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You kissed Evie goodbye and slipped out of the train and jumped onto the tracks. She hated seeing you go like this, your eyes screaming rage and revenge despite how hard you tried to hide those emotions. You had to go and spy on Smithy though. You had to know Evie and Jacob were safe.
Smithy had a routine, something you quickly picked up on. He did his rounds went back inside for paperwork, maybe had a meeting, did another set of rounds. As much as you hated him, you had to admire that he was dedicated to his awful cause. If you were honest with yourself, you would have killed him already if it wasn't for The Creed. Yes, he was awful, but he wasn't a Templar, therefore you couldn't. A small part of your head considered your reasoning for not ending his life and proposed the idea that it was a big excuse for you being too scared to kill him. You had a long history after all.
Charles Smith hadn't started his rounds when you sat in your usual spot on the corner of a building that gave you a good sight of the factory and the carriages going in and out of the back. You had your hood up and was in the shadows. If by chance he looked up, he wouldn't see you. He never did though.
He sauntered out the back door and yelled at one of his drivers. That was a regular occurrence. Him being accompanied by a man in black wasn't. Upon closer inspection you noticed the arm band with the red cross on it. So he was in league with the Templar's. Jacob would be thrilled to hear this. You watched as they walked together outside and talked quietly so the others couldn't hear them. Smithy walked the Templar to the gate. They patted each other's shoulders and that's when you caught sight of the slight glint of a ring on Smithy's hand. The Templar handed Smithy a red arm band similar to his and took his leave.
Your heart sank. Finally a cause to kill the bastard. Not now though, you had to tell the Frye's, you had a duty to the brotherhood. Having enough on Smithy now, you followed the Templar. He was a lot smarter than you originally thought.
You had to hide from view multiple times so he didn't see you slinking on top the rooftops following him wherever he was going. Unfortunately, you caught on that he saw you when he merged himself with a busy market crowd. You lost sight of him. You'd take him down next time.
With haste, you made it to the train, your heart beating faster. The sudden realization that his head would soon be on the chopping block was winding you up. There was so much rage inside you that you didn't know existed. Something else too, something almost like remorse but not quite. You caught the train when it was passing under a bridge. You hopped on top of it and quickly scrambled down the ladder and into the study. As you suspected the twins were still there along with Greenie. All their eyes were on you, Evie's face turned into concern at your wide eyes and heaving chest. When did you stop breathing properly? You quickly realized you were overwhelmed.
She came over to you and touched your face making you look her in the eyes than off in another world. "Darling, what happened?" She asked softly.
With a shuddering breath, you blinked back tears but spoke anyway. "Smithy. He's with the templar's. I followed one into a market but lost him."
Her mouth went into a straight line and turned to Jacob who almost seemed pleased that the man who took his sister was going to be slaughtered, but it was put down by his own concern at your state. Angry, frightened, happy. You didn't know what you were feeling. The others probably caught on to that too by the many emotions that went through your facial expressions.
You pushed past Evie in need of some space. Making your way over to a table you leaned on it and looked at the passing buildings as the train went through London. There was no way that you were getting close to Smithy without something happening, and you were positive the Templar would tell Smith about you as soon as he could. If he didn't already know that is.
"We need to know as much as we can about him." Evie said softly as if she didn't want to startle you.
Glimpses of your past flashed before your eyes. Most of them left a bad taste in your mouth.
"Rookie." Jacob cleared his throat When you didn't say anything. "What happened between you and Charles Smith?"
"He took me under his wing when I was young. Taught me how to read and write and steal properly. He wasn't happy when I left and started doing contract work." You gave a half hearted shrug. "He still hired me, I was the best around. But things changed between us." You couldn't help your head falling forward at the thought of it. "When I didn't return his money, I guess it tipped him over the edge. He's been looking for me for years." You shook you head getting the memories out of it. You turned to the others, hiding your building emotions with a firm look on your face. "He's a violent man. Short tempered, slow, good with a knife if he gets close enough."
Like the Boss he was to you, Jacob strode forward and put a hand gently on your shoulder. "It's a good thing you're better isn't it?"
"I don't know what he did to make you so scared," Evie started. She walked towards me and held her hand out for my other shoulder. "But we have your back. Always."
You looked to her, or Jacob who had a proud smile etched into his face and then to Henry who gave you a soft smile and a nod of confirmation.
*
As you figured when the group of you went to the factory, Blighters were crawling the premises and as far as you could tell, Charles Smith was held up in his office.
"There's too many. We can't get through on stealth alone." Henry shook his head in defeat.
"Very well." Jacob slid his brass knuckles on, always ready to go into combat head first.
"Well, I know a way that I can get in." You provided causing your boss to stop and look at you almost disappointed. "You're not going to like it however."
"I'm not letting you walk in there and serve yourself up on a platter." Evie shook her head looking horrified at the idea of you giving yourself up willingly. "They'll find your weapons."
"As much as I don't approve, she can be a distraction." Henry added looking guilty for even saying it.
You started taking off your multitude of weapons. You hid a voltaic bomb in your pocket as well as kept a throwing knife, and of course, your gauntlet. You gave them the rest, including your old faithful brass knuckles that hadn't left your side in years.
"I'll cause some ruckus and get myself captured. Do what you can to help me out." You told the twins almost smugly.
You jumped off the roof and landed in a pile of hay as gracefully as you could muster. You put up your hood and stealthily made your way to the fence that marked the factory's land. You crept along the fence, matching your steps to a guard who was headed the same way. When you reached the end you had to take a breath before you threw the bomb and went in there with your tiny throwing knife. God forbid you let them know your gauntlet was a weapon and not just an odd fashion statement.
The bomb caught quite a few guards off guard and some even collapsed much to your delight. Those who did survive it however were angry now. You took another breath and came out from your hiding spot, knife in hand ready to put up a fight. You knew you were going to get hurt during this. A price you'd gladly pay if Smithy was going to be put down for good. You held your own, motivated by anger, slashing down those who came close to you. It couldn't last, you knew this but you kept fighting until someone slipped through your defence.
You weren't surprised it was a brute who held you tightly around the middle, holding your hands tightly by your side. He got his friend to pull your hood back, revealing your barely scarred face from the fight. You aren't quite sure if it was good luck or bad that the man who removed your hood knew you from when you worked with Smith. Regardless, he made the brute take you upstairs after searching you for weapons and finding none.
Smithy and the Templar were in the office that overlooked the factory which had boxes stacked high of stolen goods or goods that had yet to be distributed throughout London. On the bright side, if this went well, we could give the goods to Ned to sell off and the opium could be burned down with the place.
The door smashed open by the brute and he threw me into the middle of the office like an animal. The Templar and Smithy stood up and leered down at me with such disgust.
"Hello boys." You acted cocky giving them a shit eating grin and sitting back on your knees to look at them properly. You were very aware of the brute standing at the door with his arms cross guarding it so you couldn't run.
"This was the rat following me yesterday." The Templar informed Smith.
"Surprise?"
"Is she a friend of yours, Smith?"
"Hardly. She used to work for me before she stole my money. If I knew she was with the assassins I would have killed them all."
"Just worked for you?" You asked feigning hurt feelings. "You taught me everything I know!"
The Templar gave Smithy an annoyed look in return at you remark. A gurgling sound from the brute made you turn your head. A knife was sticking out through his neck. Then appeared the twins and Henry looking more angry than ever. You got to your feet looking back at the men who threatened you and your creed.
"It's a shame I didn't kill you when I had the chance." Jacob spat back at him.
They looked so frightened. You wondered if this is what you had looked like when Smithy loomed over you with his twisted grin and clenched fists all those years ago.
You didn't want to kill a helpless man. Even if he did deserve it. Did that make you less of an assassin? No, Henry hadn't taken a life and he was a great assassin.
Evie stood forward glaring at the Templar with those steely eyes. "Who is in charge?" She asked calmly.
"As if I'd tell an assassin!" He spat at her boots.
"You wouldn't kill me, would you, love?" Smithy tried to plead with you. "I saved you from starving!"
"For your own gain!" You replied bitterly back at him. "And I still ended up starving."
He tried to wallow but he stopped when you clicked your blade out.
"I will not pity those who caused so much harm to others." You told him lowly before swiping your blade across his throat. He fell forward and you caught him to lay him down gently. Evie lunged at the Templar who was spitting insults at her the entire time. As they fought, you held Charles until he finally took his last breath. As bad as he was, he did save your life and deserved not to be thrown about like a rag doll.
Jacob stepped up behind you and handed you a handkerchief to honour his death for the good of the creed. You swiped his neck, bloodying the cloth and handed it back to him. You closed his eyes and stood away from the dead bodies. Transfixed on them like a horrified child.
"Call the Rooks, Jacob. We have to clear this warehouse." Evie informed him. "I'm going to take Rookie out for some air."
She ushered you out of the factory and sat you on a bench. She sat beside you and rubbed your back.
"You did so well." She praised solemnly. "Not every time will be like that. It's hard when it's someone you've known."
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my time now." You told her. You risked as glance her way and she looked mostly concerned but there was a devilish smile on her face.
"I can think of lots of ways to occupy your time." She alluded.
"Evie." You mock gasped easily distracted by her. "I'm not just some common whore."
"No, you're right. You're a street rat. The best one I've ever met." She hugged you tightly. "I would suggest we leave Jacob to take care of this, but I have a feeling we won't hear the end of it."
That made you crack a smile. You were finally free from him. No one else from your past will come to pull apart your unconventional life. After the factory was cleaned up, all ties of Charles Smith would be wiped away and you could move on. Templar's are slowly losing their ties in London, soon there would be little work for the assassins. What would happen when London was truly free? Where would you go? Hopefully somewhere with Evie, and maybe even Jacob by your side