late that evening when Lara returns home, she places a phone call
to a friend in the United States. A woman's voice answers. Lara
asks, "Hello, Lita? This is Lara. I hope I haven't caught you at a
bad time."
Lita answers, "Lara! Not at all. I'm just finishing dinner.
It's so good to hear from you again. How are you?" Lara met Lita on
a dig years ago, when Lita was still only a doctorate student.
Lara is delighted to hear the voice of her friend, but quickly
gets down to business, "Lita, I need a quick favor. What do you know
about Inuit ornamental masks? I'm hoping you have some information
about one that is likely made of some kind of precious metal. The
likeness is of a bald and bearded face."
Lita is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Tulane
University, specializing in Native North American Cultures. Lara
figures that if anyone could provide some insight on this mask, she
could. Lita answers, "Hmm... Inuit ornamental masks are generally
made of wood or animal pelts. Are you sure it's metal?"
"Quite," Lara confirms.
"Well, not much comes to mind. There is an Inuit legend about a
spirit, Tornarsuk, that revives the dead. I've also documented a few
folk stories about a Golden Mask of Tornarsuk, but those are only
legends. It's all very unlikely. The Inuit people live in a harsh
environment, they didn't expend their energy and resources digging for
it."
Lara gets the confirmation she needed, "Lita, I'm sorry, I don't
mean to be so brief with you, but I need to investigate this further.
I'll get in touch with you when I know more."
Lita knows the routine and answers slyly, "Off on another
adventure? Do be careful."
"Always," Lara answers, "Thanks for your time. I'll talk to you
soon." They exchange good-byes and Lara hangs up the phone. Just as
the receiver clicks down, Winston wanders into Lara's study carrying a
tray of Earl Grey and cucumber and watercress sandwiches. Lara turns
to him and says, "Winston dear, I'll need you to rearrange my upcoming
travel itinerary. I'd like to take a quick trip to Dutch Harbor,
Alaska before my trip to Las Vegas. Would you please make necessary
arrangements?"
Winston sets down the tray on the desk, and replies, "Of course
Miss Croft." He turns and begins to shuffle out of the room.
Lara adds, "Oh Winston?"
"Yes, Miss Croft?" Winston replies patiently.
"I'll probably need a charter helicopter from Dutch Harbor to a
place called Melnikov Island," Lara adds.
Winston is way ahead of her, "Of course, Miss Croft."
(follow plot)
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The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB". If you are interested, you can order it online.