Alright, I know I haven't updated in ages, and I am sosorry. I got Call of Duty: Black Ops for Christmas last Saturday (my family has the weird tradition of opening presents early) and I've been kinda obsessed.
Also, the second part of this chapter will be in Abigail's view once again.
Anyway, hope you enjoy, and always remember: Any feedback is better than no feedback, so leave a review or Malfatto will be very disappointed in you.
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Without a doubt, Malfatto thoroughly enjoyed the missions, however the moment where he got paid was a close second. Standing in front of the Mayor- Abigail, if he remembered correctly- he made a low, sweeping bow. "Madam Mayor, a pleasure to see you again."
The woman so obviously didn't like him. She did her best to keep a straight, neutral face, but did not have the years of experience dealing with shady and undesirable characters that Malfatto did. "I take it that your job was successful?"
Nodding, the masked man continued "But of course! There are seven dead bandits, and Redknife himself, so I believe that brings us up to twenty two hundred florins." He calmly held out a gloved hand, awaiting the money.
The mayor gave a nod "But of course. Bernard." At his name, a well dressed man standing just behind came forward with a chest, and counted a large number of florins into a sack from it. "You will be welcome to stay the night here before you are on your way in the mornings." She told them, and Malfatto could see her doing her best not to shudder as the Doctor's masked eyes seemed to bore into her.
Malfatto heard the slight she made on them, forcing them to leave the next day, but bowed graciously. Turning to his cohorts, he made a hand gesture to Lupo, who was shamelessly flirting with a maid, and the siblings, who appeared to be reenacting a scene from The Odyssey. Odd, Malfatto had no idea they were theatrical.
As soon as they were out of the hall and into their rooms, the Doctor gathered the younger people around him. "Cahin, Caha, do whatever it is that you feel needs to be done. We leave in one hour flat." Nodding, the siblings darted out as Lupo and Malfatto began preparing their stuff for a quick get away.
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Uhhhh. Homicidal doctors, creepy acrobats, goatee'd murderers… Why couldn't she have a simple life? Ever since Caha and Cahin had betrayed her, things have gotten more and more complicated. She had to admit though, the one they called the Prowler was handsome, not quite as good looking as Cahin was, but definitely not bad either.
Laying down in bed, the world Abigail decided the world could wait for a while. She was going to sleep, and not worry about doctors, or acrobats, or traitorous friends…
Suddenly whatever sleep she had hoped of getting was robbed from her as she felt a hand cover her mouth and a knife blade on her throat. Opening her eyes, she looked into the demented masks of the Harlequin and the Hellaquin. The Harlequin leaned over, his costume giving off a glow even in the little light there was. "Shh" He hissed, putting a finger over his lips "Call for guards, and we'll kill you and them. Now, do you promise to be quiet?" At her shaky nod, he lifted his hand.
"Why are you in my room?" The mayor asked, trying to bring up some courage from reservations she didn't have.
"It's very simple, miss Abigail. We're here to decide whether to kill or spare you." The girl explained, as if commenting on the decision between mead or beer. "And at this moment, were leaning towards the killing."
"W-why?" Abigail managed to stammer out. "What have I done to you? I paid you, I put you up for the night. I didn't do anything wrong?"
At this the man gave a bitter laugh, one the hostage was fairly sure she had heard before… "Oh, you've done nothing recently. But we met a couple of people on the road. A brother and sister, from what we gathered." The mayor's eyes widened at the implications of that.
Here the woman joined in "Yes, terrible sight they were. Half starved and with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Weird clothes they were, at that. Looked like they had mugged a pair of mimes!"
Abigail could restrain her questions anymore. "What were their names? What did they look like? Where did you s-" She was stopped by a thump to her nose.
"Hush. Let us answer one question before you start another." The red-suited jester told her. "They had odd names, both really similar. Started with a "C" I think. Coco? Caho? Caha? Yes, that's it. Well, on of them atleast."
The young mayor's skin paled "Cahin?"
The woman snapped her fingers. "That was the fellows name! Not that it matter much in the end, though, did it?" At her partners sad headshake, she tutted.
"What do you mean? What happened?" The captive begged. Looking from one set of eye slits to the other.
"Said they came from this village. A bunch of loonies attacked them and their family, so they said." The man answered, waving an arm for effect. "Told us all about the village. The guy even told us about his fiancée, a miss Abigail Greatwall." At her name, the mayor gasped.
"Oh yes," The blue dressed acrobat continued. "Told us all about her. Couldn't get him to shut up, really. Said that she was a wonderful person, and hoped that she was okay and didn't get into trouble for helping them."
Abigail began to cry a little. "It's not my fault! They lied to me, not the other way around! They are the traitors!"
The red man leaned in a little. "And how do you know they are traitors and liars, miss Abigail?"
She paused a little, but managed to mumble something about Bertram and the Assassins showing her proof of the Templars. "So let me get this straight, miss Abigail," The Harlequin started again, "You believe the word of these attackers, the ones who tried to kill you, over your lifelong friends, simply because of some evidence they had that could have been just as easily faked as a store clerks ledger?" At her horrified expression, he seemed to give a smirk through the mask. "Whether you admit it or not, miss Abigail, you wanted the respect, the power that came with this office."
This wasn't fair. She knew she was wrong. She had know for some time know, deep down, but had done her best to squash that annoying voice that acted as her conscience. She began to tear up, but her two captors didn't look at all sorry for her. Now the Hellaquin felt the need to continue the verbal assault. "So here you sit, in your comfy mansion, while those two people we met on the road, the ones that claim that you are an honest and good person, starve and grow weak. Frankly ma'am, I may not know the proper definition of what you consider friendship, but I'm glad I don't share it."
The mayor of this city was absolutely helpless as she broke down into sobbing tears. "You're right. I don't know how I can live with myself. I think I might be better off to the world dead."
The man quirked his head to the side a little. "I don't think you mean that. Despite how bad you might feel now, I doubt you would wish yourself dead. After all, that's no way to fix your mistakes."
The blond woman shook her head. "I can't fix them.. they're too much."
The man in red shot a hand out, causing her to flinch, but the arm stopped, pointing a knife at her. With a deft twirl of his hand, the handle of the weapon was facing her. "I call your bluff. If you truly want to be done with this world, here's a way out. If you don't, I suggest you start working on fixing your mistakes."
She stared at the knife for a minute, before shaking her head. "No, if nothing else I have to find Cahin and Caha and apologize to them. It's been months, and they don't even know that I've been this horrid. Hopefully they'll never have to know what an awful person I am if I can find them before they get word."
Spinning the knife back into it's proper orientation, then sheathing it, the Harlequin stood up over Abigail. "For the record, miss Abigail, those kinds of secrets don't work out too well. After all, trying to hide things is like attempting to stop a leak with a cup. It may stall it, but soon you'll have to deal with a whole lot of water at once." As the two walked toward the window, Abigail heard the clock chime the hour.
"Besides," the Harlequin said, as both he and the Hellaquin lifted a hand to their mask. Abigail hissed as they lifted them, revealing their faces, "We already know."
The last part was whispered, just loud enough to hear, right before the both spread their arms and fell backwards out the window.
