Tomb Raider (Top Cow 1999 series) # 9

 By Mark Rodriguez

Lara Croft and her new assistant Madeline, have come into the possession of a gem called The Eye of Shaharettin which is said to allow the person holding it to see visions into the future. A secret organization called the Midnight Squires have set their eyes on Lara and want their gem back. Lara went to see a security expert named John Rivers for help. Lara gets a vision of armed men headed towards them. As they try to escape through John's office window, now Lara, Madeline and John find themselves surrounded. What will happen now?

 

"Dead Center Part 3" opens with Lara, Madeline and John surrounded by the armed men. One of them says they can either drop their weapons and come quietly or they'll start shooting until their clips are empty. Madeline tells Lara she doesn't think they're bluffing, and the Tomb Raider agrees. Lara puts her guns away and tells the men to put the safeties on their weapons. The men say they give the orders and start to herd them towards their truck.

 

Suddenly a homeless guy asks one of the men for five bucks. The gunman says the place is supposed to be secure. The guy says he makes sure to keep the bums out of the area. Lara recognizes his voice. The gunman says he'll bust five caps into him for interfering in Squires business. The man says he should at least have a few bucks on him. The gunman has had enough but before he can shoot, the man turns the gun against him and shoots him. Lara tells the guy he turns up at the most amazing times.

Lara and the guy start fighting against the rest of the gunmen. The man explains he's been following Lara ever since he noticed a guy following her back to her boat. Lara asks if he killed the man found in her bedroom. Madeline asks if Lara is associated with that drunk bum. The man says it's a disguise and reveals himself to be Chase Carver. Chase tells them to get into the truck and they drive off, leaving the surviving gunmen behind.

At the Squires headquarters, Roetek is informed that Lara got away. He asks how two women could outwit fifty of their best trained men. The woman tells him a wandering bum got involved and helped him escape. Roetek says a bum wouldn't  last two seconds against the Elite. He says this man must be another one of Lara's friends and tells her to use every resource to find his identity. He says once they know who the man is, they can figure out their next move.

Later on, Lara is taking a bubble bath pondering how angry the Midnight Squires must be over their escape since their type aren't used to losing. 'Mrs Hovan' asks if she can come in, but Lara knows it's Chase trying to imitate her voice. Chase steps in and tells Lara that the Squires won't quit until they get the Eye. Lara says she never quits and asks how he knew about the situation.

Chase mentions after he and Lara parted ways on the beach, he saw someone following Lara back to her boat. He looked like trouble so he followed. He knew the guy was a pro when he watched him disarm the boat's security system. Lara asks why he would go after her since she didn't have the Eye yet. Chase said the man had the Eye. He was a member of the Squires that first recovered the Eye but he didn't want his team to have it. He was injured during his escape and it looked like he wanted to give the Eye to Lara so she could keep it safe, but he died before he could tell her about it. Chase says only one person has ever escaped the Squires and lived, and sadly the guy that followed Lara didn't make it to the be second.

Lara says they must find this one person and tells Chase to turn around as she steps out of the tub. Chase turns and says he never gets to have any fun. Lara says he's had his chance at fun but he blew it. Chase checks out Lara in the mirror. She says he hasn't change a bit. She tosses her towel in his face.

Lara asks what he knows about the man that left the Squires. Chase says his name is Quill and the last he's heard, he was in the Bayou. Lara says it doesn't sound too appetizing. Chase tells Lara that'll be the last bath she'll be taking for a while.

Later on, Lara, Chase and John are in the swamps in the Bayou. The heat is intense, the air is thick and the humidity is even worse. John asks why anyone would subject themselves to such intolerable conditions. Chase says it's the best place for someone that doesn't want to be found. The trio need to cross a river bank, the hard way. John hopes Chase isn't serious, and Chase says a guy with the last name Rivers shouldn't be afraid to get a little wet. 

 

As they cross the river, water up to their wastes, Chase tells them to stay alert since Quill doesn't like company. John asks if he has watchdogs. Chase says it's worse than that, as gators start swimming towards them.

Chase tells them that Quill is said to run the swamp and control all the wildlife. Lara gives John the bag with the gem in it as she needs both hands. She pulls out her pistols and starts to shoot the gators. One of the gators gets too close and Lara stabs it with a knife.

Chase is also shooting and he tells John to take the gem out of the bag before one of the gators swallows it. As John takes out the gem, the gators back off. Chase says the gators are afraid of the Eye. Lara says they're afraid of something worse... a whirlpool. Chase asks why they should worry since the water isn't that deep. John says the Eye showed him the future and it showed that the three of them are going to drown!!

 

My Thoughts- 

So right off the bat it's a little confusing that this issue didn't have the title of the story anyway. I went back and checked but it's nowhere to be found. The cover does say 'Part 3 of 4' but of what? I only know this story is called Dead Center cause I read the last two issue, but what about someone that might have started late into the series?

The story opens with a bit of a retcon, since the last issue ended with the guys counting to three before they will shoot our heroes... to now giving them the chance to surrender first. I know Annie Wilkes from Misery would have complained about that one. It's cool to see Chase back but it seems we lost Madeline in exchange. I guess they couldn't talk her into joining them to a swamp. 

The first issue started with Chase having enough of Lara always talking smack about him. He returns in this one and Lara goes right into the comments at his expense. I'm surprised Chase didn't say too much, but at the moment it was more important to get away from the gunmen. We'll see if this gets addressed once the action slows down.

While we did find out about the person that first gave Lara the future-telling gem, the story is going a bit slow considering the story wraps up next issue. The most that happened in this issue is the crew escaping from the Elite and then crossing swamp water. Roetek had a scene to remind us he's running things, but will he finally confront Lara next issue? 

 

The letters this time around were praise for the book and the Midnight Squires story. Chase got divisive letters, with one fan saying he's a wuss and wishing Lara would team up with The Darkness instead. Another comments he should keep his facial hair since without it he'd look like a Backstreet Boy. One fan asked about crossovers and the letter columnist told them about Witchblade/Tomb Raider # 1 and Tomb Raider/Witchblade # 1.

I am curious as how all of this would wrap up next issue. They have to find Quill and get his backstory and we also need to see the final confrontation between Lara and the Midnight Squires. While Madeline got to sit out the Bayou swamp adventure, let's hope she sticks around afterwards.

There weren't too many ads that stood out this time except for several Top Cow comics including Tomb Raider itself. There's also an ad for the latest (at the time) game, Lara Croft Chronicles. 

 

 

There was also a cool ad advertising Sol Bianca The Legacy from Pioneer Anime. They also advertise other anime you might have heard of like Sailor Moon, Tenchi Muyo, Trigun and that super obscure anime, Pokemon.