Overlooking a hangar of charcoal-colored military vehicles, Lara adjusted the gloves of the dark plum armor. She was still recovering from the surprise of having it installed onto her body by a spider-like machine.

  Once out of it’s claws and atop her skin, the thinly armored material had attached to itself and blended seamlessly. Zanatos had explained the suit’s technology to her over an intercom as she was doused by an automated shower. “Tad aggressive,” she had mumbled.

  The elastic of a hair tie snapped against her encased wrist as she manipulated it onto a ponytail high atop her head.

  Zanatos walked up with a black, reflective mask and two thick silver sticks. She took them which she realized were more like long, thin rectangles.

  “There are holders for those, there,” he informed her, pointing to the small compartments big enough for both rectangular objects on the straps lining either side of her thighs.

  “These are for...?”

  The coordinator motioned up and down, instructing her to follow the movement as he took a step back.

  With one flick, several blades slipped down, connected by a thin, black metallic material.

  “Okay!” Lara exclaimed, taken aback.

  “Engineered with only the best in mind -- and sharp. Like their owner, I’d hope,” he added as she examined them.

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  Lara masked her sudden excitement and nodded, slipping the fans into the carriers on her sides.

  A small sleek plane approached the hangar as Lara took the reflective black mask and placed it against her face. There was a silent whirring as the material expanded and wrapped comfortably down her neck and around her head, and ended at her ponytail, which Lara messed with.

  “Should I do something about this?”

  Zanatos analyzed it. “Hm. I suppose if we had more time and testing this would be fixed. But we have neither.”With the suit fully complete, it compressed further, forming small, faint hexagons as it clung to her body. “You’ll have to go with it.”

  “Honestly, this was much more than I was expecting for what you asked me to do.” Lara said, muffled behind her helmet. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Things don’t always go according to plan, Miss Ravenswood. Just look at what brought you here.”

  She couldn’t deny it, but she wouldn’t approve of his statement, either. “I didn’t have a plan.”

  “We do.”

  “We?”

  “You’ll meet the Sisters soon enough,” Zanatos said cryptically. His voice rose as the plane docked and opened its bridge. “Auto-pilot will take you to your destination. Double tap and trace a shape you’ll remember on the side of your helmet -- yes, now.”

  Lara complied.

  “Excellent; you are now trace-linked with your transport. Once you have the target, it’ll read your signal and return to retrieve you.”

  She nodded in confirmation, although she was somewhat suspicious of the dependence she was placing on the technology. Nonetheless, the pulse of anticipation had returned.

  When she stepped onto the plane, she turned to catch Zanatos’ sly smirk before the bridge lifted, sealing her in.