Emergency Assassin: Isaac Kenway
July, 1855
Isaac Kenway plummeted head first into the water of the gulf of the Davenport Manor. He resurfaced and looked up, watching chunks of debris falling down from the explosion that his grandfather, Connor, had caused. He started to swim for the shore, and lay down on the sand, closing his eyes and sobbing. His father was just killed by a group of men he was unaware of, and his grandfather had just killed himself to save him. He didn't know what to do, he was without guidance. He collected himself and opened his eyes, just in time to see an object floating down toward him. It snagged on the tree branch that was jutted out above his head. Isaac stood up and unsnagged it.
It was the robes that his grandfather had shown him in their secretive basement. Isaac held them by the shoulders, stretching them out to look at them. It couldn't have been convenient that these had survived the explosion, and came down right over his head. If he was going to become an Assassin, he supposed this was the best way to start. He slid on the robes, buckled the straps and adjusted the belts, making sure it was all on correctly. He slid his hammer into one of the loops. He kept the hood down. Then he realized that the knife that went into the sheath on his bracer was still up by the manor, where he dropped it when he was knocked out by one of his father's attackers. As if on cue, the blade fell from nowhere, impaling itself in the sand in front of him as he finished adjusting the robes. Isaac hesitated, then walked over to it, pulled it from the sand, wiped it off, and slid it back into the sheath.
Now Isaac had to find out where to go. He climbed his way back up to the road. Many people were standing around on their property, staring up at the smoking remains of the manor. Isaac approached one house that had a carriage in front of it. The owner of the house met with Isaac. "Are you ok, son..?" The man asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Isaac ignored the question, but nodded. "I need to get to Washington. Can you help me?" Isaac asked. The man looked hesitant, but said, "I was going to make a run to New York. I can take you as far as that, and you can take a ship to Washington. I'm Jack, by the way." Isaac nodded. "Thank you, Jack. I'm Isaac." He climbed in the back of the carriage, and Jack took the reins. Isaac soon fell into a slumber.
Isaac awoke to Jack shaking his shoulder. He bolted awake. The sun had set, and the carriage was parked on the side of the road, next to a meat shop. "We're here. New York City. The harbor is that way." Jack pointed to the right, indicating the harbor that had several ships floating in it. Isaac climbed out of the carriage, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light of the street lamps. This was the first time he'd ever been to New York City. Many people were walking around, browsing the stands with food and other merchandise on them. The smells of bakeries filled the air. Life was bustling. And Isaac understood the feeling his grandfather had always talked about with his first visit to Boston when he was Isaac's age. He shook Jack's hand and thanked him, then made his way toward the harbor.
Isaac was easily distracted. The smells and the sights were overwhelming to him. He snuck a lobster from one of the more luxurious stands, walking away and toward the harbor. Many people were turning in for the night, and the ship to Washington, called the River Queen, was preparing to launch. As Isaac was about to board it, he heard a voice behind him yell "Oi!" to which he turned around.
Five men dressed in blue coats approached him, toting muskets over their shoulder. They stopped in front of Isaac, making a semi circle shape. The leader, an African American male, held a large cigar to his mouth, with a bushy mustache on his lips. On each of their belts, a pointed cross. They cracked their knuckles and gave Isaac a sly look. The leader, whom Isaac decided to name 'Bushy Stache' spoke up. "So, you look pree' young. You an Assassin, yeah? You look new 'ere." Isaac dropped the lobster and flexed his hand, holding the hidden blade out towards Bushy Lip's face. "Yes, I'm an Assassin. What of it?" Bushy Lip smiled, handed the musket to one of his friends, and took the cigar out of his mouth.
"Well, son, you should be happy that we found you." Bushy Lip walked forward and stuck out his hand. Isaac kept the blade pointed, but shook his hand. "I'm John. I'm the leader of the Assassin guild in Washington D.C. We were told to come to New York and escort you safely to Washington. And you are..?"
"Isaac," Isaac said, relaxing his hand. They turned, walking toward the ship. "America is in desperate need of us Assassin's. War is upon us. The Templars control much of the South, and we fear they will make some kind of strong move in the near future." They boarded the ship, the Assassin's staying behind. "I'll explain more later, Isaac. Get some rest, we'll be there by tomorrow afternoon." But John spoke too soon, as a cannon ball ripped through the ship.
To be continued.