Tomb Raider: The Ten Thousand Immortals Read Online Free Page A

hour, and she was worried that she might be tiring Sam. Her friend had suffered an overdose, had just come out of a coma, and who knows what tests she’d been put through.
    “I’ll come again tomorrow,” said Lara, putting the book away and getting up. When she was a few yards from the bed, she turned to look at her friend. Sam looked so small and frail, and Lara still couldn’t see her face properly. She was worried for Sam.
    Lara stopped at the nurses’ station again. David had been replaced by the nurse who had wheeled Sam onto the ward.
    “I wonder if there’s any chance I could speak to Samantha Nishimura’s doctor?” asked Lara.
    The nurse looked at her, questioning.
    “Miss Nishimura, bed 1,” said Lara.
    “Yes… Nishimura,” said the nurse, checking a clipboard hanging from the desk. “You’re in luck. If you’d like to sit in the visitors’ room, her doctor is due on the ward shortly. I’ll ask him to come and find you.”
    “Thank you,” said Lara. “I’d be very grateful.”
    “Miss Croft?” asked the petite doctor as she entered the visitors’ room. Lara stood and offered her hand.
    “I won’t, if you don’t mind,” said the doctor. She smiled. “I wash my hands a hundred times a day.”
    “Of course,” said Lara.
    “Let’s sit down, and I’ll update you on Miss Nishimura’s condition. You’re her next of kin?” asked the doctor.
    “For these purposes, yes,” said Lara. “She has no family resident in the UK.”
    “Very well,” said the doctor. “I’m Doctor Southgate, and I’ve been overseeing Miss Nishimura’s care. As you know, she’s out of the coma, and we’re running some physical tests. An overdose can affect liver and kidney functions and cause other damage. We need to assess her quite carefully.”
    “Of course,” said Lara.
    “We also have to do a psychiatric evaluation,” said the doctor.
    “I understand,” said Lara. “She left a note. This is a suspected suicide attempt. There are procedures.”
    “There are,” said the doctor. “There has been one particular anomaly since Miss Nishimura came out of the coma that you might be able to help us with.”
    “Anything,” said Lara.
    “She’s Japanese,” said the doctor, “but she has an Anglo name on her records. Does she have or did she have a Japanese name?”
    “I was at school with her,” said Lara. “She was always Samantha...Sam.”
    “Several times, she has said that’s not her name,” said the doctor. “It’s not uncommon for coma patients to become confused or to have memory loss. This appears to be different. Do you know if her Japanese parent gave her a pet name?”
    “Her father,” said Lara. “I never heard of one. I don’t remember her ever mentioning it.”
    “Once or twice, she’s called herself...” The doctor looked at her notes. “She’s said her name is Himiko.”
    Lara froze. She said nothing.
    “Does that sound familiar?” asked the doctor. “Any help you can give us would be very useful.”
    “No,” said Lara. “I’m sorry. How long will Samantha be in hospital?”
    “She was in a coma, and there could be organ damage. With this new information, I’m going to recommend some neurological tests, and there’s the psychiatric evaluation. It could be some time.”
    “Is she in any danger?” asked Lara.
    “She’s out of the coma, and that’s a very good sign,” said the doctor. “The oxygen is a precaution. She’s stable. I’m going to run those tests. Let’s wait and see.”
    “Thank you, Doctor Southgate,” said Lara. “I appreciate it.”
    “You’re welcome,” said Doctor Southgate. “Don’t look so worried. Things are looking promising.”
    Chapter 5
    L ara returned to the flat and to the Book. It wasn’t just about making Sam better anymore. The doctors had healed her body from the overdose, but, overnight, things had become much more serious.
    “This is about Himiko,” she said. “This is about Himiko and Yamatai, and