Chapter 18
Trinity Quote
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" I thought as I pushed my way through the crowd of people with the dark templars on my back, "oh fuck!"
As I looked over my shoulder, I saw Drogan marching after me, casually shoving the first three people out of the way, but then he put his hand on the fourth person and shoved him so hard he went flying.
"CHEEZIT!" I thought as I booked it.
As I came to the corner of an intersection, I saw something on the other side of the street that almost made me have a heart attack, Agent Lotus had appeared out of thin air and drew her photon pistol.
"EEP!" I squeaked as I turned and ran into a nearby shoe store.
I came to a stop and looked around frantically at everyone staring at me.
"Uh… Hi?" I asked with a sheepish grin.
I looked at the front of the store and saw the dark templars were coming.
"Oh crap," I said as I ran towards the end of the store, "storage room, storage room, storage room!"
I reached the storage room, kicked open the door and ran inside without wasting another second.
"Hey! You're not supposed to be-"
But I ran up and punched the man right in the face, knocking him out before he could say more as I ran out onto the loading dock.
"There… At least I gave myself a little breathing room," I panted as I doubled over, trying to catch my breath.
I slowly stood up and looked over my shoulder. I started to hear footsteps.
"Oh, come on!" I snapped as I took off again.
I looked around and tried to find a suitable place where I could likely lose them. It was at that moment during my state of panic that I remembered something. My Eagle Vision! I quickly activated it and saw a building that was glowing golden.
"An apartment-"
But I was interrupted as I heard photon fire. I ducked and took off towards my destination.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" I thought as I kept running.
I looked over my shoulder and saw something that almost made me piss myself: There were three dark templars on my ass now!
"Oh, give me a break," I thought as I turned back around.
I saw a nearby park and ran for it.
"They wouldn't shoot at me around children-"
I heard photon fire again. But the noise sounded different, and the projectile didn't leave a scorch mark. That could only mean one thing: Their weapons had a 'Stun' setting.
"Well, they just think of everything, now don't they?" I thought as I ran through the park as stun bolts kept flying at me.
When I was out of the park, the photon bolts started flying at me again. Fortunately, I didn't have to go very far because I had arrived at the apartment building. I kicked open the door and looked around the main area of the building before heading up the steps.
"Moving, got to keep moving!" I ordered myself.
I made it all the way up to the… Fifth floor I believe, from there, I kicked open the stairway door and ran all the way to the end of the wall, towards the fire escape, I jumped and covered my head as I crashed through the window and landed on the fire escape steps. I turned around fast, drew my photon pistol and aimed at the stairway door, panting heavily as I focused on the entrance.
"…Wait…" I thought as I quietly moved up a couple floors before sneaking inside through another fire escape and ducking down.
All was quiet, except for the sound of my breathing and heavy pounding of my heart as I tried to calm myself down. Suddenly, I heard the sound of boots against metal grates. The dark templars were here. I clapped a hand over my mouth, to muffle my breathing.
"…Where is she?" asked Lotus.
"She's not here," said Drogan, "that Assassin is much faster than we thought."
"Dammit," growled Lotus, "we almost had her."
"Let's not worry our pretty little heads now," said a voice, likely the third dark templar, "she might be trying to lead us astray."
That almost made me squeak.
"Search the building, that girl is still here," said the third dark templar.
I heard them leave. This was bad. Whoever that third dark templar was, if they know that I haven't left the premises yet, then I'll need to sneak out of here. I let out a quiet breath as I quietly got up and started to make my way to the stairway. I slowly opened the door and looked around, listening for any footsteps, looking for anyone who might be coming up or down.
"Looks like it's all clear," I murmured as I snuck up to the roof.
I managed to make it to the roof and looked around. I didn't see the dark Templars waiting for me.
"Alright, looks like I'm really in the cl-"
I stopped dead in my tracks, seeing the third dark templar, Agent Razor.
"Oh," I said.
I ran across the roof as Razor started shooting.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I screamed as I jumped from the roof of the apartment building and right through the window of another building, making sure to cover my head of course as I came crashing through and rolled to a stop, "got to run…"
I got up and started to bolt for it when I froze, seeing Drogan standing at the other end of the hallway. Without wasting time, I drew my photon pistol and started firing off shots. As the first shot was about to make contact, Drogan started to perform the impossible and began… Dodging the photon bolts like Agent Eclipse! When I stopped shooting, Drogan gave me a wicked grin.
"…Uh… Time out?" I asked, putting my hands up.
Drogan drew his photon pistol and started firing shots at me. As he did, time started to slow down all around me as I started to do the impossible and dodge the bolts too! I leaned back as the photon bolts flew right past me… Real slow-like. That is until I felt two hit me. One in my right leg and another in my left arm, causing me to drop to the floor and grit my teeth in pain.
"Damn," I groaned as I struggled to stand.
Drogan walked over to me and looked down, giving me a small smile as he aimed his photon pistol at my face.
"…Only human," he said.
Suddenly, I heard another photon pistol being charged, followed by a voice.
"Dodge this," someone said.
My savior fired and Drogan fell to the ground, dead. I gasped.
"Carrie!" I chirped.
Carrie put a finger to my lips and helped me up.
"Come on," she said, helping me out of the building.
Carrie and I retreated to a bathroom located in the subway, where she started to dress my wound while I told her what happened.
"And then the guy just gave a light push and sent the dude flying without little to no effort," I said, "…how'd you even find me? What did Windwaker tell you where I was or something?"
"Assassin vehicles come equip with 'Balto Protocol', whenever you activate the 'Auto-Pilot' the vehicle will activate a scrambled homing beacon and alert any nearby assassin compounds," said Carrie, "that way another member can find the vehicle and use it to find the assassin that's in trouble."
"…Huh?" I asked.
Carrie sighed.
"Your bike told me where you were last located," she said.
"Oh… That's a nice trick," I said.
Just then, Carrie smacked me in the back of the head.
"Ow! The fuck was that for!?" I demanded.
"The hell were you thinking?" asked Carrie, "getting in a fight with a Dark Templar? Getting chased down by said Dark Templar and a few of his cohorts. Getting caught in a bind. Me having to bail your ass out. And all to save your old friend?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… I don't know what you're talking about, girl, I just went to get some breakfast by myself," I said.
"Cut the bullshit, your right-hand man, told me everything," said Carrie.
I facepalmed. Figures, Windwaker ratted me out. Fucking traitor.
"Carrie, I can explain, I saw her and I just… I just thought I'd try to help her out, I didn't mean for things to escalate like they did moments ago-"
"No, no, no… Don't explain to me… Explain to Master Derkins," said Carrie, "if you didn't come close to breaking one or more of the three tenets, we'd be heading back to the compound right now."
I sighed.
"…Alright, I'll tell Master Derkins what happened," I said.
"…Alright," Carrie said as she stood up, "can you walk?"
"Huh?" I asked.
I slowly rose to my feet and didn't feel my leg give out after it was shot by that dark templar.
"Actually… I can," I said, "nice field dress."
"…Yeah," said Carrie, "come on, let's get back to the compound."
I nodded.
"Windwaker, where are you?" I asked on the comm.
"I snuck your friend into an unused hotel room," he said, "we are currently holding our position."
"…Have her sent back home," I said.
"That is most unwise," said Windwaker.
"What? Why?" I asked.
"Miss Karyn informed me that Agent Razor was assigned to keep an eye on her," said Windwaker, "should she be returned home, she will likely be interrogated and used as bait to draw you out again."
"…Damn," I muttered.
"What?" asked Carrie.
"I can't send Karyn home, if I do, that dark templar who was assigned to keep an eye on her will interrogate her and use her to try and draw me out," I said.
"That's not our problem," said Carrie.
Before Carrie could go for the door handle, I grabbed her and slammed her against the door.
"Not our problem?" I asked, "let me tell you what I have to say about that, bitch… I joined you guys so I could help you break the grip of the Templar Order here in the fucking states and quite possibly the fucking world. Now I know you guys are fighting a losing battle, but as far as I'm concerned, my friend can and would be willing to help us in our fucking struggle. I think that if you guys are serious about beating the Templars, we are going to need all the help we can get. And if you don't like it… I can walk out of this bathroom and disappear so fast; you'd need specially trained dogs to find me."
Carrie gave me a shocked look, heh, guess she didn't expect for me to be so forward. Personally, I don't blame her.
"Fine… What's the plan?" asked Carrie.
"Simple… We're going to find Agent Razor and end him," I said bluntly.
Carrie hesitated, but she nodded and followed me to Karyn's house. Even though I haven't been over at her house since I became an assassin, I still remembered how to get there. Big surprise, when we arrived, we just saw Agent Razor getting out of his car. I looked and saw a truck drive up in front of the house and a squad of zealots file out.
"What's going on?" asked Carrie.
"…Trouble," I said as I dropped down to the ground below.
Carrie dropped down with me.
"Mr. and Mrs. Harris?" asked Agent Razor, "this is Agent Razor, I'd like to speak with you."
I knew where this was going to be headed.
"What's going on?" Karyn's dad asked as he came out.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come with us. Your daughter-"
"Is safe and sound!" I barked as I marched over to the other side of the street.
Razor and his goon squad turned around fast, seeing me and Carrie approach.
"A-A-Ailith?" asked Karyn's mom.
"Yes… It's me, Mrs. Harris," I said, "whatever this man was about to tell you, is a ball-faced lie. Karyn is safe and secured. I promise."
"Mrs. Harris, don't believe a word that this young lady is trying to tell you," said Razor, "she and her counterpart were responsible for the kidnapping of your daughter and they are here to kill you so she may cover her tracks."
Karyn's mom gasped.
"Don't listen to him," I said, "I didn't kidnap Karyn. I took her somewhere safe because these people are using her."
"That's impossible. These men are good people, they wouldn't dare use our daughter, they're here to protect us from the heretics. From you people," said Karyn's dad.
This was going nowhere. I had to think of something to convince them that I was telling the truth. But what could I tell them? The only reason why I know who these guys really are is because of my uncle and because of the snooping I did through their personal network. To the media, they only saw these guys as just peacekeepers and not highly trained killers. That was when I got an idea.
"Mr. and Mrs. Harris. I can assure you; these people are not who they say they are," I said.
"…Take care Miss Waverly, what you say is heresy," said Razor.
"Is it?" I asked, pulling my right hand out from behind my back, revealing my phone… Which was on speaker.
"Hello?" asked Karyn.
Razor gasped and motioned for his men to grab it.
"Neh, eh, eh," Carrie said as she drew her photon pistol and aimed it at the zealots, "comedy is timing, you know."
Razor gritted his teeth.
"Hello? Ailith?" asked Karyn.
"Karyn?" asked Karyn's mom, "is that you honey? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine mom, I'm fine… A little shacken up but… I'm fine," she said.
"Tell them what happened," I said.
"…Agent Razor tried to kill Ailith," said Karyn, "he used me to try and find her so he could kill her."
Razor made a fist.
"And did he try to kill me because I was trying to kidnap you?" I asked.
"…No," said Karyn.
"Was I trying to kidnap you?" I asked.
"…No," she said, "…because you said we were friends. And I know that you would never do such a thing to a friend."
Razor did not look happy.
"You Templars are pretty damn good at hiding the truth from people, huh?" I asked.
"Templars?" asked Karyn's mom.
"Ooooooh, that's right… You guys don't know do you?" I asked, "well, I guess it makes sense, given how the media is known for spreading 'fake news'."
I waved my finger at Agent Razor and the zealots.
"These guys right here… They're Templars. Not zealot enforcers or peacekeepers or… Whatever the fuck they call themselves," I said, "and they're responsible for killing a lot of people."
"…You talk too much," said Razor, "kill her."
Karyn's mom gasped.
"Guess I struck a nerve," I said, "I'm going to have to put you on hold, Karyn."
I hung up.
"I'd advise you two to look away," Carrie said as she ignited her photon sword.
The zealots charged over at me and Carrie and surrounded us.
"Back-to-back," I said.
We stood back to back. The zealots closed in and attacked us. The first zealot drew his photon sword and swung on me, but I deflected his strike, turned and delivered a 'no look' stab through the man, then I elbowed him in the face and started trading swings with the next zealot.
"One, two, three, four, five," I said as I counted as I blocked the hits, "spinning duck."
I spun and ducked down as another zealot came and attacked me from behind, then I jumped and performed a split kick, knocking them back. I dropped back down to the ground and was met with two cleaving strikes from a third zealot.
"Whoa, whoa!" I exclaimed.
Suddenly, Carrie came flying in and knocked the man down with a flying kick. At the same time, I pushed her out of the way and drove my photon sword into her opponent's heart, then I grabbed his corpse, put him in front of another zealot that was coming right at me, using him as a shield to block and oncoming attack. I pulled out my photon sword and the dead zealot collapsed, leaving me to impale his friend through the gut.
Just then, Carrie grabbed me and pulled me behind her just as a fourth zealot came at her from behind. I ejected my offhand hidden blade and drove it into the zealot's neck, then I drove my photon sword into his gut and threw him to the ground. I looked over my shoulder and saw Carrie got finished dispatching the last two zealots with relative ease.
"Nice," I said as she and I high fived.
Carrie and I looked over at Razor.
"It looks like it's just us now, Razor," I said, "now… How would you like to die?"
Razor casually took off his coat and let it fall to the ground. I gasped. His right arm was all shiny and metallic now. A prosthetic?
"Eh, shit," I said.
Razor charged. Carrie and I got ready. Razor jumped at me first and threw his right hand at me, I dodged, via backflip and started throwing hands with the man. Razor blocked my first five of my punches, when I went for a straight shot to his chest, he blocked and countered by punched me right in the chest, knocking me down. I let out a gasp.
"Okay… That hurt like… Really bad," I groaned.
Razor let out a battlecry as he charged and jumped at me, but Carrie came in and delivered a cannonball kick to his ribs, sending him right into the mailbox.
"Thanks," I said as I slowly rose to my feet.
"Try and keep clear Ailith," said Carrie, "you have armor, but it's not as durable as mine. I'll take this guy on, you give me cover."
I nodded and drew my photon pistol. Carrie took a step forward, took a deep breath, exhaled and got in a ready stance. I felt an odd tingling sensation go up my spine when Carrie got in a ready stance. She seemed… Like really focused. Determined even. Even Razor seemed to notice.
"…Unexpected… But not unwelcome," he said with a smirk.
Carrie and Razor jumped at each other and both threw a punch. The moment their fists connected, they started throwing hands at each other. I nearly dropped my pistol when I saw Carrie throw down with Razor. Her moves were fast, sharp and looked like they could bust a man's jaw if they connected with your face. Every punch, every kick, every dodge… It was almost like she was on par with this chump!
"No… She is on par with them," I thought.
Carrie raised her arms in an 'X' formation, tanking a full powered punch from Razor, then she shoved his arm back as she uncrossed her arms, wound up and punched him right in the face. Carrie punched Razor in the face three times with her right arm, then one time with the left. When Razor threw a counter, Carrie slid to his left and punched him right in the jaw, kicked him in the stomach to make him double over and finally, she grabbed him and brought her knee up to his face, breaking his shades again. Razor stumbled back and was met with a roundhouse kick to the face.
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, seeing blood fly off his lip.
Carrie got in a ready stance again. Razor got his bearings. I nearly fell over in shock. How could he be standing after taking those hits!?
"Your shield won't last much longer," said Carrie, "not after those hits."
"And neither will yours," Razor said as he drew his photon pistol.
I gasped and brought my weapon up again, shooting his gun out of his hand. Carrie jumped and punched him right in the jaw again, then she struck him in the nose with the back of her fist. She tried to get him with a leg sweep, but Razor jumped back and jumped forward, kicking Carrie in the face and knocking her on the grass.
"CARRIE!" I screamed, firing more shots.
Razor turned and… Started dodging like Eclipse. I fired my last shot and let my arm drop down.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.
Razor started marching over to me when he was struck in the side of the head, with the busted mailbox, by Carrie; the mailbox snapped off the post and hit the ground, leaving only the post itself, which Carrie used to try and impale Razor, who caught it with his bare hands and broke it, then he jumped at Carrie again, prompting her to roll out of the way and draw… Two photon pistols.
"Carrie wait, you can't hit him!" I called out.
But Carrie started spraying photon bolts at Razor and he started dodging them, just as I predicted. When Carrie fired her last two shots, she jumped at Razor just as he got finished dodging and struck him in the face with a corkscrew kick, launching herself into the air and sticking the landing.
"Gotcha," she said.
Carrie holstered her guns and drew her photon sword, she charged and swung on Razor, but he backed up and grabbed her by the throat with his left hand.
"…Even with your power… And your experience… You're still only human," he said.
I snuck up behind Razor, as he pulled his right hand back. I put my gun to the back of his head. He turned and looked right at me.
"Peek-a-boo," I said.
I fired. Razor released Carrie as he went flying back and hit the ground. I walked over to Carrie, to see if she was alright. Luckily, she was. A little roughed up. But she was alright.
"How did you do that?" I asked.
"Do what?" asked Carrie.
"You moved like they do," I said, pointing to Razor, "…I don't think even I could move that fast."
Carrie cracked her neck.
"…Just takes practice," she said.
Suddenly, I was met with a hug from behind by Karyn's mom.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Ailith! Bless you!" she cried out.
"Is there anything…? Anything we can do to repay you for rightly executing these men and protecting our daughter?" asked Karyn's dad.
Carrie and I looked at each other.
"…Let's talk inside," I said.
"Making contact with your friend after she was turned into bait in order to lure you in by the Templars. Engaging a dark templar at your leisure, resulting in numerous other dark templars to take part in hounding you down. Getting chased into the civilian populace while the templars were gunning you down," said Master Derkins, "but… Too be far… You didn't compromise the brotherhood by leading them close to where the compound was and… You and Carrie did take down the dark templar that practically had your best friend and her family at his mercy."
"So… Are we in trouble?" I asked slowly.
Master Derkins pondered for a moment.
"…Considering this is a first offense… The most I can do is let you off with a warning," she said, "it's the council, who gets the final say."
I winced. That wasn't what I wanted to hear.
"And it's also their say on accepting your request on placing these people under the protection of the Brotherhood," said Master Derkins.
Master Derkins turned and started to walk away.
"…Carrie… I'm sure you remember where the extractor is," she said before walking away.
I let out a heavy sigh.
"You are very lucky, that you're Keith Waverly's niece, otherwise, you'd be punished on the spot," scolded Carrie.
"Okay, okay, I get it, I fucked up," I muttered, "but hey, at least we got the big bad guy and helped my friend, right?"
"Yes, but you managed to do what no one else could do. Even would do," said Carrie, "which is why you need to be extra careful now when you go out into the field. There's a chance that more will be coming for you."
"…I know," I said.
Carrie went to go get the extractor, afterwards, Windwaker told us where the two of them were holed up at and we went to go see 'em.
"Empty apartment," I said as I climbed in through the window.
Carrie followed in behind me. I looked over at Karyn, who was eating a burger, fries and sipping a soda, with Windwaker sitting next to her in his wolf form.
"Hey buddy," I said as I pulled off my hood and took off my mask.
"Hey," she said with a small smile.
"How are you holding up?" I asked.
"I could you the same thing," she said.
"Eh… A little roughed up, but… Nothing that can be shrugged off," I said confidently.
Karyn looked at Carrie.
"Oh uh… This is Carrie," I said, "she's also an assassin."
Karyn looked at the extractor in Carrie's hands.
"…If you want to return to your family… You can't have that tracker inside of you," she said, "this is meant to remove it."
"Uh… Is it going to hurt?" asked Karyn.
"Senses indicate a high-"
I clamped my hands over Windwaker's mouth.
"Nope!" I chirped with a sheepish grin.
I really didn't want to have to lie to her, but… It was either that or I tell her that it's going to feel really weird and neither answer was the best answer, you know? Anyway, we managed to get the tracker out… But at a cost.
THWACK!
"That's for lying to me," she huffed.
"I deserve that," I groaned, rubbing my head after she chopped it.
"Regardless… Now the Templars can't hunt you down again," said Carrie.
"Good… Now I can return the favor," said Karyn.
"EH!?" Carrie and I exclaimed in unison.
"You heard me," said Karyn.
"Warning, such a decision is a one-way street, once you walk down it you may never return to your old life," said Windwaker.
"He's right Karyn," I said, "I mean I only joined the brotherhood to help out my uncle and his buddies."
"Well maybe I want to sign on because they tried to use me as bait to arrest you, probably even kill you," said Karyn, "look, I don't know how it works for you guys… I don't know how you choose your members; I don't know about this talk about Assassins and Templars but dammit… if it's to help make sure that innocent citizens like me don't endure the same level of punishment just because a friend is a member of your little group then… I want a piece of the action. I mean… I'm free from the Templars and everything but who's to say that they won't go after my mom or dad? I mean I already lost my brother, I don't need to lose them."
"…And you're sure you want to do this?" I asked.
"Absolutely," said Karyn.
Carrie and I looked at each other.
"…Let me get on the phone," I said.
Author's note: Bet ya'll thought I forgot about this
