Rook spies were reporting that both Miranda Proudmoore and Arthur Menethil were being followed by strange men. That was both good and bad news. Sir Charles Lemington had told him the truth, at least. The bad news was that now both of them would be harder to kill.
"Damn Templars know we're going after them," Jacob said.
"That's good. We need them to fear us," Evie pointed out. "So who are you going for first?"
"Miranda Proudmoore, the Proud Burglar," Jacob answered. "Currently she's waiting to be sentenced. I'm sure the Templar faction in the police will do something to get her out of there. I'll have to strike first."
As there were more policemen on the streets now, it was easier to find one. Jacob saw two of them patrolling an alleyway. Creeping up on them, he released his Hidden Blade.
The two policemen heard the sound and turned around. Simultaneously Jacob drove his Hidden Blade into the first policeman's stomach. As he pulled his Hidden Blade out of the man, Jacob saw the second one fleeing the scene.
Jacob quickly caught up with the escaping policeman, pouncing on him when he was close enough. The policeman struggled for a few seconds while being pinned down, but soon he realised there was no escape.
"Don't worry, lad. I won't kill you, I swear," Jacob promised. "I just need something from you."
After knocking the policeman unconscious, Jacob stripped him of his clothing and donned them on. Now he looked like a policeman. Leaving the alleyway, Jacob made his way to the police station where the Proud Burglar was being held.
Minutes later, a policeman strode confidently into the station. None of the officers knew who he was, but they knew from his uniform that he was a senior officer.
"Sir," one of the policemen, most probably a more junior rank than the policeman, acknowledged. "May I know why you are here? You don't seem like you're from this area."
Jacob nodded. "I have been assigned to this station. I am at the rank of senior officer, if you don't know already."
One of the policemen, who was also a senior officer, walked up to him, wanting to shake his hand. Jacob took the officer's hand and twisted it, before launching him across the lobby with a hard kick and push.
Reacting quickly, three more policemen rushed towards Jacob. But they had made a mistake – they were unarmed, while Jacob had weapons which he could use any moment. As the first policeman neared, Jacob punched him hard in the jaw, and as he spun to one side Jacob pushed him onto the floor.
The second and third policemen came together. Sidestepping a punch from the second policeman, Jacob took the third policeman by his shirt and headbutted him in his head, before pushing him away. The second policeman tried to stop Jacob by restraining his arms from behind, but Jacob easily threw him over his shoulder.
Now there were only two more policemen left in the lobby. One of them was armed with a revolver, and was pulling it out. In two big steps, Jacob closed the gap between him and the policeman. Before the policeman could pull the trigger, Jacob forced it out of his hands and jabbed its end into the man's stomach.
With the revolver still jabbing the policeman's stomach, Jacob released his Hidden Blade, pointing it at the last policeman's stomach. At the same time, Jacob shot the second-last policeman with the revolver and stabbed the last policeman with the revolver and Hidden Blade respectively. Once they were down, Jacob threw the revolver onto the ground and kept his Hidden Blade, before walking into the holding area.
The Proud Burglar, aka Miranda Proudmoore asked the senior officer, "I heard a gunshot out there, what's going on?" she asked.
"There was an attack in the lobby. May the Father of Understanding guide me," Jacob said with a grin.
Miranda got what Jacob was trying to tell her, and grinned as well. "I knew it wouldn't be long before they came."
Jacob's face then changed to a serious look. "I heard the two Assassins, Jacob and Evie Frye, have escaped from jail. You'll have to watch your back."
Miranda was surprised. "Escaped?"
"And sooner or later they'll probably be coming after you and Arthur Menethil. Sir Charles Lemington has already been killed by them," Jacob informed.
"They killed Lemington already? Those bastards will pay for this," Miranda said as she clenched her fist. "Now get me out of here quickly, before anyone sees us."
Re-entering the lobby, Jacob encountered three hooded men wearing light steel armour. He spotted the Templar insignia on their armour.
One of them pulled his hood back and drew his sword. "Lady Proudmoore, you are in danger. Get away from that man immediately! He is none other than Jacob Frye."
Miranda turned to eye Jacob, her suspicion rising. Jacob answered as if he was not lying, "You! You are the one that has been outlawed Master de Vita! I remember, you aided the Fryes in their escape from jail. Are you here under the command of those dogs, to kill this woman now?"
She then turned to look at the man. "You incorrigible dog. You will pay for your treachery."
Picking up a revolver from an unconscious senior officer, Miranda aimed it at the man's head and fired. The man collapsed and died quickly. The other two men drew their swords, and pulled back their hoods to reveal themselves.
"Lady Proudmoore, you cannot trust this man! He really is Jacob Frye!" one of the men insisted.
Jacob shook his head. "All I have in common with him is that I have a Hidden Blade. That I got from an Assassin foolish enough to try to stop me. You two have done the same, and I will do the same thing to you two as I had done to that Assassin. Which is, murder."
Before Jacob could strike, Miranda shot the two Templars dead. "As a token of my appreciation I took them out for you," she said as she threw the revolver on the floor.
In the blink of an eye, Jacob released his Hidden Blade and plunged it into Miranda's stomach. Without missing a beat, Jacob punched her hard, and her body slid away from the Hidden Blade, before falling onto the floor, along with all the other bodies.
"Are…are you really Jacob Frye?" Miranda asked.
Jacob nodded with a sneer. "I thought you would recognise me, but you didn't. That is one mistake you can learn from, in your next life."
