Struggle for control

The man slashed at her leg to immobilize her, but his knife sliced a bit too low, and cut just below he back of her knee. The intense pain made Lara turn and spring into action. She kicked at her attacker before realizing it was the man she hired. Her foot connected with his chest, and sent him stumbling backwards. Lara then ran up and socked him in her face to try and subdue him, but he raised his left arm to block.

Successfully parrying her blow, he used his momentum to roll past her and pulled the throttle lever back, cutting the engines. Lara went to push it forward, but he kicked her in the gut, stunning her long enough to deliver an uppercut to her chin, sending her backwards and falling onto her ass. As she shook off the disorienting hit, he pulled her arms over her head and dragged her to the back of the yacht, where a steel cage was opened. Lara struggled as he placed her inside, but ultimately his brute strength won out, and the lid was shut over her, lreventing her from escaping. The cage had metal bars about five inches apart and we're too thick to try to bend.

"Someone will come to collect you soon. Not sure why, but they want you alive." the man explained.

True to his word, a motorboat came and a man with a balaclava over his face helped load the cage onto the motorboat. Lara wasn't sure what to do, so she kept quiet until the unidentified man came aboard and knocked her out before speeding away.

Lara awoke later, but she was no longer in the cage. In fact, she wasn't bound at all. It was still daytime, as the sun was showing through the canopy of trees. As her eyes got adjusted, she realized she had been kidnapped for a purpose and wanted to find out what was going on.

"The famous Lara Croft. I didn't think you'd be so easy to capture. No matter, I figured you'd want to be the one to find the idol first anyways. As it happens, I'm a fairly impatient man. So, you're going to find it for me, or I'll kill you. How does that sound?" a figure in the shadows said.

"I'll never do anything for you, Fredrick." Lara spat.

"Ah, so you have heard of me? It seems both our reputations precede us! So, you know people who I am, and you must know what I've done, and what I do when I don't get my way." Fredrick said.

"I know you're a petty smuggler with inferiority issues. Not sure how you got on their payroll, but nothing you say will make me help you." Lara said.

"My, such fire! Well, I know that I can't get through to you, but maybe someone else can..."

"LARA!" a female voice cried as one of Fredrick's men brought her out.

"Sam!" Lara screamed.

"Yeah, it seems that Trinity liked the fact I was able to find your little friend here. So, maybe find the idol to save her, then?" Fredrick asked.

"Lara, don't!" Sam cried.

"I'm sorry, but I need to keep you safe! I promise I'll come back for you." Lara said, turning to the path laid out before her.

It seemed like Fredrick and his men had cleared the way to the location, but they either couldn't find it or didn't understand how to enter whatever chamber it was in. Lara was confident she knew what to do. She entered a cave and followed the lights along the path before entering a large chamber. In the middle of it sat a tall spire. At the top saying a gleaming bronze statue depicting two naked women with their arms encircling each other in am embarace.

"Wait, there's no puzzle to solve, no curse to avoid, no traps? Perhaps if I get closer..."