Chapter Text
“Do you remember, Altair, what it is the Assassins fight for?”
“Peace, in all things.”
“Yes. In all things. It is not enough to end the violence one man commits upon another. It refers to peace within as well. You cannot have one without the other.”
The rooftop was wet and uncomfortable. Genji’s muscles – or at least what remained of them – were aching painfully, and he wanted nothing more than for something to happen already. Rain was pouring down from the dark sky, battering on Genji’s helmet with an excruciatingly loud ticking. At least the rain masked the sounds of his movements as he repositioned himself for the millionth time.
“This is ridiculous,” Genji whispered, now sitting in a half-crouch. He was still uncomfortable. “I can’t feel my legs.”
Next to him, Derek laughed, and Genji quickly shushed him.
“You’re being dramatic. We’ve only been here for an hour.”
Derek leaned over the edge of the building to scan the people below. He pressed two fingers against his temple and a small display appeared; names of the passersby shot across the screen quickly. It was no use – he wasn’t here yet. If he were, Genji would definitely know without having to run a facial scan on random civilians.
“Put that display away, it’s like a beacon.” Genji waved his hand through the holographic and the image blurred before vanishing completely.
With a sigh, Derek pushed himself up from his stomach and joined Genji in a half-crouch. “You’re certain we’re at the right location?”
“Of course I’m certain,” Genji snarled. “Who do you take me for?”
“I meant no offense.” Derek hastily raised his hands in surrender. He let out another sigh, somehow heavier than the one before, and wordlessly went back to scanning the alley below them.
The backstreet had gotten more and more abandoned as the time passed, but Genji wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign. He’d read the briefing three times over, so there was no doubt about it – they were in the right position. In fact, he could even see the door that had been described in the file; the one they were asked to investigate. But then where was he?
Patience wasn’t Genji’s strong suit. It was excruciatingly boring to wait here, in the pouring rain outside, while he should be in a so called ‘dangerous mission’. Dangerous my ass, nothing was happening – the only danger about this mission was that Genji might die from boredom if this were to go on for much longer.
“Genji, over there.”
Sharply turning his head, he looked down the end of the alleyway to see a group of 5 people, laughing and pushing each other around as they strode down the street. The man in the front of the group, however, was unmoving. There wasn’t a single hint of a smile on his face.
“That’s him,” Genji confirmed for Derek. “The one in front.”
Antonio Bartalotti. Blackwatch had been on the lookout for him for months, and now he’d finally revealed himself.
Finally, something was happening.
The group strode down the alleyway until they reached the door that Genji had spotted before. They stopped, looked around them, and then Antonio knocked once. Barely a second had passed when the door was thrown open.
A small, frail man appeared in the doorway, a scowl on his face. He looked old, and Genji was certain that the smallest gust of wind would be enough to knock him down. As he looked up at Antonio, imposing as ever, his expression twisted to one of fear.
“I-I have what you want!” he spoke hastily, stepping back into the building for a moment before reappearing with a suitcase. Genji and Derek shared a look. “Please, take it and leave me alone.”
Antonio waved his hand and one of the men behind him stepped forward, snatching the suitcase from the old man’s grip. The man flinched, but no one was paying attention to him anymore – all eyes were on the mysterious suitcase. Slowly, Antonio’s men opened the suitcase and looked inside. Up on the roof, Genji leaned forward to try to get a glance of what was inside, but it was turned away from him. Whatever it was, the men seemed very pleased, grinning at each other like morons.
Antonio abruptly snapped the suitcase shut and all the men leaped up in surprise, nearly dropping the case on the ground. “That’s enough,” he snapped.
The frail, old man almost seemed to faint when Antonio turned back to him, and he let out a sad whimper.
“I thank you for your.. compliance,” Antonio spoke, a smile on his face. “But we can’t go around having someone know about this exchange. I’m sure you understand.”
The man barely had time to register Antonio’s words when a knife was shoved into his stomach. With a last whimper, he fell to the ground.
As Antonio wiped his knife on his handkerchief, Genji scanned the men. Lightly armed, overconfident; they could go in now without any trouble. Not only would they be able to take down Antonio, but they could retrieve whatever was in that suitcase as well. Whatever it was, it had to be important for Antonio to fetch it himself.
“We should go in,” Genji whispered, sharing his thoughts with Derek. His partner startled, and gaped at Genji.
“What?” he exclaimed. “Go in? What do you mean?”
Genji rolled his eyes. “What do you think I mean? He’s in the open. Now’s our chance to strike.”
For a short moment, Derek looked like Genji was speaking in a different language entirely, but then he started shaking his head wildly.
“That’s not our orders,” he whispered angerly.
“So?”
“So, we should stick with Reyes’ plan. We should tail them, locate their base, and then retreat.”
Genji almost started laughing then, only holding back in case he could be heard from the alleyway. Reyes’ original plan sucked, and it wouldn’t accomplish anything. As soon as Antonio stepped foot behind the safe walls of his base again, he’d be untouchable, and who knew when he’d come back out. It could be months until they could strike again. By then, the weapon or part that was in that suitcase would be well in Talon’s arms.
Looking down, Genji saw that the old man’s body was gone – the men had probably ditched it in a corner somewhere. Antonio had never been one for caution. Suitcase in hand, the men started to head back.
It was now or never.
“We’re going in,” Genji said decisively. He stood up, his cramped legs protesting, and took a step forward.
Before he could jump down, however, Derek’s hand gripped his shoulder. “Genji, think. This is Antonio we’re talking about! We can’t just blindly jump in!” he hissed, struggling to keep his voice down.
Genji harshly shoved his hand off, glaring at him. “Yes, we can. And we will.” Derek opened his mouth to say something again, but Genji cut him off. “I’m your superior, you have no choice but to follow my orders.”
With that, Genji stepped forward off the ledge. With a soft thud, he landed on the ground behind Antonio and his men, his shuriken already sifting through the air. All three of them found their way into one of the men’s heads, and he screamed out in pain as he fell to the floor.
Startled, Antonio turned around and was in the middle of yelling out an order when Derek decided to join in. Having leaped from the roof much like Genji, he landed right on top of another one of Antonio’s men, whose head collided with the pavement with a sickening crack. Genji grinned. Finally, some action.
Genji unsheathed his wakizashi and dashed forward, knocking the gun out of someone’s hand and slicing the owner’s throat in one fluid movement. From the corner of his eye, he could see Derek pull out his rifle and unload it in the last man’s face.
Antonio was the only one left standing, and the fear on his face was beautiful. He reached for a weapon of his own, but before he could reach it, Genji’s wakizashi was pressed tightly to his throat.
“Antonio Bartalotti. Or was it Giordani?” Genji spoke, the grin still on his face. He was almost sad Antonio couldn’t see it due to his visor. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
With a weak laugh, Antonio slowly raised his hands. “Is that so? Well, you found me.”
While Derek finished off the guy with Genji’s shuriken still stuck in his head, Genji spotted the mysterious suitcase on the ground a little while away; it must’ve been thrown during the fight, however short it was. Antonio followed his stare and a smile appeared on his face.
“What’s in the case?” Genji asked. “What’s so important that it requires you to pick it up yourself?”
“Curious, are we?” Antonio asked mockingly. He seems to have no interest in answering, even with a blade against his throat.
Genji called out to his partner. “Derek, go check the suitcase.”
“On it.”
Genji didn’t take his eyes off of Antonio, but could see Derek hurry towards the suitcase somewhere next to them. He put down his rifle and crouched down in front of it.
Everything happened very quickly after that.
Genji nearly jumped a feet in the air when Derek started screaming. He snapped his head in his partner’s direction, and could vaguely make out Derek falling to the ground before a sharp pain coursed through him. His wakizashi slipped out of his hands, and every part of his body felt like it was on fire. He couldn’t even turn his head back to Antonio; he just crumbled and fell backwards onto the pavement.
He couldn’t move a single muscle, but his head was still turned towards Derek, who hadn’t stopped screaming, his hands covering his eyes. Blood was seeping through his fingers. Genji wanted to call out, but he found he couldn’t talk at all.
Antonio stepped over Genji’s limp body, reappearing in his sight. He had a small taser-like device clutched in his hand. “EMP device. It works like a charm against you Blackwatch lot.”
The most Genji could do was glare at him. Antonio walked over to the still screaming Derek, and with one heavy stomp on his face, silenced him.
Calmly collecting his suitcase, Antonio brushed off his suit and turned to leave. He’d taken only one step before he froze, “Oh, right!” With a few strides, he was back in front of Genji, crouching down in front of him with a wide grin on his face. “Give Gabriel my regards.”
And with that, he knocked Genji unconscious.