This fic takes place before Diving for Medicines and after Unmanned. Also contains swearing in Spanish and English and if any of the Spanish translations are incorrect please tell me so I can change them as my Spanish is pretty rubbish. This is the rewritten version of Responsibility, which will be deleted after chapter 2 is up. Ah Tabai isn't that stupid to get himself kidnapped, Adelaida on the other hand...
The Jackdaw docked at Kingston harbour for some minor hull repairs, and Adéwalé and Edward walked the city streets to the local tavern. They had finished counting their latest cargo plundered from ships on their way to the city. The sky was clear of clouds but far in the distance a storm was brewing. The smell of alcohol drifted out from the tavern and songs floated out on the air. In the tavern the pairsat at a table near the bar and ordered a bottle of rum each. They chatted about the Jackdaw and Nassau and anything else they wanted to talk about. Kidd joined Adéwalé and Edward seeing as they were already there and he wanted to get a drink anyway. Again, they conversed about Nassau, the Jackdaw and sailing in general. One of the singers took a liking to Adéwalé causing him to blush and drink some of his rum. The tavern door swung open, blowing warm air into the already warm building.
Someone grabbed Edward by the shoulders. He jumped up in alarm and spun to confront the grabber. It's was Sebastián, the quartermaster of the Black Serpent and friend of Adelaida, the captain. His agitated face was covered in blood, his own or someone else's, Edward couldn't tell. Then he noticed the bloodied bandage around the Spaniard's waist. "Jayus! What the hell happened to you?"
"Sebastián?" Kidd asked concerned, standing beside Edward, "Where's Adelaida? What's wrong?"
"Tienen... tienen..." he gasped for breath, exhausted either from a fight or running. "They..." He could barely stand. To others, he would just look like someone who got into a bar brawl and lost but Edward had a feeling that was not the case.
"What?" The three asked.
"I can't say here. Kidd, we need to go to the bureau. Now."
Kidd exchanged glances with the other men and nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
"We... need to stay out of the way of the gaurds." Sebastián took a deep swig of rum before stumbling towards the tavern door. Edward lingered behind the man in case he collapsed.
Peering out of the tavern, Kidd checked to see that the area was free from the British gaurds. He waved them out as the coast was clear. Adéwalé scouted ahead for guards and gestured them on when it was okay to move. "God, what the hell happened?" Edward asked again, curiousness over taking him.
He stumbled over his feet but kept walking regardless. "The Black Serpent. We were attacked. Templars."
Kidd glanced over his shoulder in the Spaniard's direction, anger written all over his face. "How did you find us? Why did they attack yer ship?"
"I saw Kidd... and followed him," he breathed and swallowed. "I think we were attacked because..." Sebastián grunted in pain and held his stomach.
"Are you alright?!" Edward exclaimed, hands ready for if he fell.
"I'm fine. We need to keep going."
"We're around the corner!" Kidd told them.
They hurried as fast as they could to the bureau. Adéwalé was already at the entrance waiting for the door to open after knocking rapidly. Edward and Sebastián reached the Assassin bureau just as the bureau Master, Antó, opened the door and let them in. "Sebastián, about time!"
"It wasn't easy, you know. I was stabbed in the gut!"
Kidd blinked, "Wait, you know what happened to him?"
Antó turned to Sebastián, "You failed to tell them?"
"I have a lot on my mind right now."
Kidd grabbed Sebastián by the shoulders and turned him to face him. "What didn't you tell us!?" he demanded.
Sebastián shrugged off Kidd's firm hand. "The Templars have Adelaida." Edward's mouth dropped in shock. "They attacked us and took her... She wasn't who they were after... they were after..." he trailed off and Kidd looked like he was about to punch him, "Ah Tabai."
"What?!" Kidd shouted. "Why was Ah Tabai on your ship?!"
"They were visiting the Assassin bureaus around the West Indies, making sure everything was going okay."
"You let him on the Black Serpent?! A ship well known to the Templars!" Kidd exclaimed incredulous. "What a stupid idea!"
Sebastián sat on the bottom of the stairs with a wince. "It wasn't my idea. Talk to your Mentor about that."
Edward glanced around the empty bureau. "Where would he be exactly?"
"Not kidnapped too?" Kidd said with dread.
"No, no, he's fine," Sebastián shook his head, waving behind him. "He's upstairs." Kidd hurried toward to find the Assassin Mentor but Sebastián grabbed his arm. "His wife has just been kidnapped by Templars; he's not in the best mood."
Kidd glared down at him and pulled his forearm free. "Tell me everything or so help me."
"Okay! Okay... We'd just left Kingston and had set sail for Tulum. Ah Tabai was acting a little troubled when we left dock. Adela asked him what the matter was and he said he had a bad feeling about something. So, knowing not to dismiss his instincts, she put the crew on alert and we continued sailing." He looked up. "One of the crew noticed a pirate ship flagging us down for some assistance and so we let them dock with us... Esa fue una mala idea. (That was such a bad idea.)" Sebastián rubbed his face and sighed. "The moment we broadsided they opened fire, taking us all by surprise. That was when we knew they were Templars. Ah Tabai had been forced to stay in Adela's cabin, because we didn't want the Templars to know of him leaving Tulum and when the firing started, he came out. We fought like our lives depended on it and... and it did." He stood up. "It was a complete mess. They had knocked Ah Tabai unconscious and, mierda, was Adela pissed. She kicked their fucking asses, but they shot her and began to drag her to their ship. She screamed at me to keep Ah Tabai safe and that's what I did."
"Shit," Edward breathed.
"Oh sí. Anyway, we chased them to Kingston but as we reached the bay the rudder broke and I took a rowboat the rest of the way into the harbour. And I fucking lost them... Then because Ah Tabai was still out of it I took him here, got patched up and came to find you."
Edward stayed silent for a moment. This was bad. Adelaida had been kidnapped by the Templars after being so careful in the past. He thought that there was another betrayal within the Assassins just like the one with Walpole.
"Someone betrayed us and I think Ah Tabai knows who. That's why he was acting weird."
"Then I suggest we get started in finding the traitor."
"Who knew that Ah Tabai had left Tulum?"
"Everyone," Antó and Sebastián replied.
"That's a lot of Assassins," Adéwalé said.
"Aye and where do we start?" asked Edward.
"By questonin' those who knew of them being here then we move to Havana and Tulum," Kidd said.
"We can't do that," Sebastián said. "That's far too many people and we don't have the time. It was a Spanish ship that attacked us, interrogate them, they'll know something."
Antó agreed with a nod. "Get that started. I shall stay here."
"So will I," said Sebastián. "I'm not great for a fight at the moment." He sighed and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "Pedazo de mierda Templarios. Espero que les está dando el infierno y que no muestra misericordia. (Piece of shit Templars. I hope she's giving them hell and showing no mercy.)"
